Kasugai Gardens

The gardens—which operate seasonally from spring until early autumn—are a great place to take a relaxing stroll. They have meandering pathways that weave through beautiful natural and human-made features. Some walking tours of Kelowna include a stop at the gardens, and they’re a great place to rest your legs after a wine-tasting tour in the region.

• Kasugai Gardens is a must-visit for photographers and fans of garden design.

• The garden is wheelchair-accessible and features flat, paved walkways.

• Admission to Kasugai Gardens is free.

• Wheelchair-friendly public restrooms are located at the Queensway Exchange, just south of the garden.

The gardens are in an enclosure across from the Kelowna City Hall, right next to the Okanagan Heritage Museum, in an area with plenty of parking. Several busses—including lines 5, 6, and 18—stop south of the Gardens at the Queensway Exchange, an 8-minute walk away.

Kasugai Gardens is open seasonally, from early March until the middle of October. It's open daily, with extended hours between Victoria Day Weekend (in May) and Labour Day Weekend (in September). Come later in the day for warmer weather, or opt for a summertime evening visit for an enjoyable evening stroll.

Kelowna is a great jumping-off point for visiting the Okanagan Valley, one of British Columbia's top wine-producing regions. Many of the wines made here are sweet whites, and the region is known for its "ice wine," made from grapes that freeze on the vine during the winter. Many wineries are within a short drive of Kelowna, making it easy to use the city as a base for one-day wine-tasting excursions.