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The Family’s Day in Sidney

Bringing your family to Sidney for the day? You can explore a range of activities, from museums and a movie; to bike tours, watersports and plenty of playgrounds. When you get hungry, restaurants like The Five and Dime, Spitfire Grill, Boondocks Pub, and Fish On 5th are great places for family-friendly dining and treats kids will love, including the best milkshakes in town! Just don’t forget to stop at the Sidney Bakery. (See our post, For The Foodie, for more dining ideas!)

For watersports, you can rent kayaks, stand up paddleboards and even sailboats; or, during the summer months, take a cruise aboard the Sidney Spit catamaran ferry over to Sidney Island for the day.

If you visit during the off-season, the beaches along the waterfront are also fun to explore, especially if you pair your beachcombing adventure with a visit to our very own aquarium: the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea.

Pat Bay and Coles Bay are wonderful places to take a dip in the ocean, stand up paddleboard, or have a beach picnic. If the weather (or the water) is too cold for a dip, why not head to the pool? Panorama Rec Centre has a waterslide, climbing wall, and spray toys. If you’d rather play hockey or practice your pirouettes, head over to the ice rink for family skates, tot skates, and parent and child hockey.

If your family loves to get out in the woods, Horth Hill and John Dean park offer hiking trails that wind uphill through the forest, leading to panoramic views of the Peninsula and beyond. Reay Creek offers an easy stroll along a quiet creek bed, while Resthaven Park has a great playground and a short path around the Resthaven Island bird sanctuary.

For more day trip ideas, including local parks and trails, visit the Town of Sidney website and our Outdoor and Recreation page!