48 Hours of Family Fun in Toronto

Mimi Slawoff Avatar

A trip to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto is a must in winter!
A trip to Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto is a must! Photo credit: Tourism Toronto

Toronto is an easy drive from several major US cities, yet it feels a world away. Ontario’s capital city has a vibrant waterfront along Lake Ontario, a rich complex of cultural neighborhoods, eclectic shopping and kid-friendly attractions. It’s easy to get around, on foot or via a tourist-friendly transportation system. Head north in 2022 and explore all of the fun things to do in a quick, two-day trip to Canada.

The English-speaking, cosmopolitan city of Toronto, Canada has tall buildings, world-class museums and traffic just like my home city of Los Angeles. But its Canadian currency, signature peameal bacon sandwich and stately brick buildings in historic districts are reminders that you are not in the United States. Which, of course, means you need a passport.

One of the many things I love about Toronto is that it’s a diverse city with plenty of attractions for families of all ages. A few years ago my younger daughter and I spent a few days visiting several kid-friendly attractions. We spent a night in the Toronto Zoo, played at the Ontario Place waterfront park and screamed on roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland. This spring my older daughter spent three days visiting museums and walking through Toronto’s ethnic neighborhoods. We also went skydiving (well, sort of) and swam with stingrays! Here are some of the fun things to do in Toronto, if you’ve got two days or less to explore.

Read More: Visiting Toronto’s Casa Loma with Kids

Toronto skyline with CN Tower
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

Who would expect to swim with stingrays in a city? We’ve done this in the Caribbean, but this was our first time getting in the water with the velvety smooth creatures in an aquarium. The stingray experience at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada includes admission to the aquarium and an interesting behind-the-scenes tour about animal care and food preparation. But the best part was climbing into the Ray Bay aquarium. Jealous onlookers watched as we sat in the water with clusters of cownose and southern stingrays swimming around us.

Read More: Want the Great Outdoors? Head to Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula National Park

CN Tower

Mother and daughter at the top of the CN Tower in Toronto, one of the fun things to do in Toronto
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

A good way to beat the long lines at this popular attraction high in the sky is with a lunch reservation at the revolving 360 The Restaurant. Delicious Canadian dishes prepared with regional ingredients are served as the restaurant slowly rotates for expansive city views more than 1,151 feet below. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. With the purchase of two entrees you get easy access to observation stations. After lunch, we walked down to the glass floor observation deck – a popular attraction! Would you stand on a glass floor hundreds of feet above the ground?

Read More: Get Down and Dirty in Canada’s Bay of Fundy

Ontario Science Centre

Family Fun in Toronto at the Ontario Science Centre
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

There’s always so much going on at this massive museum. The bustling science center’s interactive experiences explore galaxies, the human body, earth, electricity and other concepts with hundreds of hands-on displays and programs.  There are also planetarium shows and IMAX movies.

It’s best to start on the bottom level and work your way through the exhibition halls. One of our favorite exhibits is The Living Earth, which includes a tropical rainforest complete with a waterfall. The science center also has several demonstrations that are popular with families, so it’s important o get in line early. We watched an interactive science demonstration about how varying hot and cold temperatures affect living things.

TIFF Bell Lightbox

Even if you’re not a big film buff, it’s fun to poke around the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto’s entertainment district. Though serving as the headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival, the facility also houses art exhibitions, Family Festivals and other kid-friendly programs. For example, during our springtime visit, we explored the digiPlaySpace digital playground, an award-winning traveling exhibition that features robotic building activities, stop-motion sports and other unique interactive installations.

Worth a stop in itself is O & B Canteen, a fresh market cafe and bakery located inside the TIFF building.  In addition to tasty burgers and sandwiches, the cafe serves signature items, such as the Forbidden Rice Bowl, made with spicy grilled tofu, broccoli, edamame, kimchi and poached egg.

Kensington Market

Teen drinking coffee at a Kensington coffee shop in Toronto
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2006, the funky neighborhood is comprised of organic coffee shops, vintage clothing stores and small grocery markets stocked with imported goods. It’s a bohemian neighborhood that doesn’t appeal to everyone.

Friends of ours didn’t especially care for it. But my free spirited younger daughter said she could spend hours shopping for shirts, boots and jackets. My older daughter was content to sip coffee in a cafe while people watching.

