Introduction to Penticton

40km (24 miles) N of Oliver, 68km (42 miles) S of Kelowna, 396km (246 miles) W of Vancouver via the Coquihalla Hwy.

One of the belles of the Okanagan, Penticton (pop. 41,500) is a lovely midsize city with two entirely different lakefronts. Above the town is the toe-end of vast Okanagan Lake, to the south are the upper beaches of Lake Skaha. It's a lovely setting, and a peach of a place for a recreation-dominated holiday. "Peach" has additional significance here, as Penticton is also the center for apple, peach, cherry, and grape production. But there's a lot more to Penticton than agriculture: Facilities range from hostels to world-class resorts, and the restaurants are among the best in this part of British Columbia.

The Penticton Visitor Info Centre is at 553 Railway Street (tel. 800/663-5052 or 250/493-4055; www.vacationshappenhere.com). It also houses the British Columbia Wine Information Centre and a good wine shop with all sorts of local vintages. It's open daily 9am to 6 pm.