13 Fun Things to do in Golden, BC with Kids!
Golden, British Columbia is the perfect adventure destination for families. There are so many fun things to do in Golden, BC with kids. From National Parks, to hiking trails, to adventure parks, and the best place to swim. You’ll get to skip the crowds and enjoy a wonderful mountain town with your kids.
Disclosure : Some of my blog posts do contain affiliate links which means I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you decide to make a purchase. Thanks for supporting me and helping me to continue to make free content on this platform!
Map of Things to do in Golden, BC
1. Visit Canada’s Glacier National Park
Canada’s Glacier National Park (not to be confused with Glacier National Park in the USA or Waterton National Park) absolutely blew us away. You’ll be greeted with epic mountain views even if you just drive through, but you should definitely still get out of your car! Here you can also find several family friendly hiking trails and a fun visitor center. This was one of our favorite Canadian National Parks we’ve visited.
Here is our guide to the best hikes in Glacier National Park, BC and how to spend one day!
2. Get a Thrill at the Golden Skybridge
The Golden Skybridge is a must when looking at things to do in Golden, BC with kids. This adventure park has the tallest suspension bridge in Canada (426 feet high!), a zipline, a mountain coaster, and more. We visited with our baby and toddler, and had a ton of fun. If your kids are too small to do some of the more adventurous activities, they can play on the awesome playground, walk across the suspension bridge, and do their own little zipline in the playground.
TIP: kids of any age can cross the Golden Skybridge, but if kids aren’t strapped to you they must walk themselves and can’t be carried for safety reasons. I would recommend bringing a little front pack if you have little kids. It was slightly sketchy having our baby walk across the bridge on his own.
3. Walk Across the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge
The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge was a big hit with our family. This beautiful bridge serves as a symbol of strength, longevity and values of community spirit and international cooperation. It’s actually the longest freestanding timberframe bridge in Canada. The bridge was built in 2001 with locally sourced timber by over 100 people from all over Canada, the US, and Europe.
It’s a really beautiful bridge to walk or cycle over, not to mention photograph! This bridge also intersects with other trails through downtown and along the river. It’s right near several restaurants and shops downtown so it’s an easy activity to add on to your day in downtown Golden.
4. Hike or Bike at Revelstoke National Park
Revelstoke National Park is a super cool and beautiful park located in a super cool town. It’s only 1.5 hours from Golden and definitely one of the best day trips from Golden, BC. Whether you want to hike, bike, see the incredible variety of wildflowers or just take a beautiful drive up to the summit – you’ll love your trip to Revelstoke.
Pro tip: Bring bug spray and clothing to cover up. We got bit by a ton of mosquitos here because we weren’t prepared.
See our full guide here on Mount Revelstoke National Park with Kids!
5. Cool off at the Local Pool
Sometimes a nice refreshing dip in the pool is just what you need after a morning of hiking. This pool is great for small kids or older kids. They have a bunch of toys, a small waterslide, and a shallow pool for the tiny ones. Also, it’s very affordable. Just make sure to check their schedule here ahead of time since it’s not always open for free swim. Plus, how often do you have beautiful mountain views like this while in the pool?!
6. Treat Yourself with Ice Cream
There are a couple different places to grab ice cream to cool off in Golden. One spot is Big Cones Ice Cream located in the parking lot of a gas station. It has a big selection of both classic and unique flavors from Foothills Creamery, a nearby Calgary shop. I tried the root beer float ice cream flavor which I’ve never seen on a menu before! All the other flavors we tried were excellent as well. And they had great customer service.
You can also find ice cream at Kicking Horse Movies + Ice Cream. We didn’t make it there on this trip, but if you’re in the area, you might as well try a scoop – and let me know in the comments how it is!
