2016 Vancouver Family Summertime Fun in 56 Ideas

Nothing like summertime to do more exploring and adventuring with your family!  Most days I think I've 'seen it all' in Vancouver...but I am still discovering new things.  This year's list of Summertime Activities is filled with a bunch of places we've yet to see.  Hope you get some new ideas.

Gastown Grand Prix

Cliff Falls

Places to go, Things to do:

1. Arts Alive festival in Langley
2. Drag racing at mission raceway.  
3. Gastown Grand Prix  Simply the coolest city event I have ever been to.  Watching bike racers race around you at break neck speeds, with tight curves, around cobblestone gastown.  If you've never been- GO!
4. Picnic and coastal bike ride at Terra Nova Park in Richmond.
5. Skim boarding at Boundary Bay Regional Park or Centennial Beach   what an amazing beach!  The tide goes so far out making for a very shallow pool for the kids!
6. Beach combing at Cates Park, North Vancouver
7. Watch artists paint in stanley park, and bring our own canvases.
8. Cultus Lake Waterslides.  Kids loved it last year, not sure how Fiona will do this year but we've got to try it at least =)
9. Take the boys mountain biking, maybe down Burnaby Mountain
10. Langley BMX track to watch bike racing. 
11. Rock hopping around Whytecliff Park.  A family favourite, the views around horseshoe bay are simply stunning.
12. Terrible karaoke, knick-knack shopping, and interesting food vendor sampling....what is more interesting than taking the kids for a cultural experience at the Richmond Night Market?
13. Fly our kite at the Pacific Rim Kite Flying festival at Vanier Park in Vancouver.
14. Family camp at Camp Barnabas.  Can't wait!
15. Bike around or explore the Reifel bird sanctuary.  Have yet to check it out.
16. Rocky Point Park is always a hit.  Spray park, ocean, playground...doesn't get much better!
17. Take the older kids to the fireworks!
18. Garden City park in Richmond.  Never checked it out....
19. Sushi by the bay, or fish n' chips in White Rock.
20. Bike around the seawall at Stanley Park
21. Go to a Vancouver WhiteCaps game

Hikes to explore with little legs:

1. Jug island hiking trail  5.5 km.  It ends at a beautiful swimming spot....maybe we'll bring swimming wear and a boat to pull the kids behind in?
2.  Hike around Sasamat lake, then go for a swim!  The perfect summer swimming lake.  Warm, no boats, soft sand...perfect for later evening swimming before bed.
3. Mystery lake at Seymour.  Another 'hike and swim' family event.
4. Buntzen lake in Port Moody.  Beach, hiking, swimming, bald eagles...what else do you need?
5. Cliff falls hike.  A perfect length for little legs.  Bridges, creek-bed, waterfalls, awesome.
6. Quarry Rock by deep cove.  Beautiful look out.
7. Burns Bog in Delta.  Bring the bikes!
8. Teapot hill at Cultus lake.  So fun!  The trail is littered with teapots to spot and count as you hike and it has a GREAT and rewarding look-out.

Backyard and Local fun:

1. Krause berry farm raspberry and blueberry picking.  Jam making is a must this summer!
2. Sleep out in a tent in our backyard.
3. Family race day for a good cause: Drime's Run for the Nations
4. Geocaching 
5. Spray park day!
6. Roast marshmallows in our backyard (over a stove, of course)
7. Evening walk to Menchies
8. Lion's Park in Port Coquitlam.  New!  Renovated!  Loved the new playground and the walking trail.  HOW have we never been here before?
9. Make giant bubbles!
10. Sidewalk chalk neighborhood bomb.
11. Have our neighbors over for a BBQ.
12. Sprinkler fun in the backyard.
13. Work on a backyard fort, or tree house.
14. Watch daddy try kite-boarding (that's for you, Jason!)
15. Upright paddle-boarding on a date with hubby.  (Can the baby be in a carrier at the same time?)
16. Teach the boys badminton.
17. I love this list...no need to scour pinterest when lists are made for you: messy twister? glowsticks in the pool? SO many fun ideas.
18. Backyard movie theatre at night, or go to twilight or one of the local outdoor movies
19. Paint our front garden rocks
20. Squirt gun obstacle course race.  The boys will LOVE this. 
21. Lemonade stand and art sale (Silas really wants to do the art sale part).
22. Canoeing at Brae Island in Fort Langley
23. Overnight camping trip with Daddy at Brae Island
24. Frog catching at a local pond
25. Bike jumps in our cul-de-sac
26. Picnic breakfast
27. Ship-to-shore Canada day BIG SHIP festival in Steveston.


For a good list of fun playgrounds, check out this link

We're actually hoping to start a family-friendly outdoors club and drag any willing families along for some kid-friendly hikes and active trips.  We're thinking of hikes, a canoe trip, skim boarding, mountain biking, etc.   Message me if you are interested in joining us as we seek to build community among local families, explore the great wild outdoors, and foster a love of athleticism in our kids.