Vernon
Around Vernon
Photo: Shawn from Airdrie, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · British Columbia · 67k people
Vernon
Locals say North Okanagan · “City of Lights”
Lakeside living, orchard charm
Okanagan Lake BlueOrchard Green
Welcome to the North Okanagan, where the lakes are clear and the orchards are full. Whether you're here for the powder or the peaches, you'll find a friendly community in Vernon.
Clubs for Vernon
No clubs for Vernon yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Vernon. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Vernon. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Allan Brooks Nature Centre Grassland habitat and bird watching.
- Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Beaches and trails along a lake famous for its blue-green hues.
- Kal Tire Place Home of the Vernon Vipers junior hockey team.
- O'Keefe Ranch Pioneer-era ranch with tours and events.
- Silver Star Mountain Resort Year-round recreation, skiing in winter, biking in summer.
- Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre Concerts, theatre, and community events.
- Outdoors Hiking the trails at Kalamalka Lake
- Outdoors Skiing or snowboarding at Silver Star
- With kids Visit the Allan Brooks Nature Centre
- With kids Attend the Armstrong IPE
- Evenings Wine tasting at local wineries
- Evenings Cider tasting at craft cideries
- Locals love Orchard stands
- Locals love Lakeside beaches
Through the year
- Vernon Winter Carnival January Parades, ice sculptures, and family fun in January.
- Okanagan Wine Festival September Winery tours and tastings across the valley.
- Armstrong IPE August Interior Provincial Exhibition with rodeo, exhibits, and midway.
- Vernon Farmers Market May–October Weekly market with local produce and crafts.
- Vernon Vipers home games September–March Junior hockey at Kal Tire Place.
Semi-arid with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Best time to be out is summer for lake activities and winter for skiing. Best: Summer for lake activities, winter for skiing.
Talk like a local
- “Kal Lake”
- Kalamalka Lake
- “the Vipers”
- Vernon Vipers hockey team
- “the IPE”
- Interior Provincial Exhibition
- “the hill”
- Silver Star Mountain Resort
Getaways
- Kelowna Wineries and beaches on Okanagan Lake.
- Penticton Two lakes and a river channel.
- Salmon Arm Shuswap Lake and the wharf.
- Kamloops River valleys and the Tournament Capital.
Local flavour
Teams
- Vernon Vipers BCHL
Also rooting for Vancouver Canucks (NHL), BC Lions (CFL), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Eat and drink
- Okanagan peaches Juicy, tree-ripened peaches from local orchards
- Okanagan wine Especially ice wine and bold reds from the valley
- Hard cider Craft ciders from local apple orchards
- Fruit pie Homestyle pies made with seasonal fruit
Where people go
- Lakeside beaches Sandy shores and calm water at Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes
- Orchard stands Roadside fruit stands selling fresh peaches, cherries, and apples
- Wineries and cideries Tasting rooms and patios overlooking the valley
- Ski resorts (Silver Star) Alpine slopes and village charm in winter
- Farmers' markets Weekly markets with local produce, crafts, and baked goods
- Mountain trails Hiking and biking paths through pine forests and grasslands
Heritage and traditions
Vernon and the North Okanagan are proud of their agricultural roots, stunning lake landscapes, and a close-knit community that celebrates with festivals like the Winter Carnival and the Armstrong IPE.
This time of year in Vernon
- Harvest and wine festivals Fall Fall brings grape harvest and wine events.
- Okanagan Wine Festival October Celebrates the region's wines with tastings and events.
- Vernon Farmers Market May to October Weekly market with local produce, crafts, and baked goods.
Say it like a local: “the hill” — Silver Star Mountain, the local ski hill.
Festivals
- Vernon Winter Carnival February Western Canada's largest winter carnival, with parades, ice sculptures, and family fun.
- Armstrong IPE (Interior Provincial Exhibition) September A major agricultural fair with livestock, rides, and entertainment.
- Okanagan Wine Festival October Celebrates the region's wines with tastings and events.
- Okanagan Spring Wine Festival May A spring edition of the wine festival with new releases.
- Falkland Stampede May A small-town rodeo and parade in the nearby community of Falkland.
- Vernon Farmers Market May to October Weekly market with local produce, crafts, and baked goods.
Landmarks with a story
- O'Keefe Ranch A restored 1860s ranch that preserves pioneer life in the Okanagan.
- Vernon Museum and Archives Exhibits on local history, including indigenous heritage and early settlers.
- Historic Downtown Vernon Early 20th-century buildings with a mix of heritage facades and modern shops.
- Vernon Army Camp A historic military training site with roots in WWI, now used for reserve training.
- Vernon Courthouse A heritage building from the early 1900s, still in use as a courthouse.
Food traditions
- U-pick fruit picking Families head to orchards in summer to pick peaches, cherries, and apples directly from the trees.
- Farm-to-table at orchard stands Roadside fruit stands sell fresh produce and homemade pies, a staple of the valley.
- Cider tasting at local cideries The North Okanagan has a growing hard cider scene, with tasting rooms offering orchard-fresh ciders.
- Farmers market breakfasts Saturday mornings at the farmers market are a ritual, with coffee, baked goods, and local cheese.
- Ice cream at local creameries Small-batch ice cream made with Okanagan fruit is a summer treat.
A little history
- Pre-contact Indigenous presence
- 1867 O'Keefe Ranch established
- 1892 Vernon incorporated as a city
- Early 1900s Irrigation and fruit orchards transformed the valley
- 1914 Vernon Army Camp established
Rivalries
- Vernon Vipers vs Penticton Vees BCHL hockey rivalry.
- Vernon Vipers vs Salmon Arm Silverbacks BCHL hockey rivalry.
- Vernon vs Kelowna Friendly competition for wineries and beaches.
- Game day Vernon Vipers hockey games
- Game day Curling at the Vernon Curling Club
- Outdoors Hiking to the viewpoint at Kalamalka Lake
- Outdoors Paddling on Kalamalka Lake
- With kids Visit the Allan Brooks Nature Centre
- With kids Attend the Winter Carnival
People in Vernon speak with a relaxed Canadian accent, often ending sentences with 'eh' and using 'pop' for soft drinks. They also use local shorthand like 'the lake' for Kalamalka or Okanagan Lake and 'the hill' for Silver Star Mountain.
Only here
- The Vernon Winter Carnival is the largest winter carnival in Western Canada.
- Kalamalka Lake is known for its striking turquoise colour that changes with the seasons.
- The Okanagan Rail Trail is a rail-to-trail path that connects communities along the lake.
- Armstrong's IPE is one of the oldest and largest agricultural fairs in British Columbia.
New here? A few tips
- Be ready for hot, dry summers and cold winters; layering is key.
- Try the local hard cider and wine at a tasting room soon after arriving.
- Get a season pass to Silver Star if you enjoy skiing or snowboarding.
- Join the Vernon Winter Carnival in February to meet the community.
- Use the Okanagan Rail Trail for cycling or walking; it's a local favourite.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaNorth OkanaganBritish ColumbiaWhere the Okanagan gets down to earth.KelownaBritish ColumbiaSun-soaked shores and vineyard rows.Salmon ArmBritish ColumbiaA lake-lover's paradise in the heart of BCSouth OkanaganBritish ColumbiaOrchards, vineyards, and warm desert lakes.KamloopsBritish ColumbiaWhere rivers meet and champions play.PentictonBritish ColumbiaWhere sun-soaked orchards meet the lake's edgeNelsonBritish ColumbiaWhere mountains meet the lake and art thrives.TrailBritish ColumbiaSmall-town heart, big-mountain soul.
Vernon. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.