In the winter of 2021-22, wine industry vet and high-energy Métis entrepreneur Savannah Swaisland nabbed a couple of 35-passenger trolleys from a failed Vancouver-area sightseeing biz and brought them home to Penticton.
She figured the Naramata Bench was the perfect spot for a Euro-style "hop on, hop off" transportation service where customers pay a flat fee to ride as much as they want between all those wineries.
And she thought the cool retro look of her coaches, each built in the 1990s to resemble vintage streetcars and now tweaked and spruced up from their Vancouver days, would catch the eye of everyone who saw them.
In a clever take on her own name, she'd call the service Grape Savvy Trolley Co.
New 'Lake to Lake' Trolley Route
Now, Grape Savvy is expanding its reach. Beginning the first Friday of June 2025, the company's "hop on, hop off" concept came down off the Bench and into Penticton proper for a brand new "Lake to Lake" route that focuses not on wineries but on the city's wealth of breweries.
Every Friday and Saturday evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, and likely other nights as the summer comes on, Grape Savvy's Lake to Lake service operates, as the name suggests, from one lake to the other.
And like any good pub crawl, there are copious brewery stops along the way. At 6 sharp, the coach leaves the Dragonboat Pub on the shores of Skaka Lake Park. Soon, it's at the Barley Mill.
Then it's Tin Whistle, then Cannery Brewing and the adjacent Hwy 97, then Barking Parrot and Yellow Dog and the downtown scene.
There's even a stop at the SS Sicamous. And another at Bar One at the Sandman Hotel.
Then it happens all over again. On the quick return trip to Dragonboat, stops will be made on request.
Updated Retro Chic
"They're original Vancouver hop on, hop off trolleys," said Swaisland in describing her fleet, which has since grown substantially from its original two.
"And now they've gone through rebranding and mechanical and esthetic updating. I think they’re starting to become engrained in Penticton culture."
Already they're sporting slick new perks like sound systems. Soon they’ll feature slick LED lighting throughout their interiors. And there are plans for karaoke machines and even scavenger hunts, with discounts from breweries and the like.
The price for a full evening of unlimited hop on, hop off Lake to Lake brewery-centric riding? Just $19.99.
"It's super timely right now for people to be able to get around affordably," said Swaisland. "So with us you spend twenty bucks, you get around all night, you can have that extra drink, and you can explore across the city, not just a single neighbourhood.
"We're one of just two cities in the whole world sandwiched between two lakes. So why not explore, responsibly, lake to lake?"
Get Your Tickets
Still, if wineries are more your thing, Grape Savvy's Naramata Bench service ($49.99 for a day of unlimited Bench riding) remains ready to accommodate. As do assorted private tours and events.
Tickets for either of the hop on, hop off experiences can be purchased on the day of from any driver at any stop or in advance from the Grape Savvy website here, where you'll also find full schedules and tons more info.
Love Local
This blog post is part of the City of Penticton's Love Local series, designed to shine spotlights on local businesses and encourage people to shop and support local. Do you have a local story or business to tell us about? Email communications@penticton.ca. And share your photos over social by tagging the City of Penticton and #lovelocalpenticton!
