A Surprise Staycation at Bookstreet Hotel

The last-minute planning for a staycation started when a pre-planned long weekend trip to Washington was cancelled and my entire family was disappointed. All of us were looking forward to getting away.

My husband and I scoured the internet for ideas on what we could do that were not too far away and that wouldn’t cost a lot of money (we’re still counting on a trip away-away sometime soon!). I then remembered the Brookstreet Hotel. Located in Kanata North, my daughter had taken swim lessons there through Aqua Life Swim Academy and absolutely adores the place (especially the outdoor musical instruments located outside the hotel’s front door). So, I went online and took a look at what they had to offer.

Without hesitation, I booked the “Summer Family Package” – the perfect family getaway package!

We didn’t tell my daughter what we were doing. Instead, my husband and I secretly packed our overnight bags (including our swimsuits!) and late Friday afternoon, I told her she and I had to run out and pick something up for her dad at the Brookstreet Hotel. As I mentioned, she adores the place and was eager to go back, even if it was just to pick up a package for her dad. When we got there, I told her we had to go to a certain floor to get the package. When we arrived at the room, my husband was already there and left the door a bit ajar, so I just walked in and said, “Hi! How are you?” My daughter was confused and initially did not want to leave the hallway, but then slowly made her way in when she heard her dad’s voice.

She was still confused, but then noticed the suitcase and a Brookstreet backpack on a bed and excitedly asked, “Are we staying here? REALLY?! YAY!” And then jumped up on her bed to take a look at her complimentary backpack that included a Brookstreet water bottle (which is valid for free soft drinks when dining in Options, Perspectives or Ironstone Grill) and tokens for the hotel’s Zone 525 Games Room. The games room features an interactive floor game, arcade games, video games and a movie theatre!

My daughter could hardly wait to change into her swimsuit and head to the Brookstreet’s outdoor AND indoor salt water pools. We spent a long-time swimming that evening – the water in both the indoor and outdoor pools is so warm, you won’t want to leave!

Once we were done swimming, we headed back to our room, but not before my daughter was greeted by Buzz, the hotel’s mascot. At nine, she was trying not to be excited, but she had a hard time not smiling when she saw him. Buzz can be found buzzing around between the hotel’s lobby and the Flex Fitness Studio a few times during weekends, which is a fun addition to any family’s stay!

After a quiet and comfortable night’s sleep we enjoyed a delicious breakfast buffet at Perspectives. This breakfast is not your typical hotel breakfast – think smoked salmon, waffles, fresh fruit salad, gourmet cheeses, yogurts, pastries, bagels, and so, so much more!

After breakfast we headed to Blackbird Falls Mini Putt for a fun 18-hole game. My daughter liked this course because it looks easy, but it is actually challenging (she also loves that there is so many ‘water holes’).  

We then went to the games room where my daughter used her tokens to play the “grabby thingy” and won three stuffies – much to my chagrin. Afterward, we headed back to the pools, well, I sat in the whirlpool tubs… and then in the sauna.

We also took a look at the outdoor ping pong table, outdoor chess and chequers tables near the outdoor pool area, as well as the kids play rockers. Needless to say, a family with kids of all ages could easily spend a weekend – if not more at the Brookstreet Hotel.

Families can also look into various activities that take place during the weekend. The weekend we stayed, there was a movie night being hosted on Friday night in Zone 525 (the games room) as well as an ice cream inspired “B Creative” craft Saturday morning. The hotel also offers complimentary bicycles, helmets, locks and cycling trail maps for all guests!

The Summer Family Hotel Package includes so much, it is truly unlike any other hotel I have stayed at and it really felt like we got away – even if we live just minutes down the road. The package includes:

• One night’s accommodation
• Family Pass for Blackbird Falls Mini Putt
• A ‘Brookstreet Backpack’ for each child including:
  • A Water Bottle (Free soft drinks when dining in Options, Perspectives or Ironstone Grill)
  • A Surprise Kids Activity
  • Tokens for the Zone 525 Games Room
  • 15% discount in in Perspectives Restaurant, Options Jazz Lounge or Ironstone Grill (a voucher is given at check in that can be used throughout your stay)
  • A Freezie or Popsicle for each child (a voucher is given at check in to pick up the treat from the B café)
• Access to their indoor and outdoor saltwater pools, including a kid’s wading pool
• High-speed WiFi
• Parking in their secure underground garage

We will definitely return to the Brookstreet for another staycation – my husband and I are also looking into indulging in the Couples Getaway package!

Have you stayed at the Brookstreet Hotel before? What was your favourite part?  

Travelling Light with Kids

"If you can’t carry it, don’t bring it." 

That has always been and always will be my motto for airplane travel. (By car is a totally different approach: If it fits, it comes! - that can be another blog!) Whenever we have gone away by plane, the rule has been if you can’t carry it, it doesn’t come. Because really, I can’t carry it either. And, really, I don’t want to!

