Looking to get a way with the family but want to make sure you can still relax? Fall is considered slow season in Summerland, BC, though there is no shortage in things to do with the family. It wasn’t hard to fill up our weekend with activities, allowing lots of time to relax as well as adventure. Here’s our top 10 family friends things to do in Summerland during the fall.
Photos by: Julie Christine Photography
Planning your vacation in Summerland, BC starts with planning your stay. For us some of the non-negotiable that we look for when travelling with our family is, large living space with a full kitchen along with a hot tub. We connected with Summerland Waterfront Resort for this article as it checked all the boxes and more.
Our 2 bedroom suite at the Summerland Waterfront Resort had more than enough space for our family. With two full bedrooms, a dining table, living room and full kitchen we felt completely at home, away from home. When booking in fall, typically a slower style holiday and less time at the beach soaking up the sun, I suggest asking for a waterfront view room with a balcony. Then you can find yourself enjoying a hot beverage on the patio and taking in the views from the comfort of your room.
We had two nights in Summerland, BC and feel like we could have easily added on another night to do even more exploring in and around Summerland. Below I’ve put together a list of family friendly things to do, most of which we crossed off this weekend.
10 Family Friendly Things to do in Summerland in the Fall
- Hike Giant’s Head Trail
What an incredible view! What better way to see Summerland then from above! If you can add this hike to the top of your list. Our girls hiked up the grind trail and it took us about 20 minutes to get where we captured these photos. We visited in early November and there was snow along the trail, be sure to wear warm jackets, gloves and thermal socks to keep warm at the top.
Please Note: The road to the top parking lot closes on Oct 31st, you can still access the trail it just lengthens the distance of the hike.
Location: 9296 Milne Rd, Summerland, BC - Summerland Sweets
Can’t get enough of the goodies here! This sweets store is filled with so many different treat and gift souvenirs. We couldn’t resist getting some ice cream too!
Location: 6206 Canyon View Rd, Summerland, BC - Troute Creek Trestle
Right around the corner from Summerland Sweets you can find XXXX. This railway is no longer in use and takes you over stunning sights of the river and canyon below.
Location: Trout Creek, BC - Wine Tastings
There are so many wineries located in and around Summerland, a good handful open into the fall. Type in wineries to your maps and see what comes up near to you. We had hoped to make it out to a few wineries, though didn’t manage to fit it in our schedule this trip. On my next visit I hope to visit Okanagon Crush Pad + Dirty Laundry. - Hotel Hot tubing:
Take all the advantage of that hotel hot tub. Nothing better than a cool day/night soak to relax your body. With fall being a slower season it’s often that you will have the hot tub to yourself. The hot tub at Summerland Resort was such a great size, we had 2 families relaxing most of the weekend and there was still plenty of space to move around and enjoy.
Summerland Waterfront Resort also has a sauna and workout room. We enjoyed both these amenities during our time away, found them very clean and made our stay at the resort that much more enjoyable.
Location: 13011 Lakeshore Dr S, Summerland, BC - True Grain Bakehouse:
If you love a good cinnamon bun, or really any homemade bread, make sure to stop into True Grain Bakehouse while downtown Summerland, BC. I picked up a cinnamon bun, warmed it up for my breakfast the next morning and wow, just that good! I regret not trying a pizza pretzel stick as the employee there mentioned he can’t help but get one every shift he works.
Location: 10108 Main St, Summerland, BC - Laki’s Pizza and Subs:
While there isn’t really space to dine in here, the food was still worth a solid mention. If you are not wanting to cook at the hotel kitchen, this is a great option to pick up to bring back to dinner in at the hotel. We loved everything we ordered, special mention to the Yaki’s Special Sub, it was filled up with meatballs!
Location: 9902 Main St, Summerland, BC - The Carousel Collective:
The quaintest little vintage and thrift shop in the heart of downtown Summerland, BC. My husband took the girls in to explore and get a little souvenir for the trip. They both picked out rings and have been so excited to show them off. Lots of unique treasures to be found in there.
Location: 10104 Main St, Summerland, BC - Walk or Bike along the Boardwalk:
Enjoy the waterfront views by walking along the boardwalk trail in front of Summerland Resort and down along the water. This is an easy walk for all ages, great for pushing along strollers. Up for a little bit more of an adventure you can access bikes for the journey from Summerland Waterfront Resort included with your stay.
Location: 13011 Lakeshore Dr S, Summerland, BC - Visit a local Orchard:
Our kids noticed bags of fruit at the front while checking in at Summerland Waterfront Resort and asked us if we could grab some. The complementary bags were devoured by our kids, our daughter even saying that the pears were, “The best ever!” As long as it’s not too late in the fall season there should be lots of options for orchards to visit, the fruits we tasted were from “The Apple Barn”.
Location: 9100 Jones Flat Rd, Summerland, BC
Was was about to say that Fall is one of my favourite season, but if I’m being I love all seasons. It allows for totally different experiences when visiting the same places throughout the year. When I was last up in the summer I spent so much time in the sun and on the beaches, the cooler weather allowed for more exploring and tastings of locally grown food and drink.
What are some of your favourite things to do in Summerland, BC, let me know in the comments below.
This is a great blog post! I found it informative and fun to follow along with your family on your adventures. The resort looks beautiful and the town of Summerland sounds like a must-see. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! We all really enjoyed ourselves. So excited to come back again soon and explore more.