There are few things as delightful and anticipated as my first cup of morning coffee. I don’t know what it is, but I feel a little bit of excitement, and comfort as I take that first sip. Whether drip, americano or french press- it’s all yummy. There might be something extra special about taking that first sip nestled between the rocky mountains. We’ve been enjoying the mountains more and more lately- they are just over a 2 hour drive from us- so I thought I would share some fun things to do and see in Canmore, Ab {with kids}
We are by no means experts of the area- now that we have kids, it’s like every visit is a new little discovery. I’d love to hear about some of your fave spots!
Nature Drives. We kind of have this silly/joke/tradition about taking nature drives. We’ve done it since E was a baby- when we were out camping in hopes he’d fall asleep- and usually to get out of the rain or snow that was sure to plague us. They occur just before bed time…err I mean dark, when the animals are out…. but all my kids spotted was a chipmunk, and to be truthful I spotted it. But we took the windy road up to Spray Lakes, and the kids skipped rocks, and we had a lovely time. I love mountain lakes.
Grassi Lakes. (*more difficult path) Again my boys were worried this wasn’t going to be a real hike. And to be honest, it’s a nice journey up to some breath taking views, and cool water falls. This made it all worth it for them. My boys loved stepping through the falls, and taking it all in before heading up to the lakes. The pools of water were pretty inviting, but no one was jumping in. My 3 year old hiked much of the way, but we kept her in the back pack for some of the more steep bits. We took the easy path down because a certain prego needed the facilities- and it definitely doesn’t compare to the “more difficult” path.
Spray Lakes This is a great spot to take a nature drive up to. We went before bed, walked around and skipped some rocks. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
Elevation Place If the weather isn’t co-operating, elevation place offers a library, rock climbing walls and swimming pool. Our kids love swimming there- especially because there is a water slide. We like the hot tub.
Centennial Park Just over a block off the main area of shops in the heart of Canmore is Centennial Park. It is a beautiful park surrounded by breath taking mountains, and is inviting for toddlers to big kids. Our boys like to bring a ball and glove and play catch in the huge green space. There are picnic tables perfect for lunch or an evening treat.
And beyond…
Johnston Canyon. While it might be a bit touristy- our kids loved it. My oldest was convinced he wouldn’t because it wasn’t a real hike- and there were paved paths… but once we were walking over top of rushing water (the falls were pretty cool this time of the year) he thought it was really cool. We went to the lower falls, and upper falls- but opted to skip out on the ink pots. Our daughter is 3 and we put her in a hiking back pack for most of the trip. I wish I could bottle just an ounce of my boys energy as they would have sprinted the whole way up if we let them. Seeing kayakers with go pros strapped to their helmets and kayaks preparing to take the plunge made me think of their mothers… I said a little pray that if my boys turn into those kind of adventure seekers, God would protect them.
Lake Minewanka + Stewart Canyon Hike While the lake can be very busy- if you get there nice and early, you can beat the crowds. It also seemed as though few of the tourists venture very far away from the docks- so there is plenty of space to spread out. We did the hike up to Stewart Canyon. Our kids loved getting their feet wet and throwing rocks.
So there you have just a few things we have enjoyed doing with our kiddos this summer. Getting out and about in nature is most definitely my favorite thing- and we generally take advantage of all the free things to do that take our breath away, have us getting active, and enjoying God’s creation!
-Miss Ash