Pint Size Pilot Family Travel Adventures

02/29/2024

Making family memories at Silverstar Mountain Resort!

SilverStar Mountain Resort – Where Family Memories are Made

07/04/2023

BILBAO, SPAIN
Looking to avoid summer crowds in Europe? We were so delighted by Bilbao! While we have been lucky enough to visit some hot spots such as Venice, Paris and London over the past few summers - these cities can get shockingly overcrowded, and at times, quite overwhelming (especially with kids). Bilbao by contrast, is surprisingly calm and relaxed. Even the Guggenheim seems to be an oasis of serenity! Highly recommend!

06/04/2023

SEA T0 SUMMIT HIKE – Looking for an amazing hike near Vancouver this summer? The Sea to Summit hike takes your from the base of the Sea to Sky gondola in Squamish, through a beautiful forest, past rushing waterfalls and up to a beautiful viewpoint over Howe Sound. This intermediate-difficult hike takes 3-4 hours and dogs are allowed on the trail. Once at the top, you can enjoy more trails, check out the suspension bridge or relax on the patio. If you choose to take the gondola back down (highly recommended for the view alone), it is $20pp or dog.

04/18/2023

https://www.cntraveller.com/article/i-let-chatgpt-plan-my-vacation

ChatGPT is pretty good – but not perfect yet!

The buzzy chatbot's lack of specificity – and factual errors – can be exhausting when it comes to travel recommendations.

02/28/2023

SILVERSTAR MOUNTAIN RESORT – I have always referred to our family as “ski tourists” as we love exploring new mountain terrain. SilverStar Mountain Resort, however, is one of the exceptions. We have been visiting for almost 40 years! Isn’t that crazy? We have so many beautiful family memories on her slopes!
Want to see why we love it there so much? Check out my post on PintSizePilot.com (link in profile).

12/31/2022

ZIHUATANEJO, MX - We will be taking in our last sunset of the year from one of our favourite places in Mexico - the lovely beach town of Zihuatanejo. Wishing you and your special people all the best for 2023. Thank you so much for following along on our adventures!

12/25/2022

As much as we love to travel, sometimes there's just no place like home (despite a pipe bursting in our basement wall about 36 hours ago).
Wherever you are in the world, I want to wish you all the best for the holidays and many exciting adventures for 2023.

12/19/2022

BC WINTER ROAD TRIP - We simply love a good family winter road trip. For this adventure, we are driving from Vancouver to Rossland for several days of skiing . (Why Red? For the great snow and because we are ski tourists. We love to try new places!)
With winter driving conditions, we are breaking up the drive with an overnight in the Okanagan. (Truth - it is also an excuse to finally have the chance to stay and dine at the lovely .)
Do you love winter adventures like we do? Feel free to follow along in our stories!

10/27/2022

MO’OREA, FRENCH POLYNESIA - NEW POST!

Our complete guide to visiting the gorgeous South Pacific island of Mo’orea, – just a quick ferry ride from French Polynesia’s main island of Tahiti. (With a a new direct Seattle-Tahiti flight (in addition to directs from LAX, SFO and HNL) - it has also never been easier!

A complete guide to the best things to do on Moorea, the top island resorts and much more!

10/05/2022

BUCKET LIST CANADIAN ADVENTURE
Purcell Mountain Lodge – An epic heli-in alpine hiking experience in BC's Columbia Mountains. If you love the outdoors, stunning mountain scenery, fine food and perhaps even a grizzly bear sighting, this quintessential Canadian adventure is for you!

A Purcell Mountain Lodge luxury backcountry hiking adventure. Discover what it's like to hike in BC's largest alpine meadow.

10/04/2022

PURCELL MOUNTAIN LODGE, BC – We have just returned from the most extraordinary late summer hiking adventure! If you love the outdoors, the backcountry alpine hiking experience at Purcell Mountain Lodge is definitely one for the bucket list!

The adventure begins with a stunning 15 minute helicopter ride from Golden, B.C. (90 min. drive from Banff/ 3hrs from Calgary) where you are quickly whisked to the lodge at 2200m. What follows is several incredible days of hikes with an ACMG certified guide at your side showing you just the most stunning Purcell Mountain Range scenery (a self-guided option is also available).

