Family-Friendly BC Wineries and More for Summer 2024

It is not too late to start checking out wine-inspired vacation destinations in British Columbia.  But if you have children and/or fur babies, you may want to pick locations and wineries that have something to offer for them as well. Here is a list of BC wineries and more that have family-friendly options for parents travelling with children or pets.

If your winery also offers something for children and pets, please contact me and I will add your information to this list.

Family and Pet-Friendly Wineries and More

8th Generation Vineyard – offers both a kid-friendly and dog-friendly environment for families who visit our winery. Kids are welcome both inside our tasting room as well as outside in our garden area, which is ideal for exploring, plus the train set made from repurposed wine barrels is always a popular item for play and photos. Dogs are also welcome to join the family for a tasting in our outside garden area (as are other 4-legged family members – we had a ferret attend one tasting!), provided they are on leash. We offer treats for the kiddos and have a selection of non-alcoholic sodas for purchase, and for the doggos we also have treats and a water dish to keep them hydrated.  If guests want to linger after their guided tasting, they’re welcome to purchase a bottle of wine and charcuterie items from our wine shop to enjoy in our large shaded picnic area at the back of our garden. Or if they’ve planned ahead, they can simply purchase a bottle of wine to enjoy with their own picnic basket.

Chain Reaction Winery – Our patio is kid and dog-friendly, we have freezies, juice boxes, chalk and bubbles available for the kiddos. We’re fairly new and just opened in 2022. Our tastings are $10 waived with purchase and we also opened a wood-fire pizza oven this year. Hours for pizza will be on our website and Instagram page. 

SummerGate Winery – offers a family-friendly outdoor seating area with miniature, child-sized tables and chairs along with a selection of toys available for children to share in our picnic area. We have a variety of nonalcoholic beverage options such as pops, sparkling juice, and juice boxes. 

SpearHead Winery – welcomes parents to bring their kids and fur babies along with them. The lawn area provides a perfect space for children to play and dogs to lay and stay cool. Open daily from 11am to 5:30pm with bookings available through their website. Add a note that you are bringing your human and/or fur babies. Visitors are welcome to pack a picnic along with them.

Lakeboat Vineyard & Winery – always has freezies for the kids and we just expanded our picnic area in our shaded Cherry orchard…  Open daily 11-5, no reservations required. 

Painted Rock Estate Winery – We’ve got a large grass area for families to picnic and we offer juice boxes for kids as a drink option. 

Volcanic Hills Estate Winery – We are family-owned and operated, and we eagerly welcome families into our winery for a memorable visit. We have a relaxing lounge where children are welcome to kick their feet up while parents sip & taste, or our outdoor picnic area is great for active little ones or furry little ones too. Apple juice made with our very own old-growth apples can be sampled by families and designated drivers too. Our picnic fridge, stocked in June is available for those eager for meats and cheese in our picnic area. All ages are welcome.

Meyer Family Vineyards Inc. – With our large grassy area outside the tasting room, Mom and Dad can enjoy a tasting while the kids can play in the grass. They will often be joined by a friendly dog from the property or will be supplied with some sidewalk chalk to create!

Tantalus Vineyards – We remain a family-friendly winery, and something that might be of interest to families is a free tour offering we are doing this season.  On Wednesdays, guests can join a 10am walking tour that takes folks behind the scenes of the vineyard, the winery and then finishes with a tasting. The tour is complimentary for adults with a purchase of a small lot tasting experience with us. Children are welcome to accompany their families on this. More info is available here:

https://tantalus.ca/collections/wine-tasting-experiences/products/free-tour-friday?variant=41180972286000

(More info on Tantalus is in the 2023 post link at the bottom of this page.)

Winemaker’s CUT – Our winery is family-friendly. Here is what we offer:

• non-alcoholic refreshments for kids
• tons of space at the village for kids
• restaurant with ice cream for kids
• restaurant that delivers food to our patio (small bites as well)
• village market on Wednesdays
• Music trivia on Fridays

Kalala Organic Estate Winery – We, at Kalala Organic Estate Winery are family and dog-friendly! 

 

We have 4 different juices that the children can sample, or if they prefer, the parents can purchase for them a Juice Flight of all 4, which gives them 1 ½ ounces per juice.  The children can have the juice flights, while the adults can have our wine flights!

 

We have a picnic area, where we have a couple of Outdoor games, that the family can play while they sip their flights or have a glass of wine or purchase a bottle to share. They are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, or a charcuterie board to enjoy and look at the view of the lake.

 

Dogs are welcome in the wineshop and in our outdoor space.  We have a doggy dish for the dogs to sip their beverage of water!  

