Osoyoos has always been a favourite place to holiday, since the time I was a teenager with my parents, to when I was in my 20s, driving up myself with friends, to now, in my early 30s, revisiting old memories and making new ones with my wife.
There’s a natural progression to visiting the Okanagan — from spinning and flipping off a tube 20 feet in the air at 40 km/h, to simply taking in the peaceful scenery, away from the grind — that takes into account people of all ages. I find myself teetering in the middle. Either way, it’s all fun.
This time around, instead of staying in town, my wife, Jennifer, and I decided to stay at the Spirit Ridge Nk’Mip Resort during a three-night blitz of Canada’s only desert environment.
One of the aspects that attracted me to the resort is the fact that it has so many amenities and activities close by and in-suite kitchens, in turn saving you time and money. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time, but we tried to pack in as much as we could.
After arriving Friday evening, following a horrendous gauntlet of traffic through the Fraser Valley, we were checked in quickly and shown our one-bedroom villa overlooking the resort’s vineyard and Osoyoos lake.
Early Saturday morning I went into town and stocked up on groceries.
But before cooking, I played the “sneaky husband” card and snuck in nine holes of golf at the nine-hole, executive-length Sonora Dunes course. The clubhouse is literally right across the parking lot from the check-in area and restaurant, so you can’t beat the convenience. I chose to forgo the cart to get some exercise, zig zagging up the side of the mountain and back down again. It was nice to get the round in early in the morning, before the sun poked itself over the easterly mountains (beat the heat).
If you’re an avid golfer, Osoyoos provides one other solid choices to swing your sticks — the 36-hole Osoyoos Golf Club, which offers its Parks Meadow and Desert Gold courses.
Back in the room I made breakfast, we ate and it was off to the pool.
If you really want to pamper yourself, the resort offers spa services at the Solterra Desert Spa. We chose to sit by the side of one of the two pools when not out and about during the weekend. One appeared more family-oriented, while the other, overlookingthe lake was quieter with serious sun tanners staking a claim.
We’re not wine drinkers but, “When in Rome.” It would be sacrilegious to stay at Spririt Ridge without visiting Nk’Mip Cellars, the first Aboriginal-owned winery in North America. The winery offers daily tours of the production facility, which entertains those who like to tinker with things, while tasting seminar is apropos for the more relaxed personality. Either way, inquiring minds are well served.
One of the best online-rated restaurants in Osoyoos is The Patio at Nk’Mip Cellars. The Patio is just that, a patio! But its half-dozen tables perched on a lawn overlooking the lake and the vineyard makes it special. If the spectacular views aren’t enough, you have a full list of award-winning wines to choose from and a small, but fresh menu of great-looking food.
We explored the vineyard on Saturday and walked down to the resort’s campground and RV park, at the lake. It looked like a great place to stay and very family friendly. A new Mexican cantina and outdoor bar has been built right on the lake. Bocce ball and other lawn games were in full swing when we walked down. You can even grab a resort shuttle to and from the lake.
We also explored the Desert Cultural Centre where manager Derek Bryson was available to speak to us about the Osoyoos Indian Band, which owns and operates the resort. The centre has a small museum of artefacts so visitors can learn about the Okanagan First Nation.
There’s a 1.5 kilometre trail that circles through the band’s desert conservation area. Watch out for snakes! No, seriously, watch out for snakes!
Part of the centre’s goal is to show people that the region is a vibrant ecosystem. Notably, some proceeds go to the rattlesnake research program.
On Sunday we packed a lunch and headed to the public beach for the afternoon. Beach days are a must in Osoyoos and the municipality has done a great job opening up that area. The lake offers great views of the mountains that are increasingly used for vineyards, as they creep into the sage brush.
In town, Rattlesnake Canyon (mini golf, small rides, ice cream parlour etc.) is a good place to drop the kids off and there are restaurants for all sorts of tastebuds. A couple of bars can be found, as well.
Associated with the pet-friendly full-service resort is a bevy of summer-season activities, such as helicopter tours, fishing adventures, horseback riding, ATV tours and wakeboarding/water skiing lessons.
With a full week at the resort you’ll be sure to make a dent in all that it has to offer, least to mention everything Osoyoos has to offer.
Coming home on Monday, we stopped at fruit stands in Keremeos, a requisite for any Okanagan-savvy visitor.