Art Gallery of Ontario

Frank Gehry-designed museum interior, a fun thing to do in Toronto with kids
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

Located within an easy walk from the Kensington  district, the Art Gallery of Ontario is recognizable from a distance for its striking architecture designed by Frank Gehry. Large galleries feature a huge Canadian collection, European masterworks and contemporary exhibits. There’s also an interactive space for kids and seasonal Family Sundays.

iFLY Toronto

Woman in flight simulator, one of the fun things to do with kids in Toronto
Photo credit: Mimi Slawoff

The iFLY indoor skydiving simulator is so much fun (although I have to say my daughter didn’t care for it). I knew what to expect having done this last year on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship (although I think that simulator was a tad smaller than this one).

After a group instruction and safety lesson, we donned jumpsuits, helmets and ear plugs (it’s loud in the wind tunnel!). One at a time, we stepped into a wind tunnel with our instructor. We each took two, one-minute turns to “fly.” You can feel the force of the wind against your face and it takes some coordination and balance to get in the proper flying position.

Read More: Watch a Baseball Game in Your Pajamas! Catch the Blue Jays in Toronto!

Centre Island

Take a short ferry ride to Centre Island, home of the Centreville Amusement Park and Far Enough Farm. The theme park has over 30 rides, including a number for littles. Far Enough Farm is a petting farm where the kids can get up close and personal with over 40 different species.

Lake Ontario Cruise

The 13th largest in the world, Lake Ontario should be enjoyed while visiting Toronto. View it by land or on a lake cruise. Great Lakes Schooner Company offers daily sailings on modern motor yachts or romantic sailing schooners. A popular option is a weekend brunch cruise.

 

Let the Kids Plan Your Toronto Trip

Yo-Toronto is an interactive website for kids where they can learn more about the city in a fun, exciting way while their parents have all the tools they need to plan an ideal family vacation to Toronto.

Where to Sleep in Toronto

Child exiting water slide into indoor pool at the Chelsea Hotel, one of the fun things to do in Toronto with kids
Courtesy of Chelsea Hotel, Toronto

Chelsea Hotel

It was our second time staying in this family-friendly hotel, Toronto’s largest, with 1,590 guest rooms and suites. It’s a comfortable, laid-back hotel with many family amenities. Located in downtown, it’s within walking distance of shops and restaurants and short driving distance to major attractions.

Among the many family amenities at the Chelsea Hotel are basic complimentary WiFi, free breakfast, a fitness center (with city views including the CN Tower), adult swimming pool and Family Fun Zone heated pool and waterslide. For your children, there’s the Kid Centre children’s program and Club 33 Teen Lounge. Four restaurants offer great dining options and there’s also a coffee and wine bar. During our spring break visit, the lobby was packed with families munching on free popcorn and interacting with a roaming talking robot.

CHECK PRICES / AVAILABILITY

Ritz-Carlton Toronto

In the mood for a splurge? SheBuysTravel contributor Jamie Bartosch recommends the Ritz-Carlton. Here’s her review of her hosted stay.

“From the minute we pulled up, it was VIP service all the way. In a matter of minutes, the suit-wearing staff had valet parked the car, checked us in, and brought our luggage up to the room. Minutes later, the staff brought up cups of hot chocolate (it was March, in Canada), and bath robes for the kids (blue for my son, pink for my daughter).

The standard room (two queen beds) had modern décor, super comfy beds, views of downtown Toronto — and my favorite feature — quiet hallways. Coming in a close second: the heated marble bathroom floors.

My kids will never forget this hotel, because of the TV in the bathroom mirror. It blew their minds. My 9-year-old immediately took a photo of it and posted it on Instagram, her highest form of praise.

Naturally, the first thing the kids said after we finished getting a “tour” of the room was, “Can we go to the pool?“ So we changed into our suits and went to the large saltwater pool.”

Saltwater Pool and a View

The saltwater isn’t like ocean water — it’s just like a normal pool except the water is easier on your skin and doesn’t have that over-chlorinated smell and skin-drying chemicals. One whole wall of the pool had massage jets. After getting out of the water, I laid on the padded chairs and stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the Toronto skyline.

Back in the room, around 7 p.m., they called to see if we’d like cookies and milk sent up. Yes, please.

Here’s why I think the Ritz-Carlton Toronto was worth the splurge: it felt like an experience. Being catered to is such a treat — and the kids like it, too. If we wanted ice, they brought it us. No carrying a bucket down the hall. When the kids forgot their goggles at the swimming pool, I called the front desk. And a staff member ran them up to us in a few minutes.

Perhaps what I’ll miss most is repeatedly hearing: ‘Is there anything I can get for you, Ms. Bartosch?’”

CHECK PRICES / AVAILABILITY

2 responses


  1. 5

  2. 5