Today’s Vancouver Mom: Kelly Duran
Kelly is the event manager for Leading Moms as well as a freelance marketing and media consultant. She blogs at this write life and was one of the Top 30 Mom Bloggers in 2013. In her life away from her laptop, she spends her time out and about with her two young daughters exploring the city. She may live in Richmond but her favourite spots are all over the Lower Mainland.
Favourite places to go with the kids
Vancouver Kidsbooks
This place is a wonderland for all book lovers. They have something for every age (including adults) and the staff are incredibly knowledgeable. They actually have to read the books…it’s part of the job description. The Vancouver location has recently moved to new digs – go check it out!
Wesbrook Village
This area has really developed into something awesome since it opened in 2010. The walking trails through Pacific Spirit Park are a perfect place to let the kids run and get their ‘googies’ out. The Village itself has great food options – including my husband’s fave, Biercraft, and the kids go-to choice of Menchies! There are four completely awesome and totally different playgrounds to check out. Bonus: this is a great place to check out after a Whitecaps FC 2 game or any event at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium, which is just a 12-minute walk away.
Iona Beach
This awesome stretch of beach is a great spot to bring the family. The views are breathtaking- especially at sunset – and you can even catch a few planes taking off and landing nearby. Depending on the tides, you can walk out in the soft sand for miles and feel like you are truly in a different city all together. Here’s a handy tip – bring towels and some baby wipes because your feet will be well and truly filthy when you are done.
Cultus Lake
This is my absolute favourite summer vacation spot. Unfortunately most of the waterfront rentals have gone away but it’s still a great place to come for a day in the summer. The lake is (relatively) warm enough for swimming, the beach is great for exploring and rock collecting and there’s mini golf too! And of course, if you get tired of the natural beauty of the lake (as if) you can always hit up the waterslides for the day.
Ladner Leisure Centre Indoor Pool
There are a lot of indoor pools in the lower mainland but this one is our favourite. There are three pools plus a large hot tub. The kids pool features a gradual entry – perfect for when my girls were little – as well as a basketball hoop. In the main pool, there’s a three metre spring diving board and a climbing wall. Bonus: family changerooms mean you and your spouse don’t need to split up to shower and change after.
