The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia has so much to explore outdoors and there’s something for everyone – families included! Here are some awesome things to do and places to see in the Okanagan Valley with your kids in the month of June. Happy Adventuring!
1. Join the South Okanagan BioBlitz to Celebrate Canada 150!
On June 9th and 10th join experts to explore the biodiversity of the South Okanagan. The South Okanagan BioBlitz is a family friendly event. There will be nine different opportunities at eight different locations to learn about the unique species that live in the South Okanagan and all are FREE! For a list of all the events visit 2017 South Okanagan BioBlitz.
I’ve asked one of the organizers which events are best for kids and she suggested: Invert Investigator for a Day, Night biodiversity walk, Awesome snakes at Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park (there will be a live snake at the beginning!) and the BioBlitz wrap-up event at the Penticton Museum (there will be rare amphibians and a burrowing owl). Space is limited so register soon. Register Here!
2. Learn to Fish in Kelowna and West Kelowna
Learn to fish through a FREE half-day program that introduces kids and their families to fishing. There are several upcoming Learn to Fish sessions happening around Kelowna in the month of June:
June 3, 2017 Rod Loan: Hall Road Pond, Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
June 3, 2017 Rod Loan: Shannon Lake, Shannon Lake Regional Park, West Kelowna (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
June 7, 2017 Learn to Fish: Hall Road Pond, Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna (6:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
June 10, 2017 Rod Loan: Hall Road Pond, Mission Creek Regional Park, Kelowna (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
June 10, 2017 Rod Loan: Shannon Lake, Shannon Lake Regional Park, West Kelowna (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM)
3. U-Pick Strawberries in the South Okanagan
June is the time of year when we start seeing fresh Okanagan fruit. Yum! This year spring has been rather cold and crops are a little delayed. We might not see cherries until the beginning of July but strawberries will definitely be ready this month. There are several places to u-pick strawberries in the South Okanagan (see below), but before setting out here are some Tips for Bringing Little Children to a U-Pick.
Prana Farms (Osoyoos, BC)
A new organic strawberry u-pick is opening up at Prana Farms. Their delicious strawberries will only be available for three to four weeks in June and they will only open the u-pick for two days a week. Sign-up for their email list or check out their Facebook Page to know when the u-pick will be open.
Secrest Organic Produce and U-Pick Patch (Oliver, BC)
This u-pick is located on Covert Farms, a beautiful 650 acre organic farm, vineyard, and winery located just north of Oliver, BC. The hours and u-pick dates are listed on their website. According to the website the organic strawberries are ready for picking starting June 5th but with the cold spring they won’t actually be ready for another two weeks (mid-June). If you’re at Covert Farms be sure to also check out the hike up McIntyre Bluff, the giant bouncy pillow and the wine shop.
Check out last year’s blog post about picking strawberries as Secrest Organics: Strawberries!
The Summerland Strawberry Farm (Summerland, BC)
This farm is located at 10002 Haddrell Ave., Summerland, British Columbia. Check out their Facebook Page for picking times and details.
Needs some ideas for all those strawberries you plan to pick. How about making some of The Best Strawberry Ice Cream or some Traditional Strawberry Vanilla Jam. Yum!
4. Hike Peach Cliff and Enjoy a Treat at Tickleberry’s in Okanagan Falls
Throughout June the Okanagan Valley warms up and sees a little bit more rain. It’s a good time to explore exposed trails before the heat of the summer really sets in. Peach Cliff mountain is well known landmark in Okanagan Falls, BC. The 4.5 km hike (up and down) has some really neat features along the way: an old structure with core samples, a goldfish pond (an old open pit mine), a balancing rock, a cave and an incredible view from the top. For directions to the trail head and more information about this hike click here. This is one of my kids’ favourite hikes and we always wrap it up with a ice cream treat at the much loved Tickleberry’s in Okanagan Falls.
For more family friendly trails to explore in the Okanagan Valley check out my interactive Okanagan Trail Map.
5. Go to the Family Astronomy Night in Vernon
The Allan Brooks Nature Centre is inviting families to come a view the night sky with local members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) on June 3rd from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm. Admission is by donation with all proceed supporting the Allan Brooks Nature Centre. For more information visit their event page: Family Astronomy Night.
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