Accessible Kelowna

Boasting over 2,000 hours of annual sunshine, 30 lakeside beaches, more than 40 wineries, and family attractions galore, Kelowna is an ideal vacation destination for everyone, including travellers with diverse needs. As one of Canada’s top travel destinations, Kelowna has resources for visitors with physical and cognitive challenges.

General Information

Many Kelowna hotels, restaurants, wineries, stores and attractions, such as Kangaroo Creek Farm, are wheelchair accessible. There are also wine tour and boat tour companies that can accommodate guests with mobility challenges. Check the Kelowna Visitors' Guide and look for the wheelchair symbol.

People in Motion has compiled a comprehensive Accessibility Guide for the Central Okanagan that lists disability services, dining, parks, hotels, shopping and activity options.

Mobility accessible activities

Scooters/Wheelchair Rental

Advanced Mobility Products lends out scooters, manual and power wheelchairs, walkers and a range of other products from the Kelowna office.

Beach wheels: A beach wheelchair is available for use at no charge on a first-come/first-served basis from Okanagan Beach Rentals at both Boyce-Gyro Beach Park and Rotary Beach Park in Pandosy/Mission during opening hours (and weather permitting) from May 15 through September 15.

Accessible Vehicle Rental/Transportation

Many major car rental companies, such as Budget Car & Truck Rental and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, provide adaptive driving devices, with advance notice of several days, at no additional charge.

handyDART is an accessible door-to-door shared transit service for people with permanent or temporary disabilities.

Get Active

These are a number of organizations breaking down barriers and making the outdoors accessible to everyone, regardless of ability,

Hiking, cycling, paddling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or any adventure you can dream of, CRIS Adaptive does it all to make your adaptive adventure dreams a reality. Kelowna Bike Rentals, created through a partnership between CRIS and Elevation Outdoors, also offers e-bikes, cruiser, mountain, tandem, and adaptable bike rentals in downtown Kelowna. 

Facilities such as the H20 Adventure + Fitness Centre and Parkinson Recreation Centre welcome guests with diverse abilities. In winter, out-of-town skiers and snowboarders with physical and cognitive challenges can participate in lessons at Big White Ski Resort through Powderhounds Adaptive Snow Sports. 

Check out the paved and surfaced pathways including the Waterfront Boardwalk downtown and a 10.5-km stretch along the new Okanagan Rail Trail from Downtown Kelowna to Bulman Road. Or, head to the Ray Kandola Heritage Pier, a 120-metre long fixed structure running parallel to the shoreline of Heritage Park in downtown Peachland. This pier is the first of its kind on Okanagan Lake and adds accessibility to what was previously an unusable area of Peachland’s downtown waterfront. 

Autism Travel Resource

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) has partnered with Canucks Autism Network and Vancouver International Airport to develop a resource kit to assist families and individuals living with autism. These resources help individuals and families prepare for their upcoming trip, covering the check-in process, security screening, boarding, and flying. Travel resource kits are available at YLW from the Information Kiosk and digital kits can be downloaded here.