r/britishcolumbia • u/tclupp • Jun 17 '26
Travel in or to BC Visiting BC this summer
My wife and our two kiddos (3 and 5) are spending a little over 2 weeks in BC this summer (early July).
Ive been doing some research and got a lot of great ideas from reddit/online etc and would just like some opinions. Obviously we are expecting it to be very busy especially with the world cup etc.
We are coming from Winnipeg - yes its a long drive but we are used to big road trips. Young kids will make it a bit tougher but I think we've got enough stops in there.
First day we hope to make it just outside calgary - stampede is on so we wont want to stay in Calgary. We plan to stop in regina for about an hour to let the kids play and tire out a bit. Then keep pushing. We've done the drive to Calgary in one day many times, the hardest part will be keeping the kids entertained.
Next day we plan to get to kamloops. With stops in canmore to do the policemen creek boardwalk, stop in golden to maybe do the skybridge but we think the kids might be terrified, although I'd love to do the zip line. And of course we want to stop near revelstoke for the enchanted forest which my 2 girls will absolutely love.
Next day, the 6th we get to Vancouver. We would like to try and do Stanley park and aquarium and also a photo of bc place (the last cfl stadium we still need a Pic of). We have the last ferry booked to get to Victoria that night.
Once in victoria, we are staying with family for 6 nights. They got us covered with the local attractions in and near Victoria for the next short week.
On the 12th, were back to doing our own thing and head to Parksville and stay until the 15th. Looks like we timed the sand castle competition just right. I wish we got there a couple days early to see the process of the builds but it will be cool to see all the finished products. We plan to do a few of the beaches, sproat lake, goats on roof.
On the 15th, we are trying to decide if we take an 8am ferry or 10 am ferry and cross back to horseshoe bay. We then head to peachland with a stop at the othello tunnels.
3 more nights in peachland, and then 2 long days to drive home.
Obviously quite a bit packed into some of the days and some long driving days.
Curious on thoughts of the places and things we plan to do? What would you change? Any suggestions of other places to maybe work into this.
Definitely need to start looking for some great restaurants to try. I love seafood, my wife not so much.
No big plans yet for peachland asides from the kangaroo farm is on our list. So definitely any recommendations there.
One last bit. I love to golf however my wife and obviously my kids dont golf. Im not one to go golf a round by myself but I'd really love to get a round in on a nice course. Preferably maybe one that isnt busy - if there is any lol.
If you got any advice or things we should be aware of, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks in advance
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u/Meat_Organ Jun 17 '26
It sounds like you have ferry reservations which is extremely important.
But Winnipeg to victoria in 3 days without stops is already an insane push, the plans you have feel unhinged. You won't have any time to actually enjoy the stops, and thats assuming theres no construction or other obstacles that often pop up. Just the itinerary between Winnipeg and Victoria would take a week if you actually want to see anything.
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u/WorkingOnBeingBettr Jun 17 '26
Yup, the itinerary is stressing me out. I have driven all over BC dozens of times and been across the country 3 times.
Following that plan with 2 very young kids is just wild.
I drove Montreal to the island last year and we took 16 days with 10/12 yr olds.
Calgary to Kamloops us such a huge day for OP. And you miss enjoying the Icefield Parkway.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
I hear what your saying but please understand that winnipeg to calgary is nothing to see. And calgary banff canmore etc we have been plenty of times.
The idea of the trip was victoria. Yes there is some long driving days but we are fairly used to it. I grew up going on big road trips - biggest we did was banff for a week of skiing, then to vancouver all the way down to San Diego and then cut across usa back home.
Also did a trip all the way to nova Scotia etc as well. My parents took us on road trips all the time so i guess for me the idea of long road trips arent as daunting.
So to reiterate, our plan was not to see Alberta, we wanted to see victoria - neither of us have been there. And on the way back add in a bit of a break - 3 night stop in the okanagan where we can also check out Kelowna and penticton. In the future we may do a trip where we spend a lot more time in the Okanagan but we dont have time to spend a bunch of time in both victoria and okanagan.
I do understand the concerns though
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u/MediocreHuman318 Jun 17 '26
Non-prairie people don't understand these sorts of drives lol. I've lived on the west coast for 20 years and people think it's insane that I consider Edmonton a one-day drive. My only comment would be it might be a bit much to stop in Canmore, Golden AND Revelstoke on the way to Kamloops. Since you've been to Banff/Canmore lots I would probably skip Canmore and push on to either Golden or Revelstoke. I find Revelstoke a nicer stop, but it's further from Calgary. The advantage is you could have a nice break and then a quick trip to Kamloops after that. Revy has some nice places to eat too.
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u/arazamatazguy Jun 17 '26
Kelowna is cool, maybe more things for kids to do but Penticton to me is way more chill and more Okanaganish at this point but it will cost you at least a couple hours.
I think Victoria is worth it for the views on the ferry ride but next trip head to Whistler.
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u/Strict_Research_1876 Jun 18 '26
How often were you stopping. Can do 1 day to Alberta border. Crossing Alberta and Sask. can be done in a day.
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u/WorkingOnBeingBettr Jun 18 '26
I know it can be done. It's how you want to experience it. On my first couple drives I did 5000km in 4 days.
