Summer is a time for family fun in Metro Vancouver! And we've rounded up what you need to know about some of our favourite summer attractions for local families.
Whether you are looking for stay-cation ideas or just planning out some summer day trips, check out these five attractions in or near Metro Vancouver that offer fun for all ages: Cultus Lake Waterpark and Cultus Lake Adventure Park in the Fraser Valley, Britannia Mine Museum & West Coast Railway Heritage Park in the Sea to Sky Corridor near Squamish, and Maplewood Farm in North Vancouver.
And don't forget to pack your tunes for the car ride! Jessie Farrell's new album, Sparkle & Shine, is inspired by nature and will put a smile on little faces. You can preview & download this album on Apple Music or order the CD online, and also catch Jessie & The Gumboot Kids on CBC Kids!
Check out 5 of our favourite must-visit summer family attractions near Metro Vancouver & don't miss the big giveaway at the end of this post!
Cultus Lake Waterpark is BC’s biggest and best waterpark, and it's located in the Fraser Valley only an hour's drive from Vancouver! Whether you want to spend the day relaxing, or seeking out thrilling waterslides, the park offers activities for people of all ages in a safe, clean, family-oriented environment. Amenities include 18+ waterslides, 5 food outlets, locker and BBQ rentals, acres of green grassy space, over 150 covered picnic tables, 4 areas for children, 5 hot tubs and a lazy river.
The Colossal Canyon family raft ride is a long-time favourite of ours, and we can't wait to check out the new Tots Giant Sand Castle, Family Spray Park and Rattler Back Hole Body Slide this summer! Their After School Special runs weekdays in June from 2:30 - 6:30 pm and costs only $12 per person, and there's even a night sliding event in July and August for those who want to hit the waterslides at night while listening to live bands. Come and see for yourself exactly why Cultus Lake Waterpark is the ultimate summer destination!
When to visit: Open daily, rain or shine, from June 2nd - Sept 3rd, 2018 (check website for details).
Where: 4150 Columbia Valley Highway, Cultus Lake
Cultus Lake Adventure Park is BC’s newest & best family theme park, featuring 18 rides & attractions, including the only roller coaster in the Fraser Valley, mine-panning for gems and stones, and an 18-hole Adventure Mini-Golf Course. It's a safe, clean, family-oriented park that appeals to all ages. Gate Admission to the park is free, so whether you want to spend the day relaxing & watching the kids on the many family rides, or purchase tickets or a wrist-band and push yourself to the limits of your courage on some of their most daring & thrilling rides (like the Roundup – Canadas only fully-inverted pendulum swing ride), we know you’ll leave being impressed and making plans to go again!
We're especially excited to check out their newest addition to the park this year - the Cloud Buster lifts occupants to the sky-piercing height of its 120-foot tower before releasing them into a heart-stopping plunge to the ground below! Signature Deals include: Nightrider – in which all Unlimited Ride Wristbands are on sale for just $18 during last 3 hours of operation; Bonus Golf – in which all guests wearing a valid wristband receive ½ price off 18 holes of mini-golf; and the $15 Waterpark Special – good any time of day, in which all Wristband types are sold for just $15 when presenting the coupon found on every Cultus Lake Waterpark Admission Ticket.
When: Opening Weekend is June 15-17, then open daily, rain or shine, from June 22nd through summer (check website for details).
Where: 3993 Sunnyside Blvd, Cultus Lake (in the Fraser Valley - an hour’s drive from Vancouver).
Britannia Mine Museum, a highly acclaimed tourist attraction and multi-award winning Museum, is just 45-minutes from downtown Vancouver.
Enjoy an opportunity to "rumble aboard" their underground train as it rolls into an historic mining tunnel. Push up your sleeves at the Gold Panning Pavilion and keep what you find! Engage with interactive exhibits and learn about minerals, history and what life was like back in the day from informative but informal tour guides.
Britannia Mine Museum opens up a little-seen world that fascinates all ages, turning out awe-inspiring sights and memorable family experiences. Take a step back in time at this award-winning attraction and National Historic Site. Located along the beautiful Sea-to-Sky Highway between Squamish and Vancouver.
For event details, visit their events page. Don't miss their new exhibits, “Howe Sound: Beauty Below”, an underwater exhibit in the Historic Machine Shop, as well as “the Foundations” exhibit on the Museum's scenic Howe Sound Decks!
When: For hours and tour times, please visit the Museum's website.
Where: Hwy 99, approximately 10 minutes south of Squamish.
Set in some of the most beautiful scenery in Canada, the West Coast Railway Heritage Park is an attraction designed to please the whole family. The park features an old-fashioned railway station and old style town centre with heritage displays, pieces of railway cars and artifacts. Visitors can get up close to 5 vintage trains, including the world-famous Royal Hudson steam train. At 12-acres, it provides the visitor with the opportunity to tour authentic railway equipment in various stages of restoration. Historic exhibits include Brightbill House, blacksmith forge, wash house, and a vintage printing press.
The new Billy Miner Escape Room is open 7 days a week by reservation - send an email to escaperoom@wcra.org or call the Gift Shop at 604-898-9336. Throughout the summer, the whole family can ride the 3km Mini-Rail as it loops around the park (first train is at 11:00 am, then every hour until 3:00 pm, weather permitting). And we can't wait to head to Squamish for one of their drive-in movies hosted every other Friday throughout the summer (starting June 22nd)!
When: Open - 7 Days a week 10:00am to 4:00pm
Where: 39645 Government Road, Squamish, BC
Get up close and personal with approximately 200 domestic farm animals and birds as you visit this gem on the North Shore. Maplewood Farm has something for everyone. The young & young at heart will love meeting the cows, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks , donkeys & horses. From visiting the farm friends, meeting the farm hands, holding and feeding animals, pre-booked pony rides for children, self-guided tours, to special events and birthday parties, you’re sure to have an amazing time! You can even feed the chickens and ducks (birdseed is available for sale on the farm for $3.00 a bag) and bring rabbit safe vegetables to feed the rabbits- see the safe foods list here.
Plan your day to catch the milking demonstration daily at 1:15 pm, currently featuring Lima the jersey cow. Around 3:30 pm each day, the farmers round up the animals as they go from their paddocks back into the barn for the night. (Please note, times are approximate due to the farmers heavy work-loads but they try to deliver on these times!)
When: Daily 10:00 AM- 4:00PM
Where: 405 Seymour River Place, North Vancouver (near Mount Seymour and about a 20-minute drive from downtown Vancouver)
Born & raised in Vancouver, and co-founder of Healthy Family Media and the Healthy Family Expo, Angela is a reformed divorce lawyer turned healthy family champion! By day, she thrives on connecting conscious brands with busy Vancouver families. By night, you’ll find her wrangling two feisty daughters, choosing between instant pot or healthy freezer meals for dinner, and singing with MomChoir. She especially loves sharing her favourite family-friendly finds with other Lower Mainland parents!
