Summerland, B.C
Home to the Famous
Kettle Valley Steam Railway
 Summerland is a small town located in the South Okanagan. It is situated on Highway 97 on the west side of Okanagan Lake, 20 km (12miles) north of
Penticton
and 28 km (18 miles) south of Peachland.
Summerland has adopted a theme to their town. Everything is done in an olde English Tudor style. It is so cool to walk the downtown area and see all the old buildings. And if you are driving through town there are no traffic lights to deal with! This is a major fruit growing area. Only Kelowna rivals it as the biggest growing and processing town in the Okanagan. The prime fertile soil in this region produces many high quality wines and orchards with their excellent fruit.
Best Things To Do and See
There are several good places to visit and see while you are spending time in this beautiful city. I will let you know some of the best.Check out some history of this area at the Summerland Museum and Archives. Right next to the Okanagan Regional Library, there are displays, photographs and videos of many historic things. These include pioneers, farming, packing houses, the Kettle Valley Railway and the early homes of the Okanagan.  Go for a hike on the trails leading up to the summit of Giants Head Mountain. With a 360 degree view from the top, you can get a great look at Okanagan Lake and Summerland.
There is a parking lot close to the summit and hiking trails leading to the park from there. Here are a couple of little known facts about this mountain that resembles a profile of a man's face. First of all it is an extinct volcano. And the other fact is that there is a time capsule at the top, to be opened in 2067. Stop by and visit the Summerland Trout Hatchery on Lakeshore Drive. Self guided tours and it is open 7 days a week.The Summerland Ornamental Gardens is a green paradise. The garden is situated above Pacific Agri-food Research Station, where scientists develop new varieties of different fruits. The landscape includes clusters of trees, grass lawns, and numerous garden plots. The Canyon View Path behind the main lawn offers outstanding views of the Trout Creek Canyon and the Kettle Valley Railway bridge. It is definitely worth your time to explore everything this Garden has to offer!  Take a two-hour journey on the Kettle Valley Railway, one of the few remaining operational steam railways left in British Columbia.
Open from May to October, this tour in a vintage passenger coach or open air car will take you on a spectacular 6 km (10 mile) ride through gorgeous vineyards and orchards. A can't miss opportunity to get in on some of British Columbia's history and see more of the Okanagan! If you have a sweet tooth drop by the
Summerland Sweets Factory
. There are a variety of fruit based products available. Fruit jelly candies, gourmet jams, and fruit syrups are just a few of the delicious goodies to sample.I am licking my chops just thinking of trying some of these and I can imagine there are many of you who will want to bring the kids down for some tasty treats. There are several Okanagan wineries and Okanagan vineyards in this area. Take a wine tour or stop by and visit a couple of them in your stay here.Sumac Ridge Estate Winery is one of British Columbia's premier wineries and is open year-round. There are six tours a day offered from May to October. Pick any time of the day to visit here! Dirty Laundry Vineyard may have an unusual name. But the wine made here is superb and the scenery as you overlook other vineyards and orchards, Trout Creek Canyon and the Kettle Valley Railway Trestle is breathtaking. Check out their tours and some taste testing too. Simply delicious! Golf in the Okanagan is very popular and it is no different in this town. There are two golf courses in this area. Summerland Golf and Country Club sits on a plateau 300 metres above Okanagan Lake. This is an 18-hole, par 72 course. Sumac Ridge Golf Club is a 9-hole public golf course. Located next to the winery of the same name, this short course offers a challenge from the beginning golfer to the more advanced. So book your tee times and enjoy a wonderful day on the links! For the car enthusiasts you need to head down to
Nixdorf Classic Cars
. With a showroom of over eighty completely restored classic cars it will provide a bit of nostalgia for everyone. The Peach Orchard Loop Trail is a recreation walking path that tours the historic railway lands surrounding the area. The 4.5 km (2.8 mile) walking trail follows the shoreline of Okanagan Lake providing views of Okanagan Lake.Beautiful yachts and sailing boats moored at the Summerland Yacht Club can be viewed along your walk here. For any of you Okanagan campers there are several good camping spots to be found in this area. Personally, I have set up camp here on more than a few ocassions in the Summer. I have found it to be one the best areas in the Okanagan to enjoy a camping trip.Just remember to book early in the year if you want to get a prime location. They fill up fast as word has spread and the RV's and tents take over the outdoors.
A Little History
The first recorded settler to this area was in 1887. There are still some of his family's descendants living here.Summerland was incorporated as a municipality in 1905 thanks to John Moore Robinson. After establishing the community of Peachland to the north, Robinson moved south to create a community by Okanagan Lake. He was helped by the president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Sir Thomas Shaughnessy.They chose the name Summerland and attracted future orchardests by using the phrase 'Summer weather forever'! And a few more facts... Summerland was the site of the first electric light service in the Okanagan in 1905 and first telephone in 1906. Site of the first college in Western Canada in 1906. 
The Gartrell Barn was built in 1890 by one of the area's pioneer families and it still stands. A little worn now but still quite the structure to see.Built in 1913, the largest steel girder bridge of its kind in North America spreads out along the Trout Creek. The trestle is the highest railway trestle in British Columbia, and third highest in all of North America!The city was called 'West Summerland' and then dropped the 'West' in 1964.
There are several accomodation options available in the city. Motels, hotels and bed and breakfasts are plentiful here in Summerland so come and stay awhile. I hope you enjoyed this tour of a great little town. You will want to make this a stop on your next visit to the Okanagan.
Okanagan Valley Guide will be updated regularly. Please return often or bookmark this site. I will be adding more pages of exciting information for you.
Thanks for visiting.
See you soon!
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