Toddler-Friendly Spots Around Seattle
We're very pleased to have this guest article from Keryn Means of Walkingon Travels. Keryn is based in Seattle and believes that just because you have kids doesn't mean you have to put your travel dreams aside - if anything they just get bigger and more exciting!
Rain or shine, cold weather or mild, Seattle is a great place to bring the family for a day trip or weekend adventure. Natural and man-made wonders mix in perfect harmony as you wander the neighborhoods and explore a few hidden treasures. Museums, gardens and farmers markets will tempt even the most timid of travelers.
Rain
On cold and rainy days my toddler and I head to the Volunteer Park Conservatory, Butterfly Room at the Pacific Science Center or the Tropical House at the Woodland Park Zoo. Each brings a little warmth to our day and teaches us about nature. It also allows us to pull our coats off for a few minutes and take a break from the dreary, windy weather.
Shine
If the sun is shining, whether it is warm or not, you will find Seattle families outside. Start any day by heading over to the Japanese Garden to say hello to the giant fish before walking the trails of the Washington Arboretum.
Gold Medal Family Fun @ Silver Star Mountain Resort
The promise of dry, Okanagen powder is a powerful lure to anyone who enjoys skiing or snowboarding. And we certainly do.
And so for this February mini-break we chose to drive 6 hours into the BC Interior, north of Vernon, to experience the famous amazing, light, dry snow that has made Silver Star Mountain Resort a well-known winter holiday destination for locals and savvy foreign tourists alike.
Silver Star didn't disappoint us, with blue sky days and fresh powder falling to make for some epic skiing and boarding conditions.
Located high above British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Silver Star is a destination that caters to families, and has something for everyone. The Deets: Over 3000 acres of skiable terrain; 115 runs spread over 3 mountain faces; a huge variety of terrain for every ability. Long, perfectly groomed cruisers, steep powder filled chutes on the 'back side' (my son's favorite 'double-blacks'), and a skookum TELUS terrain park for the tricksters.
Favorite runs [in order from green to double-black]: Bergerstrasse, Far Out, Whiskey Jack, Gopher Glades, Spruce Meadows, Sunny Ridge, Gowabunga, Free Fall & Three Wise Men.
A Howlin' good time at Great Wolf Lodge
Family friendly hotel + 50,000 sq ft water park = License to print money.
Well, judging from the amount of kids and families we met during our recent visit to the Great Wolf Lodge Resort in Grand Mound, Washington, it certainly must be. The concept is simple; build an awesome water park packed with slides, rides, wave and kiddie pools and hot tubs, inside a hotel resort complex with restaurants, bars, cafes, a spa, arcade, Starbucks, and gift shops, and presto, you've got family theme-park travel success.
There are ten Great Wolf Lodges in the United States, and one in Niagara Falls, Canada. We've been to the Niagara Falls resort as well, and it is colossal - 100,000 sq ft of waterpark and a huge resort hotel.
In essence though, the Lodges and waterparks are all very similar in theme and design, centered around a natural wildlife theme of wolves and other forest creatures, with brown and green faux forest landscaping. The theming is kitschy but it certainly works with kids. The evening story-time of live action critters packed over 200 spellbound kids into the resort lobby on our first evening.
Whistler Wonderland
A quick family escape to Whistler for the weekend. Living in Vancouver, the temptation to get away for a few days of skiing and snowboarding is ever present during the winter months.
Whistler can be an expensive place for families. After all, skiing and snowboarding are among the most pricey sporting activities out there.
But, given that fact, Whistler remains a very family-friendly place with much to do and see. Here's a short run-down of some of the winter offerings, for your consideration.
Whistler Kids - You're at a ski resort - go skiing! Or at least enroll the kids in a ski or snowboard lesson program with Whistler Kids. Offering experienced ski instructors and programs for all ages and ski abilities, you can choose one day private lessons, or a week's worth of public Adventure Camps. If you need to brush up your ski skills, this is the place.
The Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre - A stunning, multi-media showcase of Squamish and Lilwat culture, heritage and history. Located within easy walking distance of Whistler Village and most hotels. Guided tours of the Centre are offered by Aboriginal Youth Ambassadors.
A Day in Kitsilano | Vancouver
We were honoured to provide a "Mother Insider" guest post for the Seattle-based Cascadia Kids website, specializing in family travel advice for the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
The article provides families with a guided tour on how best to spend the day in one of Vancouver's most vibrant and family-friendly neighbourhoods, Kitsilano. There are also tips on playgrounds, beaches, cafes, restaurants and shopping.
Thanks to Lora S. for the opportunity to contribute to her super website!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter | Universal Studios
As excited - and sad - as I am about the last movie in the Harry Potter series, as a fan I'm comforted by the fact that I can live the magical experience at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Two fabulous travelling mom friends, Sharon B. & Tracy L., have recently visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWHP). Despite my mad jealousy that they've been there and I haven't, we just had to get their tips and picks about what is great about this theme park, and why you would want to take your family there too.
Why did you want to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? How long did you visit the Theme Park?
Sharon - We are big Harry Potter fans! We were at Universal Studios (The Wizarding World is part of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure) in March 2011. We were there for 5 days and visited the Wizarding World on 3 of the 5 days.
Tracy - We wanted to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter because our son had read the books and watched the movies. Having been to Universal before, we knew that the latest rides would be state of the art and heard through word of mouth that it was definitely worth visiting.
Rainy Day Family Fun in Vancouver
It seems to rain in Vancouver as many days as the sun shines in a year. Even though we are an outdoorsy bunch, there is so much to do indoors too, and since it does rain here (more days than we might wish), here's our handy list of fav indoor spaces to spend some quality family time.
Great Places for Indoor Kid and Family Fun
Granville Island Kids Market - The Kids Market offers not only great shops for all manner of kid-friendly toys and products, there’s also a fun family arcade, and a multi-level jungle gym to climb around in on a rainy afternoon. There are also special events on weekends, such as face-painting and crafting, to keep little hands busy. Just check out their web page for the latest news.
YVR Airport – This might strike some as an odd choice, but it can really be fun, especially if you take the CanadaLine to get there, which can be an adventure in itself (if your family doesn’t ride it on a regular basis). The free Observation Deck area in the Domestic Terminal at the Vancouver International Airport offers an unobstructed view of the runways, operations area, and the city of Vancouver. The Observation Deck has telescopes, a model of the Airport, and displays about the history of the Airport and Sea Island. And of course, there are shops and restaurants to visit if you want to make a day of it.
Vancouver Best Bets for Kid & Family Dining
Food plays a big part of any family holiday or one-day trip outing. Children can be picky eaters at any age, and finding a family-friendly dining spot to suit all tastes and appetites can be a huge challenge.
Vancouver is justly famous for its wide and affordable variety of dining out options. This multicultural mix has produced some of the best restaurants of their kind in North America, and many of them are kid-friendly. Here are some of our travelling mom best recommendations for eating out with the kids and family - tried and tested by yours truly!
White Spot - Various locations. A Vancouver original and local favourite since 1928. 'Pirate Paks' (created in 1968) for the kids include choice of burger, chicken strips, grilled cheese and fries, arrive in a boat with gold pirate coin treasure. Plus ice cream for dessert. Great shakes too, and a wide selection of multicultural dining choices for adults.
Moderne Burger - Kitsilano. The best burgers in the city. Portions are large, so if your kids are young, splitting an order is a wise choice. Great shakes and floats as well. Decor & music is vintage 1950s era, and you can choose a booth or bar stool to savor your made-fresh-daily Moderne Steak burger.