Top Places to Take Photos in Kelowna
Top Locations in Kelowna to Take Photos (from a local photographer)!
Whether you’re looking for the best spot to do a family photo session, engagement session or propose to your partner, the below list will offer up heaps of great options.
Kelowna has so many fantastic family, engagement and proposal photoshoot spot options for every vibe and season. If you want to make your shoot a little more adventurous and have extra wow factor, (like for a proposal), check out my elopement guide for extra inspiration, which covers a few different activities you can do that are great for photos too!
All photos by Jessica Zais Photography (that’s me :).
Things to Keep in Mind
This overview of popular photoshoot locations in Kelowna is to give inspiration and a bit of insight from a photographer’s perspective. Make sure to scout ahead of your shoot to make sure you like all that the spot has to offer! It’s important to know that some locations have set hours (and even seasons) they’re open. If you’re doing a pet shoot, you want to make sure pets are allowed at this spot. Are you allowed to take professional photos at this spot (for example a lot of wineries do not let you do professional photoshoots there) and is there a shoot fee if it’s at a place of business, like a fruit orchard?
If you’re hiring a photographer (like me!), they’ll take all these factors into account, but if you’re just taking casual iPhone shots, make sure you have all the info you need before setting off to one of the below spots.
Best Time to Shoot at a Location
Some locations will look best at different times of the year. For example, spots with lots of leafy green trees will be bare in the winter and might not have lots of leaves on the trees until mid-late May! Some locations, like beaches will be extra busy in the summer and you’ll want to avoid going during peak hours and on packed weekends (unless you go at sunrise!).
Also think about what kind of light you want and what direction you want it to be coming from for photos. If you’re hiring a professional photographer and have a specific place you want to shoot at in, mind, ask them when the best time of day to shoot is!
Kelowna Photo Locations
Mission Creek Regional Park
Knox Mountain is an affordable and beautiful option for elopements Around late May, the trees fill in with leaves and it’s a beautiful location filled with a variety of awesome backdrops. Close to Orchard Park Mall, Mission Creek Regional Park is a central spot to go for photos. Mission Creek Regional Park gets particularly beautiful in the Fall when the trees turn golden yellow. Steer clear of the river when it’s higher and flowing fast.
Google Maps Link
Central Kelowna (15-min drive from downtown)
Waterfront Park
From Tugboat Beach, to the Rotary Marsh Park and the lakefront boardwalk, Waterfront Park has heaps of different backdrops to choose from in a small area. Keep in mind some spots in Waterfront Park will be busier at different times of the day and year, but there is usually always a lovely spot that is free for a photo if you get off the boardwalk and explore the other areas of the park.
Google Maps Link
Downtown Kelowna
Cedar Creek Park
If you’re wanting to get pet photos done, Cedar Creek Park is dog-friendly with a dog park above (nice big field) where you can even get some leash-free shots with your dog. There is also a dog beach towards the south-end of the beach. Just a heads up you do have to walk down a bit of a steep hill to the beach. Nothing treacherous but if it’s a hot day, you might not want to do the hike back up. ; ) It’s a great photos spot for humans too with some beautiful tall grassy areas, lake views and beach-front.
Google Maps Link
Upper Mission (23-min drive from downtown)
Knox Mountain Park, Kelowna
Knox Mountain Park is a great spot for photos with beautiful backdrops of the lake and Kelowna in the background. It’s just a few minutes drive from downtown and you can reach the first lookout by car from Spring to Fall (exact dates can vary). During this time, the gates leading up are open from 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm which makes it very accessible. You don’t have to walk far for great viewpoints. Just make sure to get out by 8:00 pm so your car doesn’t get locked in! ; )
Google Maps Link
North Kelowna/Downtown Area
Dilworth Mountain Park
Dilworth Mountain Park has sweeping views of Kelowna. There are viewpoint backdrops as well as some really nice wooded backdrops! It’s fairly flat to walk around in most spots and quite accessible. Some trails are hilly but if you take the loop to the left, it’s more flat.
Google Maps Link
13-min drive from downtown Kelowna
Downtown Kelowna
I’ve done lots of shoots downtown, finding cool walls down back alleys, taking photos on the main streets and along the boardwalk. Other great downtown backdrops include City Park Beach, the Kelowna public dock at the end of Bernard and the Old Firehall on Water St. Grab an ice cream cone for a fun photo prop!
Kelowna Beaches
Gyro Beach is a nice long beach which means there is lots of opportunity to find a section without people to take your photos. I recommend shooting here in the Spring, Fall and winter though as it’s quite busy in the Summer.
City Park Beach is also nice and long option and there is a big playground nearby for kids.
There are also heaps of beach accesses in Kelowa but scout ahead to make sure it’s one you like. Sometimes beac accesses can be harder to shoot at as they’re narrower, with less room for people to spread out and not be in the backdrop of your photos.
For more tips on getting the most out of your beach photo shoot in the Okanagan, take a look at this post I made.
