When I was a kid my parents used to bring us out to the University of British Columbia campus to attend camps, swim in the old pool and watch sports games on the weekend. So I grew up knowing there were a lot of fun things to do around UBC, but since becoming an adult with kids of my own I have found out there is even more on campus for families to check out than ever before. Some of these spots I only recently visited for the first time and I want to share all of these great UBC “hidden gems” with you!
UBC AQUATIC CENTRE
If you haven’t been swimming at UBC’s (relatively) new aquatic centre then you are missing out! The 25 metre recreational pool has diving boards and an accessible ramp. There is also a huge leisure pool with a lazy river, and a large family friendly hot tub. It is a stunning addition to campus and my kids are always excited when we hit up a public swim time! There are different public swim times every day, you just need to check the schedule.
BEATY BIODIVERSITY MUSEUM
This is Vancouver’s Natural History Museum right on campus. Is your kid interested in animals? Well, it’s hard not to be impressed when you are greeted by a huge blue whale skeleton hanging right in the museum. And if you want to learn more about that blue whale there is a very interesting movie you can watch in the museum’s theatre which explains where the whale was found and how it was brought to UBC. Then take your time exploring over 500 natural history exhibits. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 5 pm.
PACIFIC MUSEUM OF EARTH
This one is a true hidden gem (at least it was to me, as I only found out about it and visited it a few weeks ago!) But it’s actually just right across the street from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, and admission to this awesome spot is by donation. It is, however, only open during the week, Monday to Friday from 10 am – 5 pm. There are some amazing mineral formations and dinosaur skeletons! Plus you learn about weather, the evolution of earth and natural disasters with some fun hands-on elements for younger kids.
MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY
I have to include UBC’s amazing Museum of Anthropology in this list, as it is truly breathtaking with its focus on First Nations culture (the Bill Reid carvings are worth the visit alone). However the museum has been closed for some time as it undergoes seismic upgrades. It is expected to reopen this summer, so stay tuned for that.
UBC BOTANICAL GARDEN
UBC Botanical Garden is actually Canada’s oldest botanical garden, first established back in 1916. Enjoy walking through many different types of gardens including a food garden with edible crops, a rainforest garden, alpine garden and Asian garden. A highlight for my family is the Greenheart TreeWalk, which I wrote about in a separate blog post here. It is a 310 metre long tree toop canopy walkway which hangs from huge douglas firs, cedars and grand firs. The Botanical Garden also hosts some great annual festivals and events like the UBC Apple Festival every October.
WESTBROOK VILLAGE SPLASH PAD
Westbrook Village at UBC has quickly developed into an incredibly vibrant hub with shopping, great places to dine, playgrounds and more. There is always something going on at the nearby sports fields. Right next to the Westbrook Community Centre there is an open splash pad that is open usually through June-September. It is a great, accessible area and especially fun for little ones to run and splash around, so consider checking it out when the weather warms up!
CHEER ON THE THUNDERBIRDS AT A VARSITY GAME
People who know me will already know about my long-running ties to the UBC Thunderbirds (as a proud former Tbird myself), and I have written before about the benefits of bringing out your kids to watch university sports (you can read that here). But I always love to reiterate the amazing opportunity UBC Varsity teams present to families. The UBC Thunderbirds have 26 athletic teams, men’s and women’s, and they are fantastic to go and watch. The sport season is wrapping up now for the summer, but come September there will be a full slate of soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey and more going on pretty much every weekend at UBC. Kids 12 and under are free to attend games, and my kids love going out to cheer on their favourite teams! For more on the Thunderbirds schedule visit the website here.