My name is Antonia Cetin. I am an educator and the author of You’ve Got This, Mom! A Mother’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Today’s Modern World. With my currently 12 year old son, I am a world traveller. Together Matthieu and I have travelled to 17 countries across North and Central America and Europe. We love to explore and to visit new places, meet new people, discover hidden treasures. This summer we are looking forward to going to Hawaii for my 5-0!

My son and I have always travelled with carry-ons because it’s easier and it’s more hassle-free. If you have large luggage, and your children have large luggage, who gets stuck carrying it all? How would you even manage carrying it into the airport, never mind some distant and unfamiliar destination? No thank you. I am a wuss, and I will stay that way.

I also never wanted the hassle of arriving at our destination with a young child and having to wait for my luggage to come. We just walk right through arrivals and keep heading out the exit. I have never wanted the hassle of wondering if all of our stuff would arrive and if it didn’t, how would I handle that with my young traveller in tow. On occasion, it has happened that our connecting flights have been very close, but no problem because we didn’t have to worry about our luggage making the connecting flight!

Further, with carry-ons, I always know where all of our stuff is, and it is always handy. Having things on hand has been especially helpful on those frequent occasions when Matthieu decided he wanted a certain toy or book or pair of socks while we were in transit. Wait, I think the socks was me!

What about souvenirs? You know there will be souvenirs. You know, those amazing and unique trinkets that your children will not be able to live without and that you will be stuck carrying for the remainder of your trip? Leave room for these in your luggage and only buy the lightest ones because you will be cursing when your luggage gets any heavier!

During our three month trip across Europe in 2016, for example, Matthieu, and I had one carry-on and one additional bag each. He had his awesome Star Wars carry-on suitcase with wheels that he could trail behind him, and his very cool satchel made out of recycled firefighter pants given to him for our trip by a dear friend. In his case, he had his clothes, sandals, toiletries, and stuffies; and in his satchel, he carried his notebooks, his reading material, his pencil case, and some precious souvenirs. I, on the other hand, had a nap-sack (because there is no way I could carry two suitcases, carry-on or otherwise, up and down stairs where there are no escalators!), and my large purse. In my knapsack, I had my own clothes, sandals, and toiletries, and in my purse, along with our documents, were our studying materials, our sketchbooks, our Chromebook, and our essential oils.

Everything else, I figured we could find along the way if we needed it.

If you think about it, the more stuff you bring with you, the more stuff you have to keep track of. This way, I only ever had to count as high as 4 and really, when you’re travelling with a bunch of stuff for an extended period of time, 4 is high enough! Occasionally, you end up with an extra bag or two anyway: that snack that doesn’t fit into your luggage, the special souvenir you bring to share at your next stop, the fragile confectionary you got for the road, and next thing you know your hands are full. Besides, you still need to keep an eye and a hand free for your most precious cargo: your child!

As you plan your own vacation this summer, please consider liberating yourself of stuff. Who needs more responsibility on vacation anyway? So, if you’re hitting the road with your kids, my best advice is to only take what you can carry because you know who’s going to be carrying most of the stuff anyway. #mamashirpaisme

For more blogs on travel, parenting, health, or life-balance visit my website: antoniacetin.com and check out my Facebook Page: @youvegotthismom

A Family Weekend in Montreal

KITC would like to welcome guest blogger, Stephen Johnson to the blog. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel.  During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival.  During the winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.  

Our family literally reached new heights on a recent trip to Montreal. We achieved this by riding a new Ferris wheel, taking the funicular up Olympic Stadium and visiting La Ronde amusement park. I was holding my breath the entire time!

The adventure started at La Grande Roue Ferris wheel located in Vieux Montreal. Our son, David, spotted it last summer while appropriately taking a zipline. He had been asking my wife, Sandy, and I all winter when we could take a ride on it. The day had finally arrived. I have never been one for heights but was pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the cabins and the smoothness of the ride. David was taking photos like it was the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The glass compartments made taking photos easy. I must admit to being somewhat uneasy when David told me it was the largest Ferris wheel in Canada, especially when we stopped at the top, but all was well.

After we finished at the Ferris wheel, we decided to check out the nearby Montreal Science Centre. David enjoyed all of the interactive exhibits. He particularly liked the exhibit about the human body. We spent a couple of hours exploring the museum. Once we were done, the spring weather was still doing its impression of hide and seek. One hour it was warm and sunny and the next was cool and rainy. We decided to wait out the damp weather with a tasty meal at Les Trois Brasseurs. Soon enough, the weather cleared and it was time to head back to our hotel.

