How to have a great family vacation in Vancouver and Vancouver Island ?

For me, the answer to that question is simple! Be open to as much exploring and adventuring as possible! Because trust me, the great Canadian West coast has so much to offer. That is one of the main reasons why my little family and I keep coming back and back again to British Columbia. Because every time we are there we find a new great town, another beautiful hiking trail, another pristine lake, another awesome food joint and time and time we embark on new adventure. We just love it!

Every time we set out on our vacation we make a plan to stay as physically active as possible. Yes, we love to lounge and relax but we always include plenty of physical activities during our vacation. Once we are at a given destination we do our best to only travel by foot or bike. Occasionally we will rely on a bus or boat to get around, but only if it really saves us time or if it's necessary to get somewhere.

This time around we took our bikes and baby bike carrier along with us, so we didn't have to rent. We biked around the town we stayed in, to the beach and we biked all over Victoria. We also got a great baby hiking bag ( you know the one you haul on your back and put your little one up on there ) It made all our hikes a lot more enjoyable, and more comfortable for our little man.

We rented out some paddle boards, and cruised around on Lake Shawnigan. It was our first time! Great fun and a great workout. If you've never done it, I highly recommend it. Once you get the hang of it, its easy :)

One of our friends lives on Vancouver Island who knows many local spots that are little hidden gems. We were really lucky to have our friend take us with him to explore some of these secret spots.

But whether you know someone locally or not, that's the great thing about being open to new things. Sometimes you will ran into a local who will tell you of a great spot, or a better one than the one you were at. Or you just happen to find one on your own as you are discovering the places around you.

Try new things, ask around, and venture off a little. It's always worth it!

**Just always be prepared and ensure your and your families safety :) Happy Exploring!

Here are some photos from our stay in Vancouver and the island: