Kelowna

Kelowna sits along more than 30 km of Okanagan Lake's east shore, the largest city in British Columbia's interior and the anchor of the Okanagan Valley. With a population of roughly 144,600 ([Statistics Canada Census 2021](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/)) spread across about 211 km², the city stretches from lakefront beaches at 342 m elevation up into mountain trails above 1,500 m — a geography that shapes everything from commute patterns to weekend routines. Incorporated in 1905, Kelowna grew up as an orchard town and still carries that agricultural DNA, now expressed through more than 40 wineries within a half-hour drive and a year-round farm-to-table food culture. The Mission Creek Greenway threads 16.5 km of trail through the city, Big White and Crystal Mountain put skiing within easy reach, and [Kelowna International Airport](https://www.kelowna.ca/) — 14 km north of downtown — has become one of the busiest in Canada. UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College bring a steady student population and a growing tech and research footprint, layered on top of an established base of families, retirees, and a substantial tourism and hospitality workforce. The neighbourhoods that follow reflect that range. Downtown and the Cultural District centre on the waterfront, Bernard Avenue, and the Brewery District; the Lower Mission runs along the lake through Pandosy Village; Rutland holds its own as a second commercial centre with a distinct history. Each guide is built to help you understand the daily texture of an area — schools, transit, parks, walkability — before you decide where to look more closely.