With the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season, we decided to pause and give ourselves the joy of a local staycation at one of our favourite hidden gems, the Summerland Waterfront Resort in Summerland.
We’ve stayed at the resort many times, and it’s a great spot any time of year. When we learned that they were hosting a series of winter events at the resort, we decided this was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a little getaway.
The resort is always decorated beautifully for the festive season, inside and out. The location is amazing with incredible views of Okanagan Lake, and one of our favourite walks is on the lakefront boardwalk by the resort.
We booked our getaway on the weekend of the Suds & Snacks event, featuring local brewery Detonate Brewing. We really enjoy this small, local Summerland-based craft brewery.
We booked a dog-friendly room and brought Mikki and Merlot along with us on this adventure. The resort only has a few dog-friendly rooms, so we were grateful to be able to get one for this stay.
“We love staying at the Summerland Waterfront Resort. The front desk staff always greet us with a treat. Plus, there are lots of dogs and people to visit when we walk the trail by the resort.”
Mikki and Merlot
As the sun was setting when we arrived, after we checked in and got settled in our room, we decided to head out with the dogs for a walk along the boardwalk. We also walked around the property and checked out the holiday decorations.
After a bit of a rest and refresh in our room, it was time to head to the event. Our friends Dale and Debbie met us for the Suds & Snacks event. We enjoyed a lovely evening with great company as we savoured the delicious four beer and bite pairings served throughout the night.
- First: True Blue Lager and beer cheese with a pretzel
- Second: Hop Me Up Scotty Hazy IPA with beer salad dressing and beets and Brussel sprouts
- Third: Area 50 Amber Ale and a mini Yorkie with braised beef
- Fourth: Misty Mountain Porter with dark chocolate beer cake
Throughout the evening, the entertaining team from Detonate including brewer Bryan Ekman and Kristen Johnson filled our glasses and shared the stories of the beers we were drinking. Chef Ashley from Chefs with Thyme shared her inspiration for each of the paired bites. We were very impressed with each of the dishes Ashely prepared, each which was made with a different beer.
All four beer and bite pairings were excellent and well-paired. While all of them were great, the consensus in our group was that the Area 50 Amber Ale and a mini Yorkie with braised beef was the winning combination.
Once the main part of the evening finished, we enjoyed grazing from the grand charcuterie table paired with a pint of our favourite beer from the evening, while we enjoyed more social time with our friends and other guests.
After taking some festive photos with our friends, we said goodbye, then dashed up to our room to get ready for a visit to the hot tub. It was a perfect and relaxing way to end the evening.
In the morning, we soaked up some sunshine filled moments and views of the lake from our patio before heading to the onsite bistro for coffee and breakfast. Called The Bistro at Summerland Waterfront Resort, this sweet bistro is also a hidden gem in Summerland with great coffee, baked goods, hot dishes and more.
Before checking out, we of course had to sit down at the communal puzzle table and add a few pieces to the puzzle.
“We’ve stayed at the Summerland Waterfront Resort a few times. It’s a special place for us. When we were getting married, we booked a block of rooms at the resort. Our wedding party and most of our out-of-town guests stayed here, as did we. It was a perfect choice for our honeymoon. So, every time we stay at the resort it brings back wonderful memories.”
Kim and John
While we only live a few minutes away from the Summerland Waterfront Resort, we discovered a few years ago about the joy of local staycations. We’ve stayed at places up and down the valley, often within an hour or two of our home, and often with our dogs, and we have found many amazing gems, including this one. Local staycations are great because it feels like we are a world away from the daily stresses of normal life, while close enough to be able to sneak away for even a quick night or two. We definitely recommend discovering local staycation spots in the area, and if there happens to be a special event or it’s the festive season, that just adds to the whole experience.
All in all, this Suds, Snacks & Staycation was a great way to ease into the holiday season, and a special way to enjoy the festivities. Whether you are from the area or from afar, it’s definitely a hidden gem.
