Our Favourite Family Adventure Destination: Mexico!

We live in Calgary, Alberta on the doorstep of the wild Canadian Rockies.  We are outside year round and most people would say we lead a fairly adventurous lifestyle hiking, skiing, biking and paddling.  Add camping and backcountry trips, and our weekends are far from mundane or boring.

Looking back on the past 4 months though, our biggest adventure this year took place way outside of our beloved Rocky Mountains  and required a plane ride to get us there. 

How we hang when we go to Mexico on vacation

We go to Mexico for a week every winter because we have fallen in love with the Pacific Coast and area surrounding Puerto Vallarta.  And while most families go here to relax, we travel to Mexico for the adventure!  Check out some of the status updates I posted to Facebook while we were gone:

Mexico Highlights 2015

"And a status update you don't see every day - today I jumped off the second deck of a pirate ship 6 meters below into the ocean. And it was AWESOME!! I was shaking for a good half hour after. (No shock, I was the only passenger begging to walk the plank!)"

Not ME, but that's exactly how I chose to exit the ship too (while screaming of course)

"Family bike tour around Nuevo Vallarta that ended with a cheetah licking my hand!!! For real! So awesome!!!!!!"

We LOVE biking around Nuevo Vallarta Mexico

"Yesterday we left our resort for an authentic Mexican adventure high up in the hills. We went on 12 Zipline cables (the longest was 400 m long) - and Noah was not scared for a second! Then we played in a river with a bunch of local school kids and played on natural rock water slides (total thrill ride in themselves!!) As you can tell, we don't like to stick around our resort all week!"

My dare devil child choosing the fun way to get in the river at Los Veranos

"New things Noah has done so far in Mexico: body surfing, adult sized zip-lining, he held a tarantula, he held a snake, Cliff jumping into a river off a rock slide that ended way way above the water, and he took his first banana boat ride."

Mexican Zip line Adventure - for the WIN

Body surfing in Mexico with a super cool little boogy board

"Life's too short to "relax." Go big or go home! So today's adventures included swimming, boogie boarding, stand up paddleboarding, and horseback riding."

Noah's first real horseback ride - no surprise he loved it!

Love learning to SUP surf in Mexico

"They've built awesome bike lanes in Nuevo Vallarta since our last visit and they are so great for families. Our resort also loans out bikes so it's been a great way to get out for a short free tour."

Riding the awesome new bike lanes in Nuevo Vallarta Mexico

Top Three Adventure Tours for Families in the Puerto Vallarta Area

We've done a lot of adventure tours in the Puerto Vallarta area, with kids and without, but these are our favourite three tours that most families will want to check out next time they travel south to Mexico.

Even Mama got a thrill playing in the river at the Los Veranos Canopy Tour

Los Veranos Canopy Tour

We searched high and low to find a zipline tour that our 6 year old could do in the Puerto Vallarta area.  He did the kids' adventure park at Las Caletas the year before when he was 5 but it wasn't nearly thrilling enough for our little dare devil.  Enter the Los Veranos Canopy Tour that accepts children from ages 6+ and where the kids get to ride the lines together with the guides most of the time to ensure complete safety. 

Noah got to ride with the guides on all of the big crossings

The tour was a lot of fun and as mentioned under highlights above, we got to do 12 cables, the longest being 400 metres long.  Noah wasn't scared for a second and we felt safe at all times.

Equipped and ready to FLY

I LOVE Ziplines so am super happy that Noah does too!!

There were lots of crazy ways you got to cross on the shorter lines

As fun as the zipline portion of the tour was, I think the highlight for me was actually playing in the river afterwards.  We had an authentic Mexican lunch beside the river and then had time to play for an hour or so.  The natural rock waterslides were a total thrill ride and I was sore for a good week after from hitting the water so hard each time I went down.  Let's just call it cliff jumping because those slides ended nowhere near the water!  Thank God the water was deep enough.  Noah tested it for me before I went down.  ;)

So much fun!!!

