Driving to Vancouver - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Boblobla · 02-01-2013, 07:56 AM

I searched and found this thread from a few years back, if the mods want to merge please do.

I driving to Van with my preggers wife and 2 year old. I am anticipating that we will have to stop half way both directions.

I am looking for recommendations of hotels and stuff to do along the way with a kid. My preference is to have a hotel with a decent pool.

We are going to have a few extra days in Van to do some sight seeing as well and I would really appreciate some recommendations. I went once when I was a little kid but I don't remember anything. Is there an aquarium there? I have neverC been to an aquarium and I am pretty sure my kid would love that as well.

The wedding is in Burnaby and the hotels that have been recommended are in Coquitlam (sp?) but we don't need to stay there for the duration of our trip.

Help me CP, you are my only hope. Well, not my only hope, just the most convenient.

Flabbibulin · 02-01-2013, 08:29 AM

Salmon Arm and Sicamous are essentially half way- Salmon Arm is considerably nicer of the two. Lots of motels etc. Revelstoke as well.

The ghost town at 3 valley gap is pretty cool, as well as the enchanted forest (for kids). Both near Revelstoke.

http://www.3valley.com/

http://www.enchantedforestbc.com/

Depending on when you are going, not sure if enchanted forest is open in winter...

rd_aaron · 02-01-2013, 08:29 AM

The aquarium is pretty good. It's in Stanley Park. Your kid will love it.

bc-chris · 02-01-2013, 08:46 AM

if you're looking at stopping half way then that would probably be around armstrong... not much to see or do there. i'd recommend heading to either vernon or kelowna

i'm not sure which places have pools. i know that the fairfield in kelowna must have something - they've got one of those water slides that comes out of the top side of the building and then back in at the bottom. the fairfield is right around the hwy 97/hwy 33 intersection.

stuff do to along the way.... i'm not sure for little kids, but i always enjoy the scenery. there are lots of places to pull over and walk around for a few minutes. when passing thru kelowna your more than welcome to stop by my place and 'take in the games room'

there is an aquarium in vancouver. i haven't been there since high school (i'm sure it's changed a bunch in over 20 years). my wife's school always does a grade 7 field trip to the aquarium and i know every year when she returns from the trip she has tons of stories of how much the kids enjoyed it

there is lots to see and do in vancouver... although i find my trips usually consist of 3 things....
1 - visit relatives
2 - follow my wife around for endless hours at the malls
3 - watch the flames beat the canucks at gm place (the flames have an awesome record when i get to games!)

Aeneas · 02-01-2013, 09:29 AM

There is a water slide / pool near Bridal Falls that our kids liked.
They also like three valley gap. Has a pool.
Skytrax (by the enchated Forest) is great fun for the kids, and adults, but maybe not yet for your two year old.

Not exactly on the way, but Harrison Lake has great stuff for kids.
Beach, shallow kids lake, park.

CaptainCrunch · 02-01-2013, 09:37 AM

Wait your driving with a pregnant wife and a two year old? prepare to stop every 7 kms

pylon · 02-01-2013, 09:50 AM

Stop halfway at BC-Chris's house, and check out his games room. I know next time I make that drive I will be stopping in Kramer style.

To Be Quite Honest · 02-01-2013, 10:04 AM

There is this cabin in the woods. I highly reccomend it! Lots of things in the cellar to play with!

Spoiler!

I do recommend the drive back through hwy 3 if it's in the daytime. Gorgeous road.

AR_Six · 02-01-2013, 10:12 AM

Would stop in Kamloops (or Kelowna if you're taking a detour). It's more than halfway but if you can manage 7 or so hours of driving the first day you'll make it.

I've actually done that drive in the other direction in 9h15 (10h15 with the time change) so it can be done without stopping, but that was going pretty damned fast and not in winter.

afc wimbledon · 02-01-2013, 10:31 AM

Dinner at cloud 9 on Robson will please both your wife and kid but piss off your debit card, There is a nice park and resteraunt up on Burnaby mountain with nice views.
Cap suspension bridge is a bit touristy but you can take a nice walk for free along the canyon ending up at the fish hatchery and the dam (n van).
The aquarium is good as is stanley park in general.

Northendzone · 02-01-2013, 11:07 AM

when in vacouver you can jon the rioting that happens at 7, 8.15 and 9.30 for the more mature rioter.

Sylvanfan · 02-01-2013, 12:40 PM

From Calgary there almost is no good half way on that trip, Salmon Arm is proably the closest thing. I'd avoid Revelstoke myself...hate that place, it's like it's only purpose is to rip off tired folks travelling thru knowing they have no other choice.

Really depends on when you are going too, as the Rogers Pass is highly unpredictable in winter, and frankly it's an absolute embarassment that we consider that an acceptable main transportation route in what we think is a first world country. Once you get past that...you have to deal with the Coquihalla, which also can be unpredictable at this time of year. I would personally reccomend driving thru Kamloops rather than the Okanagan detour. If you take the connector, you are looking a a long two and a half hour drive over two mountain passes with nothing between West Kelowna, and Hope. Not to mention it can take an hour to get from Winfield to the Connector. Whereas from Kamloops, Merit is right off the hiway, than you're another 100km after that to hope. So if you need to stop more often, you don't have that long stretch of nothing, plus if there is a closure, the back track to civilization isn't as far.

Boblobla · 02-01-2013, 03:37 PM

thanks for the help everyone. I will think about highway 3 on the way back.

Aeneas · 02-01-2013, 03:48 PM

On Granville Island there is a children's market. Worth a visit if you have kids.

automaton 3 · 02-01-2013, 03:57 PM

+1 for Kamloops if you can make it that far the 1st day. Lots of choices of places to stay and makes for an easier 2nd day.

We tried the southern route (highway 3) once and vowed never again, the road was not great in stretches and made a longish trip just that much more punishing.

Table 5 · 02-01-2013, 04:02 PM

Sure you just don't want to push through? Calgary to Vancouver can easily be done in a day if you start early. I think you're better of using that extra day in Vancouver than in some random hamlet.

I drove with a late-term pregnant wife (with a bladder of a grape) a few months ago, and we managed to do SF to Calgary in 2 days. You just gotta start early and get in the mindset.

Boblobla · 02-01-2013, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Table 5

Sure you just don't want to push through? Calgary to Vancouver can easily be done in a day if you start early. I think you're better of using that extra day in Vancouver than in some random hamlet.

I drove with a late-term pregnant wife (with a bladder of a grape) a few months ago, and we managed to do SF to Calgary in 2 days. You just gotta start early and get in the mindset.

It is not the preggers I am worried about, it is the 2 year old. We will see but I want to have a plan just in case we cant make the full trip in one shot.

Table 5 · 02-01-2013, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boblobla

I want to have a plan just in case we cant make the full trip in one shot.

Chloroform?

Peanut · 02-02-2013, 09:09 AM

The iPad is my travel salvation. Download some games, cartoons, movies, etc. and it should keep a 2 year old occupied for at least one hour.

Yasa · 02-02-2013, 09:49 AM

If you do end up stopping near Armstrong, you can check out Dave's Goat Walk. Kids seem to love it. You feed goats. But there's also a decent store there for tasty beef jerky and all sorts of baked goods.