txtree

Hi all - we (family of 4 with two sons age 8 and 6) are planning a trip out west to visit our friends in Seattle (family of 4 with two kids age 6 and 4).

Current thinking is for all of us to fly up to BC for 4 or 5 days and have a bit of a wilderness adventure. Can't be too rustic because a couple of our group are reluctant wilderness goers. Ideal spot will be kid-friendly but upscale.

We'd like to fish, hike, kayak, etc. during the day and enjoy wine with our friends in the evening. Places like the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort and Wickaninnish are appealing, but I'm not sure how great they are for kids. Or even how great the area is for such young ones.

Thoughts and ideas?

txtree

Forgot to mention - this is for July.

Sam_Salmon

Wickaninnish isn't in the wilderness-it's a mid sized hotel which comes highly recommended, one could make an arguement that it's adjacent to wilderness I suppose.

The only downside I could see would be keeping the kids safe from sometimes rough conditions on the beaches, the swell from the open Pacific at high tide is a concern, low tide is a wonder though with all kinds of space.

Those kids are quite young for real wilderness so I can't see Clayoquot Wilderness Resort being an option-on the floating barge there's nowhere for kids to run around-and kids need to run around.

In addition they'd need to wear PFDs all day.

I take it some of you will be fishing offshore while others mind the kids-local charters might take an 8 year old.

NWWanderer

I assume you're talking about the Bedwell Retreat rather than the floating lodge when you say Clayoquot. That's more family oriented and the tents are on land so there is room to run around.

Tofino is a great place, but I'm think the 4 year old is going to be a little young for activities in the area other than walking/digging on the beach, and the 6 year olds will be on the cusp. I'd check out age limitations for the activities that you're thinking of. It might be that the group would have to split up for certain activities and at least one of the parents stay with the younger or youngest kids.

Closer to Seattle, you might consider Sun Mountain Lodge or the Freestone Inn in the North Cascades. Sun Mountain, in particular, offers kids programs but both are quite family friendly and nice, if not quite of the caliber of the Tofino lodgings.

txtree

Yes, I was referring to the tent accommodations at Clayoquot (the website says the floating lodge is no longer part of the retreat).

Also, we are from the East Coast - plenty of rough water in the Atlantic (enough to make this mother's heart stop frequently), so our kids are accustomed to wearing PFDs at the beach!

What about renting a house/lodge for a week? Is that an option?

NWWanderer

In Tofino, do you mean? Yes, it's possible--I've rented a place on Chesterman Beach through Tofino Vacation Rentals in the past and it worked out great. But you'd still have the same challenges with activities.

Or where you thinking somewhere else? The San Juan Islands would be worth looking into, and there are private lodges you can rent at Freestone.

Carmanah

When I was in my early teens (early 90's), my parents took us to Ocean Village Resort on Mackenzie Beach in Tofino. It's not so much a swanky resort than it is a family-owned/operated collection of cedar cabins on the beach. That particular stretch of beach is sheltered by an island, so you don't have the same kind of wave activity as you would in the adjacent beaches like Cox Bay. They were set up with swimming pools, BBQ pits, and play areas for young children. It's a lot more rustic than what you've been listing so far, but they're definitely a child-friendly operation:

http://www.oceanvillageresort.com/

Carmanah

Of course, another thing to note is that the Pacific Ocean is so cold around Tofino that your kids wouldn't be spending much time in the water, even on hot summer days. For warm sheltered waters, the east coast of Vancouver Island (around Parksville) is ideal, although definitely not the same wild and rugged atmosphere that Tofino and area provides.

txtree

thanks for the tip on the ocean village resort. could be just the thing!

Carmanah

You're welcome! I was 13 and my sister 10 when we went and it was one of our most memorable summer vacations.

dar

Whistler is fantastic in July. You can hike around lost lake, swim (if you like very cold water!), roller blade the path by the aquatic center to the another lake, rent bikes and bike ride the trails (or ride the same roller blade path to the lake), hang out the Adventure Zone where the kids stuff is (rock climbing, golf, luge, amazon maze, trapeze - just google Whistler summer activites), take the tram up to the last of the snow, hike down etc etc etc.. Best part: shopping, restaurants, pubs, all very close by. I like to stay at a townhouse type vacation rental with a pool, walking distance to the shopping. Try googling for vacation rentals Whistler. I prefer Whistler in the summer!

dar

Check out Whistler summer activities at:
http://www.tourismwhistler.com/www/t...ies/summer.asp