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Family travel in the Pacific Northwest and BC

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families travel

July 26, 2010

Families Travel! Penticton with Kids

Joanna Nesbit, a Bellingham-area mom (and fellow travel writer) recently went with her family to Penticton, BC, for three nights. Penticton is about a five hour drive from Bellingham, six and a half from Seattle and about five from Vancouver, BC.

“We went over Memorial Day weekend, which is a great time in Canada because it’s not their holiday,” Nesbit says. “Penticton is a beautiful town located on the land bridge that separates Okanogan Lake and Lake Skaha. It’s friendly, easy to navigate, and there are plenty of grocery and restaurant options for visitors.”

Nesbit went about her trip in a smart way – she brought her 13-year-old daughter’s friend along with them, and then met up with friends (who had a son the same age as Joanna’s 10-year-old).

Q. Where did you sleep in Penticton, BC?

We camped at Banbury Green RV Park. It’s pretty but tight. I wasn’t prepared for was how small the sites are. There are some other RV parks that might be just as good, not sure. Here’s a list of RV parks (Kaleden and Penticton addresses good; others too far away).

Penticton camping site
Penticton camping site

Q. What did you like about the campsite? What types of amenities did it offer?

The location was fantastic, a few minutes out of town right on Skaha Lake. We rented a paddle boat and the kids swam (sort of – the lake was cold). We also played rousing games of volleyball, rode bikes on a nearby trail, and of course roasted marshmallows. The RV park has showers, toilets, amenities for washing dishes, ice at the office, and paddle boat rentals (with life jackets)– $10 per hour or $25 for 4 hours.

Q. Which Penticton activities did your family enjoy?

We went to the Okanagan Amuseuments Go-Kart track just a few minutes down the road from the RV Park, where some of us got on Go-Karts and others got on bumper boats. Found Loco Landing online, which we missed, but I would feel confident saying it would be a blast. The bumper boats are cheaper here than what we paid.

bumper boats in Penticton, BC
Bumper boats in Penticton, BC

We went to the Skaha Bluffs climbing area, on the other side of the lake from the RV Park. The climbing area in the spring is a huge attraction for visitors (and the RV Park was full of climbers). It’s a beautiful place to walk around even if you’re not a climber (I’m not), and a great place to climb for all ages. However it would be too hot to climb there in the summer.

We also played on the public beach on Skaha Lake that features a playground, picnicking areas, a kiosk with ice cream and sno-cones. The lake does have a drop-off that parents of small children should be wary of – it’s marked (more on Penticton beaches here). We saw a kids’ spray park for younger kids (Lakawana Park) that looked great but it didn’t appeal to mine (ages 10 & 13)

Q. What did you need to do to bring a child’s friend across the Canadian border? How did that work out?

To take unrelated kids across the border, you need either a passport, or picture ID and a certified copy of a birth certificate, as well as a letter of permission from the parents that includes phone number(s) of parents and dates their child is entering and leaving Canada. There might be a form online. We put her documents in a clear zip-loc bag for easy visibility, and it was no problem.

We took a friend for Leah because we knew her younger brother would have a friend there. She had someone her own age to hang out with — by the time kids are teens (she’s 13), they really care about hanging out with friends. It worked out very well. But I’d pick that friend carefully if it’s for multiple days (we had Leah’s friend for three days).

Read more about entry into the Canada with kids or entry into the U.S. with kids.

Filed Under: Okanagan & Thompson Tagged With: BC, camping, Canada, families travel, family, kids

June 28, 2010

Families Travel! Amber goes to Parksville BC

Could any trip be more kid friendly? A BC beachside vacation, combined with a tour of a family farm and an artisan cheese factory.

kid on Parksville beach near parksville accommodations
Running on the Parksville Beach

Vancouver mom and blogger Amber Strocel and husband Jon recently returned to Parksville, BC with their kids Hannah, age 5, and Jacob, 22 months. Parksville is about 45 minutes north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, and one of Strocel’s favorite vacation spots (she’s been to the retreat three times now).

