Kidding Around Vancouver Island

All this spring-like weather has had us itching to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, so when we were in Parksville the other weekend, I immediately thought of kite flying down at the community beach. Apparently I was the only one because no one else was out there with a kite, despite the beautiful sunshine [...]

Readers of this column know our family loves going to live theatre – pantomimes in particular. Well, all of that has given Grace the acting bug, for which we’ve found an excellent cure. It’s called Red Room Studio in Nanaimo and they offer year-round acting programs for kids 7 – 15. What we love in [...]

Have you heard of Wacky Woods (or Funny Forest as others call it)?  It’s up in Fanny Bay and I think it’s a real Island place – fun, unique, creative, quirky, and off the beaten path (literally).  How to describe it.  Well, it’s a woods (or a forest as others call it), and it’s wacky [...]

On our way back from Fanny Bay recently, we stopped in at Qualicum Beach to try the food at a new place called Rawthentic. Our daughters have some “food issues,” as people say these days, and we thought it would be good to try some dishes that didn’t use things like wheat or milk. The [...]

Need a relaxing spa getaway for an afternoon, where kids have plenty to do, but still taking it easy on your pocket book?  Look no further than the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre.  Ok, maybe “spa-like” would be a better term or “sort of spa-ish” – the point is, a few hours swimming with the kids can [...]

There’s a Valentine Family Dance and Art fundraiser taking place Friday February 13 at Nanoose Place.  Featuring the jazz music of the Ron Hadley Quartet and a draw for a limited edition print by Christopher Walker, the evening gets underway at 6pm.  Tickets are just $2 per person or $5 for the whole family, with [...]