Visiting Oliver, BC, Canada
During our travels, Brent and I have embarked on a reconnaissance mission to look for potential retirement places. Not that we don't want to settle in Ontario, but it's been great to dream a little as we've travelled. Brent has always loved British Columbia as it offers so many outdoor activities and he's quite fond of the mountains. Although we won't be making any decisions on our permanent residence for a long time, if push came to shove, I'd give some serious thought to the town of Oliver in BC.
You can catch all of our adventures in Oliver on our Youtube Channel Brent & Kelly
I just love Oliver. We were able to spend two weeks in Oliver this time, and I really enjoyed what the town had to offer. The town has about 5000 people and has an amazing infrastructure from what I could see. It has an arena, curling sheets, tennis courts, pickleball, plenty of clean parks, ball diamonds, an airport and the amazing new Venables Theatre. My research shows the largest age group is between 65-69 years of age and women in that category outnumber the men. So if you are looking for a lady friend, you might want to head to Oliver!
The town of Oliver is known as "Canada's Wine Capital" with good reason. It is home to over 20 wineries in the surrounding area. Of course, I'm a bit bias to Burrowing Owl Winery as my friend, Jim Wyse, owns this spectacular establishment. I met Jim a few years ago when we hosted him and the class of '52 at Lambton-Kingsway Junior Middle School when I was the Principal at the time. After touring the school, he invited me to look him up when we made it to BC, and I took him up on the offer. He has been a great ambassador of Oliver and the region.
During our time in Oliver, we went on two bike rides with Jim. During the first ride, we rode about 15 km through town and along the Okanagan River Path. This was my first ride of the season and I was quite proud I actually made the distance! The next week, Midge, Jim's wife, joined us as we travelled through Osoyoos and the surrounding area. It was a spectacular ride with a few hills I don't want to remember! Bless Jim and Midge as they continue their very active lifestyle into their 80s. They are both very inspirational and we feel blessed to have met them. Take a look at Let's Go Biking if you are interested in biking the area.
During our stay in Oliver, we also did some hiking, although about an hour away in Naramata. We walked about 5 Km on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail that took us high up for some spectacular views of the lake, wineries and surrounding area. It was a spectacular hike and I highly recommend this area. I'm pretty sure you can take this trail all the way into Penticton. After hiking, we ate at the local Naramata Pub, although there are plenty of places to eat in the area. The Naramata Inn was highly recommended.
Finally, what would a stay in Oliver be without going to Area 27 - Motorsports Park. Jim and Midge recommended this one to us. The facility was designed by Jacques Villeneuve and hosts private bookings and a driving academy. Brent and I opted for three races on the KartPlex. This is not your average go-cart ride at your local amusement park. These karts can get up to 80 kph. We had an absolute blast...and yes, I did beat Brent in the last race!
Lastly, if you do visit Oliver, you have to eat at Oliver Eats Ltd. We had an array of sandwiches and salads after our bike ride with Jim and Midge. It is a funky little gourmet shop that also serves a fantastic lunch made from local ingredients. I'm pretty sure the brother of the owner also sells lunch from his renovated airstream right outside the shop. There seemed to be a line up every time we drove by. If you want to cook your own meal at home, stop at The Black Sage Butcher for some quality meat products.
It’s been a great two weeks in Oliver. We were able to clean and organize our home while enjoying some amazing experiences!
