Visit Our Similkameen Wineries and Cideries

Are you thinking about a wine tour for your next getaway? Any tour through British Columbia’s wine region should include visiting the many Similkameen wineries and cideries.

Nestled between the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan Valley, this beautiful desert valley is home to some of the province’s most interesting wineries and cideries.

Your tour through the region will be unlike any other.

You’ll meet farming families that have been working in their vineyards and orchards for generations – and you’ll meet some new transplants from points north, south, east and west who call the Similkameen Valley their home.

Be prepared for genuine hospitality and surprising flavours.

Expect the unexpected on your tour of the Similkameen Valley

Anyone who’s driven the Crowsnest Pass from the Lower Mainland to points east knows about the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The options are limitless, from the early harvests of savoury spring greens to juicy peaches and cherries in the summer and crisp apples and pears in the fall.

The Highway 3 Hope-Princeton to Similkameen Valley is an organic fruit and vegetable superhighway mere hours from the Lower Mainland.

But over the years, a thriving wine and cider industry has blossomed. The Similkameen Valley is so much more than fruit stands and sunny days on the river.

The culinary community has kept pace with this rapid ascent, making it an ideal destination for visitors who want to experience new flavours and new personalities.

You’ll find professionalism combined with a disarming lack of formality that puts you at ease, coupled with a depth and breadth of knowledge that piques your curiosity. You’ll want to learn more—and your hosts will be happy to share their knowledge.

Expect the unexpected when you visit Similkameen wineries and cideries.

Three tips to make your wine & cider tour exceptional

You can book a guided tour of the Similkameen wineries and cideries if you like. It’s a safe and relaxing way to enjoy the scenery and the sipping.

If you’re travelling on your own, though, here are some tips that will help you make the most of your time in the valley.

1. Call ahead

If you’re not using a tour company to plan your time visiting the dozen-plus wineries and cideries in the valley, make sure to call ahead.

Many of these boutique businesses are family-owned and family-run farms. And while it is less busy than the bigger wine regions, it is still wise to check websites for tasting room hours, offerings and tours. Some request reservations, so it’s encouraged to call ahead.

If you want help getting contact information for the spots you want to visit, contact us first. We can help!

2. Branch out

If you’re travelling with your family, there’s a good chance your kids aren’t keen on visiting wineries and cideries all day.

You’ll be happy to know there are beautiful parks and unique adventures like the Grist Mill within a stone’s throw of the places you’ll be sipping and sampling the Similkameen terroir.

Whether you take the children to Kobau Park in Cawston to get their wiggles out or bribe them with ice cream at Parsons Farm Market or Sandersons—you’ll get some grown-up time along the way.

3. Stay a while

Don’t rush your trip through the Similkameen.

It might look small on the map, but the more time you spend meeting people, hearing their stories—and sharing yours—the more you’ll realize this could be your home away from home.

Eat at Row 14 or Crowsnest Vineyard for a few days, and you’ll start to see familiar, welcoming faces.

You’ll pop into Corcelletes for a bottle of wine for dinner, and they’ll remember that the 2019 Syrah is your favourite.

When you get back home, you’ll order the Twisted Hills Tangled-Rose Plum cider and have it delivered to your door to remind you of the time you spent in their tasting room talking about the rewards of organic farming.