Exploring Vancouver B.C.: Sewell’s Sea Safari

Ready for a wet and wild way to spend a day in Vancouver, B.C.? Sea Safari tours of the beautiful Howe Sound and adjacent fjords are conducted by Sewell’s Marina, located right on the water west of the city. A full service operation, visitors can rent various sized boats to tour the bay on their own, join charter fishing trips, or sign up for the wildly popular (and with good reason) Sea Safari. These two-hour eco-tours run daily from April to October, and introduce visitors to the stunning scenery and wildlife of coastal British Columbia from aboard a custom-designed, high-speed, 30 ft. rigid hull inflatable boat.


Tours sometimes depart from Canada Place in Vancouver, or visitors with cars can drive north to the marina directly. Plan on seeing fabulous wildlife, perhaps even including seals!

Extra tip: Dress in layers. Even in summer, Vancouver can be chilly, and you’ll be on the water! Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and a sweatshirt or light jacket at the very least!

Date last visited: I didn’t get a chance to experience this adventure for myself, but was briefed by Sewell media staff.

Operating Hours: Mon-Sun, 8 am to 7 pm

Ticket prices: $73 per adult, $43 per child (Canadian prices)

Reservations: (604) 921-3474 You can also make advanced reservations here.

Directions: Located at 6409 Bay Street in West Vancouver, the Sewell Marina is an easy drive from downtown. From the city centre, head west on Georgia Street (towards Stanley Park) and cross the Lions Gate Bridge following Hwy 99 North. At the North end of the Lions Gate Bridge, follow the overhead signs to West Vancouver and Horseshoe Bay (17 km ).

Turn right up Taylor Way (still following the signs to the ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay). At the top of Taylor Way there is a major intersection with signs showing the way to Horseshoe Bay and Whistler. Turn left onto Highway 1 and head west, following all signs to Horseshoe Bay. Stay in the far right lane and exit (3) at the Horseshoe Bay “Village” sign. Exit 3 is the same as for ferries. Take village lane. This will bring you into Horseshoe Bay village. At the water, turn left on to Bay Street. Look for the blue building your next immediate right – in the center of the bay, to the right of the big propeller water fountain, is the home of Sewell’s Ocean Adventure Center.

Exploring Vancouver B.C.: Capilano Suspension Bridge

Only ten minutes outside of the city center, Vancouver offers family-friendly outdoor attractions kids will go crazy for in Capilano and Grouse Mountain. The first stop (and an easy free shuttle ride from Canada Place), is Capilano Suspension Bridge, an engineering marvel stretched 450 feet across a high river gorge in thanks to nineteenth century Vancouver settler and builder George Grant Mackay. In the years since its completion, the bridge and its surrounding businesses, including a restaurant, have been turned in to an interactive playland ripe for exploration.

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In addition to daring a trip across the bridge (which felt very sturdy but does sway alarmingly in the breeze!), kids can get a ‘squirrel’s eye view’ of the alpine rainforest canopy in the park’s Treetop Adventure, a network of ariel platforms connected by smaller bridges making their way through the dense forest. From there, a selection of forest paths lead visitors through the forest floor, where wildlife is pointed out on educational displays, ponds and undergrowth host small critters and ducks, and smaller, arched bridges traverse streams.

Just for kids: Capilano does a great job drawing kids into the eco and educational aspects of the Treetop area with an interactive scavenger hunt. Upon completion (which takes kids through various tasks they find through clues) they receive a prize.

treetop capilano

The park’s newest feature, the Cliffwalk, was my favorite. Completed in early 2011, this exhibit leads visitors out over the edge of the gorge on a glass and steel pathway (with solid glass side rails). It was a thrill to look down and see only air! The views were fabulous, and you can get great photos of the suspension bridge from the Cliffwalk, too.

From Capilano, it’s an easy public bus ride ($2.50 fare) to Grouse Mountain (ten minute ride), where a veritable outdoor playground awaits. For the price of admission, families can take the Skyride tram to the top of the mountain, explore the wildlife refuge, watch productions on the Theater in the Sky, take a chairlift ride, and more. For additional cost, zip lines and the Eye in the Sky wind turbine will catch kids’ eye. If you think you’ll have kids wanting to do it all (like mine), extra activities can be bundled with general admission.

cliffwalk

Extra Tip: If Capilano leaves you wanting more, another (free) suspension bridge exists outside of Vancouver. You’ll need a car to visit the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, but the effort will be rewarded with an even more authentic view of natural British Columbia. Check out five other adventurous things to do with kids outside of Vancouver at local blogger The Travelling Mom.

Date last visited: June 13, 2011

Distance from the interstate/city: Five to ten minutes outside downtown Vancouver.

Hours of operation: May 28th-September: 8:30 am to 8 pm.

Admission costs: Adults are $32, youth (age 13-16) are $21, children (6-12) are $12, and under 6 are free. Get 20% off if you arrive at the park an hour before closing! (This is do-able: the park generally takes 1-1.5 hours to view.)

Food services: There are several snack shops and a counter-service restaurant within the park, and a cozy cottage-style full-service restaurant directly across the street (a great choice while waiting for your shuttle).

