Osoyoos is a charming city that is located in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia in Canada. The city offers various tourist attractions for its visitors.
Osoyoos is surrounded by lovely vineyards, deserts, and mountains making the city a top tourist destination. Whether you’re traveling alone, with family, or with friends, unwind and relax in the city as it offers a variety of both indoor and outdoor playgrounds for people of all ages.
Choosing a place to go or things to do in the Osoyoos might be a little bit difficult for visitors that is yet to visit the city before or have little knowledge of the city.
For a perfect trip, here is a list of things to do in Osoyoos.
Things to do in Osoyoos
1 Visit Osoyoos Lake
Osoyoos Lake is one of the biggest tourist attractions that the city is known for. Located above Zosel Dam in Oroville, this lake spans the border with Canada.
The pleasant summer weather at Osoyoos Lake is one of its outstanding features. One of the warmest freshwater lakes in Canada, the water reaches temperatures between 26 to 33 degrees Celsius in July and August.
The lake offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including swimming, fishing, boating, and picnicking. Popular sports include water skiing and wakeboarding, and racing a Sea-Doo around a lake is a lot of fun.
2 Mount Baldy Ski Resort
Mount Baldy, located 40 minutes northeast of Osoyoos offers a wealth of wintertime entertainment. Everyone will be happy thanks to the range of paths, activities, and amenities.
Baldy Mountain Resort is a high alpine treasure, where plentiful powder rests seasonally upon Mt. Baldy as Baldy Resort is the 3rd highest elevation ski area in British Columbia.
Snowboard through the forest or ski or snowboard through the precisely spaced glades or on well-groomed runs. Baldy Mountain Resort offers something for every enthusiast of mountain culture.
It is one of the top mountains for skiing and snowboarding, located where the inland rainforest of the West Kootenays meets the Nk’mip Desert.
Test your skills with jibs, rails, jumps, and more at Terrain Park. Enjoy a day of toboggan ride excitement and Frisbee golf fun in the laid-back, family-friendly setting. One of the best things to do in Osoyoos in winter is to visit Mount Baldy Ski Resort.
3 Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre
The Nk’Mip Desert Culture Centre is the best venue to learn everything there is to know about Osoyoos.
This interpretive center, provided by the Osoyoos Indian Band gives more knowledge about the distinctive geology of the desert conservation area, the First Nations people who have lived there for endless centuries, and the desert fauna.
Discover the fascinating stories of Canada’s only desert, view the unique wildlife who live here, smell the wild sage along the network of walking trails, and share in the rich living culture of the Okanagan people.
There is much to keep you occupied, including Coyote’s Gifts, the on-site gift shop that sells genuine First Nations goods including paintings, books, and tasty delicacies.
4 Okanagan Art Gallery
The Okanagan Art Gallery is a small gallery that is well-known for featuring works produced by South Okanagan artists.
This gallery, which showcases the work of painters, sculptors, and photographers, is an artists’ cooperative maintained by the artists themselves, so you might meet one or two of them there or see them at work when you are there.
The gallery has a 2,100 square foot space that is divided into 6 rooms, each of which has a certain type of artwork and a skylight that lets natural light into the room.
5 Rattlesnake Canyon
Rattlesnake Canyon is a charming themed amusement park that is strategically positioned off Main Street in the heart of Osoyoos. This Osoyoos tourism destination is set in a serene, scenic location with breathtaking views.
It’s a great idea to bring your kids here to enjoy themselves and have fun with your family. This park welcomes visitors of all ages and does not exclude any particular age group.
You won’t run out of enjoyable activities to partake in, from bumper boats to 18-hole Crazy Golf. One of the top family-friendly things to do in Osoyoos is a trip to Rattlesnake Canyon.
6 Visit Osoyoos Scooters
Ride a brand-new fleet of Vantage Powersport and Marine’s Yamaha BWS ’50s and Vino scooters to explore the lovely Osoyoos!
If scooters aren’t your thing, check out the cruiser bikes and two- and four-person pedal vehicles that are also offered. Located directly across the street from the Ambrosia Restaurant, where you may try some of the local dishes.
7 The Osoyoos Golf Club
The Osoyoos Golf Club, which offers 36 holes of championship golf amid Canada’s Wine Country, is the only desert-style golf course in the country.
Appreciate the breathtaking views over the District of Osoyoos, the numerous orchards, vineyards, and the lake below. You can play golf almost all year long because of some of the warmest weather in the nation!
