25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit – Book Review & Author Interview

Considering a vacation in Canada? 25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit will inspire and guide any parent planning a trip to the world's second-largest country. This book is filled with funny, relatable anecdotes about exploring Canada with kids. My dog-eared copy has me dreaming of witnessing the Northern Lights in the Yukon, clamming for dinner on Prince Edward Island, and seeing wild polar bears in Churchill. Let's learn a little bit about Author Jody Robbins, her fabulous book, and her picks for the best places to visit in Canada for each season.

How did you decide to write 25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit?

I knew Canada’s 150th birthday was coming up and I wanted to celebrate it with my family in some monumental way. I did a ton of research and couldn’t find any travel books on Canada that addressed the needs of families.

It’s one thing for a restaurant to say they’re family-friendly, but unless they have a booster seat, baby change station and customizable menu are they really? After seeing this gap, I decided to take it upon myself to find the very best spots in Canada for families to share with the world.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your family, and your writing career.

I live in Calgary, Canada with my husband, daughter, and dog. I’ve always traveled ever since I was a little kid. My grandparents lived on the other side of Canada so back and forth we’d go. I did my first solo trip when I was 16 (to Europe) and that got me hooked.

I studied international relations/poli-sci at university in the hopes of being a spy. That didn’t happen, but I did carve a career out of travel – teaching English at a Japanese high school, working as a trade officer for the government, managing a European sales team, etc.

After I had my daughter I wanted a new challenge and a more flexible job, so I started pitching newspapers travel stories based on my experiences. Seven years later, here I am, but it’s taken me publishing this book to call myself a writer.

What kind of research went into writing this book?

The research was major, because, of course, I had to visit ALL 25 places and I only had 14 months to do it. That year I only took off four weekends. It was crazy but worth it.

Do you consider yourself a “Canada expert”?

I guess I’m considered a Canada travel expert, but we Canadians don’t like to boast, so I’d never put that in my bio (unless I was pitching a U.S. outlet!).

Did your publisher approach you, or vice versa?

I approached the publisher, you don’t really need an agent in Canada. In 99 percent of cases, you’re supposed to write the book first. I hadn’t. They loved the idea and wanted to see two sample chapters. I whipped those up over a weekend, and we made a deal two weeks later.

How have you been promoting your book?

The publicity has been fantastic. My book has been featured in all the major newspapers in Canada, Today’s Parent, Best Health, Reader’s Digest, and I went on The Marilyn Denis Show, which is Canada’s version of Live with Kelly!

TV is cool because if you jump on Amazon right after, you always see an increase in your rating. Trending number one on Amazon (in the travel category) and being an Amazon bestseller were bigger rushes than I could have imagined.

What is your favorite Canadian destination to visit for each season with kids and why?

Winter

I’m partial to the Rockies for winter, which are in both British Columbia and Alberta. Banff National Park is a rite of passage, but I really love visiting Waterston Lakes National Park in winter. It borders Glacier National Park in Montana and together they’re a UNESCO Biosphere preserve.

Waterston is this tiny town – it looks like it hasn’t changed since the 50s. In winter many businesses shut down, but some restaurants, gift shops, and two hotels remain open.

It’s like having an entire National Park to yourself. It’s super affordable, the wildlife is off the hook (500 elk at a time grazing in the fields), and there are loads of hiking, cross country, and snowshoe trails.

Spring

In spring when I need a dose of green, I make a beeline for Victoria, the capital city of B.C. It’s known as Canada’s Garden City.

A visit to The Butchart Gardens is a must. Also on your hit list should be Beacon Hill Park for their daily goat rodeo. Along the Inner Harbor, there are loads of family attractions from Miniature World to a Bug Zoo to water taxis where you can buzz around to see marine life.

For parents, head to Oak Bay Beach Hotel and snag a day pass. Then swan around their lovely outdoor pools that frame the Pacific.

Summer

Ontario was made for summer. There are so many warm lakes and sandy beaches along the Great Lakes. You can rent a cabin, or hang out at a resort or camp. We have loads of glamping options in Canada. It really takes me back to my childhood when we’d hole up in cabins without TVs and just explore.

Fall

For fall, Quebec for the changing of the leaves. It’s just magical. I went to the Saguenay fjord region in early October and saw so many whales and other aquatic life. Quebec City is charming any time of year, but in fall it looks like a fairytale come to life.

You include a section filled with helpful tips on traveling with kids. What are a few of your favorite travel-with-kids tips?

Sleep is so important to me, I recommend packing a sheet of blackout material in your suitcase and duct tape it to the windows if your curtains let in extra light. I also go nowhere without an eye mask and noise-canceling headphones (which you can wear if someone else is on tap for nighttime wake-ups).

Don’t schedule too much. Plan for one main activity a day and have a second or third as backup if you feel you can handle it. Or, if you have one full-on day (like at an amusement park), plan a chill beach day the next.

Plan ahead with your partner and swap off a half or full days, so each of you gets some time to rejuvenate. Traveling can be stressful at the best of times, and when you throw kids in the mix it’s magnified. To be your best you have to nurture yourself, too.

We want to do, do, do on our holidays, but research shows you’ll feel much better if you just be. Kids don’t care as much as we think they do about all these attractions. Time in nature allows you to bond far better than a city break. Even if you are going to a city, be sure to map out green spaces to give everyone a break.

Buy your copy now!

25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit would make a great gift for a travel lover or a great read for yourself. Buy your paperback or Kindle copy via Amazon now!

In addition to being a published author, Jody is also a regular contributor to TravelMamas.com. Read stories by The Saucy Travel Mama now!

A Note from The Travel Mama: I received a copy of 25 Places in Canada Every Family Should Visit for the purpose of this review. I did not receive any additional compensation related to this post. All opinions are mine, as always.