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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance

Ferreras Italian Market

    winter in kelowna

    Things to do in Kelowna in Winter

    by Nick & Raychel January 30, 2021

    Kelowna winter’s are a perfect mix of snow and sunshine, while not being too unbearably cold. Surrounded by mountains and valleys, it’s a great place to go snowshoeing in the wilderness or spend time perusing the local restaurants and lakefront. Kelowna really does have it all! Below, you’ll find 5 things that we love to do in the Kelowna winter.

    We recently made a YouTube video on our channel spending winter in the mountains and the city. Check that out above!

     

    Telemark Nordic Club: Snowshoeing & Skiing

    This is one of our favourite places to spend time at during the winter in Kelowna. Located just on the other side of the bridge from downtown in West Kelowna. About a 35-40 minute drive from downtown up Crystal Mountain, you’ll find the Telemark Nordic Club. 

    The roads are paved up until the parking lots and are typically well maintained meaning that most vehicles can make the trek! 

    After arriving, you will find a short path leading to the lodge where you can rent snowshoes for $13 or cross-country skis for $26 (prices less for children). Grab one of the trail maps and choose between 16 different trails to explore! We recommend Panorama Ridge.

    These trails vary between “easy” and “most difficult” and can most certainly be kid friendly. If you make it early (and if you’re lucky enough) you may get to see some wildlife as well. Once you’re finished, be sure to grab a coffee and a snack form the lodge. 

    snowshoeing during winter in kelowna

    Sledding on Crystal Mountain 

    Just past the Telemark Nordic Club on Crystal Mountain, you’ll find a great little area for sledding, snowboarding or if you’re like Nick, snow-skating! 

    As well as all of those fun outdoor activities, you can find fire pits along the not-so-busy roadside to have a fire and enjoy the warmth surrounded by tons of snow. Please note: past the Nordic Club, the road turns into gravel and is not well maintained so we certainly recommend tire chains as there will be lots of snow. Be sure to bring your own wood – or at least an axe, so you can hike some trails and find some small logs to chop and bring to the fire pits with you. 

    This is a great mountain to bring your family and friends to get away from the city and really immerse yourself in a true Canadian winter!

    sledding at crystal mountain in kelowna

    Hiking at Knox Mountain Park: The heart of Kelowna

    We can’t say enough about how cool this mountain is, as its nestled right in the middle of downtown Kelowna! There are plenty of hikes in the mountains surrounding the city but this one is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful.

    Knox mountain is a fantastic location for those who may not have a vehicle and want to experience both downtown and a snowy mountain whilst in the city. The city surrounds the south and east sides of the mountain with the gorgeous Okanagan lake lining the north and west.

    There is a drivable road going the majority of the way up but throughout the winter months this is not maintained therefore it is closed. With 7 moderate trails ranging from 2.4 kilometres to 12.5 kilometres in length this is a fantastic place to take a gentle walk along the lake, or really get those steps in with a challenging hike.

    Knox Mountain offers variety for all difficulties and ages. 

    Check out our vlog that includes Knox Mountain Park and a variety of other hikes in the Kelowna area!

     

    Warm up with a vegan hot chocolate at Naked Cafe

     This cute little vegan cafe has a tasty menu filled with bowls, burgers, poutines, desserts and even cocktails, Naked Cafe is a a definite must try during your trip to Kelowna!

    We recommend the feature poutine and the Bahn Mi. This downtown Kelowna gem will be sure to impress even your meat-eating friends. Pop by to warm up with a vegan peppermint hot chocolate and thank us later. 

    Myra Canyon Park & Myra Canyon Trestles

    A Kelowna classic! This is a great spot to bring your family or dog and take a beautiful winter hike through the snow capped trees before circling back to the parking lot. If you’re looking for a longer hike, you can take the trestles trail which is a 12 kilometre long trail featuring 18 Instagram worthy trestle bridges used for the KVR Cycling Company. Don’t worry, this section of the heritage site is no longer in use so you won’t run into any stand-by-me-style train predicaments! 

    If the hike is too long for you but you still want to see some trestle bridges, there’s always an option of driving up Little White Mountain to enjoy the view of the gorgeous escarpment with Okanagan lake peeking out in the background. Just make sure to bring your tire chains as this road is not plowed and will be curvy and slick on the drive up!


    We hope that you find Kelowna as enjoyable in the winter as you would in the summer time! For anybody wondering if it’s worth coming even though it’s winter or snowing, we can assure you that it absolutely is! 

    In the area? Check out our top things to do in Vernon, B.C. Only 45 minutes from Kelowna.

    Thinking of moving to the Okanagan? Check out our blog post Living In the Okanagan!

     

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • This summer has been filled with a lot of hard work so we can continue the adventure.