Such a great way to spend a hot day in Mexico

There were little kayaks for the kids to play with too

This tour gave us a taste of what we will call "the real  Mexico."  We got to play and interact with local school children, played in a river that may or may not have been very clean (I haven't gotten sick yet though and I swallowed a lot of water,) and got a taste of every day simple life outside the  big city.  I'd go back to Los Veranos just for lunch and to play in the river any day!! And this would be super fun for families who have rented a car.

There were all sorts of critters we got to interact with at Los Veranos

Mama certainly did NOT hold the snake!  But Noah was all over it.

Final notes:  If you're staying at an all inclusive resort just ask the tour staff at the hotel if they can book a tour for you at Los Veranos.  Our hotel did it for us and arranged shuttle transportation for us from a nearby convenience store. Also, bring cash or a credit card along to pay for photos after as well as for the lunch (which was not cheap!)  And finally, bring your own life jacket for the kids if you think you'll need one.

I could hardly take this photo let alone look at this big tarantula Noah's holding!!

Las Caletas Beach Adventure

We did the Las Caletas Tour with Vallarta Adventures last year in 2014, and it is tied in our mind for first choice of tour together with Los Veranos.  For younger kids it definitely upgrades to first choice. The adventure park is a lot of fun for kids 4+  and gives them a mini-zipline experience with a mule ride and some easy climbing.  It's a wise way to introduce the kids to zipline tours before starting with a big one like Los Veranos.

Mini Zipline tour at Las Caletas

Easy climbing in the Kids Adventure Park at Las Caletas

You never know who'll drop in on you at Las Caletas

In addition to the Kids' Adventure Park, you get to spend hours on the beach playing in the sand, using their kayaks and stand up paddleboards, and you can go snorkeling if you want.  You can even pay to snorkel with sea lions for an extra cost. 

Paradise at Las Caletas

Beach time at Las Caletas

Lots of fun  animals to interact with at Las Caletas

Final notes:  A welcome buffet and lunch are provided (with amazing local food) and you'll enjoy entertainment on the catamaran ride to the beach. Note that small kids might find the boat ride a bit long at times and the music can get a bit loud.  Also bring extra money or a credit card for photo CDs that you can purchase.  Most of my photos were taken by the Vallarta Adventures Photographer.  Finally, you can usually purchase this tour from your resort through tour staff at the hotel.

The beach was beautiful at Las Calletas!

Pirate Ship Vallarta

We did the day time Pirate Ship tour this year with Pirate Ship Vallarta and I'd have to say my 6 year old was about two years too young for it.  He enjoyed the time on Pirate Island but the pirate show on board the ship was too violent for him.  Each child is assigned their own pirate for the day and it's pretty hard to watch your pirate spend half an hour getting beat up in front of your eyes.   The comedy during the pirate show was slap stick humour but young kids of a sensitive nature will still find it disturbing.  The ship was also loud at times which my son didn't like.

Our Pirate Ship and authentic Spanish Galleon

The ship used a real wheel for steering

One of the scenes from the Pirate show on board the ship

We ate breakfast and lunch on board the ship and enjoyed great local food for both meals. There were also drinks served on board and one was never bored for long with all the entertainment.  The highlight for us though was the time spent on Pirate Island.  We got to go kayaking, could have gone snorkeling, and played in the waves.  There was also a treasure hunt for the kids and free banana  boat rides.

Banana boat rides at Pirate Island

Noah and his pirate for the day

The beach was beautiful and definitely worth the visit

Final notes:  We brought our son's life jacket but it wasn't necessary as they were provided on the ship.  We were also able to purchase this tour from our hotel staff and took a taxi from our resort to the marina where we started.

A look at the plank that I jumped off of when exiting the ship for Pirate Island

Our pirate ship for the day

Where We Always Stay in Nuevo Vallarta

We always stay at the Marival Resort and Suites in Nuevo Vallarta for several reasons.