Visit the Greenside Bar & Grill after finishing one of their two full-length courses.
8 Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad
The Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad is Canada’s largest Marklin lay-out, with up to 45 computer-controlled trains running through very detailed landscaping with European-style towns and houses. Come step into a WORLD CLASS miniature fantasy world!
Discover the largest, most elaborate model railroad in Canada, which features more than 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) of train tracks.
The model includes more than 1,800 structures and more than 18,000 hand-painted images of people to represent the architecture of European towns.
9 Sẁiẁs Provincial Park
Sẁiẁs Provincial Park is a green space that is strategically located on the United States-Canada border. This is one of Osoyoos’ most significant cultural heritage sites. This makes it a must-visit in a list of places to visit in Osoyoos.
You will get to learn about the 1,224-year-old ancestral remains from the Okanagan that have been found. You will discover what the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Okanagan ancestors used to eat through radiocarbon testing of animal remains.
You will have the chance to observe a variety of wildlife that lives in the marsh region, including painted turtles, tiger salamanders, and barn owls, among others.
Also, Read 18 Best & Fun Things to Do in Gibsons BC (British Columbia)
10 Visit Cabana Beach Campground
Would you like to spend some time outside with your family doing something enjoyable and educational? So why not give camping a shot? The fantasy can come true thanks to Cabana Beach Campsite.
This campground is run by private management and is owned by a family in Osoyoos. This is the greatest location to check out if you were looking for a great area to take your family camping while on vacation in Osoyoos.
Visit places where you may make enduring memories while having fun with your family. Rentals for RV sites, cottages, and cabanas are available at the campground, where you may have a fantastic camping adventure.
11 Visit Sun Bowl Arena
Looking for a nice place to go for ice skating in Osoyoos then visit the Sun Bowl Arena located on Hummingbird Lane, in Osoyoos town of British Columbia.
This is a great location for you to escape the sweltering summer heat. The location provides enjoyment and entertainment with its interesting activities, such as hockey and skating.
Sun Bowl Arena is one of the few locations in Osoyoos that provides amazing summertime pleasures. If you enjoy ice skating, your skates will keep you busy; if not, you may unwind and watch a game.
12 Ride On Highway 3
Traveling along the Crowsnest Highway – one of British Columbia’s major throughways, also referred to as the Interprovincial, Southern Trans-Provincial, and Highway 3, you’ll find plenty of places to refresh and rest up as you head east towards Osoyoos.
This is a fun way to spend your trip because you’ll get to view some beautiful features and take pictures of them. You will pass Riverside RV Park and several other campgrounds along the road, giving you the chance to see the local wildlife and the various native tree types that are present in the area.
13 Hike the Beautiful Golden Mile Trail
Are you looking for enjoyable things to do in Osoyoos with your family? Your trip will then undoubtedly get much more thrilling. Take a camera along with you when you pack your hiking gear and make your way to the Golden Mile Stamp Mill Trail. This is a beautiful nature walk in Oliver, British Columbia, which lies southwest of Osoyoos.
You can park your vehicle at the location’s wine shop before starting an exhilarating hike. When you ascend to the plateau in front, travel through the lovely vineyards, and be sure to check out the deserted Stamp Mill.
14 Taste buds at Robertos Gelato
Located in the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos, Roberto’s Gelato is a well-known ice cream parlor. People travel from all over Canada to visit this location solely to sample the gelato as it is well-known within and outside the city.
Their espresso is likewise unmatched in terms of repute. Bring your family here so your kids may enjoy their ice cream while having fun.
If you prefer coffee over ice cream, you can choose between a cappuccino, latte, or hot chocolate. Sorbets, smoothies, shakes, and other food items are also available.
15 Enjoy Nature at Spotted Lake
This gorgeous, lovely environment is adjacent to Highway 3 in Osoyoos. The stunning pictures of the lake creating ethereal dots on the water’s surface will captivate you.
Although the water tends to evaporate throughout the summer, the lake is brought together by the vividly colored areas.
During that evaporation, the lovely minerals on its bed are uncovered. Calcium, magnesium sulfate, and sodium sulfates are all abundant in the lake. The hue of the spots is largely influenced by these minerals. You might want to take some photos and selfies to remember your trip.
Best Time to Visit Osoyoos
Most visitors agree that May, June, and August are the ideal months to visit Osoyoos. This is the best time to enjoy and unwind in this beautiful city.
