Traveling as a family is such a beautiful thing! Sure it can be stressful and it’s not always easy, but it is totally worth all of the memories. Before children, my husband and I made a promise to ourselves that we would continue to travel with our family. Whether it is a trip across the globe or a short road trip up north, we were committed to showing our kids all the different places in the world. As they say, “Life is short and the world is wide.” Plus, we always believed that our children could learn so much from travel that they may not necessarily learn in the classroom. Keep reading to learn why we’ve made Blue Mountain a yearly tradition and the 5 reasons that I believe make family travels so important!

Baby Noa waiting for her big sister at the bottom of the hill!

Our Winter Getaway at Blue Mountain

Harper taking a moment to relax in our room at the Westin.

We typically travel to warmer destinations, but we have officially made Blue Mountain Resorts a family trip tradition! This is our second year visiting as a family and we just can’t get enough. Let’s just say Harper did not want to leave or get off the slopes. If you have not yet made the trip up north to Blue Mountain, you are missing out. It’s a short two-hour road trip out of the city and to be honest, when we arrive we always feel like we’re in another country! Plus, it’s so nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Of course it helps that we stay at the Westin, which is pretty incredible. Our two-bedroom suite puts any Toronto condo to shame!

In my opinion, a getaway to Blue Mountain is always fun and memorable. We continue to see Harper grow as a little lady every year we visit. From her conviction on the slopes to openness to try new things (like snow tubing), it makes us so happy to see her in her element! I should also mention I had a proud mommy moment seeing Harper snowboard for the first time. With only one private lesson here at Blue Mountain, she was ready to come off the bunny hill and slay some snow! We have her awesome instructor to thank for her confidence and skills (thanks Jake). I highly recommend every kiddie do a lesson!

When we go to Blue Mountain, we are always surprised at all the things you can do and all the good things you can eat. Beavertails aside, the food in the village is always delicious. My favourite restaurant so far has been the Pottery Restaurant. Psst … make sure you get the risotto and the beet salad!

Before I get into why we believe so strongly in the importance of travel for children, I have to let you know that I had THE best yoga experience of my life at Iwa Spa in Blue Mountain. There are no words to describe the relaxation you feel when doing yin-style yoga on warm volcanic rocks that also slowly emit infrared into the room. I left that class like a new mommy! I would make the two-hour drive just for a class.

Pictured here right after doing a yoga class at Iwa Spa. It was amazing!

Now although Harper and Noa couldn’t come with me to the class, they kept busy having fun walking the village and exploring all of the shops! Kids learn so much while travelling with the family – even to local(ish) destinations like Blue Mountain. Here are just a few things our kiddies learn while being away from home:

5 Reasons Family Travel Is Important to Me

1. People.

We love teaching Harper about all the various cultures and people in the world and despite how we may look a little different or act a little different, we are all generally the same … we all play, work, laugh, learn and love! We have also always told Harper that a smile is the same in all languages! :)

2. Perspective.

Not only does travel help put how large the world is into perspective for Harper, but travelling to certain countries has really helped us speak to Harper about gratitude. She continues to become more compassionate and empathetic through our travels.

3. Practice.

Actions speak louder than words! Harper learns through practice and action. Her curiosity evolves as she asks questions about things she sees when we travel. For example, she learned about coffee while on a coffee plantation tour in Colombia, learned about all the different sea creatures while swimming with the stingrays in Antigua and learned how to carve though practicing snowboarding this past weekend at Blue Mountain!

4. Patience.

Patience is a lesson learned quite quickly when travelling. A child could learn this on a road trip (“are we there yet?”) or through playing with another child they meet who speaks a foreign language.

Pictured here at the Plunge! Aquatic Pool outside.

5. Play.

Travel brings the best out in children. Seeing Harper play and enjoy simple moments while we are away from home is one of my favourite things to witness. Even with pushed bedtimes and a few virgin strawberry daiquiris or hot chocolates, you cannot put a price tag on the learning Harper receives through play during our travel adventures. Like seeing her succeed the deep end test at the Plunge! Aquatic Centre this past weekend was pretty epic!

Family Trip Tradition at Blue Mountain Resort