The local planning committee members will share their tips for things to see and do in the Kelowna and Okanagan region over the coming months. This month, Gordon Shuster from Okanagan College offers his version of a ‘Lonely Planet’ guide to Kelowna and the beautiful surrounding area. 

1. Tell us about your favourite place to eat in Kelowna.

Like most cities, we are lucky to have a good variety of restaurants. Living in the Okanagan, it’s nice to have foods made with fresh, local ingredients. In the downtown area RauDZ Regional Table (Chef Rod Butters) and Waterfront Restaurant and Wine Bar (Chef Mark Filatow) both create amazing foods with a local flavour. 

2. What is your top family-friendly activity to do while in the Okanagan region?

Summer is my favourite time in Kelowna and the Okanagan, so I often take guests wine tasting, either in the city or if I am making it a day-trip, to Naramata Bench or the South Okanagan wineries.  Evenings are a perfect time for a stroll along the boardwalk or downtown, and several nights a week there are free outdoor concerts in Kerry Park, Island Stage (Waterfront Park) and at other locations throughout the city. 

3. Where would we find you on a summer day?

Funny enough, I have a Saturday routine – I start by cycling to the Farmers Market to pick up local fruits and vegetables and usually enjoy one or two fresh snacks before heading to Sandrine, our French Patisserie for a weekly treat (and often a box of macaroons). By the afternoon, I am usually reading on the beach or out boating!