A Weekend in Summerland: Giant's Head, Cider and the Lake

Summerland sits on the west shore of Okanagan Lake, 45 minutes south of Kelowna and 15 minutes north of Penticton. Two days here cover a museum, a xeriscape garden, a mountain with a time capsule on top, a cider barn, a craft brewery and a lakeside tasting room, with a suite on the water to sleep in. It suits a first visit and a slow pace.

Start at Granny's Fruit Stand, Bakery, Cafe on Highway 97. The kitchen makes Granny's Waffles with whipped cream and seasonal fruit, bakes homemade pies, and pours Lonetree Coffee from a local roaster.

Then go downtown to the Summerland Museum and Archives on Wharton Street. It holds photographs, artifacts and letters from early settlers, First World War letters and the stories of war brides, and it runs self-guided walking tours of the town.

From there, drive up Milne Road to the iron gates of Giant's Head Mountain Park. Two trails climb to the 845-metre summit: the Confederation Trail is steeper, the Centennial Trail more gradual. Up top there is a 360-degree panorama with viewing tubes that point out the landmarks, and a granite boulder holding a time capsule due to be reopened in 2067. From the southeast, the mountain shows the profile of a man's face.

Head south on Highway 97 to the Summerland Ornamental Gardens at 4200 Highway 97. These are xeriscape gardens, planted for dry ground, with native plants labelled in Nsyilxen, the Syilx Okanagan language. Guided plant tours download as PDFs, and there is a geocache to find.

Lunch is a few minutes away at the Summerland Cider Company on Johnson Street. The cidery makes all-juice cider from European cider apple varieties grown in its own orchards. Order a flight of five, add a panini, and sit on the covered patio facing the orchard and Trout Creek. It is first come, first served.

Back downtown, dinner is at Giant's Head Brewing on Victoria Road North, a family-owned brewery with an all-ages restaurant and a menu designed by a red seal chef. The beers use 100% Canadian malts: a Czech-style pilsner made with Pilsen malt and Saaz hops, a Raspberry Cream Ale made with locally sourced raspberries, and an oatmeal stout. Tables take reservations.

Finish at Detonate Brewing Company on Cedar Avenue. The taproom relaunched in 2022 with beers that run from a pilsner to a taco beer, and it hosts live music and trivia nights.

For the night, the Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel on Lakeshore Drive South is an all-suites hotel on Okanagan Lake, in studio and one-bedroom layouts with full kitchens, plus an outdoor pool, hot tubs and a private beach. Dogs are welcome. The Summerland Motel on Tait Street is the other pick: suites with kitchens, pet-friendly rooms and a heated pool, 15 minutes on foot from Powell Beach.

Find a place to stay in Summerland

Stay on the water for the morning. At the resort, the rental desk has kayaks, paddleboards and motorized boats, and iKhaya Day Spa, inside the resort, offers massages, facials and hot stone treatments.

Then drive 3 km south of town, off Highway 97, to Sun-Oka Beach Provincial Park. The park protects 558 metres of Okanagan Lake shoreline and a stand of old-growth cottonwood. The main beach is sand, and dogs go to a separate pebbly beach at the end of a 200-metre trail through the cottonwoods.

Finish at Lunessence Winery & Vineyard on Gartrell Road. The estate wines are organic, grown on slopes above the lake, and the tasting room pours guided flights with the lake spread out below. There is a patio, charcuterie plates are served, and you can bring your own picnic. It is the last stop before the drive home.

• Giant's Head closes to cars on Sundays. From April 15 to October 30 the road up the mountain is closed to vehicles on Sundays, so walk in from the gates on Milne Road.
• The steam train is a May to September ride. The Kettle Valley Steam Railway on Bathville Road runs a 16 km, 90-minute trip behind a 1912 steam locomotive through orchards and vineyards and along the lake. Special event trains run over the fall and winter holidays.
• Come by car. Summerland is on Highway 97, with Kelowna 45 minutes north and Penticton 15 minutes south, and every stop here is a short drive from the next.

See what's on this weekend: This weekend in the Okanagan.

Further south: a romantic weekend in Osoyoos.

Start from this plan, set your dates and swap any stop you like.

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