From the top of Knox Mountain in Kelowna, British Columbia, Okanagan Lake stretches to the south, sparkling in the spring sunshine. The view is your reward after an invigorating hike up this extinct volcano, whose network of hiking and mountain biking trails are usually snow-free by March. After descending, you might make your way to one of the city’s 20 craft breweries for a hazy IPA on a sunny patio, or head over to the Kelowna waterfront to sweat it out in a floating sauna, followed by a cold plunge into Okanagan Lake.

It’s a bit of a cliché to brag that travellers to BC’s popular interior city can ski, stand-up paddleboard, and golf in a single day in the spring, but it’s not a stretch to say they can also easily hike, swim, and enjoy Kelowna’s patio culture over the course of an afternoon. The warm season typically arrives here right on cue, with green grass, spring blossoms, and mild daytime temps between 15 and 24 degrees Celsius. And with fewer visitors than during the busy summer, the pathways, fairways, waterways, and wineries offer that much more relaxation.

Get ready to toast Kelowna’s long days and golden evenings with outdoor adventures, rosé releases, and orchard views. Here’s how to do it.

Raise a glass to BC Wine Month.

Photo: Tourism Kelowna / Shawn Talbot Photography

April kicks off BC Wine Month, and Kelowna’s nearly 40 wineries grow everything from Auxerrois to Zinfandel. What began as a campaign to encourage wine-lovers to try and then buy local vintages has grown into a month-long celebration of new releases — including hotly anticipated rosés — and fun winery events like concerts and immersive wine tastings.

The maxim “rosé all day” was surely invented in the Okanagan Valley, where most wineries release pretty pinks in April. Swing by the stunning tasting room at CedarCreek Estate Winery to try the new Platinum Sparkling Rosé and 2023 Platinum Naramata Rosé before they sell out.

To earn your wine rewards, put on your yoga pants at The View Winery in southeast Kelowna for a guided meditation accompanied by wine, chocolate, and live music. Later in the season, trade out your mat for a checkered tablecloth during a private orchard picnic paired with a rosé or Riesling.

Hit the pathways and fairways.

Photo: Tourism Kelowna / Darren Hull Studios

With snow seeming like a distant memory, most trails in the valley bottom become accessible in March. Stretch your legs along the extensive Mission Creek Greenway, keeping an eye out for showy mallards swimming in the water and bald eagles perched high in the towering cottonwood trees that line the creek’s banks. After that warmup, head up one of Kelowna’s mountains for lake and city vistas. The switchbacks along the Boucherie Rush Trail — located across the lake in West Kelowna — challenge those seeking a workout on the flanks of iconic Mount Boucherie.

For an adrenalin hit, switch out your hiking boots for two wheels and pedal some of the city’s hundreds of kilometers of bike lanes, multi-use pathways, and thrilling single track. Thanks to its flowy and fun cross-country trails, challenging descents through rock gardens, and zippy bermed corners, Kelowna is gaining a reputation as a mountain biking destination. Get your wheels spinning on the Crawford Trails in Myra Bellevue Provincial Park, with 156km of paths that wind through a pine forest past ancient rock outcrops speckled with lichen. Fat-tire enthusiasts can then level up on the more advanced Gillard Trails, where a new climb trail leads to a single-track playground of slabs, skinnies, and gap jumps.

With 2,000 hours of annual sunshine, Kelowna also hosts one of Canada’s longest golf seasons — the area features 19 courses that operate between March and October. Tee up at Tower Ranch Golf Club, a Thomas McBroom-designed championship course with dramatic, undulating fairways. After trying for a birdie or eagle on this par-72 course, pair lunch with a chilled glass of patio-pleasing Pinot Gris at Tower Ranch Restaurant.

“Cherry pick” your blossom shots.

Photo: Tourism Kelowna / Nic Collar Film

Between late April and mid-May, Kelowna’s thousands of acres of orchards run riot with pink and white blossoms. Take in the views of cherry, apricot, peach, apple, and pear trees bursting to life along Lakeshore Drive and the country lanes in southeast Kelowna. Pull over at Lakeside Orchards to snap the ideal shot for your ‘gram grid.

Fresh fruit won’t be in season quite yet, but you can stop in at a local fruit stand or the Kelowna Farmer’s & Crafter’s Market to buy jams, preserves, and pickled vegetables from last year’s harvest, along with heirloom eggs or honey from one of the city’s many family-run farms.

Find the perfect patio.

Photo: Tourism Kelowna / Wines of British Columbia

Kelowna’s patio season usually starts at the end of March, and many of the best restaurants, breweries, and wineries offer outdoor real estate where you can sit in the sun with city or lake views. Reserve a table on the Eldorado Boardwalk to watch boaters come and go in the hotel’s busy marina while you snack on flatbread pizza washed down with an El Caesar (Absolut vodka, Clamato, lemon and lime, Canadian maple syrup, tabasco, and Worcestershire) from the Eldorado Lounge. The historic Hotel Eldorado dates to 1926 and is the place to be on warm evenings, especially if you time your visit for sunset.

Those seeking a pint should head to Shore Line Brewing Co. for delicious food, great craft beer, and a relaxed atmosphere. Find it in Kelowna’s Mission district, where the views of Okanagan Lake are stunning. Or make yourself comfy on the large patio at Red Bird Brewing — their backyard is your backyard. Red Bird regularly updates their tap list with small-batch test brews that you can only try in-house. And to discover even more craft beer, visit during the Kelowna Beer Festival in May. Over 30 breweries and cideries from BC and the Okanagan region will be there, and it all goes down in City Park.

For lakeside views from the heart of downtown, check out OAK + CRU Social Kitchen & Wine Bar. More than 250 wineries and local farmers, purveyors, and artisans in the Okanagan Valley inspired its menu. For an afternoon snack, order the BC Artisan Cheese & Charcuterie Board, featuring cheese and crackers, dried fruit, and nuts. The AAA Alberta Beef Tenderloin, served with creamy mashed potatoes with OC signature charcoal butter and red wine jus, will certainly satisfy for a main meal. After dinner and a drink, stroll the adjacent Waterfront Boardwalk or window shop along Bernard Avenue.

Perched above Okanagan Lake and acres of vineyards in West Kelowna, Mt. Boucherie Winery and its open-air restaurant and patio, The Modest Butcher, will wine and dine you in style. Start with the always-delicious Things on Toast, paired with a glass of Sémillon, before moving on to the giant, shareable Tomahawk steak and a bottle of Merlot. With views across the water of vineyards glowing in the sun, it’s the perfect ending to a lovely spring day — which may just feel like summer in Kelowna.