One - Biking

The resort provides complimentary bikes and bike tours to interesting places such as to a nearby zoo (kids' bikes start at 20" bikes and for the tours kids really should be 6+ and competent riders as you'll be riding on the streets with traffic. 

We also love the new bike lanes they've built in Nuevo Vallarta.  It's a safe way for us to use the resort's bikes to go for a family bike ride to the nearby Startucks and mall (which has an indoor playground for hot afternoons.) 

Note that while we enjoyed the guided bike tours from the resort, riding as a family on the official bike lanes was much safer than joining the organized bike tours and most families will want to chose this option.  (we almost saw a 5 year old get hit by a car on the guided tour.)

Highlight of staying at the Marival Resort - Biking every day!!

Two - The Water sports Centre

Gilles runs a pretty amazing water sports centre with  kayaks, boogie boards, sail boats and stand up paddleboards. The Marival Resort is one of the only resorts to rent out SUP boards (for an extra cost) but there is no cost to use the boogie boards or kayaks.  To use a sail boat, one must do a quick test first to prove competency.  If you can't pass the test, you can take a refresher course (for a small charge) or you can pay for one of the water sport staff to take you out for a ride.

This was a great way to spend the afternoon at our resort

Learning to SUP surf last year

Sailing last year

Three - The Pool and the Kids' Pool

The resort has a great swimming pool and kids' pool with waterslides.  Noah spent hours here every day.  My only complaint is that there's never enough lounge chairs and you have to put a towel on one if you hope to save it when you go to breakfast in the morning.

Playing in the main swimming pool

The Kids' Water Park with Pirate Theme

Other than those top three features, we just find that this resort is easy for families.  There's always something at the buffet that kids will eat (even if it's just the pasta bar) and the snack bar is always loaded with pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs, and fries.  Noah never went hungry and we didn't have to worry about fancy gourmet restaurants.  We chose to eat at the a la carte restaurants a few times but found them to be harder with kids.  The new Brazilian Steak House restaurant was great though because it was located right beside the kids' pool.  Next time we'll just bring Noah to dinner in his swim suit! 

Sunset at the Marival Resort, Mexico

Room Tips - This year we chose to stay on the Club side of the resort and it was a LOT quieter.  (The Grand side by the pool is very noisy at night.) We also upgraded to a two bedroom ocean view suite and the photo below shows the view from our deck.  I'll never be able to go back to a normal hotel style room again.

The view from our deck at the Marival Resort

Final Adventures from this year's Mexican Vacation

We often take a day trip down into Puerto Vallarta to walk along the Malecon (boardwalk) but this year chose to take a taxi to the nearby town of Bucerias.  The town actually didn't do much for me but we did find a man giving kids horseback rides on the beach which made me happy we had gone. (note it was far from cheap though!!) Noah had a blast and we enjoyed just hanging out on the beautiful beach there.

Horseback riding in Bucerias

When I die, bury me in my new Mexican happy pants.

Questions?  Leave them below and I promise to respond.
 

Paradise at the Marival Resort and Suites

Our Favourite Microadventures in Calgary

Confession time:  I'm an outdoor mom who hates playgrounds.  Truth.  I find them boring and I count down the minutes until we can continue on with our bike ride, head home, or leave to do anything else. I still take my 6 year old son to the playground because I know how much he likes them, but I build playground time into our bigger adventures and contemplate smuggling wine in my water bottle (something I haven't actually done yet.)

This is my IDEAL playground (The Big Rock on the Paskapoo Slopes, Calgary)

In my ideal world, we'd jump in the car ever day after school and head to the mountains to go hiking.  We'd spend every afternoon climbing mountains, biking, or paddling down a river.  And evenings, again if we could, we'd drive out to the local crag to go climbing, we'd drive to the nearest mountain bike park, or we'd tackle a summit for sunset.  This is the world I'd like to live in.

Every evening would be spent on top of a mountain in my ideal world

Reality?  Gas is not free.  We do not live in the mountains and it's a 45 minute drive from my house before we can climb anything.  Bedtime for my son is 8pm.  And finally, I'd probably wear out my 6 year old if I were to drag him to Canmore or Banff every day after school.  Gosh, I'd wear myself out.

