Located on the west side of Okanagan Lake, Peachland is known for its beaches, wineries and a (likely mythical) sea creature dubbed Ogopogo.
The town is approximately a half-an-hour’s drive south of Kelowna, 20 minutes north of Summerland, and a four-hour (370 km) drive from Vancouver
The region had long been home to the Okanagan people when the Pacific Fur Company arrived. The company established a fur-trading trail that encompassed what was to become Peachland. Gold seekers began using the trail in 1858 and 40 years later J.M. Robinson established a mining company that operated gold mines on the mountainsides above the town.
The slopes of the mountains at one time were home to fruit orchards—most notably peaches. This resulted in the construction of several packinghouses on the waterfront.
Peachland has also been home to sawmills and a hydro-electric project on Trepanier Creek. It is the gateway to Glenn Lake, Headwaters Lakes, Silver Lake and Peachland Lake.
The legendary Ogopogo sea creature’s home is supposedly in an underwater cave across the lake, between Rattlesnake Island and Squally Point.
Peachland weather is very similar to that of Kelowna, but with a greater moderating influence from Okanagan Lake.
In 2016, the median price of a house in Peachland was $563,000, and a condo was slightly higher at $579,450. In November 2021, realtor.ca listed 46 properties for sale, ranging in price from $469,000 for a 2-bed/2-bath condo to $5,490,000 for a 13-bed/11-bath mansion.
According to the 2016 census, the population of Peachland was 5,428. The median household income was $72,294 and the median age 58. Between 2001 and 2016, the town was growing at a rate of 1.11 percent per year.
Peachland boasts an uninterrupted 7 km/4 mi beach trail, and an abundance of water activities. Numerous hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling trails are all nearby. In its relatively brief winter season, Peachland is centrally located to downhill skiing at Big White Ski Resort to the east and Apex Mountain Resort to the south.
The local attraction ZipZone Adventure Park is one of the highest zip lines in Canada and the world. The park’s six lines criss-cross Deep Creek Gorge.
Peachland is also the location of the Peachland World of Wheels Car Show. The annual event, which draws between 5,000 and 10,000 people on the May long weekend, features more than 550 cars, trucks, motorcycles and antique boats.
Other local attractions include Hardy Falls for salmon spawning and Parrot Island Exotic Bird Sanctuary. Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park offers many trails and outdoor opportunities.
Art lovers can find work by local artists and artisans at a gallery inside the Peachland Visitor Centre as well as at the Peachland Art Gallery.
The Peachland Museum is housed in an eight-sided former Baptist church and features a scale model of the Kettle Valley Railway, as it existed between 1955 and 1965, built and maintained by the Central Okanagan Railway Company.
There are also multiple lakefront Peachland restaurants. Some of these include Gasthaus on the Lake, Blind Angler Grill, and FitzBistro.
Because of the climate and the fertile land throughout the valley, vineyards and wineries have become a chief attraction. Peachland is within easy reach of over 200 estate wineries and microbreweries. One of these wineries, Hainle Vineyards and Deep Creek Wine Estate, is the first ice wine maker in North America.