Website: www.capbridge.com

Directions: Catch the free shuttle from Canada Place in Vancouver (it also stops at several downtown hotels), or drive through Stanley Park over Lion’s Gate Bridge and along Capilano Road to 3735 Capilano.

Exploring Vancouver, B.C.: Granville Island with kids

When I set out to explore Vancouver’s Granville Island on a sunny Monday afternoon, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Known best for its upscale public market and boutique shops, I certainly didn’t think it would have much to entice kids. I was wrong. Granville Island began winning me over before I even got there: from the dock at the very end of Hornby Street, I waited (all of two minutes) for the Aquabus to carry me across the hairsbreath of water that separates the mainland from the island, and when it arrived in all it’s cute, multi-colored glory, bumped up against the dock, and the operator gave a friendly wave, I was in love.

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Once on-island, the public market is only a few blocks away. I stepped in, looked around, and instantly reached for my camera: the colors, smells, and sheer artistry of the arrangement of food and wares was enough to take my breath away (or just make me want to breathe very deeply). I’d wondered what there’d be for kids to do, but between the samples being offered around every corner, the merchandise piled high in all directions, and the people watching, I shouldn’t have worried.

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I immediately bought a French crepe with cinnamon and sugar, then set out to see what other tricks this little island had up its sleeve. The shops along the adjacent streets were indeed upscale, but not stuffy. I’d estimate that I’d feel comfortable taking my kids into at least every other one to poke around. The best was one (or rather several) I stumbled upon by accident: Kids Market on Cartwright Street. This two-story marketplace stuffs 25 shops under one roof, and the result is an eye-popping array of toys, stuffed animals, puppets, clothing, and books overflowing from every countertop, shelf, and hallway. If the kids get tired of wandering (ha!), there’s even a play space with brightly colored tubes and ball pits that run the length and height of the building.

kids-market
After my visit to toy heaven, I returned to the public market for lunch: the countless options within close proximity make it an ideal place for a family meal. Among the long stretch of food stalls, I found a vegetarian Thali dish served on a tin plate (you get a $2 deposit back for returning it). Next to me, a toddler ate organic cheese and grapes bought a few isles down, and a little girl worked her way through a danish as big as her head.

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Also on-island are restaurants, comedy clubs, art galleries, parks, and kayak and boat rentals. Talented street musicians perform most days, and kids can walk along the harbor watching the boats come in. It’s a wonderful way to either spend very little money or quite a lot while experiencing Vancouver.

Date last visited: June 13, 2011

Distance from downtown Vancouver: Two minutes by boat or bridge.

Admission: None, but passage on an Aquabus will cost $3.25 for adults and $1.75 for kids (one way) from the Hornby dock. No need to purchase ahead of time. (Full list of schedules and fares.)

Hours of operation: The island is open seven days a week, 9 am to 7 pm.

Directions: The Hornby dock is a 15-20 minute walk from most points in downtown Vancouver. (It took me 20 from Canada Place.) City bus routes can also get you there. If you opt to drive, the Granville Bridge is accessed by Granville Street.

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Exploring Vancouver, B.C.: Stanley Park by bicycle

