A walk in the woods

It's BC-Day long weekend here in British Columbia, and even though the skies are still hazy (because of the smoke from the tragic fires in the interior), the weather has been beautiful.

On Sunday, I headed out for a hike in the woods of North Vancouver with the family, and we ended up having a great time in Lynn Headwaters. All told, we hiked about 8 km, some of that up some steep hills on the Lynn Loop Trail, and yes, my legs were rather tired afterwards!

Lynn Headwaters is a great destination with both kids and dogs: some challenging hikes, but also some trails that are easy to walk for young kids.

All about Lynn Headwaters.

The Canadian Rockies with kids & a dog - accommodation, food & sightseeing

This summer my family went on a road trip from Vancouver, to the Canadian Rockies and back. 4 adults, 2 kids and 1 dog traveling in a van for a week: needless to say, it was a tremendous trip. Here are the places we stayed, and some things we dog- and kid-friendly things we saw and did along the way.

All the accommodation on this trip had to allow dogs, so I was a bit nervous about getting everything booked: especially since we were traveling in August, the busy season. I did manage it, but it was probably a good thing I made my reservations a few months ahead of time.

Sightseeing at Craigellachie.

View from the cabins at Glacier House.

Day 1. Vancouver to Revelstoke

This was the longest drive we did in one day on this trip. It took all day with stops for snacks, lunch, kids and dog to stretch their legs and so forth. But the scenery is wonderful along the way, and though it was a bit of an ordeal, in the end we got there and everyone was still sane. One of our stops was at Craigellachie, site of "the driving of the last spike" for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. There's an old train car there and a memorial plaque, as well as a small museum.

Accommodation
We stayed the night in Glacier House Resort, up in the woods and mountains just outside Revelstoke.

Our cabin was spacious with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lot of space. There was even a hot tub on the deck! There's also a pool available for guests. It's all set in a beautiful area, and away from all the city lights there's a chance of beautiful starry skies if you're there on a cloudless night. As for wildlife viewing: there were bear warnings up, and though we didn't see a bear, we did see some bear scat the next morning. (The dog was most interested!)

Food
The restaurant at Glacier House was very good, and the included "deluxe continental breakfast" the next morning was very good. Nothing super fancy, but tasty yogurt, nice jams, good bread, and outdoor seating available.

One of the stunning vistas on the way.

Day 2. Revelstoke to Banff

The drive from Revelstoke to Banff is pretty stunning and driving up into the Rockies makes for some grand scenery no matter what route you take. There are so many viewpoints and beautiful vistas everywhere you kind of have to let some of them go if you want to get somewhere in a day's driving...

At the end of the day, our dog - and the kids - were getting a bit squirrelly from riding in the car for so long, but it turns out that Banff has a pretty great fenced in off-leash dog park, which was a great bonus for us. Dogs are supposed to be on leash in most areas of the national park, and with all the wildlife around this is no doubt the safest option for dogs, grizzly bears, deer, elk, and whatever else you may encounter. The off-leash park is located on Hawk Avenue in an industrial area on the outskirts of Banff, but the park itself is rather large with lots of trees, mountain views, and lots of friendly local and visiting dogs. (Map available here.)

Accommodation
Our dog- and kid-friendly accommodation in Banff was a cabin at Tunnel Mountain Resort. It wasn't as spacious as our cabin at Glacier House, but still good. There's a decent pool and a hot tub, a coin laundry on site, another coin laundry across the road, and a small grocery store nearby. You can walk into downtown Banff from the resort (it takes about 20 minutes), which makes for a good doggie-walk, just be warned that it's a rather steep trek coming back!

Food
There are so many restaurants in Banff, but we finally decided on takeout from Chili's Grill & Bar. The food was very good, and the restaurant looked nice as well when we picked everything up. The entire menu is available for takeout, and it made for an enjoyable meal back at our cabin.

Marsh Loop Trail in Banff.

Day 3. In Banff

We had one full day in Banff and we started it off by going for a walk. The Marsh Loop trail made for a nice hike for adults, kids, and the dog. This hike starts from the Cave & Basin parking lot in Banff, so it's very easy to access. There are beautiful views of the mountains, and of lovely green Bow River. The hike itself is an easy walk with no elevation gain and plenty of spots to take great pictures of the scenery along the water.