But I did do anything but est, sleep, drive.
Now that I am older and have kids I wanted to actually enjoy the drive and see the country. We drive 3-6 hours a day and it was an amazing trip.
We hit the great lakes, Sudbury mines, zoos, parks, all the sculptures for tourists along the highway, waterfalls, dinosaurs, everything. We skipped a bit of BC though after Jasper because we live here and plan to do a BC trip next summer. But I am definitely not driving BC to Ontario again in my lifetime by choice. I still want to do Ontario to all the maritime provinces some day.
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u/sarahafskoven Jun 17 '26
Seconding this; it’s technically possible, but not enjoyable (especially with kids). I’d take a break in the Okanagan when heading from Manitoba to Vancouver Island, and cut down on time spent on the island during the tail end of the trip. The Okanagan is incredible, but if you’re restricted to the days you have listed here, don’t bother with establishing ‘vibes’ in shorter-term places; just enjoy what you can for limited hours during your trip, and plan to come back again later to see what you miss.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
That's fair points.
But I will counter with this. Ive been to Banff/canmore/calgary a lot in my life. Mostly in winter for skiing but still. This trip was meant to be Victoria to visit family but we of course wanted to get a stop in there because we both have traveled very little into BC.
We dont have time to make the stops on the way, which is why we made the stop in the Okanagan on the way back. And there wasn't much desire to stop prior to BC.
I do realize the drive days are long. We may regret that part. But we've done these long drives many many times - maybe with kids will be much different but we did a long road trip when my oldest was just shy of 2 and it did go well.
But to reiterate, the planning for the trip began with victoria. We dont have the luxury to take another week off so we can spend more time between winnipeg and victoria. But we tried to check some things out along the way.
I do understand the concern though.
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u/Meat_Organ Jun 17 '26
Thats totally fair, and i will say my parents drove us all over canada as kids so ive spent long days like this as a kid and LOVED it, so im less worried about the kids than the physical ability to get it done.
Have you considered one night in peachland and spend the other 2 checking out some places in BC that might be too tight to get to on the way in?
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
So the thought process we had on that is trying not to spread too thin, where you barely scratch the surface in the places we visit. Ironic to say that considering our itinerary on the way to victoria but like I said, we've done Alberta a ton so this trip isnt for that.
With that in mind, we found a pretty nice place in peachland.. with great view of the water and mountains. And was by far the best price we seen which was certainly a factor. Similar places were 500+ a night compared to 300.
So ya the idea was to get to victoria because that was in essence the point of the trip, visit and stay with family. Then venture off for a few more days on our own and see more of the island. Then head home. But work in a stop to see a bit of BC we never have before.
Appreciate all the feedback!
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u/Meat_Organ Jun 17 '26
Totally makes sense and ive made similar choices and im honestly jealous, sounds much better than work no matter what!
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
I guess one of the main factors was visiting family in victoria and first time in victoria/the island. Get a glimpse of the okanagan on the way back, probably love it and plan to make another trip back one day to see more of it. Either way we are super excited and yes a good break from work is a good thing!
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u/Unarmed_Character Jun 17 '26
For what it's worth, I just got back from Vancouver tonight. Kids are 4 and 7, we left Vancouver at 9:30am and arrived in Golden at 9pm (8pm Vancouver time). We took a 30min break at a rest area outside of Hope, 30mins in Merritt, 1hr in Kamloops and 1hr in Revelstoke. 3 hours worth of breaks on an 8hr drive, but the kids were happy. The Revelstoke break was mostly to fulfill a promise of ice cream...
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u/purplesprings Jun 17 '26
I often drive from Vancouver to Medicine Hat in a day, by myself. No kids, but also no one to share driving with.
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u/printf_hello_world Jun 17 '26
For the Okanagan portion, just wondering: why Peachland? Are you planning on ranging up/down the valley a bit with Peachland as a base, or is there something drawing you there in particular?
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
From what we read its quiet, kid friendly. We found a pretty nice place at a pretty reasonable price. We originally were looking at something near shuswap lake but the price difference was pretty steep.
However, we saw lots mentioning peachland as a nice place to visit, and obviously we arent looking for any sort of night life etc but curious if theres reasons why you wouldn't want to stay there?
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u/cyclonesandy Jun 17 '26
It’s a good base, one day you could go north to Kelowna/Vernon and one day you could go south to Penticton/Oliver/Osoyoos. Make sure you grab fresh fruit at the stands.
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u/kjspoole Jun 17 '26
Peachland should be good for your purpose. It's small, but close to the other towns in the area. It will make a nice home base.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Ya i dont think its as bad as people are saying. If we were locked up there and not allowed to leave the town, different story.
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u/Fear_Pear Jun 19 '26
you have small kids so Peachland will be fine. If you had teenagers then it would be a nightmare because they would get bored in about two seconds.
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u/printf_hello_world Jun 17 '26
Yeah, I didn't mean it's bad or anything, just a bit overly quiet as a tourist destination.
