Summer Family Fun on a Budget: Vancouver Edition

Our family was fortunate enough to manage a jaunt down to Disneyland in the spring, thus the word "staycation" is the one being used at our house when it comes to our summertime plans. The budget does not cover the cost of summer camps, day camps or any of the amazing programs that are on offer around Vancouver. Instead, we plan out fun activities and day trips that won't blow the bank and are fun for the whole family. I thought it would be fun to share our "budget bucket list" of affordable activities around Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Please feel free to add your own ideas to the comments below.

1. Community Pools. There are an amazing amount of super indoor and outdoor pools in the Lower Mainland, and they are all affordable. Maple Grove and Hillcrest are two of my favourites.
2. Spray Parks. For those with slightly younger kids, your hose in the backyard is probably fun enough, but there are a lot of fun FREE spray parks scattered around. Granville Island and Stanley Park have two of the more "famous" ones, but we found a fun little one right by our house near Boundary and Rumble. An east side one is called Norquay Park on Kingsway.
3. Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge and Park. Capilano is for the tourists. Lynn Canyon Bridge is just as spectacular and FREE. 
4. Maplewood Farm. On the North Shore is tiny Maplewood Farm. A gentle little place filled with goats to pet, ponies, ducks and chickens galore. It isn't free, but it's affordable, and there are always coupons to be found. You are welcome to picnic on the grounds.
5. Whytecliff Park. One of our favourite places to spend the day is Whytecliffe Park over in West Vancouver. It is a protected marine environment, and you can see scuba divers bobbing about, as well as the odd harbour seal. It's a rocky beach, but perfect for exploring and hunting for crabs. There are lovely picnic grounds, a play park and gentle trails where you can easily spot eagles and hawks. A true taste of B.C. in one small park.
6. ANY Vancouver Beach. You don't have to go far around Vancouver to find an awesome beach. Our favourite is Spanish Banks, as it is more "family" rather than "bathing beauties," and we can set up our beach tent and toys, and the kids can have a blast without disturbing the serious tanners too much.
7. Even MORE Beaches. If you want to travel a bit farther, you have to make the trip out to White Rock. It is our own seaside town and you can't beat a day at the beach (time it for the low tide for optimum sand castle building) finished off by some tasty fish and chips. I recommend the south end at Semiahmoo Park or East Beach for affordable parking and fewer crowds.8. Vancouver Canadians. What says summer more than a baseball game in an awesome stadium like Nat Bailey over at Queen Elizabeth Park? They have family nights and an activity area for kids, too. Peanuts, anyone?9. Bloedel Conservatory. Not exactly a thing I would do on a HOT day, but fun nevertheless. The conservatory on top of Queen Elizabeth Park is a tropical paradise hidden away. I would also add to the "garden" list Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens down in Chinatown. 10. Public Transportation. If your kids still think the SkyTrain is pretty cool, a trip on the Canada Line out to the Vancouver International Airport can make for a fun day. YVR also has a FREE observation deck where you can take in the planes arriving and departing. YVR also has their TAKE-OFF Fridays. If you stop by anytime between July 5 and August 30, you can partake in treats, entertainment and family friendly fun that includes bands, face painting and much more for the plane lover in your family.The list could go on and on. The Lower Mainland has much to offer families, especially if you love the great outdoors. We celebrate nature here, and I think nothing is more important than imparting a love and respect for the world around us to our kids, especially when it's disguised as summer fun. 

Kerry Sauriol is the Vancouver mom behind the blog, Crunchy Carpets. She has three children and sundry pets, and tries to balance it all while keeping her sanity. Her blog focuses on the juggling act called parenting - in her case, the act of juggling a preschooler, two burgeoning "tweens" and keeping everyone out of therapy when they're older. Other articles by this writer: Summer school or summer fun?Celebrating DadOne mom's perfect daySurviving spring break with the kidsNew ideas for Valentine's DayCelebrating B.C.'s first Family DayLevel Up? Parents vs. Video GamesMall Santa Madness