The view from the Banff Gondola.

After that we took the Banff Gondola up the mountain for some rather breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. This is a very busy place, and there will be lineups, so it's a good idea to head there as early as possible in the day. The kids absolutely loved the ride up the mountain, and the gondola actually welcomes dogs, much to my surprise. Even better, it turned out our furry guy quite liked the ride.

After that, we visited the ever-popular Upper Hot Springs, located very close to the gondola. No dogs are allowed in the hot springs pool, but the human travelers really enjoyed the visit. You can rent towels and bathing suits at the pool, or bring your own. Do bring your own soap and shampoo, though! 

Food
We had been reading up on a few nice places to visit for dinner in Banff, but it turned out everywhere we had looked at ahead of time was either full or closed once we were ready to eat. Finally, we ended up at The Elk & Oarsman in downtown Banff. This is a rather busy and noisy place, but the service was friendly and the food was good, with a good kids' menu. Bison- and elk-burgers are available on the menu here!

Columbia Icefields.

Day 4. Banff to Jasper

This drive along the Icefields Parkway is famous for a reason: it's a spectacular drive, going way up in the Rockies with amazing mountain and glacier views everywhere you look. We had some rain and cloud swirling around us, but the weather did clear up enough that we got a good look at the fantastic landscape. And of course we took a stroll up to the glacier at the Columbia Icefields!

The Crossing Café.

Afterwards, we ate lunch at The Crossing, a cafeteria style restaurant located on the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper. It's not a fancy place, but the food was great. Good sandwiches, good salads, and I'd also highly recommend the chili! There's also a very well-stocked tourist shop here, so if you're looking for souvenirs, you're in luck!

The view from our cabin at Tekarra Lodge.

Accommodation
In Jasper we stayed in a cabin at Tekarra Lodge. Tekarra Lodge is situated right outside Jasper (a short drive, or walking distance if you like a decent walk) and is surrounded by a nicely wooded area. It's a great place to stay if you're looking for something away from the town, and it is definitely both dog- and kid-friendly. There are all sorts of hiking trails around, the river is right there on one side, there are trees everywhere, and there was even a tantalizing "water hole" right behind our cabin: needless to say, the dog loved it.

The cabin itself was nicely furnished with a kitchen and small bathroom. No TVs at all - which can be a plus or a minus I suppose. However, the free wifi was definitely a plus. There's a coin laundry available on site, and the surroundings are beautiful. 

Food
Tekarra Lodge is home to Tekarra Restaurant, a real gourmet establishment. The food was fabulous and it was nice to be able to just amble back to the cabin through the grounds when we had finished our meal. Even if you're staying elsewhere in Jasper, I'd highly recommend checking out this place.

Like Banff, Jasper also has a fenced in off-leash dog park. It's located near the railway crossing and the Home Hardware store. Not as big and fancy as the one in Banff, but great for giving the dog a good run if you bring a ball or other dog toy along.

Jasper in the morning.

Day 5. In Jasper

Jasper's wildlife was on fine display the next day. We saw elk, deer, and even caribou throughout the town when we headed out the next morning. No bears (fortunately or unfortunately), but plenty of those beautiful elk in closeup.

Jasper SkyTram.

Ground squirrel.

We headed out for a ride on the Jasper Skytram (dogs were allowed here, just like on the Banff Gondola), and wandered up the mountain a bit in the foggy weather. There are amazing views, of course, even on a somewhat foggy day, and there's also a lot of wildlife. We saw ground squirrels, pikas, and hoary marmots up close and personal.

In the afternoon the weather turned rather rainy and we decided to drive to Miette Hot Springs. This turned out to be a longer drive from Jasper than we had really anticipated (the last bit on a very winding mountain road), but the hot springs pool was good once we got there. It is a rather busy place, but it is nicely laid out with two large hot pools, and a couple of smaller cold pools. The kids had a great time and had decided that hot springs, and gondolas (or skytrams) were definitely the way to go when you're on holidays.

There are also a lot hiking trails in the area (the dog did get a walk there), so the place is definitely worth a visit and it was an excellent way to spend a rainy afternoon. 

