While we may not travel the way we did while living abroad, I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of going on little getaways since we returned home to Canada. We spent Christmas on Salt Spring Island, we’ve been to Victoria a few times, we visited the Sunshine Coast over spring break, we’ve made it up to Whistler, and most recently, we made it back to Harrison Hot Springs for a quick visit. Well, three out of the four of us did, at least. It was a bit of a strange couple of days with it being Father’s Day, Brad having to go up to the Okanagan to look at some houses {yes, we’re buying a house!!}, and having a trip to Harrison booked, but it worked out well and the kids and I had a lovely time {and even had a couple of surprise guests!}
With Brad already gone, the kiddos and I packed up the car on Sunday morning and headed the quick hour and a half out of the city to Harrison. Thankfully Sam had a decent nap along the way and Miss G was happy to quietly read her book, which made for an easy trip – win!
I always forget just how close Harrison is to the city, and it wasn’t long before we saw him – the famous wooden sasquatch – sitting on his perch welcoming visitors at the edge of town. It goes without saying that we had to pull over and say hello – it really wouldn’t be a trip to Harrison without.
After pulling into town, our first stop was lunch. {Anyone else have kids who are ALWAYS hungry??} We stopped at the cutest little new-to-us place – the Harrison Corner Cafe – where Miss G enjoyed her second ever fish and chips and Sam and I shared spinach eggs benny and both were delish. The kids’ favourite beyond the food? The giant ‘very fancy’ golden chandelier that hung almost directly above our table. It was the perfect distraction while waiting for our meals to arrive.
With happy bellies, we went just a block over to check our our hotel and were pleasantly surprised to find out that we were able to check in early – win! Now if you know my Miss G, you know that she has a case of wanderlust just as serious as mine. She lives for adventures, getaways, taking flights, and staying in hotels, and the Harrison Beach Hotel did not disappoint. Besides it being right across the street from the water, we opened the door to a full-on suite and I’m pretty sure she gasped as she walked in to find a living room, dining table, and full kitchen. Not to mention the amazing king sized bed that I so wish was mine forever. Grae quickly unpacked everything and placed it into drawers {as you do} and then we were off to explore.
The beauty of staying directly across from the beach? This is basically your front yard {gah!}
After some time on the playground, we walked out along the little gravel path, parked ourselves at one of the many benches along the way, and just took in the view. Isn’t it stunning? I think it’s easy to get used to living amongst the mountains and forget to really appreciate our surroundings, but after many years in the desert, I’m more thankful for where we live than ever {and I really hope that appreciation sticks}.
After a coffee and pastry pit stop at my favourite cafe, it was back to our hotel for a little bit of downtime…
While we did contemplate doing the Spirit Trail {I’ve heard amazing things!} or renting a big bike, we opted for this instead… Comfy clothes and a television show while all snuggled up in our king sized bed, which the kiddos just thought was the best thing ever.
Part way through the show, this sweet little nugget nursed and fell asleep for his second nap of the day, which was pretty much the sweetest thing ever. A baby tucked in crisp white linens on a huge bed? Guaranteed I’ll be taking a minimum of 100 photos to commemorate the occasion.
Our low key afternoon was exactly what we needed, but little did the kids know that things were about to get even better. It just so happened that Brad was on his way back to Vancouver from the Okanagan and since it was Father’s Day and Harrison is really only 20 minutes or so from the highway, we decided he’d pop over and have dinner with us! Sadly he couldn’t stay overnight as he had to go to work early the next morning, but we did get to have a lovely authentic German meal at The Black Forest Restaurant together, which was wonderful. With offerings like schnitzel, goulash, and bratwurst, it look us back to our time spent in our beloved Heidelberg, which is always a good place to be.
The evening was finished off with a soak in our giant hotel tub for Grae and Sam, and then it was into bed for both of them.
Early the next morning, Grandma Sue joined us and it was back off to my favourite Harrison coffee shop – Muddy Waters Cafe. Mmmm… I can’t tell you how awesome this place is. Not only is the staff super welcoming and friendly, but the coffee and pastries are absolutely delicious and the meals are even better {and made with locally sourced ingredients!} We’ve eaten here a few times now and every time our food has been absolutely spot on and it was no different this time around. You wouldn’t think a breakfast burrito could be all that special, but this one was soooo delicious that my mom and I couldn’t spot talking about it.
After breakfast we popped by the playground to let the kiddos burn off some energy, and then it was off to the dock for an adventure… A 2-hour boat tour with Shoreline Tours. We didn’t quite know what to expect on our tour, but it was so great.
The staff members helped carry our stroller onboard, helped us get all settled in, went over important safety procedures, and then we were off. How stunning does the Harrison waterfront look from on the lake?! You can see the Harrison Beach Hotel just below that gorgeous mountain peak and to the right you can see the floating water park, which looks like a ridiculously fun time.
The tour was absolutely lovely… Besides getting to enjoy the gorgeous views and teal water, we learned all kinds of interesting tidbits about the area {Miss G was particularly interested in the sasquatch stories}, kept our eyes peeled for sea lions {no luck}, and even enjoyed a barbecued lunch along the way.
Now not going to lie… This little nugget was a bit of a handful during the ride, but that’s to be expected when your tour leaves the dock right at nap time, right? All I can say is thank goodness for grandmas! Grandma Sue was the one who held him and played with him for the majority of the tour, and though he wouldn’t fall asleep for me, he zonked right out in Grandma’s arms {little rascal!}
Upon returning to the dock, we managed to sneak a sleeping Sam into his stroller and even better – stealthily lifted the stroller up and off of the boat without waking him. His sleep continued as we strolled along the esplanade and browsed through a couple of little shops, and then we were off once he woke. It was a bit of a whirlwind visit, but we already can’t wait to go back.
Until next time, Harrison.
This post brought to you in partnership with Harrison Beach Hotel, Harrison Corner Cafe, The Black Forest Restaurant, Muddy Waters Cafe, and Shoreline Tours. As always, all opinions are my own.
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What a wonderful spot! You really are blessed with mountains in that part of the world … Which makes it much colder than here … I just LOOOOVE seeing a photo of a mountain with snow on it. One day, I’ll try and get there. I have dreams of driving in a camper van across Canada and now I have further plans of visiting some of America which I didn’t have the same zest for before. I do now, thanks to Instagram and the web! :) Thanks for sharing such a wonderful place.
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