Edmonton Corn Maze

Our route through the maze (on last years satellite image).

View Corn Maze 9/16/2012 2:49pm in a larger map

On Saturday we took the kids with Nana and Papa to the Edmonton Corn Maze, on the very west end of Edmonton.  It was busy, totally packed to the point you had to drive around and wait for someone to leave just to get parking.  The maze is big enough to make it challenging, but not too tough that we got majorly lost.  Including a large break in the middle for snacks it took us an hour and 38 minutes to make our way through the maze with a total walking distance of 3.07 KM.  The corn is very tall, maybe 8 feet at most places and the kids loved running through the maze.  There are other attractions at the maze too, a hay bale mountain, a petting zoo, a small race track, and a corn cob train, but the most popular seemed to be a giant jumping pillow.  Admission was a little pricy at $10 an adult and $8 for kids older than 5.

Where Getting Lost Means Finding Fun

Start of the Maze

View of the Maze From the Bridge in the Middle of the Maze

Resources

• official web site
• facebook page
• Prairie Gardens has a maze too

Family Hike: Wedgewood Ravine Beavers Are... Gone?!?!

We went on a family hike to see the beavers at the bottom of Wedgewood Ravine today.  Wedgewood Ravine is sandwiched between the Hawkstone area and Cameron Heights.  An old closed road runs through it down to a beaver dam and lodge, and there is a hiking trail running along the creek towards the river too, though that is less ideal for kids.  Usually we hike back up the North side and stop at the playground on the way back to where we park.  This is always a good hike because the kids are guaranteed to see a beaver dam and lodge, and one time we even saw a beaver swimming around, and eventually heard his warning slap...  However, it looks like the city (I am guessing?) has destroyed the dam and drained the beaver pond. Hopefully they come back again next year?

View of the Ravine on the Hike Down

The Destroyed Dam

The Empty Pond and Lodge

Bridge On the Cameron Heights Side

Jurassic Forest

Lisa and the kids went to Jurassic Forest near Gibbons (about 45 minutes north of Edmonton) the other day.    We've gone here a couple of times before and it is always a good time, though for me about one visit a year is enough.

The park features very nice wooden walk ways through a forested area with 23 different kinds of animatronic dinosaurs.  They are realistic enough that our kids thought they were real when they were very young.  The park doesn't feel cheap at all, they have done a very nice job building a quality attraction where everything is new and fresh.  There is also a large sand playground (with buried dinosaur bones like Wolf Willow Playground) the children love to play in and places to buy souvenirs and food.  Daily admission for a family is under $40, making it somewhat pricy but I think definitely worth it.

Resources

• official web site
• Facebook
• Jurassic Forest dinosaur information blog
• blog of someone who worked on building Jurassic Forest
• another blog review of Jurassic Forest with a ton of pictures

The Kids Take this Warning Very Seriously

Animatronic Triceratops

Fighting Dinosaurs

The Big Guy

Playground Fun

Nice Walk Ways

Kites Over Callingwood Edmonton Kite Festival!

While stopping by the Callingwood branch of the library today we noticed at least 50 kites in the air over a nearby field.  It could only be...  Kites over Callingwood!  We walked around and checked out the kites, very impressive, lots of booths and activities for kids and of course a ton of kites flying!  And the free admission was nice too, of course.  This was the 20th year anniversary of the event.  It was a little chilly, but the wind probably helped the kites.

Kites Over Callingwood

Spray Park is Empty Due to Cold Weather

Panorama Shot Showing the Kites

Resources

• Kite Festival list
• Callingwood Lymburn community league page (organizers)

You Pick Fun at Happy Acres U Pick

Big Sign at the Entrance

This weekend we wanted to find a U Pick  in or near Edmonton to pick some fresh vegetables.  With a little research, these were the first websites we found:

• Google's #1, Edmonton Countryside/Happy Acres (actual site)
• big list of U-picks
• Dunvegan Gardens
• Riverbend Gardens

We went with the first one as it seemed to specialize in u pick whereas the other two seemed to be more farms that had some U Pick features.  Happy Acres is just south of Spruce Grove about 20 minutes west of Edmonton, so a pretty quick drive for us.

The route and where to park is well marked once you get close.  When you arrive at Happy Acres,  there is a sign telling you to check into the office.  When you go in they give you a map of the farm and a price list showing which fruits and vegetables are ready to be picked and at what price.

Map of the Farm

Inside there are buckets for berries and outside there are wagons you can take around to load up as well.  Most other people there seemed to have brought their own bags too, but we just took one bucket with us.  The raspberries were pretty much all gone so we went for a small summer squash, a large zucchini, and some small carrots.  The total price was $9, probably more expensive than the grocery store, but a lot more fun for the kids to "pick" up.  Happy Acres also featured a lot of other attractions for kids, a playground, and ice cream shop, and lots of animals in cages and wandering around.  Everyone had a great time.

Wagons

Goat on a Chair

Fruits and Vegetables Were Well Marked

There Were Lots of Benches and Chairs for the Kids to Rest In

The Kids Were Very Impressed To See How Cauliflower and Brocolli Is Grown

Ice Cream Was $2.50 for  Kids Cone ($3.50 for an Adult cone)

Family Hike at Mactaggart Sanctuary

View Family Hike 11903-13063 23 Ave NW in a larger map

We went for a hike at Mactaggart Sanctuary today, a natural area on the south side of Edmonton (just off 23rd).  I had run here before and had seen a lot of cool beaver dams and interesting vistas.  However, once we got going the mosquitos were crazy in the forest (there are a ton of twisting trails through the ravine) and we had to go up and walk along the forest edge where the bugs were not as bad.  In the end the kids tired out fairly quickly and took turns riding on my shoulders but it was still a fun time.  Some more details:

• we parked here
• there are asphalt paths almost entirely surrounding MacTaggart Sanctuary, here are some details about the Twin Brooks side on the east

The history of the Sanctuary

Is this one of the Twin Brooks?

Thick Forest Everywhere!

This is the Farthest South We Got

After we Ran Away From the Mosquitos, We walked Along This Path

Heritage Days 2012

We went to Heritage Days on holiday Monday, and as always it was lots of fun.  In my opinion, this is the best festival Edmonton has to offer, the entire park is filled with pavilions and food tents, with dance and music demonstrations everywhere.

We parked at Laurier Park in the zoo parking lot and walked over the footbridge to Hawrelak Park.  The good thing about parking here is there is always lots of parking spots available.  The bad thing is it is about a mile from parking lot to the bridge.  On such a hot day, followed by walking around the festival for the rest of the day, it was a little long for the kids.  If it was any cooler I think it would have been perfect, though.   There was also public transit park and ride from lots of locations in Edmonton that delivered you right into the middle of the festival and bike parking for those who biked in.

The price of food seems to be going up at Heritage Days, Taiwan was charging 7 tickets (between $6 and $7) for bubble tea, which seemed excessive.  We bought $38 worth of tickets for our family of 5 and it seemed sufficient, for several drinks and meals and snacks and a Chocolate Covered Banana from Peru for the kids.

Dancing

Viking Ship

Footbridge to Hawrelak Park

Bike Parking

Ready to Go

Some of the Tents