7. See the Beauty of Yoho National Park
Yoho National Park is filled with incredible scenery. The nearby Emerald Lake is incredible and a lot less packed than Lake Louise. If you want to take a bucket list overnight trip, stay at the Emerald Lake Lodge and have one of the most beautiful backdrops to your stay. Another stop just off the road that is well worth your time is Natural Bridge. It’s a perfect quick stop with kids where you can see a unique landmark with a raging river. Make sure to also get your National Parks Passport stamped at the visitor center in Field, BC.
Here is our guide to spending One Beautiful Morning in Yoho National Park with Kids!
8. Road Trip to Banff
If you haven’t heard of Banff, you might be living under a rock! Just kidding, but really Banff is known for being one of the most beautiful places on Earth. And it lives up to the hype. If you enjoy hiking and epic views (who doesn’t?!) you will love Banff. I would highly suggest doing your exploring early in the morning or in the evening. Mid day Banff hikes and downtown can be a bit of a zoo. There are much less people early in the morning and it’s definitely worth a trip to see. Canmore is also worth seeing, it’s a little less busy and has some beautiful hikes as well.
If you’re not interested in hiking, downtown Banff is really fun to walk around – just be warned that it’s very busy mid day!
We also have spent quite a bit of time in Canmore and love it! Here are our 15 Favorite Things to do in Canmore with Kids.
9. Have a Beer at Whitetooth Brewing Company
One of our favorite vacation activities is finding a family friendly brewery! Whitetooth Brewing Company makes beer locally in Golden, BC and they have a delicious selection. The outdoor space is very family friendly with room to roam for kids and some cornhole games. They don’t serve food, but they do have delivery available from Reposados downtown!
Pro Tip: Just double check their hours before you go, they have certain hours that are family friendly and certain hours that are 19+
10. Walk Along the Golden Rotary Trail
The Rotary Trail is a 6.2 mile trail that goes along the Kicking Horse River and loops around through the woods. The trail is a bit confusing, so make sure to get All Trails if you don’t have it already. If you’re not up for doing the entire 6 miles, just walk as far as you want and turn around!
11. Meet Boo, the Bear
If you want to see a Grizzly Bear, you can head over to Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge. There, you’ll find a 20-acre enclosure with a grizzly bear named Boo. Unfortunately, when Boo was just five months old, his mother was killed by a poacher. To avoid him getting euthanized, he grew up at the wildlife refuge. Since he’s now habituated to humans, he can’t be released into the wild.
You will need a ticket to visit, and you can also schedule a tour which follows where Boo goes! They also have a guarantee that if you don’t see Boo on your first visit, you can return for another free tour! The Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge is a great way to see wildlife if you didn’t get the chance to see any bears while out hiking.
12. Soak in the Hot Springs
If you’re looking to soak in a hot spring, you’re in luck! There are several commercialized hot springs near Golden, BC that you can visit for the day with your kids.
- Fairmont Hot Springs: 1 hour 30 minutes from Golden, BC
- Radium Hot Springs: 1 hour 8 minutes from Golden, BC
- Banff Upper Hot Springs: 1 hour 40 minutes from Golden, BC
- Crazy Creek Hot Pools: 2 hours from Golden, BC
- Albert Canyon Hot Springs: 1 hour 19 minutes from Golden
13. Drive to Kootenay National Park
Kootenay National Park is only 1 hour away from Golden and is the perfect day trip for hiking. This is one of our favorite Canadian National Parks that we have visited. It’s a much less visited park than nearby Banff, but has some incredible and unique scenery.
Check out our post on the best One Day Kootenay National Park Itinerary!
There are so many incredible things to do in Golden, British Columbia with kids! We had the best time using Golden as a base for all of our National Parks adventures, and hope you enjoy doing the same. What else do you like doing in Golden with kids? Leave a comment below!
Still not convinced you have to visit after all these things to do in Golden? Check out our post on 10 Reasons to Visit Golden, BC! AND if you’re looking to plan an epic 7 Day Canadian Rockies Itinerary with your kids – we’ve got you covered with incredible hikes and all the best stops!
