The snow has melted and it’s finally time to break out the shorts and summer toys! If you’re like me and come from the hustle and bustle of a larger city, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the slower pace of summer in Central BC (not to mention the longer daylight hours).
The kids and I love spending the day at the lake; whether we take the boat out or just play in the sand. There are hundreds of lakes in and around the Prince George area with boat access and sandy beaches. The best part about these lakes is that the parking lots aren’t full and closed by 11:00 am on the weekend; there is a tonne of room to set up for the day no matter how late in the day you get there. My favorite kid-friendly beaches include West Lake Provincial Park, Ness Lake, Berman Lake and Purden Lake Provincial Parks.
If you feel like spending the day in town, there are plenty of parks and walking trails that surround our city. You can easily spend a day at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park on a nice day. The kids can run around for hours at the large playground or the Rotary Water Park. Both areas are surrounded by picnic tables so you can pack a lunch and hang out for the day. The Little Prince Steam Engine also runs in the park from May-September; the volunteers are very knowledgeable and always happy to show the kids and adults how the steam engine runs. There are also numerous festivals/events the run in the park throughout the summer season such as the Father’s Day Show and shine, Canada Day and Aboriginal Day celebrations.
Cottonwood Island Nature Park makes for a nice shaded walk along the river in the summertime. There’s plenty of green space for the kids and pets to run around on and some beachy parts to throw rocks in the river. The Central British Columbia Railway and Forestry Museum is also a stop along the trail; you can pop in and explore all the old trains as well as take a ride on the mini rail. You can also make a stop at the salmon hatchery for a tour if they are open to the public.
There is definitely no shortage of family-friendly activities in and around Prince George making it easy to spend summer exploring the outdoors.