Guisachan Heritage Park
Guisachan Heritage Park is lush and filled with lovely flowers. Guisachan House, a house on the property built in 1981, is a super pretty backdrop in itself as well. There are also some cute archways, smaller outbuildings, and lots of great backdrops that show the character and charm of this spot. Guisachan House hosts events and ceremonies so just a heads up, weekends may bump up against an event. Better to check out this gem on a weekday if you can!
Google Maps Link
Central Kelowna (8-min drive from downtown Kelowna)
Father Pandosy
Father Pandosy is an old property from the 1800’s that is filled with neat old buildings, including a church, school, farmhouse that make for some fun, rustic backdrops! Located in the Mission, Father Pandosy is open year round, seven days a week during daylight hours. Make sure to bring a $2 donation per person if you visit here.
Google Maps Link
Mission (12-min drive from downtown Kelowna)
Kelowna Orchards
Orchards are a quintessential backdrop in Kelowna! Our region is famous for it’s fruit. They’re a beautiful backdrop and offer up some lovely shade on hot days. The shade also make it easier to shoot at different times of the day when the sun is high in the sky. The blossoming trees in the Spring look sooo stunning at sunrise and sunset.
I have a great central orchard connection for clients that lets people shoot for a fee (more info when you book with me). Or you can ask a “U-Pick” spot for cherries or other fruit ahead of time if it’s ok to get photos taken while you pick fruit, for a fun candid shoot!
Kasugai Gardens
Kasugai Gardens is a charming Japanese garden oasis in the middle of downtown, Kelowna. Tucked between Ellis and Pandosy, it’s a beautiful walled garden created 1987 to celebrate the friendship between Kelowna and our sister city Kasugai in Japan. It’s such a lovely spot and despite it’s small size, has quite a few awesome backdrops! There is a trickling stream leading to a bigger pond with a big red bridge across and so many pretty plants and trees. Just a heads up, no dogs are allowed in Kasugai Gardens (even on leash).
Google Maps Link
Downtown Kelowna
Mill Creek Regional Park
Beautiful Black Cottonwood trees line a lovely river at Mill Creek Regional Park. The trail is mostly flat before the you get to a great waterfall for photos. The waterfall will be more powerful in the spring so be careful! The trail itself, lined with trees is really pretty for photos too and it has a more coastal-tree feel to it than the pine trees that cover most of the mountains around Kelowna. There is good tree coverage for hot days.
Google Maps Link
North-East Kelowna (30-min drive from downtown)
Myra Canyon Trestles
If you haven’t visited Myra Canyon Trestles before, be sure to enjoy this amazing and unique place! It’s a great spot to rent bikes so you can visit all the trestles in a shorter amount of time. There are cool big tunnels where the rains used to go through and the trestles and nature backdrops are fantastic for photos!
South-East Kelowna (35-min drive from downtown)
Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park
I haven’t seen anywhere else in the Kelowna area that is filled with beautiful century-old nut trees like this! I always feel like I’m in another town when I visit here.
Located in West Kelowna, beside the Cove Resort, Gellatly Nut Farm is a working nut farm the grows chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, butternuts, heartnuts and buartnuts. It extends out from a lovely beach into a shady haven of tall trees. There is a cute old log outbuilding and wooden fencing that can be cute for photos as well!
Great if you want a shady shoot spot or a combo of beach and trees. You can even pick and buy from early September to late October!
Google Maps Link
West Kelowna (21-mins from downtown Kelowna)
Kinsmen Park
Filled with lots of interesting, big, shady trees, and right on the lake, Kinsmen Park has lots of great photo backdrops to work with. It’s right on the lake, but instead of a beach, there is a retaining wall instead of beach. It’s a nice way to get lakeside shots, without the sand. It’s a very flat park too if you want to get shots doing an activity together.
Google Maps Link
Lower Mission (7-min drive from downtown Kelowna)
Sibell Maude-Roxby Wetlands Boardwalk
Located super close to the above-mentioned Kinsmen Park, this beautiful bird sanctuary has a picturesque wooden boardwalk winding through the wetlands and trees before skirting alongside the lake. There are lots of cute spots for photos to be discovered.
This wetlands boardwalk is best reached from Francis Ave Beach Access, which is a great photo spot as well, with the wetlands as part of your backdrop! The wetlands looks best in Spring, Summer and Fall, when the leaves are on the trees.
Google Maps Link
Lower Mission (7-min drive from downtown Kelowna)
East Kelowna Greenway
East Kelowna Greenway is a package deal with the Mission Creek Bike Skills Park across the road. Both spots are really nice. The area behind the Mission Creek Bike Skill Park has more room for photos and more untamed, backdrops, while the Greenway across the street has a bit narrower trail but is quite lush and green with heaps of variety, the further down the path you go.
Google Maps Link
East Kelowna (19-min drive from downtown Kelowna)
There’s More Where That Came From!
I can’t give away all my location secrets but I hope this gives you lots to work with and explore! As someone who grew up in Kelowna it’s always a pleasure seeing people explore this beautiful city.
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