Food
We checked out Evil Dave's Grill for dinner and this was another foodie-hit. Yummy food, a great kids' menu, and the best brownie for dessert I've ever tasted. It was gluten-free and scrumptious.

View at Overlander Falls.

Day 6. Jasper to Kamloops 

This was when we left the Rockies behind. The drive from Jasper to Kamloops was an easy breezy trip. We had hoped for a good view of Mount Robson on the way, but no such luck: the clouds stubbornly shrouded most of the mountain. Instead, we opted for a short hike to Overlander Falls near Mount Robson, and ended up with a nice forest stroll and a good view of the roaring river. It was a short and nice walk for kids, dogs, and adults.

As we drove through Valemount and eventually into the Okanagan area, it was amazing to see how the landscape, geography and vegetation changed along the way: British Columbia is a pretty spectacular place. And when we eventually got to Kamloops, it was really, really hot. No surprise in August!

Going for a swim in Kamloops.

For dogs, Kamloops turned out to be quite the paradise with lots of off-leash areas. We chose to take our fur-ball down to the river, to an off-leash area at Overlander Park Beach. It was a beautiful place with a great view of the city across the water and a wide stretch of sand for dogs to run around on nect to the water. With the warm weather, evening sunshine, and some friendly local dogs to play with it was definitely a hit with both the humans and the dog.

Accommodation

We stayed at the Best Western Plus in Kamloops. This is a great hotel, and dogs are welcome in some of the rooms on the bottom floor. Our dog-friendly room was spacious and sparkling clean. It had a big bathroom, nice beds, and we were even able to borrow a food bowl for the dog (he'd been eating off borrowed plates until then). There is also a pool for guests to use.

Food

For dinner, we headed to the closest White Spot restaurant. Sometimes, an "old reliable" is the best choice, and everyone was pretty tired by that point. The service was good and the food was tasty, as always.

Hill Top Gardens Farm and store.

Day 7. Kamloops to Vancouver

Breakfast at the Best Western Plus was tasty and plentiful, though there was really not enough room in the designated breakfast lounge for all the people who wanted to eat. The biggest hit with my kids? A pancake machine. Yes, indeed: a machine that makes pancakes at the press of a button. They even tasted good, and I think I might want one for my kitchen now.

On the drive home to and through the Fraser Canyon, we stopped at the Hilltop Gardens Farm and picked up some fresh peaches. It's a wonderful little place to stop at right on the side of the road. and I highly recommend if you're there in peach season!

All photos by me, Nils Gunnar Larsson, or Doug Haskins.

The two guidebooks I had on my Kindle for this trip were:

• Moon British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway (Moon Handbooks)

• Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks (Travel Guide)

It's that time of year again - strawberry U-picking with my kids

Strawberry season came early this year to our part of the world (that would be just outside Vancouver on Canada's west coast). It's been a dry and sunny spring, so the berries were ready for picking a few weeks early.

Going to the U-pick for strawberries has become a family tradition. The kids love it: both the picking AND the eating, and it's a great activity to do with them. As an added bonus, we end up with a whole lot of fresh strawberries, freezer jam, and frozen berries.

Picking our berries a couple of years ago.

We usually don't pick for longer than an hour, and this year we ended up with about 8 kilos of berries: that's about half our usual haul, partly because the berries were smaller than usual (because of the lack of rainfall, though they were also very sweet because of all the sunshine), and partly because the fields were busy and it was probably a bit early in the season. Still, we brought it all home and enjoyed every berry!

As usual, we headed to Ladner's Westham Island, though we couldn't pick at our usual place (Bissett Farms) since they had been picked out the day before we got there. Still, we found a great place to pick at Ellis Farms, part of the Westham Island Herb Farm.

Strawberry fields forever.

U-picks and farmer's markets are a great way to get outside with your kids, and get some tasty fruit, berries and veggies at the same time. You also do save some money compared to buying the produce already picked, but the main attraction is just the joy of doing something together.

The Vancouver Aquarium - renovated and still a favourite!

The Vancouver Aquarium has been one of my kids' favourite local destinations since they were babies. My husband and I have had memberships for so many years I don't even know how long it's been, and if I ask my kids on a day off school where they'd like to go, chances are the Aquarium will be mentioned.

