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Seaside, Oregon with Kids
Fall might be the perfect time to hit the beach. At least according to Jackie Boucher, a Vancouver, BC mom who also blogs at Wee Life (and that beautiful blog is more than a wee bit addictive). Last year, Jackie traveled over six hours to reach the gorgeous Oregon Coast, along with her husband Adrian and their son, Spenser, then age 5. The family loved their destination, the outrageous family-fun town of Seaside. “It was quirky and kitschy and fun with loads of stuff for kids,†Jackie says. Jackie and hubby had been to the Oregon Coast before, pre-baby Spenser. But back then, the coast was only a stopover on…
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How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?
Yes, this is just like a Cliff Notes vesion of “What I did on my summer vacation†essay you remember from a few years (or decades) ago. Where did you go this summer? A new coast escape? A time-treasured family cabin? Someplace close? A day trip? A weekend getaway or two weeks away? I visited a few spots, too, mostly for work. It was a mix of day-long road trips, weekend getaways and one or two longer sojourns. Our last trip logged an extra 821 miles on our long-suffering Honda. So look for family travel blog posts in the near future on: Semiahmoo Resort, Washington Whistler, BC. Kitsap Peninsula, Washington…
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The I-5 Drive: Stops from Portland to Seattle
Three hours is just too long to sit in the car. The infamous slog between Seattle and Portland invariably adds a few more hours due to bizarre traffic snafus. (What is the energy vortex causes the mysterious slowdowns in Tacoma, Olympia and Chehalis, anyhow?) Put it all together, and you’ve got a real tantrum starter for parents and kids alike. Unless you give up for a little bit, pull over and chill out. Here are a few of our favorite kid-friendly stops along the Seattle-to-Portland I-5 route. Exit 7: Burgerville. This Salmon Creek Burgerville (on the edge of Portland) is a fast-food diner that thinks it’s a restaurant – thank…
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Fleeting Moments at Whistler’s New Playground
Visitors to Whistler, BC no longer bump into Olympic athletes — but we still get to enjoy the games’ legacies. One of the coolest, most-kid friendly new fixtures is the 13,000-square-foot Whistler Accessible Playground. This nature-themed playground, completed right before the February 2010 games, offers a true multi-sensory experience. At the playground, I took photos of my kids in action as they hid in the hollowed-out tree trunk, scrambled up onto a bobcat statue’s back and struggled to hold onto the merry-go-round disc. It’s funny — when I started shooting several years ago, I was frustrated when photographing my fast-moving children. I wanted to stop movement, blur and action. I wanted…
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Camping with Kids in British Columbia
Looking for a BC vacation deal? British Columbia offers pitch-perfect camping options for every family: seven national parks, 900 provincial parks and hundreds of private campgrounds and RV parks. BC’s provincial parks typically only charge between $10 to $24 per site for car campers. Jayne Seagrave is an expert on BC camping, and a mom to two boys (aged 10 and 11) — two lucky boys who’ve been camping since birth. She’s also the author of Camping British Columbia and Camping With Kids: The Best Campgrounds in British Columbia and Alberta. Let’s find out what Jayne recommends for BC family camping. 1. For families visiting Vancouver, can you recommend a close-in campsite with a playground or…
