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Victoria with Kids: 5 Things to Do with Toddlers in Victoria, BC
A reader writes in: We are planning a family vacation to Victoria in June with our 2 year old. Do you have any recommendations for kid-friendly hotels and activities? Thank you so much for your help! — Jessica I’m so excited for you. Victoria is one of my favorite destinations, particularly with toddlers. Here’s how I would plan a trip. Kid-friendly Victoria BC Hotels: I like staying at the Royal Scot Hotel & Suites, because I like the kitchen-equipped rooms, particularly when staying anywhere with kids, and I like how big the suites run (one bedroom separate from living area with a pull-out couch). There’s also an indoor pool and…
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Washington Water Parks & Water Slides
Need a way to cool off the kids this summer? Try one of Washington’s waterparks, where children (and parents) can ride down giant water slides, splash in water sprayparks, dump buckets of water on friends, play in a wet-sand playground or just chill in the pool. If you’re within an hour or two of the Washington-BC border, you may want to read this piece on BC Water Parks. Ready? Let’s splash. Water Parks in Western Washington Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, Washington Washington State’s mega-water park that draws visitors from BC and Oregon, this indoor water park offers year-round fun, thanks to day passes and overnight stays. You’ll get admission to…
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Make a Splash! Water parks in Washington, Oregon and BC
Nothing says “Cascadia summer” like a line-up of shivering kids waiting for the water park slides. So I created a list of Pacific Northwest water parks large and small, indoor and outdoor, Westside (cooler) and Eastside (dry, hot) to keep the kids chilled-out this summer. Do you have a favorite? Washington Water Parks Washington offers indoor water parks and outdoor water parks near big cities and out along the coastline, in both Western Washington and Eastern Washington. Have you tried them all? Great Wolf Lodge: Grand Mound, Washington Make a splash: This indoor Washington water park resort features toddler-friendly pools and big-kid slides. The five-person circular rafts slips down the River Canyon…
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Seattle Airport with Kids: Play Areas, Rocking Chairs and More
Whether you’re jetting toward a distant land or visiting Seattle to enjoy the salmon and (evasive) sun, the Seattle Airport offers great play areas and one of the best central terminal areas I’ve seen in the world. Pull a rocking chair up to the massive windows and enjoy the view, or find one of the vending machines to procure a pacifier for your infant. Here’s a breakdown of what to do, where to eat, how to get through TSA a little faster with kids, and how to nurse a baby at Seattle-Tacoma International airport. What to Do at Sea-Tac with Kids What to do at Sea-Tac with infants, toddlers, kids,…
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2023 Washington State Parks Free Days
Yes, it’s true—Washington State Parks offer more than a dozen days when admission is free, no Discover Pass required. On these days, you can park at any of the 100 Washington State Parks for free, and enjoy the park’s hiking trails, playground, beach, picnic benches, and interpretive trails for day use. While you might think the free days fall on common national holidays, they don’t always do so. In Washington State, we always do things a little differently. That’s why it pays to put these dates on the calendar in advance, so you won’t forget and can plan to visit parks in advance. Washington State Park Free Days: Winter Washington State…
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Whistler Winter: 21+ Fun Things To Do with Kids
I love Whistler resort’s Euro-village streets, where you can walk with kids from hotel door to bookstore in just a few snowy steps. Whistler’s joyful, community-minded atmosphere means it seems like there’s always a film festival, children’s art fest or apres-ski happening. Nowhere else is it easy to ski, snowshoe, skate, and swim within just a few miles without retrieving your car. Whistler-Blackcomb is a British Columbia ski resort that’s an accessible, playful, family-friendly town. After you’ve scored a hotel room or AirBnB stay, what can you do with kids in Whistler in winter? What To Do with Kids in Whistler: Outdoor Sports in Winter 1. Go tubing. Coast on…
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Where to Ski with Kids in Oregon: Camps, Lessons, Lodges & Daycares
No way to slalom around it — Oregon offers some fantastic, kid-friendly ski resorts, from Mt. Hood to Mt. Ashland. Here’s your guide to the best in skiing, snowboarding and other family snowplay. Where to Ski with Kids on Mt. Hood This 11,245-foot-tall beauty is the tallest mountain in Oregon, and you can ski 3,690 vertical feet of it. I took my first skittering ski steps in Oregon, sliding-falling down Mt. Hood’s white face. I (eventually) improved here, too — going out for night-ski runs as an older teen. Mt. Hood offers the best of all worlds a diverse terrain, plenty of kid-friendly ski, snowboard and snow play options, along…
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Leavenworth with Kids
You might think taking the kids Leavenworth, Washington is for unsavvy tourists. But after spending three days in Leavenworth, I have a different take. I looked a little harder, asked a few more questions and found it’s one of the best spots for a family-friendly vacation. Yes, the Washington State town’s Bavarian-style building fronts were manufactured during the 1960s and 70s. But the finished craftsmanship is old-world impeccable. On a sunny summer day, when you’re on the flanks of the Cascadess and you can park your car and walk everywhere you need to go—you realize that this dense, populated village has everything you need within a quarter-mile: shops, hotels, restaurants,…
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30 Things to Do with Kids in Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon is one of my favorite family destinations, due to sunny skies, warm summer weather, and sheer number of outdoor options, from hot-air balloon excursions to biking trails. Families can go cheap (finding free or low-cost options, such as lake days or skate parks, free family concerts or skywatching experiences). Or pay extra for Bend-area tours and camps, such as horse-riding or rock-climbing camps, giving parents time together. Fun Stuff to Do with Kids in Bend: Outdoors Indoor Things to Do with Kids in Bend Updated January 6, 2019 for accuracy.
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35 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Vancouver BC with Kids
Vancouver’s expensive, I’ve heard families complain. I beg to disagree. With the right attitude and approach, you’ll find tons of affordable, family-friendly fun in and around Vancouver. Vancouver Free and Cheap Things to Do with Kids Frequently Asked Questions About Vancouver with Kids Is Vancouver worth visiting with kids? Yes! Vancouver has plenty to do year-round, but particularly in summer, when the city’s parks and pools offer free fun for kids and parents. Vancouver’s most summer unique attractions may be its scenery, weather, and parks—once again, all free for families. What’s fun and free to do with young adults in Vancouver? I would take a teen to Chinatown for browsing…
