With the mildest climate in Canada, half the rainfall of neighboring Seattle and Vancouver, and a stunning setting on the edge of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a great year-round destination full of family-friendly events and attractions. It’s small and walkable, too, making it a great multi-generational vacation for families whose family membres have different attention spans.
Getting Oriented to Victoria
In addition to museums, Victoria offers a wide variety of family oriented attractions. If you want to get oriented quickly, and tour the the city from a different perspective, check out Tally Ho Carriage Tours (250/514-9257 or 866/383-5067), a horse-drawn carriage company that has carted both tourists and locals around Victoria since 1903. With a homebase at the corner of Belleville and Menzies Streets, the tour offers a rich history of Victoria with fun and humorous ancedotes, making it a favorite activity for locals, who enjoy celebrating birthdays and anniversaries en route! There are six different route options to choose from, with tours ranging from 15 minutes to almost two hours. The carriages can accommodate up to six people and pass by various attractions depending on which route you select.
Victoria’s Favorite Family Attractions
The highly regarded Royal British Columbia Museum (888/447-7977 or 250/356-7226) is centrally located at 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9W2. This extraordinary museum has a wide array of permanent and temporary exhibits that make for a full day of activities. The Ocean Station Exhibit allows visitors to explore, interact and experience the underwater world of the West Coast. The 360 liter aquarium is visible from a floor to ceiling window with portholes and all. Inside the tank are sea stars, fishes, sea urchins and more. Other permanent displays include the First People’s Gallery, Modern History Gallery and Natural History Gallery. Scheduled hourly tours are offered free with admission and will guide visitors through all three exhibits. The Museum is open daily with later hours in summer, and offers a family entrance package in addition to individual entry fees.
Also housed in the Royal BC Museum is the National Geographic IMAX Theater (250/953-4629). With 406 seats, this 2-D screen is six stories high and 70 feet wide, nearly 10 times larger than a standard movie theater. Although admission is separate from the museum (family package pricing applies here, too), it is worth it to see a film on this really, really big screen. The theater features educational films, especially those pertaining to wildlife and nature, but also shows major motion pictures that have recently been released in theaters.
The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (250/665-7511) at 9811 Seaport Place, Sidney, BC V8L 4X3 opened in 2009 and boasts 87 tonnes of seawater in 17 different habitats. Kids will love the elevator that descends into the “ocean” and the array of interactive exhibits. Teens and little ones shoudl not miss the enormous Giant Pacific octapus and a touch pool for the curious. Be sure to ask one of the uniformed Oceaneers for their insights; they man each exhibit.
For nature lovers, Victoria boasts an indoor tropical rainforest at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens (877/722-0272 or 250/652-3822) at 1461 Benvenuto Avenue in Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1R3. This paradise experience includes 35 specides of free flying butterflies, including the uniquely exotic Blue Morpho and Giant Owl. Waterfalls, trees, orchids and even carnivorous plants are also included in the display. Beauty is not the only thing the Butterfly Gardens offers to family, it is also an incredibly educational find. Before entry there is video preview which explains the cycle of a butterfly’s life; tours and access to the Learning Center are also available. Family discounts are offered.
Victoria Trip Planning Details
Visit Tourism Victoria or call 800/663-3883 for more information and get started planning your trip today.
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Are you ready for a Road Trip? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.!
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I love spending time in London. I think if you want to spend time out of the city, Brighton is also a great place to visit, especially as it’s close by. There are a number of family-friendly hotels, too, like The Brighton Hotel:
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It’s a steam excursion train, shorter ride, probably many kids on board. This would be better suited to younger children. Much better choice for the under-12 set.
Ralph
Originally created as a recreation area for employees of the Hershey Chocolate factory, today Hershey Park boasts plenty of chocolate paraphernalia, as well as roller coasters and a water park. Tickets include admission to the nearby ZOOAMERICA. Originally owned by the Knott’s jam producers, Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park is one of the older parks in the US, Knott’s Berry Farm is a classic for those looking for thrill rides, water rides and family fun.
Hi Ralph, thank you for your reply. I haven’t booked it yet as I had similar reservations that since it’s an 8-hr journey, it will not be wise to take the kids at this age but would love to take them on a shorter train tour, I’m currently looking at the Jacobite express (here in the UK).
Hello Zeb,
For children under 10, It would simply be too long a day in too confined a space for them, might get a little boring for them after the first 20 minutes; it’s an eight-hour journey.
If they are active, there isn’t a lot of room to run around on the train, which is smaller than the ones we are used to here in the U.S.
If you have already booked a space, and will have toddlers or young children, suggest you bring lots of things to keep the little ones entertained.
Ralph
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Have been to Switzerland but missed the Glacier Express, I’ve heard it really one of the best train journeys in the World with amazing mountain/alps view. Is it good to travel with kids 7 and 4 years old) too, since it’s 8 hours long?
