In fact our only reluctance about moving is that as new immigrants we are unable to easily buy into the Vernon real estate market. If you try getting credit as a new immigrant and you will soon find out why!
The city of Vernon has around 36,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area and around 56,000 in the Greater Vernon area, which makes it the largest city in the North Okanagan. Vernon is surrounded by three lakes, Swan Lake, Kalamalka Lake, and the largest of the three lakes, Okanakan Lake, which stretches down to Kelowna and beyond. During winter the lakes can freeze and you can regularly see people out on the frozen lake fishing through holes they have cut in the ice.
Vernon also has a lot of orchards and the weather is ideal for growing apples, cherries, and also for wine making. The extremely warm summers are not only good for the fruit growers but also for the tourism. With beautiful hills, lakes, beaches, and marvelous weather is it any wonder that so many tourists flock to Vernon every year? And travelling to Vernon is remarkably straightforward, with Kelowna airport more or less 40 kilometers away and Vernon has it’s own regional airport. As well as easy access by air there are three provincial highways that pass through Vernon. Highway 97 passes through Vernon, Highway 97A begins in Vernon, and Highway 6 which ends inVernon.
Outdoor pastimes are popular with skiing and golf in particular. Silver Star Mountain Resort is a popular winter sports venue with locals and tourists for skiing and snowboarding. There are quite a few golf courses around Vernon. Predator Ridge is a 27 hole golf resort and community and is one of only two public courses to have been ranked as one of Canada’s top 25 golf courses over the past 8 years, while The Rise golf course has fabulous views of both Vernon and Okanagan Lake.
The property for sale at both The Rise and Predator Ridge are among the most impressive in the Vernon real estate market with values well in excess of other areas in and around Vernon. Further areas that are popular with people looking to buy real estate or sell real estate include Bella Vista, Coldstream, East Hill, BX, Mission Hill, and Okanagan Landing among others.
Vernon is also the home to the Vernon Vipers, Vernon’s hockey team that have a keen local following.
During the summer Vernon’s beaches are also very popular, with Kal beach possibly the most popular of the beaches. In spite of this, there is a strict no-alcohol policy in place and patrols go up and down the beach to make sure that nobody is drinking beer or any other alcohol. Kin beach is also a very popular, but slightly quieter beach. But, Kin beach is also on Indian land and while it is less commercialised than Kal beach it has the bonus that the stringent no-drinking regulations do not apply here!
With the superb weather, and plenty to do, not to mention the fact that a lot of Vernon real estate has such impressive views of the lakes and hills, is it any wonder that Vernon was ranked as one if the top six most desirable places to retire to in North America?
