The Best Time To Visit Peachland

Peachland, season by season.

Hot, golden lake days in summer. Harvest and wine in the fall. Snow on the ski hills and a calm, quiet lake in winter. Blossom on every hillside in spring. Peachland never really has an off season — it just changes, and every month has its own reason to come.

SummerJun – Aug24–29°C days

FallSep – NovHarvest & wine

WinterDec – FebSki hills nearby

SpringMar – MayOrchard blossom

The Lake~22°CIn August

SunshineDry valleyUnder 35 mm a month

The best time to visit? It depends what you love.

Okanagan Lake from Peachland Lakeview Retreat

Peachland sits on the west shore of Okanagan Lake in the dry, sunny Okanagan Valley, one of the warmest corners of Canada. It has four true seasons: hot, dry summers with a warm lake; a long, golden fall; mild winters in town with deep snow on the ski hills; and an early spring full of blossom.

What changes is how you spend your days. Summer is for the beach and the boat. Fall is for the vineyards and the trails. Winter is for skiing and quiet evenings, and spring is for blossom drives and the first warm afternoons on the patio.

Our suite sits in the heart of Peachland, with the lake in front of the patio and the waterfront a ten-minute walk away. Here is the year as we know it — month by month, with what to do, what to pack and what is happening — so you can choose the Peachland that suits you.

Summer in Peachland, British Columbia — **Summer***June – August*

01Summer · June to August

Lake days, long golden evenings.

This is the Okanagan everyone pictures: hot, dry days, the lake warm enough to swim in for hours, fruit stands on every corner and the light lingering until after nine at night.

24–29°CAverage highs

11–13°CAverage lows

~22°CThe lake in August

Peachland lives on the water in summer. Swim Bay has lifeguards from mid-June to late August, there are free concerts in Heritage Park every Thursday evening in July and August, and Canada Day ends with fireworks over the lake. Cherries and apricots arrive in July and peaches in August. It is high season, so the best weeks book early.

What’s happening

Swimming and boating on Okanagan Lake
Canada Day parade and fireworks, July 1
Free Summer Series concerts on Thursdays
Cherries, apricots and peaches at the fruit stands

Don’t miss

Sunset on the Heritage Pier
A morning paddle on the glassy lake
Lunch on a winery terrace
The Penticton Peach Festival in early August

At the suiteBreakfast on the patio with the lake below you, the beach in the afternoon and the BBQ in the evening. The suite has air conditioning for the hottest days.

Pack Swimwear, sandals, a sun hat and plenty of sunscreen. A light layer for evenings on the water.

Fall in Peachland, British Columbia — **Fall***September – November*

02Fall · September to November

Harvest, wine and quiet beaches.

Many locals will tell you September is the best month of all: the lake is still warm, the crowds have gone home, and the vineyards are heavy with grapes as the harvest begins.

15–23°CHighs, Sep–Oct

3–8°CLows, Sep–Oct

HarvestSeptember & October

In September the kokanee salmon run up Deep Creek to Hardy Falls and the Peachland Fall Fair fills the community centre. Early October brings the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival and golden vineyards up and down the valley; by November it is quiet and cosy, and the ski hills open late in the month.

What’s happening

Grape harvest and the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival
Kokanee salmon at Hardy Falls in September
The Peachland Fall Fair
Apples, pears and the last of the stone fruit

Don’t miss

A winery afternoon on Bottleneck Drive
Pincushion Mountain in the cool of the morning
Fall colours on the Trepanier Creek Greenway
Dinner on a Beach Avenue patio

At the suiteWarm afternoons on the patio and cool, clear nights. The best value of the year, and the easiest time to get a table.

Pack Layers: a light jacket for the evenings, good walking shoes for the trails.

Winter in Peachland, British Columbia — **Winter***December – February*

03Winter · December to February

Snow on the hills, calm on the lake.