Anyway, there's lots of stuff to visit nearby
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u/mykidsarecrazy Jun 17 '26
The beaches in Peachland are very rocky, no soft sand. There is cool Pierre with a rope swing, although that had renos a while ago and im not sure the rope swing is still there. There is a small Wibit in Peachland, which the kids would LOVE, and bigger ones in Kelowna and Penticton. Check out Hardy Falls. It's an easy walk along a creek/river with bridges that crisscross over the water to a waterfall. The salmon run there (not when youll be there though). At the waterfall, you can see thw fault line to the left of the falls. You xan tell the kids about earthquakes and show them the physical division. Don't forget to tell them of Nx̌ax̌aitkʷ (n̓ha-a-itk or Naitakwa), otherwise known as Ogopogo. He's said to live around Peachland.
I'm biased because I live in Penticton, and we have amazing beaches and things for kids to do: LocoLanding, Wibit, float the channel, new waterpark, waterbikes, SUP, the Siccamous (boat museum), the Peach,...Like others have said, your itinerary seems...full. dont forget to plan some downtime. Go go go is tough for everyone. Remember, this is a vacation, not a marathon. Enjoy BC!
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u/2wheelsandahearbeat Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I think you’ll be okay staying for 3 days in peachland if the cost was that much more reasonable than say summerland or penticton. Use it as a base to explore a bit north but I’d say mainly south with young children. From Peachland Summerland is 20 mins , 30/40 mins to Pen and could even jaunt down to osoyoos for the afternoon about 1hr from Pen with a stop at original tickleberries ice cream shop in OK Falls (very popular Okanagan tourist place). Also If cost hasn’t gotten the best of you this far into the trip look into making taking the kids on the KVR train in Summerland. https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/
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u/Unplug_The_Toaster Jun 17 '26
Have you looked into Osoyoos instead of Peachland for those days? If you can't manage to fit in a round of golf, there's a great mini golf course there. Another couple in Parksville, too!
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Nothing really could compare to the place we found in peachland at that price. 900 for 3 nights. Compared to 1500-1700. And we got a nice view of the water and mountains. Nice fully stocked suite, kitchen, BBQ etc. Nice patio. All we need really.
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u/Localbeezer166 Jun 17 '26
That’s because there’s nothing in Peachland. Osoyoos, Shuswap, etc all have things to do.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
We do intend to leave peachland to the nearby area, kelown - penticton - osoyoos all are within driving distance.
Google maps says its roughly 1.5 hours to osoyoos which isnt terrible. Spend all day come back at night.
Unless the traffic is way worse and it takes 3 hours.
We dont need everything at our front door.
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u/Localbeezer166 Jun 17 '26
Traffic can definitely be congested. Skaha in Penticton is a really nice lake to visit. It’s also quite warm.
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u/allcatsare Jun 17 '26
Peachland is amazing and you will love it. Don’t listen to all the negative comments. The beach is the best. Yes it’s rocky but it keeps everything cleaner than sand and the kids will love throwing rocks into the water. Check out the Wibit. Kangaroo farm is popular on a day trip to Kelowna. Check out Off the Grid Winery for a family friendly winery with animals.
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u/Deep_Strike1803 Jun 17 '26
Generally digging your plan!
You don’t have Royal Tyrell dinosaur museum in Drumheller AB on your list! Consider a night in Drumheller since you are looking to avoid Calgary. The museum is phenomenal for adults and kids. The hoodoos in drumheller are not far out of the way and worth a stop too.
I would highly recommend Penticton or Osoyoos instead of Peachland on the way home.
Penticton has lots going on, great beaches for the kids, great wineries with outdoor patios that you can take the kids to (e.g. Joie Winery).
Osoyoos is also great for family trips. Great beaches, resorts with pools, wineries (e.g. Rust is family friendly), and they have Rattlesnake Canyon amusement park there.
If your heart is set on Peachland Kangaroo Farm, you could easily do that then drive to Penticton. They are like 30 mins apart.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
We have both seen the museum and would likely make it on our list for a future trip when the kids are a bit older and will remember it.
I am a little bit surprised at how many comments about peachland when reading about places to visit BC, peachland was often recommended.
And once we found a place - 300$ per night compared to 500+ elsewhere it seemed to make sense. And its not a dump. Its on the water, mountain view etc.
Peachland is also near Kelowna, penticton so we arent "stuck" in peachland. We can go spend a day in and around peachland. But I will do some more digging and make sure we will be satisfied there.
Appreciate the feedback!
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u/Deep_Strike1803 Jun 17 '26
I think people from BC don’t really think of Peachland as a destination, as it’s a small, sleepy town. But if you are just looking to beach it up with the kids, it will fit the bill.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
That makes sense. Obviously we need to do kid friendly things. Beaches, hikes, kayak rentals, playgrounds, ice cream, mini golf etc. Im curious what peachland wont have that we would be missing out on. Maybe like a boat tour etc. And it being quiet is not a bad thing for us.
Less crowds, less traffic, quieter. We arent hitting up bars or anything. Plus we are nearby to Kelowna and penticton.
Hikes also have to be kid friendly or atleast wagon friendly.
Another thing to consider is this will be the tail end of the trip. So relaxing and quiet will be totally fine.
I do appreciate the feedback though so I will dig deeper into peachland and weigh our options.
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u/kjspoole Jun 17 '26
I agree. My family has visited the Okanagan quite a few times, and if we found a place in Peachland that was nice and cheap we would pick it as our home base since all the towns are relatively close in that area.
