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Pacific
Northwest
Cities and Towns of Okanagan Valley
Blue River
Clearwater
Kamloops
Kelowna
Keremeos
Merritt
Osoyoos
Peachland
Salmon Arm
Valemount
Vernon
BC Wines and Wineries
Name
Okanagen is an Indian word meaning "rendezvous". Originally
applied to the river's head at Osoyoos Lake on the B.C.-Washington border where Indians
gathered annually to trade and hold potlatches.
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Okanagan Lake as seen from
Highway 97 looking north toward the town of Peachland.
The Okanagan Valley is
located at the heart of British Columbia�s fertile Thompson-Okanagan region.
Cradled between the Cascade Mountains on the west and the Monashee Mountains
on the east, the valley enjoys some of the warmest and driest weather in
British Columbia.
It also has some of the best year-round recreational opportunities on the
continent.
At northern tip of the valley,
above the agricultural center of Vernon,
is Shuswap Lake and the neighboring towns of Salmon Arm, Chase, Sorrento and
Sicamous. A favorite vacation destination for many Canadians, Shuswap Lake
is considered the houseboat capital of Canada. Captivating scenery and
excellent fishing, skiing and boating opportunities make it a prime winter
and summer destination.
The cities of
Kelowna, Westbank and
Peachland lie at the center of
Okanagan Valley. Known as the valley�s entertainment capital, Kelowna hosts
a variety of events during the region�s seasonal wine festivals and serves
as a major commercial center for much of the Okanagan.
The southern region of the
valley extends to the desert town of
Osoyoos, just above the Canada-US. border. Known as Canada�s �pocket�
desert, this region�s vineyards and orchards thrive as a result of a complex
irrigation system that funnels water from lakes above the valley floor. The
teeming city of Penticton makes up
the northern edge of this southern region, with arid hillsides that reflect
its warm, dry temperatures.
Hiking, biking and studying
the unusual topography and history of Canada�s only desert are favorite
pastimes in this unique Mediterranean-like climate. |

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British Columbia Wine
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British Columbia Handbook:
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Vancouver, Victoria, and the Canadian Rockies by Jane King, Andrew Hempstead
May 2000, Paperback, 5th edition, 430
pages,
(non-fiction) Covering recreation, accommodations,
food, transportation, and sights for all regions in British Columbia.
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