The Northern Pacific Coast

We started our US adventure in Seattle, staying at a KOA campground (the kids fave) close to downtown, we were able to hop on public transit to explore. We started the day with a history tour of Seattle's "underground" city- OK, ready for me to nerd out on you? Back in the 1800's Seattle burnt to the ground, most of the downtown was decimated- they had some major plumbing issues (no sewer system) so when they rebuilt the city they built up, above the old city, to accommodate a new sewer system- the result...33 underground blocks. After a very entertaining and informative tour we spent the day exploring the city, visiting the Space Needle, the famous Pike's Fish Market, Seattle's waterfront and the Bill and Melinda Gates Visitor Center. The city really is quite lovely, and we were lucky there was no rain!

Pikes Fish Market- delicious Seafood!

 

After Seattle, Johnny really wanted to see Olympic national Forest and Park...so off to the coast we went...for all you Twilight fans- this is where Forks and La Push is located. We ended up spending the day at Ruby Beach just south of Forks. Very beautiful, wide sandy beaches with incredible rock formations jutting out of the water...many places to stop along the coast and lucky us, we watched a pod of Gray Whales feeding in the ocean (we couldn't get any really good pictures but it was totally amazing!)

Ruby Beach WA- Johnny on the left and the girls are on the right

Ruby Beach

We left the Washing Coast and we were going to head straight down along the Oregon Coast but after reading our friend's blog about Portland we decided to spend 1 night there to check out the food trucks- the city is famous for them! We arrived in Portland and unfortunately there were fires pretty close by so the air quality was so bad (you could totally smell smoke in the air), all advisories were saying to stay indoors.. too bad for us we could not explore. We did manage to have lunch at the delicious food trucks- (you name it it was there), we sampled, Indian, Thai, Mexican and Middle Eastern...(and Liv had some chicken soup that she was craving)- we left with full bellies but still had enough room to stop at the famous Voodoo Doughnuts for some pretty spectacular goodies- (Johnny maintains that Tim's Apple Fritter is far superior, but the girls and I were pretty happy with our choices). One thing we noticed was the huge amounts of homeless people in Portland, there were so many I actually did a little research and learned there are 4000 people living in shelters or on the streets, so sad.... Overall my impression of Portland was not great, however I am sure the weather and the smoke played a huge role in this...too bad.

Cannon Beach- WOW- this place was amazing, I loved every bit of it (and the weather was crap!).  Voted by numerous sites (Outdoor Life, National Geographic etc) best surf town, best beach town, best beach ....this place was so pretty. For those that may remember the Goonies, this is where some of it was filmed, the big rock seen in the film is called Haystack Rock and it is unbelievably huge.

Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock

Cannon Beach

                                   
A few minutes north is the beautiful Ecola State Park, Indian Beach- also a site to see, the kids spent hours looking in the tide pools at all the starfish, anemones, and crabs.

one of the many tide pools in Ecola State Park

Indian Beach

Indian Beach

Tillamook Trailhead-Ecola StatePark

All the trees along the coast grow like this

WW2 Bunker, we were on top

We did a pretty big hike (all uphill, ugh!), sadly when we got to the look out point it was the thickest fog I have ever seen, you literally could not see anthing in front of you... the hike itself was through an old growth forest and there was some pretty impressive trees, there was also an old WW2 bunker at the top that was pretty cool. In the end, despite no grand finale-the hike was totally worth it.

Overall we absolutely loved Cannon Beach... I can't imagine how much more we would have enjoyed it if the weather was nicer. Definitely a spot you should put on your bucket list.

Canada's Budget

Many people have been asking me how we budget for a trip like this...we really didn't want to be on a strict budget per se, that said we are being mindful with our money, trying to save where we can, (eating most meals in the trailer, not giving in to every whim etc). I downloaded this amazing travel app (Trail wallet), breaks everything down for you (as long as you remember to input:)...

Our Canadian portion to this trip came in at a bit higher then I expected, I thought that because we were staying at campgrounds (average 30-60/night), and eating in most of the time, this portion of the trip would be on the low end. We gave ourselves $260/day budget and we did come a little under....bear in mind, we ate out when we wanted to, and really did almost everything on our list, from gondola rides to coasters to amazing restaurants to surf school...there was little we missed...