And after reading over their vacation, I’m jealous! I’m ready to book my stay – read this over, and see if you’re not ready to go, too.

Where are you staying? Did you find a family-friendly Parksville, BC, hotel or other Parksville accommodations?

We stayed at the Beach Acres Resort. We really like it. It’s right on Rathtrevor Beach, which is quite possibly the best beach ever. All of the units have a full kitchen, so we can cook our own meals. We have a two-bedroom townhouse with an ocean view, and it’s very affordable and really spacious. The resort also has a pool, playground, tennis courts and beach toys for the kids to use.

What kinds of family activities do you enjoy on a Parksville vacation? What kinds of things do you do with kids in Parksville?

We love Rathtrevor Beach. It’s very sandy, and has amazing low tides and very warm water. At low tide you can walk forever, exploring the tide pools. And at high tide, the water is the warmest in Canada and not too deep. If you’re not staying in one of the resorts on the beach, you can visit Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park for the afternoon, or for camping.

Parksville Rathtrevor Beach at Low Tide a Parksville beach
Parksville Rathtrevor Beach at Low Tide

Lions Venture Park in downtown Parksville is a not-to-be-missed playground. It is one of the biggest playgrounds I have ever seen, with an incredible variety of playground equipment. There is also a water park and a concession, and it’s right on Parksville’s main beach. During the summer there is a sandcastle competition in the park, as well.

The Old Country Market in nearby Coombs is also a must-see. There are goats on the grassy roof, and people come from all over to see them. The market itself is amazing. It has grocery store including a deli and bakery with some of the best pies going, toys, dishes, hats, bamboo cutting boards and cooking utensils, hammocks, rugs, art and other things I’m sure I’m forgetting. There’s also a restaurant, an ice cream stand, a produce stand, a garden centre, clothing stores, a surf shop and a bunch of other shops in the open street market. Adjacent to the Old Country Market is the big, open plaza, with a collection of statues that the kids can climb on. Coombs is only about 10 minutes away, and it’s totally worth the drive.

The other fun thing about Parksville is all the deer. Local gardeners don’t enjoy the way they eat their plants, but kids think they’re so cool. They’re pretty comfortable around people, too. During four days in Parksville we’ve logged six deer sightings. My toddler learned the word ‘deer’ pretty early on.

Can you recommend any Parksville restaurants?

We haven’t really eaten out in Parksville, because we have the kitchen to use, and we have an almost 2-year-old kid. I can say that the last time we were here that Lefty’s in Parksville and Qualicum Beach was really good, and pretty kid-friendly, too.

You visited a Vancouver Island farm with kids, right?

Yes, we went to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, which is located on Morningstar Farm. I would totally recommend Little Qualicum to others, especially people who are interested in local food, and cheese in particular. Little Qualicum produces some artisan cheeses, and lots of amazing spiced and flavoured cheeses. They use raw milk for their aged cheese. This is really quality crafted cheese. And the berry wines, also, are one of a kind.

Parksville with kids: Goats at family-friendly Little Qualicum Farm
Goats at Little Qualicum, located on Morningstar Farm

Can you tell me more about your Little Qualicum cheese factory tour?

The tour is self-guided, and we spent about 30 minutes. There is a half-hour walk around the farm that we didn’t take, because of the ages of our kids. The farm is well laid-out with maps in the farm store and lots of signs, so you can really structure it for your family and your children’s attention span. They also have guided tours on the weekends, and for large groups.

things to do with kids in parksville: See the Milking Parlor at Little Qualicum farm tour
Milking Parlour at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks

They have samples of all the cheeses in the farm store. I tasted at least six different kinds. My kids were big fans of the cheese curd, which makes a fun squeaky sound when you eat it. It’s made every Thursday, so we were able to have some super-fresh curd by visiting on a Thursday.

What do your kids like best about the farm and cheese factory?

My kids most enjoyed seeing the animals. Kids can go into the bunny enclosure with the rabbits, and that was the highlight for my 5-year-old. There were also calves and goats in their own enclosures.

