Welcome to Westbank and the Westside! 

The Westside is located just minutes from Kelowna on the West side of the Okanagan Lake.  Make the Westside your home base as you visit all the sunny Okanagan Valley has to offer.  Stay in one our resorts, hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, or campgrounds (visit the accommodation section for more details).  The Westside is only a ten-minute drive to Peachland or Kelowna, and only forty-five minutes from Penticton.  There is so much to see and do within a forty-kilometer radius of our community, the Westside side is the logical choice as ‘home base’ for any visit to the Okanagan. 

Stay and play in the refreshing cool water and relax on the un-crowded beaches along Okanagan Lake.  The Westside is a great family vacation destination with waterslides, go karts, and paintball, plus miles of waterfront with picnic and play areas.  Take in one of our area’s many scenic parks and hiking trails .  Rent a boat or Seadoo, take a lesson, and just get out on the water for some fun in the sun!  In addition, the community hosts several fun family-oriented events each year such as Westbank/Westside Wildflower Festival in May, Westside Daze in July, and the annual Sculpture Symposium.  For more information on current community events see the friendly staff at the Westbank & District Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Information Centre  

The Okanagan is a four-season playground and the Westside offers activities for the whole family year round.  Visitors and residents enjoy many winter activities including downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing.  

The Westside has a full range of dining.  Soak up the cozy atmosphere of some of the Westside’s more unique restaurants, many with views of Okanagan Lake, Kelowna, and the surrounding vineyards and orchards.  If you are looking for a little evening entertainment, take in a movie or an outdoor theatre performance. 

The Westside is home to four award-winning wineries.  Experience the intrigue of the wine industry with tastings and tours throughout most of the year and be sure to catch the featured events of the spring and fall Okanagan Wine Festivals.  In addition, our Central Okanagan location makes it just a short trip to over twenty other wineries in the communities of Peachland, Summerland, Kelowna, and Lake Country. 

On your tour of the wineries you will notice not only the vineyards but the many orchards as well.  Catch sites of the blossoms in the springtime and sample the delicious fruit in the summer and fall. 

Golf in the mild Okanagan climate from April through October.  The Westside is home to picturesque 18-hole golf courses with full service dining facilities, as well as a fun putting green.  

The Westside has so much to offer that many tour operators operate their businesses here.  From luxury backcountry tours and adventurous ATV tours, to hiking and wine tasting tours.  If you would prefer a guide to help show you all the Westside has to offer, book a tour with one of the area’s professional companies. 

The Westside is rich in culture and history, from the Westbank First Nations to the early pioneers.  One historical ‘must see’ is the Gellatly Heritage Park, the old home site of one of the earliest pioneers of the area.  The Gellatly family was heavily involved in farming and later became known for their innovation in growing different varieties of nuts.  In 2005, look for information on the public opening of the Gellatly Nut Farm, which is currently open for the fall nut harvest and for special events throughout the year.  Another historical point of interest is the cairn that was erected in 1949 to mark the historic Okanagan Fur Brigade Trail, dating back to 1811. 

The annual Sculpture Symposium promotes public art and is helping to realize a vision of the Westside as the ‘land of art and wine’.  Sculptures have been placed within the downtown core and at notable locations around the Westside.  During August, visitors can view the sculptors at work as they turn marble into masterpiece! 

If you are planning a trip to the Okanagan, plan to visit the Westside.  Take a tour off the busy highway into the orchards, vineyards and to Okanagan Lake.  Enjoy the beauty and history that Westbank and the Westside have to offer.