Not every winery in Kelowna requires a country drive. Downtown living means walkable access to Sandhill Wines, housed in a historic Richter Street complex with roots back to the earliest days of the province's wine industry — ideal for buyers who want condo or townhome living with Kelowna wine country real estate woven into daily life rather than a weekend errand.Why Downtown Kelowna Is the Walkable Wine Country Option
Downtown Kelowna and the adjacent Pandosy Village trade acreage and vineyard views for something else entirely: walkability. Condos, townhomes, and character homes here put restaurants, the lakefront, and a working winery within a few blocks of each other. For buyers who want wine country credentials without leaving the city core, this is the only neighborhood in Kelowna that offers it.
Wineries in Downtown Kelowna
Sandhill Wines
1125 Richter Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K6
Phone: 1-877-607-4929 | sandhillwines.ca
Established in 1997 and known for its Small Lots program, Sandhill has built a reputation as one of downtown's premier tasting experiences. Its home on Richter Street carries real heritage: the site was originally established as Calona Vineyards in 1932, British Columbia's first winery, making this stretch of downtown Kelowna the literal birthplace of the province's wine industry — decades before the rest of the Okanagan's modern wine boom took shape.
The Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum
Downtown's wine credentials go beyond a working winery. The Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum at 1304 Ellis Street — housed in the historic Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna's Cultural District — traces the valley's orchard and wine history from the earliest plantings through to today's VQA industry. It's a short walk from Sandhill and a genuine point of pride for buyers who want their neighborhood to carry real wine-country history, not just proximity to a tasting room.
Where to Drink Okanagan Wine Downtown
The wine culture downtown extends well past the tasting room. Four spots within an easy walk of downtown condos put Okanagan wine on the table daily, not just on drive-out weekends.
Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar
1180 Sunset Drive, Kelowna, BC
Named Best Okanagan Restaurant by Vancouver Magazine for eight consecutive years, pairing an Okanagan-heavy wine list with a lakeside patio.
OAK + CRU Social Kitchen & Wine Bar
1310 Water Street, Kelowna, BC
Lakefront in the heart of downtown, with a private wine room stocked with roughly 2,800 bottles, most of it local.
Derrick's Steakhouse
1560 Water Street, Kelowna, BC
Pairs hand-cut steaks with an extensive wine list built around the Okanagan Valley, including private wine-paired dinners with local wineries.
Humo Izakaya
210 Lawrence Avenue, Kelowna, BC
Brings a curated wine and sake list to its waterfront-view dining room downtown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you live near a winery in downtown Kelowna?
Yes — Sandhill Wines operates out of a historic Richter Street complex originally home to Calona Vineyards, BC's first winery, putting downtown and Pandosy Village condo and townhome buyers within walking distance of an established, heritage tasting room, plus the Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum and several downtown wine bars.
Is downtown Kelowna a good fit for buyers who want wine country without acreage?
Downtown Kelowna and Pandosy Village suit buyers who want the lifestyle association of Kelowna wine country real estate — tasting rooms, a wine museum, wine culture, walkable restaurants — without taking on acreage or vineyard upkeep themselves.
What It Means for Buyers
Downtown Kelowna is the only neighborhood on this list where you can put the birthplace of BC's wine industry a five-minute walk from your front door and still be steps from the lake, restaurants, and nightlife. If wine country identity matters more to you than vineyard views, this corridor delivers it in the most convenient package Kelowna offers.
Looking for a home in downtown Kelowna or Pandosy Village? Reach out and I'll help you find it.
— Tarynn Liv Parker
