After several months on the road with our two pre-schoolers, my husband and I arrive in Canada. I spent almost three months here in 2016, and in 2018 we both spent a whole month here. We simply love this country and its people! So it’s no surprise that Canada naturally became part of our #CreativElenaRTW world trip.
Hello, Canada! We are lucky and get to explore Vancouver and Whistler with dear local friends Sheri, Brooke, Ambrose and Jordan (from left to right).
Exploring Vancouver with the family: Tipps for your stay in Western Canada.
I have already written about Vancouver and our whale watching adventures on Vancouver Island here on my blog.
This time, it is different, as we are not only travelling with our children, but with the whole extended family! My parents have joined us from Austria on the occasion of celebrating Liam’s 6th birthday with us in Canada! What an adventure.
When planning activities with the family in Vancouver and the surrounding area, it helps Georg and me that we have both been here several times before. If we’d had even more time, I would have loved to show them Salt Spring Island between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, a lovely near-Vancouver destination!
But as it is, we agree on visiting sights we are already familiar with, as well as booking two exciting tours.
Hello and welcome to Vancouver, Western Canada: The reception at the airport is more reminiscent of a museum than the usual bland airport décor.
We celebrate being together on Liam’s 6th birthday with gifts from Austria in Vancouver: what a beautiful, special moment for our family!
Downtown Vancouver: Waterfront, Vancouver Lookout, Aquabus, Granville Island & Kitsilano Beach.
Downtown Vancouver, with its beautiful waterfront and bustling seaplanes, is easily accessible by public transport. We travel from North Vancouver on the Seabus, a regular ferry service in Vancouver Harbour that connects the north of the city with downtown.
It’s worth taking a stroll around and enjoying the view from Vancouver Lookout.
Vancouver Waterfront with its many seaplanes heading for Vancouver Island or the islands in between.
From Vancouver Lookout, the view stretches all the way to the United States and Mount Rainier, an active volcano on the horizon.
From Gastown, one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods, you can easily reach popular Science World by Skytrain or public bus. It’s worth a visit, also without kids.
We stock up on snacks at nearby Terra Breads (a delicious bakery!) and take the Aquabus to Granville Island: the island between downtown Vancouver and Vancouver’s famous Kitsilano city beach is a mecca for sailors, craft beer lovers and market enthusiasts.
Liam loves the Aquabus ride along False Creek in Vancouver all the way to Granville Island.
A magical place to celebrate a birthday: Kitsilano is easily accessible by public transport and offers a playground, café and plenty of open beach space to run around and enjoy yourself.
Talking Trees Tour with Talaysay First Nations.
One of Vancouver’s main attractions is a visit to Stanley Park. This peninsula off the coast of Vancouver’s city and harbour area was once home to First Nations tribes before it was converted into a public park.
Talaysay Campo and her team at Talaysay Tours focus on part of this history. We take part in their “Talking Trees Tour“, during which tour guides Gavin and Karen explain the cultural, spiritual and practical significance of the endemic tree species and plants.
The following statement particularly stuck with me: “You see, we didn’t just live in the wilderness. Even before contact with European settlers, our ancestors had already begun to change and shape the natural environment around them. This included the controlled use of fire. We hope that, in light of major forest fires around the world, more attention will be paid to indigenous knowledge about effective fire protection measures.”
Thank you so much for this interesting Talking Trees Tour in Stanley Park, dear Gavin, dear Talaysay Tours!
Taking Hullo Ferries to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island for the day.
“I think it runs every day. In any case, it’s very fast: you can be in Nanaimo in just 90 minutes” says our local Vancouver friend Sheri, recommending that we try Hullo Ferries in Vancouver Harbour.
So we book our tickets for the children, parents and grandparents (the former and latter receive good discounts) and take a short little day trip to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
Hullo Ferries run several times a day from Vancouver Waterfront to Nanaimo, much faster and more direct than the large car ferries.
We spend the day walking by the sea, visiting playgrounds, shopping and visiting the Nanaimo City Museum.
Exploring Whistler with the family: Tipps for your stay.
