Welcome to Vernon

For many thousands of years, the Okanagan Valley was inhabited only by the Interior Salish people. They lived, moved and traded through the Okanagan area for millennia and the Okanagan Indian Band, who are part of the Okanagan Nation, live on lands at the north end of Lake Okanagan . In the early 1800's European traders ventured into the area and set up trading posts, ranches and the beginnings of the city that exists today. Called Priest's Valley, then Centreville and finally Vernon; Vernon is the oldest city in the Okanagan.

In Vernon, you will find the same things that have attracted humans over time. Beautiful scenery - consisting of fertile agricultural lands, mountains, rolling grasslands, rivers and lakes. In addition, our community has vibrant cultural, leisure and sport amenities that attract many visitors to our region. The City of Vernon Tourism Services department is responsible for marketing our area and operating the Vernon Visitor Centre which is one of the Tourism BC network of approved information centres. The Vernon Visitor Centre is located just south of Vernon on Hwy 97 and is open year round. Playing a key role in tourism and its development in this area, the Vernon Visitor Centre can assist you with information, promotional materials, help with organizing familiarization tours and facilitating contacts between you and our community's tourism businesses and services. Just ask us. We are here to help. Check out our website at www.vernontourism.com for complete.information on our community and the many wonderful things to do here.....all year round.

Contact: Michelle Jefferson Manager, Tourism Services City of Vernon 701 - Hwy 97 South Vernon, BC V1B 3W4 P: (250) 545-5493 mjefferson@vernon.ca

Vernon Visitor Centre 701 Hwy 97 South Vernon, BC V1B 3W4 (250) 542.1415 or (800) 665.0795 info@vernontourism.com