Wine Tours with Okanagan Wine Country Tour | Kelowna, BC

You simply cannot visit the Okanagan without at least visiting a few wineries & vineyards, you just can’t! Instead of driving around ourselves and going to the same five wineries, we decided to go with a Wine Tour company, and why not go with the original - Okanagan Wine Country Tours! The Okanagan Wine Country Tours were the very first tour company established in the Okanagan Valley and really started the ball rolling in wine tours in the region. Whether it is a half / full day tour with a big group of friends or with an intimate group, they are able to accommodate you.

Because we decided to look for a tour last minute, tours with OK Wine Country Tours have all booked up. Luckily the GM of OK Wine Country Tours, Marsha, was able to accommodate us with a private tour. We were so excited.

Upon meeting Marsha, we instantly knew we were going to have a great day ahead of us! She is very knowledgeable and very kind and friendly. She surprised us with a few of her favourite wineries in the area, starting with Sandhill Wines - located in the heart of Downtown Kelowna. We learned so much from our private tasting at Sandhill. Something I didn’t realize, was the fact that they source grapes from different vineyards, including Sandhill Estate, King Family, Phantom Creek, Osprey Ridge, and Hidden Terrace. We even got to sneak in a taste of the Wayne Gretzky Estates No. 99 The Icon 2015 - YUM.

Sandhill Wines, Downtown Kelowna

Blind Tasting Experience at Sandhill Wines

SECOND STOP - Arrowleaf Cellars - I swear I squealed a little when Marsha told us this was our second stop. Arrowleaf has always been one of my favourites - with its incredible views and delicious wines. Their beautiful winery is family owned and operated in Lake Country, overlooking Okanagan Lake. The cellar officially opened in 2003, and has since expanded and complete with a tasting room, cafe, and picnic area. I, of course, took home a box of their award-winning Bacchus & Pinot Gris.

Arrowleaf Cellars

THIRD STOP (also a lunch stop) - 50th Parallel Estate Winery - This is a winery I haven’t heard too much about, and definitely haven’t been to, but so so happy we came! We started off with a delicious tasting and I learned their 50th Parallel Estate Blanc de Noir 2017 is quite special, as it only produces 1 strand of bubbles in the glass (which is quite different than most bubbles). Jason of 50th Parallel then came over to welcome us to a table for lunch, BUT WAIT! He had a surprise for us (me). I had my first… FIRST EVER sabering experience. Oh my goodness, I was so nervous but so excited at the same time. I’ve always only seen others do it, and secretly hoping I’d be able to one day saber a bottle myself. Of course, as a first timer, I didn’t get it the first go, BUT I did manage to get it done the second time around. This is definitely not an experience I will soon forget. We also had some great recommendations for food as well, and went with what Jason had suggested - Beef Tartare, Truffle Fries, and the highly recommended Mac & Cheese - we made very good choices. Thank you Jason!

50th Parallel Estate

50th Parallel Estate Saber

Beef Tartare + Truffle Fries at 50th Parallel Estate

50th Parallel Mac & Cheese

LAST STOP - O'Rourke's Peak Cellars - another winery I haven’t heard too much about, but learned a lot (once again) here. We got a full tour of the vineyards, including a walk around their farm. They grow anywhere from snap peas, to tomatoes, to basil. It’s a true farm to table experience at their restaurant. Did you know that the cluster of grapes in my hands (pictured below) is equal to one glass of wine? Neat, eh? We ended our tour with having a glass of wine in the middle of the vineyard - another experience I have never had before.

O'Rourke's Peak Cellars

This equals one glass of wine

We ended our day with Marsha generously dropping us off at our next destination. And on top of that, she offered to drop off our boxes of wines we acquired throughout the day in our rooms back at Hotel Eldorado. She went above and beyond what I could’ve ever expected! Thank you Marsha for an incredible day in the vineyards - setting everything up for us so last minute, and taking us on a private tour with you! You have given us a very memorable and unforgettable experience. We hope to see you again very soon!

