What to do in Laval during the vacations

Isabelle Marjorie Tremblay
Author, host and columnist

An active public figure in the media for almost 20 years, Isabelle Marjorie Tremblay is a television host and columnist on just about every network. An indefatigable explorer of far-flung lands, but also passionate about Quebec as a place to get away from it all, she is invited to talk about her discoveries in all the major media, both print and TV. She also works as a journalist, scriptwriter, researcher, guidebook editor, content producer and event host. She is the mother of 2 little ones who follow her almost everywhere: Sofia and Lukas.

Easy climbing fun

Although we went to Clip 'n climb four times now, the kids want to go again... and so do I! It's an indoor climbing area with 34 walls, making the sport accessible and 100% safe. What do I like? The simplicity of the automatic insurance system. Once you're at the top of a wall, you let yourself fall from behind as the rope locks in place for a smooth descent. No one has to wait at the bottom of the wall, which suits my impatient 6- and 10-year-olds perfectly. I loved the moment when Sofia and I were climbing simultaneously, face to face, on both sides of the same wall, only to find ourselves at the top, one opposite the other, proud and smiling! Meanwhile, little Lukas climbed a curved wall inside an illuminated cylinder, cheered on by the animators on hand. Fun for all.

An indoor fun center that kids always want to come back to!

Arm yourself with a wide range of arguments to successfully get your kids out of Funtropolis, after a few hours of crazy fun! I first went to this indoor amusement center with the two kids on an educational day. Since there's WiFi, I was going to be able to work! This option turned out to be a great idea... with my headphones in my ears, just to dissociate myself from the joyful hubbub around me. During the afternoon, Lukas played a lot in the ball gun room and Sofia was very busy in the slide modules! The kids also really enjoyed the dark room with the laser beams that have to be avoided. And guess where Lukas wanted to celebrate his 7th birthday, with his seven best friends in the world?

An extraordinary high-tech immersion experience, for the pleasure of learning to fly... for real!

It's now possible to fly Boeing 737 or F16 aircraft while staying in... Laval. Aerosim Expérience offers an immersive flying experience, aboard high-tech simulators that are also used by pilots in training. My kids loved it... and, it has to be said, so did Dad. The atmosphere is so faithful to reality that it's like flying! I was impressed to fly over Montreal and then New York (the quality of the 200-degree screens is exceptional), and Lukas managed, after several attempts, to outrun the enemy in his F16! On-site training with a professional pilot instructor is required, and includes the ability to handle aircraft joysticks more delicately than an arcade machine... Lukas quickly learned! Fun and educational at the same time. It's the real thing.

Let's go in search of turtles in the wild!

What is it? Turtles? What a surprise when I found out that we could see large turtles in their natural habitat on the islands of Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles... just 20 minutes from downtown Montreal! My little family literally fell in love with this place, where we can quickly get away from it all! We first went to get lunch boxes, then put them in the bottom of the canoe we'd rented from the park reception desk. With four of us in the same canoe, it was with great pleasure that we rowed from island to island to choose our little picnic hideaway on the water's edge. It was hard to keep the kids in place, as we had to hurry to find the turtles basking in the sun!

Since our visit, a new Exploration Center has opened. The "Incroyable mais vrai!" exhibit highlights the history of the Mille Îles River, its vast ecosystem and environmental issues. Don't miss it!

Butterflies on the loose!

Another new feature is theBFLY Laval Attraction was eagerly awaited by families who love butterfly aviaries. Hundreds of butterflies roam free in four large, enchanting domes! Scheduled opening date: July 1, 2022.