About an hour north of Vancouver lies the famous Canadian winter sports resort of Whistler, which also has a lot to offer in summer. Together with Vancouver, Whistler hosted the Winter Olympics in 2010. Since then, visitor numbers have risen steadily: we too have been confronted with significantly higher prices since my last visit to Whistler in 2016.
And still, this truly beautiful mountain region in western Canada definitely deserves your visit. We are staying at the Aspen Lodge, from where we can walk down to Whistler village.
Our accommodation in Whistler, the Aspen Lodge, has its own pool and underground parking.
A view of Whistler from the gondola. In recent years, mountain and downhill biking have become increasingly popular in summer.
Whistler Blackcomb: Up exploring the mighty peaks.
A gondola ride in Whistler is definitely worthwhile. In addition to all the mountain vistas, we particularly remember the summit restaurant, the small playground on the mountain and us meeting the local marmots (“whistlers”), which had just woken up from hibernation!
Visiting the famous winter sports resort of Whistler in the Canadian Rocky Mountains with my family. For my mum, who loves watching ski races on TV, this visit was particularly impressive!
Good morning! This cute little marmot has probably just woken up from hibernation. Their typical “whistle” sound once gave the famous ski resort its name. Looking at them makes me think of “my marmot” Liam from my children’s book series!
Train wreck hike (also suitable for families).
We make another curious discovery after a short hike some 20 minutes’ drive south of Whistler. Following the Sea-To-Sky Highway, we turn left at Whistler Creek onto Cheakamus Lake Road and stop at Bayly Park Parking.
The now famous “Train Wreck” has an entry on Google Maps and is really quite easy to find. The tip to visit again comes from our friend Sheri, who wants to show us something truly extraordinary. She’s right – we’ve never seen anything like it before!
After a short hike through the forest by the Cheakamus River, Sheri shows us …
… what lies hidden in the woods here: About ten years ago, artists began painting the scrapped carriages of a train that derailed decades ago in bright colours. Whether intentional or not, they have triggered a continuous stream of visitors to the former accident site!
Check out Mountain Brewing for some nice local craft beers afterwards!
Thank you so much, dear Sheri, for the lovely time spent together in Whistler!
Culture tip: Squamish Lil’wat First Nations cultural centre.
The modern cultural centre with its permanent exhibitions on the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations is a must-see when visiting Whistler. It describes the local area history in and around Whistler, explains some mountain and natural phenomena from the perspective of Canada’s indigenous peoples, and provides insight into their traditional way of life. It also describes modern adaptations to contemporary culture.
I remember the cultural centre as a lively place where descendants of the First Nations proudly present their culture to us.
Squamish Lil’wat cultural centre in Whistler offers many interactive exhibits, also appealing to visitors with kids.
Sea-To-Sky-Gondola in Squamish: The perfect stop between Whistler and Vancouver.
Anyone travelling along the Sea-To-Sky Highway should definitely stop at the Sea-To-Sky Gondola. The view over the sparkling Howe Sound and the fantastic hiking trails from the mountain top make up for what you pay for ascent and descent.
Sea-To-Sky Gondola with a view over Howe Sound, north of Vancouver and right ahead of Squamish village.
The spectacular mountain panorama invites you to linger in the café, on the suspension bridge and on the viewing terrace.
If you would like to know more about each of the destinations of our #CreativElenaRTW family trip around the world, I can recommend the following articles on my travel blog.
They may trigger acute wanderlust, but they are certainly very useful for planning and inspiring a long-distance trip with (small) children
- Perth with kids: Family travel tips in Western Australia
- Near Perth, Western Australia: Exploring Mandurah, Gingin & Pinnacles Desert
- Roadtrip in East Coast Australia: Travel Tips from Brisbane to Byron Bay.
- Campervan Travel in New Zealand: South Island Highlights for families.
- Campervan Travel in New Zealand: North Island Highlights for families.
- Taking the family to Hawaii: Travel tips with kids in Oahu.
- Taking the family to Hawaii: Travel tips with kids in Big Island.
- Roadtrip USA: Travel tips from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley and Santa Fe.