Dog-Friendly Wineries Near Penticton and the Naramata Bench: A Honest Local Guide

The Naramata Bench is one of the best wine regions in Canada — a narrow strip of vineyards above Okanagan Lake with about 40 wineries packed into a few kilometres of winding road. A lot of people who make the trip bring their dogs, which makes sense. It’s a scenic drive, the properties are beautiful, and the whole experience feels like the kind of day a dog should be part of.

The problem is that most “dog-friendly winery” guides for this area are written by people who aggregated a list without actually visiting, and they tend to leave out the details that actually matter — whether dogs can go inside, whether there’s shade and water, whether the winery has its own dog on site or just technically permits yours to exist on the property. Some of the most popular stops on the Bench don’t allow dogs at all, and finding that out in the parking lot is a bad way to start an afternoon.

This guide is written from the ground up locally. It covers the spots that are genuinely worth the stop with a dog, a couple worth knowing about that don’t always make the lists, and the ones to skip so you’re not caught off guard. It also covers the honest reality of doing a full wine tour day with a dog — because some of the best experiences on the Naramata Bench simply require going inside, and there’s a straightforward solution for that too.

The Wineries That Are Genuinely Dog-Friendly

Dog policies change — seasonally, under new ownership, or just because. Everything here was verified through winery websites, local directories, and recent visitor accounts, but it’s worth a quick call or check of the winery’s website before making it the centrepiece of your day.

Ruby Blues Winery

917 Naramata Rd, Penticton

The one that comes up first in almost every conversation about dogs on the Bench, and for good reason. There are outdoor tastings, a grassy picnic area where you can open a bottle and stay a while, and a resident winery dog on site most days. The whole property has an unhurried, come-as-you-are energy that suits both dogs and their owners. Good first stop on a Naramata Road day.

Deep Roots Winery

Naramata Bench

The owners have two dogs of their own, and the welcome here is genuine rather than just technically permitted. Dogs are welcome both inside and out. There’s a shaded patio bordered by a large grassy area with lake views — the kind of stop where you sit down for one glass and end up staying for two. Worth building time into rather than treating as a quick pass-through.

JoieFarm Winery

2825 Naramata Rd, Naramata

JoieFarm describes its tasting room on their website as “an inclusive space that is both family and dog-friendly” — and they mean it. There are winery dogs on staff, water and treats available, and the property encourages people to bring their dogs rather than leave them in hot cars. They also run a seasonal Hot Dog Lounge on the lawn with food, wine by the glass, and a bocce court. One of the more genuinely dog-forward stops on the Bench.

Four Shadows Vineyard & Winery

250 Upper Bench Road South, Naramata

A family-run winery that opened its tasting room in 2019 — owners Joka and Wilbert Borren moved from Alberta and the place has that unhurried, personal feel that newer family operations tend to have. Pet-friendly is confirmed, the picnic area gets good reviews, and it’s a quieter stop than some of the higher-traffic names on the Bench.

Three Sisters Vineyards

1250 Munson Ave, Penticton

One of the few spots that allows well-behaved leashed dogs inside the tasting room itself. They keep dog treats behind the bar — a small detail that says a lot about how seriously they take the welcome. Good wines, personal service, and a stop that works well even if your dog isn’t the type to quietly sit on a patio for an hour.

Play Estate Winery

507 Skaha Hills Dr, Penticton

On the Skaha Lake side of the city rather than the Naramata Bench, with a sun-soaked patio and views that make it hard to leave. Dogs are welcome on the patio. Worth combining with a Skaha Lake beach visit — walk the dog at the water, then come up here for a sit-down tasting.

Poplar Grove Winery

425 Middle Bench Rd N, Penticton

Bigger operation, panoramic views, dog-friendly patio. Good place to anchor a longer afternoon. The Legacy red blend is their flagship and gets consistent attention — the Pinot Gris is reliable if you’re working through whites.

