An Unofficial, Not-Necessarily-Complete Guide to Family Frolicking in the Okanagan

By Deanna Kent-McDonald

Can we do something fun today?”

I’ve overheard this appeal from kids in grocery stores, bookshops, cafes, random sidewalks across the Valley, and my very own backyard.

Not long ago, there were some obvious, highly visible options for parents in search of the fun factor. But for many, the disappearance of Kelowna’s 50-foot Fred Flintstone was the catalyst for a lurching, desperate feeling of the beginning of the end for easy things to do with your clan. The loss of those gargantuan toes on Hwy 97 was the first in a pattern of closures of waterslides and petting zoos that locals and summer visitors often lament.

But the demise of some of the Okanagan’s cheesy (it’s OK, I can say what we all know) attractions doesn’t mean we have to sit home and watch reruns all summer. Faced with the perception that the Valley’s family-friendly recreational opportunities are dwindling, I thought it would be worthwhile to simultaneously prove the resourcefulness of a family with a budget and a propensity for finding adventure in unsuspected places, and have an excuse to flake off my laundry in the name of discovering more of the Okanagan’s diverse entertainment options.

I sat my offspring down and asked them, “If we could do anything you wanted today, what would it be?” Not unexpectedly, the barrage of suggestions would have had me emptying my purse. And so the challenge: Do we need stone-aged amusements to be amused? What about plain old rock skipping?

Thus, with the expertise of some young beings who know how to find fun; a few bucks and a bit of imagination, we set out in search of family amusement within a framework that balanced the commercial with the economical.

FAVOURITE IDEAS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR
When we started poking around, we learned that Okanagan families find plenty of varied entertainment, cultural and recreational opportunities. And the kind of fun that the average family is having isn’t exclusively comprised of wallet-draining activities. But that is an easy trap to get swallowed in.

When we think of a day outing, we often resort to the commercially in-your-face places that just take care of it all for us. In exchange for some cash, they provide a bit of a break. These places are hard to hide from our children’s eyes because they’ve got the biggest and brightest billboards—all carefully crafted, I’m convinced, to be deciphered by the most elementary readers. And for lots of us (head hung in shame), they’re the equivalent of hitting the best fast entertainment drive-thru ever, quite honestly akin to a heavenly experience.

This busy mama is the first to admit that commercialized fun spots have a whole whack of value. But, alas, these are also the places that consume the monthly entertainment budget in one violent bite. Most of us can’t often afford to pay for that sort of jam-it-down-your-throat good times. Thankfully, there are other options.

FREE OR UNDER $25

Picnics and Beaches
Sounds generic, but sometimes we get too busy to make this kind of plan. Mix a few friends, sandwiches, juice boxes and cookies with a frisbee and some sunscreen—then throw in some water wings and towels. Perfect recipe for free frolic? Lots of my friends and acquaintances think so.

“The best part about being in the Okanagan is being close to Okanagan Lake,” says Graham Wood. “We spend the summer on the lake and the kids love it. Last summer, our kids were at the beach in the morning, broke for lunch, and were back to the sand, sun and water fun for the afternoon. Nothing beats time with the kids on a hot summer day close to the water.”

Kristie Irvine, mother of three, often treads off the beaten path with her stroller. “We like to travel around the valley a bit for a change of scenery. There are a lot of spots on Shuswap Lake that are good for picnics and it’s fun to find new places. We’re never positive where we’ll end up on a blanket with our lunch, but the kids have never been disappointed.”

Bear Creek (West Kelowna): Gorgeous lakeshore and some great trails: just beware that when you tell the kids you’re going on a scavenger hunt at Bear Creek, they may assume (as mine did) that they’re there to “catch” bears. Great heaps of disappointment when you come back with pinecones, leaves and too much sun.

Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake (Penticton): I have friends who live about an hour from Penticton, but every summer they book a spot on the beach to stay there. They say the sand is better, the waves more fun—maybe it’s the perception of being just far enough away from what you’re used to. When we went to visit, the strip and boardwalk provided enough ice cream options and people showing off their canines for a lovely late afternoon stroll.

Sarson’s Beach (Kelowna): With small kids, we try to stay to the smaller, lower-profile beaches. Sarson’s is a modest beach area with a cool tree to swim around, six good picnic tables and a playground where (I kid you not) there’s a jungle gym that kids hook their towels into and hang like they’re in little cocoons.

Imagination and Wonder
Face it; it’s as much about the gimmick as anything else. And the gimmick can be as simple as a list of stuff to collect. If you give kids some kind of mandate, there’s something for them to deliver.
Not too long ago, we went for a walk through the bird sanctuary in the Rotary Marshes on Kelowna’s Brandt Creek. I handed each of the kids a digital camera (ahem?…?on sale for $8 each) and told them to get cool pics of birds. Though bird watching isn’t likely the dream experience of six-, seven-, and 10-year-old boys, we settled into the winding paths and “secret” docks. Before long, we were entrenched in an imaginary James Bond scenario and they’d captured enough digital clues to keep M busy for hours.

Finding places where we can escape from our routines or just let our imaginations go is often the key to an afternoon of free, fabulous fun. Hit them with the kites, the RC cars, or a list of stuff to collect and you may find yourself on an unexpected adventure—anywhere you take them.

Festivals
With free admission (or sometimes a small donation), festivals can be a real bargain and lots of fun.

Parks Alive (Kelowna): During the summer, special musical and variety shows are staged in parks throughout Kelowna. Audiences old and young come to take it all in and even get into the act. Sometimes tiny tots will get up and dance, grabbing the proverbial spotlight. We love these shows. www.parksalive.com

WOW: Salmon Arm’s Wednesdays on the Wharf: Salmon Arm’s Marine Park gazebo is the place for musical concerts every Wednesday evening from the beginning of June to the end of August. Some of the styles that are showcased wouldn’t be my top picks, but the kids don’t care what sort of music is played. Just bring it on. www.shuswapartscouncil.bc.ca/wow.html

Fat Cat Children’s Festival (Kelowna): This two-day event is one that area families should try not to miss. It’s filled with excitement and a whole lot of interaction with the arts. Though there’s a fee for admission, it’s probably less than a kid’s meal at the drive-thru. www.fatcatfestival.ca

Nature Trails and Education
Kelowna Waterfront: My friend Teri Hooson enjoys spaces like Kelowna’s Rotary Marshes where she can walk with her kids outside. “We like the bird sanctuary on the waterfront. But there are so many places to walk. It’s simple, yeah, but fun.”

Desert Centre Osoyoos: There’s something to be said for getting off the beaten track and being one with the cacti. It’s sort of a surreal experience to walk through this barren landscape and, for my brood, the scenery is different enough that they were in awe at the expanse of it. If you want to get the kids to quietly walk close to you along a cool desert boardwalk, tell them about the possibilities for checking out rattlesnakes. www.desert.org

Mission Creek Greenway (Kelowna): Playground, walk/bike trails, a fishing hole?…. The trails alone are awesome, but the combination of everything makes it a personal staple for family outings. Recently we also discovered the Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan (EECO) there—the boys loved the dung exhibit (naturally)?…?and we got to help feed a toad. www.greenway.kelowna.bc.ca

AROUND $50

Downtown Kelowna Boardwalk: Between the Dolphins and the Sails you can find a gorgeous view, an empty stage for your own improv show and wishes in the fountains (these bits are free). If you can open your wallet, you’ll also discover a great burger at Gorgeous Georges, some excellent ice cream at Moo-Lix (both near the Dolphins) and an Ogopogo boat ride. Note: rolling down the gorgeous green hills on your trek from one fountain to another may seem like a grand idea, but there’s a caveat. If your offspring aren’t adept at avoiding the abundant goose droppings, prepare for an increase in cost due to laundry issues. www.downtownkelowna.com

Silver Star Hiking and Biking (Vernon): For those equipped with Gravol and the latest SpongeBob episodes on your iPods, the drive up the mountain isn’t bad. Once there, you and your clan can hike for free or, if you’ve got the cash and the inclination, the Summit chairlift will do the work and give you a downhill walk. It’s a great spot for cyclists too. There’s something about being on the mountain that can make you feel like you’re on a mini vacation—exploring the top of the world. Come to think of it, if my boys had gone to sleep on the way up, I could have convinced them that the expansive views were in another country. Silver Star hosts tons of cool events all summer long. www.skisilverstar.com

JungleMania (Salmon Arm): It’s an easy day adventure where kids can slide, crawl and climb—with a variety of activities for little ones including toddlers. The snake slide was my six-year-old nephew Jackson’s favourite thing, but four-year-old Ethan loved the alligator pit. Adults enter for free, but with admission for two kids plus snacks, this jungle-themed amusement spot isn’t necessarily cheap. www.junglemania.ca

AROUND $100

Scotch Creek Family Fun Center (North Shuswap): With a ton of stuff for the kids, including two themed mini-golf courses (one pirate’s cove and one road to Camelot), bumper boats, arcade games, fun food and bowling, this is a good spot to spend some time with the youngest members of your clan. Close to Shuswap Lake Provincial Park and the old-fashioned Shuswap Lake Park Store, Kristie Irvine describes the area as “a different zone?…?such a cute place. We went to get burgers at a little general store—there’s everything there. I’m totally in love with Scotch Creek to visit with my family. Kids are riding bikes all over the place and this family fun centre kind of tops off a really great day.” www.shuswapfamilyfun.com