Over the last few years, the Aquarium has undergone some major renovations and construction work is still ongoing, though a lot of the facility has now been revealed in its new glory.

There's a new entrance area with a gorgeous display of the Earth, an expanded gift shop, and a brand new cafeteria (still haven't tried that out, since we mostly bring our own snacks for the visit).

Favourite things to do for my children include:

The Pacific octopus habitat.

- Watching the Pacific octopus in its habitat - sometimes this creature is hiding, but often its out and about with all its glorious arms and suckers on display.

- Walking through the tropically warm rainforest exhibit: my kids just LOVE the big parrots, the tortoises, the black and white rays, and the sloth (occasionally visible up in the rafters).

- Observing the sea lions in the outdoor pool: this master swimmer with the big, loud growly voice is always a big hit with the kids. Its mustache is almost as impressive as its vocals...

- Eating a snack next to the dolphins - we usually head downstairs to watch the dolphins in the viewing gallery, and the kids like to eat their snacks while seated in the recessed windows there. It's a gorgeous spot with a small play area right next to it.

Dancing with sea otters.

- Watching the sea otters swim and swim and swim and ... swim! These critters are stars at the Vancouver Aquarium: they've got charm, superb swimming skills, fluffy fur and the cutest faces. What's not to love?

Butterflies in the rainforest exhibit.

That's just a few things my kids enjoy at the Aquarium. And then of course there's the sharks, and the belugas, and not to be forgotten: the gift shop! (I always have to hold on rather tightly to my wallet as we exit through the aisles of that gift shop...)

The re-built plaza outside Vancouver Aquarium, featuring the famous Orca-sculpture.

The Vancouver Aquarium is a busy spot, especially on holidays and weekends, but there is a good reason for that: it's a place that provides a lot of educational fun and hands-on exhibits and activities for kids. It's also located in Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park, so if you're visiting the city, it's a great spot for an excursion.

7 great places to celebrate Christmas

With the Christmas season approaching, I'm thinking quite a bit about the holidays right now. This year, we're not going away for Christmas, instead, my parents are coming to stay with us. Can't say I mind not having to travel by plane right around Christmas and New Years!

I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to where I'd like to spend Christmas: at home, with family us my preferred spot. But in recent years I have occasionally considered other options, and here are some places I wouldn't mind celebrating Christmas.

About to go dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh.

Northern Sweden
This is a bit of a cheat, because we have already celebrated Christmas here several times. I was born and grew up in Sweden, and when we do travel for the Christmas holidays, this is where we go: to my parents' place in northern Sweden. It is a great place for traditional Christmas celebrations though: snow is usually in place, it's cold, and there are a lot of nice Swedish traditions to experience. Last year on our Swedish Christmas-trip we went for a sleigh-ride in the snow, we went tobogganing, the kids tried out cross-country skiing, and we had lots of delicious gingerbread cookies, peppermint candy, glögg (Swedish mulled wine), and the kids got their presents on the evening of December 24th, since that's the tradition over there.

Maui
I love, love, love Maui. I would go back there every week if I only could afford it. In the past I haven't been too crazy about the idea of celebrating Christmas somewhere warm and sunny and without any chance of snow, but I would actually love to try this in Maui. At least once!


Santa Claus village in Finland
For a traditionally snowy and cold Christmas, Finland is a pretty sure bet. And going to the Santa Claus village constructed in Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle, would definitely be a lot of fun with the kids.

Australia
Celebrating Christmas in Australia would of course mean celebrating it in the middle of summer in the southern hemisphere. And that's kind of the charm of it, right? To see the world from the other side, see the starry Christmas skies with all different stars than at home, and go to the beach instead of for a sleigh-ride.

Banff, in the Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies is a spectacular destination any time of the year, but I do think that it would be really special to celebrate Christmas up there. The slopes certainly add to the attraction: there are worse ways to spend Christmas morning than going for some skiing down a mountain.

Gran Canaria: there are worse places to spend Christmas, I'm sure!

The Canary Islands
My family visited Gran Canaria last year in the spring, staying in the town of Arguinegin, and it was a fantastic trip. For many Europeans, going to the Canary Islands is nothing all that special: it's like Canadians and Americans going to Mexico for some beaches and sunshine. But if you're coming all the way from North America, it certainly felt very special. Parts of the islands are too touristified to really appeal to me, but the place we stayed was fantastic. I definitely would not mind going back there for some Christmas cheer.