The Okanagan is one of the mildest corners of Canada in winter. The lake never freezes, the town gets only a light dusting of snow, and the big powder is up on the ski hills, an hour or so away.

2–5°CAverage highs

−3°CAverage lows

5 ski hillsWithin 2 hours

Big White, Apex and SilverStar are all within an easy drive, with cross-country trails at Telemark in West Kelowna. In town, December opens with the Winter Light-Up in Heritage Park, and the brave start the new year with the Polar Bear Dip on January 1.

What’s happening

Skiing at Big White, Apex and SilverStar
The Winter Light-Up in early December
The Polar Bear Dip on New Year’s Day
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

Don’t miss

A powder day at Big White
A Wine Country Fondue at Quails’ Gate
A crisp walk along the frosty waterfront
The Christmas steam train in Summerland

At the suiteCome back from the slopes to a warm suite, a full kitchen and a quiet evening with the lake view. Free parking right by the door.

Pack Warm layers, waterproof boots and winter tires: required on most BC highways from October to April.

Spring in Peachland, British Columbia — **Spring***March – May*

04Spring · March to May

Blossom on the hills, the valley wakes up.

Spring comes early to Peachland. By mid-April the orchards are in blossom — cherries first, then apricots, peaches, pears and finally the apples in May — and the hillsides turn pink and white.

10–21°CAverage highs

−1–7°CAverage lows

BlossomMid-April to May

March still has spring skiing on the hills, April brings the blossom, and May the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival, when wineries all over the valley open their doors. The trails dry out and the patios on Beach Avenue start to fill again.

What’s happening

Orchard blossom, mid-April to May
Spring Okanagan Wine Festival in May
Spring skiing in March
The first warm afternoons by the lake

Don’t miss

Hardy Falls with the creek running high
A blossom drive along Highway 97
Tasting rooms before the summer crowds
Giant’s Head Mountain at sunset

At the suiteCoffee on the patio in the spring sun, with the lake and the blossoming hills in front of you.

Pack A warm layer for the mornings, a light rain jacket and walking shoes.

05Month By Month

Peachland weather, month by month.

Average daytime highs and night-time lows and monthly precipitation for the central Okanagan (Penticton, 1991–2020 averages), with what each month brings. The valley is dry and sunny, and the days are long in summer; evenings cool down quickly, so bring a layer.

JanuaryWinter

2° / -3°C35° / 27°F

Rain/snow 28 mm

The quietest month. Light snow in town, deep snow on the ski hills, and the lake steaming on cold mornings.

FebruaryWinter

5° / -3°C41° / 27°F

Rain/snow 18 mm

Longer, brighter days and the best of the ski season. Mild afternoons on the waterfront.

MarchSpring

10° / -1°C50° / 31°F

Rain/snow 23 mm

The thaw: spring skiing on the hills, the first warm days by the lake.

AprilSpring

16° / 2°C60° / 36°F

Rain/snow 25 mm

Cherry and apricot blossom on the hillsides from mid-month. Trails dry out.

MaySpring

21° / 7°C70° / 45°F

Rain/snow 41 mm

Apple blossom, warm days and the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival. Patios open.

JuneSummer

24° / 11°C76° / 51°F

Rain/snow 43 mm

Long days and green hills. The wettest month, with short showers. Swim Bay lifeguards from mid-June.

JulySummer

29° / 13°C84° / 56°F

Rain/snow 28 mm

Peak summer: Canada Day fireworks, Thursday concerts, cherries and apricots at the fruit stands.

AugustSummer

28° / 13°C83° / 55°F

Rain/snow 28 mm

The warmest lake of the year, peaches in season and the Penticton Peach Festival.

SeptemberFall

23° / 8°C73° / 47°F

Rain/snow 20 mm

Warm days, quiet beaches, kokanee at Hardy Falls and the Peachland Fall Fair.

OctoberFall

14° / 3°C58° / 38°F

Rain/snow 28 mm

Harvest and the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival. Golden vineyards and crisp evenings.

