3-Day Surrey-Kelowna-Vernon-Osoyoos Road Trip Recap

First time trying this route—though I checked many guides on Xiaohongshu, we still took some detours. But hey, travel (and life) isn’t about perfection! 🚗 Day 1: Surrey → Kelowna 1. Manning Park (2h from Surrey) EV charging available (enough to reach Kelowna) Adorable ground squirrels 🐿️ (super friendly!) Scenic views at Cypress Lookout 2. Stuart Park & Okanagan Lake Strolled the restaurant-lined pedestrian street Hit Parlour Ice Cream (fresh-made cones!) 🏨 Stay: TownePlace Suites West Kelowna Pros: Spacious, new, lake-view rooms Cons: Slow & expensive charging, 20min to downtown 🍽️ Dinner: Double J Hong Kong Fusion Parking = tricky Food = decent but not Vancouver-level 🦘 Day 2: Kelowna → Vernon (Cherry Picking!) → Osoyoos Morning: Kangaroo Creek Farm $30/adult, $20/child (pricey but fun for kids) Animal interactions: Kangaroos, capybaras, etc. 🍒 Cherry Picking Drama Planned: Steven’s Farm (Osoyoos) → canceled due to mosquitoes Switched to: Peter’s U-Pick (Vernon) Yellow cherries: $4/lb | Red cherries: $2/lb Downside: Added 1hr extra driving (could’ve picked elsewhere!) 🍇 Scenic Drive to Osoyoos Endless vineyards & fruit stands (realized we didn’t need to go to Vernon!) 🌊 Spotted Lake Geological wonder: Mineral-rich "polka-dot" lake 🏨 Stay: Sandy Beach Resort Free water sports rentals (kayaks, paddleboards) Charging tip: Used a nearby gas station 🏜️ Day 3: Osoyoos → Home Osoyoos Desert Centre Canada’s only hybrid desert (short but unique walk) Return Stops: Lightning Lake (Manning Park): Stunning! (wish I’d known earlier) Bridal Falls: Quick photo op 💡 Lessons Learned ✅ Skip Vernon for cherries (plenty of U-picks en route to Osoyoos) ✅ Lightning Lake > Spotted Lake (more scenic) ✅ EV planning is key (some chargers are painfully slow) #BCRoadTrip #OkanaganAdventures #CherryPicking #NoMosquitoesPlease