Top 5 Quick, Easy Daytrips for Families
Taking the family out for a day of fun often means you might also have to take out another mortgage.
But we've assembled these five affordable day-long itineraries that will have them breaking out in smiles without breaking the bank. Have fun.
The Road to Squamish
Within one hour from Vancouver along the scenic sea-to-sky highway, you'll find lots of fun family activities. The scenic drive alone is well worth the trip, but the kids always need more than just scenery. Start the day by visiting Whytecliff Park, near Horseshoe Bay, where you'll find wonderful views of Howe Sound and plenty of green space to let the kids run off some of their endless energy. Back on the highway, you'll pass through Lion's Bay and then Furry Creek, which is known for its scenic, mountainous golf course. Next, you'll come to Britannia Beach which is home to the BC Museum of Mining. You can take a tour of the mine (for a fee) and even try your hand at panning for gold. Further up the road, you'll come to Shannon Falls. In this park, you can walk up the path to see the magnificent waterfall, let the kids skip rocks in the stream below, and even have a picnic. There are a few challenging hiking trails for the adventurous families, too, either to the top of the Falls or The Stawamus Chief, a huge mass of granite rock. You may even see some rock climbers on the face of The Chief as you drive by! Just north of Shannon Falls, you'll enter the town of Squamish. There are lots of affordable restaurants just off the highway, plenty of hiking/biking trails in the area, and as you drive through, you'll see signs for Brackendale. This area boasts a magnificent viewing of bald eagles. Hundreds of eagles choose this area along the Squamish River as their home every winter. Even if you visit in the summer, you're likely to spot an eagle or two on the river as you stroll along the river path. Remember to bring your binoculars! When you're ready to head home and find that you still have energy left, you could stop at Murin Provincial Park. Here you'll find a small lake right next to the highway for swimming and a picnic. This is a fantastic day trip that offers as little or as much activity as one family can take. Enjoy your day!
How to Get There:Hwy 1/Hwy 99 from Vancouver will take you to all of these landmarks, just watch for signs leading to each one.
Deep Cove
Located on the east shores of North Vancouver, Deep Cove is a seaside community that offers a whole host of free activities for the entire family. Playing on the beach is always a hit with the kids, but you might want to check the tide tables for the day you're going as the water level has been known to completely cover the beach.
Next to the beach is Panorama Park which includes a playground, lots of green space for a family picnic, public BBQ grills and an outdoor shower area to rinse away the sand.
Just down the street from Panorama Park, you'll find the Baden Powell trailhead (watch for the signs). This section of the BP Trail is a moderately challenging hike which even the little ones can do (with a bit of parental help.) Sit on the huge rock that marks the end of the hike and recharge with a well deserved snack for the hike back.
Deep Cove's Gallant Avenue has a wonderful collection of shops, restaurants and small cafes. Check out Honey's Doughnuts for breakfast or lunch and try one of their unique doughnuts (voted "Best in the City" by The Vancouver Sun, April 2006). You can also rent kayaks or canoes to paddle around The Cove and enjoy the views from the water. The possibilities are endless in this well-hidden family treasure.
How to get there:From Hwy 1, take the Dollarton Hwy exit (exit #23) and head east along Dollarton Hwy. After several kilometres, it then turns into Deep Cove Road. Near the end, you'll make a sharp curve to the right at which point it becomes Gallant Ave. There's restricted street parking along Gallant so watch for the signs, and if you take a left on Panorama, the free parking lot will be on the right just behind Panorama Park.
Capilano River, North Vancouver
The Capilano River might be relatively short, but a whole lot of fun has been packed into its diminutive length. As you drive up the mountain, you'll see signs for the Salmon Hatchery (Phone 604.666.1790). This is where the fun starts. Fisheries & Oceans Canada has built an amazing facility around the hatchery that explains everything you could every want to know about salmon. You can also see the fish in various stages of development and catch a glimpse of the determined little guys fighting upstream at the fish ladder. It's all free of charge. There is a great park surrounding the area that offers hiking, picnicking and great river views.
Go back out onto Capilano Rd. and head up the mountain. A few kilometers away, you'll find the Cleveland Dam. This marvel of human engineering creates the reservoir that supplies most of Vancouver with its drinking water and regulates flow to prevent flooding. Parking is free and there are numerous picnic areas and hiking trails branching off from the dam.How to Get There:
Take Lions Gate North, keep right towards North Vancouver and take your first left (Capilano Rd.) Follow it all the way up and look for signs
Bowen Island
Bowen Island, accessible via BC Ferries, is located just west of Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. It's easiest if you park your car and walk on the ferry. Passenger-only rates are reasonable at approx. $8/adult, $4/child age 5-11, and under 5 are free). See the BC Ferries schedule for sailing times, rates, and to purchase tickets. You'll take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay and arrive 20 minutes later in Snug Cove on Bowen Island. Once you get off the ferry, you can walk into Crippen Regional Park where you'll find horseback riding/biking/hiking trails, a memorial garden, an equestrian ring, a hatchery, picnic areas, Killarney Lake and other historic sites. Be sure to pick up a pamphlet to see all there is to do in the park before venturing in. The Killarney Lake Loop Trail is great for families with older children. It takes about 2 hours round trip from the ferry terminal and provides several viewpoints along the way. There are plenty of trails leading up to Killarney Lake that are easy enough for smaller children, some of which are stroller friendly. Back in Snug Cove, you'll find small shops, kayak rentals, Doc Morgan's Restaurant, a large open field with picnic area, and another trailhead leading up to Dorman Point, a shorter yet steeper, more challenging hike for the adventurous families. Although this area provides enough activity for a day trip, you will have just scratched the surface of everything there is to do on beautiful Bowen Island. Have fun!
How to Get There:From Vancouver heading west on Hwy 1/Hwy 99 toward Horseshoe Bay, follow the signs for parking at the ferry terminal for walk-on passengers. There are a couple pay parking lots to park in, including overnight parking just in case you want to stay the night on Bowen Island.
Harrison Hot Springs, Harrison, BC
One of the best things about a day trip to Harrison is how much it feels like going on a far away vacation � but you still get to sleep in your own bed at night! This small resort town is chocked full of fun things to do, from lounging at the beach to hitting the "links" for some hardcore mini-golf action.
The lake itself is the largest in Southwestern BC. It's perfect for swimming, kayaking or canoeing, and rentals are available at the lake. The sand at the beach is ideal for castle-making. So good, in fact, that the area hosts the World Championships of Sand Sculpture every September.
The hot springs themselves are warm, soothing but unfortunately not free. You must go to the public swimming pool to access them. Even then, it is a nominal fee.
Tugboat Junction is a mini-amusement park with the aforementioned mini-golf, a train ride and other family-centered activities. It is very affordable and makes the perfect end to a fun day just outside Vancouver's city limits.
How to Get There:Take Highway 1 East and follow the signs for Harrison Hot Springs.
