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Okanagan Valley

British Columbia

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HotelTonight – Okanagan Valley Hotels Tonight

When I thought of British Columbia before I saw it for the first time, I thought it was a vast, mountainous region from one border to the other. After I took a job that sent me to BC regularly, I found out I was only partially correct. There are mountains in the western and eastern portions of this enormous province, but there is also a vast valley that runs through the middle of the territory. I had driven through this part of Canada more than once, and it's called the Okanagan Valley. I had stopped many times for gas and a quick bite to eat in places like Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon, but I'd never spent any real time there. On my last work trip to BC, I got a call as I was on my way to meetings that started in the morning and ran all day. The caller told me that the meetings were canceled, so suddenly I had 24 hours to myself. I was going to explore this valley. I wasn't worried about finding an Okanagan Valley hotel room, as I always travel with HotelTonight. My favorite travel app would find me a room when I needed one.

The Produce

The Okanagan Valley basically exists in a desert climate, so I didn't expect to see all of the fresh food available when I pulled into Kelowna to start my day. I saw dozens of different roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and I had to stop and sample a bit of the local fare for myself. I had a peach that was as big as a softball and as juicy as a fresh watermelon, and I bought a bucket of fresh cherries ready to travel with me, but I wound up finishing most of them. This is a fertile farming area, which was a surprise to me.

The Lake

The communities in this part of BC are all built around Okanagan Lake, which is an enormous body of water that provides communities not only with a valuable resource, but also with seemingly unlimited options for fun. I stopped in two places where I found unexpectedly pristine sandy beaches, and I couldn't even count all of the kayakers, swimmers and sun-bathers who were out enjoying the warm weather of the late summer. I took dozens of photos of the mountains that surround the valley, which were stunningly majestic.

The Cuisine

After getting a little taste of what the Okanagan Valley had to offer, I was ready for some local, farm-to-table options. I heard about one on one of the beaches, and it wasn't far. I stopped in and immediately ordered a glass of local wine with a salad and a steak. The salad was enormous and packed an incredible amount of flavor, as it was filled with locally-grown greens, tomatoes and radishes. The steak was scrumptious as well, and the entire meal was a pleasure. They do fresh food right there.

HotelTonight – Okanagan Valley Hotels Near Me

I was full, tired and ready for some sleep. I opened the HotelTonight app on my phone and booked an Okanagan Valley hotel room within a few swipes. It wasn't far from where I was, as that's how HotelTonight works, so it wasn't more than a few minutes before I was in my room and comfortably asleep.