Discover Oceanside on Vancouver Island
Take three — days that is, to vacation on Vancouver Island’s eastern shore, located two hours northeast of Victoria. This region known as Oceanside, has been nicknamed the Canadian Riviera by those in the know. With sandy beaches, rain forests and eccentric delights, it is a great place for a family holiday that won’t be soon forgotten. Here are three ways to spend your days:
Look Up. Way Up!
Upon entering the town of Coombs, visitors will come across this sign: Tourist Attraction – Goats on the Roof. Not Fiddler on the Roof…the sign says goats! And that is exactly what it means.
Visit the Old Country Market and you can eat a generous meal while watching a family of goats nibble on the grass that is firmly planted on the roof of the building. Kristian Graaten, founder of the Old Country Market, started the tradition in 1973 when a family of goats found themselves without a home after the annual Coombs Fall Fair wrapped up.
His business already had grass on its roof, emulating homes in Norway so introducing the homeless creatures to the thatched roof made plain sense, at least to some anyway. It turned out to be a stroke of genius and the goats are now the town’s greatest tourist attraction.
If visitors get tired of watching the goats’ antics, there is still a lot to see in the market and great food to try. The prices are reasonable, especially at the Gelato bar. Huge cones of delicious ice cream, available in an astounding 69 flavours, can be had for as little at $3 each.
Sand and Sunsets
Beach combing becomes an extreme sport on the shores of Oceanside, with its 19 kilometres of sandy beaches, ripe with a bountiful of sea treasures. Along with beautiful, misshapen pieces of driftwood, collectors will find pearly white shells, colourful starfish and hermit crabs running for cover.
After wandering the sands, there is still more to do at Oceanside’s beaches. Parksville Beach has a huge playground for the little ones, a BMX/skateboard park for teenagers and tennis courts for the adults. Qualicum Beach has great beachside seafood restaurants and events, such as “Tent Theatre”, happening all year long.
And don’t plan on leaving the beach too early, you wouldn’t want to miss the spectacular sunsets served up on that side of the country. Grab a blanket, find a spot on the beach and take in the sky bursting into a palette of colour to the sound of gentle waves.
Going Underground
Vancouver Island is known as spelunking central in Canada, being home to the best and most accessible cave systems in the country. Part of that reputation comes from being the home to Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park, which was voted the Best Natural Outdoor Site in British Columbia by Attractions Canada.
Two caves are open to self-exploring, while touring the main cave can only be done with an experienced guide. These caves are in their naturals state, meaning there are no exterior lights, the floors are uneven and there is a moderate amount of climbing that needs to be done.
The guides don’t allow children under the age of five or those with limited mobility to enter. And claustrophobics definitely need not apply as there are tight spots to be negotiated and lots of darkness, of course. A miner’s helmet and headlamp can be rented at the park office and the knowledgeable staff can provide all sorts of advice.
The caves are cold, wet and muddy so dress warmly and be prepared to get dirty. If caving isn’t sounding like too much fun, just wait until you go underground. Once inside a unique new world will unfold before you as funky rock patterns, crystal formations and fossils are momentarily plucked out of the darkness by the light of your headlamp.
Where to stay: Pacific Shores Resort & Spa is located in the heart of Oceanside. A lakefront two bedroom condo (can sleep up to 7 people) with a full kitchen, laundry and patio goes from $190 (off peak) to $315 (peak) a night.
The resort has many amenities including a pool, gym, playground, outdoor hot tubs and a fine dining restaurant. Tours of the expansive gardens and aquariums are free to guests. The marine curator also has a weekly program for children. For more information: 1-866-986-2222 or pacific-shores.com
For more information:
Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park
Story: Anna Rodrigues
Images: Phil Raby
© 2007-2010 Trips with Kids - Unauthorized reproduction of this article, video and images is prohibited.
New Brunswick’s Fundy Coastal Drive
Looking for the ultimate family vacation, but only have a few days on your hands? Well, you can stop your quest because New Brunswick’s Fundy Coastal Drive rocks in the family fun department with whale watching, beaches and other natural wonders.
Quoddy Link Marine Catamaran has an on-board touch tank
A Whale of a Town
The Fundy Coastal Drive hugs New Brunswick’s southern coast tightly along every scenic curve and hill that makes up this magnificent area. After arriving at St. John Airport and picking up a rental vehicle, make your way 90 minutes west to St. Andrews by-the-Sea, one of the oldest resort towns in the East Coast.
It’s no surprise that tourists have been flocking to the area since 1889. Walking around the town is a delight and adults will spend a lot of time looking at the turn-of-the-century architecture, but children may want something a little more exciting.
That can be found by taking a trip on a Quoddy Link Marine Catamaran, out to the Bay of Fundy to see porpoises, bald eagles, harbour seals and the big stars of the bay: the whales. This cruise has an onboard touch tank, with starfish, clams and other sea creatures, that can be handled with the help of the on-board marine biologists. As well, guests are offered hot chocolate and delicious salmon mousse with crackers during the two-hour trip.
