After a lovely lunch at The Bell Homestead Cafe in Brantford, my friend and I headed over to the next location on our itinerary - Paris, Ontario for a complimentary guided tour of the Grand River with the Grand River Rafting Company. Initially, we had been looking forward to a canoe trip but when we arrived, we noticed they had brought rafts instead. I was a little disappointed at first but ten minutes into the tour with our amazing guide, I realized how much more fun it was to share a raft with my friend and learn so much about the area from Garth Pottruff, the owner of Grand River Rafting Co. and the recently acquired Heritage River Canoe and Kayak Co.

Wearing my Paris cap (from my honeymoon in France) and a life jacket supplied by Grand River Rafting Co., we loaded up our paddles, cooler and personal belongings onto a hefty and virtually unflippable (is that even word?) raft. Initially, I wanted to bring the kids with me but wasn't sure how safe it would be seeing as none of us are very strong swimmers. Being in the raft it became clear that this was the perfect trip for families with kids both young and old. Garth told us that he's even taken children as young as two on rafting trips. Given that the water throughout most of this trip is quite shallow with a few gentle rapids, I felt more assured that I could bring my kids on a future trip and not have to worry so much about their safety. 

I have to say that, from a teacher's standpoint, this guided tour along the Grand River is so worth it simply for its educational value alone. Garth, who happens to be an arborist and an outdoor education teacher for First Nations, is a wealth of information and taught us about the local wildlife and aboriginal history. It had rained most of the day and my friend and I worried that it would rain during our trip, too, but after speaking to Garth, he reassured us that it would be the perfect afternoon for a rafting trip. And he was right! Of course, his weather predictions have only be incorrect twice in the past several years so clearly the man knows what he's talking about.

At one point, we stopped off at a natural spring, emptied our water bottles and filled them up with refreshing water straight from Mother Nature's tap.

While discovering Canadian heritage throughout Hamilton Halton Brant, our customized itinerary lead us to some quaint dining locations worthy of royalty. After visiting the HMCS Haida National Historic Site with my daughter, I picked up my friend in the new 2013 Infiniti JX35 as part of a VIP guest drive and made our way over to Brantford, Ontario. Our first stop: The Bell Homestead Cafe for a complimentary lunch.

Nestled within the picturesque Bell Homestead National Historic Site, the Homestead Cafe is like a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. The restaurant is located in a cozy historic home amidst ten acres of land adorned with period-style rural perennials and herb gardens, overlooking the Grand River. This historic site is well-known for being the "dreaming place" of Alexander Graham Bell, the innovator who invented the telephone.

Once inside the Homestead Cafe, guests will delight in the warm ambiance of the Victorian tea room setting. A respectable menu coupled with friendly service made for a truly enjoyable lunch shared by friends of old.

Located in my hometown of Hamilton in the Heart of Ontario, HMCS Haida National Historic Site is home to a distinct class of destroyer. HMCS Haida is a Tribal Class ship which served during the Second World War, Korean War and Cold War. Only 27 such ships were built, eight of which were built for Canada. Thirteen were sunk, thirteen were scrapped and only Haida remains. When our family was invited to take a tour of the site, it felt like an honour to be able to witness first-hand a piece of remarkable Canadian history. 

Upon boarding the massive ship, guests are given a station card, similar to what the sailors would receive. We were greeted by our lovely tour guide as well as Jim the ship-keeper.

There are about 26 stops on the tour where you can learn about where the sailors ate, slept and spent their time off duty, visit command centres, discover the inner workings of the ship and see the armament up close.

And we were graciously given an opportunity to hang out in the Radio Room, which is generally not open to the public. All the equipment in this wood-panelled room is fully functional and my daughter was given a chance to transmit a coded message using one of the original typewriters. Yeah, typewriters. Remember those?

Family Day is around the corner and for families living in Hamilton Halton Brant, there are plenty of fun activities to enjoy both indoors and outdoors as well. With a wide range of programming, families can enjoy easy and affordable Family Day fun that will surely keep everyone happy. Here are three itineraries costing $100 or less to give you an idea of some of the activities waiting for you and your family in Hamilton Halton Brant during the long weekend.

The Royal Botanical Gardens’ Battle of the Titans exhibit - Dinosaur lovers rejoice! See Tyrannosaurus Rex take on Triceratops and learn about the ecology and the environment that these majestic creatures lived through. On February 17 and 18, join in on a Q&A period with Dr. Phil Manning, internationally renowned dinosaur hunter from the University of Manchester. 

Admission for a family of four: $30.

Next, bring your appetite and your little ones to downtown Burlington to explore the city’s delectable Chocolate Trail. Enjoy a self-guided trail along with samples of decadent treats and special offers at 13 different retailers.

Finally, stop by the Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s Sing-a-long Sound of Music extravaganza on February 18th for a fun-filled interactive screening of the classic movie. 

Admission for a family of four: $70 

Grand total: $100 for a family of four (excludes taxes).