Sunlight, particularly in late summer and fall, sets off the production of anthocyanin. Cloudy weather dampens production and leads to less colorful displays. Many scientists argue that warming temperatures do not have much to do with the intensity of color, only with its timing: when it appears and how long it lasts. But Howard Neufeld, a professor of biology at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, said climate change could eventually affect the complex processes in leaf senescence and lower anthocyanin production, dulling the autumn reds.
Gladiator School – My new favorite thing to do in Rome. We did this on our last trip to Rome and both kids and adults absolutely loved it. Instructors are great. Highly recommended. Book far in advance. (Pictured above.) Walking Tour: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill – Excellent guided tour of Ancient Rome. Skip the line to enter all three sites. Very kid-friendly.
Deer Valley caters to families with kid-friendly skiing, child care programs and a limited child-to-instructor ratio. Because Deer Valley sells a limited number of daily lift tickets, tiny tots and pint-sized groms have plenty of room to work on their pizza wedge and French fries. Other amenities include a Children s Center, Adventure Camp and furry mascots on the Adventure Trails. I grew up skiing here and learned to love the mountains and snow at this resort. The amenities are top notch and the food is amazing. As a young kid, when the skiing got tough, I would always head inside and get delicious food and hot cocoa. See more Deer Valley reviews here .
Fall is very busy in the mountainous regions with the influx of leaf peepers from the New England area, around the United States and the world. In these extremely popular areas, you ll want to make lodging reservations at least several weeks ahead, especially on weekends. Columbus Day weekend (Oct 7-9, 2017) is another time in which advanced booking is advised throughout the region.
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Traveling to other cities with your kiddos? Don’t miss Curbed’s maps of the best family activities
Good to know : West Valley is open daily from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Apples are $0.85 a pound. Follow their Facebook page for updates on U-pick apples. And be sure to bring containers for their popular juice pressed right on site!
Minneapolis, Minnesota is a great pick for outdoor-loving families thanks to kid-friendly (and free) favorites like the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, home to more than 40 outdoor works of art
You can’t go wrong with a safari and I would recommend booking with a company like Timbuktu Travel. Have a look at their safari travel tips – .
The K Bar S Lodge, built in 2006, is located a short distance from Mount Rushmore. It is quietly secluded on 31 forested acres and away from busy streets. Battle Creek winds its way throughout the property and the large meadow in front of the Lodge is often a playground for deer and turkeys. As a single traveler it was so fun to be with this group. It s much nicer to be with others when you share a great experience or see something wonderful. And, it s safer than traveling alone. I m hooked on Road Scholar.
Rockefeller State Park offers seasonal activities including hiking, running, bird-watching, fishing ( New York state fishing license required), picnicking, horseback-riding, carriage-driving, photography, painting, and geocaching (park permit required). Sleepy Hollow and neighboring Tarrytown have a deep immigrant history resulting in a rich mix of cuisines: Italian, Greek, Mexican, Indian, French, Portuguese, Irish, Japanese, Dominican, Chinese, Ecuadorian, Thai, Moroccan, and Chilean. Foodies should not miss the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow farmers market at Patriots Park where you ll find fresh Hudson Valley produce, meat, bread, and wine.
Speaking of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, don t miss out on seeing the Rockettes show-stopping leg kick precision chorus during the holidays at Radio City Music Hall.
Jimmy Buffet s restaurant is a short walk from the Comfort Suites Paradise Island Hotel and Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island. What could be better than eating a literal Cheeseburger in Paradise? Pairing it with a yummy margarita, of course.
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Make sure you check out the new sustainable Christmas Market in Berlin!! Its located by Hacksnshiremarkt!
What s more exhilarating than seeing the city from 108 floors above the world-famous Las Vegas Strip? Jumping off it. Strap in and face your fear as you jump off the side of SkyPod at The STRAT.
Have you ever dreamed of creating your own ice sculpture? The Quebec Winter Carnival has just what you’re looking for! Bring your group to our Ice Sculpture Workshops under the guidance of a team led by none other than Marc Lepire, chief sculptor of Bonhomme’s Ice Palace! During this one-hour event, you will learn the workflow of master sculptors and enjoy the unique experience of carving your own solid ice block with your group of 2 to 4 people. Free all-you-can-drink hot chocolate will keep you warm throughout the frosty fun.
When you’re travelling with your kids, indoor-fun options are a must no matter what the season. Montreal saves the day with all kinds of activities, from adventurous physical feats to skill-testing games and educational entertainment.
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We have traveled through several airports in Germany but never Munich. We will keep Munich on our list for the next trip through Europe since it sounds like the best place to have a stop over with kids. Thanks for the review and the information for kids to do in Munich Airport.
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