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Family travel in the Pacific Northwest and BC

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February 5, 2020

Seattle Cat Cafes and Vancouver Cat Cafes

I first visited a cat cafe in Tokyo, and was so happy when cat cafes started popping up in the Pacific Northwest. I mean, what’s better for adults or children than making small talk with a cat while drinking a cappuccino? Okay, maybe cappuccinos + kids don’t mix. Hot chocolate or ice cream is a better idea.

A few things to know before you go to a cat cafe (with or without kids):

  • Cats are cats. They may interact with you or they may just ignore you. Frantic, needy behavior tends to spook kitties. Remember: Cats needs to sleep up to 18 hours a day, much like a newborn.
  • Like all of their purrrsuasion (shhh! I get ONE PUN), these cats will like you more if you have treats. Some cat cafes provide treats for an extra price, or it may be included.
  • Most cat cafes have minimum ages for visitors. It might be best to take toddlers elsewhere.
  • Cat cafes primarily exist to find cats a “forever home.” While pricing may sometimes feel like light extortion ($30 for an hour of cats ignoring you and the kids?), money funds the space, pays wages, and provides cat care to kitties with out homes. If you’re on a budget, sign up for a cat cafe’s e-mail list, where you can often find good deals, such as $5 off or student pricing.
  • Don’t bring anyone who has impulse-control issues or otherwise can’t follow what can be fairly comprehensive rules. For example, not picking up cats. That goes for you too, adults.
  • Some cat cafes allow you to bring your coffee into the room with the cats, while other don’t, or only allow some items (such as drinks, but not cookies).
  • Wash your hands, and your kids’ hands both before and after visiting with cats. Some cats are immune-compromised and could easily get sick from tourist (or local) germs.
  • Cat cafes are busiest on weekends, like most destinations. Make a reservation in advance, if possible, if you want to visit on a weekend.

Vancouver-Area Cat Cafes

Catoro Cafe.

This cafe’s charming “cat forest” is where adults and kids can interact with kitties in a large, forest-themed room filled with yep…you guessed it—cat trees. The process of removing your shoes and sanitizing your hands is most similar to the Japanese experience. Bring socks.

Where: East Broadway, in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.

Cafe options: This cat cafe offers fun, sugary beverages like pearl-cloud tea, bubble tea, Vietnamese coffee, and milk tea, along with mochi muffins.

Age restrictions. No children ages 4 and under. An adult must accompany children between the ages of 5 and 10.

Cost: Weekday admissions are in segments of 30 minutes for $8, and $2.50 for every additional 15 minutes. On weekends, you get 15 minutes for $5.75, 30 minutes for $85, 50 minutes for $11.50. For $17, you get 65 minutes and a drink.

Website: https://catorocafe.com/


Catfe.

This Vancouver cat lounge was one of Canada’s first cat cafes, and was opened thanks to crowfunding success. Here, you and the kids can mingle with adoptable kitties while drinking an “ameowicano” or “hot chococat” ($3.95).

Location: Downtown kid-friendly Vancouver, near Gastown in Tinseltown Mall.

Cafe options: Handcrafted coffee drinks, adorable cat-themed treats and Hello Kitty cookies, vegetarian food such as quiches, scones and vegan cheesecakes. Gluten-free and vegan food is available.

Advance booking necessary? Not required, but a good idea.

Age Requirements: Ages 5 and up.

Cost: $10/person for one hour

Website: https://catorocafe.com/


Neko Cat Cafe Bellingham.

Yes, this cat cafe isn’t technically in Vancouver, but it’s an easy day trip for both Vancouver and Seattle families. This cafe will open in winter of 2020, and promises to be as great as its sister site in Seattle.

Location: Bellingham, Washington.

Serves: Coffee, wine, beer and all the cat-themed treats you could imagine. See the Seattle description below.

Advance booking necessary? Probably wise on the weekends.

Age Requirements: No requirements, but every two children under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: $11/hour

Website: https://nekoseattle.com/neko-bellingham

Seattle-Area Cat Cafes

Kitty Corner.