Grand total $7114.70- $229.51 per day- not bad for a family of 4

Broken down-
A whopping $2157 was spent on Transport -this included gas, ferries and public transit
$1269 on Accommodations- camp grounds- definitely the way to go
$1834 on food- this included groceries and resteraunts
$1239 ion entertainment
$613 on Miscellaneous (remember Anneka's new bike is included in this)

Good bye Canada, see you next year!

 Sadly we left Tofino to continue our adventure down to Victoria...we were eventually catching the ferry from Victoria back to the mainland to start the ride down the Pacific coast. Not really much to say about Victoria- pretty for sure, but very slow vibe and after the excitement of the last few weeks... I felt this was a little bit of a let down. We crammed a ton in in 1 day- Buchart Gardens (national historic site), China town (went to the most narrow commercial street in Canada), saw the beautiful waterfront and finally took in Wonder woman at an IMAX...The next day we took a ferry to the Sidney Spit part of the Gulf Islands national Park- this was the highlight of Victoria, beautiful beach, miles of sand and no one around...what a great way to end our last day in Canada. We crossed the border (easy peesy compared to Niagara falls crossing-seriously, no wait, a couple of questions and we were in!).

Victoria Waterfront

Sidney Spit- Gulf Is. National Park

Buchart Gardens

Victoria waterfront

Fan Tan Alley-most narrow commercial street in Canada

Vancouver to Whistler to Tofino....what a ride!

Vancouver, possibly the most beautiful city I have ever been to. There are so many places to see, we really could have spent weeks here...

We stayed in an RV park right at the bottom of Lion's Gate Bridge...not pretty, but super convenient with full amenities...couldn't ask for much better at $60/night. We first arrived and Johnny wanted to show us Stanley Park. We naively hopped on our bikes and started on our way..sounds like a piece of cake right??  Lion's Gate Bridge, is super long, almost all uphill and the ride into Stanley park was on this crazy busy commuter bike lane. People were whizzing by on a narrow path, with cars flying right next to us...very stressful driving with an inexperienced 6 year old..everyone's nerves were pushed to the limit and I have to say this was the most stressful time we have had so far on this trip...after about an hour of some seriously nerve wreaking biking, we finally arrived at beautiful Stanley Park. It truly is an oasis right in the heart of the city.

Lion's Gate Bridge

Instead of the Capilano Bridge, we decided to do the much less visited Lynn Canyon suspension bridge; beautiful paths and sweet swimming holes, a suspension bridgeand waterfalls....the only downfall to the day was some serious signage EVERYWHERE warning visitors of all the deaths that happen in the canyon every year from cliff jumping and reckless hikers.

Those red squares are deaths!

                                               

 

We stayed in Vancouver for 3 days, I had an amazing surprise, my great friend Yun happened to be here visiting a friend, so we were able to connect for a quick coffee. It is so great to meet friends in unexpected places.

There are so many amazing nooks and crannies to explore across Vancouver and the surrounding area..Deep Cove, Horseshoe Bay, Whytecliff Park, each with spectacular views, unique landscapes and interesting things to see, with waterfalls everywhere (I am a total sucker for a pretty waterfall)....we even got a fantastic surprise in Whytecliff park- two Seals sunbathing on the rocks...

WhyteCliff Park

WhyteCliff Park

Deep Cove

                           

Goodbye to Vancouver- hello Whistler- another amazing drive....Shannon Falls- INCREDIBLE!

Shannon Falls

Whistler about what you would expect-beautiful, touristy, trendy, amazing hiking, restaurants and things to do- we all loved Whistler. We stayed in Whistler RV Park...about 15 minutes south of Whistler- right next to Brandywhine Falls. It was up this very steep windy road...the park was easily our best view yet, best of all we met some new friends- these ones were from Langley, had a great night chatting and getting to know them (hi to Kathryn and Jay!). My favourite part of Whistler was probably the village itself, (Olympic Plaza was very cool), and probably the Train Wreck Hike...my friend Courtney lived in Whistler last year and recommended this one....fairly easy to do- and amazing sights along the way. At the end is an old train wreck that happened in 1956- there are 7 cars strewn across an area of beautiful forest, local artists and visitors alike have painted each car so now it is a wonderful work of art.