My toddler especially enjoyed the way that one goat stuck its nose through the wire fence and nibbled on his hat. I didn’t as much (I like the hat!) but Jacob cried when we took him away from the goat. For them, the visit was less about the cheese and more about the farm animals.

As part of the tour you can see how the cows live, walk through the milking parlour where all of the milk comes from to make the cheese, see the pigs they raise for meat and peek into the window and see the cheese being made. You really get a glimpse into a fabulous local food producer. And it’s fun for kids, to boot, with animals to see and an old tractor to climb on and cheese to eat.

What’s the best age for visiting a kid-friendly farm in British Columbia?

I think that the best age for visiting Little Qualicum would be around 4-10. My toddler had a good time, but keeping him out of cow patties and keeping him contained in the farm store was a challenge. Also, I was somewhat concerned about him around the electric fencing that is used on the walk around the farm. That was one reason we didn’t attempt the walk, actually.

So, you’d recommend it? Is there anything you’d do differently next time?

The farm is on my list of must-see things in the Parksville area. If I were to do anything differently, I might show up on a weekend because they have ice cream on the weekend, as well as guided tours. My 5-year-old was disappointed that there was an ice cream stand and no ice cream.

This is a working farm, and you are visiting someone’s home. You can expect to be in the midst of farm activity and farm animals like dogs and cats. You are getting a real picture of what’s happening on this farm. But it’s also important to respect the work that’s happening around you, and to be considerate of the family that lives there.

Thank you, Amber! Read more about Little Qualicum’s sustainable practices on Amber’s blog.

Read more about family-friendly Parksville at the Qualicum Beach & Parksville BC Tourism website.

Read 49 Things to Do in Parksville from BC Tourism.

Filed Under: Parksville Tagged With: families travel, family, kids, vancouver island

June 22, 2010

Vacationing on a Seattle Houseboat Rental with Kids

Seattle mom Leah Adams recently took an exciting and unusual staycation. She slept for two nights on a Seattle houseboat with her husband, daughter (10) and son (8). Leah took advantage of a weekend-only special (the houseboat usually rents by the month) and found that a houseboat serves up a rockin’ (and rollin’) family vacation.

Q: What did you enjoy about the Seattle houseboat?

I loved the cedar paneling (smelled just like I imagined a houseboat would). The efficiency of being in a small space appealed to me. There’s something so lovely about being totally satisfied in a small space, leaving all the extraneous stuff in our house behind. The Lake Union location, near Fremont, was fantastic. Fremont deserves the designation as “Center of the Universe.”

seattle with kids
Leah's son enjoying typical Seattle shorts-and-t-shirt weather

I loved being able to walk everywhere. The small conversations that happen when you’re walking past someone’s garden (and peeking in their windows! ha!) really bond a family.

The resident momma mallard and her three ducklings enchanted my son; it seemed every time we looked out the window, there they were, swimming in circles right in front of our houseboat.

Everything you would expect in an efficiency kitchen was there - coffee maker, toaster oven, stove, full size fridge and freezer, dishes, cups, utensils. Plenty of towels and linens. We brought our own pillows, only because three of us are very picky. Checking it out first before packing gave me a good idea of what to bring.

Q: What did you do with kids while staying on the “Molly Brown” Seattle houseboat?

On Saturday night, we walked to dinner at Blue Moon Burgers, had Royal Grinders gelato with Lenin, walked to the troll where we posed with lots of other tourists (seems our kids had never officially visited before), then walked home.

Sunday morning, we walked up to the Varsity Inn for a mediocre diner breakfast. We should have walked further into Fremont, even to the Essential Baking Company, but I wasn’t sure it was open.

As we walked back from breakfast discovered an amazing mosaic on the Wallingford steps. Then we visited Gas Works Park, running to the top of the hill, down to the terrace, through the painted refinery room (kinda gross), bushwacked a bit through the park, discovered a shortcut back to the marina. I was worried about surprising people in the bushes, but we didn’t see (or even smell) anything foul.

gas works park, seattle with kids
View from Gas Works Park.