This Seattle-area cat cafe is a little different from others, but has some cool extras such as a kid-friendly Meowvie Night (watch movies with cats!), Kitty Kraft (make crafts with cats!), birthday parties (celebrate your birthday with cats!), and more. Cats here come from kill shelters in California. Another advantage of Kitty Corner: no minimum age restrictions, and kids age two and under are free.

Location: Edmonds, Washington, about a 30-45 minute drive from downtown Seattle, depending on traffic.

Serves: Some packaged snacks, soda pop and water is available, but not a full cafe.

Advance booking necessary? No.

Age requirements: All ages are allowed, as long as they can follow the cafe’s rules. That goes for you too, adults.

Cost: Kids 2 and under are free; Kids 15 and under are $4, 16+ and adults are $8; Adults 55+ are $6. Perfect for a grandma-kid outing.

Website: https://www.kittykornerrescue.org/


Seattle Meowtropolitan.

One of the first cat cafes in Seattle with a large cat-visiting room and enormous picture windows looking outside. However, it’s also one of the most strict, restricting kids until they’re 8 years old.

Where: Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood.

Cafe options: Barista-made espresso drinks and fresh brewed teas, along with cat-themed cookies and savory treats.

Advance booking necessary: You can sign up for a spot online, or try your chance at a walk-in.

Age requirements: Ages 8 and up only. Family Day offers 50 minute visit for $12 per person, child or adult. There must be one adult ticket purchased for every two, and the adult must stay with children.

Cost: $13 for 50 minutes, 40 minutes in the cat lounge.

Website: https://seattlemeowtropolitan.com/


Neko: A Cat Cafe.

This sunny, bright cat cafe is small, but friendly, and limits entry so the space never feels overly crowded. As well, all ages are admitted. Ensure your child is ready for the rules here, as the cats all have feline leukemia, and there can be some fragile kitties in here.

Where: Located in Seattle’s cool Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Cafe Options: Photogenic/Instagram-worthy Pusheen and Totoro treats, along with coffee and alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine. A quick note: They do not accept cash, so don’t forget your plastic.

Advance booking necessary: Yes, definitely. Or you’ll be waiting.

Age requirements: Children of all ages are admitted, but those under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. No more than two children per adult are permitted entry.

Cost: $12/person for 55 minutes, and all reservations start on the hour.

Website: https://nekoseattle.com/

Neko Cat Cafe in Seattle, a kid-friendly cat cafe

Catffeinated.

One of the newest cat-cafes on the block, this cafe aims for the small-scale experience, limiting visitors to just 10 at a time. The cat room is surrounded by glass, so cafe visitors can watch kitties having fun.

Where: In Tacoma.

Cafe Options: Espresso drinks and tea, juice, along with sandwiches, cake pops and cookies. You can’t bring food and drink into the cat area.

Advance booking necessary: Yes.

Age requirements: Children must be over 8 years old, although special “Kids Days” permit a wider range of ages and have fun extras like face painting.

Cost: $10/person

Website: https://catffeinated.net/

Filed Under: Seattle, Vancouver

January 6, 2020

21+ Awesome Things To Do in Whistler with Kids

Whistler BC with kids
Whistler Mountain with Kids

I love Whistler resort’s Euro-village streets, where you can walk from bar to bookstore in just a few steps. I love the joyful atmosphere…it seems like there’s always a film festival, children’s art fest or après ski happening. I love the outdoor activities. Nowhere else is it as easy to ski, snowshoe, skate, and swim within just a few miles—and not even get your car out of the garage.

Whistler-Blackcomb is a British Columbia ski resort that’s an accessible, playful, family-friendly town. After you’ve scored a hotel room or AirBnB stay, what can you do with kids in Whistler?

What To Do with Kids in Whistler: Winter

1, Coast on giant inner tubes down the Tube Park‘s snow. Best for parents of older preschoolers and up — you must be 3 years old to ride here.

Whistler with kids
A gorgeous day on top of Whistler mountain.