Working odd jobs and picking up work that we aren’t necessarily *passionate* about (sorry to break it to you, Santa, I didn’t love being a Christmas elf at the mall during the holidays) isn’t always easy.

Working hours at the office, doing data entry, reception, and cleaning out the fridge every Friday isn’t exactly my idea of fun. Nick doesn’t love driving a truck for 11 hours a day, or getting home at 1am. 

But we are committed to the cycle, we are passionate about alternative living, and we want to see the world.

We don’t work hard so that we can have a margarita at the beach (although that’s fun too), we work hard so that we can experience different cultures, try different cuisines, learn about different climates, connect, and grow as people.

Travel to us is more than bright blue waters and aesthetic IG photos, it’s about the experience, and we can’t wait to see more.

__

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

Tags: #notluxe  #camperlife #camperlifestyle #vanlifeproject #vanlifeculture #tinyhome #tinyliving #vanlifediaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vanlifestyle #vanliving #livingoutdoors #campinglife  #vanlifevirals #vanlifeideas #vandwelling

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  • Yeah, the first ever “odd job” I took in order to afford travel was as a Christmas Elf at the mall.

I worked this job on top of my regular 9-5 so that I could afford to pay off my existing credit card debt and move to Cambodia. It was my first step away from the ‘big girl jobs’ I was used to working, but I had a dream to live abroad and a bank account that didn’t match, so I had to do something about it.

The next few jobs I’ve done either part or full time over the years.

💻 REV: I’ve worked as a transcriber on Rev for a few years now. The pay isn’t great, but I’m a super fast typist (80 wpm who!?) so I figured it could be a way to pass the time & earn extra income.

🐶 Rover: This summer, we’ve ventured into caring for dogs on Rover. While we can’t do this in our van, we are currently staying with my brother and between all of us, there’s always a dog here. If I had learned about Rover prior to moving out of our apartment, I would have definitely offered my services years ago.

👩‍🏫 Teaching English online: Many people know that we taught English overseas - but only long-time followers of the YouTube channel would know that teaching ESL was my job beyond that. Unfortunately there were major pay cuts within the company that I worked for (PalFish) so I quit, but I still teach on Cambly and Outschool (more on that in part 2).

We don’t have a lot of money but we have expensive dreams, so we’ll do anything to make it work. What odd jobs have you done to earn some extra cash?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

Tags: #notluxe #vanlifecouple #vanlifecouples#tinyhome #vanlifers #vanlifevirals #vanlifemovement #vanbuildout #vandwelling #vanlifediaries  #vanlifemovement #vanlifeexplorers #traveljobs #vanlifejobs #workontheroad #digitalnomad #budgettravel 

++ Keywords: van life tips, travel tips, van life travel, van life youtube
  • Anyone who knows our story knows that we have been working throughout our entire travels. Seasonal / temporary work has afforded us a lifestyle filled with travel and adventure. ✈️

We have explored temp agencies, Craigslist ads, used websites like Airtasker (Australia) and Kijiji to find our temporary/seasonal jobs. But in the US specifically, there are some websites designed specifically for this type of work. 🌲

Here are 3 websites designed for seasonal work (mostly U.S. based):
1. Vagajobs: a resource for seasonal & year-round work with a heavy focus on travel/adventure jobs. Some jobs posted on Vagajobs include staff housing.
2. CoolWorks: job opportunities in great places - from national parks to ski resorts, summer camps, to national parks. Some jobs posted on CoolWorks include staff housing.
3. Occupation Wild: job board for the outdoor / adventure and travel industry. Hiring all sorts of positions at ranches, camps, resorts, conservation areas and national parks. 

Outside of the U.S.? Same (kinda). Our main go-to in Canada is Indeed (search by job type & select contract / seasonal)

Do you have any seasonal job boards to add to the list?
Drop ‘em here. ⬇️

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • If you’re in Ontario, you don’t want to miss this next year ✨ 

This was our first time visit the Hamilton night market and it was so worth the visit. Come along with us! @hhnightmarket 

Have you tried stinky tofu? ⬇️ 

—

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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  • Shoutout to anyone who does these tiny (or big) builds on your own 🤦🏼‍♀️

We all have different strengths, right?… 

What’s your most dreaded part of DIY? ⬇️ 
_

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  • Saying goodbye is the hardest part about travelling.

We have said dozens and dozens of goodbyes throughout our 20s. We have met countless new faces, made a ton of connections, and have shed a lot of goodbye tears.

Even a visit ‘home’ comes with the looming feeling of saying goodbye again.

We wish we could take everyone we love and put them in our pocket.
But we know that everybody has a different dream, a different life. 

When we take our next flight or fill up the gas tank to our next stop on the road, they go off on to see the world for themselves, to raise their families, to chase their career goals, love lives, or whatever else.

And we are so stoked to be able to stay in touch online.
But it’s definitely the hardest part of living nomadically.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 
__

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