From mountainside to lakeside, this beautiful area has spectacular scenery, a great range of recreational opportunities, and is famous for its fresh fruit and fine wine. Thompson-Okanagan has attractions for visitors in all seasons. There is golfing, water sports, rock-climbing, hiking, skiing and snowboarding to name but a few. The major towns here are Kamloops , Vernon , Kelowna and Penticton . The climate in Thompson-Okanagan is generally very moderate, and this is part of the area's appeal.
Summers are hot and sunny, and are much dryer than the coastal regions.
It tends to be wetter and cooler at higher altitudes. The winter is less severe than most of the rest of Canada, and so is ideal for winter sports. Spring is warm and sunny and the fruit tree blossoms in April and May are sensational. There are good long distance bus services to the major centres, and train service from Kamloops on Via Rail's transcontinental network. There is an airport at Kelowna, with good worldwide connections through Vancouver , Seattle and Calgary .