Thank God for Microadventures!  These are the little adventures that save our lives, that bring sanity into our week, and help us survive until the following weekend when we can flee the city for the hills once again!!

Microadventures like this keep us sane through the week (biking on the Paskapoo Slopes, Calgary)

Below are some of our favourite microadventures that keep us sane each week:

Mountain Biking on the Paskapoo Slopes of Calgary

It's rather pathetic that we'd never explored this amazing natural area in Calgary until a week ago!  We live less than ten minutes away and yet had never explored the Paskapoo Slopes or "Eastlands" as the area is often referred to until last Friday.  Since our visit, we've now gone biking here three times!

Biking "Lemon Orchard" East of Canada Olympic Park on the Paskapoo Slopes

Every time we visit this area, we discover something new.  On our first visit we found the Big Rock and the Old Beaters (both shown in photos above.)  On our second visit we re-visited the rock, the old cars, and found the remains of an old house foundation.  Then on our third visit, we introduced Grandma to the rock, the cars, the old house, AND we found a Buddhist Stupa!

Every Microadventure takes us someplace new.  (Exploring the Paskapoo Slopes, Calgary)

For more on this amazing gem in NW Calgary and to read more on why we need to save the Paskapoo Slopes from development, please check out my friend Karen's newest story:  Save the Slopes!! (Why the Paskapoo Slopes Should Not be Developed and How you can Help.)

The Old House Foundation on the Paskapoo Slopes, Calgary

Want a map of the slopes that shows the location for the old cars, the old foundation above, and the big rock?  Check out the one below with stars for each landmark.  The map is courtesy of Save the Slopes.  

Hiking and Geocaching in Calgary's Natural Areas

Geocaching in Bowmont, Calgary

Geocaching is another thing I'd heard about for years but had never tried.  This spring however, I finally purchased a geocaching app for my iPhone and we headed out to see what all the fuss was about.  The result?   We now have something to do on cool crappy spring days.  It doesn't matter if it's sunny or rainy, cold or warm, or if we are inspired to get outside at all.  Geocaching is always fun and can be done in all conditions or moods.

So far, these are our geocaching highlights:

• Chasing rabbits around Riley Park in the dark while doing a night geocache with friends
• Finding two porcupines on Nose Hill instead of the cache we were trying to find
• Finding a geocache underneath an old trestle bridge in Bowmont
• Hiking around Kananaskis Village in the dark looking for a geocache while staying at the Kananaskis Wilderness Hostel

And honorable mentions for highlights has to go to the time we dug through garbage and old leaves at the Sunnyside C-Train Station (again in the dark) trying to find a micro-cache that was super hard to find!!

Geocache in the Tuscany Ravine that was well camouflaged

I have to link to my good pal Karen from Play Outside Guide again for this one and recommend you check out her blog for more on Geocaching.  Her story on Geocaching 101 has all the info. you'll need to get started. We use different apps for geocaching so check out Karen's suggestions in her story or check out my earlier suggestion for the official Groundspeak app from the apple store.

Geocaching for porcupines?? COOL!

Exploring the Bow River Pathway in Calgary on our Bikes

This one isn't perhaps as "natural" but we love riding our bikes and we have an amazing pathway system in Calgary.  One of our favourite rides is from Edworthy Park in the NW downtown to Prince's Island Park for lunch.  We hit the playground for a short visit and then bike back to Edworthy for ice-cream at Angel's Cafe.

Biking over the bridges on the Bow River Pathway is a fun way to spend an afternoon

For more on biking the Bow River Pathway, read my story for Family Fun Calgary that I wrote last summer titled:  Biking the Bow River Pathway with Kids.  And while you're out biking, make sure you bring along some toys to trade in the geocaches you'll find along the way!

