Try these 6 adrenaline-pumping activities for a Kelowna weekend to remember.
Kelowna’s sunny, beach-combed city has it all, including activities for all likings. From dining out and pampering yourself to getting active outdoors, you’re sure to find something that suits your tastes. For those of you whose tastes range on the thrilling side, we’ve put together a list of activities to get your adrenaline going. We’ve included activities tailored to adults, as well as some PG-friendly options to make sure the kids don’t miss out on the fun.
Everything is within reasonable driving distance from The Shore Kelowna, so it’s easy to start your day from one of our fully equipped modern suites located right on Gyro Beach.
Kelowna adventure’s suitable for adults
Spend the day gliding across Okanagan Lake
If you’ve ever walked along the shoreline on a windy day, you may have noticed kite-powered surfers out on the water. Kitesurfing is an extreme sport that combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. It marries many people’s favourite BC activities.
Local riders prefer southwesterly, onshore breezes in the 12 to 18 knot range, according to Boating Kelowna. These ideal conditions are often found at Rotary Beach, located on Okanagan Lake. April and May offer ideal winds for kitesurfing. With the lake’s large gliding surface and amazing views, it can be tempting to join in. So why not give it a try?
Location: Rotary Beach Park, 3726 Lakeshore Rd
2 min (950 m) drive from The Shore
Be propelled by high powered jet streams
Ready to take to the sky like a superhero? Flyboarding is a fun water sport that uses a personal watercraft that’s mounted to your feet. It propels you into the air with high-powered jet streams, leaving you to navigate the open air with your arms and legs. It’s a freeing experience designed for thrill seekers, and experts use their airtime to create acrobatic routines.
To experience this for yourself, you can rent a setup from Okanagan Flyboard, centrally located in Waterfront Park. You’ll be accompanied by a jet ski, which your shoes will be linked to with a hose. You’ll also have a flyboard instructor right by your side to give you instructions. Once you get the hang of it, you may get a few style points too.
Location: Waterfront Park, 1352 Water St
10 min (4.9 km) drive from The Shore
Roll your way through Myra-Bellevue Park
A short drive from The Shore, some of it on a winding forestry service road, you’ll find Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park. Boasting beautiful scenery and special features, such as the historic Kettle Valley Railway, the park gets attention from hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, dog walkers, and even horseback riders.
The park also offers an incredible network of mountain biking trails, with 107 options to choose from. Thanks to the park’s large boulders, steep runs, and tight berms, there’s plenty of trails for expert and expert-adjacent riders to enjoy. If you’re just trying mountain biking for the first time, you’ll find 50+ green and blue trails that should suit your ability level. Mountain bikes can be rented at various locations in Kelowna including Kelowna Bike Rentals.
Location: Crawford Trails, Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park
21 min (12.5 km) drive from The Shore
Thrills for the whole family
Appreciate Kelowna’s views from above
The notion of floating through the sky in a hot air balloon has always been a romantic one. With its historical charm and bright colours, ballooning is an activity that’s on many people’s bucket lists. Incidentally, it happens to be a riveting experience too.
Ballooning is a once in a lifetime experience, especially in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. Passengers feel little to no wind because the balloon moves in the direction of the wind. Plus, it’s much quieter than other modes of air transportation, so you can share your thoughts on the experience with your ballooning partner.
Okanagan Ballooning offers year round tours above Kelowna that last one to two hours in length. They have one small two-passenger balloon and one larger six-passenger balloon. You can expect to see all of Kelowna’s natural beauty including lakes, mountains, and vineyards.
Location: Okanagan Ballooning, 848 Leon Ave
9 min (3.6 km) drive from The Shore
Get your waterbound airtime in
If you’re looking to take to the air, but prefer to stay anchored, parasailing is a fun activity for the whole family. Riders are strapped into a specially designed parachute and towed by a boat. Since riders are seated, the sport is easy on the body. Parasailing is very much dependent on the weather, requiring steady winds, but nothing that would cause nearby beach umbrellas to rattle.
Ogopogo Parasail offers single, double, and triple tours. Riders have described the scenery as mind boggling and the activity as budget and family-friendly. The company is stationed in downtown Kelowna, in close proximity to Moolix ice cream for a post-flight treat.
Location: Ogopogo Parasail, 230 Queensway
12 min (4.0 km) drive from The Shore
Zip across the forest in style
Oyama Zipline boasts seven long ziplines with incredible lake views. Nestled in the forest, you’ll be pleased you made the drive out. The three-hour tour includes rope bridges, half-pipe slacklines, and side-by-side racing lines. Some of the ziplines are located within aerial parks with obstacle courses. Little ones are welcome too. If you feel like giving your kids some space, you can let them run wild while you relax in the shade at no cost.
Location: Oyama Zipline Adventure Park, 5617 Oyama Lake Rd
47 min (36.1 km) drive from The Shore
Relax at The Shore Kelowna after a big day
Once you’ve had enough excitement for the day, you can rest assured knowing that your comfortable suite at The Shore Kelowna awaits. Equipped with a terrace, kitchen, modern amenities, and high-speed internet, your suite has everything you need to unwind after an exciting day.
Come explore our suites and apply today.