NovemberFall

7° / 0°C44° / 32°F

Rain/snow 28 mm

Quiet and cosy. Winery tasting rooms stay open; the ski hills open late in the month.

DecemberWinter

2° / -3°C36° / 27°F

Rain/snow 31 mm

The Winter Light-Up in Heritage Park, snow on the hills and the ski season under way.

06Events & Festivals

Plan your dates around an event.

Several of the best happen right on the waterfront, a short walk from the suite. Dates move a little every year, so confirm before you travel.

Jul 1Beach Ave

July 1

Canada Day

A parade along Beach Avenue in the afternoon, games in Heritage Park and fireworks over the lake at 10 pm.

Beach Avenue & Heritage Park · ~10 min walk

Thu 6:30Heritage Park

Thursdays, July & August

Summer Series Concerts

Free outdoor concerts in Heritage Park every Thursday evening through the summer. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket.

Heritage Park · Free

5 daysPenticton

Early August

Penticton Peach Festival

Running every summer since 1947: parades, music, rides and peaches, with free entry.

Penticton · ~40 min

1 weekendPeachland

September

Peachland Fall Fair

One of BC’s oldest fall fairs, more than a hundred years running: zucchini car races, pie and tea, and the best of the harvest.

Peachland Community Centre

~10 daysThe valley

Early October

Fall Okanagan Wine Festival

The harvest festival: tastings, winery events and long-table dinners across the Okanagan.

Wineries across the valley

1 eveningHeritage Park

Early December

Winter Light-Up

A glow parade, a bonfire, Santa and fireworks in Heritage Park to start the holiday season.

Heritage Park · Free

07Best Time For

Choose your Peachland by what you love.

Start with what you want to do, and the calendar will tell you when to come.

Swimming & boatingJuly – August

The lake at its warmest, lifeguards at Swim Bay and the long evenings on the water.

Wine touringMay – October

Every tasting room and winery restaurant open, with festivals in May and October.

Fruit standsJuly – September

Cherries and apricots in July, peaches in August, apples and pears into the fall.

SkiingDecember – March

Big White, Apex and SilverStar within an easy drive.

HikingMay – June · September – October

Cool mornings on Pincushion Mountain and the creek trails.

Kokanee salmonSeptember

The creek below Hardy Falls turns red with spawning fish.

BlossomMid-April – May

The orchards in flower, from the cherries to the apples.

Quiet & valueOctober – November · March – April

The easiest bookings and the quietest beaches.

08Questions

Peachland weather, answered.

What is the best time of year to visit Peachland?

For lake days and swimming, July and August. For warm weather without the crowds, late June and September. For wine, May to October; for skiing nearby, December to March; and for orchard blossom, mid-April to May. Peachland is a true four-season destination.

How warm is Okanagan Lake?

The lake warms through the summer and is usually at its warmest in August, around the low 20s °C. It is cool and refreshing in June and still swimmable into early September.

Does it snow in Peachland?

A little. The Okanagan has some of the mildest winters in Canada: Peachland gets light snow in December and January, while the ski hills an hour or two away get plenty. The lake does not freeze.

What about wildfire smoke in summer?

Some summers bring wildfire smoke to the Okanagan, usually in late July or August. It comes and goes with the wind; check the BC Wildfire Service and air quality forecasts before you travel. The suite has air conditioning.

When is Peachland busiest?

July and August, and the long weekends (Victoria Day in May, Canada Day, BC Day in August and Labour Day). Book those dates well ahead.

Do I need winter tires?

Yes: from October 1 to April 30, winter tires are required on most BC highways, including the Okanagan Connector (97C) and the Coquihalla. Rental cars in winter usually have them.

Book Direct

Every season starts on the patio.

Lake days in summer, harvest in the fall, ski trips in winter and blossom in spring. A private lake-view suite for up to four in the heart of Peachland — booked direct with Heather.

Check your dates