DISCOVERING NARAMATA

We've all heard the old saying, "Good things come in small packages." Well, what if we tweak that slightly, just for now? How about, "Everything comes in a small package?" That seems more fitting since today, we'll be zooming in on a little gem that has it all.

Picture a bird's eye view of the world. Taking your index finger and thumb, begin zooming in on Canada. Okay, a little further. Keep going until you only see British Columbia. Great! Now, keeping that finger and thumb busy, let's zoom in further still. Do you see that valley? The one surrounded by mountains and sweeping landscapes? That's where we're going, into the Okanagan Valley. And yes, that is a lake.

Long, deep, and enticing, Okanagan Lake is the centrepiece of this majestic geographic display of vibrant towns, wineries, orchards, and more sprinkled throughout the surrounding hillsides. Beautiful, isn't it? Oh, hang on! Don't put those digits away just yet. We're almost there. Zoom in a little further. A little more. That's it, right there!

Discover Naramata's Audio Tours wins Chiocciola Orange Award for 2024

Discover Naramata's Audio Tours wins Chiocciola Orange Award for 2024

A Cittaslow Community is an Italian inspired and administered global network of towns that collectively resist globalization and mainstream corporate-centred development through planning and urban design that prioritizes each town’s local, unique and historic resources.

The ‘slow’ in Cittaslow concerns the idea of taking the time for quality. It represents a higher quality of life and taking the time to achieve and appreciate this quality.

Naramata was designated as a Cittaslow Community in 2006. 
We are a non-profit dedicated to creating and celebrating Naramata’s unique community. The intersection of people and place is the heart of Naramata Slow.
This group is known locally as the Naramata Slow Community Group.

Discover Aikins Loop: Naramata’s First Walkable Tasting Room Tour

Discover Aikins Loop: Naramata’s First Walkable Tasting Room Tour

Nine kilometres north of Penticton on Naramata Road sits the Aikins Loop - a charming rural road home to four award-winning wineries: Deep Roots, Elephant Island, JoieFarm Winery, and Van Westen Vineyards. An easy 1 min to 5 min walk between tasting rooms, the Aikins Loop is Naramata’s first official walkable tasting room tour.

The four wineries have joined forces to offer unique experiences, award-winning wines, and local folklore for their visitors. Each destination promises a distinct portfolio and personality, promising an unforgettable journey through Naramata's rich agriculture and winemaking heritage.

“The convenience of four wineries and a food truck all within walking distance makes it so easy to plan your day. Just a five minute drive to Naramata Village, Manitou Beach and the KVR - the Aikins Loop makes the perfect day trip. Plus, The Loop is on the Sip ‘n Cycle audio tour route making it easy to learn about our local wine culture.” says Deb Selwood, Discover Naramata board member and owner of Naramata’s Village Motel.

The Naramata Bench is celebrating the third annual “Best of the Bench” event

The Naramata Bench is celebrating the third annual “Best of the Bench” event

The Naramata Bench region is celebrating the resounding success of the third annual “Best of the Bench” event, held at Poplar Grove Winery. The event began on June 5th with a blind tasting by two International Master of Wine’s, Siobhan Turner and Doug Frost, of the 75 wines submitted from over 26 wineries from The Naramata Bench Wineries Association. Each wine was sampled in flights and was categorized by varietal, residual sugar, and alcohol content. Both MWs were deeply impressed by the outstanding quality of the submitted wines, further reinforcing the exceptional reputation of the Naramata Bench region.

Out of the outstanding selection, Siobhan Turner and Doug Frost picked the top 12 wines, each deserving of accolades and recognition:

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Naramata Christmas Market Brings a Touch of Europe to the Okanagan

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As the days get shorter and the nights feel darker - nothing is more welcome than the glow of Christmas lights. The annual NaramataSlow Christmas Market is ready to bring more festive cheer to the Village this year — we hope you’ll be joining us for some Naramata shopping, food, wine, and plenty of #naramatalove

Halloween Spooky Happenings in Naramata

With quiet streets, crunching leaves and a full moon overhead, Naramata is perhaps the perfect spooky community to celebrate Halloween. For a small town, there are plenty of tricks and treats this season!