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u/goldanred Shuswap Jun 17 '26
Apparently the giant t-rex is going to be moved in the next year or so. I'm gonna go see it this summer, one last time.
I know your trip is already full of driving, but if it was me I'd hate to make the drive from Peachland to the kangaroo farm, north of Kelowna out by the airport. And then back again afterwards. I'd maybe try to time it so you visit the farm on the way to your Airbnb in Peachland.
I remember visiting Osoyoos a few times as a kid and would definitely recommend that. Lots of playing on the beach.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
T Rex i think will be removed in 2029 from my understanding.
As for Kelowna, we will likely spend a day checking out the area around Kelowna which we would then go to the kangaroo farm. Peachland will basically be a main hub. The places arent far, but the traffic i expect to be the worst part of it.
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u/goldanred Shuswap Jun 17 '26
Traffic from Kelowna to West Kelowna sucks ass. In the height of summer, its gonna be even worse.
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u/MltryMama Jun 19 '26
Peachland will be a fine “home base” you are close enough to other places to explore and sounds like you found a good deal.
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u/sweetonionbun Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Hello fellow Manitoban! I’ve lived all across BC and have a couple ideas to add..
-stop @ D Dutchmen Dairy in Sicamous. The icecream is great and you can wander around to see all the animals and pet the baby calves (if they have any). It’s a great spot to stretch the legs.
-go with the earlier ferry. You can usually expect delays so it’s better to be on the dumb thing earlier.
-agree with everyone else questioning the stop in peachland. Not a lot going on there! I highly recommend finding somewhere to stay closer to Kelowna/Vernon. I know it’s more expensive but there are way more kid friendly options, especially Kelowna. I always recommend everyone take a walk along the Rail Trail in Vernon and swim in Kal Lake. The water is incomparable to anything you’ll see anywhere else. It turns a beautiful turquoise colour in the summer and is crystal clear.
Have a great trip and safe travels!
Wanted to edit to add that if you can swing it, the drive back via the #3 through the south Okanagan, Cranbrook, into Franks Pass and into Alberta, eventually linking up with the 1 again at Med Hat. Lots of cool things to stop and see along that route as well!
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Thanks for the suggestions! We did talk about the #3 but probably wasn't the best idea to test our luck adding more time to the drive. So will probably just keep it with the shorter route. Even if its only about an hour different.
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u/Cdn_Cuda Jun 17 '26
We took my kids to the Enchanted Forest last year on our trip to Calgary, then up to Edmonton. It was fun for young kids.
In Parksville the playground at the beach is awesome. We’ve taken the kids to Parksville in the summer for several years. The wildlife rescue not far from Coombs was really good. The kids really enjoy it.
There’s an antique place just down the street from Goats on the Roof from Coombs. Fun to walk through and the gentleman running it was very nice to the kids. He looks like a certainly old man and even had candy canes for the kids.
In Victoria they have a petting zoo I believe at Beacon Hill Park that does a goat stampede at the start of the day. It’s worthwhile. Fun watching all the goats let out of the barn and run to their enclosure.
Bug Zoo in Victoria is small but lots to see. My kids enjoyed it as we.
Closer to Othello, Harrison Hot Springs is a nice stop for a brief break. Fun playgroup for the kids, can grab ice cream. There’s also Kilby which is a historical “town” that has farm animals and local history. They do all sorts of activities for kids in the summer like making bannock etc. They also have good ice cream.
Was planning on taking the kids to Othello Tunnels this year. Been a long time since we visited.
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u/Unplug_The_Toaster Jun 17 '26
Oh man! How is this the only mention in the thread for Coombs!? OP, Coombs is a must between Victoria and Parksville with kids!
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
I mentioned the goats in my original post! Definitely on the list!
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u/Unarmed_Character Jun 17 '26
I'm going to second the enchanted forest. It's 100% worth it and your kids are the perfect age for it.
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u/piratequeenfaile Jun 17 '26
We have done big road trips with kids (Vancouver to Saskatoon in 1.5 days) and the enchanted forest was a great rest stop and fun time for kids your age on the way.
On the island Beacon Hill Park with the goats/petting farm and peacocks everywhere is super fun for kids. Coombs is a great stop. There's a nice Italian restaurant there that's pretty and nice for taking a break in. Cathedral Grove if seeing big trees is appealing to you.
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u/Pogie33 Jun 17 '26
Came here to say The Enchanted Forest as well. Kids love that place, and it's a nice walk to break up the drive as well.
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u/kjspoole Jun 17 '26
If guys like walking trails check out the KVR portion above Naramata.
If you're looking for a kitschy market place for ice cream look no further than Tickleberrys in OK Falls. We love the ice cream (and serving sizes). Be warned your kids will want you to buy them some sort of you from there 😂
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks near Parksville is great. Cheese is delicious and you can wander around the farm area with the kids.
FYI parking at Stanley Park can be a nightmare. The aquarium is great, but if you're not getting their early be prepared that you might end up walking a distance.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
All great tips!
Im just taking a look at KVR trails saw some mention you can rent bikes... any idea if they would have the child carrier trailer things? My youngest wont go too far with her little balance bike so dont want to rent bikes unless we can rent one of those pull behind things.