2. Slip along kilometers of cross-country groomed paths at Lost Lake Park, when in season; pick up your toddler-friendly chariot carrier at Cross Country Connection. Even very young children can snowshoe or ski for short distances, and Cross Country will be able to suggest good ski paths and destinations.

3. Sign the kids up for ski or snowboard camps or drop-in lessons or childcare (for ages between 18 months and 5 years). Check the kids’ ability charts online before you enroll them, to make sure you’re signing them up for the right class. Don’t miss the “Magic Castle” or children’s play areas on the mountain if you’re going it alone.

Whistler Kids Ski and Daycare
Whistler Kids Ski and Daycare

4. Play Wii at the Nintendo Gaming Lounge, when in town (usually March).

5. Chill out on the ice skating rink (winter only) at the Olympic Plaza, which accommodates 150 skaters at a time.

6. Wow even hard-to-impress teens at the Fire and Ice Show, which runs from December through March. Snowboards dive through fiery hoops and acrobats juggle flaming torches; do not try this at home.

7. Take toddlers and little ones (under 5) to the sled hill at Whistler Olympic Plaza. Bonus: Even if no snow has fallen lately, a snow machine blows piles of fresh flakes. Alternate: Tobogganing at Whistler Olympic Park.

8. Hold on tight and coast from one mountain to another in a glass-bottom gondola on the Peak 2 Peak. Even if you don’t ski, a trip in a gondola up Whistler, on the Peak 2 Peak, and back down Blackcomb is a heart-pounding adventure. Don’t forget to stop for a cup of hot chocolate. In summer, you may even spot a bear from your perch inside the gondola, so bring binoculars.

9. Go out for crepes, hot chocolate, fondue or another family-friendly Whistler meal.

Whistler Activities with Kids: Year Round

Peak 2 Peak in summer
Peak 2 Peak in summer

1.Pick out a trinket, activity book or board game at Whoola Toys, a Whistler mom-owned toy store literally packed from floor to ceiling with great, eclectic choices. It’s a good place to pick out a special in-hotel play set or cool hand-held toy for the drive home.

2. Browse the paperbacks and pictures books at Armchair Books, which has an extremely well-stocked children’s section with classic titles, graphic novels and YA books for teens.

3. Hold your breath and jump into the lazy river at Meadow Park Sports Centre, which boasts a slide, a six-lane lap pool, a vortex and hot tubs for mom and dad. If your Whistler resort hotel doesn’t have a fantastic pool (or that pool is just too darn cold), head here. Not feeling like swimming? There’s also an indoor skating rink with disco nights…

Candy at Great Glass Elevator in Whistler
Candy at Great Glass Elevator in Whistler

4. Fill your bag with candy at the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shoppe, which offers enough bins of jellybeans, chocolates and sweet ‘n’ sours to scare a dentist. Yum.

5. Fly through the air with the greatest of ease at Bounce Acrobatic Academy, which boasts a giant indoor trampoline, padded walls and a foam pit. Drop-in rates available.

6. Rainy day in Whistler? No problem. Catch a flick at Village 8 Cinemas. Visit the website to grab some coupons for this Whistler favorite.

7. If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands along with your toddler at a Whistler Public library storytime, or just sit and snuggle up with a good book.

8. Learn to weave at Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre; this culturally rich museum is great to introduce older kids to the First Peoples of the area. The hands-on crafting demonstrations and opportunities are relaxing and informational.

Whistler Inclusive Playground
Whistler Inclusive Playground

9. Enjoy the swings, slide and ramps at Whistler Inclusive Playground at Whistler Olympic Plaza. It’s a 13,000-square-foot outdoor play area with innovative spinning disks, swings and carved structures. I love all the smooth, formidable wood here – it’s one of the most aesthetically appealing playgrounds I’ve seen in the Pacific Northwest. If it’s cold? Just bundle up and grab a coffee, because your kids will want to play here. Update 2019: Okay, it’s a little broken now, especially the swing. Hopefully it’ll be fixed soon.