Scooting is another fun way to enjoy the pathways in Calgary

Feeding Ducks, Climbing Trees, and Exploring Nature around the City

Finally, a trip to Confederation Park to feed the ducks, climb a tree or two, scoot or bike the paved pathway and visit the playground never gets old.  Just make sure to bring healthy food for the ducks if you feel the need to feed them (read what to feed ducks here.)

Chasing Ducks this Spring at Confederation Park

Want to discover a new park that you've never visited before? Check out Lori Beattie's new book Calgary's Best Walks.  (review to come soon)  

The City of Calgary also has a great interactive pathway map that you can even load on your phone with the mobile app.

Our Favourite Swimming Hole in Bowmont, Calgary

And finally, there's a whole page on my website devoted to our favourite hikes right here in Calgary.

Playing in the Tuscany Ravine (one of our favourite places to explore in Calgary)

So, now you know what we've been up to this spring and I hope you'll come join us on a microadventure soon! Want to get connected?  Check out these Calgary groups below and make some new friends this summer.

The Calgary Outdoor Playgroup Community (targeting families with children ages 1-5, with infant hikes as well)

The Calgary Outdoor Adventure Group for Big Kids (targeting families with children ages 6-12)

Life's More Fun with Friends

Our 5 Favourite Campgrounds (within a 3 hour drive of Calgary)

We spend many (most) of our weekends camping in the summer, and by the end of August we are usually so tired of driving that we swear to camp closer to home next year!  Fortunately, we have five favourite campgrounds that are all within a three hour drive of Calgary.

Below is information on these great camping spots along with photos and links to other stories I've written on the areas. I've also included some honorable mentions at the bottom because they are just a teeny bit past the 3 hour drive cut off. (and worth driving the extra half hour for!)

Camping in Crimson Lake Provincial Park (photo:  C. Schaus)

One - The Campgrounds of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

It's less than a two hour drive to reach this gorgeous provincial park in Kananaskis Country and there are several great campgrounds to choose from.  Canyon Campground is our favourite but it doesn't take reservations which complicates things in the busy summer season. 

To make it easy on yourself, make a reservation for Boulton Creek, Elkwood, or the Lower Lake Campground and you won't have to drive out on Wed. night looking for a spot for the weekend.

Camping at the Point Backcountry Campground in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park 

Boulton Creek, Elkwood, and the Lower Lake Campground can be reserved 90 days in advance and accept on line bookings.  This makes it easy (and fair) for anybody wanting to go camping.  Just count back 90 days from when you want to go camping, put a note to remind yourself on the calendar, and then get on the computer first thing in the morning.

Why we love camping here:

• Great paved biking on the High Rockies Trail between the Canyon Campground to the Boulton Creek Campground
  
  
• Lots of family hiking on short interpretive trails or longer trails leading to beautiful lakes, mountain cirques, or meadows.
  
  
• Paddling opportunities on Upper or Lower Kananaskis Lake (boat rentals available at the Boulton Creek Trading Post)
  
  
• Paddle or hike-in backcountry camping at the Point Backcountry Campground
  
  
• Interpretive programs and evening amphitheater shows 

Biking in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park on the High Rockies Trail

Resources and Reading on Activities and Camping in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

The Best Family Campground in Kananaskis (Canyon)

The Annual  Family Backcountry Trip (the Point)

Biking the High Rockies Trail in Kananaskis with Kids 

Our Favourite Hike in the Canadian Rockies - Ptarmigan Cirque 

Rawson Lake and Sarrail Ridge - Family Hiking in Kananaskis 

First Summits - The South End of Mount Lawson, Kananaskis 

King Creek Ridge  - Family Hiking in Kananaskis 

Pocaterra Ridge - Family Hiking in Kananaskis 

Paddling on Lower Lake, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

Two - Redstreak Campground, Kootenay National Park

We love camping across the British Columbia border in the Village of Radium Hot Springs.  It takes about  three hours to drive here from Calgary and it's a scenic drive through Banff and Kootenay National Parks. 