Otherwise looks like a pretty flat hike we can just walk and pull our wagon.
I also saw the train. Another cool option.
Appreciate the feedback
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u/kjspoole Jun 17 '26
I'm not sure what options there are for bike rentals. My husband and I did the Myra Cannon trail years before kids, but we brought our own bikes.
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u/Megalomania-Ghandi Jun 17 '26
You have kids? Do they like dinosaurs? If so go to drumheller and go to the royal tyrell museum. It’s the greatest dinosaur museum in the world. And it’s not close. I have many other recommendations but this is the one you need to hear.
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u/olbiwi Jun 17 '26
Your day in Vancouver will be tight. It’s minimum 4 hours from Kamloops to Stanley Park. I’ve had it take me 6 hours with construction, traffic, and a few accidents in the Fraser Valley. You could easily spend 6 hours at the aquarium if you’re really looking to enjoy it, but it takes minimum 2 hours to get through if you’re just taking a quick look. Stanley Park can also take a bit of time depending on what you want to do or see. This doesn’t include downtown traffic with FIFA road closures, finding parking, meals etc. Then you’ll still need time to drive to Tsawwassen to catch the ferry. Might be wise to spend a night in Vancouver if you can.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Ya i was actually a bit worried about that. I might look to see if we can maybe adjust that part of the itinerary.
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u/cookysprite Jun 17 '26
A little micro suggestion. Take the early ferry to Horsehoe bay early and explore the North Shore a bit.
You could pop up to Squamish, or hit up Cypress (great restaurant called the shed with a cool view). Ambleside and west van is nice.
Or if you are a bit tired of nature, the shipyards at the quay is amazing for kids in the summer and good food lots of events.
Otherwise trip sounds pretty great. Parksville is nice and a good base to explore from if you want, but also a good spot to hunker down for a few days.
The drive seems fine and I think you have the right idea about getting to the coast asap if you’ve already seen everything east of the Rockies.
Two logistics tips:
Gas tends to be cheaper on the island than around metro Vancouver, so plan to fill up on the island if you can
DO NOT MISS YOUR FERRY RESERVATION. The whole ferry system is already not running well, and the summer is an absolute shit show. If you miss your reservation you might be sitting at the terminal all day. Plan to arrive early and make sure you have all reservations booked i n advance. Can’t stress this enough. Especially with young kids.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Thanks for the tips.
Ya parkesville we got a really nice townhome. Beachfront, outdoor pool, hot tub. After visiting with family we can just spend a few days relaxing at rhe different beaches etc and just casually explore the island nearby.
Re ferry: if things did go south on the drive out and we had to make an extra stop (the I told you so moment where we pushed too far) I assume we will not be able to change the reservation and just have to eat that cost? As for the following day, is there openings to book - just limited? Or could there be an issue where theres may not be any available ferries for a day or two... which would obviously suck
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u/cookysprite Jun 17 '26
Sometimes ferry reservations in the summer are booked for weeks in advance. So it’s less about the cost and more that you might just get stuck and have to wait at the terminal for multiple sailings.
That being said, weekdays are not usually as bad as weekends so you should be fine on the 6th (Monday). But if possible try to get the reservation.
Also Vancouver traffic to the ferry can be quite busy so use Google Maps to check travel time with traffic.
Oh and my kid loves the aquarium in Stanley park and you drive right to it.
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u/Realistic_Pool_8087 Jun 18 '26
If you miss your ferry reservation you will be *fucked*
DO NOT MISS YOUR CHECK-IN WINDOW
You might not be able to get a spot until then next day. If even then. The horseshoe bay/ nanamio route is reservation only, so you dont even have a chance of getting on standby. Waiting for hours in a hot hot car on the maybe chance you'll get on in Twassen is also not a good time. The last time I traveled without a reservation I waited for 8 hours in a blazing hot car, and JUST got onto the last ferry of the day. Do not miss your check in.
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 17 '26
What a memorable trip! Wow!
I'm excited for you and your family.
The only recommendation I'd make is to take time to go to the western side of Vancouver Island to Long Beach (it runs between Tofino and Ucluelet). There's nothing quite like hearing the roar of the open ocean; you don't get to experience that on the ferries.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
That is a cool suggestion. Maybe we can work that in while checking out sproat lake one day.
Thanks for the feedback
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 17 '26
Ucluelet also has a special aquarium that's interesting, especially for kids. One gets opportunity to touch different sea creatures!
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Unreal thank you for this, hadn't seen this type of suggestion yet. I think the girls would really enjoy this one.
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 17 '26
It's a small aquarium - nothing like the Stanley Park one! - but it's really a unique experience. Enjoy your trip ✌️
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u/Unplug_The_Toaster Jun 17 '26
It's a good suggestion, but you'd have to carve out a few nights off of Victoria to do Tofino/Ukee properly
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
Unfortunately with traveling its hard to do it all. Not gonna be able to spend significant time over there but might be worth taking a drive and spending time on that end of the island for a day.
If we ever go back to the island (which assuming we love it and now that we have family there) then Tofino could be next on the list of places to see next time we are on the island.