10. Let the kids climb the walls at The Whistler Core, which offers rock-climbing classes for big kids, evening climb/dinner childcare options and fun Whistler summer camps. Update 2019: The climbing gym is very well suited for teens, with affordable drop-in learn-to-climb classes.

What to do with Kids in Whistler: Summer

Farmers Market Summer
Whistler Farmers Market

1. Nosh your way from stall to stall at the Whistler Farmers Market, where you’ll find hand-picked local berries, mushrooms and veggies. You’ll find crafts here too (although those are not nosh-able).

Driving a mini-car at Whistler Blackcomb Adventure Zone
Driving a mini-car at Whistler Blackcomb Adventure Zone

2. Bounce on the bungee trampoline, drive a mini-car or walk the rope course at the Family Adventure Zone, where tickets purchase rides scaled for all ages: toddlers through teens. A super-fun summer Whistler activity with kids, and near the Blackcomb-side lifts.

3. Ollie at the Whistler outdoor skate park.

Family canoe trip along River of Golden Dreams
Family canoe trip along River of Golden Dreams

4. Navigate the waters along the grass-lined River of Golden Dreams, just north of Whistler. Bring binoculars, a camera, snacks and a sense of adventure; on calm days, lazing along the river, mountains in sight… it’s Northwest travel at its best. If you’re not sure your kids are ready for this, try paddling Lake Alta. In any case, we rented (and got great advice) from Backroads Whistler’s family self-guided tours. You could also hire a guide, but I don’t have any experience with that (and the self-guided is the less expensive option).

5. Sing through the treetops on a Ziptrek Tour; children as young as six years old can go on these bird’s-eye-level trips through the evergreens.

A busking entertainer at Whistler
A busking entertainer at Whistler

6. Watch the street entertainers — bring a Loonie or a Toonie to drop into the busking cases of your favorites. One of my favorite (free) forms of entertainment in the summer.

Lost Lake BC near Whistler
Lost Lake BC


7. Hike or bike your way along some of the region’s stunning trails. See this map of hiking and biking trails in the Whistler area; I recommend trails near Lost Lake in particular.

Updated January 6, 2020 with fresh content and links.

Do you have a favorite Whistler activity, attraction or playground? Let me know!

Filed Under: Whistler Tagged With: kids, Whistler

January 5, 2020

Kid-friendly Resorts of Vancouver Island

Family resorts of Vancouver Island
Family resorts of Vancouver Island: Tofino. Courtesy of Pacific Sands Beach Resort, Tofino, British Columbia.

Smart Vancouver families in the know have already made their reservations for Vancouver Island. Want to play catch-up?

I pulled together a selection of ultra-deluxe Vancouver Island resorts and affordable family accommodations, as I’m doing my own research for a trip through Vancouver Island. I found plenty of resorts where children are definitely NOT welcome; one said that kids were welcome to use the pool — for exactly three hours per day!

I’ve mostly listed upcoming high season prices. On Vancouver Island, high season runs roughly from June 25-early September. Shoulder seasons will offer savings between 10-25%. Winter season will offer discounts of up to 25-50%.

You’ll find a similar pricing structure when you go to book your travel via BC Ferries, which offers car, pedestrian and bicycle transportation to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Coast Islands. BC Ferries also offers family package getaways with decent discounts.

Confused about where, exactly, you’ll find the towns mentioned? I created a map: View Vancouver Island kid-friendly resorts on a larger map.

Vancouver Island Family Vacation Resorts:

Parksville Family Resorts

Parksville is is the most popular Vancouver Island beachside town for families. Featuring warmer water, sandy beaches, easy access to Vancouver and Victoria and plenty of family activities, Parksville serves up a treasure of a destination.

Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort. On the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, this family resort boasts full-fledged family packages, an outdoor playground and indoor pool, plus 3 kilometers of sandy beach. Many cottage-style and suite-style units provide full kitchens and spacious living areas for family relaxation. To top it of, Tigh-Na-Mara offers kids-eat-free hours (5-6 p.m.) at the restaurants, a children’s menu, coupons for free activities, children’s playground and a free summer drop-in children’s program.

