Make List. Do. Repeat

Photo: Contributed

So many things to do, all summer to do them

Life is busy. We all complain about not having enough time to do the things we want. How do we fix that? It’s like the Nike folks said, “Just do it.”

This week, I am urging you, make time to enjoy yourself. If you like, bring someone else with you and make them enjoy the experience too. Then, you can feel good about giving back, and gain some karma points. All kidding aside, we have to make fun as much of a priority as work.

Fun at work is great, but fun outside work is essential to a balanced life. Consider this your homework. You can start with some time spent on Father’s Day to log a memorable time with the male role model of your choosing.

Good Father’s Day experiences

• How about being a tourist in your own town? Try a tour. I’m sure you have done a wine tour – at last count there are 133 licensed wineries in the Okanagan. (Don’t believe me? Here’s the list.)
• Did you know there are also 15 breweries, more than a couple of cideries, a few meaderies and a handful of distillers too? (Here’s another list of cideries and distillers.)
• There are numerous experienced companies in the Okanagan; guided tours are a great way to spend a day and not worry about finding your way. Whether you are lead around or head out alone, please remember to drink responsibly.
• Perhaps you are a foodie? Then, I recommend a new kind of tour, encompassing food and drink and a bit of trivia and history to boot. Nancy Quinton at Okanagan Foodies has three different itineraries available, from pubs to hidden gems to cultural diversity. All of them are a delightful taste of the central Kelowna food and beverage scene. And hey, she is offering a discount for Father’s Day gift certificates, in case you are a last-minute type.
• Like to keep it simple? Ice cream is a good way to go. Bank some quality time with a walk through the orchards at Paynter’s Fruit Market on the Westside, or on the waterfront paths after Moo-Lix on Bernard Avenue, or gelato at Gio Bean in The Delta Grand Okanagan.
• If you’re up for a drive, stopping at Tickleberry’s is fun if dad doesn’t mind standing in line; it’s popular.

Fun festivals and other activities

• Throughout the Okanagan, Canada Day fireworks are a beautiful way to spend an evening. Being on a boat can be fun, but there is plenty of beach and lots of patios to enjoy them from as well! Many communities have goings-on all day throughout the long weekend, like Westside Daze. Tourism Kelowna and the tourism pages for most towns offer calendars. (Here’s a good Okanagan vacation events calendar.)
• Feel like something a bit more active? The folks at Oyama Zipline offer a good thrill, with the fastest rides in the Okanagan and side-by-side racing. (Do I really need to go 85 km/h on a cable?) Or you can visit Zipzone in Peachland and experience the highest zipline in Canada (I’m not sure dangling upside down while zipping along was on my bucket list, though.)
• Maybe you don’t want to be quite that active; you can still burn a few calories at lawn bowling on the course upstairs at BNA Brewing in Kelowna or floating the canal in Penticton.
  
  Quintessential Okanagan summer fun

Talk to friends and family – or locals at a coffee shop or other place you like – and get the inside scoop. This is just the tip of my iceberg, and there is easily a few summer’s worth of great ways to spend a day.

• Walk or cycle the Kettle Valley trestles. (Go ahead, step into Canadian history.)
• Swim in at least two lakes — dipping your toe in the waters is good for your soul.
• Hike up at least two mountains. I use the word mountain liberally, so no excessive training is required for this.
• Enjoy the view from at least two patios. (Try to get the view from both sides of the valley.)
• Listen to an outdoor concert, and dance on the grass if you can. (Most communities have free concerts if the winery events are beyond your budget.)
• Eat some fruit right off the tree.
• Wander through a farmers’ market. I hope you will be inspired to cook something local.
• Get on a golf course and enjoy the walk if not your score (even if it’s only mini golf).
• Have an outdoor meal, you know, al fresco. At a winery, or in a field or on the lake. You can thank me later.
• Stop and smell the flowers. Breathe in. Enjoy the heat. Repeat.

I look forward to seeing you around. I’ll be the one with the ear-to-ear grin, and maybe an ice cream cone. 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.