Canada is child's play
The arresting beauty of Canada in autumn is almost enough to make you forget the ski season and the summer hiking and make every trip at the changing of the seasons.
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Over four weeks we travelled from Vancouver to Toronto, with side trips along the way. Across the country the rich hues of the leaves and ice forming at the edge of lakes and rivers highlighted the breathtaking landscape.
Autumn produce, bracing but bearable weather and Halloween celebrations ensured a different kind of holiday to those taken in the high season.
This was our first overseas trip since having children and was a test to see how well we got from one place to another. Pretty well, as it turned out. The secret was the types of activities we chose.
We were limited in the nightlife we could taste but we didn't limit ourselves to purely child-centric attractions, either. The trick was to spend time in places enjoyable for adults and fun for two boys aged five and seven. For us it meant parks, sport, natural history, markets and food.
STANLEY PARK
In Vancouver, the 400ha Stanley Park offers beaches, picnic areas, cycleways, an aquarium and trees. One day we walked through the centre of the park, another day we cycled the perimeter. Either way, the autumn leaves are stunning.
There are bike hire shops along the main Robson Street near the park and around the sea wall. My tip would be to rent from a store close to the park if you are cycling with a child so your young one doesn't have to cross traffic with a bike.
The Vancouver Aquarium is in the centre of the park. The stars are beluga whales, ghostly Arctic mammals that appear part dolphin, part dugong. Admission is $C21 ($20.20) for adults, $C16 for youths aged 13-18 and $C13 for children four to 12 years. Hours vary from season to season, so visit vanaqua.org/ before you go.
GRANVILLE ISLAND MARKETS
Granville Island Markets is another family-friendly excursion. Granville is not really an island but you can get there by boat. The water taxis ferrying passengers to and from the island appear to have the stability of bobbing corks but they are frequent and convenient.
The markets have stalls selling fresh produce, food hall fare and gourmet takeaways. The wild salmon burgers were delicious and I'd bob on a cork for another any day.
Alongside the food vendors there are artisans, artists and specialty shops selling quality goods. The Kids Market houses Adventure Zone and stores chock-full of top-grade puzzles, puppets and playthings.
TRAIN THROUGH THE ROCKIES
From Vancouver we took a train trip through the Rocky Mountains to Edmonton. From our sleeper carriages we watched snow-tinged pines and postcard-perfect peaks whizz by. But the best vantage point was from the communal park car, a glass-roofed carriage with live commentary about the mountains and lakes as we passed.
A one-way adult Vancouver- Edmonton fare in a cabin for two cost $750 and $561 for a child. See viarail.ca/en for variations on the trip and class of cabin.
EDMONTON
In Edmonton our sightseeing was limited to West Edmonton Mall and an ice hockey match. If the weather is bad and your time is short, the mall is a good place to go. Inside, there is a sea mammal park, a boat and submarine for your leisure, an ice-skating rink, a waterslide playground and a beach with waves, bungee and rollercoaster rides - all testing the marvels of indoor climate control at once.
In the same 570,000sqm space there are more than 800 shops, plus restaurants and cinemas and everything else you need when it's 20-below. The kids and I had a quick ice skate before lunch.
We were mentally preparing for our big outing in the evening, seeing a National Hockey League match between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. Forced to choose, I'd take the ice hockey over 800 shops and a bungee rope, thanks.
FORT McMURRAY
Fort McMurray, 435km north-east of Edmonton, is famous for being an economic bubble in Canada because of the oil oozing from the sands.
If we were not visiting relatives, it would not have been on our itinerary. Everywhere else we went in Canada being a pedestrian was easy, safe and fun. In Fort McMurray we did battle with the pick-up trucks to make our way into town.
Fort McMurray does not even pretend to be a tourist town. Its sole purpose is mining. But many Australians work in mining there or visit for resources-related business.
Fort McMurray from the air. Picture: Melanie Coram
The city is a kindred spirit of Western Australia. Both relish their wild-west image and romanticise the business of mining. Like WA, Fort McMurray is a magnet for workers across the country and abroad and many residents are rolling in dough while their compatriots around the country remain in the GFC doldrums.
We saw oil sands operations from the road, then from the air in a Lakeshore Helicopters charter. Pilot Don, who has been in Fort McMurray since the 1980s, has seen the boom from 300m up.
If your holiday takes you to Canada and your work is related to resources, there is much to interest you in Fort McMurray.
TORONTO
Our last stop was Toronto. Vancouver was nice in a nice kind of way but Toronto stole my heart. While Vancouver centres around the waterfront, Toronto turns its back on Lake Ontario. The city is happy being a city.
It has a faster pace and confident stride. Every time I framed a gorgeous photo a bike whizzed through the middle as I went click. I took this to be the sign of a healthy, vibrant city.
We stayed at Cambridge Suites on Richmond Street which is near the PATH underground walkway. PATH is a 27km network of shops and eateries underneath the city centre. Again, a good idea in the bitter cold but not necessary in November.
Instead head above ground, way above ground, to the CN Tower. There are several packages, depending on how well you deal with heights. We took the observation deck and glass floor option for $30 adults and $22 for children. But only two of us had the stomach to try the glass floor.
Much more to everyone's liking were the markets. The St Lawrence Markets are similar to the food markets at Granville Island but heavier on the cheese and red meat. There are rows of gorgeous fruit and vegies, fresh bread and seafood.
A few blocks north, between Chinatown and the University of Toronto, are Kensington Markets. These quirky markets lack the cohesion of gastro-snob St Lawrence or Granville and are more a mishmash of shops and second-hand stalls. Here we ate well, and cheaply, and enjoyed the tram ride home.
Despite the vastness of Canada it is an easy place to travel with your family. Almost every attraction, restaurant and public service was easy to use and staff were always friendly. Children, like pedestrians, are treated well.
FACT FILE
• Vancouver Aquarium: vanaqua.org/
• VIA Rail Canada: viarail.ca/en
• Cambridge Suites Toronto: cambridgesuitestoronto.com/
Melanie Coram was a guest of Lakeshore Helicopters.
