Secret Spots
Looking for the places that are a little easier to miss? Secret Spots brings together tucked-away parks, gardens, waterfalls and quieter beaches across the Okanagan — the finds worth seeking out once you have seen the famous ones. Each is here because a local tourism, parks or community source points to it as a quieter or lesser-known find, not because it is popular or highly rated. They are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
Results
No secret spots match that combination yet. Clear the filters to see everything.
-
Cedar Creek Park
Cedar Creek Park is the biggest off-leash dog beach in Kelowna, and on a hot summer’s day that is the whole point: a beach and swimming area on Okanagan Lake where you can take a dip with your pooch, spectacular views of the mountains over the lake, and a large off-leash field for socializing afterwards. Picnic tables line the lake, and trails run through the park. No dog? Bring a kayak, paddleboard or canoe and put in from the boat launch, or simply walk the beach. Pick up after your dog.
🐾 Dog Friendly
-
Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park
Gellatly Nut Farm is a century-old nut orchard on the shores of Okanagan Lake with a small beach at its edge, which makes for a different kind of beach visit: swim, then wander the short, flat walking paths past the heritage buildings or settle into the picnic area. A playground keeps children occupied, the easy trails and washrooms are accessible, and if you come between early September and late October you can buy nuts from the harvest. Dogs are allowed on leash on the beach trail only. The parking lot is off Whitworth Road. Open dawn to dusk, with hours shifting through the seasons.
♥ Local Favourite
-
Glen Canyon Regional Park
Glen Canyon runs for 95 hectares along Powers Creek in West Kelowna, and its trails offer everything from easy creek-side walks to challenging stairs and terrain, with views of the canyon's unusual geology and a 24-metre waterfall. Washrooms are on site, there is a viewpoint, and dogs are welcome on leash. The parking lot is off Gellatly Road South; the Brown Road vehicle entrance is closed from November 1 to April 1 when maintenance is reduced. Hours shift with the seasons, from 6 a.m. to between 6 and 11 p.m. The park is maintained with the help of the Gellatly Bay Trails and Parks Society. The Regional District's designated routes are the 2.3 km Glen Canyon Greenway, rated moderate, the easy 800-metre Doe Trail and the short Buck Trail, with informal paths branching through the canyon; Visit Westside splits the park into a north half of over 4 km and a south half of 2.2 km one way with stairs. The upper canyon is currently under a partial hazard closure, so respect the barriers.
-
Hardy Falls Regional Park
Hardy Falls is the easy waterfall walk at the south end of Peachland: the Owl Trail, just 430 metres each way, flat and shaded, crosses Deep Creek on a series of bridges and ends at a viewing platform below the falls. The 6-hectare park is ideal for wildlife watching, especially in the fall when the kokanee salmon return to spawn in the creek. The trail and washrooms are accessible, and dogs are welcome on leash. The parking lot is off Hardy Street. Park hours shift seasonally, from 6 a.m. to between 6 and 11 p.m., with reduced maintenance of the parking area and facilities from November to March.
-
Kasugai Garden
Tucked behind a wall off Water Street, Kasugai Garden is downtown Kelowna's secret calm: stone lanterns, sculpted pines, a waterfall and a koi pond celebrating the city's friendship with Kasugai, Japan. Free, peaceful and just steps from the lake. Open spring to late October.
-
McKinley Mountain Park
McKinley Mountain Park is the City of Kelowna's 'Mini Knox': a 17-hectare hillside park in the McKinley area north of the city where a short hike of about 1 km uphill ends at a fantastic view along Okanagan Lake to both north and south. The City lists it as a hidden gem with trails as its amenity, at 1798 Shayler Place. Be aware of wildlife here, including bears and coyotes. Dog status is on-leash.
-
Naramata Creek Park Waterfall Trail
Naramata Creek Park is the village's waterfall walk: a 2.5 km round trip on an unpaved, packed trail up the forested creek to a series of falls, easy to moderate, with the creek crossed two or three times along the way, which makes it a favourite of families and dog walkers. It is a Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen park, and its parks regulations require dogs to be on leash. The trail starts from the Naramata Creek Park parking lot. It is best in summer — too icy in winter, and the water runs too high to cross safely in spring.
-
Powell Beach Park
Powell Beach Park in Trout Creek is the shady one, and on a July afternoon that matters: the District calls it a great swimming venue and there is lots of shade for its numerous picnic tables and benches. A softball field and tennis courts sit alongside for anyone who wants to move between the water and a game, and washrooms are on site. Dogs may be on leash in the park but not on the beach; from October 1 to May 1 they may run off leash in the park.
-
Raymer Bay Regional Park
Raymer Bay is, in the Regional District’s own words, a hidden gem off Westside Road and the perfect spot to spend a day at the beach. It is especially popular in the summer months for swimming and relaxing on the beach, with a playground, a picnic shelter, washrooms and parking, and mooring buoys for anyone arriving by boat. Dogs are not permitted. Open dawn to dusk; the vehicle gate is closed from November 1 to April 1.
-
Rotary Beach Park
Rotary Beach Park is Oliver’s only public swimming area, a family-friendly park in the southwest corner of Tuc-el-Nuit Lake with a playground for ages five to twelve (slide, climbing equipment and swings). Washrooms are open from May to September, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since April 21, 2026 pets have been permitted in the park, under control and cleaned up after; off-leash lake access is also available at the Teal Street and Mallard Place street ends.
🐾 Dog Friendly
-
Sarsons Beach Park
Sarsons Beach Park is the Lower Mission beach to choose when you would rather not share the beach with a crowd: the City describes it as usually quieter and less crowded than the bigger lakeshore beaches. There is a swimming area on Okanagan Lake, a playground, picnic tables and washrooms, and in summer the park hosts free Parks Alive concerts. Parking can be tough to find at the smaller beaches like this one, so consider arriving on foot or by bike. Dogs are not permitted. It sits at the very end of Sarsons Road, off Lakeshore Road.
-
Summerland Ornamental Gardens
The Summerland Ornamental Gardens have been growing on the bench above Trout Creek since 1916, when the Dominion Experimental Farm planted them to show Okanagan settlers what would thrive in a dry climate — and more than a century later that is still the point. Fifteen acres of heritage trees and lawns roll toward the canyon rim, but the heart of the modern garden is its xeriscape and native-plant beds, where the plants that belong in this valley are labelled with their Syilx Okanagan names alongside the Latin, so a walk here doubles as a field guide to the sagebrush country you have been driving through. Birds work the shrubs year-round, spring brings the big bloom, and the seasonal hours stretch from an 8 am opening to 8 pm on summer evenings (shorter in winter, weather permitting). Admission is by donation, with $5 a person suggested; dogs are welcome on leash and there are several places to park off Highway 97. The gardens are run by a volunteer society, the Friends of Summerland Ornamental Gardens ([email protected]), whose plant sales and tours are the best way to take a little of the Okanagan home.