Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm considering moving to the Okanagan Valley. I'm taking a trip there next month for just over two weeks and I plan on staying in a couple different cities while I'm there to see how I feel about each place.
I'm just wondering if anyone can give me some insider info on the feel of each city, there's only so much information I can get by google! I currently live in a city of about 130,000 people. It's a good size, 50 mins one way I'm in Toronto, and 30 mins the other I'm hiking in cliffs and gorges. I love that aspect of it. We've got most things here you would need, and anything we don't is a very short drive away.
I'm a freelance wedding and portrait photographer, but I've been looking into that on my own
I'm currently looking at staying in:
West/East Kelowna (whats the difference??? aside from a bridge)
Vernon
Peachland
Penticton
Kamloops
West Kelowna is a newly incorporated city, and a separate municipality from Kelowna. The name was highly controversial, and sparked a heated debate when chosen. Personally, I think it's confusing for tourists. West Kelowna has about 25 thousand people. Kelowna has about 120,000. Vernon has about 35,000, but a metro population of 50,000. Penticton is similar. Kamloops is not technically part of the Okanagan, but is a 1.5 hour drive from Vernon. I used to live there, and really liked it except for the smell of the pulp mill. It's a lot drier than the Okanagan valley, and has a population approaching 100,000.
Why would you like to move to the Okanagan? I've been here about 7 years. It's okay, but I don't like the weather. Too hot in summer, and too gloomy in the winter (we have the least amount of sunshine during December/January in Canada). I'm sure it beats most of Canada east of the Rockies though because we don't get a lot of wind and extreme cold in the winter. There are very few mosquitoes too, and that's a big bonus.
North of the Okanagan you have the Shuswap area (Salmon Arm and such). That might be another area you'd like to explore. What kinds of things are you looking to look at? Places to live? Tourist sort of things?
West Kelowna is a newly incorporated city, and a separate municipality from Kelowna. The name was highly controversial, and sparked a heated debate when chosen. Personally, I think it's confusing for tourists. West Kelowna has about 25 thousand people. Kelowna has about 120,000. Vernon has about 35,000, but a metro population of 50,000. Penticton is similar. Kamloops is not technically part of the Okanagan, but is a 1.5 hour drive from Vernon. I used to live there, and really liked it except for the smell of the pulp mill. It's a lot drier than the Okanagan valley, and has a population approaching 100,000.
Why would you like to move to the Okanagan? I've been here about 7 years. It's okay, but I don't like the weather. Too hot in summer, and too gloomy in the winter (we have the least amount of sunshine during December/January in Canada). I'm sure it beats most of Canada east of the Rockies though because we don't get a lot of wind and extreme cold in the winter. There are very few mosquitoes too, and that's a big bonus.
North of the Okanagan you have the Shuswap area (Salmon Arm and such). That might be another area you'd like to explore. What kinds of things are you looking to look at? Places to live? Tourist sort of things?
Thank you so much! It's so hard to find honest info like that without being there.
Is Penticton as "established" as Kelowna and the likes? If I were for stay there 5 days right off the bat as soon as I get off my plane in a couple weeks (for a visit), would I regret it?
I have a friend who currently lives in Vernon and has lived in Kelowna before, and has said nothing but good things. We have the same personality and like doing the same things so I'm hoping*** that it will be a good fit for me as well. I don't want to live in a bigger city (ie. BCs Toronto equivalent). I like everything you just said haha. In addition, the industry I'm in is great and booming in the Okanagan.
I'm looking for cities to live in, yes! I am coming for a visit in a couple weeks and would like to have it narrowed down to a couple cities so I can really spend my time exploring those cities while I'm there. Tourist things are not so much important to me!
Is Penticton as "established" as Kelowna and the likes? If I were for stay there 5 days right off the bat as soon as I get off my plane in a couple weeks (for a visit), would I regret it?
Penticton is well established. The population is a little older than Kelowna's, and isn't growing quite as fast. The fastest growing area of the valley is Lake Country (between Vernon and Kelowna). You wouldn't regret it. This is the sunny time of year. A lot of people who work in Vernon (as I do) live in Armstrong or Lumby. Check out those communities too. You can visit them while staying in Vernon.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