Oct 20: Halloween Movie Night, hosted by the RDOS

Oct 27: Halloween Pumpkin Hunt at Manitou Park

Oct 27: Halloween Painting at 3 Sisters Winery on Oct 27

Oct 29: Halloween Rock Party at Naramata Pub

Oct 30: Robinson Bone Rattler - outdoor haunted scenes, candy apples and spooky pictures!

Oct 30: Naramata Inn x Haunted Wine Trolley Package

Oct 31: trick or treating throughout the Village and the Naramata Bench

Perfect for families with kids, or the young at heart — you’re sure to have a spooktacular time this week!

Spotlight On: Chardonnay

Spotlight On: Chardonnay

While you’ll find a wide array of both red and white wines produced throughout the Naramata Bench, you’ll soon realize that some varietals are more prevalent than others. Chardonnay is perhaps one of the most popular wines chosen by Naramata growers, as the grape does particularly well in the soil and climate of Naramata. In celebration of National Chardonnay Day on May 26th, here are 3 of our favourite Naramata Bench Chardonnays:

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Naramata's Christmas Lights Competition

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Naramata's Christmas Lights Competition

As the days get shorter and the nights feel darker - nothing is more welcome than the glow of Christmas lights.

In an effort to infuse some joy and festivity into the ….. unusual…. season that is Christmas this year, Discover Naramata has teamed up with NaramataSlow and MyNaramata to create a Naramata Bench-wide Christmas competition!

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Naramata Businesses Help to Save Centre Beach - One Green Ribbon at a Time

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Naramata Businesses Help to Save Centre Beach - One Green Ribbon at a Time

No one loves Naramata’s public beaches more than the locals - after all, that’s a big perk to living here! So, when the news broke that we had a chance to prevent Centre Beach from being sold for development, leave it to the locals to open their wallets make things HAPPEN! We’re featuring ALL the Discover Naramata Members who are helping to save Centre Beach, one green ribbon at a time.

View fullsize Trails that connect us. Stories that move us. In our newest Discover Naramata Member Story, slow travel writer Mike Bilodeau explores how the trail networks of the Okanagan act as the arteries that bind communities together - and how one local bike
View fullsize This beautiful winter day has us thinking about spring. ☀️A chalkboard promising burgers and vinyl on Thursday nights - yep, that’s tonight @justbakednaramata ☀️A slide and dock at Manitou Beach, quietly waiting for summer. ☀️A winding path
View fullsize A GEM WITHIN A GEM - CREATING MAGIC WITH MODESTY AND PATIENCE 💎🍷 Check out the new member story on the Discover Naramata blog page featuring one of the newest wineries on the Naramata Bench - Modesta. Modesta didn’t start as a business plan
View fullsize Early spring on the Naramata Bench feels different. The light lingers a little longer.
The lake begins to stir.
The vines are still resting, but hold the potential of the next vintage. It’s the season between seasons - when the pace is slower
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View fullsize Happy Groundhog Day from the Naramata Bench! We asked our local groundhog (aka a particularly plump marmot near Manitou Park)... and the verdict is in: Six more weeks of sipping wine by the fire, cozy lake views, and dreaming of spring blooms. Sou
View fullsize ONLY IN NARAMATA… A sign that makes you smile. A stop sign wrapped in yarn. A path that lets you slow down. A snail made for sharing. We’re finding the little moments this winter that make Naramata feel like Naramata and we’d
View fullsize After sunset, Naramata really glows 🌙 
Stars overhead. Stillness all around. Our latest story by @mikeybilo ‘A Ceiling of Stars’ celebrates the magic of dark skies in Naramata and why protecting the night is part of what makes this plac
View fullsize Last week’s epic Naramata Polar Dip Plunge inspired us to spotlight a few things that pair perfectly with a cold dip in the lake at this time of year. Here’s a few of our fav’s 💦 Cold dip then soup &