Whistler RV Park

Train Wreck Hike

Olympic Plaza, Whistler

On to Tofino....back down to Vancouver to grab the ferry- (that in itself was an experience)...lucky for us we were able to see some Orca's in the distance. The drive to Tofino was pretty crazy, long, narrow roads going up and down mountains (oh the gas!!!). Just outside of Port Alberni we noticed a bunch of cars on the side of the road and we caught a glimpse of some impressive looking rocks...we decided to pull over on a whim...this was honestly the most beautiful place I have seen. It's called Kennedy River Cascade. I read a perfect description of it "the water here has worn the rocks into smooth sculptures". It really does look like a giant piece of art, surrounded by crystal clear water and cascades of small waterfalls. (I forgot to mention that I totally buggered my knee I was out of commission hobbling around for several days, lucky for us we were in Tofino so I could "rest" on the beach:). Girls and Johnny quickly changed and tested out that water, jumping off the small ledges into freezing cold pools.

Ferry to Nanaimo

Kennedy River Cascades

Kennedy River Cascades

Back in the car and on to Tofino...a magical place, with a laid back vibe, pretty touristy, but still retains a sense of calm and serenity. We stayed in Bella Pacific Rv Park, (our friends Nick and Kath stayed here too). The park is right on the beach, beautiful sites, great location.  The next 3  days we spent having fun in the surf, (well as Anneka pointed out, "hey mom, have fun watching us have fun"- the stinker!). Everyone first went boogie boarding, as surfing lessons were all booked for the wknd....on Monday we got the girls in to a highly recommended surf school Pacific Surf Company. They were so great, we had the most amazing instructor named Annie (don't worry my Annie, she still wasn't as cool as you!) she was so patient with the girls and spent the afternoon making sure they were successful riding the waves feeling like professionals. Tofino was definitely their favourite and I foresee this is a place we will visit again.

Annie and the girls Pacific Surf Co.

Party Wave!

Tofino at Sunset the beach on our campsite

Now on to Victoria for our last leg if our Canadian tour....what a ride it has been.

Revelstoke to Vancouver

Last minute changes to our itinerary had us skip Jasper (I know....why??), and drive through Golden and Revelostoke to Cultus Lake. We saved 6 hours of driving time not to mention a tank of gas, (have I mentioned the gas is killing us? We knew it would be crazy expensive but it is even more then we expected, so far we have spent $1500 on gas alone, budget update will come when we leave Canada).
On our way to Revelstoke we stopped at a place called the Enchanted Forest. A must do with kids, incredibly creative, set in an old growth forest with massive trees and in a beautiful natural setting, all the while you are surrounded by every fairy tale character from your past...You are able to explore the tiny homes and read various fairy tales throughout the forest...if anything it was an incredible walk through some of the prettiest forest I have seen and all the while the kids were having a blast.
Anneka wants to add something here: "everything here was my favourite, I loved that we could explore the big tree house that was 3 floors"

Follow the yellow brick roa

"The Cow Jumping Over the Moon"

On to Revelstoke, we booked a campground with all the works...so far we have only stayed in Provincial and National parks...beautiful for sure...but pretty basic..this campground had it all and the kids were in heaven, from goats, bunnies and ducks to a pool and ice cream...kids did not want to leave and explore which has been our mission so far. When we first arrived instead of parking the trailer, setting up and hitting the road, we let them hang out and enjoy the beautiful weather and swimming pool. Its funny how the simplest pleasures make them the happiest. Next day we hit Mt. Revelstoke, rode the Gondola to the top (STUNNING!), hiked around and then jumped on the pipe coaster, (a mountain roller coaster- totally amazing!). Because our campground was such a hit, we headed back early and had another easy evening, this time meeting some new friends from Alberta, had a great evening with them.

The Pipe Coaster

The top of Mt Revelstoke

Riding the Gondola- Liv was frightened here but trying to overcome it:

The next day we left for a place called Cultas lake (think Grand Bend or Wasaga surrounded by mountains and beautiful forest). Johnny used to live in Abbotsford which is about 1/2 hour drive fro Cultas, ...he was able to connect with two old friends of his Sherri and Rob and spend the day catching up. Cultas Provincial Park, was one of the nicest parks we stayed in so far our site had a huge Cedar as well as a tiny creek behind us with fallen logs and rocks that the kids could explore. The area itself has been built up for tourist with an amusement park and shops and restaurants. Of course the kids wanted to go to the amusement park, so off I went with the girls so johnny could have a visit with his friends. No quite Wonderland (way too many spinny rides for me!) but a prefect little park to go with the kids and pretty reasonable too. Cultas Lake was definitely the kids fave.