Atlantis Waterslides (Vernon): There used to be many more waterslides around. We all loved them—not sure why they died off. The kids think of a day here as one of the ultimate summer treats. I love the raft deal, but faster slides like Double Trouble and the two intermediate slides keep the kids hiking back for more. Though expensive, the fun is certain and at the end of the day, the kids are ver-r-r-y sleepy. www.atlantiswaterslides.ca

Safari Ridge Adventure Paintball (West Kelowna): My older guy and his friends seem to adore this kind of adventure. Not sure how mine inherited this love of danger—getting happy from the fight or flight response doesn’t originate from my gene pool. Even sticking around to think about the heart-pounding anticipation of chasing one another (this place is outdoors) and their heavy gear with a paintball gun makes me nauseous. But after a day, my kid was tired, dirty and his face was plastered with a smile. www.safariridge.com

Is There More?
Our exhaustive (should that read, exhausting) research proved what we had hoped to be true. Losing Fred didn’t mean losing the frolic factor in the Okanagan. There are still easy entertainment options that we can pay for (and get a bit too happy about), but there are also so many beautiful spaces in which to fulfill a sense that we belong to something bigger—those places that make us feel as if we’re really part of the community.

If we want to abandon the path of that commercially easy entertainment, the Okanagan offers a ton of options. We know. We found ’em! Things to do in the sky and on the ground; some pretty excellent water fun; and I won’t soon forget the cool toad. Our list is by no means complete, but discovering more on your own is totally the best part.

EVEN MORE FUN OPTIONS

The Enchanted Forest (between Sicamous and Revelstoke): Right in the Monashee Mountains, this is a fun place that fairy tale characters take to a different dimension. And there’s a really big tree house. www.enchantedforestbc.com

Kelowna Grand Prix: Games and fast cars, this is a guaranteed good couple of hours. Not cheap. But my kids really think of an afternoon here as a serious kind of treat. (No treat for me when it’s time to try to get them to leave.) www.kelownagrandprix.com

Scandia Golf and Games (Kelowna): Arcade, indoor and outdoor golf, batting cages—Scandia is a staple for a lot of area families. If nothing else, mini golf kills a couple of hours and generates some smiles. (Not so long ago, one of my smaller golfing guests was having so much fun, it was too much to leave the game and pee. Embarrassingly, he found a spot outside.) www.scandiagolfandgames.com

Energyplex (Kelowna): Fairly new addition to the Kelowna family entertainment scene, my own kids are rather addicted to it. The cubed play area is pretty amazing—I’ve witnessed a lot of imagination and impressive hide and seek. If that’s all you’re doing, it’s a great way for moms and dads to relax and watch the fun (although they’re welcome to join). The rock climbing area is cool, but can drain the pocket pretty fast. www.energyplex.ca

Tubing the Channel (Penticton): This is a grand way to spend a hot afternoon with family and friends. Quite a few places will rent you the tubes. All you have to do is float along the river channel that connects Okanagan and Skaha lakes.

Westside Go Karts (West Kelowna): What is it about little kids (I only live with those of the male gender) and stuff that moves fast? Compared to some of the other, tamer activities, this one might make a mama’s heart pound, but it’s a treat for a faster crowd. www.westsidegokarts.com

Kettle Valley Steam Railway (Summerland): An hour-and-a-half on a steam train?…?it’s something different. And for anyone (big or small) who likes the train thing, this is a cool kind of journey. www.kettlevalleyrail.org

Rattlesnake Canyon (Osoyoos): One grand adventure after another, this place can chew up a day. With its mini golf, go kart track, bumper boats, bungee tree, arcade games and so much more, it fulfills all the requirements of “easy entertainment”?…?and that’s sometimes a wonderful thing. www.rattlesnakecanyon.ca

International Biking and Hiking Trail (Oliver): Following the shores of the Okanagan River Channel between Oliver and Osoyoos Lake, this 18.4-kilometre trail provides some great scenery for hiking, horseback riding, biking and even for those of us who?…?just walk. www.okaccommodations.com/oliver/parks/international.htm

19 Greens Putt and Play Zone (West Kelowna): Mini golf and actual (gasp!) grass for putting, this spot has a beautiful view—and nobody can deny the appeal of night golfing. www.19greenskelowna.com

SkyTrek Adventure Park (between Sicamous and Revelstoke): If you think a zipline might be the answer to a day’s doldrums, this one’s expensive—but it’s hours of adrenaline awesome. The high ropes courses (complete with a program especially for younger adventure craving souls) are a first come/first serve deal, and if you want to make it a longer mountain journey, there’s camping nearby in the Monashee Mountains. www.skytrekadventurepark.com