Miniature World Museum in Victoria, B.C.

Walking down the busy but well-kept streets of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, my family and I had a destination in mind. Our goal: to find the harbour, rent a sea shuttle, and find a delicious seafood restaurant overlooking the ocean.

Then it began to pour.

Surprised by the deluge, my husband and I tried to find a place to shelter our shivering two-year-old and four-year-old children. As luck would have it, we ducked under a black awning and found ourselves reading the gilded writing splashed across the door.

"Miniature World. The Greatest Little Show on Earth," my husband read. "Wanna go in?" I nodded happily - we would be dry, warm, and entertained. Does escaping a surprise spring shower get any better than that?

And so we entered Miniature World, the land of all things teeny tiny.

Victoria's Butchart Gardens: Paradise on Vancouver Island

As a child, I visited Vancouver Island with my parents on several occasions. One of my most vivid memories of exploring the island was strolling the grounds of the incredible Butchart Gardens. Sprawling across 55 acres of fertile land, the Butchart Gardens feature several themed gardens, fountains, a carousel, and so many flowers it will make your head spin.

We visited Vancouver Island last May with our own children, and I was excited to continue the family tradition of visiting Butchart Gardens into the next generation. My memory certainly didn't even do the gardens justice - they were even bigger, brighter and more beautiful than I remembered!

Allow me to take you on a virtual tour of the gardens, and don't forget to watch the video at the end to  get the full experience!

Tide-Pooling in Vancouver Island's Botany Bay

One of my favourite things to do when I'm oceanside is hunt for tide pools. The abundance of flora and fauna that can be found within a tide pool gives you a little window into what the ocean floor might look like in that area.

What exactly is a 'tide pool'? Here is the official definition from Wikipedia: "Tide pools or rock pools are shallow pools of seawater that form on the rocky intertidal shore. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide. Many tide pools are habitats of especially adaptable animals." The animals that typically enjoy tide pool environments are starfish, anemones, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, snails, crabs, and many more I'm sure!

When we visited Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island last month, I insisted on visiting the famous Botany Beach where tide pools dot the ocean's edge.

Avatar Grove: Forest of Giants in Port Renfrew, B.C.

Fairy tale forests are full of mystery and magic. Every child has dreamed of Hansel and Gretel's forest; winding pathways edged with ferns and mosses, sheltered by giant trees with a canopy that seems to touch the clouds. If you have ever pictured yourself lost in such a fairy tale forest, then might already have a mental image of what Vancouver Island's Avatar Grove looks like.

We visited Avatar Grove last month during our family road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Located close to the remote fishing village of Port Renfrew, Avatar Grove is protected by the Ancient Forest Alliance because of its incredible old-growth western red cedar and Douglas fir trees and the fact that it features 'Canada's Gnarliest Tree', a moniker that intrigued me so much we just had to go see what it was all about.

Vancouver Island's Englishman River Falls

If you are staying in the Nanaimo / Parksville region of British Columbia's Vancouver Island, and are looking for an easy, family-friendly hike in a gorgeous natural area, this post is for you!

My family and I recently spent a couple of weeks exploring Vancouver Island, including the town of Parksville. While there, we drove out to Englishman River Falls Provincial Park to check out the double waterfalls and enjoy a morning of hiking through the forest. It was a fabulous way to spend some time together in peaceful and beautiful surroundings.

Read on to learn more about Englishman River Falls Provincial Park and what to expect while there!

5 Family Friendly Activities in Parksville, British Columbia

Are you planning to visit the picturesque town of Parksville on British Columbia's Vancouver Island? If you are there with kids, there is no end of fun adventures to be had. My family and I recently spent three days in the Parksville, B.C. area and ran out of time to explore of all the great things the town and surroundings had to offer.

To make planning your vacation to the region a little easier, I've made a handy-dandy list of exciting family outings to try during your stay. (And even if you don't have children with you, you should try these activities anyway!)

This isn't even a full list - I have additional activities posted on my blog and my YouTube channel as well. I will include links to all of these extra articles and videos at the bottom of this post to help you find what you need!

How to Plan a Road Trip with Toddlers

Happy May everyone! The month of May is a really big deal around my home, as it marks the end of tax season for my husband, and the end of him working 10-11 hours a day almost seven days a week. He began 'tax season' at the start of February and went straight through until April 30, only taking two full days off that entire time.

For him, of course it is exhausting. For me, it is equally as tiring, since I'm basically a single mom of two trying to raise the kids, clean the house, do the laundry, buy the groceries, cook the meals, clean the yard (because finally it is spring!) AND work part-time as a substitute teacher. For the kids, they miss their dad fiercely, and my son even began to tell strangers that his father 'lived at work'. He honestly thought Joey slept at work and that was where his home was. Oh dear.

So we are celebrating May this year by taking a much-needed family vacation to reconnect, relax, and make some valuable memories together.