See Ya Later Ranch

Okanagan Falls (approx. 25 min from Penticton)

Worth the drive. See Ya Later Ranch has a dedicated “Barking Lot” for dogs, and allows dogs in the tasting room — which is consistent with the entire identity of the place, given that the label features a small winged dog paying tribute to the original owner’s beloved pets. Staff are genuinely enthusiastic about dogs, not just tolerant of them. A strong closer for a day that started on the Naramata Bench.

A Few Worth Knowing About (That Aren’t Always on the List)

Not every worthwhile stop on the Bench fits neatly into the winery category — and a couple of the most dog-friendly spots out here get overlooked because of it. These two are worth adding to your day.

Chain Reaction Winery

980 Naramata Rd, Penticton

Technically a winery, but it functions more like a patio lunch stop — wood-fired pizzas, award-winning small-batch wines, and a partially covered patio with Okanagan Lake views that’s confirmed dog-friendly directly on their own site. It’s a good mid-day anchor for a Naramata Road day when you want to sit down, eat something, and not rush the next stop. Tastings run daily from noon in summer. Dogs welcome on leash on the outdoor patio.

Abandoned Rail Brewing Co.

Naramata Bench (along the KVR trail, approx. 3km from Penticton)

Not a winery, but it sits right in the middle of orchard and vineyard country on the Bench and belongs on any dog-friendly day out here. Farm-based brewery surrounded by vines, dogs are welcome inside and out, and the food menu goes beyond what you’d expect — pizzas, soft pretzels, vegan options. Their own Facebook page leads with “award winning beers, pizza & dog friendly” — about as straightforward a policy statement as you’ll find. A natural stop if you’re coming or going along the KVR trail with a dog.

As with everything on this list — policies can shift between seasons. A quick check of the winery’s current website or a call ahead takes two minutes and saves a wasted trip.

Places That Don’t Allow Dogs (Worth Knowing)

Most Naramata Bench guides leave this part out. They shouldn’t.

Nichol Vineyard

285 Smethurst Rd, Naramata

One of the best tasting experiences on the Bench — and not dog-friendly. Nichol has a large working farm dog on site, and they state clearly on their own website: “as much as we adore dogs, we have a resident farm dog so we kindly ask that you leave your pets at home during your visit.” It’s a reasonable ask, and worth knowing before you build your day around it.

Upper Bench Estate Winery

Penticton

Upper Bench’s own website confirms that only service dogs are permitted on the patio. No exceptions noted for outdoor areas. If this is on your list, it’s a stop for the days you’ve already sorted your dog out elsewhere.

These two come up in conversations among dog owners on the Bench often enough that they’re worth naming directly. Showing up with a dog to either of them will be a problem. More broadly — even the wineries on the dog-friendly list above can change their policies between seasons, under new ownership, or based on what’s happening on the property that day. A quick look at their website or a call ahead before building your itinerary around them is always the right move. This guide was verified in early 2026, but it’s not a substitute for checking directly.

The Reality of a Full Wine Tour Day With a Dog

The dog-friendly list above is real and worth using. But if you’re spending a full day on the Naramata Bench, you’ll run into the limits of it pretty quickly. A lot of what makes this wine region worth the trip happens inside — seated private tastings, cellar tours, reserve pours that require a reservation, bistro lunches at places like Lake Breeze where the food is as much the point as the wine. These aren’t obscure add-ons. They’re some of the best experiences on the Bench, and most of them don’t have a dog-friendly workaround.

There’s also a practical stamina question. Even at the most welcoming patios, a dog tied to a chair leg in 30-degree heat for six hours of wine tasting is nobody’s ideal afternoon — including the dog’s. The straightforward solution is to sort the dog out for a few hours so you can do the full day without compromise. Not a kennel, not leaving them alone at the rental — just a local sitter while you’re out, so your dog is looked after and you’re not making decisions about your itinerary based on where the dog can and can’t go.

That’s what I offer. A few hours, while you’re out on the Bench. Here’s how it works →

Text to check availability and hold your date. Same-week bookings are often available outside peak season — July and August fill up earlier, so reaching out ahead is worth it if your trip is already on the calendar.