More than 130 wineries cluster in this valley 240 miles east of Vancouver. Here, Okanagan Lake moistens a semi-arid, shrub-steppe landscape, creating the ideal environment for growing world-class grapes. Microclimates produce 60-plus varietals, including pinot, chardonnay, and even syrah in the more desert-like Ossoyoos region. Explore the area with one of the novel wine tours on offer, a few of which travel by kayak or electric bike. Just be sure to save time for a destination winery like Mission Hill, which features a 12-story bell tower, a Marc Chagall tapestry, and 40 specially commissioned sculptures. Other highlights of the region include the First Nations’ Nk’Mip winery, Miradoro restaurant amid the trellised vineyards of Tinhorn Creek, and the biodynamic bubbles at eclectic Summerhill Pyramid.