The following day, we were ready for more high-flying fun. We headed to Olympic Stadium to visit the Montreal Tower. It is the tallest inclined tower in the world at 165 meters and a 45-degree angle. To reach the top we took a two-minute funicular ride that was stunning. Once at the top, we had a panoramic view of Montreal and surrounding area. Staff at the tower said on a clear day, it is possible to see up to 80 kilometers away.

Once done at the tower, we were ready for an out-of-this-world visit. I’m not talking about a ride aboard an Elon Musk or Richard Branson rocket ship. We saw a show at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium The presentation was about the aurora borealis. The colours were truly spectacular and the presenter filled us in on the science behind the aurora borealis. We were also taken on a tour of all the constellations and planets we could see in the night sky.

After our celestial entertainment, we hopped on the Metro and made our way to Old Montreal. We decided to visit the Queens of Egypt exhibition at the Pointe-à-Callière museum. The exhibition was world class. It featured many different objects including monumental statues, frescos and even a mummy!

We wrapped up the day doing one of our favourite activities, just wandering the streets of Old Montreal and enjoying the ambiance. Street buskers and musicians just added to the atmosphere.

For our last day in Montreal, we fittingly scheduled more high-flying fun. La Ronde amusement park is one attraction we have never visited in Montreal so we were excited to go. To my knowledge, it is the only amusement park that can be accessed by metro in North America which I find cool. Upon entering the park, David wanted to find the highest ride. The Super Manège roller coaster fit the bill. My wife, Sandy, was brave enough to accompany David. I was given camera duty and was happy to snap away while Sandy and David had fun flippin’ and flyin’.

The next ride on deck was the Bateau Pirate. The boat delivered up many thrills with it reaching extreme heights. David seemed more energized by every ride while Sandy bowed out after the Bateau. Next up, David decided to try the Goliath roller coaster. Afterwards, I read online that the ride went 110 km an hour (never shared that detail with Sandy!)

For his final ride, David chose the Ednör roller coaster. It was a fun way for David to wrap up the day as the ride spun around and even went over a small lake. For the rest of the time, we walked around the grounds enjoying the sights and sounds. I liked the fact the park delivered many rides in a relatively compact space.

We had a comfortable stay at the Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown. It is located very close to the Peel metro station making it easy to get around all of Montreal. The hotel also had a delicious breakfast to start off the day.

We are already our next trip back to Montreal!

For more information about Montreal, attractions and events visit, www.mtl.org/en.

Tourism Montreal assisted David with attraction passes and hotel, but all views, etc. are his own.

Entertainment Essentials when travelling with kids

Whether you are heading out on a road trip or flying on an airplane, travelling with kids can be tricky. It can be difficult to find things to keep them busy, to keep them entertained and to keep them from fighting. I remember road trips when I was a kid – I was lucky enough to be able to read in a moving vehicle, but my brother was not, which meant he spent most of his time figuring out ways to get me in trouble. Because of this, I am not surprised that 1 in 5 Canadian parents say one of their main concerns when travelling is keeping their kids entertained.

Whether you have one child or six kids, it is inevitable you will hear, "ARE WE THERE YET?" at least a dozen times during any given trip. On a recent family trip to New York City, my husband and I heard it at least 100 times from my daughter when our plane got delayed by a couple of hours and we were already on the other side of security and customs.

Nowadays kids are lucky to have technology to keep them busy, including tablets and iPads filled with games, educational apps, and of course, Netflix. Netflix is great for keeping kids busy at the airport, but what about when there isn’t WiFi? Luckily, Netflix now has downloadable TV shows and movies – for young kids, tweens, and teens (and adults, too).

While I consider myself tech-savvy, downloading e-books from the library can be somewhat of a challenge for me, but downloading TV shows and movies from Netflix is easy-peasy. Just remember that although you will be able to watch downloaded TV shows and movies without an internet connection, you will need an internet connection to download content with the Netflix app. 

I was so happy we decided to download a bunch of television shows and movies from Netflix onto our family iPad. Even though most airports say they have free WiFi - it's not always reliable (or free). My daughter was able to plug in her headset and watch a new downloaded movie from her Netflix app and keep herself entertained during our delay - and forgot all about wondering if we were there yet. ;)

So, if you’re travelling with kids this holiday season and are looking for movies and TV shows that will keep everyone entertained here are some tried and true downloadable titles: 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG)

This classic Christmas movie needs no introduction. A perfect film for Dr. Suess fans and for the holiday season!

The Christmas Bunny (PG)  

The Christmas Bunny follows the unfortunate story of a foster child who finds an injured rabbit on Christmas Eve. She takes the rabbit to a lonely woman that runs an animal shelter on her farm, who helps her nurse it back to health. The two become quick-friends and the story is nothing short of Chrismas magic.

Elf (PG)

The story of Buddy the Elf, who is raised by elves at the North Pole, but quickly realizes he is more human than an elf. The search for his real dad results in hilarious and heartwarming comedy that will have viewers of all ages laughing. This movie is a household classic and we watch it at least a dozen times during the holiday season.

