Osoyoos Family Guide

If you’ve been following me on Instagram you might know that we took one of the best family summer vacations at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos.

We have been to the Okanagan before but this was our first time to Osoyoos and first time staying at an Okanagan resort and we truly cannot wait to come back to both.

If you followed along with my stories you probably saw the fantastic time we had at the resort and all it had to offer. I’ve recieved many questions about our stay and activities so I am so excited to put together this little “Osoyoos family guide”.

Don’t forget to check out the trip vlog at the bottom of the post.

If you are considering a summer family vacation, you should REALLY look into Osoyoos and Watermark Beach Resort.

The Okanagan has a very dry, hot climate so you basically can’t guess wrong with the timing since it’s almost always dry and hot during the summer. No stress about taking time off work and vacationing in the rain (cuz we all know that sucks). It has such a range of fun activities for the whole family (which I will cover in more detail later in this post) from water fun on the lake to touring the wineries and wine tastings to Rattle Snake Canyon for the kids – it’s got it all.

THE HOTEL

Now we all know that the key to a successful and fun vacation with the kids is CONVENIENCE and I have to say that Watermark Beach Resort was THE most convenient resort/hotel that we have ever stayed at (aside from an all-inclusive which is a little different).

First of all, the resort is located RIGHT ON THE LAKE. Our townhouse walked out right on the beach, which was convenient with the kids for taking them to the bathroom or going back to the room to get something or simply napping them. Another perk was having grocery stores located RIGHT ACROSS the street so it was so easy to stay well stocked.

Watermark Beach Resort has it’s own restaurant with a pretty amazing menu (more on that later) as well as a Boston Pizza with patio, which is attached to the same building, SO easy to go out for meals. The hotel is also located right down town so you are always close to all the shops and other restaurants so you dont have to get in your car to drive for anything.

The resort has a huge assortment of rooms to choose from, from small suites to 2/3 bedroom townhomes, all of which are equipped with gourmet kitchens.

We had the 2 bedroom townhouse with Lakeview and it was such a beautiful setup.

We had a walk out patio from our living room, which we enjoyed breakfast and dinner on daily. We also had an amazing balcony right off our bedroom, and the views were BREATHTAKING, it’s a great place to enjoy a glass of wine after the kids have gone down and a pretty good place to sip on a morning coffee as well.

One of the best perks of the resort was UNDOUBTEDLY the pool and it’s waterslide which was the biggest highlight of this summer for the kids.

In addition to the heated outdoor pool, there are a couple of hot tubs and steam rooms for you to relax in.

I love how easy it was to go between the pool and the beach, and if you want to partake in a delicious adult bevy or a poolside snack, there is pool side service right there. See, I told you you never have to lift a finger.

The resort also rents paddle boards and kayaks if you wanted to explore the lake. We rented 2 boards and took the kids with us, and it was so much fun being out on the water with them, there is something so peaceful about it.

If you wanted to treat yourself to something, don’t forget to book a treatment at Levia Wellness Spa.

I booked in for a relaxing massage with Chantel first thing in the morning and it was so amazing. The spa is so cute and the owner collects antique furniture (my personal weakness). Chantel was so helpful in giving me advice on where to visit and what to try during our stay.

WHAT TO EXPLORE

Well, you probably guessed what my first suggestion was going to be… If you are in the Okanagan you must visit some wineries. Did you know that Osoyoos is responsible for over 60% of BC’s grapes?

If you are looking for the full deal you must go on ‘A Culinary Journey through Canada’s Desert‘ at Covert Farms.

It’s organized by Watermark Beach Resort in partnership with Covert Farms.

We arrived at the beautiful 650 acre family farm estate and got introduced to the farms’ animals. Afterwards we jumped into the back of a 1950’s Mercury truck and headed on a tour of the property.

It was so much fun riding with the wind in our hair and to find out so much about sustainable farming, how the wine is grown and about the history of the family and their property.

Halfway through the tour we made a stop at their fruit patch, the favourite part of the tour for the girls. They picked and ate until they couldn’t move, haha, the joy on their berry stained faces was undeniable.

To wrap up the tour we sat down to a beautiful charcuterie board as well as some delicious wine tastings (and apple cider for the kids) and trust me we couldn’t walk away empty handed so we took a few delicious bottles of wine home.

The entire grounds are licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine anywhere on the property, pretty cool.

Another popular attraction in the area is the Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad.

This incredible miniature style world is pretty amazing, all handmade and put together by a couple that runs the place. The miles of tiny rail tracks include dozens of different landscapes and you can even press buttons to make things move. We spent almost an hour there and the kids loved it. I’ve heard people say they were back for their 3rd and 4th visit and were still finding new things that they hadn’t noticed before!

One of the most popular attractions in Osoyoos is the Rattle Snake Canyon amusement park.

We were strapped for time and felt like our kids were maybe a little young for it but it is the place almost everyone recommended to visit so we have to plan a visit next time we are in the area!

Some of the things that you can enjoy at Rattle Snake Canyon are Mini Golf, a Go Kart track, an Ice Cream Parlour, an Arcade, Bumper Boats, a Tumble Whirl, Tornado, Bungee Tree, and a Rock Climbing Wall.

Sounds pretty fun, right?!?!

And if you are staying at the Watermark Resort, it’s only about a 2 minute drive.

Another stop you must absolutely make when in Osoyoos is the NK’Mip winery. Delicious wine tasting and a stunning view.

THE FOOD

One of my biggest suggestions when vacationing with kids is trying to find a place with a kitchen. It makes life so much easier with the kids plus helps you stay on budget.

We ate out for suppers, while breakfast and lunches we took care of on our own.

There is a grocery store right across the street from the resort so that made shopping very convenient.

Our room had a very nice BBQ on the patio so you could enjoy it right in your room. Such a fun idea, especially if you are vacationing with other families.

Watermark has a phenomenal restaurant that offers breakfast and dinner menus with an AMAZING view of the lake and mountains, arguably one of the best in town.

We had the chance to experience their ‘Farm to Vine Signature Dinner’ which is currated by executive Chef Adair. This delicious meal featured locally sourced ingredients as well as locally made wine pairings for each course.

Our favorite was the Pan Seared Sable Fish, Yumm.

My favourite part about the restaurant was the amazing grass patch that the kids could run on right off the patio. As we sat there enjoing the delicious dinner and wine our kids ran around playing on the grass with other kids right in plain sight. If you’re a parent, you know that dining can be a bit hit or miss with kids so it was so nice that we could enjoy our food and know we didn’t have to scarf everything down as soon as possible to avoid a toddler melt down. #WINNING

As I’ve mentioned before, there is also a Boston Pizza attached to the resort building which also has a beautiful lake view patio (and draft beer).

If you feel like eating in but don’t feel like cooking, which is exactly how we felt on our last night, pick up the phone and call for take out and enjoy a delicious meal on your patio/balcony.

This was undeniably a trip for the books and we cannot WAIT to be back!!
I love that Osoyoos is only 4.5 short hours from Vancouver but it truly feels like you are somewhere far far away because the scenery and climate is so different!

I’ve put together a little vlog of our trip just to highlight some of the things that we had done. Hope you enjoyed reading and as always I would be so happy to answer any of your questions!!

XO

Katusha!!!