Where We Spent a Wake Window: Southlands Heritage Farm.
Location & Parking:
Parking: There is paid parking right in front of the museum.
Set your GPS to: 3208 West 51st Ave in Vancouver
Official info: https://southlandsfarm.pike13.com/pages/home
The Damage Report ($):
Entrance is by donation which is so generous.
Wheely Friendly?
Not really. I’m glad I left the stroller behind. The farm is quite rustic with wood-chip flooring and narrow paths. It’s small enough that Yuyu could easily walk and explore independently, which is much easier than trying to navigate a stroller.
The Snack Situation:
There is a charming little farm shop on-site selling fresh vegetables, chicken eggs, and even duck eggs.
Come early If you want the goods. By 3:00 pm, the shelves were pretty bare.
They have farm-made popsicles that look delicious. I waited for Yuyu to spot the older kids eating them and ask for one but she didn’t, so I kept that observation to myself.
There isn't a place for a full sit-down meal or picnic. I’d recommend planning to eat elsewhere.
Potty Proximity:
There are two bathrooms on-site. While we didn't end up using them, I asked to make sure they were available.
Mum Musings:
Walking into Southlands Farm feels like entering an enchanted forest. There was no one at the front gate hut when we arrived, so Yuyu and I just gingerly walked in. It is an incredibly authentic, rustic space, nothing here feels curated or "polished" for visitors, which is what makes it a unique farm experience.
Rustic treehouse, slide and swing at Southlands Farm.
Independent Exploration:
The paths are lined with overgrown foliage, giving it a real sense of discovery. Yuyu found an old, abandoned root cellar structure and, despite my skepticism about what might be living in there, she bolted right in to explore! We also spent a good chunk of time staring into the pond, trying to spot any residents hiding under the lilies.
The Play Area & Animals
There is a homemade play area with a treehouse, a slide, and a dangling tire swing. It’s definitely built with older kids in mind, so I had to be a "helicopter parent" while Yuyu played.
The farm has goats, sheep, chickens, ducks and horses. There is a clever step-ladder set up so little ones can climb up and see the horses over the fence. Yuyu was smitten.
Horse riding fail
I was really hoping to get Yuyu on a pony, but I didn't realize the 5-minute pony rides ($15) only run from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm on weekends. We arrived after that and missed our window. You can book when you arrive, but I’d highly recommend booking online in advance to make sure you don't miss out like we did.
While we missed the horse rides we got to watch the horses being groomed.
Toddler Tolerance Level:
1 hour. It’s a small farm, so an hour was the perfect amount of time to see everything
Nap Roulette Options?
We’d had a very full day of adventuring, so we didn’t push our luck with any more stops. We headed straight home after the farm.
Author
I’m Mimi, the writer behind Mi & Yu. This blog was born out of a year spent exploring Vancouver with my toddler Yuyu and newborn son Gabe while my husband Jamie worked through a demanding fellowship.
What started as a way to survive the newborn phase turned into a collection of tried-and-tested family adventures, real reviews, tested logistics, and the occasional toddler meltdown included. Now back home in Newfoundland, I’m sharing those adventures so other parents can skip the decision fatigue and get straight to the fun part.