Once back on terra firma, families will want to visit Katy’s Cove, a sandy, saltwater beach with a supervised swimming area, play area and canteen. As well, the Children’s Creative Playground is a great place for some free family fun. It’s a giant wooden castle with lots of places that are perfect for playing hide-n-seek.
Where to stay: the Fairmont Algonquin Hotel has an outdoor pool, playground, spa and spacious, comfortable suites. Although a little pricey, specials can be found in the summer.
Fundy Fun
Three hours east of St. Andrews, the Fundy Coastal Drive will lead you to the small village of Alma, the perfect place to put the suitcases down for a couple of days and explore the surroundings. On one side of the village, there is Fundy National Park.
This park is one of Canada’s first national parks (created in 1948) and one of the most family-friendly. There are a variety of hiking trails, with different degrees of difficulty, swimming areas and lots of kids’ programs. A popular one is the Fundy Naturalist Club where children attend park workshops to earn pins and go up levels to reach the ultimate one: extreme naturalist.
A few kilometres east of Alma is Cape Enrage, a light station located on towering cliffs overlooking the Bay of Fundy. The view, which is truly spectacular, can be enjoyed even more while rappelling down the cliffs to a beach teaming with fossils and polished stones. Other activities include kayaking, caving and climbing, all available for families through the adventure centre located on the grounds. There are also tours of the light station and a student-run restaurant with some mouth-watering fare for when the lunchtime munchies strike.
Continuing east on the Fundy Coastal Drive, New Brunswick’s “rockstars” are on display: the Hopewell Rocks. Here visitors can experience the world’s highest tides by kayaking around the famous flowerpot formations and hours later walk on the ocean floor combing for maritime treasures. The Interpretation Centre is an excellent place to for the kids to learn about tides and the Fundy eco-system through a multimedia exhibit that will keep them entranced for hours.
Where to stay: Parkland Village Inn in Alma is an excellent choice for families. The room rates are very reasonable ($75 a night for a standard room) and it is right on the beach. The hotel also has a superb restaurant.
For info on the Fundy Coastal Drive:
Story: Anna Rodrigues
Images: Phil Raby
© 2007-2010 Trips with Kids - Unauthorized reproduction of this article, video and images is prohibited.
Cobourg Winter Festival – Feb 13 to 15, 2010
The Cobourg Winter Festival ice slide
If the frosty weather is getting to you and a trip to warmer climes isn’t in the picture, why not celebrate what the season has to offer at a good old winter festival?
Every February, the charming town of Cobourg, located 60 minutes east of Toronto, banishes the winter blahs by putting on a fun-filled family festival celebrating snow and ice.
There are also sleigh-rides, snowshoeing and ice carving events throughout the weekend. An outdoor skating rink, located at Harbourfront Park, is the perfect place for outdoor family skating but dress warmly because you will be skating at the lake’s edge.
Playing an icy game of tic-tac-toe
At night, beautiful lights will illuminate the festival grounds until 11 p.m. Luckily for those that are less cold-weather resistant, not all of the weekend activities will be taking place outdoors. Families can warm up with hot chocolate and decorate gingerbread cookies in one of the many designated Hot Spots located in various spot around the festival.
Most of the events are free to the public, but to participate in all of the activities and shows, families should purchase festival buttons, available for $5 each.
For more information click here.
Check out this video on the event:
Story: Anna Rodrigues
Images: Phil Raby
© 2007-2010 Trips with Kids - Unauthorized reproduction of this article, video and images is prohibited.
Have a Howlin’ Good Time at Wolf Lodge
From water park fun to great food to Disney-esque entertainment, this resort has all the ingredients for family fun. Trips with Kids has listed the top five reasons, in no particular order, why you should visit Great Wolf Lodge:
The Water Park: We’ve been to a lot of water parks but this one is definitely the best we’ve experienced so far. There were lots of slides for younger kids and still enough water rides to keep the teenagers and adults happy. It does get incredibly busy so pack your patience. If you find waiting in the lineups is getting to be too much just take a break at one of the two snack shacks inside the water park. Bonus: there were tons of lockers, special dryers for swimsuits and all the free towels you could want.
The Staff: You may not think that this is a reason to visit a resort but we think that the staff can make or break your weekend. We found all of the employees to be more than friendly and very helpful. All of my questions were answered quickly, efficiently and with a smile.
The Animatronics: I must confess that I was skeptical about the animatronics show. I’ve seen a lot of these shows and most leave a lot to desire. Not at Wolf Lodge! The show runs three times a day and it’s really good. The kids absolutely love it, especially the evening show when they get a bedtime story.
The Antler Shanty Grub just had to make this list. It’s one of the restaurants inside the resort and we loved its morning buffet. It was hardy, varied and tasty but best of all, it felt like breakfast at home – except you’re having it with about a hundred other people.
A Spa for girls under 12? You betcha! The Scoooops Kid Spa is the place where your little princesses can get the pampering they deserve. With ice-cream themed manicures, pedicures and facials, you may find it just a tad difficult getting your kids to leave.
For more info: Great Wolf Lodge
Check out this video on the Animatronics:
Story: Anna Rodrigues
Images: Phil Raby
© 2007-2010 Trips with Kids - Unauthorized reproduction of this article, video and images is prohibited.