Into the British Columbia Desert, Osoyoos

By Sheliza Mitha

For as long as I can remember, my family and I have made an informal tradition of road-tripping through beautiful British Columbia every August. This year was no different, though our route veered slightly. We kicked off our travels with a quick dip down south, then veered back up via Osoyoos.

Osoyoos BC: credit Samuel JT. Boisvert at en.wikipedia

The first thing I noticed about this area was its dry and stark terrain, the dusty mountains looking like they belong more in the sparse deserts of Nevada.

Though we had already booked a room at the Osoyoos Lakeview Motel & Suites, we started our BC adventure with a brief visit to Haynes Point Provincial Park and – despite the massive clouds and cool temperatures – we were immediately smitten.

Osoyoos Beach Park

The park sits on a thin stretch of land that extends into Osoyoos Lake with campsites perched impossibly close to the water, tempting even a non-camper like me with its spectacular setting and small interspersed sandy beaches.

From there, it was off to our abode for the next two nights, where we were greeted by Sandra Davies, who owns the Lakeview Motel with her husband, Derrick, and their family.

After dropping off our bags, we would normally don some swim attire and either hit the pool or the beach. On this day, we did neither.

Sandy Osoyoos Beach

The rain and cool temperatures inspired us to shift gears, so we braved the weather and walked into town with no umbrellas, rain jackets or even a pair of pants… in my case. (Let’s just call it unbridled optimism.)

After picking up an umbrella and some rainy-day chocolate in town – which, I’m convinced, is helpful in every situation – we browsed the charming shops, tempted by everything but constantly told by my practical five-year-old that “we don’t need anything.” She keeps me on a tight budget.

Osoyoos Pizza 97A

For dinner that evening, the very same five-year-old reminded us that we owed her a pizza (long story), so off we went to the locally-owned Pizza 97A – where we sat outside, enjoying the cool post-rain air.

Our second day began with some uncharacteristic rain yet again (August in Osoyoos, who knew?), so we ventured to one of my older daughter’s most favorite places in the world – the public library.

By noon, the weather had warmed and the rain had let up. So, we packed our things and headed for sand. Fortunately, the public beach was just a few minutes’ walk from our hotel, which made the stroll super easy and quick.

Our leisurely afternoon was spent lunching on the beach against the stunning waterfront backdrop, making sandcastles and splashing in the water. The remainder of the long afternoon was spent at the hotel’s pristine saltwater pool, where the girls splashed and played and even napped (my five-year-old, on a floatie in the middle of the pool).

Though the weather started precarious, we were glad to have been able to spend a bit of time doing what we came to do in Osoyoos – enjoy some sunshine and some quality beach time with each other.

Published: February 2, 2015
Last Updated: November 30, 2018

About the Author

Sheliza is a freelance writer and editor who enjoys blogging about her family’s adventures throughout British Columbia. For the latest on food and travel, connect with her on Twitter via @shelizawrites or visit her at www.copyprose.com.