Why we love camping here:

• Fabulous smooth, flowy, root and rock-free mountain bike trails great for the whole family
  
  
• A pump track and bike skills park in Radium Hot Springs
  
  
• HOT SPRINGS! - you can camp in any kind of weather and always stay warm
  
  
• A great lake with a beach in the Community of Invermere nearby
  
  
• Beautiful hiking around the Village of Radium and through the valley
  
  
• Serene floating down the Columbia River
  
  
• Hike-in yurt camping nearby 

Camping at Redstreak Campground

While there are many campgrounds in the Columbia Valley between the towns of Fairmont Hot Springs and Radium Hot Springs, we like camping at the Redstreak Campground which is a national park campground located right in the town of Radium Hotsprings.  

There are walking trails that take you from the campground down into town or over to the hotsprings and it's a short bike ride to the local pump track and bike park.

All information on camping at Redstreak can be found on the Kootenay National Park website.  Reservations can be made on the National Parks Reservation website. (They go live in January every year for the entire camping season.)

Radium Hot Springs Bike Park

A short drive away from the Redstreak Campground, you can drive to the Community of Invermere to play at Lake Windermere or start your float trip down the Columbia River.  You can also drive down to Fairmont Hot Springs for more swimming and hiking opportunities, or you can head out in search of some great mountain biking.

Beach time at Lake Windermere

Resources and Reading on Activities and Camping in the Columbia Valley 

The Best Family Bike Trails in the Columbia Valley

Active Family Guide to Radium Hot Springs, BC 

The Best of the Columbia Valley (Radium Hot Springs to Invermere - and beyond) 

Why We LOVE Camping at Redstreak Campground, Radium Hot Springs

Yurt Camping on top of a Mountain at Radius Retreat 

Looking out over the Columbia Valley from the Redstreak Campground 

Three - Dinosaur Provincial Park

I feel like I've written about this park a thousand times.  It's that awesome!  We've made the trek south to Dinosaur Provincial Park many many times.  It's about a 3 hour drive from NE Calgary (longer from the west side) and it's an incredible place to camp with the kids.  I also love that you can reserve 90 days in advance and there are many campsites so competition isn't too intense.

Camping along the Creek in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Why we love camping here:

• We love the interpretive hiking trails around the hoodoos and the badlands through the campground
  
  
• We like biking the public loop road, stopping at the fossil display houses, and cruising through the badland scenery
  
  
• We like paddling the Red Deer River (an easy float from the Steveville Bridge up river)
  
  
• Fossil Hunting Tours - to see actual bone beds and fossils in the nature reserve
  
  
• The kids like playing in the creek (which, while very dirty and muddy, is a lot of fun)

Visit the Parks reservation site to book sites and check out my stories on Dinosaur Provincial Park below.

Fossil hunting in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Resources and Reading on Activities and Camping in Dinosaur Provincial Park 

Camping in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Hiking in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Wild about Dinosaur Provincial Park

Camping in the Alberta Badlands

Fossil Hunting in Dinosaur Provincial Park 

Campsite to River! Camping and Floating across Southern Alberta 

Hiking in Dinosaur Provincial Park

Four - Crimson Lake Provincial Park

This is a lesser known campground for folks from Calgary but once you go, you'll want to camp here every summer.  Crimson Lake Provincial Park is located approximately 2.5 hours from Calgary near Rocky Mountain House in Central Alberta.  It's a scenic drive along the David Thompson Highway and the lake is beautiful for boating, fishing, or swimming.

Playing in Crimson Lake, Crimson Lake Provincial Park

Why we love camping here:

• Great sandy beach with shallow water for playing in
  
  
• Playground right beside the beach that's got a lovely soft sand base
  
  
• Mountain bike trails everywhere!  The Amerada Trail around the lake is super easy for families with a few hills to challenge older riders, and we like the harder trail that goes from Rocky Mountain House to Crimson Lake
  
• The group campground at Twin Lakes is one of the nicest group campgrounds we've ever camped at.
  
