Junior firefighters get a chance to use a fire hose with the help of a professional at the Musee Pour Enfants in Laval. -- Photos by Phil Raby, Special to Sun Media

"So you are visiting family here?" the park worker asked us with genuine curiosity. We had stopped to ask him a question in English, so he surmised we weren't locals.

"No, we're here on vacation," my husband Phil said, as he adjusted the hat of our four-year-old daughter.

"Tres bien!" the park worker replied with an enthusiastic laugh. "Laval has been discovered!"

It's true the small Quebec city of Laval is easily forgotten as it stands in the shadows of its big, well-known sister Montreal, but that is a first rate travesty. Families who venture just 30 minutes north of Montreal will be greeted by a pretty, gracious city with lots of unique attractions to entertain adults and kids alike. These include:

ROCKET SCIENCE

Want to know what it feels like to live on a space station, get up close to an actual moon rock or see an authentic space suit? If the answer is yes, the place to go is the Centre des Sciences de l'espace (Space Science Centre). This museum provides lots of hands-on, educational fun. Interactive displays pop out of every corner in the expansive facility, but perhaps the most impressive feature is the huge display of planets, built to scale, complete with music.

PLEASURE ISLAND

It's a park! It's a farm! It's a whole lotta fun. The Nature Centre is an island replete with great outdoor activities for all ages.

For the sports-oriented, there's skateboarding, canoeing and even rock-climbing. Adults will love meandering the carefully manicured grounds. Children will enjoy the farm animals, especially the donkeys that love lots of attention, and the many playgrounds. Even more entertaining is the miniature train ride.

BRAIN DRAIN

If your child hasn't told you what they want to be when they grow up, that could change after a visit to Laval's Musee Pour Enfants. Divided into 15 rooms, each dedicated to a profession, the museum allows children to experience grown-up work.

For the budding teacher, there's a classroom with desks and blackboard. At the vet's office, children can listen to the heart of a toy puppy or weigh a snake. Little ones can also milk a cow or clamber into a real ambulance with the siren screaming. A realistic jailhouse allows kids to experience some law and order, while a cool rocket ship can be climbed all the way up to the second floor.

The professions are also highlighted through creative shows by the staff.

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

Feel like having some pizza and a fancy coffee while reading a European magazine on an outdoor terrazzo? That's not a problem at Centropolis, Laval|s uber food, fashion and fun centre. Encompassing an entire city block, Centropolis is home to a variety of specialty stores, restaurants and entertainment facilities such as Colossus Cinema.

With eye-catching architecture and plenty of free parking, families can easily spend an afternoon shop-hopping.

WILD THINGS

The Mille-Iles River Park is the largest nature park in the Laval area, and not surprisingly, the best place to see some of the city's wildest residents. With much of the park protected as a wildlife sanctuary, flora and fauna has flourished freely.

Canoes, kayaks and pedal boats can be rented on the premises, allowing for the observation of beavers, otters, frogs and other wildlife on the shores of the river and in the haunting marshes. There are also a large number of islands with small docks that allow visitors to stop for a walk or even have a picnic.

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BOTTOM LINE

MORE INFORMATION

-Space Science Centre, cosmodome.org or 450-978-3600

-The Nature Centre, ville.laval.qc.ca or 450-662-4942

-The Laval Musee Pour Enfants, museepourenfants.com or 450-681-4333.

-Centropolis, centropolis.ca or 450-681-4811.

-The Mille-Iles River Park, parc-mille-iles.qc.ca or 450-622-1020.

-Tourism Laval, tourismelaval.com or 1-877-GO-LAVAL

LODGING

The Hampton Inn & Suites offers great value. Starting at $125, a family of four can enjoy a room with two queen beds, a microwave, fridge and free internet access. The rate also includes a hot breakfast, pool and parking. See hamptoninn.com or 1-800-HAMPTON