Stuff to do indoors this winter in the Thompson-Okanagan

Snow and freezing temperatures aren’t for everyone. Luckily, there’s a range of activities to take part in this winter that don’t require a thermal layer. Escape rooms, of which there are several establishments dotted across the Okanagan, offer gamers and puzzle solvers the chance to put their skills to the test in a real-life scenario.  EXIT Escape Games https://e-exit.ca/kelowna/ has locations in Kelowna, Penticton, and Kamloops. Visitors to the venue get the opportunity to explore real-life game settings and work as a team to find their way out. According to its website, EXIT offers something for everyone, including first-time visitors and experienced players. Virtual reality lounges also offer not just an escape from the cold, but an escape from reality through a range of immersive gaming experiences. In Kelowna, Arcadia Virtual Reality Lounge https://arcadiavr.ca/pricing/ hosts a range of augmented reality games in an 80s arcade style lounge. The location has eight booths where visitors can play alongside their friends inside an augmented world. The lounge also offers a weekly ‘Nerd & Brew’ where adults can come kick back with a locally brewed beer and some VR headsets. Xperience Games https://xperiencegames.ca/vr-escape-room/ in Kelowna also offers virtual reality escape rooms. As well as Penticton Virtual Reality Studio https://www.inthevive.com/ and Kamloops’ All Around GamerZ VR Lounge & Arcade https://allaroundgamerz.com/ which provide similar experiences. For those who mourning their local golf course as it gets covered under a thick blanket of snow, there are even more virtual alternatives. The recently opened Okanagan Virtual Golf https://www.okanaganvirtualgolf.com/ is the first of its kind in Penticton and promises to deliver an immersive golfing experience. As do Simplex Sportszone https://www.simplexsports.com/ and Anytime Sim Golf https://anytimesim.golf/ in Kelowna, as well as Strictly Golf https://vernongolfshop.com/golf-simulators/ in Vernon and the Breaking Par Golf Academy https://www.breakingpargolf.com/ in Kamloops. READ MORE: Penticton business takes a swing at virtual golf https://infotel.ca/newsitem/penticton-business-takes-a-swing-at-virtual-golf/it101408 Axe throwing is another indoor sport available to the more daredevil locals. Head to Axemonkeys https://axemonkeys.com/kelowna/ in Kelowna to let some rage out, whether that hurling an axe through the air or unleashing total destruction in a rage room. Similarly, lazer tag venues give both kids and adults the opportunity to get out some of that dormant winter energy. Planet Lazer https://planetlazerkelowna.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAu9yqBhBmEiwAHTx5p6t10il0gkOTXPugwYw2vifeBHkxgj-ezkhbJ4UQeHBz2VPiPZZflRoCDncQAvD_BwE in Kelowna and The Fun Facter Fun Centre https://www.thefunfactor.ca/ in Kamloops, both offer this experience. Climbing is another option for the more adventurous types, with Gneiss Climbing https://www.gneissclimbing.com/ , Beyond the Crux Climbing Gym https://www.beyondthecrux.info/ and the Energyplex Entertainment Centre https://www.energyplex.ca/ in Kelowna and the Rock Garden Climbing Centre https://www.climbthegarden.com/ in Vernon, as well as Cliffside Climbing Gym https://www.cliffsideclimbing.com/ in Kamloops. On the other end of the scale, for those looking for a more relaxed excursion science centres, museums and art galleries are scattered through Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops and Penticton. As well as countless wineries, many of which provide ice-wine tasting.  What's your favourite indoor wintertime entertainment? Let us know in the comments below. To contact a reporter for this story, email Georgina Whitehouse mailto:gwhitehouse@infonews.ca  or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .