Okanagan, BC
Penticton
A sunny Okanagan town between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake: two beaches, a lazy float down the river channel between them, the SS Sicamous sternwheeler, Kettle Valley Rail Trail trestles and the Naramata Bench wineries.
Photo: The S.S. Sicamous on the beach at Penticton, Darren Kirby from Edmonton, AB, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Penticton sits on a strip of land between two lakes. Okanagan Beach lines the north end of town, Skaha Beach the south, and the river channel links them. Float from one to the other.
The SS Sicamous, a 1914 sternwheeler, rests on the Okanagan Lake shore. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail runs along the hills above the Naramata Bench vineyards.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Kettle Valley Rail Trail
A rail trail with trestles and views over the lake and vineyards.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Penticton Farmers' Market
A Saturday market on Main Street.
Season Saturdays, roughly mid-April–end of Oct (check before you go).
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Kettle Valley Steam Railway
Steam train rides on a preserved stretch of the Kettle Valley line in Summerland, about 20 minutes away.
Season Rides roughly May–Sept, with some fall and winter event trains (check before you go).
Part of our Okanagan guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Two beaches, one town.
- Winery visits are better without driving back.
- Saturday market on Main Street.
Nearby and worth the drive
Myra Canyon trestles.
Osoyoosabout 45 min · Guide ↗A desert-edge lake town at the south end of the Okanagan, about 45 minutes south.
Ready-made trips with Penticton
Good to know
- Tourism: Visit Penticton.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The S.S. Sicamous on the beach at Penticton, Darren Kirby from Edmonton, AB, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Penticton Lazy River, Kyle Pearce, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: KVR, Fil.Al from Comox, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Maverick Ponderosa Pine atop an outcrop near the Skaha Bluffs, Extemporalist, CC0
Photo: Giant's Head Mountain, Kiwibirdman, CC BY 3.0