Little Straw Vineyards – We are the third oldest winery in West Kelowna. We are the sister property to Kalala Organic Estate Winery and we are also family and dog friendly. Karnail purchased Little Straw in 2021 and now owns eight Vineyards, two wineries and a total of 80 acres of grapes.  Little Straw will be an organic certified vineyard by the end on 2024.

 

We also offer the 4 juices that the children can sample, they are Apple, Cherry, Grape and the most popular ABC (Apple/ Beat & Carrot). These juices have no preservatives, no added sugars and no water added. They are an amazing! So Healthy! 

 

We offer a select of fabulous white and red wines for tastings.  The entire family can have their wine tastings also in the picnic, but should book in advance as these areas are first come first serve. You can also purchase a glass of wine or a full bottle to share and enjoy a picnic here too. Customers are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in this area, or we can make a charcuterie board they can purchase and have a relaxing time while taking in the spectacular view of the lake and surrounding wineries.

 

We do have a restaurant that was delayed in opening for the May long weekend 2024. The restaurant will open once our Chef arrives and with feature an Indian Fussion menu. We are hoping by the end of this month. We do however continue to hold many featured events at least once per month in the restaurant and upper patio area, including live music events.  You can find a complete list of events on the Little Straw Website (www.littlestraw.bc.ca) under events. Remember to book as these events’ sellout on a regular basis and are very popular with our wine club members and locals alike.  

 

Dogs are welcome in the wineshop and in our upper outdoor patio and outdoor space.  We have a doggy dish for the dogs to sip their water and have their tasting!  

Summerland Waterfront Resort Hotel – “Sunset Sips & Snacks” campaign offers you an indulgent getaway in their Premium Lakeview Suites.

Available until June 20, 2024, the package includes a discounted stay starting at $292 per night, complemented by a welcome wine and charcuterie board, and the option for late checkout.

Designed for relaxation and enjoyment, this experience invites guests to immerse themselves in the breathtaking lakeside views and unwind in luxury. LINK

And… if getting away right now is not an option, when the kids are out of school is the perfect time to plan the family vacation in Summerland this Summer. 

Perfect to settle in for a few days, in the room find ultra comfortable beds, modern-day in-room entertainment, fast Wi-Fi, gourmet kitchens, and space for putting your feet up.

And for the kids, Summerland Waterfront Resort in the heart of the Okanagan has amazing kid-friendly amenities and activities. A swimming pool and the beach with water sport rentals, a lakeside biking path and the daytime Kids Club (June 27 to the end of August, 7 days a week, 9 am – 5 pm) provides kid-focused fun with friends their age. The best part is parents get to go put their feet up and relax somewhere else at the resort in peace. And after the kids go to sleep, Mom and Dad can chill out on their room’s balcony and enjoy a glass of the resort’s wine (made by the team at Haywire).

Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive – Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive offers a delightful experience for families with an array of kid-friendly activities and refreshments across three distinct touring routes: North, West, and East.  All routes can be accessed at BottleneckDrive.com.

The North Route showcases some of Summerland’s finest wineries and distilleries, providing a blend of natural beauty and award-winning products. Haywire Winery features a kid-friendly patio with colouring books and mini games, along with kid-friendly drinks and freezies. Solvero Wines offers colouring books and crayons, with freezies, soft drinks, and juice boxes. These stops, OAK Estate Winery, with kids beverages and a colouring station, each contribute their unique style and flavour to the route.

The West Route is perfect for cider and beer enthusiasts and also caters well to families. SummerGate Winery provides miniature, child-sized tables and chairs, a selection of toys in the picnic area, and various non-alcoholic beverages like pops, sparkling juice, and juice boxes. Millionaires’ Row Cider offers a picnic area with games and serves ambrosia juice slushies. Pamplemousse Jus offers child drinks and lawn games while neighbour Dominion Cider features with kid-appropriate snacks and a picnic area. Visitors can also enjoy the refreshing offerings of Nomad Cider suitable for kids and its vast picnic area.

The East Route takes visitors on a scenic journey through canyons and vistas, highlighting wineries and cideries that cater to families. Lightning Rock Winery provides a mini putt golf green, colouring activities, and lawn games, along with complimentary juice boxes, snacks, and lawn tastings. Lunessence Winery offers complimentary sparkling apple juice and ice cream. Sleeping Giant features lots of kids’ toys for purchase, an antique tractor out front, 32 flavours of ice cream, and free syrup tastings. Summerland Heritage Cider boasts a large back lawn with yard games, apple juice slushies, house-made apple soda, kid-friendly food including cheese paninis, and a popular snack flight featuring popcorn, pretzels, juice, and apple slices on a flight board.

Here is my list of wineries from 2023 which likely still offer children and pet-friendly options.