Coming to Kelowna with young children? Travelling with kids is not always easy, but a family vacation is a great way to create memories that last a lifetime.
Since Kelowna is bursting with both indoor and outdoor activities for adults and kids, it is a city that provides endless fun for the whole family. With blossoms sprouting in the spring, warm sun in the summer, changing colours in the fall, and champagne powder in the winter, Kelowna is truly a four-season destination that provides the most stunning backdrops for capturing your favourite family moments! Here is a list of our favourite spots that our kids love to visit around town:
Wineries
Bubble Dome Dining at Frind Winery
Some people think that wine and kids are not a good pair. Think again! Here are a few wineries that are made for the whole family.
Sperling Vineyards has a playground right beside the outdoor tasting area, the little ones can check out the animals at Off the Grid Winery, and the green space between the wine shop and the lake at Frind Winery is a great waterfront spot for the whole family to stretch their legs. Be sure to check out their bubble domes if you're visiting in the winter, perfect for a unique meal with the family.
Mission Hill Winery Bell Tower
Our kids often ask to go visit to the “Bell Winery” - they are referring to Mission Hill Winery. They both like to stand near the base of the 12-storey bell tower and hear them ring. The bells cater to any kid’s attention span, as they are heard several times every hour.
KF Centre for Excellence
KF Centre for Excellence de Havilland Mosquito prototype
Whether you’re taking advantage of the free flights for children under 2 and flying into YLW, or maybe your family members are airplane buffs, make sure to stop in at this aviation museum, KF Centre For Excellence, that is located just steps from the airport.
Opened in August 2022, the KF Centre for Excellence was built in the shape of an aircraft with the middle designed to reflect the fuselage and the two side hangars to resemble the wings of an airplane.
Visitors can get up close to the centre’s rare aircraft collection that includes the de Havilland 98 Mosquito. This unique plane has a frame that was constructed mostly of wood, and is one of the 30 Mosquitos remaining in the world.
Flight Simulator at KF Centre for Excellence
There are two cockpits that were former flight simulators that our kids explore every time we visit. Our preschoolers will sit in the pilots’ chairs, put on the headsets, press all of the buttons in the cockpit and pretend to fly a plane.
Big White Ski Resort
Tubing at Big White Ski Resort
Within an hour’s drive from downtown is Big White Ski Resort, both a winter wonderland and a summer playground. Don’t ski or snowboard? There’s tubing! Our kids reminisce about going tubing even when there is no snow on the ground.
The tube park has five lanes - some with a more gentler slope, while others are steeper and faster. There are no age restrictions on tubing, however, children under 42” or 106cm must be accompanied by a paying adult who must raft with the child and hold on to his or her tether. Only one person is allowed on a tube, so all children must be comfortable in their own tube.
View of Rhonda Lake from the top of Bullet Chair during summer at Big White Ski Resort
Big White Resort also has a summer season, perfect for biking and hiking. If you’re planning to visit during the summer months, the mountain is home to music festivals, downhill races, and alpine hikes. Come up for the fresh mountain air and the sunny outdoor patios. Our kids get a thrill every time they take the chairlift to the summit.
Downtown Kelowna
Waterfront Boardwalk
You’ll never run out of things to do in the heart of our city.
The Boardwalk, Rotary Marsh Park and City Park are all very family-friendly. The ducks hang out year-round to keep our nature-loving kids entertained while we stroll lakeside. Whether your kids are in a stroller, or they prefer to run up and down the walkway, all of the paths around downtown are fairly flat.
Skating at Stuart Park
If you’re visiting between December and February, tie up the skates and go for a glide on the free rink at Stuart Park! Rentals are available for a fee. Because this is an outdoor rink, weather and the maintenance schedule can affect operations.
Cover Image: Matt Ferguson Photography