The cozy lodge has everything you need (including indoor plumbing and hot water – quite a rarity in the backcountry) as well as a very talented chef serving up the finest of fare all day long.

If you are looking for a truly special Canadian mountain adventure, definitely take a look at this one. (Link to full blog post in my Instagram bio.) The high alpine hiking experience at Purcell Lodge runs from June into the early fall. Be sure to book early if you would like to be there for the peak of summer, as July to mid-August is also the very popular wildflower season when the alpine meadows simply explode with colour.

Oh yes…and we saw a grizzly bear in the wild! It was truly one of the most amazing (and exciting) things I have ever experienced on my travels! (See my IG stories/highlight for more.)

Note: While we loved meeting fellow adventurers while staying at the lodge, it can also be fully booked out for small groups and for special events (such as weddings).

09/27/2022

THE BRIDGE - Did you know that the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge in Golden is the longest freestanding timber frame bridge in Canada? Built in 2001, it was constructed from locally harvested timbers with a design that is a nod to the Swiss mountain guides who arrived in Golden in the early 1900s. It’s a must-see in Golden either by crossing over it on foot as you explore town, or by passing under it on an exciting whitewater rafting trip down the Kicking Horse River. For our full guide to Golden, please see our profile link.

09/23/2022

EMERALD LAKE, BC - Such a great place to take a break and stretch your legs while driving through the Canadian Rockies! Emerald Lake is at about the midpoint between Banff, AB and Golden, BC (approximately a 1 hour drive from each). You can just make a quick stop for the view, rent a canoe, or take the trail that circumnavigates the lake with lots of nice places to pause and admire the scenery.

Tip: Try to arrive early in the day or later in the afternoon because even in shoulder season, this is a very popular spot!

(Want to stay a little longer? Check out the quintessentially Canadian .)

09/22/2022

B.C. ROAD TRIPS - Late spring and early fall are my favourite times for BC road trips. I love seeing some of the province’s most beautiful spots without those peak season crowds. Some of our favourite places to visit in off-season include Tofino/Ucluelet, the Kootenays, Whistler/Squamish and Okanagan Wine Country.

This fall, we decided to take our first big road trip of the season to the adventure hub of Golden, BC. If you have followed me for a while you will know that we first fell in love with Golden for its epic ski mountain, Kicking Horse. We later discovered all the other great adventure activities it has to offer outside of the winter season, especially hiking. (Golden is surrounded by no less than 6 National Parks!)

For this trip, we couldn’t wait to check out the brand new attraction with the 2 longest suspension briges in Canada, an adrenaline-pumping zipline over a canyon, a treetop ropes course and so much more! We followed this up with a heli-in, backcountry alpine hiking trip to (a full-on bucket list experience).

I cannot wait to share more about both of these places with you (coming up in my stories/highlights very soon). Here are a few sneak peek pics.

Wishing you a wonderful autumn season and hoping that you can enjoy a few road trip adventures of your own!

09/12/2022

IL PALIO DI SIENA is an emotionally-charged horse race dating back nearly 400 years. It is run twice a year on July 2nd and August 16th around the perimeter of Siena’s medieval town square - Il Campo. Here are the basics:

-Siena is divided into 17 neighborhoods (contrade), each with its own church, fountain, and mascot (the snail, the giraffe etc.) 10 condrade get to have a horse in the race (with alternating spots and several extra determined by a draw).
-Race horses are assigned to each contrada by lottery and jockeys are hired (they are not necessarily local). Oh yes, and the jockeys ride ba****ck!
-There are 3 days of trial races leading up to the big event. Betting, bribery and other shenanigans are typical. Horses are protectively watched.
-On race day, horses are given a church blessing in their respective contrada. Restaurants are packed with large groups in a celebratory mood enjoying not just meal, but a ritual.
-Fans pack into the center of the square early on race day (free to watch) – often waiting out the whole day in the hot sun. Others will watch from pricey ticketed bleacher seats, balconies and rooftops.
-The 90 second race is preceded by the “March of the Palio” which includes much flag pageantry performed by men in tights (medeival costumes). For locals, this part is quite important as the flag bearers and drummers from the individual contrade have been practicing for months.
-As the sun begins to set, the race begins and the winner is the first horse to complete three laps with or without their jockey.
-The supporters of the winning contrada mob the track (while riderless horses are still bolting around) and the losing contrade make a beeline out of the piazza back towards home, heads hung low.

