Fun Family Attractions In British Columbia

Are you looking for some fun adventures or activities to enjoy with the whole family when boredom strikes or on you next excursion, vacation, weekend getaway or day trip in British Columbia? There is definitely no shortage of things to do in the lower BC mainland or Vancouver Island that the whole family can enjoy together. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, you’ve come to the right place for a preview of what’s out there to enjoy with the kids.

With Spring just around the corner as well as Spring Break just ahead, temperatures are on the rise and families are now beginning to plan ahead for the warmer months of stuff to do and places to go with the kids and family. Here you will find a fairly comprehensive directory and guide to family oriented adventures, amusements and fun attractions in British Columbia. The following listings include, but are not necessarily limited to, amusement parks, family fun centers, water parks, wildlife parks, zoos, aquariums, guided tours, “hands-on” interactive children’s museums, kid activity centers, family-oriented museums , exceptional parks, go-karts, train rides, miniature golf, larger arcades, ticket redemption centers, “soft-play” (bounce house type) play centers, a few lazer tag arenas, a few exceptional paintball arenas, a few aquatic centers that feature waterslides or water features, caverns that offer tours, winter resorts that offer snow-play attractions, and also unusual or unique attractions that may be geared towards kids or those that may appeal to all ages within the family or group. I’m also fully aware that there are bound to be additional attractions out there that I may not be aware of yet but would appreciate your input in letting me know those favorites of yours that I haven’t included yet. None-the-less, this should give you a decent selection of  places to check out before planning your next weekend getaway, road trip or family vacation.

I strongly encourage you to check out the individual attraction’s websites before planning a visit as quite a few of these listings are seasonal and subject to reduced hours  or days open – also there are a few requiring appointments or reservations in advance. Most will charge an admission or entrance fee… bearing in mind that virtually every one of these do have overhead expenses that keep them in business, or operating properly – while some are non-profit and depend upon public support (suggested donations) or funding of some sort to keep their doors open.  A few are even free of charge or have discounted admission days or times.

This will be an on-going update for the next few weeks… or longer… as time allows for me to continue verifying information and adding more.

Any omissions you may find or suggestions are welcome and encouraged as this will be continuously updated for quite some time yet.

Get out there and enjoy some of these with your family and/or friends!

* You should find these to be quite accurate and up-to-date (as of  March/2010) as I have personally verified each and every website individually before their inclusion in this post.

BC Mainland Attractions (Southern BC)