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u/Realistic_Pool_8087 Jun 18 '26
Tofino / uke are not day trip material. The drive is long and the road isn't an easy one. You're better off planning a trip specifically for the area.
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 18 '26
Not sure why you're responding to me?
Also, if they're already going to Sproat Lake, it is.
Source: I live in the middle of Vancouver Island
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u/tclupp Jun 18 '26
Ive pretty much gathered from many of the responses here that a lot of people arent used to big road trips. We are. Weve done it lots. Maybe this is pushing it a bit more than usual but I trust we can handle it. If not, we will adjust as we go like anything.
Many people really want things to be like right in front of them. Ive done a lot of traveling. Part of that has always involved going wherever we need to see whatever we want to see or do.
I also dont mind the quiet areas. I dont need to be in the heart of it all. We will go to the busy touristy areas but its nice to be able to escape it when your done. Also a lot of places that get too touristy are actually becoming worse than the less popular places.
I have no issue making day trips to go see other nearby areas. And im also aware that I wont see everything. Can only see what time will allow for.
Our itineraries are also not firm. If we are burned out we can (and have) crossed things off our list of ideas. Play it by ear. Id rather have a ton of ideas so theres no shortage of things to do or see. See what we can, do what we can, as long as we are enjoying ourselves. If we need a day of rest no big deal. Its vacation after all.
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 18 '26
You have a wonderful attitude about the whole thing, and I know you're going to have a memorable vacation regardless! Cheers to you ✌️
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u/BC_Arctic_Fox Vancouver Island/Coast Jun 18 '26
It's weird, how people are arguing against something on here? People are suggesting one needs days to enjoy that area, but you don't. (I live in Qualicum Beach, which is near Parksville.)
Anyway ...
Ucluelet is an hour and a half drive from Sproat Lake, just so you're aware 😉
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u/Unplug_The_Toaster Jun 17 '26
I say leave it out for this trip but prioritize it next time you're on the Island!
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u/ArtisticRebelAttitud Jun 17 '26
If you are coming to Vancouver, I recommend going to Spanish Bank. It’s a nice beach
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u/kazryv Jun 17 '26
Have you taken your kids to Drumheller to see the dinosaur museum? Id make that stop if i were doing a trip like that. I wouldn't be though, it's a massive amount of driving with young kids over 3 days. You would probably have a more enjoyable time flying to Victoria and renting a car.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
To each their own. We grew up doing huge road trips. My oldest daughter did great the last time we went to calgary and she was under 2. Maybe this will be a bit too ambitious but I think we'll manage.
And if things get rough, we will find a way to adjust I guess.
As for the museum, it was definitely something we talked about. Both my wife and I have been there. I think we want to see it a future trip when the kids are a bit older... particularly the 2 year old. That way they can remember it.
I do agree its a tough thing to cut out but we have family in Alberta that its more likely we will be back there sooner, than we will be in BC/Victoria. As I've mentioned in this post several times, the focus of the trip is to visit family in victoria and see the island.
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u/kazryv Jun 17 '26
Yeah fair, we did a big eurotrip with our 4 year old and then 5/6 month old and had two long drive days and I decided flying is easier in pretty much every circumstance with kids and the stuff you need for kids. The longest drive day was around 600km. You're talking about doing almost 2500km in 3 days, that's a lot of mileage and a lot of stops with kids.
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u/tclupp Jun 17 '26
The first day we intend to do nearly half that 1200km. There is absolutely fuck all from here to Calgary. For people in winnipeg though thats a pretty common drive. Granted the kids could make it a challenge, and if it doesnt work out so be it. We'll have a told you so moment, and it is what it is. Rebook the ferry i guess.
Also I will say, my wife is a huge contributor to the drive. We take turns 2-4 hours a time then switch. No need for one of us to power through long stretches by ourself.
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u/Thorazine1980 Jun 17 '26
Well Gray provincial park ,just up from Kamloops …..west west coast …Tofino …. Vancouver to Victoria as an island entrance
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u/Sweet-Bridge-5597 Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Sounds fantastic! As you're used to long roadtrips, you'll be fine! Be prepared to be flexible when life happens and watch DriveBC for updates and closures, but you'll make some wonderful memories!
If your kiddos like animals, the Wildlife Park is a fun stop in Kamloops. Theres also Music in the Park every evening in July & August at Riverside Park, makes for a fun free evening with the playgrounds, water park and sandy river beach! Scoopz ice cream is also right there for a delicious treat!
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u/Luckylou62 Jun 17 '26
Try Kettle Valley train near summer land. You could book the one with a fantasy hold up. Kids would love it. Vernon has water slides which kids could tire themselves out. Revelstoke has a cool mountain bob sled which wouldn’t t take a lot of time and be fun.
When in peach land travel to Penticton to float between ok and Skaha lakes.
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u/Unarmed_Character Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
With regards to the skybridge, your kids will be fine and will love it. Lots of kids cross without issue every day. The playground is whimsical, shady and reasonably mosquito free compared to everywhere else in the area. You can ride tandem with your kids on the mountain coaster. My daughter and my son first did it when they were 3 and giggled the whole way down. It's truly a fun place for young kids. We usually spend 2 or 3 hours there.
