Okanagan, the Napa of the North

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May 25, 2011

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown trail before me leading

wherever I choose.

—Walt Whitman

The beautiful sunny Okanagan Valley in southern British Columbia. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

The attraction of recreational vehicle travel is to see the country, visit new places, meet interesting people, and experience the freedom of the open road. As we explore North America by RV, natural beauty abounds when least expected, and surprises wait at every turn of the road.

Each journey we take represents a passage, whether it’s an adventure to a new province or state, a day trip to a new attraction, or an outing with friends!

Today, “we’re on the road” to an adventure in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

The Okanagan’s superb, natural beauty is one of the reasons visitors keep coming back every year.

The Okanagan is characterized by a dry, sunny climate, beautiful landscapes, and numerous lakes. This region is most popular for vineyards, orchards, skiing, golf, deserts, mountains, and valleys. The fruit orchards in the Okanagan produce some of the most delicious fruit in North America.

Popular cities and towns in the Okanagan are Vernon, Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, Pentiction, Naramata, Oliver, and Osoyoos.

Remember peaches and beaches, when the only reason to go to the Okanagan was to lay around on the beach all day and to bring home tree-ripened fruit? When you got home tired, and a little sunburned, you’d unload the boxes of fresh fruit—cherries, apricots, peaches, apples, pears.

The summer beach experience is still part of the Okanagan’s unique charm. But now the RV also comes back loaded with cases of wine.

Day tripping in the South Okanagan. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

The Okanagan Valley is British Columbia’s oldest and primary grape-growing region. Distinct microclimates occur throughout the valley, from the hot and sandy desert soils in the southern valley to the cooler vineyard sites in the north, with their deep topsoil and clay.

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Worth Pondering…

Once in a lifetime, you see a place, and you know, instinctively, this is paradise.

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If you enjoy these articles and want to read more on RV travels and lifestyle, visit my website: Vogel Talks RVing.

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