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Looking for the perfect place to play, get a tan or just relax?
Tuesday, June 15th, 2004 by GetawayBC.com
On the south end of the Penticton, Skaha Lake is always bustling with activity thanks to its cement boardwalk which follows the entire beachfront and passes by a number of vendors often set up alongside it.
Skaha is home to tennis courts, beach volleyball courts, basketball hoops and a place to play road hockey. For the kids there’s a water park and playground with a pond where ducks hang out. The area also boasts a large grassy park with lots of shade-providing trees and picnic benches. For those looking to get wild and wet there is a marina/boat launch and a water sports rental location.
Head to the north end of town to Okanagan Lake which is bordered by a long beach running along Lakeshore Drive. The historic SS Sicamous is docked at the west end of the beach not only offering a beautiful sight to see but also a floating museum for those looking to escape the sun. For a small donation, visitors can even honk the ship’s horn.
Okanagan Beach’s Sunset Strip is treelined and has a walking path its entire length. While travelling along the beach, visitors will encounter the giant peach concession stand – a well known Penticton landmark.
There are also rental outfits to take out a jet ski or other water sport device. Want to take to the skies? Try out parasailing on Okanagan Lake.
Just a few blocks down from the end of Okanagan Beach you’ll find Okanagan Lake Park Beach with a fenced in dog beach for our four-legged friends to have access to the cooling waters.
East of Okanagan Lake Park Beach is Marina Way Beach and then the Penticton Yacht Club and Marina where sailboats launch.
No trip to Penticton would be complete with a lazy drift down the Okanagan River Channel. Put on your sunscreen, get your friends or family together, and grab an inner tube – then sit back for the three-hour float down the channel south from Okanagan Lake to Skaha Lake.
Riverside Park has undergone many changes this year, making on of the most family-friendly and fun parks in the city. Riverside has everything from a historic paddle wheeler – the S.S. Sicamous – to mini-golf and picnics, plus the wonderful Rose Garden. It’s also home to the start of river channel drifting. The park’s Rotary pavilion – a perfect site for outdoor performances and family picnics – is the newest addition and is often host to free concerts. And for the skaters, bladers and BMX-ers in the family, it’s hard to miss Riverside Park’s main attraction! The Youth Activity Park was designed by a professional skatepark architect and has been a great place for skateboarders to practice and show off their moves. Riverside Park is located at the corner of Lakeshore and Riverside drives.
Home to the city’s bandshell, Gyro Park is often the site of free concerts all during the summer. It’s also a mainstage for a variety of area events and borders the Farmers’ and Artisans’ markets held every Saturday through to October. If there’s nothing going on at the park, then it’s a great place to take a break from the bustle of the summer and relax on the grass. Gyro Park is located at the end of Main Street.