Family Guide
The best family days are short and calm
A family paddle doesn't need to be an expedition. An hour on a calm lake, a swim, a snack on a beach and a happy ride home is a perfect day. Here's how to set it up.
Pick the right lake
For kids and dogs, choose small, sheltered, motor-free lakes with easy beaches:
- Cat Lake: small and calm. The easiest canoe day in Squamish, and perfect for first-timers, kids and dogs.
- Browning Lake (Murrin Park): compact and pretty, with the climbers on the walls to watch.
- Alice Lake: sheltered, with beaches and a campground. Great for a weekend.
- Alta Lake and Lost Lake, Whistler: easy launches near parks and the Village.
Save the river trips, the estuary on a big tide and open Howe Sound for when the kids are older and confident.
Life jackets for everyone
Every person on the water needs a properly fitted PFD, done up. For kids, the PFD should be sized by weight and fit snugly: lift it at the shoulders and it shouldn't ride up over their chin. Let us know your kids' ages and weights when you book so we can bring the right sizes. For dogs, a dog life jacket with a grab handle on the back is a smart idea.
Where kids sit
In a canoe, small children sit (or kneel) in the middle, low and centred, between two adult paddlers. Our canoes take up to 3 people. Give them a small paddle or a job, like spotting fish or birds, so they feel part of the crew. On a paddleboard, small kids can sit at the front while an adult paddles on a calm day.
Paddling with a dog
- Practise on land. Let your dog sniff and sit in the canoe on shore before you launch.
- Keep them low and central. In the middle of the canoe, on a mat so their claws don't slide.
- Get in first, then call the dog, so the canoe is stable when they step in.
- Expect the jump. Dogs see a duck and go. Stay close to shore until you know how your dog behaves.
- Bring water for them and keep an eye on paws on hot rocks.
- Leashes: keep dogs on leash at the launch and in parks where leashes are required.
What to pack
- Snacks. More snacks than you think.
- Water for everyone, including the dog.
- Sunscreen, sun hats and sunglasses.
- A dry bag with a full change of clothes for each kid.
- A towel and a warm layer, even in summer. Lake water is cold.
- A small first aid kit.
Keep it short
Plan for an hour on the water and a long break on a beach. Paddle toward a destination (an island, a beach, a rope swing to watch) so there's something to look forward to, and turn around before anyone gets tired, cold or hungry. Paddle into the wind on the way out, so it pushes you home.
Safety basics
- Everyone in a PFD, the whole time.
- Stay close to shore.
- Go in the morning, when Sea to Sky lakes are usually calmest.
- Keep kids seated in the canoe. Standing up is how canoes tip.
- Never leave kids unattended near the water.
Skip the roof rack
Strapping a canoe to the car with kids and a dog in the back is nobody's idea of fun. We deliver canoes and paddleboards to your launch around Squamish and Whistler, with paddles and PFDs included, and pick them up when you're done. Call or text (604) 849-8898 to plan your family day.
Questions
What age can kids go canoeing?
Kids of almost any age can ride in a canoe as passengers if they have a properly fitted life jacket and sit low in the middle. Older kids can start paddling themselves on short, calm outings.
Where is the best place to canoe with kids near Squamish?
Small, calm, motor-free lakes are best. Cat Lake is our top pick for first-timers, kids and dogs. Browning Lake at Murrin Park and Alice Lake are also great.
Do dogs need life jackets in a canoe?
It's a good idea. Even strong swimmers can tire in cold water, and a dog life jacket with a handle makes it much easier to lift them back in.