Arthur Christmas (PG)

An animated movie that tells the story of how Santa's clumsy son Arthur gets put on a mission with St. Nick's father to give out a present they misplaced to a young girl.

Full House

A 1990s classic sitcom that is entertaining for kids and adults alike. A widowed father enlists the help of his brother-in-law and his best friend to help him raise his three daughters. This television show is funny and also has some good life lessons for kids. It's good-hearted fun for kids 7 and up.

The Little Rascals movie (PG)

A 1990s humourous remake of the 1930s classic TV shows with Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla and the rest of the gang. Through mischief and mayhem, tricks, ingenuity (and some potty humour), the rascals will learn the value of true friendship. 

Matilda (PG)

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl this is the heartwarming story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius.

The Cat in the Hat (PG)

Fun for kids who are fans of Dr. Suess - but intended for an audience of about 8+ due to some crude humour. The movie version sees two bored children have their lives turned upside down when a talking cat comes to visit, but with some added humour and chaos.

HOP (PG)

E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, heads to Hollywood to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band, when he gets into abit of mischeif thanks to a slcaker named Fred.

To find a show or movie you may want to download for your family, check out the ‘Available for Download’ menu on the Netflix app on your mobile or tablet device and browse all of the titles available to take with you whenever and wherever you want.

What are your picks for TV shows and movies to download from Netflix Canada before travelling? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment. 

Disclosure: KITC is part of the Netflix Stream team and receive perks (like Netflix giveaways!), all opinions are our own - and in the case, my daughter's who has watched all of these downloads on our road trips to Sudbury, ON to visit family.

Five ways to keep kids entertained at a cottage

We’re a cottaging family and spend at least two weeks at cottages every summer.

The packing list for the cottage may be long, but based on my years of cottaging with children I thought I’d make a list of my five favourites for keeping the family entertained.

I realized after writing it that my list falls to the less sporty type family so you may want to include some type of sporting equipment or balls or something too ;)

1) The super noodle

If you’ve ever been in a lake with children you know that, regardless of how well they can swim, their favourite place to be is attached to you. This is okay when you can stand up, but once you’re in water above your head, it can feel a bit like you’re about to drown. I quickly figured out that I needed multiple noodles in order to keep myself and a child up above water, but once I found the super noodles from Costco I was sold on spending $20+ on a noodle.

The super noodle will hold me and at least two, sometimes three children above water. It will even allow me to stay mostly above water as children catapult themselves off docks and into my arms. 

My general rule with the super noodle is that adults always get them first, as the only reason we invested in them is to help the adults stay afloat with the children who will undoubtedly try to sit on top of their heads while they’re trying to tread water. When all the adults are out of the water I’m willing to share and let the kids experience the fun of the super noodle too.

2) Child sized kayaks

We previously wrote about kayaks on Kids in the Capital and I still think they are one of the best investments if you go to a cottage with any regularity. They cost about $100 and I have seen children as young as four master them really quickly.

Kids can spend a lot of time just trolling around close to shore while you supervise, the ones who are a bit more nervous about swimming out further or who just are less inclined to swim a lot can kayak themselves to floating docks, and you can go on a family kayak ride. Note: make sure you have some kind of towing rope on your kayak or theirs and an easy way to attach the kayaks together. I often end up towing kids back, but it’s well worth it to have had them kayak independently to start.

3) An art kit

Arts and crafts are a must at the cottage - especially for rainy days or quieter evenings. We come up with all kinds of projects while we’re at the cottage and many include crafting.

·      Painting rocks and sticks.

·      Scavenger hunts.

·      Simple paintings and drawings.

·      Creating a memory game.

·      Box monsters.

4) Books

Adults and kids alike bring many books to the cottage. We have comics and novels and activity idea books.

You’ll find people reading in hammocks, in bunkbeds, and sitting by the lake.

We’re a bookish family so we may lean a bit more heavily to the books than others, but I think the cottage is a great time to get a lot of great reading done – make it part of what you expect at the cottage! The Ottawa Public Library allows you to take most books out for three weeks (and they can often be renewed for another three), which is usually a perfect length of time for a cottage vacation.

5)   Lego and puzzles

Some kids are less outdoorsy than others – I have one like that in particular. While they might love it if we’d let them play on electronics all day, that’s simply not an option. Instead we make sure there are Lego or 500-1000 piece puzzles to play with. These cottage projects are perfect for the kids who want to stay indoors while the others are in the lake, and they are great for quiet creative time.

We can rarely find an activity that all five of us want to do at once, and now that our kids are a bit older (with our youngest being 8) we’re able to simply accept that we can split up and do what each of us wants to do. Having lots of options for every personality type has really helped everyone enjoy their time at the cottages.

What are your cottage must haves to keep everyone busy and entertained?