There are numerous family vacation destinations around the world that are synonymous with adventure. Families trek around volcanoes in Costa Rica, go on safari in Africa and go snorkeling along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Would it surprise you if I added the Outaouais Region of Canada to the list? It surprised me.

Where is Outaouais?

If I asked you to show me the Outaouais Region …

I discovered Canada last year during a no-kid trip to Vancouver. It took me just three months to make it back to British Columbia, this time to explore Richmond with my daughter. The list of great neighborhoods and activities grew quickly, but when it came to getting the feel of classic Canada, the third time was the charm.

Halfway between Ottawa and Montreal, the Fairmont Le Château Montebello, exudes Canada.

In my years of travel I’ve learned kids and water are usually a good combination. The kids don’t even necessarily have to be in it, just close enough to see it.

Maybe it’s the sounds of water or the cries of seagulls. Whatever it is, I’ve found a new place that has it – Canada’s Steveston Village.

What is a Canuck?

After spending three days in Vancouver, I really still wasn’t sure. So I googled it. Canuck is a slang word for Canadians. It’s also refers to the wildly popular NHL hockey team the Vancouver Canucks. Folks in Vancouver love their hockey team. The only thing they may love more is their city.

Vancouver is the 5th largest city in Canada. It’s West End neighborhood is one of the most densely populated …

Science World’s signature silver geodesic dome is home to two floors of innovative science experiments. Dance on a giant keyboard, build power on a giant rotating windmill and climb inside a wild animal’s home (no rabies shots necessary). If you’re a member of your local science museum, you’ll get into Science World for free — check the list of participating museums at astc.com for more details.

Toronto is fun, Toronto is clean, and (in spite of what Vancouverites might say! , Toronto is friendly. As a native Torontonian, I can think of no better place to live and raise my kids, and my transplanted Westerner-of-a-husband begrudgingly agrees.

Summer is hot and humid, spring and fall are typically lovely. Our winters can be quite harsh, but there’s usually no major snow on the ground until December, so as long as you’re bundled you can still enjoy the outdoors. There’s plenty to enjoy indoors anyway!

I invited Catherine Forth from Have Kids Will Travel to do a guest post on her favorite activities with kids in Banff, Alberta in Canada. Reading the post reminded me how much we loved this area …

This trip to Quebec was one that celebrated winter instead of escaped it! Photos bring you right back to the experience at that moment. Looking at this picture from last winter, I relived the excitement that we all felt when we went to stay …