It is simply a marvelous (and crazy) event. I would honestly say though that we enjoyed the lead up in the city even more than the race itself. It’s a very special time to be in Siena.

Bleacher, balcony and rooftop tickets for the pre-race trials, the Palio race itself, as well as tickets to contrada dinners, can be purchased through tour companies and event ticket resellers. We used jacopodellatorre.com and had a good experience.

09/01/2022

FLORENCE - Tips for a Florence summer day trip!

1. Go in early to enjoy the city before the largest crowds.

2. If you are driving, reserve parking online ahead of time. (We used Garage Lungarno, right beside the Ponte Vecchio. It’s inside the ZTL red zone but they can void the ticket.)

3. Map out your sights ahead of time in a logical order so are not wasting time back tracking.

4. Bring a hat, water and perhaps even a fan along. (We felt very touristy with fans but were so glad to have then when the temperature was in the high 30s.)

5. Book tours to avoid the worst of the museum lineups. (We like and .)

6. During the hottest summer months, book those indoor tours (with air con) during the hottest hours of the day.

7. Make restaurant reservations for lunch ahead of time. It is no fun searching (or lining up) for food along with everyone else.

8. Get out of the city when the crowds become overwhelming (ideally enjoying a refreshing swim by 3pm back at your accommodation).

Do you have a tip to add? Please share it in the comments!

08/29/2022

TUSCANY- Out trip to Tuscany had a few hiccups to say the least (see highlight “Tuscany 1”) but even so, we were in Tuscany! I keep coming back to this peek-a-boo photo of Castello Guicciardini which was just down the road from our villa. At least once a day we would drive by, and at exactly the same spot I would say “Stop! I need to take a picture!” (Yes, my photos are basically all the same!)

07/24/2022

MOOREA, FRENCH POLYNESIA - One of the best things we did on Moorea was to take a private half day boat trip with . It was everything we hoped it would be - we saw humpback whales, hawksbill turtles, stingrays - we even snorkeled with dolphins and black-tipped reef sharks. We decided on the private tour because it was my husband’s birthday and we wanted to do something special. What was really nice about it was the itinerary could be ours alone, with so much flexibility. What we hadn’t counted on was the amazing video of our morning they would send us a few days later, having filmed us along the way. Thank you Vincent and Onyx for showing us such a beautiful morning.

07/22/2022

MOOREA - After a splurgy 2-night hotel stay on Moorea, we then settled in to a vacation rental for 5 nights. We knew we wanted to be on the north coast of the island so we could be close to activities, great beaches, hikes and restaurants. We also really wanted to be on the water, allowing us to just pop in for a paddle or snorkel whenever we wanted. We found exactly what we were looking for with . (I think they have 5 lovely properties to choose from currently.) Added bonus, it was right on Cook’s Bay – with a view we so fondly remembered from our stay on the island 20+ years ago. Thank you Jade for a perfect stay!

07/20/2022

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY - I have such a new appreciation for those beautiful photos you see that are half underwater. Oh my gosh…this photo, taken at the , took me days to get and hundreds of tries. I used a GoPro (older - HERO6) and a dome port. Despite watching a very good YouTube tutorial ahead of time, the learning curve was steep! Between the waves, finding the right lighting, water droplets on the dome, fogging up issues and me flailing around in the water (I hope nobody was watching) - I finally managed to get this one. I must stay…I’m quite proud of it. I don’t know what kind of fish these were, but they were the one cooperative piece. 🐠 💕🏝

07/18/2022

SOFITEL MOOREA - Worth getting up early for - the sunrise views at the Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort.

07/14/2022

FRENCH POLYNESIA - We have just returned from 2 weeks with the kids in French Polynesia. It was absolutely a dream trip that we had always wanted to do with them. My husband and I visited over 20 years ago and just have never forgotten those lush, green mountainsides that fall into the most incredible ocean waters in every shade of blue imaginable. It was everything we had hoped it would be. Please follow along in my stories to learn more about our trip to the islands of Tahiti, Moorea, and finally Ninamu on the Tikehau Atoll.

