Staycation {Day 1}: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park + a Giveaway! #CrossFamilyStaycation #Vancouver

Even though I just returned to work, I knew I needed a week off to recuperate with the family.  Initially we were planning a trip to Seattle - we really wanted to take the kids down on the train and explore Downtown Seattle.  With hotel rates double or triple the price we normally pay, we decided to stay home at the last minute and enjoy a staycation.

The whole point of our staycation was to discover places around the city that we normally don't take the kids to and the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park was at the top of our list.  Surprisingly, I've lived in Vancouver all my life and don't remember ever visiting the suspension bridge!  Our main reason was for not visiting was the price - it just didn't seem like an affordable family outing. Although, after exploring the suspension bridge and finding out that there was more to it than the bridge, we now understand why the price is a little higher than most family attractions.

We parked our car in a pay lot across from the entrance and found this magical walkway.  Miss S told Lil J that little people live up in the trees and inside the tiny holes:

The minute we entered the attraction, we were mesmerized!  There was something enchanting about being surrounded by trees and nature.  We also noticed that the entire place was impeccably clean and the employees were extremely friendly and helpful.

Food prices were a little expensive as well but a must before you explore the park:

After devouring our poutine and hot dogs, we came upon the Cliffwalk - a series of suspended bridges and walkways taking you through rainforest vegetation.  It was truly a breathtaking experience and the kids were so excited they nearly took off without us!  Talk about being daredevils!

Next up was the moment I'd been waiting for for a long time - the suspension bridge!  It wasn't nearly as long as I thought it would be and, again, Lil J ran off ahead of us with Miss S not too far behind.  They loved the sudden movements the bridge made and were both completely fearless, once again:

Once we reached the other side of the bridge, there was another attraction waiting for us:  Treetops Adventure, which is basically a series of elevated suspension bridges bringing you from one tree to another, and also where the kids left their mark:

And Lil J got a little daring by walking along an elevated log {almost up to the water!} despite Mommy's protests:

It's also worth noting that the park isn't stroller friendly and babies should be strapped to front-facing or back carriers.  There is also a complimentary shuttle to the park from a number of downtown Vancouver locations.

Suspension bridges are so tiring!

The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is a must for locals and tourists alike.  In fact, local BC residents can enjoy unlimited admission for a full year for the price of one admission ticket.  Definitely an offer worth taking up in our opinion!

{Win It!}

The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is generously offering four admission passes {approx. $155 value} to one of our lucky readers!  To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway ends on Thursday, August 29, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The views expressed in this review are my own and do not represent the opinions or views of the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  We received complimentary admisstion to the Park in order to conduct this review.  Note that SwankMama does not accept responsibility for sponsors that do not fulfill their giveaway duties.  Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond, otherwise, a new winner will be chosen at random.