Okanagan Falls (referred to unanimously as OK Falls by the locals) is a charming little community nestled between Penticton and Oliver. You might know it best because it has a very confusing highway intersection where cars turning left have the right of way. It is also named as if there are beautiful waterfalls to explore. Spoiler: there are no waterfalls. As someone who has spent a fair amount of time living in this tiny town, there is actually a great collection of things to do in Okanagan Falls. Read on for my top picks of how to spend a fantastic day in Okanagan Falls.
1. Go to the beach
This one is a bit of a “duh” best thing to do in Okanagan Falls but how can I talk about a day well-spent in the Okanagan without suggesting a trip to the beach? And the Okanagan Falls beach is honestly one of the best in the area. It is large with beautiful, shady parks surrounding it. There are washrooms, change rooms and the beach is rarely as busy as some of the most popular beaches in Penticton.
The only downside to the beach in Okanagan Falls is that there isn’t a concession stand on the actual beach. There is however a grocery store right behind it for all your beach picnic needs.
Related: Read my full guide of the Okanagan Falls beach
2. Jump off the KVR Trestle Bridge
One of the best things to do in Okanagan Falls if you want an adrenaline rush is to jump off the KVR Trestle Bridge. Jumping off the bridge is surprisingly 100% allowed and legal! With no history of anyone being seriously injured it remains a popular activity for locals and tourists. There is a proper closing gate at the jump access point as well as ladders affixed underneath the bridge to climb back up and jump again. The jump itself is a moderate height. It is good for a thrill but isn’t going to require any huge acts of bravery to take the plunge. Though I guess overcoming fear of heights is very subjective! This is arguably one of the most iconic things to do in Okanagan Falls (with ice cream at Tickleberry’s being a close second… but more on that later!).
3. Hike to Goldfish Pond
There are a collection of fantastic hikes in Okanagan Falls ranging in difficulties. The hike to Goldfish Pond is possibly the easiest of them all. Some people say the hike up Peach Cliff is family-friendly but as someone who hikes with a 3 year old, I don’t want to be responsible for helping his little feet up Peach Cliff. So I present to you the hike to Goldfish Pond! With a bonus stop along the way to see remnants from the Dusty Mac mine. This isn’t a hike with a view but the old mine provides some interesting artifacts to look at and Goldfish Pond is a wonderful pitstop to relax and explore.
The trailhead for this hike is along McClean Creek Road, at approximately 4048 McLean Creek Rd. You will see a fence and cattle gate. Parking is available along the street. Follow the trail straight up the hill and keep left. You will see the remnants from the Dusty Mac mine first. If you continue straight past the core samples there will be a trail offshoot going down and left. This will take you down to Goldfish pond, which is what remains from the old gold mine. Depending on the time of the year you can see actual goldfish swimming in the pond.
There are plenty of other trails in this network but I recommend you looking at the routes carefully as they aren’t very well marked. The trip to Goldfish pond is no more than a 2km round trip.
4. Eat Chinese Food
Locals from across the Southern Okanagan will claim that Okanagan Falls has the best Chinese food in the area. Who would have thought! The Falls Restaurant is well worth a visit if you are craving some egg rolls and chow mein amidst your day spent touring Okanagan Falls. The restaurant is one of those places that has been around for years and doesn’t need a website or any sort of online presence to survive.
I definitely recommend their “Dinner for one” where you pick two or three options from a selection of Chinese dishes for a very reasonable price.
5. Check out the vintage shops
For a little town there is surprisingly good picking when it comes to vintage shopping. There are two vintage shops in Okanagan Falls: Jardin Estate Jewellers & Antiques and Ravens Oddities. Both are curated collections of vintage goods but worth checking out if you appreciate old things.
If rummaging through racks of old clothes is more your thing then check out the volunteer-run H & M Thrifty Boutique. It is open very limited hours but the prices run circles around Value Village and the pickings are of the true “hidden gem” variety. Funds from the H & M Thrifty Boutique go to the Okanagan Falls Heritage and Museum Society (more on that later).