Beach Acres Resort. Near the mild-mannered Rathtrevor Beach, this Parksville kid-friendly resort hosts families in cottages and townhouses, while entertaining kids of all ages. Weekday activities for kids ages 5 and up include craft afternoons, pizza and movie nights, family camp fires with s’mores; for kids age 10 and up, there’s mini-golf adventure, sports tournaments and pizza and movie nights. There’s an indoor pool, lots of sports activities (volleyball, tennis, badminton, horseshoes!), and a children’s playground.

Ocean Trails. For active family vacationers who don’t need many services, Ocean Trails may be one of your best options. This resort lays out multiple sports activities (basketball, tennis, volleyball) on-site, offers a children’s playground, is surrounded by 7 acres of green space. You’re close to Rathtrevor Beach, and rates here are lower than many other resorts. No restaurant available, so bring your own food for your kitchen-equipped condo. Note: A new aquatic centre with pool will be opening in 2020.

Beach Club Resort. Just steps from your hotel room, you’ll wade into the warmest ocean swimming water in Canada. Explore marine life in the tidepools or create sandcastles on the wide, flat beaches. If it’s a rainy day out, dive into the indoor pool or relax in your room (1 and 2-bedroom, villas and suites available). Babysitting/child-minding services and a children’s menu available. The Stay Well program offers cool kid extras, like sketch books, watercolour pencils and other drawing materials, activity books, games, and more.

Campbell River, British Columbia Resorts

Campbell River is known as the “Salmon Fishing Capital of the World,” but it doesn’t just reel in fish fanatics. Head to this destination (about halfway up Vancouver Island’s east coast) for wildlife-watching, farmers’ markets and a laid-back lifestyle.

Painter’s Lodge. Painter’s Lodge attracts fishing enthusiasts but welcomes children as well. Kids can play the Wii in the activity centre, pick up their kids’ package upon check in (it contains a coloring book and other little things) or meet a childminder or babysitter if the parents are off on a fishing excursion. A tennis court and outdoor pool are keep-em-busy options when the weather’s nice. A solid family accommodations option: the large loft-style room featuring two twins upstairs and a queen bed downstairs.

North Vancouver Island Resorts

With quiet villages and whale-watching opportunities, North Vancouver Island’s quiet, rugged pleasures are perfect for a low-key vacation.

Telegraph Cove Resort. Most families coming this far north up Vancouver Island are here for whale-watching, kayaking and hiking. Set down your tent on the resort’s campground, or settle in to one of the eclectic cabins, houses or inn-style rooms (the resort is at the site of an early-20th-century village).  You won’t find anything catering to kids beyond a swingset on a field and a few puzzles, but the diversity of affordable, family-friendly options make the resort a solid bet. A short drive from Port McNeill.

Tofino Family Resorts

On Vancouver Island’s wild Western shore, you’re far from manicured beaches and tamed nature. So Tofino is obviously a perfect place to bring your hyper toddler or run-all-day preschooler — once you manage the long cross-island drive. Tofino offers upscale, world-renowned resorts for adults and children alike.

Pacific Sands Beach Resort. This resort rolls out the green carpet for families, with a free kids camp starting at 9:30 a.m. daily and running six days per week from July through Labour Day Weekend. Camp activities include crafts, scavenger hunts, musical instruments from seashells, sealife identification, sandcastle-building, and marshmallow roasts. Suites and villas range from 520 to 1,400 square feet – plenty of room for families. Look for the discounted family getaway weekend packages.

Crystal Cove Beach Resort. You’ll find a nice mix of pet-friendly and family-friendly accommodation options at Crystal Cove. Over 30 modernized (wifi! wood-burning fireplaces! DVD players!) 1- and 2-bedroom log cabins await families looking for a splurge, while 72 serviced sites welcome RVers on a budget. Kids can play near the warm-ish MacKenzie Beach or enjoy the resort’s deluxe Adventure Playground, featuring swings, a teeter-totter, sandbox and more.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. A very different kind of West Coast adventure awaits you at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. Families come to this summer-only spot to enjoy the all-inclusive atmosphere, which includes airfare from Vancouver, a luxe outpost tent, and all activities. Activities bear-watching, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, cooking classes, archery, and more. Oh, and possibly even a massage or two. Older kids, tweens and teens get the most out of a stay, as they can go on excursions while you relax or traipse off on a different outing. But it’s not cheap; all-inclusive weekly rates easily run into the five digits.

