Abbotsford, B.C. is the largest city in British Colombia and is only a short hour and twenty minute drive from Vancouver. Abbotsford is an ideal location for families, with 37,000 families living in the community. Unlike Metro Vancouver, Abbotsford BC offers the atmosphere of a small-town, tightly knit community feel while still providing privacy and access to basic amenities. While many closer to the city assume it’s all country and cows, there are plenty of fun things to do in Abbotsford, B.C., especially for the kids.

Things to do in Abbotsford

Abbotsford’s natural beauty

When it comes to kids activities, there are many things to do in Abbotsford, B.C. Really, it would be silly to visit Abbotsford on a nice day and not make use of all the parks that the city has to offer.

Visit Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford

If your kids love parks, then Mill Lake Park is definitely a stop you need to make. This park has a floating boardwalk, and a beautiful walking trail around the lake. It’s the perfect place for family picnics. With volleyball courts, baseball fields, an outdoor pool, and a spray park – it offers the right balance of physical activities for the kids as well.

McDonald Park

Located in a valley, McDonald Park is a dark-sky reserve. It’s the best outdoor place for kids who are interested in astronomy. The best time to visit this park is when it’s being used by the Fraser Valley Astronomer’s Society for sky observations at night. The kids can observe the Milky Way, the planets, and the stars up close.

Virtual things to do

In terms of gaming opportunities, there are a lot of things to do in Abbotsford. Even adults today love a good gaming opportunity (ahem, my husband and all his buddies), and Abbotsford has some super fun options.. 

Checkout Abbotsford’s VRKADE

Are your kids into virtual reality and the virtual future of gaming? If so, then VRKADE can be the best place for them. It offers a full experience in the gaming world, and once you visit it, you’ll want to come back again. There are games available in different categories, and you can play multiplayer games as well. So, strap on your VR glasses and let the fun begin.

Castle Fun Park

Castle Fun Park is one of my favourite places to take the kids. It has mini-golf, go-karts, a laser maze, batting cages, and a whole wide range of arcade games. It has the perfect blend of activities for your family to bond over. I remember visiting it as a little girl, and even going on a date with my husband here while we were still dating.

Boardwalk Cafe and Games

What’s better than for a family to bond over some healthy competition? Personally, I’m a huge boardgames fan. The Boardwalk Café located in Downtown Abbotsford has over 400 different board games and is sure to have a board game for everyone.

Places to snack in Abbotsford

Duft & Co. and Oldhand Coffee are two of the best locally owned coffee shops in Abbotsford for a warm drink and a snack or light meal. If you have any dietary restrictions like I do, though, you need to visit the Polly Fox bakery. It’s a dedicated gluten free cafe with lots of Vegan options as well. Their apple fritters are to die for, as well as their focaccia bread. They also serve coffee and every once in a while they have churros! As someone with a huge sweet tooth, I personally won’t go through Abbotsford without making a stop here!

Abbotsford is also a gorgeous place for a family photo session (and as an added bonus, if we plan one here I get to stop at the Polly Fox!) Check out one of my favourite sessions! Get in touch to chat about your Abbotsford photography session!

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