New York City
I have never been to New York City, but of course I have seen the city in so many movies and TV-shows that I feel strangely familiar with the place anyway. Not sure if Christmas-time is necessarily the best time to visit, but in my head I have this vision of gentle snowfall, sightseeing with the kids, and just a good time had by all as we explore the city. Christmas-fantasy? Probably, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try in real life.

5 camping trips I'd love to do with my kids

It's almost summer time where we live on Canada's west coast, and camping season is definitely here, or at least on the horizon. Lots of kids, including mine, really love the whole idea of camping out, having a campfire, cooking your food outdoors, and generally hanging out close to nature. I'm hoping to head out for a camping road-trip later this year, but I'm not quite sure where we'll end up for that.

Here are some places, near and far, where I'd love to go camping with my kids. (And if you think I favor western North America, that's because I'm thinking of places close enough to drive to with our camping gear!)

1. Yellowstone National Park
My husband and I camped in Yellowstone before we had kids, and I thought the park was absolutely amazing. It's one of those places you think might be over-hyped, but nothing can beat the reality of hot springs, boiling rivers, geysers, buffalo roaming the landscape, and bubbling, colorful mud flats. I'm hoping to take my kids here some time in the next few years. And what a great place to introduce them to some very exciting geology and natural history!

2. Redwood National Park
My kids love the woods, and they love hiking in the woods. That's a couple of reasons why I'd love to take them to Redwood National Park and see the tallest trees on Earth. I also think a road-trip to California would be pretty cool to do with them.

3. The Canadian Rockies
I've camped near Banff and near Jasper up in the Canadian Rockies, and it's an amazing place to be. The drive alone when you're coming from British Columbia is absolutely fantastic. Those peaks, the glaciers, the animals, and just the majestic scale of everything is literally breathtaking. I think my kids would have a blast up here, and if we managed to spot a bear (at a very, very safe distance), that would be icing on the cake.

4. Long Beach, Vancouver Island
We visited Long Beach when my son was only a couple of year's old, but I'd love to go back soon with both the kids. The scenery along Vancouver Island's west coast is so beautiful, and there's some serious beach-combing and hiking to do out here as well.

5. The Oregon coast
I have never been to Oregon myself, but so many friends and family race about the beaches, the sand dunes, the camping, and the cheese that I would really love to visit. It would make a great drive from British Columbia as well, and since my family is very much in love with sand and ocean, it seems like it would be a great fit!

There are lots of other places I'd love to go camping, including several of the places mentioned in these two articles:

• From USA Today: 10 most beautiful places to camp in BC, Canada
• From The Vancouver Sun: A guide to B.C.'s best camping parks

Also, for more camping with kids resources, I love to check out Tales of Mountain Mama.

Traveling with kids: 5 trips we're definitely going on

Cape Scott, Vancouver Island.

I have a lot of ideas for trips I would love to do with my kids, but I know that many of those ideas are not going to happen anytime soon (ever?), unless we all of a sudden are rolling in money... However, here are 5 trips I really want to do with the kids, that are actually very do-able for us.


1. Disneyland
My husband and I already went once, way before we had children, and I think it's going to be time for this trip pretty soon. The kids are old enough to handle the excitement and craziness of all the rides and crowds and fantasy characters wandering around, but also young enough to really get the magic of the place. One of the things I do wonder about is whether we should drive to LA from Vancouver and enjoy the scenery on the way down, take the train maybe, or just be lazy and fly.


2. Yellowstone
This is another place my husband and I visited before we had kids and it was such a fantastic trip . Deer, buffalo, hot springs, geysers, boiling mud, boiling rivers... just an amazing place. I want to do it the same way we did it on our previous visit: camping. I'll probably be terrified that the kids will step in a hot steam vent or something, but that's just part of the experience, right? My kids love the outdoors, hiking, animals, and camping so I think Yellowstone would really blow their minds.


