Get Ready, Get Set, Go Orienteering

Looking for a bit of adventure this summer? Vancouver is like one big backyard, so start exploring. Orienteering is a sport for all ages and fitness levels that involves reading a detailed map and using a compass to find checkpoints. Think Amazing Race, family style, but instead of navigating the world, you’re navigating a forest.

Meet The Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club, who host weekly events around the city on Wednesday nights, perfect for little legs and learning how to use a compass.

At $20 per family for the calendar year, we love that this is an affordable family sport that gets us out in the fresh air and into beautiful parks around Vancouver. Wednesday night courses are usually 5 km, but you can do as much of the course as your smallest person allows. With course closures at 8 pm, sleep may come easily that night (just saying).

Arrive early for your first session to get a brief introduction, wear old clothing and footwear that you don’t mind getting dirty or dusty, and bring water and a few snacks to keep your team hydrated and happy. Using a compass to navigate through checkpoints can be both frustrating and exhilarating, but a fantastic learning opportunity for children, so let them take the lead on decision making.

Once you’ve mastered the Wednesday night events, your crew can try one of the more challenging, larger courses— there’s one happening September 20 on Mount Seymour, and one October 18 in Stanley Park.

There’s no elimination in these races, only good times and a sense of achievement. The world is waiting for you, travel safe, and go!

Looking for more ways to get out and have fun with your squad? We’ve got 11 Places to Take Kids to Play in Vancouver.