Taking the Kids: Visiting a kid-friendly Vancouver
Imagine a place where kids are encouraged to play with toys that are for sale, try magic tricks and dress-up clothes, race down a four-story tube slide, navigate a multilevel play space and even get a haircut sitting in a kid-sized car, and you're only charged for what you buy.
Welcome to the Kids Market on Vancouver's Granville Island, which draws 10 million visitors annually to its famous public market, restaurants, theaters, galleries, studios and pop-up stores. Founded in 1984, the owners converted a century-old paint factory into this unique kids' marketplace.
"It's a kid's dream," said Jenniver Telford, visiting from Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and 4-year-old son.
It's a parent's dream too, as long as they can get away without spending too much or sparking a meltdown when they say no. 'There is a lot to do that is free, but you end up paying," laughed Vancouver dad Monta Maeda, whose daughter was clutching a new LEGO set. The plus side, he said, "The kids won't get bored here."
You could say that about all of Vancouver, which is the spectacularly beautiful coastal British Columbia city surrounded by mountains. Right now, Vancouver is a veritable bargain because the U.S. dollar is so strong against the Canadian dollar. (One U.S. dollar is worth $1.31 Canadian.)
It's also a great place to teach the kids lessons in diversity and sustainability. There are 11 First Nations within the Metro Vancouver area, while nearly half of Vancouver's population is of Asian descent. (One of the city's most visited attractions is Stanley Park's nine traditional totem poles at Brockton Point, created by Aboriginal artists: The University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology puts special emphasis on the First Nations peoples.
Take a "Wok Around Chinatown" food tour with Robert Sung, a third-generation Chinese-Canadian, which offers a tea-making lesson and a visit to a Chinese herbal medicine store. Ever seen a dried gecko?
It's kid- and teen-friendly wherever you go -- for dim sum in Chinatown, one of the largest in North America, or to play in the huge 1,000-acre Stanley Park, home to the Vancouver Aquarium. Take a bike ride along the pedestrian 5.5-mile seawall or a walk across the historic 450-foot long Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is 230 feet above the Capilano River. (Adventurous families can opt for a treetops adventure with seven suspension bridges.)
Indulge the foodies in the family in Gastown where you'll find the city's up-and-coming chefs and you can orchestra a progressive dinner, having a different course at several places. (West Coast Food is a great site to get acquainted with the area's food scene and check out www.kidsvancouver.com for upcoming family events.)
Did you know Vancouver is aiming to become the world's greenest city by next year?
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