Our campsite at Cultas lake

Banff National Park

I will try and keep this post short...Banff and Lake Louise! Wow, the beauty is unreal, every turn is a postcard and more incredible then the next..

Johnny and I have been doing research as we arrive in a new place (basically I have been sitting on my phone on our way somewhere figuring out the “best of” so we don’t miss anything too spectacular. Trip advisor has been amazing, they have a “best of” list for everything, (from hikes, to places to eat, to things to do), so far they have been bang on. I have also been cross checking it with Lonely Planet and a “Families Who Travel” group (FOTM) that I am part of (to make sure to get off the beaten path suggestions). What we are finding is that some activities are not always great for a 6 year old (or kids in general) so in some cases we have had to omit, even if it was something we really wanted to do….

Back to Banff National Park- first of all if you come here and camp you can spend an amazing, relatively cheap, two weeks exploring. Almost all of the major attractions are completely free, as well there are shuttles everywhere, so if you plan it properly you can hit all the places you want to see. The hiking is incredible, I am amazed how the kiddies hardly complained (there was some grumbles for sure, but for the most part they were awesome). We met a couple in Saskatchewan that just came from Banff and they warned us you have to wake up quite early to hit the more popular sites. Otherwise the parking lots get full and the Rangers close the road.Johnson Canyon and Lake Moraine were at the top of our list so we decided to brave those places waking at 6:30am. TOTALLY WORTH IT! Johnson Canyon is a stunning relatively easy 6 k hike  (Anneka only had to be carried in a few places) that walks you past 7 waterfalls. Lake Moraine, was probably the most beautiful place I have ever been.  After those two it was hard to compare anything. else, that said EVERYTHING here is unbelievable, from Caves and Basin (this is the “Birthplace” of all National Parks) Banff hot springs, Lake Louise, downtown Banff...we really rammed in a ton, spending only $450 for 3 nights. That includes, accommodations, food (we cooked most meals), a stop at an amazing rooftop for beers and Nachos in downtown Banff and gas. Not too shabby. We decided to cancel Jasper, we are heading to Revelstoke and Glacier National Park instead...in doing that we couldn't go to the ice fields (highly recommended by Kath) or 2 hikes I was dying to do that were highly recommended-Parker Ridge Trail and Plains of Six Glaciers.

So Banff National Park, I officially love you, and definitely want to come back.

Johnson Canyon

Waiting for the shuttle to downtown Banff

Selfie Lake Moraine 

,

Lake Louise

Lake Morraine

In the blink of an eye we were in Calgary...

We only had a couple more stops left in Ontario, arriving first at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, it was quite lovely, but weather was not cooperating beautiful beach but cool temperatures kept us out of the water...lucky for us we met our first friends as a traveling family. Thank you to the Andrews! We had a great time with you and hope our paths cross again.

We left early as we had a long ride ahead of us- next stop- Lake of Woods- Rushing River Provincial Park. Driving past Thunder Bay we stopped at the Terry Fox memorial, very inspiring, worth a stop if your driving through. 

A quick visit with my mothers cousin, who lives in a tiny place called Ignace, some delicious treats and wild blueberries (thanks Barb and Riel) and on to Rushing River.

My friends Nick and Kath mentioned when they went to "Lake of Woods" how truly spectacular it is there, ever since I have been dying to go. I was not disappointed. The park we stayed in was so pretty, with a massive river full of rapids, literally "rushing through", (hence the name). The park itself is quite small but it sits on a beautiful lake where we were able to rent kayaks and tour around. We then ventured on another hike (the girls are just about done with those!), to our surprise we found a section of rapids that had cascading falls, flat rocks and small pools just beckoning us to stay for a swim...what an amazing place....

I can honestly say our Ontario adventure was so great, really something to consider doing at least once.

Manitoba then Saskatchewan ....(one night here and one night there) .

Before we knew it  we arrived in Alberta...Banff I am so excited to meet you!