Long Beach Lodge Resort. This resort doesn’t offer an indoor pool, but does provide the “Surf Club,” where children learn how to surf from a private instructor (for an additional fee). Other kid-friendly amenities: Toys to borrow, a family movie library and children’s board games. Cottage rentals include a hot tub on the back deck. Children eat free off the Great Room’s kids’ menu, when dining with parents at the 5:30 seating.

Comox Valley Family Resorts

Color abounds in the eastern Vancouver Island community of Comox Valley, from wildflower-dotted mountains to artwork in one of the region’s seaside villages of Comox and Courtenay.

Old House Village Hotel and Spa. These budget-minded one-bedroom Courtenay suites provide full kitchens for your in-room cooking ease. Kids can enjoy nearby beaches and the Comox Valley Aquatic Centre (a 5-minute drive away), plus the outdoor heated pool.

Pender Island and Salt Spring Island Family Resorts

Pender Island and Salt Spring Island are accessible from Vancouver Island, and attract visitors seeking a bucolic, farm-dotted region full of artisan outlets. Come here to kick back in a sub-Mediterranean climate and soak up the island lifestyle.

Poets Cove. Stay in a Pender Island cottage or villa for plenty of family room, then head outside for pooltime (one pool is reserved for adults only, the other pool is all-ages), tennis courts, basketball, ping-pong tables, and a mini-playground with slide and swing. There’s a kid’s camp (weekends only until July, then daily throughout July and August) with fun crafts and activities.

Harbour House Hotel. While this Salt Spring Island resort doesn’t offer a pool or playground, it does provide the ultimate chilled-out island experience, right on an organic farm. Visit the farm’s goats and gardens, then hop in the car for a 5-minute drive to Salt Spring’s playground and the Rainbow Road Public Pool. Under 12-year-olds stay free.

hikevancouverisland

Updated January 5, 2020 for accuracy and with fresh links.

Filed Under: British Columbia, Kid-friendly Trip Ideas, Parksville, Tofino Tagged With: vancouver island

January 3, 2020

10 Great Places to Eat in Whistler with Kids

Crepe Montagne: A great place to eat with kids in Whistler
Crepe Montagne: A great place to eat with kids in Whistler

1. Crepe Montagne offers beautiful atmosphere and crepe prep. I love the warm lodge-like interior, fresh juices, French-language kids books and savory crepes with egg, ham and cheese. It’s also a great dessert destination, with preschooler-friendly crepes like caramel and chocolate or that tasteful favorite, Nutella and banana.

2. Options are the name of the game at Splitz Grill, which makes it a Whistler restaurant good for kids. Pick a meat (veggie burger, beef or chicken), then pad the bun with your selections of fresh veggie add-ons, sauces and dressings. The dining area is sort of cafeteria-style, but the food is filling, cheap and served-to-order.

3. At the base of Blackcomb mountain, Nagomi Sushi, a kid-friendly sushi joint, dishes up everything from fried edamame to fresh rolls. Sushi in Whistler (IMO) is not all that different from one place to the next  (I’m ducking as I write that). Locals and visitors debate over which one is best (Sachi Sushi and Sushi Village are the other favorites). What do I suggest? Choose the restaurant you can find seats in.

Pasta Lupino: Handmade, kid-friendly pasta
Pasta Lupino: Handmade, kid-friendly pasta

4. Pasta Lupino is a solid pick if you’re not quite ambitious enough to make a full-blown dinner in room, but you don’t want to sit through yet another restaurant meal. Here, mix-and-match a pasta shape (like short radiatore, short spinach cesare, linguini, spaghettini) and a pasta sauce (like alfredo, bolognese, tomato and basil, the spicy sausage arrabiata), for fun, let the kids pick one combo, and then choose another for grown-ups.