04/24/2022

The Last Tourist - While tough to watch at moments, this movie is full of important messaging on how, as travelers, we can support responsible tourism. See the trailer below.

https://youtu.be/r3_YO-t0DXM

THE LAST TOURIST reveals the real consequences of one of the worlds largest industries through the forgotten voices of those working in its shadow.

04/14/2022

PARIS ANYONE? My friend Tamara over at We3Travel has put together this wonderful 5-day Paris itinerary. If you are heading that way, I would definitely give this a read.

https://we3travel.com/5-days-in-paris-itinerary/

If you are planning a trip to Paris I have all the details you need to plan out your itinerary. This day-by-day guide helps you figure out what to do when and where to eat.

04/13/2022

ST. THOMAS - Do your family travel dreams come in shades of Caribbean blue? If they do, be sure to check out our latest post on exploring St. Thomas with kids.

Special thanks to Lee Friedman of Mango Tree Travel for this thoughtfully curated and exceptionally helpful guest post.

https://pintsizepilot.com/st-thomas-kids/

Planning a family vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands? Check out this essential guide to all the best things to do with kids in St. Thomas.

03/04/2022

Planning a family trip to Paris? Check out these beautiful hotel options (with family or connecting rooms).

https://pintsizepilot.com/paris-hotels-family/

Paris Hotels Family Guide (2022) - Discover the 15 Best Hotels in Paris for Families on our Best Paris Hotel Family List.

02/22/2022

SILVERSTAR MOUNTAIN RESORT - For more than a dozen years (except last year, but let’s not talk about that) we have been enjoying a multigenerational family trip to Silverstar Mountain Resort.

It is a mountain experience steeped in tradition for our family. Although there is much chatter when something new opens (like the relocation of the crèpe truck to an actual storefront), we also love keeping everything the same. The traditions run throughout, starting on the drive in from Vancouver with breakfast at the Blue Moose Cafe in Hope. There are just so many must-dos for us including one bomb-run down “Far Out” (where the kids cut their first turns years ago), a ski-by the Clydesdale horses, flying through the glades in “Deer Park”, a hot chocolate warmup at Paradise Camp, a post ski day hot tub, skating on Brewer’s pond and one dinner out at Long John’s pub.

I know that there are numerous family-friendly mountains in B.C. but my vote always goes to Silverstar. Not only is the snow fantastic ("champagne power" as it was advertised when I was a kid), but the pedestrian village is so adorable and the abundance of ski in/ski out accommodation options makes mornings so easy! The is so much skiable terrain that even on a weekend like this past one (Family Day in Canada), we had many runs all to ourselves (and the most we waited in line was 15 minutes…usually much less).

SilverStar Mountain Resort you have my heart and you always will.

02/07/2022

WHISTLER, BC - It should be the skiing that I am most excited about when visiting Whistler, but honestly, it’s almost always the hotel. This past weekend, our family enjoyed a very special stay at the Four Seasons - a Whistler favourite. I love the fact that it is tucked into the forest, just a wee stroll from the Upper Village, making for such a peaceful, serene environment.

Mornings there are my absolute favourite. I like to sneak out of our room before anyone else is awake, to enjoy a coffee and a little think break in the lobby library. On this visit, I was amused to see that I wasn’t alone in the library. Another woman was also quietly enjoying her coffee. After about 30 minutes, her four kids and husband found her (“Where were you? We didn’t even hear you leave the room?" )- but like me, she had already had her moment of serenity. (And honestly, with 4 kids, I’m sure she needed it much more than I did.)

What do you do, just for you, to keep yourself on track?

01/20/2022

WHISTLER, BC - Small but amusing win while waiting in the 7th Heaven lift lineup on Whistler.

12/23/2021

🌲HAPPY HOLIDAYS🌲 - While I know 2021 has been a challenging one for so many, I’m hoping that you were still able to carve out some special memories throughout the year with family and friends. I can’t wait to reconnect with you in 2022, hopefully from both near and afar.

[ENGLISH TRANSLATION] - Seriously another lockdown in Vancouver? OMG…can it please be over? I need to get out of here. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind support, comments, photos, videos and connections throughout the year. You have kept me from going totally squirrelly and I am so grateful for this community of travellers and aspiring travellers. You fill my cup. ☕️💕