• Abbotsford – Castle Fun Park
• Aldergrove – Greater Vancouver Zoo (Vancouver Game Farm)
• Armstrong – Chickadee Ridge Miniatures (Animal Farm)
• Boston Bar – Hell’s Gate Airtram (Air Tram, Observation Deck, Suspension Bridge, Museum, Gold Panning, Paranormal Experience, Fisheries Display, Fudge Factory)
• Bridal Falls - Bridal Falls Waterpark  (Trans-Canada Waterslides)
• Bridal Falls – Dinotown (formerly known as Flinstone’s Bedrock City)
• Burnaby – Burnaby Central Railway (Miniature Steam Train in Confederation Park)
• Burnaby – Burnaby Village Museum (Ride the histroic 1912 Parker Carousel)
• Chilliwack – Chilliwack Corn Maze (indoor/outdoor maze, Petting Zoo, Train Ride)
• Chilliwack – KidMazium – Children’s Play Center
• Coquitlam – Crash Crawly’s Family Entertainment Centre
• Cultus Lake – Cultus Lake Park/Funland
• Cultus Lake – Cultus Lake Waterpark
• Cultus Lake – Giggle Ridge Adventure Golf
• Fairmont Hot Springs – Funtasia-Fairmont Family Fun Park
• Fort Steele – Fort Steele Heritage Town
• Harrison Hot Springs – Tug Boat Junction Adventure Park
• Harrison Mills – Kilby Historic Store & Farm (Farm Animals, Museum, Tree Fort)
• Kamloops – BC Wildlife Park
• Kamloops – Kamloops Go Karts
• Kelowna – Big White Ski Resort/Mega Snowcoaster Tube Park
• Kelowna – Croc Talk (featuring Crocodiles & Wildcats)
• Kelowna – H2O Adventure & Fitness Centre – (featuring Flowrider, Waterslides, Waterplay structures)
• Kelowna – Kelowna Grand Prix
• Kelowna – Mission Recreation Park & Aquatic Centre (Indoor Waterslides)
• Kelowna – Scandia Golf & Games
• Kelowna – Westside Go Karts
• Keremeos – Farmer John’s Petting Zoo
• Langley – Canadian Museum of Flight
• Malakwa – Shuswap Speedway – Fast Cars Rub N Race Go Kart Racing
• New Westminster – Queens Park - “New Westminster’s flagship park” featuring a Children’s Farm (Petting Zoo), Rainbow Playland and Spray Park
• New Westminster – The Bug Lab - A Museum of Live & Preserved Insects
• North Vancouver – Grouse Mountain Resort (Skyride Ariel Tram, Sleigh Rides, Wildlife Refuge, Ice Skating, Theatre In The Sky, Mountain Ziplines, Helicopter Tours, more)
• North Vancouver – Maplewood Farm – Animal Farm & Visitor Center
• North Vancouver – NorthShore Paintball
• Osoyoos - Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad
• Osoyoos – Rattlesnake Canyon (miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boats, more rides)
• Peachland – Parrot Island Sanctuary
• Penticton – Loco Landing Adventure Park
• Revelstoke – 3 Valley Gap Heritage Ghost Town
• Revelstoke – 3 Valley Gap Antique Auto Museum
• Revelstoke – 3 Valley Gap Railway Round House
• Revelstoke – Beardale Miniatureland
• Revelstoke – Revelstoke Aquatic Centre – featuring a 25 metre pool, Climbing wall, Leisure pool with Lazy River, Wild Waterslide, Hot Tub, Sauna & Steam Room – Indoors – All pools are salt water.
• Revelstoke – Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum – Canada’s only mechanical music museum
• Revelstoke – Revelstoke Railway Museum
• Revelstoke – Sky Trek Adventure Park
• Revelstoke – The Enchanted Forest
• Richmond – TBC Indoor Kart Racing
• Richmond – Richmond Aquatic Centre & Watermania
• Richmond – Richmond Go-Kart Track
• Salmon Arm – DeMille’s Farm Market – featuring a corn maze, animal petting farm & historic farm equipment collection
• Salmon Arm – JungleMania (indoor children’s soft-play facility)
• Salmon Arm – Salmon Arm Go-Karts & Wonders of the World Mini-Golf
• Scotch Creek – Scotch Creek Family Fun Center – featuring mini-golf, blaster boats, bowling & arcade
• Sicamous – D Dutchmen Dairy – featuring a Dairy Farm, FREE large Petting Zoo, ice cream & cheese making facility – Kelly’s Go Karts are next door (no website found)
• Squamish – West Coast Railway Heritage Park (outdoor museum & miniature railway train ride)
• Surrey – Art Knapp Plantland (featuring an 18-hole miniature golf course, adventure playground & train ride)
• Surrey – Bear Creek Park Train & Mini-Golf (narrow gauge railway)
• Surrey – Honeybee Centre (Visitor Center/Tours)
• Surrey – Newton Recreation Center & Wave Pool (Pirate’s Water Fortress & 2 waterslides)
• Surrey – Surrey Museum
• Tsawwassen (Delta) – F440 Racing Challenge (Go Kart Racing)
• Tsawwassen (Delta) – Splashdown Water Park
• Vancouver – BC Place Stadium – Tour
• Vancouver – BC Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
• Vancouver – Granville Island Kids Market & Giant Indoor Adventure Zone
• Vancouver – Granville Island Water Park (largest free attraction of it’s kind in North America)
• Vancouver – H.R. MacMillan Space Centre
• Vancouver – Museum of Vancouver (MOV)
• Vancouver – Playland At The PNE
• Vancouver – Science World/TELUS World of Science/OMNIMAX Theatre
• Vancouver – Stanley Park (Children’s Farmyard, Miniature Train, Beach Pool, Kids Water Park)
• Vancouver – The Lookout – Harbour Centre Tower (ride the glass elevator to the top)
• Vancouver – Vancouver Aquarium/Marine Science Center
• Vancouver – Vancouver Maritime Museum/Children’s Maritime Discovery Centre
• Vernon – Atlantis Waterslides
• Vernon – Okanagan Science Centre
• Whistler – Blackcomb Base Adventure Zone – (includes Westcoaster Luge, The Core Zipline, The Great Climbing Wall, Little Mountain Family (mini) Golf, Bungy Trampoline, Spin Cycle Human Gyroscope, The Spider Web, Balloon Slide & Castle, Hot Wheelz Electric Go-Karts, Batting Cages, horse trail rides)
• Whistler – Wildplay Element Park at Cougar Mountain
• Yarrow (Chilliwack) – The Apple Farm & Petting Zoo

