Canada's Craft Beer Capital Is An Thrilling City Between Two Lakes With A Lazy River For Floating And Sipping

When thinking of Canadian vacation destinations, you might imagine frosty peaks and dense forests. However, if you're looking for some summer fun, there's a city with beaches on either side, a wide selection of craft breweries, and a lazy river where all your troubles can drift away. This slice of paradise is called Penticton, a city in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. 

Interestingly enough, Penticton is one of only two cities in the entire world flanked on either side by a lake — the second is Interlaken, Switzerland. A river flows between them, creating a unique and memorable geographical oddity that you have to see in person to truly appreciate. The northern lake, Okanagan, is so long that it runs next to another British Columbian lake with Caribbean blue waters, Kalamalka Lake.

So, if the idea of lounging on a beach, sipping on a craft beer, and floating down a river sounds appealing, now is the perfect time to book a trip to Penticton, B.C. Best of all, there's even more to do once you're in town, so let's get started.

Bodies of water are not the only reason for Penticton to be on the map. According to the city's website, it's home to eight craft breweries, two cideries, and three distilleries within walking distance of the city center. And that's not even mentioning the roughly 80 wineries in the greater Penticton area. No matter what you like to drink, you can knock back a few of them during your visit.

Most of the action is centered on the north end of the city, next to Okanagan Lake. This is the more "touristy" section of town, and it's home to multiple brewpubs, bars, restaurants, and lakefront parks. Four breweries are within walking distance of each other, including Yellow Dog, Cannery, Neighborhood, and Highway 97 Brewing. One thing to note is that the minimum drinking age in British Columbia is 19, so keep that in mind if you have any fresh adults in your travel crew.

Once you have a craft beer in hand, you'll likely want to sit on a beach to enjoy it. The city of Penticton allows alcohol consumption at its parks and beaches from noon to 9 p.m. all year round. Both lakes have gorgeous white sand beaches, although Skaha Lake Beach to the south tends to be slightly less crowded, especially during the summer. But you don't have to choose one or the other. Instead, you can rent or bring tubes and float down the river that connects them. It can take up to three hours to float the entire span, so you should bring a few drinks and other supplies to last the whole time. Alternatively, you can exit at the midpoint if you need a break from the sun. 

If you're coming from afar, the best option to reach Penticton may be to fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR), ranked the best airport in North America. From there, you can book a local flight to the Penticton Regional Airport (YYF), which is often much faster and more convenient than driving almost five hours from Vancouver. Penticton is easy to get to from northern Washington on Highway 97. Along the way, you'll run into Canada's only desert and the country's warmest lake, Osoyoos Lake. From the border, it's just under an hour to drive to Penticton.

Hotels and resorts are plentiful within the city, and some of them take full advantage of waterside lodging. The Okanagan side has various affordable hotels, such as the Okanagan Lakefront Resort, the Spanish Villa Resort, or the Tiki Shores Inn and Suites. On the Skaha side, the Lakeside Villa and Nordic Spa and Above the Beach Guest Suites offer gorgeous views of the water.

As far as dining goes, most of the restaurants on the Okanagan side are along Main Street. You can find Asian, barbecue, and American-style cuisine to accompany the brewpubs and bars. On the Skaha side, most restaurants are along Skaha Lake Road. If you want waterside dining, there's the Dragonboat Pub overlooking Skaha Lake or the Hooded Merganser Restaurant with views of Okanagan Lake.