We asked some of our locals what they love most about Oliver and although the list is endless, we’ve compiled a short list of places that are a must see during your visit! Starting with Lions Park since it really has four major highlights!
Lions Park (at the Visitors’ Centre)
1) The Off-leash Dog Park
Locals and neighbours from all around the Okanagan travel to Lion’s park which hosts this huge, wonderful play area for dogs! A giant space for the big pups and another space for the feather-weights. Let them run, play, & chase for hours.
2) Oliver Skatepark
Skateboarders, scooter-lovers, roller-bladers, and all who enjoy a good ol’ fashioned cement skatepark will get giddy over this sweet gem.
3) Green Space for Picnics & Kid’s Playtime
Here you’ll find wonderful green space for picnics and a kid’s outdoor playground. Take a wander around and you’ll find the International Hike & Bike trail sitting right next to the river channel that connects Vaseux Lake and Osoyoos Lake. This also feeds into Oliver’s Tuc-el-nuit Lake which hosts the pet-friendly The Lakeside Resort, Rotary Park and Beach, Apple Beach RV Park.
4) Hammer’s House of Hog
Come to Lion’s Park and you’ll never go hungry! In fact, you’ll likely want to return over and over to taste some pretty awesome BBQ. Situated right by the parking lot of Lion’s Park sits Hammer’s House of Hog. Mmmmmm, so good.
Wildlife Bird Sanctuary and Trail
Otherwise known as the Vaseux Lake Bird Sanctuary or Wildlife Centre, it’s a perfect place for a relaxing, easy walk that allows time for pictures, bird watching and reflection. Watch for the elegant and lovely Trumpeter Swans.
International Hike & Bike Path (through Oliver)
If you’re standing in Lion’s Park, or right at the Visitors’ Centre you can walk right to the trail path. The trail in Oliver is a 6.0 kilometer moderately trafficked point-to-point trail that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October.
Distance: 6.0 km | Elevation Gain: 93 m | Route Type: Point to Point
Big Al’s Bakery
It’s not uncommon for Big Al to meet people from all over as this little hot-spot of a bakery is so incredibly good! It’s a baked from scratch bakery with a fresh deli serving all occasion deli platters. D Dutchman Dairy products. Open 6 days a week.
4.9 stars on sirved.com! Check out the menu… it’s just as scrumptious as the sweet baked goodness!
See why Oliver has the most unique wine culture experience!
The Okanagan Valley has four official sub-regions, each with distinct soil and climate conditions: Golden Mile Bench, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls and Skaha Bench.
The Okanagan Valley climate is unique. Daytime temperatures can reach 40°C, but the cool nights allow the grapes to maintain their natural acidity – a signature trait in BC wine.
The vast majority of British Columbia is too mountainous and/or too far north for growing vinifera grapes. Only a tiny strip in the southern end of the province can support winemaking.
Warmer and more arid than Napa Valley, the Okanagan Valley gets nearly two hours more sunlight per day during the peak growing season.
The most important and prestigious winemaking area in BC is the Okanagan Valley, which surrounds the Okanagan Lake and is nearly 500km east of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the province’s few warm-climate wine growing areas.
Syrah and Shiraz are from the same grape. The difference is in their style. Typically, Syrah is made from a cooler climate and Shiraz is made in a warmer climate, but they can be called whichever the winery chooses.
Icewine grapes get picked by hand in the middle of the night when the temperature has reached -8° for three nights in a row. And from every grape, you only get one drop of nectar per grape – hence the price tag on such a small bottle.
The legs or tears of a wine are what crawl down the sides of your glass after you’ve swirled your wine and can tell you about the body of a wine. The quicker the legs run, the lighter the body; the slower they run, the fuller the body of the wine.
You should only fill your wine glass about 1/3 of the way full to allow enough room for you to swirl, aerate, and smell your wine.
The climate, soils and influence of the glacial valley means there is great diversity and micro climates in the vineyards with some 60 different varietals planted.