Sunday afternoon, we took the bus from 35th to Northwest Folklife Festival, and back home around 5 p.m.

Monday morning, Lance and my son walked to the Essential Baking Company for breakfast coffee, while my daughter and I lounged around, reading and rocking. Lance chatted for ages with the neighbors, who were transplants from Bothell, about life in the marina. They glowed about the amount of community there is at the marina compared to their neighborhood in Bothell.

Q: Could you cook in your houseboat?

There was a full kitchen, though not a ton of counter space. I would call it a very efficient kitchen. You could definitely have frozen pizza, burritos or any prepared food from the Fremont PCC frozen foods/deli case heated up to eat on houseboat.

The kitchen table is small, and that’s where the television sits, so I wouldn’t want to eat too many meals there. The marina is so close to the park, I would probably choose to picnic most of the meals besides breakfast.

Q: Would a houseboat be difficult with a toddler or preschooler?

I guess it would depend on your particular toddler or preschooler, but it really wasn’t a challenge at all. There are no railings on the dock, so I suppose if your child was impetuous and couldn’t tell the difference between the dock and water, you might have a problem.

Q: Any challenges involved with a houseboat vacation for four family members?

This houseboat had a tiny little pump-action toilet, but there was a ‘cabana’ with a full bathroom and shower for the use of the residents. It was just a short walk down to the dock.

The shower was lovely, but once we found out that the entire marina pumps all of their grey water into Lake Union, I started thinking differently about how much conditioner I used in my hair. The neighbors said their 40-gallon septic tank gets pumped once every two weeks, and that is even with using the toilets in the cabana most of the time. I guess you would just make a point of stopping in the cabana every time you left the property. Time to take a potty break everyone!

My husband’s perception of the experience was very different than mine. He can’t put his finger on exactly what bothered him, but he said he wouldn’t do it again. I loved everything about it, and he wouldn’t go again. Go figure. He couldn’t wait to pack up Monday morning, and I really wanted to stay there all day, lounging around, reading and listening to the rain.

Q: So, would you suggest a Seattle houseboat stay as a family-friendly vacation?

I do think staying on a houseboat is a family-friendly vacation, especially if the kids are 5 and up. We could have rented kayaks from Agua Verde Cafe or the Northwest Outdoor Center for additional fun around Lake Union. How cool would it be to kayak up to your front door?

We didn’t bring our bikes with us, but the Burke Gilman Trail goes right past the marina. If we had planned a little further in advance, we would have biked from the houseboat to the Seattle Center for Folklife.

Thanks, Leah. Find out more about the boat Leah stayed on (Molly Brown) at VRBO.com. And you can find more VRBO.com houseboat rentals on Lake Union.

Would you stay on a houseboat?

Family Vacation
Seattle

Filed Under: Seattle Tagged With: breakfast, families travel, family, kids, Seattle

June 16, 2010

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 non-stop schedule of fun. Let’s find out what they did and  what they enjoyed about their train trip to Vancouver, BC.

1. What did you do in Vancouver, BC when you arrived via Amtrak?

Customs in Vancouver was a bit of a wait  — a good twenty minutes which feels like hours when carrying and infant and pushing a tired toddler in a stroller chanting “go, go, go.” Makhno did not enjoy this much, BUT it wasn’t as long as it might have been at the border in a car.

After that we took the SkyTrain a couple of stops into downtown Vancouver and walked to our hotel.

I tried to find a hotel close enough to the SkyTrain, as we brought the Ergo for the baby and the jogging stroller for our little guy. The hotel (Best Western Chateau Granville) was a splurge for a suite with a King size bed and a couch bed. But the room and living room really helped with putting kiddos to bed.

My son Makhno likes to walk but the stroller had storage, and it’s also good for naps and a safe place to put the baby. Makhno fell asleep walking from the SkyTrain to the hotel, YEAH!!! We pushed him into the hotel and into the room and just relaxed until he woke up.