6. Grab an ice cream at Tickleberry’s
Tickleberry’s puts Okanagan Falls on the map for visitors to the Okanagan! It is impossible to miss if you are driving between Penticton and Oliver or Osoyoos with its brightly-coloured exterior mural and signage. It has been around since 1990 and has since expanded to a few locations in Penticton. But Okanagan Falls is home to the original! Tickleberry’s makes it’s own chocolates, fudge, kettle corn and of course serves more than fifty flavours of ice-cream (many flavours are also homemade!). The interior of the ice cream shop is an experience on its own with many toys, fashion accessories and knick knacks to browse.
7. Explore the parks along the waterfront
The Okanagan Falls waterfront is not just for beachgoers. There are not one, not two but THREE parks to explore. Even if you don’t want to spend time on the sand you can still experience the Shaha Lake waterfront from a picnic table or on the grass under a shady tree.
Kenyon Park
Kenyon Park is on the east side of the waterfront. It includes a playground and a spray park for kids. It is also steps from the beach (literally like 10 steps!). There are tons of mature trees for shade and the grass is beautifully maintained.
Christie Memorial Park
Christie Memorial Park is on the other side of the beach, with a peninsula that stretches out into the lake as the division. It is equally beautiful, shady and immaculately maintained. There is also a fenced-in dog park here with beach access for pups. It is well-regarded as one of the best dog beaches in the area!
Lions Garden Park
Lions Garden Park is at the KVR trailhead and is another beautiful grassy space to spend time. There is a large pond with a fountain in the middle and a few paths around the area to explore.
8. Tour wineries
I can’t believe it took me this far down the list to get to the wineries! This is often one of the main reasons people even come this way. So of course it is one of the best things to do in Okanagan Falls! For this one you could spend a whole day (or even a week?) visiting all the local wineries. There are almost 20 of them! I recommend picking at least one to visit for a tasting, though keep in mind that most either require or strongly recommend reservations. My top three picks are Code Wines for an emerging small winery that farms organically, Liquidity Wines for art lovers or Stag’s Hollow Winery for unique varietels for the region such as Tempranilla and Albarino. But you really can’t go wrong with any of the wineries in Okanagan Falls.
9. Walk or bike down the KVR
With an easy access point to the KVR trail, Okanagan Falls is an excellent starting point for your KVR explorations. Whether you are on foot or on bike you can go as far as Penticton sticking just to the trail. The entire journey is about 13km one way to Penticton but you pass right through Kaleden at about the 5km point. Kaleden is an even smaller community than Okanagan Falls but it has its own beach and park where you could rest or turnaround and head back. The trail crosses the Trestle Bridge in Okanagan Falls with stunning views across the lake.
10. Learn about history at the Okanagan Falls Heritage & Museum Society
Finally for those who want an educational experience, you might consider a visit to the Okanagan Falls Heritage & Museum Society. It’s like stepping into a time capsule of the community’s past. The place is a cluster of historic buildings, with the star being the Bassett House, a charming early 20th-century prefab home ordered straight out of a catalog. You can wander through rooms that are over a century old, complete with furnishings from back in the day.
There’s also a small museum honouring a local rodeo legend, Kenny McLean. It’s filled with his trophies, saddles, and photographs, giving you a peek into a real cowboy’s life. The main museum has everything from old phones to musical instruments, and you can even see a wedding dress worn over a century ago.
Does Okanagan Falls even have a waterfall?
Now that we’ve gotten to the end of the list and I haven’t mentioned a single waterfall you might be wondering…does Okanagan Falls even have any “falls”?! The answer is that it used to have two of them! The town is called Okanagan Falls because it is named after the two waterfalls that used to exist where Skaha Lake empties into Okanagan River. The waterfalls were submerged in the river in the early 1950s when the government constructed a damn for flood control.
