Typically summer brings a trip to Canada for us. We fly East to visit Mike’s hometown near Toronto to spend time with his family and see our friends from the area. Some years all we can manage is a backyard bbq to catch up with our main crew but this year we were able to swing a few days at Blue Mountain.
Only a short two hour drive from Mike’s parents house, we arrived in the late afternoon on a Friday. We checked into The Westin, which sits at the base of the mountain, and only a short walk from the village, where most of the action was located.
After settling into our respective rooms, we took a dip in the (nicely heated) resort pool before walking into the village for dinner. We ate on a patio at a pub, enjoying pints while we all caught up. It took almost an hour to get our food after ordering, which is very tricky with 5 kiddos who are all hungry. Alas, when the food did arrive it was really good and the kids were hungry enough not to complain about the pepper on the fries.
Despite the food delay, it was so nice to be outside enjoying the summer evening with friends in a gorgeous setting. Blue Mountain is primarily a ski resort and, in the winter, I could imagine it like being inside a snow globe. There are stone walkways dotted with cafes, restaurants, and shops. A small pond separates the Westin from village, with a boardwalk path and colorful Adirondack chairs to sit and sip in the views. Overall it feels like a tucked away tranquil escape.
The next morning came early for me with a wakeup call from Kenna. After giving her a bottle, I tucked her in bed with Mike (and Ms. Rachel, let’s be real) while I snuck downstairs to do some strength training. I had the gym to myself for almost my entire workout, so I guess the early bird does get the warm (or, at least avoids awkward interactions over dumbbells?). In need of caffeine after, I took Kenna on a walk with me to the village Starbucks and then let her run around in the fresh air while I sipped my Americano. What a nice start to the day!
Back at the hotel, the rest of the group was waking up. Three families with five kids total (two of them under two, who still need to nap) makes for a bit of chaos when figuring out the logistics of a day. We had the full-access tickets, which allowed us to experience all of the attractions; the most anticipated being the mountain coaster! The older kids and 1/2 of the adults stood in line for the coaster while the other half of us took the babies to the park. The coaster was such a hit we ended up buying the picture package (that includes a video of your ride as well) to relive the memories.
Having learned from our long dinner the night before, the adults who weren’t on the ride (myself included) got a jump on lunch and ordered pizzas and pastas for the group, while outside enjoying another patio.
We used our full-access passes after for admission into Plunge, the aquatic center that includes a water slide, splash pad, and more. Here the older kids took turns going down the slide and playing games. You can stay for a two-hour window, which I appreciated since it didn’t feel overly crowded and chairs were easy to come by.
We took the gondola up the mountain for a family-style all you can eat BBQ dinner. The views from the top were grand and expansive. We sat in an open-air restaurant and dined on mac n’ cheese (all of the kids favorite), a variety of meat, corn bread, grilled corn, and a cucumber pineapple salad. In between bites, the kids wandered to play with stones in the sand. For dessert, we got two platters of ice cream and let the bigs go crazy with one all to themselves; I think it was something like 12 scoops split between the three of them. Suffice to say, they were in ice cream bliss.
I took Kenna back to the hotel for bed while the others discovered and delighted in the Canopy Climb. From the real-time Whatsapp pictures coming in, I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself the next day!
The Westin provides access to a private beach just a 10 minute drive away. Part of our group was leaving on Sunday and, to time their drive home with a nap window, we arrived at the lake right at opening. Of course this was great because there was plenty of parking, lounge chair availability, and we were able to easily get reservations for the free kayaks offered.
It was a little cloudy but still warm out (which is actually probably preferred weather, thinking about it). Kenna stayed on the beach with Mike while Cam and I trekked out into the water with friends. We paddled out pretty far but the water remained shallow enough to see the bottom the whole time. The whole experience was very kid-friendly. Including the swings on the beach for them to play on after.
After a few hours we recreated the moms and kids vs. dads and kids beach picture we took almost 4 years ago (this time with 2 added babies), packed it in, and hit the road for one family and the resort for the rest for nap time. It is really nice to have these memories and snapshots as the years pass.
After a quick poutine lunch (when in Canada!), Mike went back to the hotel for Kenna’s nap and it was my turn to adventure! First up was the Cocoon Crawl Playscape, a three tiered crocheted netted structure where Cam squirmed to the top in no time. The adults had a harder time making it through the small holed openings that got you from one level to another but we got there. The netting was bouncy and fun to hop on while we explored. Plus, it was such a unique experience to be at the top, surrounded by fresh air with a canopy of color at our feet.
We went to the Canopy Climb after and Cam was gone in a flash. He was an absolute ninja sprinting through mesh bridges, bouncing everywhere, sliding and climbing his way through. It took a lot to keep up with him but oh, how much fun it was!
We did a simple takeout dinner that night and then watched a Friends marathon on TV; trying to figure out if Gen Z’s “cringe” claim was legit or not. Everyone turned in early after a long day full of fun.
Melissa, one of my best friends (flashback to NYC together for my bach here), and I kicked off the day with a yoga class at iwa spa, a Ganbanyoku yoga studio. I was game for the class when Melissa mentioned it while planning our trip; an hour of stretching to kick of the day with my friend? Always in. But omg what a treat this class was!! You practice on “heated volcanic rock slabs—imported from Japan—that are known for their therapeutic properties. Unlike traditional hot yoga, Ganbanyoku offers gentle, radiant warmth from the stone itself, creating a deeply grounding and detoxifying experience.”
The class is small with room for only 8 people. We were excited but the room also felt a tad hot to both of us as we were sitting waiting for our first pose. Transparently I was a bit nervous because I have been doing max 20 minutes at home yoga for the past 6 years (honestly my last in-person last was before having Camden/the pandemic) and this was going to be a full hour. This quickly passed after maybe 5 minutes when my body acclimated to the stones and every move felt so soothing. Those 60 minutes ended up flying by.
Relaxed and rejuvenated, we grabbed coffee after. While we sipped, we took in the view of the pond and the warm sun slowly coming into focus, burning through the morning fog. The dads had golf planned as their “me time” later that day. Cam and Melissa’s daughter made “ice cream” the night before out of the hotel coffee creamers, sugar packets, and ice. It turned out to be a very hot day and hard being outside outnumbered with 3 littles and only 2 moms, so we succumbed to another round of Ice Cream shop in our room.
We ordered a takeout tray of tacos for dinner that night and realized we should have just been doing that the whole stay; they were so good! After the kids were asleep, we watched a standup special which is decidedly one of my favorite things to do with friends—no one is watching the same new show (or, if we are, it is unlikely we are on the same episode) and movie tastes vary (why can’t boys just publicly admit they love romcoms??). A good comic that makes you lol with your friend fits the bill for me.
On our last morning, we hustled out of the hotel room for a jammie coaster run (no lines!) and a go on the aqua trikes. From high thrill to low thrill (hehe), the kids enjoyed a few last adventures before we had to leave that afternoon. With our bags packed and one final poutine for the road, we said See You Next Summer to the Blue Mountain.
It was a really nice way to spend a few days, especially watching the kids’ friendship grow every time they get together.
And I give it my highest endorsement to this little corner of Canada. With seemingly endless activities, accessible attractions, great accommodations, and an array of cuisine, we’ve decided to try to make a visit to the Blue Mountain a yearly tradition.
Our 2022 beach pics ❤
VEG VIBES 