135kms of pristine waters dotted with serene bays, deserted beaches, and bubbling marinas make Okanagan Lake a true gem for lake activities. Locals and tourists alike flock to these shores to stretch their sea legs.
Whether you want to skim across the surface, sink down to the depths, or even take to the skies, Okanagan Lake offers the full spectrum of water sport experiences.
Wake Surfing on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Nic Collar Film)
Best Okanagan Lake Activities
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Kelowna Boat Rentals
Goat Luxury Water Rentals
Kelowna Boat Rentals (Courtesy of Goat Luxury Water Rentals)
Goat Luxury Water Rentals offers 12 exclusive memberships that open the doors to abundant access to their magnificent fleet of G23 Air Nautiques. Get ready to embark on a world of unparalleled luxury and take your boating adventures to new heights. With their memberships, you’ll enjoy extensive access to these top-of-the-line boats, ensuring you never miss a chance to make waves and create unforgettable memories.
They also offer daily rentals for those looking to dip their toes in for a day! 🌊🏄♂️👙
Phone: 306-580-0209
Okanagan Luxury Boat Club & Valet
Okanagan Luxury Boat Club & Valet brings an elevated yet affordable boating experience to locals and visitors alike.
You can choose between daily rentals or join their boating membership with gives you access to unlimited boating all season long without the hassles of boat ownership.
Address: 425 Bay Avenue, Kelowna
Downtown Marina
Downtown Marina at Night (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Jeff Bassett, Sproing Creative)
Downtown’s iconic marina is the place to be for the boating community. With temporary moorage, as well as high-end tow boat and affordable bowrider rental, the marina caters to all needs.
If you prefer to stick with your land legs, the public pier is still worth exploring on foot. You’ll find plenty of places to sit and admire various crafts cutting through the waves.
Address: 210 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna
SunWave Boat Rentals
Tubing on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Matt Ferguson)
With service that brings your desired vessel to the boat launch of your choice, setting out across Okanagan Lake couldn’t be easier. You don’t even need a boating license!
Their fleet includes wakesurfing vessels, open bow wakeboarding boats, and pontoons. All rentals come complete with safety equipment, as well as induction and safety training, should you need it.
Address: They come to you!
LakeSurf Premium Rentals
Kelowna Boat Rentals on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Dirk Hanke)
Range is the name of the game at LakeSurf. Choose from kayaks, waverunners, pontoons, and sports boats to achieve your desired level of adrenaline or relaxation.
Every rental comes fully equipped, immaculately maintained, and with no boating license required. Their customer service is top-notch too, so don’t be shy if you have any questions.
Address: 4205 Gellatly Road, Kelowna
Maeg’s BBQ Boats
For a deliciously unique experience, take one of Maeg’s built-in BBQ boats for a spin. Bring your own food to cook or release all responsibility and be catered for.
It doesn’t get much better than smelling your choice of sizzling cuts while seated with your nearest and dearest in the centre of Okanagan Lake. Just try to resist the urge to jump overboard before your food has finished digesting!
Address: 230 Queensway Ave., Kelowna
Kickin’ Back Boat Rentals
True to their name, Kickin’ Back will deliver your choice of vessel directly to you, no matter which stretch of the lake you want to explore.
They are also the only renter of double-decker pontoons in Kelowna. These spacious vessels are equipped with a rooftop waterslide, so you can truly make a splash with group aquatic hijinks.
Address: 14487 Oyama Road, but they come to you!
Kelowna Paddleboarding & Kayaking
Paddleboarding on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Shawn Talbot Photography)
Intimately explore the diverse shoreline of Okanagan Lake at water-level with a paddleboard or kayak adventure. Find the perfect beach for you, uncover hidden nooks and rarely-seen spots – or simply float out in sun-dappled bliss.
The best thing about Kelowna paddleboarding is its 27-kilometre exclusive paddle trail. Running from Bertram Beach to McKinley Beach and marked off by 22 buoys, you won’t have to fear running afoul of motorized craft here.
It’s no problem if you didn’t bring a paddleboard with you, as friendly local businesses are practically tripping over themselves to set you up. We would recommend Kelowna Paddle Centre or Okanagan Beach Rentals.
Kelowna Scuba Diving
Get a new perspective on the dazzling beauty of Okanagan Lake by daring to dive beneath it.
As well as getting up close and personal with resident fishies like Kokanee salmon, you can discover relics lost on the lake floor, explore underwater caverns, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the lake’s legendary monster – Ogopogo!
Highlights at dive sites include the scattered sunken wrecks to the south of Vernon, model submarines and other assorted artifacts offshore from the old Okanagan Centre, the mysterious Ogopogo statute near Paul’s Tomb, World War Two military hardware at Commando Bay, and the underwater catacombs of Rattlesnake Island. But really, something exciting awaits at almost every corner of Okanagan Lake. Check out the dive sites
The best way to ensure you dive safely and in the most rewarding location is to speak to the knowledgeable staff in one of Kelowna’s many diving shops. Diving Dynamics, Innerspace Watersports Inc., and Double Arrow Dive Company are all great choices.
