Canadian cities of the West are characterized by places such as Calgary and Vancouver. Calgary is at the base of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and is the business center of Alberta’s oil industry. Vancouver is on the coast of British Columbia and is widely considered the most livable city in Canada. However, neither of these places have the current tourist draw that Kelowna, British Columbia has.

Kelowna is a city in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia that has recently become a very noteworthy city in Kelowna. As many as two decades ago, Kelowna was a small, generally unknown agricultural and lake town. For many years, the Okanagan Valley has been used as Canada’s premiere winery and vineyard land, but in the last several decades, it has received international attention and acclaim from the wine community. Recently, it was named the most desirable winery destination in North America. Because of this attention and because of Kelowna’s mild climate, the city began attracting the wealthiest retirees in Canada, as well as a slew of Canadian millionaires and billionaires, who wanted to own land in Kelowna.

The wineries and vineyards are the primary draw to Kelowna, and it is easy to see why. The hillsides of Kelowna are covered with spectacular vineyards that overlook the expansive Lake Okanagan. Summer days boast gorgeous warm temperatures, award-winning chilled wine and world class restaurants. Wine tours are an incredibly popular excursion during Kelowna summers. Other than wine destinations, Kelowna offers a number of intriguing vacation destination items, both within the city and in the natural wilderness areas just outside the city. The world-famous Kettle Valley railway trestles are a favorite destination for bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts, Lake Okanagan is home to a number of sports events and musical festivals and the Kelowna Auction World is the largest auction in the interior of British Columbia.

Kelowna obviously has a bright future as a star among Canadian cities. It has all the amenities of a major city while still maintaining a small town feel, although it is one of the bigger cities in British Columbia. It is currently the retirement destination of choice for many people who spent their lives working in the oil sands of Alberta, which is a primary reason for how wealthy the city is.