Whether it’s learning about plant life at the Montreal Botanical Gardens, interacting with lights and wild life at Omega Parc in Montebello, uncovering the mysteries of dinosaurs at Woodoolie Parc in Beauce or sighting whales along the fjords of the Saguenay river, Gen’s Delights got you covered with fun family destinations axed on education and nature.
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Staying in the city? Come experience Plant Odyssey at the Montreal Botanical Gardens– running until October 31st 2019.
Have you ever wondered how plants emerged from the oceans to come and settle and multiply on dry land? Curious about how various species adapted to different continents and climates?
Come walk the educative fun trail right in the middle of the Montreal Botanical Garden, where you’ll discover how the plant world emerged, visualize the aquatic environment where life started, take pictures and observe thousands of wild flowers and plants, climb wooden structures and bridges and caress different textures as you leisurely complete the winding path at your own pace.
Plant Odyssey’s educative trail also features numerous activity stations with guides, scattered along the path for everyone to learn and enjoy with inspiring themes such as:
Plants Long Before Dinosaurs – Learn how the first plants arrived on our planet and how they changed the world!
Flowers in All Their Glory: Learn all the mysteries of flowering plants, have fun fertilizing a specimen or making a mandala of petals.
Activities with live guides are offered from June 22nd to September 2nd 2019, daily from 11 am until 6 pm
For more information on the complete schedule of activities for Plant Odyssey and the Montreal Botanical Garden, please visit:
http://calendrier.espacepourlavie.ca/the-plant-odyssey
Omega by Night
Only a short hour and a half drive away from Montreal in Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, Quebec (just 5 minutes north of Montebello), Parc Omega is a vast 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) wild life nature park that is open year round to the public.
The park offers an original drive-through experience through amazing natural terrain that puts people in direct contact with the thousands of wild animals (deer, wolves, black bears, buffalos, moose and other fabulous creatures), that inhabit our Canadian landscape.
Opening this Thursday 1st of August is the park’s latest venture: a luminous 1.5 km illuminated night trail that offers guests different interactive experiences in nature. From physical challenges (such as climbing a suspended bridge), admiring artistic sculptures or triggering with your footsteps an immersive light and sound show in the heart of nature , expect to be surprised at every corner. At the end of your journey, there is even an up-close encounter with a pack of wolves under a silvery moon!
Night Visitors should plan at least 2-3 hours to complete the lighted trail and visit the adjoining rustic farm, log cabin and trading post which remain open until late. Be sure to also catch the nightly operatic legends and puppetry show performed Thursday through Sunday by Alexandre Sylvestre and Miriam Leblanc (photo taken below )
The park also offers various on-site sleeping accommodations during the summer and fall months that include tents, log cabins and cabins on stilts situated right next to the wolves and bear den.
These on-site accommodations tend to book up quickly, so it is best to reserve in advance.
The night trail is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from August 1st to October 13th .
For more information on opening hours, the night trail and overnight onsite accommodation, please visit: Parc Omega http://www.parcomega.ca/en/
Fairmont Château Montebello
For families that are in search of full service overnight accommodation near Omega park, consider booking a stay at the nearby Château Montebello.
Historically founded as a private club in 1930 along the Outaouais river, this 5 star luxury log cabin run by the Fairmont chain has recently undergone over 17 million dollars in renovations to redecorate their historical rooms , hallways and lobby according to contemporary design that also pays homage to local aesthetics.
The resort currently offers over a hundred suites for both business and leisure travelers and their families.
Expect a warm welcome by the resort’s staff including an adorable resident dog that you may find lounging in the circular lobby that encourages interaction among guests.
All guests have free access to several onsite activities including paddle boats, tennis court, mini golf and the impressive fitness club and 75 -ft indoor pool among others…
For those who wish to dine on-site, the resort’s main Chantignoles restaurant welcomes guests, morning, noon and evening with a succulent menu offering and full breakfast buffet with locally sourced ingredients.
For meat lovers, during the summer, an outdoor Texan style BBQ buffet has been set up for those wishing to enjoy the soothing summer atmosphere on the terrace.