Planet Lazer – Laser Tag Play Centers located in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Kelowna, Langley, New Westminster, Richmond, and opening soon in Surrey and Victoria

Vancouver Island Attractions

• Black Creek – Saratoga Speedway (Family Entertainment Centre) – (Go Karts, Monster Truck rides, racing events)
• Brentwood Bay – Butchart Gardens
• Brentwood Bay – Victoria Butterfly Gardens
• Campbell River – Museum At Campbell River
• Coombs – World Parrot Refuge
• Duncan – BC Forest Discovery Centre/Museum & Train Tour
• Duncan – Pacific Northwest Raptors (Birds of Prey)
• Langford – All Fun Recreation Park – (family fun zone, go-karts, mini-golf, speedway, waterslides)
• Nanaimo - Cyber City – (Go-Karts, ATV, Lazer Tag, Mini-Golf-Arcade, Tube-N-Tunnel)
• Nanaimo – Romper Room Indoor Rock Climbing Center
• Naniamo – Wildplay Element Park – (formerly known as The Bungy Zone)
• Parksville – Paradise Fun Park
• Parksville – Riptide Lagoon – (Adventure Miniature Golf, Pump & Bump Bumper Cars)
• Parksville – Tiger Lilly Farms (The Barnyard) – (petting zoo, pony rides, horse & buggy)
• Port Hardy – Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre
• Sidney – British Columbia Aviation Museum
• Sidney – Marine Ecology Centre
• Sidney – Mineral World – Scratch Patch & Science Centre
• Sidney – Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre
• Sooke – AdrenaLine Zipline Adventure Tours
• Tofino - The Whale Center – (Whale Watching & Wildlife Tours)
• Ucluelet – Ucluelet Aquarium
• Victoria – Beacon Hill Park/Beacon Hill Children’s Farm – (petting zoo)
• Victoria – Centre of The Universe Astronomy Interpretive Center
• Victoria – Maritime Museum of British Columbia
• Victoria – Mattick’s Farm Mini-Golf
• Victoria – Miniature World
• Victoria – Pacific Undersea Gardens
• Victoria – Royal British Columbia Museum/National Geographic IMAX Theatre
• Victoria – Royal London Wax Museum
• Victoria – Tally-Ho Carriage Tours
• Victoria – Victoria Bug Zoo
• Victoria – Victoria Children’s Museum
• Victoria – Wildplay Element Park/West Shore Victoria

Northern BC Attractions

• Dawson Creek – Alaska Highway House [opens in PDF format]
• Dawson Creek – Northern Alberta Railways Park & Museum
• Prince George – Blackspruce Farms – (Hands-on Agricultural Experience & Petting Farm)
• Prince George – Bubba Baloo’s Indoor Playground, Arcade & Outer Limits Laser Tag
• Prince George – Huble Homestead Historic Site
• Prince George – Noah’s Ark Adventureland – (Farm Tours, Petting Zoo & more)
• Prince George – Predator Paintball
• Prince George – Park Drive-In Theater Raceway Go-Karts & Mini-Golf
• Prince George – Prince George Aquatic Centre & Four Seasons Leisure Pool – waterslide
• Prince George – Prince George Centre/Observatory
• Prince George – Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum
• Prince George – The Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre
• Prince Rupert – Museum of Northern British Columbia
• Prince Rupert – Prince Rupert Fire Museum
• Terrace – Heritage Park Museum
• Tumbler Ridge – Tumbler Ridge Interpretive Center/Dinosaur Discovery Gallery

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*** More attractions are always being added so keep checking back from time to time. Also, your suggestions about missing or left-out “family-type” amusements and attractions are always welcome. Please drop me a comment.

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More Fun Family Attractions can be found in the link(s) below:

• Fun Family Attractions In California

• Fun Family Attractions In The Pacific Northwest
  

Includes family attractions in the states of Oregon, Washington & Idaho

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