Victoria/Tofino with a 3 year old

Old Apr 27th, 2001, 05:05 PM
  #1  
Molly
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Victoria/Tofino with a 3 year old

Any specific advice on things to do in Victoria and Tofino with a toddler? We will have several days in each place this summer with our daughter. She loves animals, intercative museums, toy shops, beach exploring and playgrounds. Thanks.
 
Old Apr 27th, 2001, 07:25 PM
  #2  
April
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My favourite childhood memory of Long Beach was just being on the beach.

You and your daughter might enjoy the Provincial museum in Victoria where you can visit replicas of an old western town, the forest, a mine, old ship, etc.

Beacon Hill Park has a petting zoo. I think you're supposed to give a donation to enter. The park also has a playground.

I don't think Miniature World is interactive but there are lots of miniatures from trains to soldiers and circus rides.

The harbour ferries are cute and you can take a very short ride on them.

On the way to Butchart's Gardens is a butterfly place. And if you get out to Sidney there is the Scratch Patch where kids can pick through bins of polished stones.
 
Old Apr 27th, 2001, 11:39 PM
  #3  
Lindsay Henderson
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Being a regular, almost local visitor to Tofino, here's what I would recommend: checking out the tidal pools on Chesterman Beach or Tonquin Beach at low tide; whale museum on the corner of 3rd and Campbell; fish and chip lunch at the Sea Shanty and a good hour at the local in-town park (recently refurbished!). In the summer, there are fun art classes (one hour long - you can leave your child, if they're comfortable) at, again, the corner of third and Campbell. There's a pool and hot tub at MacKenzie Beach Resort. Good luck! It may be harder to find the fun things to do in Tofino, but once you find them, they will be lasting memories for little ones as young as 3. I know because my daughter still talks about visiting Tofino and she's almost 6.
 
Old Apr 28th, 2001, 07:52 AM
  #4  
April
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Also, I hear the bug zoo on Wharf St in Victoria is interactive.
 
Old May 3rd, 2001, 07:13 AM
  #5  
tessawho
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In Victoria, the bug zoo is definitely interactive (you can hold a lot of the bugs!)

Also, for a fun afternoon, try Willows Beach in Oak Bay. It has a great little playground and perfect castle-making sand.

Throughout the summer there are lots of naturalist programs in the parks. Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary has programs for wee ones that include walks and nature crafts. Beaver/Elk Lake Park has themed programs led by a naturalist that show kids native wildlife (one day it's a toad walk, another it's a slug hunt, etc.) At Goldstream Park, the nature house has telescopes trained on nesting eagles and all sorts of other fun stuff.

For toys, definitely go to Foxglove Toys in Market Square. Lots of unique and handmade stuff. Kaboodles toy store (on Government St.) is the most colourful place on earth (3-year-olds rarely want to leave).

On the Alberni Highway (on the way to Tofino) I would make a stop in Coombs. There is an "old country market" with a moss roof that has goats actually grazing on it. My kids still love that place. There is a great little toy shop there as well. (And a touristy little ferris wheel and kiddie rides).
 

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