Dinosaurs – our epic adventure with Adam, Natalie, Benjamin, Alexander, Oliver and Emma! Feel free to skip to the pictures at the end!
0630 departure from Comox to catch the ferry in Nanaimo – the kids in their minivan and us in our motorhome. The little ones were so excited as this was their first ferry ride. Kept them busy with lots of walks around the deck, looking for islands and whales, and snacks of course.
First stop – ‘Bridal Veil Falls’ for a quick lunch in the motorhome. Dale and I headed to Costco for gas, then met the kids at Una rest area, where Dale and Adam cooked burgers. We left the kids at their hotel in Vernon with all their extra stuff from the motorhome and headed to our campground at the ‘O’Keefe Historical Ranch’. https://okeeferanch.ca
It was a beautiful morning for our tour of the ranch. There was lots for the little ones to see and do. Dale and I went back after lunch in the motorhome to get some more historical background – very interesting.
A visit to the kids’ hotel for a refreshing swim then back to the campsite for lasagna.
Our next stop was ‘Sky Trek’. That was absolutely perfect! The obstacle course was exactly what was needed to burn off some energy. At first all the adults took turns going with the little ones, but soon we were not needed at all – thank goodness! They must have gone around at least a dozen times – maybe more. After lunch in the motorhome, and a quick stop at Yo Ho National Park we headed to Canmore. The kids picked up supper and we ate at their hotel before heading to our campsite at Bow River. https://www.skytrekadventurepark.com
We had a leisurely morning and a lovely walk before the kids came by for lunch. Our next adventure was ‘Granary Road’. Another perfect venue for the little ones. Climbing, spinning, sliding, jumping, running, zipline, baby goats etc. At the end we treated the little ones to an arcade – Benjamin was amazing popping balloons and Alexander and Oliver were great at the magnetic fishing pond! A prize for everyone! https://www.granaryroad.com
The kids went to their hotel while we carried on to our campsite. Just after we had supper, both of our phones started howling with tornado alerts. The sky got very dark – mega thunder and lightning and heavy rain. Fortunately, we were able to track the weather on our computer and it went south and east of us. It was scary though, and we definitely thought about booking into a hotel for the night!
Next stop – the ‘Calgary Zoo’. We had an ideal parking spot as after about an hour the sky opened and it poured, so we all retreated to the motorhome to dry off and snack of course. It wasn’t too long before the sun came out and we went back to enjoy the rest of our tour. The favourites were penguins, dinosaurs, lions, bears and the playground. https://www.calgaryzoo.com
With more thunderstorms on the horizon, we headed out to Drumheller and the kids went to their hotel in Calgary. Luckily, we managed to avoid the worst of it.
The weather was fabulous in the morning for our trek through the Hoodoos. It was challenging to keep the little ones from climbing to the top, but we managed to come away unscathed. ‘Fossil World’ was another great hit. The little ones got to pan for gems and dig for fossils. The Tyrannosaurus Rex Animatron was truly amazing and a bit frightening. We departed with an arm full of dinosaur stuffies, then spent some time at the playground. http://www.fossilworld.com/FW/Home.html
The kids picked up some yummy burgers etc. for lunch in the motorhome, then a quick view of ‘Horse Thief Canyon’ and gopher spotting. Another stop at the playground before the kids drove back to their hotel. We had supper at our campsite and then, the weather hit again. It was raining so hard I barely managed a short conversation with Mom on Skype – couldn’t hear a thing.
It was a beautiful day for our visit to the ‘Tyrrell Museum’. Alexander and Oliver didn’t get too much out of it, but Benjamin was enthralled. He was correcting our pronunciation and filling us in on facts as we went through. He was reading most of the information on the exhibits too. What fun!
And of course, the requisite playground to top it off nicely. https://traveldrumheller.com/attractions/royal-tyrrell-museum/
After a quick peek at ‘Horse Shoe Canyon’ and lunch in the motorhome, the kids headed back to their hotel in Calgary while we stocked up at the grocery store. We still had a couple of hours left on our museum tickets, so Dale and I went back to polish off our tour. Spent the evening going through our photos. Just when we were ready for bed, the fireworks started – they were worth staying up for!
We got up early the next morning to get to the historical ‘Heritage Park’. Another hit with the little ones. After a quick look at some old cars, we took a train ride around the park – much to Oliver’s delight. Thank goodness we found some other attractions as he wanted to keep riding the train. After a visit to the bakery, they did the Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, caterpillar, spinning cars, swings and an arcade where Benjamin knocked down most of the pins and Alexander and Oliver went fishing for treasures. The playground was excellent too. After lunch back at the motorhome we wandered around looking in old houses and seeing the animals. Ice Cream from the Soda Fountain was a great finale. https://www.heritagepark.ca
The kids headed back to their hotel in Calgary while we maxed out our credit card at the gas pump then drove to Golden for the night.
What a great way to spend my 65th Birthday! The kids were driving out from Calgary, so Dale and I did the ‘Skybridge’ at Golden. Just as well, as it really wasn’t ideal for the little ones. At 130 meters (426 feet) above the Columbia Valley, it was daunting and impressive. The hike/walk between the bridges offered some lovely viewpoints too. https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/golden-skybridge/#category/events_Golden
As the kids had a few challenges with the little ones in the morning, Dale and I went ahead to ‘Kicking Horse Mountain’ for some more sightseeing. We took a ride to the top in the gondola and a hike/walk along the ridge with spectacular views. First time standing in snow on my Birthday! We had a late lunch then took the chairlift up to see the grizzly bear refuge when the kids arrived. No sign of the bear, so we went down to give Adam and Natalie a break and they headed up in the gondola while we played Lego with the boys. We still had time, so Natalie and I took the boys up. They were thrilled and we got to see the grizzly bear too! - as well as a beautiful fat Marmot and of course the ever-present gophers. The
kids picked up some very tasty treats for supper and we had picked up a cake earlier, so it was a perfect day. https://kickinghorseresort.com
An early start to get to the ‘Enchanted Forest’ before the rain. The little ones had fun ducking in and out of the little houses and Ben was reading the nursery rhymes that they represented. https://enchantedforestbc.com
A quick lunch in the motorhome, but not quick enough! Heavy rain and hail hit just when the kids were starting to load the little ones in the car. We waited it out then headed to the kids’ hotel in Kamloops. Dale took out another loan and filled the motorhome with gas then we loaded up the kids’ extra gear with us and headed to our campsite just outside Merritt.
A nice early start and a lovely day to head to Vancouver to catch our ferry home. All in all, a fun holiday. Going home to rest!
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