Last summer, we had the good fortune to spend a couple of days in Kelowna, British Columbia as part of our 20 day British Columbia trip. The 2 nights we spent there were in the second half of the vacation, and if you’ve ever done an extended trip with the family, you’ll know that as time goes on, everybody becomes a little harder to please.  Well, Kelowna was the cure for that – from the amazing Hotel ZED to the Myra Canyon Adventure Park, Kelowna has something for everyone and was a great stop on our trip.

On every trip there is that one place that is unique and full of zest for life. On that trip, it was Hotel ZED in Kelowna.  This place is full of life, colour, and fun. Denys’ favourites were the rooftop patios that offer great views of the waterfront and City Park. The kids’ favourites were the pool and the disco room – the disco room even has a fog machine!  We didn’t go to the ping pong room, but we did play some games in the lobby. It’s a great place for all travellers but travelling with young children, we especially appreciated all the little things that made a big difference.  The funky décor was a hit with the whole family.

Mostly, I loved that it was right in the middle of everything. It acted like a home base – it was walking distance to parks and the -splash pad, restaurants, the board walk along the waterfront. We felt like we had downtown Kelowna in the palm of our hands.

The first evening we relaxed and then explored City Park, went for a walk along the boardwalk and had icecream while taking in the stunning views of the waterfront.  We considered doing the Wibit park paid water playground but it was getting late – though if you have time during the day, it looks like it would be a blast!

The next day we visited Myra Canyon Adventure Park which has something for everyone in the family. Katelyn and Denys are big into challenging themselves, and she did the full seven-ropes-course with him. I did the four-ropes-course and then did the kiddie gym with Ethan. It was great that both our kids were able to participate and have fun.  I like that Ethan, who had just turned 5 was able to participate and that each parent got some one on one time with a kid. Seriously, look at that face.

Have kids that are at different ages? No problem. Myra Canyon has two areas: one for younger kids starting from three years old called the kinder course, and the full 4 or 7 line course for older kids. You will be in awe here: this park has incredible views of the canyon, thrilling ziplines, and great trails if you don’t want to do the ropes. If you are looking for a fun family activity that’s off the beaten path and just 20 mins from downtown Kelowna, this is your spot. I recommend going on cooler days as it can get quite hot.

If you are looking to have a calmer day just exploring City Park will be a fun activity on its own.  It’s a public park on Okanagan Lake along a long sandy beach – perfect for kids.  Amenities include Basketball, Lawn bowling, Trails, Beach area, Multi-court, Playground, Splashpad, Sand volleyball courts, Skateboard park, Soccer field, Swimming area, Tennis courts, Change Room, Washroom, and Waterpark.