A Little R&R Weekend at Eldorado Resort in Kelowna BC

Ahhh… the Okanagan… it’s one of my must-do’s every summer, and why not? It’s only a few hours’ drive from the city! I find it to be a beautiful little getaway in Vancouver’s back yard. 4 hours away and you’re whisked into BC’s little “Mexico”. Of all the times I have gone up to Kelowna, I have never stayed at a more beautiful and relaxing resort as the Manteo / Hotel Eldorado.

Our experience started right at the front, no not the lobby, but with the parking valet! He was super helpful in directing us where to park as a guest of the hotel, and then ran off to find us a trolley for our luggage - all with a big smile on his face. The friendly hospitaility continued through the resort, from the front desk, to the restaurant staff, to any employee we walked by!

Manteo Lobby

Eldorado Hotel Suite

The rooms at both Manteo and Eldorado Hotel were very spacious and well laid-out. Aside from the beautiful rooms with breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake, there are also a lot of amenities that come with your stay, including a clubhouse (pool, slide, hot tub, pool table, sauna, etc), hot tubs, adult outdoor pool, exclusive beach, Eldorado Marina, just to name a few. I felt like we were whisked away into a different country all together. In fact, we did not leave the resort at all for the first 2 days there. It’s the ultimate way to unwind and relax in my opinion. Everything just moves a little slower and I am not complaining one bit about that!

Eldorado Marina

The Eldorado Marina has Okanagan's largest exclusive fleet of Mastercraft tournament boats and Waverunner rentals. You can rent one of their boats and rip around on Okanagan Lake during your stay, whether it be an hour, a day or for a week! You can also rent a SUP, kayak or bicycle from their Boardwalk shore! We rented a bike and biked from the hotel to Downtown Kelowna - what a fun ride, and a different way to explore the city.

This is the Spirit of the El - one of the owner’s personal 34 foot sedan cruiser. You can rent this beauty out for up to 8 passengers for $2200, comes complete with a Captain & Crew and will be catered. The thing that stood out to me the most is that the money collected will all be donated to the Kelwona General Hospital Foundation (KGH). It’s a way for the owner to give back - which is absolutely amazing!

Spirit of the El

We can’t forget about the food offered at both the resorts. We had an incredible dinner the first night there at Smack Dab (Manteo Resort) - it was so difficult to decide on what to order from their menu, but of course I ended up ordering the Lamb Rack. Chef Ryan Byrne did an amazing job! It’s no wonder they won Diner’s Choice 2019!

We then hopped over to the Hotel Eldorado side for the next few days of brunching, lunching and dining at Lakeside Dining - despite seeming like we are dining at the same restaurant for most of our meals, they have different offerings within their establishment - The Boardwalk, Dining Room, Lounge + Whisky Lounge. The Boardwalk is the perfect place for brunch and lunch - you are seated right on the boardwalk overlooking the Marina with the view of Okanagan Lake, while basking in the sun. We did a lot of people AND boat watching from this boardwalk while sipping on a latte. The Dining Room gives a slightly different vibe as the sun sets and the bottles of wine come out for dinner. You get a slightly different menu to choose from, and again, all the offerings are drool-worthy.

Wood fire oven at Smak Dab, Manteo

Eldorado Dining Room

Eldorado Boardwalk lunch - Plant Life Burger, Steak Frites + Arugula and Shrimp Salad

Eldorado Lakeside Dining Room - Filet Mignon with seared Quebec foie gras

On Friday night, we wandered over to the Whisky Room after dinner to experience “Friday at the El”. It was a cross between a lounge, bar, and club. The DJ was playing up some awesome tunes as we chatted with Patrick and Harry about their whisky selections. Along with their wide selection of whisky, they also have many whisky based cocktails, on-site barrel-aged cocktails and of course, flights of whisky. One of my favourites of the night is the Barrel-aged Old Fashion Sour that Harry had come up with - DELICIOUS!

Whisky Room

Whisky Flight

Aged Old Fashion Sour

Thank you for an absolutely relaxing getaway, it was a much needed weekend to unwind, and eat & drink our way through Kelowna. I can’t wait to be back at Eldorado Resorts next time I’m up in K-town!