Then we walked to Granville Island and took the rainbow Aquabus ($10 roundtrip for two adults), which he loved. On Granville, there’s a Kids Market with an indoor play area, climbing slides and more. But admission to the play area is $6 and our little guy, while a monkey pants, would probably get overwhelmed so we kind of discouraged it (better for ages 4 and up). The climbing area did have a small free slide, which satisfied him. The Kids Market also has all kinds of Loonie-powered vehicles that you can sit in, but Makhno is really happy just to play-drive, so again — no cost.

We went outside and despite a drizzle, there’s a play boat the kids can sit in and pretend to drive, right outside the Kids Market. Also ducks on the water to watch and chase.

Then we went to Granville Island’s Crystal Ark, where they have all kinds of smooth rocks. Makhno picked five green ones, for which they charge six cents a gram (similar to the Scratch Patch in Seattle).

Afterward, we went and ate in the Granville Island Public Market, which offers something for everyone.

2. What did you do the next day in Vancouver, BC with kids?

On Sunday we took the SkyTrain to the waterfront and the Seabus (Our son’s really into transportation!) across to North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Quay Market, another cool destination.

At Lonsdale Quay, they have an indoor play space with a slide and ball pit, but this one’s free and smaller. Makhno actually remembered it from the last time we were there and he was only 20 months then. We had lunch– all of the market food courts are very kid- and budget-friendly; you can have anything you want. I found some excellent sushi, which I’ve been yearning for (and it’s much cheaper in Canada, I think).

We took the Seabus back across. We then thought we’d try to walk to Stanley Park, also hoping to get a nap in. We enjoyed an AWESOME green space with neat sculptures to climb, as we walked along the Coal Harbour waterfront towards Stanley Park.

Sculpture in Vancouver, BC

Didn’t make it to the park, as we had to head back to the train (this time we were going to try and get there an hour early). Got him finally into the stroller and he fell asleep.

We stopped in Gastown (lots of cool little shops, and a steam clock) for a “treat” when he woke up at a place called Trees Organics Coffee House. It apparently has the best cheesecake in town, but we got some excellent cookies and hot chocolate, then took the SkyTrain to the train
station (located across the street from Science World).

3. Is there anything you wish you had done in Vancouver, but didn’t do?

I’d like to take Makhno on the gondola up Grouse Mountain. One day we might even try the Grouse Grind, a local cult power hike of switchbacks that goes up to the top of Grouse Mountain. In the future we might like to try bring bikes, you can check your bike on the train (for a fee).

4. What did you bring with you on the train ride with kids to Vancouver, BC?

We used one large traveling backpack and one smaller day back. We probably brought a few more clothes than needed but with little kiddos, you never know! We also brought more books and things to do then we might have needed but again with kiddos you never know. Having a couple novel things can come in handy.

The jogging stroller was great too. It might have been hard to get on city buses but worked fine on sky train, with plenty of elevators to get on. We also brought our own snacks for the train, which was a good call.

Of course you can’t bring fruit across the border, especially from Canada to US. Though we had done a pre-trip run to the general area, we still managed to miss a turn on the big day. So we definitely recommend the practice run if you are unfamiliar with the train station location.

5. Did you like the Cascades train, overall? Would you have done anything differently?

The train made the journey really enjoyable for everyone. Easy to take kiddos to the washrooms which were very roomy and clean, with a change table and room to move.

I could pass the baby back and forth and nurse if needed. She slept in my arms. The best part…no crying!!!!  Well, at least on the way there.

We returned in the evening, so everyone was getting tired. If you have a baby you will be holding her or him the whole time — which is great — but can also be tiring. Of course if you have an infant car seat this probably would eliminate this problem.

On the flip side, my toddler would’ve slept in the car on the way home from Vancouver, but was too wound up on the train to settle down to sleep. He fell asleep from the train station to home, in the car!

Crossing the border was also easier on the train with less waiting. On the way home the border officials board the train at Blaine on the way back to Seattle, to ask questions and check your documents, so you just wait in your seat which is pretty relaxed.

