Snow is falling all around the hills of the Okanagan. With three world-class ski resorts and four cross-country ski areas, you can partake in all manner of winter activities. At the epicenter of it all is our West Kelowna accommodations, where you can relax after a fun day in the snow with a dip in the best West Kelowna hotels with waterslides, pool and hot tub or by enjoying a glass of local wine in one of our cozy hotel suites.
YOUR CHOICE OF ALPINE SKI RESORTS
Not only can you enjoy the beauty of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding hills when you stay at Okanagan hotels such as the Best Western Wine Country Hotel and Suites, you have your choice of ski resorts to visit. Each has its own distinctive allure while offering exhilarating activities in fresh powder:
1. BIG WHITE SKI RESORT
Located only an hour’s drive from hotels in West Kelowna, British Columbia, Big White Ski Resort is considered one of Canada’s best family ski resorts. With 15 lifts and more than 1,500 groomed and gladed acres, the resort offers 119 beginner, intermediate and advanced alpine runs as well as the TELUS Terrain Park. Besides downhill skiing you can also enjoy:
Cross country skiing
Ice climbing on a 60-foot ice tower
Tubing
Snowmobiling
Ice skating
Snowshoeing
Dog sledding
Horse-drawn sleigh rides
Spa treatments
Ongoing family events
2. APEX ALPINE RESORT
Located 84.4 kilometres (1-hour, 14-minute drive) from the Best Western Plus Wine Country Hotel and Suites, Penticton’s Apex Alpine Resort has a varied terrain and is known for its beautiful dry powder due it northeastern face. The resort has a high-speed quad chair, triple chair and magic carpet for beginners as well as four terrain parks for riders of all levels.
3. SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN RESORT
Only 81 kilometres north along Highway 97 from places to stay in West Kelowna to Silver Star in Vernon, this ski resort is the third largest in BC, with more than 3,000 acres of skiable terrain (both alpine and cross country). Both downhill and Nordic skiers can hop aboard the resort’s brand new gondola to the summit to enjoy beginner, intermediate and expert runs on all sides of the mountain. The resort also features a skating pond, tubing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and much more.
FOR CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS:
Besides the three major ski resorts in the Okanagan, there are also 4 cross-country ski areas near our West Kelowna accommodations for those who like to skate along the corduroy or glide in classic groomed tracks. They include:
Telemark Nordic Club in West Kelowna.
Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club off Highway 33 just past the turn off to Big White Ski resort, east of Kelowna.
Nickel Plate Nordic Centre on Apex Mountain Road, 6K past Apex Alpine Resort, west of Penticton.
Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, on Silver Star Road on the way to Silver Star Mountain Resort, east of Vernon.
Dress for the weather and don’t forget your bathing suit when you book into one of the best hotels in West Kelowna with hot tubs. For some handy tips, read our blog on What to Pack When Staying at West Kelowna Hotels: Fall/Winter Edition.
Hauling your ski gear and looking to travel between Kelowna International Airport and the Best Western Plus Wine Country Hotel and Suites? Read our transportation page for a choice of transport options available to our guests.
