Plants abound in Prince George

By: Katie Teed

Are there gardens in Prince George? YES! Given its northern orientation, I wasn’t sure what to expect with cold winters and a shorter growing season, but wow, plant and nature lovers need to add this destination to their travel plans. The city, surrounded by lush forests and sprinkled with garden-filled parks, is peppered with vibrant hanging baskets and a rainbow of floral planters.

A top highlight of our trip was the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society’s display garden at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). This delightful gem, with a substantial expansion underway, is lovingly tended by passionate volunteers. The current garden features perennial beds with wandering pathways, water features, and bridges. My children were captivated by spotting insects, birds, and adorable baby ducks hiding in the long grasses at the pond’s edge. The expansion project, which we enjoyed observing, is situated across the UNBC campus and will operate under its own yet-to-be-announced name and house a documented botanical collection. The new botanical garden will contain an entrance kiosk, washrooms, and other visitor amenities and will charge admission, while the original garden will remain free. I have no doubt the new garden will develop into a local sightseeing hotspot once it opens next year. Add this to the growing list of reasons I already dream of a return trip to Prince George.

I travelled from the Vancouver area to Prince George with my two young children to explore this jam-packed two-day travel itinerary on the Gardens BC website. I expected our group to move slowly and need breaks, so we planned for an extra day so we wouldn’t have to rush any of the experiences. I highly recommend taking it slow and stretching out this itinerary; there is so much to experience.

Our travel arrangements, including flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR), accommodation, and rental car, were surprisingly affordable. You can stretch your vacation dollars a long way up north, which was a welcome financial reprieve. The city has grown in recent years and has cute boutiques, unique restaurants, micro-breweries, and a winery with a beautiful garden-adorned outdoor space. If you are less adventurous and looking for comforts from home, you can also find familiar chains and well-stocked grocery stores.

To say we were happy with our accommodations at The Pomeroy Inn and Suites is an understatement. The value was incredible, and it was a perfect family-friendly home base. We stayed in a king suite with a full kitchen and separate bedroom, which was terrific for staying up after the kids went to bed. There are also larger family suites available. The included breakfast offered a wide range of options that satisfied all of us, including the more selective younger palates. For my kids, a top highlight of the trip was the incredible pool area with two waterslides, a spray park, and a hot tub, they were in heaven!

The weather was hot and sunny, with average temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius during our mid-July trip. The heat, combined with a wet spring, produced lush gardens. I prepared for mosquitos, but we didn’t even need insect repellent except on our excursion to The Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Provincial Park, an hour outside the city, and while exploring Forests for the World right at dusk.

No vacation with children is complete without at least one stop for ice cream, at least not for our family. On a 34-degree day, nothing quite hits the spot like a waffle cone of locally crafted ice cream. The kids enjoyed Vanilla Bean once they were assured there were no “beans” in it, and I highly recommend the Key Lime Pie if it’s one of the seasonal flavours available from The Frozen Paddle.

Tip: Weather can change quickly; bring rain gear and dress in layers. One day, we had an intense but short-lived thunderstorm, but we were back out exploring under sunny skies just a few hours later.

While planning our trip, I was amazed at the quantity of fun festivals and events on the Prince George Community Events Calendar. We attended Thursdays in the Park, the Kids Carnival at Huble Homestead, the Prince George Farmers Market, and Downtown Summerfest during our short stay. 

My biggest regret is that we couldn’t fit mountain biking into our trip. I’ve heard rave reviews about the trails and family-friendly cycling culture in PG, and biking is at the top of my list for our next trip north. 

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