Every year, my husband’s family gathers on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada, for a long weekend family reunion.
They fish, swim, hike, roast marshmallows around the campfire, and catch up on the back deck. The weekend culminates in the annual horseshoe tournament, where the winners add their names to the trophy and we all celebrate with a potluck roast dinner.
My husband, Colin, has been going up to the Sunshine Coast every year since he was a baby. There’s a tree on the property that he planted in elementary school that now stands over 40 feet tall.
I started attending with him in 2015, first as his girlfriend and then in 2022, as his wife. And now we get to share this annual family tradition with our daughter.
Last year, our daughter joined the family trip for the first time
In 2025, we got to bring our daughter up to the Sunshine Coast for the first time. Not only was it her first time joining the family trip, but at 5 months old, it was her first trip ever.
It was so fun to bring our daughter along and to introduce her to my husband’s extended family. We spent most of our trip out on the back deck, where our daughter lay on a blanket, entertaining her relatives. The fresh air even helped her sleep through the night!
In between naps and nursing, we squeezed in a family hike and a quick swim. But overall, it was a very laid-back vacation with our baby.
This year, with a toddler, it was a completely different trip
When we headed back up to the Sunshine Coast in July 2026, we knew it was going to be a totally different trip than the year before. This time, we had an 18-month-old toddler who was on the move, eating full meals, and only napping once per day.
It was a lot more work to keep up with our daughter this year. Colin and I were constantly checking that someone was with her and taking inventory of everything she might need (toys, snacks, a life jacket, a water bottle, etc.).
But it was also a lot of fun. Last year, she wasn’t crawling or walking. But this year, she was running across grass fields, sitting in her own child-size camping chair, and helping herself to snacks from the kitchen.
My favorite part of this year’s trip was seeing our daughter bond with her cousins. She was enamored by the big kids, and they totally took her under their wing. I loved watching her play piano with them and hold hands as they walked down trails together.
We can’t wait to continue this family tradition with the next generation
When I first joined my husband’s annual family trip in 2015, I knew I was so lucky to have this beautiful place to visit every year in the company of the nicest people. The Sunshine Coast became one of my favorite places in the world.
And now the trip is that much more meaningful because we get to share it with our daughter. I love that we’re passing on this family tradition to the next generation and that we’ll be able to mark the years of her life in annual trips to the Sunshine Coast.
This year, she was thrilled to meet the goats who live next door, go out on the boat to check crab traps, and blow bubbles with her cousins. I can’t wait to see what she experiences on our trip next year!
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