5. Pizza is a cheap and delicious way to refuel — but Creekbread takes it to a new level, with lots of all-natural ingredients (free-range pork, locally grown veggies and even housemade organic olive oil) atop wood-fired dough, baked in a clay oven. Flavorful toppings, big broad wood tables, outdoor seating and a gregarious atmosphere. We loved this place so much, we visited twice. A great place to take toddlers and big kids, too.

6. Create a quick deli lunch from the prepared items and fruits at Whistler Marketplace IGA.

7. Veggie dishes and sandwich pitstops at Ingrid’s Village Cafe in Whistler Village.  

8. Portobello for kid-friendly pizza, fresh sandwiches and homemade soups.

9. Lift Coffee Company makes a hot latte and breakfast (including great pastries and oatmeal).

10. If you’re in Whistler in summer, try out Lucia Gelato‘s sorbetto and gelato flavors, including kid favorites like coconut, and banana caramel fudge. There are three stands dotted throughout Whistler. 

This post was updated on January 3, 2020 with new information.

Filed Under: Whistler Tagged With: kids, restaurant, Whistler

August 4, 2015

No Hotel Rooms? No Problem.

Kid-friendly Hotel Condon in Condon, Oregon
Hotel Condon in Condon, Oregon

I’ve recently been contacted by readers, despairing that my top hotel picks are either priced out of reach or unavailable for the upcoming summer. Family hotels in Portland, Victoria, Vancouver and Seattle are booked solid, sold out and too expensive!

Well, no surprise — I’ve dealt with the same situation, even as a travel writer. Here’s what I typically do when faced with sold-out hotel rooms, a planned trip and kids.

1. Set up in the suburbs. Now, some suburbs are better than others. For example, many suburbs of Vancouver offer the SkyTrain option into downtown Vancouver, so I’ll look for hotels near the SkyTrain. Portland offers this as well. Seattle is still working on getting their transit act together, so that’s not as much fun — but I’ve done it. Worst case scenario, I resign to driving into the city and paying for parking.

2. Use Priceline’s “Express Deals” tab. If it’s a heavily-booked weekend, I probably won’t hook a successful, low-priced bid for a decent hotel in my desired destination. But the “Express Deals” usually work at hitting the sweet spot of price and location. The potential downside: because you don’t get to choose your bedding type, you may end up with one King, three kids, and no sleep. To circumvent this, look for “Bed choice available” in the text of the express deal. This can allow you to choose two Queens, two doubles, or whatever you need. OR arrive very, very early in the morning, and you may end up with a bed choice (this has always worked for us, but we arrive at 9 a.m.).

3. BYOB (bring your own bed). With a teen and a kid (who will not share a bed with one another), I bring an air mattress for my younger child, or build a “sleep nest” out of pillows, cushions, blankets, and more pillows. This allows me some flexibility in the kind of bedding arrangements we can find, or which type of Priceline stay we reserve.

4. Get very creative or expand the budget. Home swaps? VRBO? AirBnB? Non-reservable, last-minute camping spots? Hostel rooms — there are family rooms available, but often booked far in advance; with teens you might find the bunk options reasonable? Vacation swaps? Petsitting or housesitting stays (I’ve found great petsitters through trustedhousesitters.com, although I haven’t used it as a traveler, yet.)?

5. Ask about a waitlist. If I have my heart set on a specific hotel, I might call 24-48 hours in advance of a stay and ask if there have been any cancellations. Or I’ll call earlier and ask if there’s a waitlist of any sort. Smaller hotel owners may be willing to work with a family — they want their hotel or inn filled for the weekend.

6. Reschedule the trip. This is the worst option, but sometimes necessary. Look for a weekend that isn’t insane — weekend festivals can pack Northwest hotels. This only works if I’m driving, not flying. I’ve done it many times. I’m unwilling to pay $150 for a one-star hotel room in the grottiest part of town, and there’s always another weekend that could work.

Filed Under: Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria

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