Maybe your kids are younger, or maybe you just want to have a nice relaxing vacation. Well, this blog post will share some tips on how to chill, relax and make new memories that will fill up the nostalgia bucket for years to come.  Looking for more of a thrill? You may like my post on Thrills with kids at Blue Mountain Resort

Here is our top 5 activities for filling up your nostalgia bucket:

Paddle on the lake: Take a paddle boat, a kayak or a canoe and head out on this scenic lake for 30 minutes. The time will pass much faster than you expected and you won’t believe that 30 minutes is already up. Make sure to go over to the corner edges and looks for fish, and sea creatures (there aren’t real sea creatures, don’t worry – but the kids will love searching for monsters under the sea anyway). Our little guy was on the hunt for fish. For this activity, we let the kids be in charge and went where they wanted to go. It’s a small lake with very pretty views of the village, the Westin hotel, and the downhill trails.

Mini Golf: Have you ever seen a kitten chasing a ball? And you laughed and was filled with joy at just the sight of it? Well, that’s how I felt watching my four-year-old playing mini golf at the Cascade putting course . The good thing about this course is it’s not flat, so it makes it more fun and challenging for adults. As its name implies it’s like a cascade with each level on top of each other. The course is very beautiful and designed with the natural surroundings of the Escarpment as inspiration.  My tip is to go either early morning or late afternoon if you go in the summer time because it gets hot quickly and there is no shade.

Ice-cream in the Square: Every morning the team at Blue Mountain Resort sets up chairs, umbrellas, and music, along with other activities in the square. We walked around the picturesque village, enjoying ice-cream in the square while listening to music and taking in the view of the mountains. Not an ice-cream fan? Grab a frozen yogurt from Menchie’s instead and relax at your leisure. For this activity, we let the kids be in charge and direct us as to where they wanted to go. There are no cars in the village and they loved the freedom or going from place to place. Their second favourite place to relax was at the base of Blue Mountain by Activity Central. A note about Hatley Scoops, I was pleasantly surprised by the price of the cones. That large two scope cone was only $3.69! I expected it to be a lot more, and honestly one of the best tasting ice-cream. 

Hike or take a Gondola ride with a picnic at the top of Blue Mountain: This is truly a wonderful way to spend a few hours at Blue Mountain, and I cannot think of a better way to fill up the nostalgia bucket. I got this idea from my friend Kathy who goes to Blue Mountain every year. Don’t worry about having to bring food from home. There is a mini grocery store in Blue Mountain Village, simply stop by on your way to the Gondola, take the Open-Air Gondola up or take one of the hiking trails and relax at the top. Once you are up there you can play Frisbee, card game, walk around and explore the trails, or simply sit down and enjoy your delicious picnic. You are welcome, I know you’ll be thanking me for sharing this little gem with you.

Plunge! Aquatic Centre: A visit to Blue Mountain Resort is not complete without a visit to Plunge! The difference between Plunge! And the other pools is it offers both indoor and outdoor fun. Great place to let the kids run around on a rainy day, or if it’s too hot outside. This place is pure joy if you have a water baby. Three hours will go by in a flash as the kids go back and forth between the waterslides, the splash park, and the deep pool. There are comfy deck chairs for when you want to take a break, and it’s not as busy as the other pools since there is a fee to get in. It is definitely worth the extra cost. Fair warning, you are going to have a hard time getting them to leave.

On Saturday morning, Katelyn & I went for a walk around the village. On our way back we stopped and enjoyed the view of the village. The conversation went like this:

Katelyn : "Now this is what Saturday mornings are supposed to be like!"

Me: "Don't get too used to it"

Katelyn : "too late mommy, it's easy to get used to this"

Is she ever right! For us, being only an hour and a half away this is an ideal staycation destination.

You may also be interested in our review of Blue Mountain In Winter