Holiday fun for the whole family

Travel expert Heather Greenwood Davis shares great Canadian options

A decade ago, Toronto-based writer and on-air personality Heather Greenwood Davis introduced her kids to her love of travel in a particularly intrepid way: The whole family — she and her husband, Ish, and sons Ethan and Cameron, then eight and six — embarked on a yearlong round-the-world trip, seeing 29 countries on six continents.

Of course, you need not venture far for a memorable family vacation, and as people take baby steps back into travel, deciding when, where and what feels safe and comfortable to do will be highly individual.

“There’s no point in going on a trip where you’re really worried about that,” says Greenwood Davis, who also runs the blog globetrottingmama.com. Some kids are more resilient, and others have been through a lot of pandemic upheaval, so give them a chance to weigh in on trip plans, she advises.

“I always recommend people simply start slowly and start close to home — for example, with an overnight at a hotel that has a great pool,” she adds. “Kids are going to love that.” When you’re ready to go, here are just a few spots Greenwood Davis assures will be fun for the whole family.

For farm-to-table experiences: Victoria, B.C.

“Victoria is one of those places that people think is like that sleepy town where your grandparents go, and there’s so much more to it,” says Greenwood Davis, who has the city on her family travel itinerary this summer. There are great hotels to make your home base, from grand classics like the Fairmont Empress to boutique luxury stays like the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, she adds.

The B.C. capital prides itself on being rich in restaurants, and there’s also a self-guided Flavour Trail in nearby Saanich Peninsula, a picturesque headland about 30 minutes north of Victoria. “We can actually see the ‘farm’ part of their farm-totable offerings and show kids where food comes from — not cellophane-wrapped in the grocery store, but the real deal,” says Greenwood Davis. Beyond savouring the local bounty, there’s whale watching and wildlife aplenty to entertain.

For eye-opening history: Trois-Rivières, Que.

“We were there a couple of summers ago and absolutely loved it,” says Greenwood Davis of the city, about a 90-minute drive from Quebec City. Among the sights are unexpectedly great museums like Boréalis, a former filtration plant that’s now a centre for the history of lumberjacks and the paper industry. “Had I said to my kids, ‘Hey, do you want to go to the log driver museum?’ nobody would’ve been on board,” she says, “but we got there and it was fascinating.”

She also recommends Musée POP, dedicated to spotlighting Quebec culture past and present. The museum is also attached to the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières, which first opened in 1822; the guided visit is a conversation starter for kids old enough to handle the subject matter. “We had some really great discussions,” says Greenwood Davis, “like how do we treat accused people? What do we do with prisoners, and what’s the right thing to do?”

For outdoor diversions: Collingwood, Ont.

For families who favour keeping the fun outside and closer to home, Greenwood Davis endorses this cottage-country classic, about a two-hour drive from Toronto. Here you’ll find the self-guided Apple Pie Trail, which makes for delightful road-tripping through South Georgian Bay, one of Ontario’s prime apple-growing regions. Plan your stops with the handy app, which includes bakeries, orchards and farmer’s markets, stretching to nearby Thornbury, Beaver Valley and beyond.

“As for what’s new, Blue Mountain just launched all-day passes (last summer),” says Greenwood Davis. Book ahead for the Explore All Day Pass (unlimited access to 30 kilometres of hiking trails, a dozen cross-country bike trails and the open-air gondola) or the Play All Day Pass (unlimited access to select attractions, like the Ridge Runner coaster, Wind Rider zip lining and the 18-hole Cascade putting

course).