Exploration Center – Prince George – Fort George Park - 5 July

I picked up a Golden Raven brochure from the info centre in Kamploops. And ever since have been carrying the coupon for family entry to the Exploration Centre in Prince George. Unfortunately, I kept forgetting which town the Exploration Centre was actually in, so have been asking for directions to it at Info Centres all the way along – and not surprizingly – been getting confused looks from the the teenagers manning them for the summer.



None the less, we finally made it to PG (as our badge we collected from the PG info centre called it). Fort George park had a couple of playgrounds, a water park and the Exploration Centre. Somehow the lady at the entry desk, figured our coupon for $20 for a family meant we got in for free. So we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in there with the kids. There was a “small kids” area, that had a tug boat with secret passage ways and slides through it. There is a large water table, that you can build canels and waterfalls, and have boat races. Water – denny was in heaven. Then over underneath a fullsize replica of Albertasaurus (a smaller T Rex like theropod) there was a dig – bones under sand and paint brushes for the kids to uncover them with. Just in this area alone, the kids spent hours. It is really well done. Upstairs there are plenty of museum like displays. And live sturgeon in an aquarium, and a number of exotic insects, frogs and geckos in terrariums. A big beaver lodge the kids can run through, with a very large beaver observing from on top. I thought it was one of the better kids museums that we have been too! Highly recommend it for preschool and elementary school age kids.

We spent our couple of nights in the Casino Carpark, on the outskirts of town. Then we parked 2 nights on the outside edge of the Costco carpark. Conveniently located, less than a block away from a friend that the in-laws had made on a tour they took to Costa Rica 18 months ago. Madga quickly took us all in, and the kids in particular loved her “world traveller” house. She has collected art and artifacts from around the world, and has presented her photos into great scrapbooks. The kids really enjoyed visiting her house. Madi spent an afternoon there dressing up in princess dresses, and now has pink painted toe-nails!

On our last morning in the Costo carpark we met another family who were on their way home from a vacation in Jasper. They live in Terrace. Which is about 4 hours up the road (I think). They had small, 3weeks and 2 year old, kids so we gave them a tour of our RV and our kids played with their little girl for quite sometime. We really like making friends as we travel.

We finally pulled out of Prince George, after staying about 4 days there. We were treated to shopping in Costco with Magda (and her membership card). So we have a punnet of the biggest nectarians I have ever seen. Giant chocolate muffins, madi's two bite brownies, the most delicious granola crunch stuff.
Food, sad we are so obsessed with it – especially from a bulk store! Never mind. Onwards toward Prince Rupert and Kitimat then our real destination. Stewart / Hyder to see the bears!


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