It’s a common refrain among parents, that trips with kids are not a vacation. Our very first family vacation got off to a rocky start when my 2-year-old daughter became overwhelmed in her new environment, refusing every bribe. And my 6 month old son at the time was feeling overwhelmed by our own energy that we ended up turning around after one night away. Since that experience I’ve been terrified of any family vacation with our two littles.

When I finally built up the courage (took over a year) to educate myself on our next adventure I found options closer to home. It felt safer attempting something that did not involve a plane, a boat or a train. We found a beautiful luxury cabin getaway at The Sandpiper Golf Resort that was engulfed in the wonders and beauty British Columbia is known for secluded on a 160-acre waterfront estate.

What saved our sanity, was the nature. On the first day, my family and I felt at complete peace framed by the rugged backdrop of the Cheam Mountains, Sandpiper Golf Course is heralded as one of BC’s most scenic courses with forest golfing and abundant wildlife in two distinctly different environments — the open fairways alongside the serene waters of the Harrison River and the towering ancient Douglas Firs.

This time of year the luscious green trees are kissed with Autumn colours and singing of birds. It was not overwhelming and didn’t over stimulate our toddlers. Instead the calm atmosphere allowed our children to be at ease.

I am going to share with you the many reasons why this trip worked.

For one the cabins themselves were minimal, very clean and modern. They were not overwhelming. This is a huge factor when travelling with kids. Avoiding accommodations that are cluttered. It’s like giving candy to a baby (literally). It’s one of the worst feelings chasing your toddler around a room grabbing every little decor piece in an air b&b, hotel or bed & breakfast. The Sandpiper Resort knows the meaning of Feng Shui. We stayed in a two bedroom luxury cabin that offered two queen size beds.

The Sandpiper Resort also offers cribs when booking your stay but my husband and I opt out for the crib and each co-slept with our children. Since these cabins are brand new everything from the kitchen, restrooms and heating/cooling systems were convenient and the best quality. The gas fire place added the cozy touch we needed for this fall cabin experience. The living room and bedrooms also came equipped with additional weighted blankets that help with stress and anxiety.

It’s these little details during a vacation that go a long way.

The cabins are also sound proof.

That’s winning the lottery when travelling with kids.

The staff were incredible and helped us with all our questions and needs. The Clubhouse restaurant on the resort was mouth watering. Every meal exceeded all my expectations and the menu offered delicious and clean choices. We achieved family breakfast and dinner: with no fewer than one juice spill, and the staff were very understanding when we needed to quietly pull out The Wiggles playlist on our phone. Since we went during the week instead of a weekend the restaurant was not overpacked which definitely made it easier to manage.

Making the most of family vacations can prove to be a battle of compromises: sacrifice sanity for kid-friendly retreats or gamble on a more sophisticated and adult-geared holiday that might bore the kids. It’s hard to find places that exist like that but after this experience I learned you can. I recommend doing your research always before booking a vacation. And if it’s your first time try something closer to home like I did and test drive what works for you and your family.

The Sandpiper Resort offered the privacy we wanted. It offered incredible staff that were very patient and kind. It offered nature and experiences like Eagle watching right on the resort which was incredible. We saw at least 10 Bald Eagles! The restaurant food was a 10/10 and again amazing service.

The Sandpiper offers luxury at an attractive price point knowing that young families need places like this. Not to mention it’s conveniently located near the beautiful Harrison Hot Springs which allows you to soak your feet in natural hot spring water.

It was easy to check in and hard to check out because we didn’t want to leave!

Explore The Sandpiper Resort

Photography by Mother Muse shot with 35mm film