  
• Paddling on the North Saskatchewan River near Rocky Mountain House is exciting but still family-friendly for experienced paddlers.
  
  
• You can go visit the Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site or even bike there from town.

Biking from Rocky Mountain House to Crimson Lake

For more information, check out the Provincial Park website and you can make reservations on the Parks Reservation Site.

Also, read the story I wrote last year:  Crimson Lake Provincial Park:  Hidden Gem in Alberta Campgrounds.

Lakeside Camping at the Twin Lakes Group Campground

Five - Bow Valley Campground, Bow Valley Provincial Park 

This should have been number one for proximity to Calgary. This campground can be reached in an hour from the city limits and you'll easily reach camp in time for dinner Friday night after work.

It's so easy to get here, we always wish we were camping here when we're driving past the park on our way to further locations.

Camping at the Bow Valley Campground

Why we love camping here:

• There are riverside campsites with power and water (perfect for trailer camping.) There are also beautiful tent sites along the river.
  
  
• Playgrounds spread around the campground
  
  
• Quiet paved roads to bike everywhere around the campground and the surrounding trailheads for short hikes
  
  
• There are many hiking trails accessible from the campground without ever having to drive anywhere (and they all form a loop around the park.)
  
  
• There is a paved bike trail from the camp store down to the visitor information centre
  
  
• Close to Canmore!! We always camp here when we want to go biking or hiking around Canmore. We even use this campground as a basecamp for exploring in Banff. 

For more information, check out the Provincial Park website and you can make reservations on the Parks Reservation Site.

Also, read the story I wrote about camping here: 5 Reasons to Love Camping at the Bow Valley Campground. 

Riverside camping along the Bow River

Honorable mentions (campgrounds located just a bit further from Calgary)

There are a couple more campgrounds that deserve a mention but they are slightly outside the 3 hour driving range I tried to stick to for this story.  Below are the two honorable mentions that I highly recommend visiting for a long weekend.

Turtles everywhere when you camp at Surveyors Lake in British Columbia

Surveyors Lake Campground, Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

Kikomun Creek Provincial Park is located just outside the Town of Fernie across the border in British Columbia.  The drive is interesting through the Crowsnest Pass area and it's worth stopping at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre en route.

Peaceful morning paddling on Surveyors Lake

I love turtles so this park was a winner for me right from the start!  Painted turtles swim in the calm waters of both Surveyors and Hidden Lake, and you can paddle free of noise from motor boats on beautiful Surveyors Lake where there's a fabulous beach for the children. 

Playing at the beach at Surveyors Lake

We also love mountain biking here on the old rail trail or we drive into Fernie for the day and go biking there.

To reserve sites at the Surveyors Lake Campground, go to the BC Parks Reservation site.

Resources and Reading on Activities and Camping in Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

Camping in British Columbia - Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

The Best Family Bike Trails in Fernie, British Columbia

Family Mountain Biking at Surveyors Lake

Writing on Stone Provincial Park

Another honorable mention, this campground is amazing but just outside the three hour driving range.  It's about a 3.5 hour drive from Calgary - worthy of a long weekend camping trip.  We love this park for the opportunities to go hiking and exploring in the Alberta badlands.

The river is also a lot of fun to float down, and there's a great beach for the children to play at along the Milk River in the campground.

Hiking in Writing on Stone Provincial Park

Please read my previous stories below for more information and to see a lot more photos than I can post here.  To make a reservation for this campground, visit the parks reservation website and book 90 days in advance.

Resources and Reading on Activities and Camping in Writing on Stone Provincial Park 

Camping in Writing on Stone Provincial Park

Find us in the River - Camp Life at Writing on Stone Provincial Park 

A beautiful place for a family hike in Writing on Stone Provincial Park

Other Great Campgrounds Near Calgary

There are a lot of other amazing places to camp near Calgary.  For more suggestions, check out the following stories:

The Best Provincial Park Campgrounds in Southern Alberta

Where to Camp in the National Parks of Alberta

You'll also find reviews for everywhere we've camped in my Camping Super Guide.