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Kid-friendly Resorts of Vancouver Island
Smart families have already made their family resort reservations for Vancouver Island—perhaps for 2024! Want to play catch-up? Here’s 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! But there are also resorts that seem to encourage family visitors. And while the pandemic seems to have ended some family programming (childcare, mainly), other resorts are still offering kid camps and childcare. I’ve mostly listed upcoming high season prices.…
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BC’s New Family Friendly Holiday
British Columbia has a new holiday that celebrates families. “Family Day” will occur on the second Monday of February, starting this year (2013). Here’s a quick round up of events that will happen next Monday throughout BC, including street entertainment and face painting in Vancouver, all-ages concerts in Victoria and free skating in Nanaimo. Family activities such as skiing and snowboarding on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, sleigh rides, snowmobile tours, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, ziplining and ice skating are always on the menu at Whistler and on Family Day, many local activity operators are offering discounts on these experiences. Whistler Blackcomb is offering half-price lift tickets to B.C. residents on Monday, February 11 and including a…
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Tofino with Kids: Advice from a dad insider
Tofino is where wilderness and luxury meet. It’s a wave-washed destination where even the public campgrounds are never far from million-dollar views. John Platenius is the parent of two children (ages 5 and 7) and a resident of Tofino, a top summer vacation spot along Vancouver Island’s western shore. Platenius has just put out a fine new book on the region, Tofino Guide, retailing for $19.95. Read more at his Tofino-focused website or leave questions below in the comments. Here are Platenius’ tips on things to do with kids in Tofino, his recommendations for great hotels and campgrounds, and even the best hiking trail with a preschooler. (Photo at right, Platenius’s son playing on a Tofino beach)…
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5 Reasons to Travel in Fall
Fall’s official, folks. The leaves are drifting, the winds are blowing and besides, the calendar says so. Autumn’s a fabulous time to travel in the Pacific Northwest and Canada with kids, and here’s why: 1. Value. Prices in the “shoulder season” tend to be about 25-30% less than in summer. Look for discounts in popular, expensive summer destinations — Washington’s islands, Oregon’s coast and Vancouver Island. Whistler, in BC, is between ski and summer seasons and hotel prices reflect that reality. City prices drop, too. Even if it’s raining, there are always scores of kid-friendly indoor museums and attractions to keep you warm and dry. 2. Leaf-peeping. Much of Cascadia’s…
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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…