The resort is open year round with various seasonal activities.
For more info please visit the Château Montebello website at:
https://www.fairmont.com/montebello/?cmpid=msn_lcm_search-branded-na_branded-e-revsh
Explore the fascinating world of Dinosaurs at Woodoolie Parc!
Located in the town of Scott, QC, only a short 40 minutes’ drive from Old Quebec city, you and your family will be plunged right into the heart of Jurassic times at this family friendly themed amusement park, where dinosaurs and other large creatures roam.
Come meet your guide as they hand you your mission sheet to complete Flights 315 and come face to face with over 120 life sized dinosaurs in their natural habitat, including 15
mechanical giants that move, roar and stand quite realistically among the amusement park’s fern covered grounds.
Young and old will appreciate the fossil museum, archeological dig site as well as the intervention of the on-site specialists who will quiz you on dinosaur skin color and egg size.
With on-site play areas, recreational rooms, snack bars and thematic music and décor, the park is visually attractive to kids and adults of all ages and is a great place to stir the imagination of future paleontologists!
Flight 315, the Age of the Dinosaurs, 295 rue Drouin, Scott, Beauce, QC.
Park open from June 29th to October 14th 2019.
Open on Saturdays and Sundays only and every day during the construction holidays.
For more information on park hours please visit their website:
https://www.woodooliparc.com/attractions/vol-315/
La Cache a Maxime – hotel, spa and winery
Adjacent to Woodoolie parc is la cache à Maxime hotel, a splendid family friendly site that offers high-end hotel accommodation with 47 suites as well as individual chalet experiences for groups of up to 6 people.
All suite rooms offer elegance and unparalleled comfort and their chalets (featured below) are fully equipped (AC, kitchen, toiletries) to welcome you for long or short stays in Beauce.
Make your stay unforgettable by enjoying all the onsite services such as booking a visit to the relaxing Noah Spa with its exclusive energizing water circuit , trying a meal at their delicious restaurant Le Greg, visiting the onsite vineyard, woodlands, trails and lake and tasting a full range of local agri-food discoveries.
Bottles of red, white and rose wine produced at their vineyard are available for purchase in each room .
Discover the hotel’s enchanting décor; a true oasis of calm that fuses an urban lifestyle with an exceptional natural environment just minutes from the city.
** Special packages are available for Woodooli park entrance.
For more info on available booking dates and prices please consult their website at: https://lacacheamaxime.com/
Whale observation at the Parks Canada interpretation centers.
At the interpretation and observation centers in Pointe-Noire and Cap-de-Bon-Désir ( pictured below) , you and your family can come and discover the secrets and charms of the friendly giants that inhabit our Canadian waters.
From Belugas, Mink, Orcas and even the mystic Blue Whales, these beautiful ocean dwelling creatures were almost driven to the brink of extinction 50 years ago by exploitative overhunting. As we learned to love their distinctive ‘singing’ and grew curious about their lives underwater, new conservations programs have arisen to help the population flourish once again.
With park entry, you can take short hikes to have access to scenic viewpoints or even sit on large rocks for optimal observation with onsite guides.
Families with children can ask for educative activity booklets to encourage them to discover the place while having fun. There are challenges to be completed to receive rewards. There is the Parka Club for toddlers and challenge based activities for The Xplorators (6 to 12 years old). Each Parks Canada venue has its own version of their Xplorators medal, allowing children to collect medals at multiple locations.
Each interpretation center is staffed by local marine specialists who will be glad to offer you advice on best whale viewing locations, and give you general info on marine life behavior and habits.
Stop by the interpretation centers to get an inside view into the whales wondrous watery realm and learn how you can play a role in conserving wildlife for generations to come.
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Canada Parks are open from 9am until 6 pm
Pointe-Noire: QC-138, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, QC G0T 1G0
Chemin du Cap de Bon Désir, Grandes-Bergeronnes, QC G0T 1G0
For more general info , please visit:
** Thanks to Monica Wong and Michel Roy for co-reviewing these beautiful nature destinations .