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Seven Funky, Must-Visit Vancouver Stores
So, you’ve been to Granville Island. You’ve enjoyed the hip shops along Vancouver’s 4th Avenue. Ready for something different? Don’t want to buy just another mass-produced souvenir from the Robson stores? Here are seven indie-owned Vancouver shops that everyone will love. 1. Urban Source. Hundreds of bits ‘n’ scraps fill this store – no, it’s not a hoarder’s dream. Instead, it’s a clever shop that challenges children and adults alike to craftily reuse and recycle. Take paper and caps and create a flight of fancy in the form of a bird, or make your own decorative wrapping paper. It’s a fun way to spend $10 and make something beautiful once…
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Five Favorite Vancouver Hotels for Families: From cheap to posh
We’re celebrating Vancouver, BC with a week’s worth of Vancouver- and BC-centered posts. I’ll give you the skinny on my favorite kid-friendly hotels, restaurants and activities. Our family always stays in the downtown core or in the West End. The downtown core is convenient for catching the SkyTrain to Science World and walking along Vancouver’s “high street†– Robson Street. Downside: Very expensive parking, often starting at around $20/day. The West End is convenient to Stanley Park (which will soon become your kids’ favorite park in the whole world) and offers a U.N.-worthy selection of inexpensive, international eateries. I personally avoid staying anywhere along upper Granville street (before you hit…
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Creepy Collections: Discover summer scares in area attractions
You won’t need air conditioning to get the chills, this summer. It seems almost every city in our area is offering something a little spooky and freaky, from the Pacific Science Center’s “Science of Fear†in Seattle to The Oregon Zoo’s animatronic dinos to surrealist bird-people at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Here’s your guide to the best summer exhibits in our area. Seattle Goose Bumps! The Science Of Fear at the Pacific Science Center. June 11 – September 5, 2011 This freaky fun at Pacific Science Center focuses on why and how we feel afraid. See what spooks you – and discover the science behind your scare. Give yourself a…
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What to Pack for an Outdoor Festival (with Kids)
It’s festival season here in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. We’ve got festivals of every stripe — berry festivals, Shakespeare festivals, folk festivals, medieval festivals, rose and rodeo festivals. Our family recently went to the Folklife Festival with our kids, and here’s a packing list I created. These items fit into one small backpack ( thankfully, we didn’t need any rain gear), which we slung over the stroller, along with the small cooler. Festival essentials: Cell phone ID Keys Cash (more than you think you’ll need) and Credit/Debit card and pin Tickets if necessary Map or iPhone or Android event schedule/map Camera w/extra battery or memory card Festival packing…
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50 Free Museums in Washington & Oregon for Military Families
This summer, military families get free passes into over 50 fantastic Pacific Northwest museums. The Blue Star Museums initiative is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 1,000 museums across America. Blue Star Museums offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011, through Labor Day, September 5, 2011. Read more at the Blue Star Museums page. A few of my favorite family museums: High Desert Museum (in Bend, Ore.), Portland Art Museum (Portland, Ore.), University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Eugene, Ore.), Kids Discovery Museum (Bainbridge Island, Wash.), KidsQuest Children’s…