This name refers to a section of the Swan Lake that passes through Downtown Vernon, the community's central business district.

[5] This was followed by Priest's Valley, which serves as an Indigenous reserve, and its present name, in honour of Forbes George Vernon, a pioneer member part of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Yale.

[6] Historically a major economic hub destination in the Okanagan, Vernon was home to many cattle ranches and fruit orchard areas, attracting British families.

[6] Vernon's growth accelerated beginning in 1891, after the Canadian Pacific Railway was opened in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions of the British Columbia Interior, connecting in Sicamous, a town in the Shuswap area; services by this railway were offered to Vernon by 1891, in addition to its neighbourhood of Okanagan Landing.

[3] Fruit trees were planted in Vernon, which first grew by the early 1890s, while water supplies were shipped to the community by canal in 1906 for use at local orchard or farm areas.

[6] As population expanded, more services were made available at Vernon, while its city centre switched from Coldstream Road to 30th Avenue.

[6] Despite a growth drop during World War I, citizens voted to open a new high school, sports stadium, and, later, a shopping mall, Village Green Centre, and library, in the city.

Ebus, a sister brand for the luxury transportation company Red Arrow, also serves Vernon for out-of-town destinations from their downtown bus terminal.

[12] The Greater Vernon area is also served by Kelowna International Airport, located approximately 40 kilometres (about a 30 to 40 minute drive) south on Hwy 97.

Numerous airlines provide scheduled passenger and cargo services to points throughout British Columbia and Alberta, and areas beyond such as Toronto and Seattle.

Vernon has a humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfb) with warm, sometimes hot summers and cold winters with highs around freezing, though mild by Canadian standards.

Charles Bloom Secondary is in the town of Lumby, which is about 20 minutes East of Vernon on Highway 6.

The performing arts centre also hosts hundreds of touring musical acts, local talent and community based events.

The theatrical society of Powerhouse Theatre operates on a seasonal basis and is largely reliant on the coordinated efforts by passionate volunteers.

Every Summer in June, Vernon hosts the largest craft show in western Canada, called Creative Chaos.

Artisans from across western Canada gather to sell their original handmade goods and services: jewellery, chocolates and candies, unique clothing, and other household items and/or decorations.

The mural project is in a continual state of growth, with new pieces of art being added at regular intervals.

She was an Italian immigrant who survived captivity by her mother to become a famed artist and local art instructor.

Predator Ridge Resort also hosted the Skins Game twice - first in 2000 featuring Fred Couples, Sergio García, Phil Mickelson, and Mike Weir,[41][42] then in 2008 featuring Mike Weir, Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie and Camilo Villegas.

With two major ski locations nearby located in Regional District of North Okanagan Electoral Area C, each winter locals and tourists alike flock to Silver Star Mountain Resort and Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.

[45] This Nordic Club gained worldwide exposure as the host of a 2005 FIS Cross-Country World Cup event.

Its first international event, the 2008 Ford World Women's Curling Championship was held at the Vernon Multiplex.

Presently the VTA operates programs 15 hours per week in "partnership" with Greater Vernon Parks, Recreation and Culture.

It recently spearheaded a campaign to construct a roof over its pickleball complex of 12 courts, which will facilitate year-round playing when it opens early 2021.

Another place for cliff jumpers and campers is Ellison Provincial Park, located about 15–20 minutes out of South Vernon.

In 2019 Vernon city council decided to install free-standing toilets, which can be "used by all community members", with specific design features to prevent it being used inappropriately.

[52] That design that had been installed in dozens of cities, but, due to the long waiting list, Vernon decided to commission a similar facility from local suppliers.

[53] There is a crest and shield version of the flag of Vernon that is used occasionally; it was adopted shortly after the city was incorporated.

[55] The flag of Vernon represents the city itself and its region, the Okanagan, containing a "V" to note Vernon, an elk to represent the wildlife of the area, sheaves to suggest the importance of agriculture in the city, while its horn of plenty notes its fruit industry.