Kelowna Parasailing
Reach new heights of adventure with adrenaline-soaked parasailing experiences on Okanagan Lake. Not only is this a must-do for water-based thrill-seekers, but it also offers a unique vantage point to soak in the stunning scenery that surrounds you on all sides.
Ogopogo Parasail in downtown Kelowna offers single or tandem parasailing, as well as a 5% price-beating guarantee if you can find a place cheaper.
Kelowna Boat Tours
Unsurprisingly, Kelowna has a huge variety of boat tours carefully crafted to wherever your desires lie. Whether you want an informative look at the local geography, to sample local vintages atop the water, or experience Okanagan Lake sunset dining, you can find it here.
Sip & Anchor Luxury Wine & Boat Charters
Combining the local highlights of lake exploration and wine culture in a socialite setting, Sip & Anchor is perfect for those who want to meet like-minded people and get a little tipsy without sacrificing a drop of class.
Tour options include winery hopping, waterfront lunches, lake-top relaxation, sophisticated day drinking, and other boat tour staples.
Sunset Dinner Cruises with Kelowna Cruises
Sunset Dinner Cruise on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Memories by Michelle)
Every weekend evening from July to August, Kelowna Cruises whisk lucky passengers away for two hours of sunset sightseeing that showcases the best cityscape and vineyard views available.
Dine with difference beneath the setting Okanagan Lake sun, with an extensive gourmet buffet and your choice of local in-season entrées. Late night party cruises are also on offer, for those seeking nightlife like no other.
Scenic Boat Tours of the Okanagan
Choose your own sightseeing adventure with this 11 capacity boat tour that will even pick you up from your preferred lakeside hotel, resort, or public dock.
Simply tell your experienced captain what you most want to witness and let their wisdom take care of the rest. Popular tour spots include Rattlesnake Island, Vernon, Summerland, and Peachland.
Kelowna Sailing
Sailing on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com)
Sailing has been a staple sport of Kelowna since the turn of the twentieth century, but thanks to the installation of the new William R. Bennett floating bridge in 2008 the scene has never been better. Before 2008, the old bridge across Okanagan Lake divided the northern and southern waters. Today, the community is united and stronger than ever.
Weekly sailing regattas depart from the waterfront in Kelowna on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Watching the waves come to life with colourful sails and a myriad of crafts is spellbinding even from the land.
But if you were looking to get more involved in Kelowna’s sailing scene, you have plenty of options. The Central Okanagan Small Boat Association and Kelowna Yacht Club offer boating education for everyone from beginners to advanced sailors. Westbank, Summerland, Penticton, and Vernon Yacht Clubs also put on regattas and races throughout the sailing season.
Kelowna Yacht Club is the best option for tourists without a local membership. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or don’t know your starboard from your port, they have rentals and lessons tailored to your ability level.
Spring is the best season for sailing in Kelowna, when the wind is at its kindest. The best conditions are usually found on the shoreline to the southeast of the bridge, or you can find a to-the-moment weather report here.
Kelowna Flyboarding
Okanagan Flyboard on Okanagan Lake (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com – Okanagan Flyboard)
Did growing up on a diet of sci-fi films and video games leave you with unattainable dreams of one day piloting your own hoverboard? Well, here in Kelowna, you can make those dreams a reality… sort of.
Flyboarding offers the opportunity to harness the power of water pressure, strapping you to a board that uses two twin water jets to achieve overwater flight!
The feeling of hovering above the water is at once thrilling and strangely peaceful – and is the closest we’ve come to having superpowers! The instructors are great, even if you have no previous experience with water sports.
This is a must-do activity for families travelling with children, sure to create a childhood memory they will treasure forever.
Check out Okanagan Flyboard or Hydrofly to try this cool activity.
Kelowna Kitesurfing
Windy days in Kelowna bring with them a magnificent and unusual sight. Dozens of brightly coloured kites dance above the water, catapulting their daring pilots through the air as they catch a wave’s edge.
Although a relatively new sport, kite surfing has really taken off in Kelowna, thanks to regular strong winds and views that are just begging to be seen from the air. Kite surfers also provide a killer show for those simply kicking back and relaxing from the safety of the shore.
Whether you’re a kite surfer yourself or just want to enjoy the spectacle, Rotary Beach is the best spot when the winds are blowing south-westerly, and Manhattan Point near the lighthouse is best in northerly winds.
Kelowna Float Plane Tours
Aerial View of Downtown Kelowna (Courtesy of tourismkelowna.com)
Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. A float plane tour with Air-Hart is undoubtedly the best way to get blown away by the beauty of the Okanagan Valley. If you thought the famous waters of Kalamalka Lake were beautiful from the shore, wait until you see them from the air.
A huge variety of tour options allow you to marvel at glaciers and their reflection in crystal blue mountain lakes, visit secret waterfalls, fish from a genuine seaplane, fly to and from the best wineries in the area, and so much more.
Air-Hart are in the business of making dreams come true. Whether you want to charter a custom tour, earn your pilot’s license, or get up close and personal with a seaplane cockpit, they have you covered.
Looking for more fun things to do in Kelowna?
- Best Kelowna Beaches
- Best Kelowna Hikes
- Best Golf Courses in Kelowna
- Fruit Picking in Kelowna
- Best Things To Do Indoors in Kelowna