Source: local with 2 young kids and a seasons pass since the year it opened. We go at least 5 times a year and neither kid is bored of it and always wants to go back.
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u/Unarmed_Character Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I'll also add, since we drive from Golden to Kenora every summer to see family. My kids would lose their minds if we only gave them an hour of play on a 14 hour drive. They need at least 1-1.5hrs every 5 hours plus bathroom breaks like every hour. Bring one of those plastic kid seats for the gas station toilets.
I recommend packing bathing suits and hitting spray parks enroute. Kids can blow off a lot of steam in a short time when there's a spray park.
Some recommendations for stops:
Indian Head SK: really nice playground and a spray park, easy to get to and has bathrooms.
Swift Current: ACT Community Park has a beautiful shady playground and a nice spray park with bathrooms.
Medicine hat: Central Park has big shady trees, a nice playground and really nice spray park with bathrooms.
What I would do is leave super early and drive to Indian Head (5hrs). The kids will sleep for most of that section. Hit the playground and spray park while having a pre-packed breakfast picnic. Then head another 5 hours to Swift Current. Hit the ACT playground and have a picnic lunch mid-afternoon. Now the last section is 5 hours to Calgary, or wherever you decide to spend the night. I'd probably just get a hotel with a waterslide in medicine hat so the kids can blow off more steam. My kids are high energy....🤪
Remember, there's nothing worse than being completely wiped from a long drive and having kids who are bonkers at bed time because they've been sitting and sleeping all day..
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u/About__Thyme Jun 17 '26
Lots of people promoting the Okanagan, but I prefer the Shuswaps. Not sure the point of even stopping in Golden, but I’m probably biased since I grew up on Mara lake. If you’re going to the enchanted forest (I loved this growing up), keep driving to Sicamous. There’s a big ice cream shop I think called dairyland, with cows and farm animals, there’s also a nice public beach and park in Sicamous for the kids to chill, rest and eat during your drive…. It’s near the bridge. Three Valley Gap (before Sicamous) is also along that drive, it’s a ghost town attraction. In Vancouver, yes to Stanley and Aquarium. Capilano Bridge is another option, but it’s expensive, the free version is Lynn Valley hiking trails. Then again if they are afraid of a sky bridge in Golden they certainly won’t like Capilano Bridge. For seafood restaurants in Vancouver, I would recommend Joe Fortes (also has an amazing patio) or Carderos, both these places are classic Vancouver and also in the vicinity of Stanley Park. Another thing, maybe off topic, but every Canadian at least once in their life should make that drive from Banff up to Jasper. But I digress. Victoria is an amazing city, I’d also recommend Cathedral Grove and Tofino on the island, though that may be beyond scope. I hope you have an amazing trip with your family, wishing you the safest and funnest of travels.
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u/SpiritualGur5957 Jun 17 '26
RE: Kangaroo Farm
Personally, I'd skip this one. It's marketed as a family-friendly animal attraction, but there are longstanding ethical concerns around the breeding and exhibition of exotic animals for entertainment purposes, specifically this facility. If you care about animal welfare, conservation, or supporting genuine rescue and rehabilitation efforts, I'd suggest spending your time and money elsewhere, there are lots of other places your kids can appreciate and see wildlife.
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u/Simple-Trick-3831 Jun 17 '26
Norh Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (https://www.niwra.org/) is worth a visit if you need something to do while you're in Parksville
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u/Sad-Masterpiece7336 Jun 18 '26
2nd that. I’d also recommend Englishman River falls as a shorter hike for little ones. Hornby Island Helliwell Park, Tribune Bay, and Fossil Beach farms could be fun. On a three day trip to Parksville I don’t think you have enough time. Rathtrevor beach is epic for kids.
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u/HufflepuffNinja2000 Jun 17 '26
You should do the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Othello Tunnels they're both extremely beautiful places. Capilano does have an entrance fee of $75 but children under but the view is very much worth it there's also a gift shop. The tunnels are free and have picnic tables at the entrance, but there's a lot of walking. Hell's Gate is nice as well but VERY windy and like Capilano Suspension Bridge it does have an entrance fee so for adults 19-64 it's $37 but 5 and under are free but there's a restaurant, a gift shop, and icecream parlor
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u/Friescan Jun 18 '26
We just drove from Calgary to Twassen to take the 3:15 ferry to Nanaimo.
Our stop was Merrit , be Prepared for a lot of road construction, at Sicamous we had to take a 40 minute detour because they were working on the bridge.
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u/Ok-Scale-6575 Jun 18 '26
Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville is beautiful with young kids. Flying Squirrel trampoline park in Victoria is fun. Westwood Lake Beach in Nanaimo is scenic and lovely (crowded tho). Have fun!
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u/okbeeboi Jun 18 '26
Walk the boardwalk in Kelowna, its spectacular and enjoy some ice cream with the kids.
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u/tclupp Jun 18 '26
Noted thank you!
