Oliver soaks up 2000 hours of sunshine a year so it’s easy to see why the area is home to more than 400 farms, around 100 vineyards and over 30 wineries! The Oliver Bead Trail currently features 17 wineries and an artisanal distillery. The sign that reads ‘Wine Capital of Canada’ as you drive into town is no exaggeration; Oliver’s 3000-plus acres is home to half of B.C.'s vines, and makes up 10 percent of the Canada-wide total. The town was named after a former B.C Prime Minister, John Oliver who initiated the irrigation project that transformed the desert into the lush green land you see today.
Oliver is planted firmly on the northernmost point of the Great Basin Desert. The diverse landscape includes wetlands, grasslands, forests and mountain meadows, creating the perfect setting for hiking, bird watching and mountain biking. Head out to Tuc El Nuit Lake if you are interested in peaceful vistas, splashing in warm, clear water, the near silence of windsurfing & canoeing, or the satisfying mediation of fishing a trout-filled lake.
Make your way to one of the Okanagan’s highest peaks, Mt. Baldy, to discover the walking trails or winter ski slopes. The mountain is also home to a popular Frisbee golf course. The area has a number of traditional golf courses too!
Drive the backroads and admire the orchards, vineyards and farms; perhaps take a photograph or two. Hike the the Golden Mile Stamp Mill Trail, which starts at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards; the trail hugs the side of the valley and can be steep in parts so save the wine-tasting until after your trek! And don’t forget to ask the winery for the story behind their bead.
The easily walkable town is crammed with colorful stores, specialty shops, cafes and restaurants. Pick up a bead at Auntie Ag’s Seafood Restaurant and see if you can resist the aroma of British style fish & chips and seafood chowder. Find out more about the region at the Oliver Visitor Centre and follow the Bead Trails to Oliver Parks and Recreation to learn about programs and events in the area. Oliver hosts a popular Music in the Park series, a Sunshine Festival and The Festival of the Grape.
Swillers Pond Petting Farm (not on the Bead Trails) Hillside Orchards U-Pick and Farm (not on the Bead Trails) Oliver Theater – old-style, classic movie theatre (not on the Bead Trails) Oliver Kinsmen Spray Park (not on the Bead Trails) Lions Park (not on the Bead Trails)
Enjoy the trails - every bead has a story...!