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Camping with Kids in Oregon
I loved e-mailing back and forth with the knowledgeable Paul Gerald, author of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Portland. After I looked over his bio a little more, I discovered that he’d also written Best Tent Camping in Oregon (you can order both books from Paul Gerald’s site). So it was obviously time to ask Paul about family-friendly campsites in Oregon! 1. What’s the best thing about camping in Oregon? Why do you love it? I love it because I love being outdoors: hearing the birds first thing in the morning, sleeping to the sound of a stream, seeing the stars, and being away from electronics and cars. And…
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Hotel Review: Suncadia with kids
I’ve often cast a covetous eye at friends’ photos of Suncadia Resort, a lodge-style, kid-friendly stay just east of the Cascade Mountain range. About 90 minutes from Seattle, this resort offers houses, condos, suite-style rooms and hotel rooms on 6,400 acres of pine-spiked landscape. Obviously, it’s time for a review. We stayed in the Lodge One Bedroom, a 870-square-foot suite-style option in the main 254-room Lodge at Suncadia. The kitchen was marble-trimmed, with real wood cabinetry and stainless steel fridge, dishwasher and range. The high-ceiling living room featured a gas fireplace and stunning views of the Cascade range. The bathroom was so big I could drive my Honda inside. The bedroom…
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Families Travel! Taking the Kids to Vancouver on Amtrak
Canadian-born Seattle resident Connie Wanklin-Iskra, her husband Matt, son Makhno (almost 3) and daughter Naomi (6 months) decided to enjoy a car-free weekend in Vancouver, BC. So, over the long US Memorial Day weekend, they decided to take the Amtrak train‘s route to Vancouver for a two-day trip. “We wanted to stay longer, but felt we might need a day to recover when we returned,†Wanklin-Iskra says. “Which was definitely the case.†They boarded the Amtrak in Edmonds, Washington at 8:07 a.m. and arrived in Vancouver, BC, almost four hours later. The train was $70 round trip for each adult, half-off for Makhno and free for her daughter (and other children under age 2). Once in Vancouver, it was…
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Kid-Friendly Hikes Near Victoria, BC
To find out more about family-friendly hiking and camping near Victoria, BC I interviewed Kari Jones, a mom to one son and the author of the book “Hiking Adventures with Children: Southern Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula†which you can order from Kari’s blog or from Amazon.com. Q: Is there a kid-friendly hike within Victoria’s city limits that you recommend? What do you like about it? There are so many walks within Victoria; it’s hard to choose just one. But if I have to, I’d say Mystic Vale is my favourite. The walk starts at the University of Victoria, which is easily accessible by car or bus, but once…
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Family Camps & Adventures in BC, Oregon & Washington State
If you haven’t yet firmed up your summer vacation getaway, consider a family camp, family-friendly ranch or a family adventure program. Yes, the camps are old-school:  rustic rooms and questionable food. But you know you’ll have fun anyhow, just like you did when you were a kid. If you’d rather enjoy a bunk-free stay, check out the aquarium or geology adventures or a family-friendly ranch summer getaway. British Columbia Family Camps BC Family French Camp. Okanagan, Gwillim Lake and Vancouver Island, BC. Say bon nuit to one another at this Francophone camp where all ages learn to speak and sing in French. Family Adventure Camps at Kumsheen Rafting Resort. Lytton, BC. For…