Thank you, Connie! I can also vouch for this kid-friendly trip by Amtrak. We love to score seats on the western side of the train back to Seattle — and look out the windows at the sunset and rocky Washington shores.


120x60 Westin

Family Vacation on raveable

Filed Under: Vancouver Tagged With: BC, families travel, free, kids, Seattle, Vancouver Metro

June 7, 2010

Families Travel! Harrison Hot Springs with Kids

As you probably remember from last week, we interviewed Sarah Reese, a Washington mom to 11 natural, adopted and step-children. This week, she tells us what she loves about BC’s Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa, located 90 minutes east of Vancouver, BC and three hours Northeast of Seattle. First Nations peoples discovered the springs thousands of years ago; The springs have been soothing tourists since 1886, after one of the region’s first resort communities was established.

Kids at Harrison Hot Springs BC
Four of the kids at Harrison Hot Springs

Tell me about how your family of 11 stays at Harrison Hot Springs?

The older part of the hotel has the lowest prices. They also have family suites that have two rooms and a bathroom in this part of the hotel: One room with a double bed and the other with two single beds. We try to always book a deal for a weekday off-season in the older part of the hotel. We’ve managed to get each room at a good cost with free breakfast buffet included for the adults.

The west and east wings of the hotel have nicer interiors, but cost a bit more. The resort has several small cabin rentals that aren’t available online. These allow families to bring along a pet to the hotel.

The hotel also has a game room, lovely coffee shop, exercise room and beauty salon. During the summer months there is an outdoor tennis court and spray park right on the property as well.

kids harrison lake at the family-friendly harrison hot springs
Catching a ride along Harrison Lake BC with kids

So, what are the resort pools like at Harrison Hot Springs Resort?

The resort has five hot-spring fed pools, open year round. Outside, there’s a family pool, lap pool and adult only pool.

Inside is an indoor pool and VERY hot “hot tub.” Inside they also have men’s and women’s lockers with eucalyptus steam rooms. Be sure to bring your bathing suit, water bottles, bathrobes for the kids and flip flops for all.

There is a public pool that is hot spring fed, but we found the first time that we went there that by the time we paid for everyone to get into the public pool we could have paid for one hotel room. Only hotel guests are allowed to use the hotel pools.

What do you do for family dining at Harrison Hot Springs?

There are two restaurants — The Lakeside Cafe which serves beautiful buffets overlooking Harrison Lake and The Copper Room which has five course dinners and fancy brunch on the weekends and holidays.

The resort hotel also has a bar and a large lounge area inside where they serve tea at 4pm each day. Every guest room comes with bathrobes (for the adults), so almost everyone just goes around the hotel with their bathrobe covering their swimsuits. This takes a bit of getting used to, but the kids think it’s the best thing ever! Of course for dining you would want to wear proper attire, but for tea, it’s nice to sit in front of the fireplace and have your tea and cookies.

In the mornings, we have the older children and Dad go for breakfast while I have breakfast in the room with the younger children, then we all go for an early morning swim.

For dinner we usually have pizza or other take out in the room from local places we can walk to. Or if it’s nice out we walk and eat by the lake. Most of the rooms have a small fridge.

What else can families do? Are there many kid-friendly options near Harrison Hot Springs?

Locally, there are many other things for families to do including Bridal Falls Water Park, the amazing Minter Gardens, Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park and visiting the Fraser River and Hell’s Gate Airtram.

family-friendly resort in the lower mainland bc
Kids along Harrison Lake, BC with kids

You can walk along the lake and each fall there’s a sandcastle competition (From Lora: check out this YouTube video of the totally amazing sculptures). Of course there is tons of fishing, boating and camping opportunities as well.

It’s really a great place to go without kids for romance, or a “girls get-away” with friends. Just one night at Harrison Hot Springs Resort feels like a week away.

Find out more about kid-friendly Harrison Hot Springs in British Columbia at the Tourism Harrison website or this great article, “Weekend: Harrison Hot Springs, BC” at the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Filed Under: Harrison Hot Springs Tagged With: BC, families travel, family, Harrison Hot Springs, hot springs, kids, resorts

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