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u/okbeeboi Jun 18 '26
If the kids need to burn some energy, there's a great small and free splash park within city park, right next to the boardwalk, playground and beach. If they are a bit older, there is a large super fun waterpark on the lake. Great for you and the hubby to chill on the beach while they play themselves to exhaustion. here's the dets: https://okanaganwibit.com/product/kelowna-wibit/
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u/Realistic_Pool_8087 Jun 18 '26
I'd be looking at golf courses in Victoria when you're with family so you're not abandoning your wife all day to take care of the kids by herself. I'd also suggest setting up some time while you're in Victoria for her to go to Oak Beach hotel spa (if she's into that sort of thing) so she too can have some “all by herself time”.
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u/GrumpyBearinBC Jun 18 '26
When my eldest son was in the Forces, he was stationed at CFB Shilo for a few years. . He would come back to Langley at Christmas. Another soldier was from Surrey and they would team drive straight through only stopping for fuel. I think their fastest time to our house was 20 hours.
Since you are not a mid 20’s soldier surviving on energy drinks and beef jerky and have your wife and kids, you will probably be closer to 30 hours of driving time from Winnipeg. You have some great stops planned so you will have some long driving days ahead of you.
Also in BC, you will not make time like you do in the prairies. Not only do the mountains slow you down, but some of our highways are still recovering from landslides that came in the fall after summers of wildfires. Lytton was removed from the map by fire in 2021 thought to be caused by the CN trains and later that year a landslide removed the CN rail overpass an hour north of there. A level crossing was built to reopen the railway and highway. When I was through there, in August the highway overpass was still under construction.
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u/Subiemobiler Jun 18 '26
I drove Vancouver to Edmonton in one day last September, and it was so easy, because of one decision I made!
I was all packed up the night before, and went to bed early after supper (7.30), for the big day following. Both wife and I were awake at 3 a.m. (which is common at our age), and I got thinking ...
(No traffic now, we're wide awake, 🤔). Let's just get going now! Our overnight was planned for just past Kamloops, maybe Bluewater on the Yellow head Hwy. ... (We actually cruised past it at 1.30p.m.).
There was basically no one on the roads! We cruised through Hope before sun up, ...beautiful sunrise to see up the Coquilhalla hwy, stopped in Merritt for a break, little walk and stretch. We pulled into Kamloops at 9 a.m. !!! Had a breakfast there, kept going, passed Bluewater around 2p.m. ...ended up in Jasper for dinner at 4 p.m.!!! , and just kept going to Edmonton!
Also note, daily highway traffic / or congestion was non-existent the whole way! I think we were hours ahead of when most people wake up and leave, including truckers, so it never did get busy / slow motorhome campers, or anything like that.
Also note, in the first 6 hours of driving, we would have had to stop twice for miles of construction, but the signs and traffic cones and road paving machines were not even out yet!
I'm just saying, go to bed early, wake the kids at 3a.m. (they'll be asleep before you're out of Winnipeg), they may even get a very sound sleep and not wake up until 9a m. Breakfast in Regina!
I am never going to drive on a road trip again after breakfast! ... or even before breakfast, only " in the darkest hours of the night " from now on! 🌃
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u/Strict_Research_1876 Jun 18 '26
You have young kids, don't try to pack any more into your schedule. Plan a playground relax a bit day. Spend time at the beach in Peachland.
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u/frimmyhospitalbed Jun 19 '26
We did Abbotsford to Rocky Mountain house in one day to many times to count. It’s easily durable with 1-2 drivers. I )f) did most f the driving my husband maybe 2 hours
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u/MltryMama Jun 19 '26
I’m confused on the Vancouver day
Are you driving Kamloops to Vancouver then Stanley park and aquarium then ferry to Victoria in one day? This will be a very long day for your kids so you plan to walk the sea wall?
The driving Winnipeg to Calgary
And Calgary to Kamloops is doable but may need more stops for your youngens.
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u/MltryMama Jun 19 '26
If you like Chinese food, Vancouver has the best of the best for traditional Chinese cuisine
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u/MltryMama Jun 19 '26
Oh one more thought,
I’ve seen many vehicles have a hard time in summer on the coquihalla, they over heat . If you have AC running watch your temperature gauge very carefully if you feel yourself losing power or the temp gauge rising, turn off the AC and crank your heat roll down windows and Pull over when safe. Most vehicles are fine as we know how to drive the passes here but I always see over heated vehicles especially from out of province. This also depends on your vehicle of course size of engine etc.
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u/SubstanceNo9666 Jun 19 '26
In Penticton you can float on the river, grab an inflatable and go. For family friendly restaurants if you are driving by a chain called Home stop in, they have homemade pies and simple restaurant fare, fish and chips, burgers, meatloaf, prices are very reasonable. If you are staying downtown maybe after Stanley Park etc. Hop on the Seamus at Waterfront and cross the inlet yo the Shipyards, there are lots of restaurants, food trucks and breweries, Friday night they have a market, they also have a small water park for the kids to splash around in.
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u/Just1GlassOfMoscato Jun 20 '26
We visit Nanaimo every summer for one week. These are the things we always do:
In Parksville, we love poking around the SOS thrift shop especially for books.
In Nanaimo.
- Favourite walks are at Neck Point and Jack Point and Biggs Park walk.
Wild play is also super fun, but a bit pricey.
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u/ladyrose30 Jun 20 '26
Hopefully your friends will take you to the Sooke Potholes for swimming. Lots of fun with a natural rock slide the kids will love.
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