Vancouver’s Stanley Park consists of an expanse of wilderness at the northern end of the city that begs for family exploration. It’s dotted with totem poles, lakes, botanical gardens, beaches, and even an aquarium and offers hiking, carriage rides, interactive historical and ecological displays, and playgrounds. It’s also 1000 acres in size, which makes it the ideal space to explore by bicycle. spokes-vancouver-bc We found several bicycle rental companies in the immediate vicinity of the park entrance on West Georgia Street, and settled on Spokes, a friendly, bustling shop at the corner of Denman and West Georgia (look for its bright orange and yellow signage). We arrived on a summer Friday afternoon, and completed the rental process and were outfitted with bikes, helmets, and bike locks within minutes. Families can start riding directly from the shop (just walk the bikes across the intersection at the crosswalk and merge onto the Seaside Bike Route, otherwise known as the Stanley Park Sea Wall. The Sea Wall bike route hugs the water along the edge of the park, and affords incredible views of the bay, Lion’s Gate Bridge, and the downtown Vancouver city scape as you round the point of Coal Harbor. No cars are allowed on the path, and it’s well-marked to direct two-way bike, pedestrian, and roller blade traffic. It does get narrow at some spots (which can be especially tricky to navigate around bends), but assuming your kids aren’t racing each other (perhaps an erroneous assumption), everyone should come out unscathed. sea-wall If you follow the Sea Wall all the way around the park, you’ll have pedaled over eight kilometers, wrapping back around to West Georgia Street by way of the scenic Lost Lagoon lake. If that route’s more than you (or smaller legs) bargained for, several additional bike paths cut through the interior of the park, cutting a significant portion off the loop (and as a bonus, they take you past Beaver Lake and the intersection for the Vancouver Aquarium, and miniature railway, which we didn’t get the chance to try but I’m told are excellent). Note: Bike and pedestrian traffic along the sea wall is counter-clockwise only, so turning around and retracing your steps is not an option. The best thing about biking the Sea Wall (apart from all the sightseeing ground you’ll cover while everyone gets exercise) is the abundance of stops for kids along the way. Five minutes into your ride, you’ll encounter the totem pole replicas carved out of red cedar at the Brockton Point Interpretive Center, educating visitors about First Nations history. Further along, the wall gives way to small sandy beaches with drift wood logs, rock formations, and softly lapping surf. Further still, your kids will roll to a stop (and walk their bikes) past a huge playground complete with a water play splash park (with air-blown ‘drying station’), climbing structures, and slides. Around the <i>next</i> bend, there’s a large outdoor pool overlooking the bay, another playground, and an echo-y tunnel to hide in (or rather your kids will, giving you a heart attack). totem-poles-stanley-park After the pool, the sea wall ends and the bike route climbs the hillside to run adjacent to the traffic on Park Drive, but we still felt very safe; the path is still bike/pedestrian only and any intersections are clearly marked with stop signs. It was at this point that we opted to cut through the park interior back to West Georgia, allowing us to ride past the botanical gardens and entrance to the aquarium. (To go this route, catch the intersecting path at Pipeline Road, about four kilometers into the loop.) Hours of operation: Stanley Park is open during daylight hours. Spokes bike rental is open 8 am to 9 pm, seven days a week. No reservations are required! Bike rental rates: Rates vary depending on the style of bike you’re renting. Child rates start at approximately $4.50/hour or $13/a half-day, adults a few dollars more. Tandem bikes and bike trailers are also available. Food services: Several exist throughout the park. Along the sea wall, families will find more than one burger/seafood joint, and a snack shack-type food stand near the pool. We didn’t stop, but I’m sure I remember smelling French fries and funnel cakes. Website: www.spokesbicyclerentals.com Directions: You can actually follow the bike and pedestrian path (sea wall) all the way from Canada Place, turning left and walking one block on Delman Street, but it’s an approximately 20-30 minute walk with small children. Otherwise, the drive is about 12 blocks West Georgia and Burrard.

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The Four Seasons Vancouver: kid-friendly luxury

Last week, had I been asked to describe the Four Seasons family of resorts, I would have used phrases such as ‘exceptional reputation’, ‘luxury accommodations’, or ‘famed attention to detail’. After spending three blissful days at the Four Seasons Vancouver, I can add: ‘family-friendliness’.

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Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The same qualities that make the Four Seasons Vancouver an outstanding resort for adult travelers are what make it great for kids: the staff knows how to go the extra mile, and then does it…your entire stay. Kids are catered to with their own room service menu, child-sized robes, and kid-friendly (and wallet-friendly) food in the Four Seasons Vancouver’s YEW Restaurant and Bar (they eat breakfast for free, for starters). I love that children are served healthy (and appealing) appetizers immediately upon sitting down to eat, along with a small toy or goodie with high entertainment value like Wikki Stix. In fact, Kids in the Kitchen cooking classes are offered for children as well, during which your aspiring chefs can experience a real working kitchen under the supervision of Four Seasons pastry chefs.

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My room during my Four Seasons stay was perfectly configured for family travel: the suite featured both a bedroom and living area/bedroom with pull-out couch (separated by glass French doors) and two full bathrooms. (The bathrooms are small, but both feature tubs in addition to showers.) Two LCD TVs, two full closets, and two sets of chairs and corner tables made spreading out easy.

The indoor/outdoor pool and fitness center were only an elevator ride away (it was fun to view the outdoor 4th floor deck and garden space from our 26th floor window), and for those early morning swims the kids just have to take? Parents can sit poolside with a complimentary paper, coffee, and fruit.

four-seasons-suite

Does this level of customer service and amenity come with a price? Sure. But what family travelers receive in return far outweighs the room rate: the chance to relax with their kids, and the opportunity to unwind after a busy (and let’s face it…sometimes stressful) travel day with little ones. The boost such amenities offer parents, especially while touring a busy city like Vancouver, can be the difference between a tiring, hurried vacation and a truly enjoyable one.

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Date last visited: June 10, 2011

Room Rates: Check the Four Season Vancouver reservation page for up-to-date room rate information.

Reservations: Book online, or call (604) 689-9333.

Restaurants and food services: The YEW Restaurant and Bar is decidedly upscale, but a great option for families in the morning hours. What’s even better for families is the Four Season’s full in-room dining menu, complete with children’s menus for every meal.

Directions: The Four Seasons Vancouver is located at 791 W. Georgia Street in the heart of the City Centre. Note: The main entrance of Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver is located on Howe Street, which is a one-way street. Guests using an electronic navigation system to locate the Hotel should input “650 Howe Street” to arrive at the Hotel’s front entrance.

If arriving from the airport, simply take the Canada Line (rapid transit system) directly to the hotel. The Canada Line departs from the Link Building, which is located between the domestic and international terminals.

As I disclose whenever applicable, the Four Seasons Vancouver hosted my stay in full in a deluxe executive suite. While I appreciate their hospitality, it came with no expectations of a positive review.