Are the kids driving you crazy yet? Before you go over the deep end, consider one of these great places to take the kids in La Belle Provence.
Parc Omega is located in Montebello, Quebec, about an hour from Ottawa and Montreal. It is a drive-thru safari type experience that has an abundance of Canadian wildlife to wonder at. Bears, wolves, raccoons, moose, bison and wapitis. What’s a wapiti you ask? It’s the largest of the deer species and they love carrots, and slobbering and leaving wapiti boogers on your car. Your kids will love it!!! Two to three hours of giggling guaranteed.
La Ronde is a Six Flags park located on Sainte-Hélène Island in Montreal. It is Eastern Canada’s largest amusement park with over 40 rides and entertainment for the family. Tell the kids you’re taking them for the rides and then blow your diet enjoying the midway food. Mmmmmm, poutine.
Granby Zoo has over 1000 different animals including giraffes, elephants, gorillas and tigers. There are roughly 20 presentations from zookeepers daily to keep your kids brains hopping. New in 2011 is the South Pacific Pavillion featuring salt water dwellers such as sharks, rays, seahorses and clownfish. When you’re hot and sweaty and looking to cool off, head over to the Amazoo Waterpark and face the god Hurakan.
Want to give your kids an experience they’ll never forget? Take them to watch whales on the St. Lawrence River. Quebec is one of the few places in the world where you can get up close and personal to a wide variety of sea mammals in their natural environment. Blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, belugas, porpoises and dolphins all abound here. You can choose to observe from a boat with tours running from May to October or from dry land. You might win Mom of the Year for this.
Located in Montreal, Space for Life is perfect for your little eco-kids. Visit The Biodome and walk through replicas of four ecosystems found in the Americas, including the South American rainforest. Put your fears aside and head on over to the Insectarium next for a closer look at all things creepy and crawly. When you’re done there enjoy the Botanical Garden which houses over 22, 000 plant species. Finally, check out the Planetarium to see what’s beyond our blue sky. It’s a perfect day exploring life on our planet and beyond.
Say Bonjour to Quebec when planning your summer escapes. Added bonus: getting the kids to brush up on their French skills.
Candace Sampson is a mother, volunteer, entrepreneur and recovering housewife who believes popcorn is not a snack, it’s an entrée, clean clothes are a privilege, not a necessity and Martha Stewart will be dropping by at any moment to slap a condemned sign on her house.
Follow Candace on Twitter at @Candace_Dx [11]