Family-Friendly Things to Do on Spring Break
With kids on Spring Break between March 17 and 28, it's a great time to explore Vancouver with your family. Enjoy museums, educational day camps, and outdoor activities in the snow and the rainforest.
VanDusen Botanical Garden
Take a family stroll around VanDusen Botanical Garden to admire the early spring blooms. Kids 5 to 10 can enjoy educational day camps at VanDusen Botanical Garden each weekday during Spring Break. Each day has a theme such as Bustling Birds, Wonders of Water, Crafty Critters, and more. The camps take place outdoors in the garden.
Sledding and Snow Tubing
Bundle up, then head up to the North Shore Mountains to play in the snow. Gnarly's Tube Park at Cypress Mountain has six groomed tube chutes and a tube tow to bring you back up to the top. The nearby Sliding Area for kids under six has a gentle hill you can slide down if you bring your own sled. The tube park at Mount Seymour also has a tube tow and several lanes for sliding. Their Toboggan area is open to all ages. You can bring your own sled or purchase a sliding mat on-site. The Sliding Zone at Grouse Mountain has sled rentals and two groomed sliding lanes.
BC Sports Hall of Fame
The BC Sports Hall of Fame has interactive exhibits and hands-on sports challenges that are fun for the whole family. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during Spring Break you can take advantage of their Family Pass Special. It includes admission for two adults and two children for just $40. They also offer day camps on Mondays during spring break.
Vancouver Aquarium
Plan a family outing to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park during Spring Break. Explore over 120 indoor and outdoor exhibits that include plants and animals from local waters, coral reefs, the Amazon rainforest, and more. Don't miss the new Survival of the Slowest exhibit. It highlights a world where being slow, small, or even weak can be a survival strategy. You'll meet two-toed sloths, hedgehogs, an armadillo, and more.
Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Richmond's Steveston neighbourhood is one of BC's few restored salmon canneries. It has lots of exhibits about the history of the local fishing industry. From March 15 to 30th they are offering a special kid-friendly Spring Break Salmon Run program. It includes self-guided activities that trace the journey of Pacific Salmon as they return to the streams where they were born to lay their eggs and restart the salmon lifecycle.
Sea to Sky Gondola
The Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish has incredible views from their mountain top deck. The short and flat trails at the summit are the perfect length for a snowy family hike. They also have a tube park and every Friday kids under 18 can tube for free.
Burnaby Village Museum
Enjoy free admission at Burnaby Village Museum from Monday, March 17 to Friday, March 28. The 10-acre open-air site includes historical homes and businesses you can visit. There are a variety of special activities happening throughout Spring Break including a scavenger hunt, table tennis, Indigenous storytelling sessions, and more.
Science World
The interactive exhibits at Science World are always fun for kids of all ages. Kids will love the Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits exhibit on until May 19. You can try a parkour course, virtually experience mountain biking, or challenge yourself on a high line. Or sign up your child for Spring Break Day Camps. Open to kids from kindergarten to grade five, the camps include science-themed games, live demonstrations, and hands-on workshops.
Hiking
The mountains are still covered in snow, but you can hike near sea level. The trails at Pacific Spirit Regional Park are great at this time of year. They weave through the rainforest and down to the beaches. Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver is another great spring hiking destination. Follow the paths through old-growth forest to rocky outcroppings with great views of Vancouver and the Strait of Georgia. Our list of snow-free hikes near Vancouver has more Spring Break hiking ideas.
Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a family-friendly winter sport that is easy to learn. Dress in warm winter clothing, then head to one of the North Shore Mountains. They all have snowshoe trails and rentals.
At Grouse Mountain, beginners and those with younger children can start with the easy and flat Blue Grouse Loop. But if you've got more energy or older kids, take on the challenge of the Snowshoe Grind.
The rolling Discovery Snowshoe Trails at Mount Seymour meander past several frozen lakes. With several loop trails, it's easy to design a route that works for your family's stamina.
At Cypress Mountain, you can explore 11 kilometres of marked trails on Hollyburn Ridge. Or book the Lights to Lodge experience. The snowy forest is lit up at night with thousands of twinkling lights. The short trek ends at the Hollyburn Lodge where you can warm up with hot chocolate.