3. The Rockies, Banff & Jasper
This is another great camping-trip I want to do with the kids. Camping in Banff and Jasper is fantastic in the summer, even if you risk ending up in some freak thunder storms (and reading a lot of bear warnings...). There's the wildlife, the amazing scenery, and the trails. If we end up spotting a grizzly, it'll be a thrill and a half for the kids for sure. I'm also thinking that if we go really crazy with the driving and camping, this trip could include a trek across the Rockies into Alberta, and a visit to Drumheller, dinosaur capital of the world.


4. Finland
When we visit my parents in the summer, Finland is right there, just a ferry-hop across the Gulf of Bothnia if you travel the Umeå-Vaasa route. I know the kids love to ride the ferries on the Sunshine Coast and to Vancouver Island, so why not this ferry ride too? The crossing takes only a few hours, and I think it could be a fun, easy way to visit another country. Maybe stay overnight in Vaasa and visit the Wasalandia amusement park.

 
5. Vancouver Island
This is basically our backyard, and yes, we've already taken the kids to "the island" before, but I want to do a Big Trip. Drive across to Long Beach and do that, head up to the northern end and Cape Scott, see some ancient trees, and maybe some whales with them, go for a swim in a cold lake, and burn some marshmallows under the stars too!

Traveling with my kids: 10 memories of 2011

There are not a lot of days left of 2011, and even though I still have some more traveling to do with my kids before the year is all done, I am feeling kind of reflective. Here are some of my most memorable travel moments from the past year.

1. Spring break in the Canary Islands
Our trip with extended family to the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands was a definite highlight of the year. So many great memories of good food, good beaches, good company, and family time together.

2. Sun & sand
Gran Canaria was a great place for our beach-loving family. Two favorite spots were the dunes near Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles. 

3. Drive on the wild side

One of the best day trips we did while on Gran Canaria was to drive around the island. We saw the wild, steep western coastline, had lunch by the ocean, visited the caves at Cuatro Puertas and had a wonderful time. The winding mountain roads did induce some car sickness, but the scenery was worth it!

4. Pyromaniac roaches
One of my weirdest travel experiences occurred on our last morning in Gran Canaria when I woke up very early and smelled smoke. I got up and found that one of the elements on the stove had somehow turned on by itself and had burned a corner of a lunch bag that had been left on top. Everyone was asleep, but two seconds later I saw a cockroach run over the stove top, very close to the touch-activated controls... Yeah, that was one of the things I learned this year: cockroaches can be a fire hazard!

5. Picking strawberries with the kids
This was not a long trip: it only took about 30 minutes to drive to our place to Westham Island and the U-Pick strawberry farm. But it was definitely a trip worth making. Six months later I am just using up the last of the freezer jam we made from all those berries (and we go through a lot of strawberry jam in this house!).

6. Sheep fun
This even at North Vancouver's Maple Wood Farm was another wonderful close-to-home trip this past year. We got to see all the farm animals, sheep being expertly clipped, and we got to see what happens to the wool once it comes off the sheep: I'll definitely be returning for this event in the future!

After the meltdown. Zzzzz.

7. Traveling with my kids to Sweden
Taking the kids all the way to Sweden by myself was not a relaxing endeavour, but I was so impressed with how travel savvy they were, and how well they handled themselves for the majority of the trip. Yes, there was that major meltdown (both kids at the same time) at Arlanda Airport, but hey, 20 hours of travel time can do that to you... and other than that they were good as gold.

8. Spending time with family in Sweden
The last few years we have spent the first part of summer with my parents in their summer house, and the kids always have a great time. Fishing, boat rides, sleeping in, beach time, picking blueberries, swimming, splashing... It's pretty much unbeatable.

9. Harrison Lake beach & boat fun
We did a few day trips to Harrison Hot Springs this year, but the one when we rented a boat and drove around the lake was the best one. It's such a nice spot: gorgeous scenery, child friendly beach, and a lot of fun on the water as well. Can't wait for summer to arrive again so we can go back for more!

10. Heading up the Sunshine Coast
Taking the ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, heading across to Langdale and then on to Earl's Cover for the ferry to Saltery Bay made for a great weekend trip and a great time with family. It's a real treat to see British Columbia's coastline from the deck of a ferry on a sunny day. And when you get a home-cooked turkey dinner once you arrive, it makes the trip even better!