30 Iconic Toronto Activities to Enjoy with the Kids

Iconic Toronto attractions

• Visit the Toronto Zoo to see the 5,000+ animals that call it home and for events like Celebrate Pride at Your Toronto Zoo.

• Step into Yayoi Kusama’s dazzling Infinity Mirrored Room, where endless silver spheres create a magical, immersive experience for kids and adults alike. This crowd-fave installation is just one of 95,000 works at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

• In summer, chill out beneath the leafy canopy of the west end’s High Park. Check out the mini zoo, ride the trackless train and explore the playgrounds and leash-free dog park.
   
• Take a trip under the sea at Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. With over one million gallons of water, the aquarium houses both marine and freshwater habitats, so there is much for the entire family to explore. 
   
• Got a long layover? Catch a cab to Fantasy Fair, Canada’s largest indoor amusement park.
   
• Embark on an immersive journey through the sights and sounds of Canada on a miniature scale at Little Canada.
   

• Tower over a miniaturized Toronto at Legoland Discovery Centre’s MINILAND, constructed from over half a million LEGO bricks. Then go wild building your own creations with millions of bricks to choose from. 

• Ride the country’s scariest thrill rides at Canada’s Wonderland, including the Yukon Striker. This dive coaster reaches 130 km/h speeds and features a 90-degree, 245-foot drop into an underwater tunnel. 

• Relive dramatic moments in the historic War of 1812, when British soldiers, First Nations warriors and Upper Canada militiamen fought off American attempts to capture Toronto (then York). Fort York National Historic Site features immersive experiences, exhibits and a vault to transport visitors to this critical time in our city’s history.

• Head up to the CN Tower’s observation level glass floor, lie on your belly and stare down 114 storeys to street level—if you dare!

• Want even more thrills? Kids ages 13+ can brave EdgeWalk, the world’s highest full-circle hands-free walk. It takes place above the CN Tower’s main pod, 116 storeys (356 m or 1168 feet) above the ground.

• Wander through an authentic castle at Casa Loma. The circa-1911, 98-room Gothic Revival mansion is home to artifacts, artwork, an escape room attraction… and possibly a ghost, rumoured to haunt the castle’s 800-foot underground tunnel.

Iconic Toronto experiences

• Take a photo next to the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

• In winter, skate in front of the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square. 

• Take in exquisite shoreline views as you make a Lake Ontario voyage on the Toronto Island ferry. 

• Feel the lake breezes on the free Billy Bishop Airport ferry. The 121-metre (397-foot), 90-second trip is one of the shortest ferry rides in the world!

• The Ontario Science Centre now offers interactive pop-up experiences at CF Sherway Gardens and Harbourfront Centre, as well as virtual programming.

• Ride the Red Rocket, our famous streetcar. While Toronto’s earliest circa-1860 streetcars were pulled along their tracks by horse, today they are powered by electricity, a low-emission and eco-friendly choice.

• Hop aboard the mini train at the Toronto Railway Museum, then explore more train history at Roundhouse Park.

• Brave the Royal Ontario Museum’s dark and spooky Bat Cave. Look up: you’re sharing the space with 800+ models of 20 different bat varieties!

• When the warmer weather approaches, swim on one of Toronto’s lifeguard-staffed Blue Flag beaches, which meet high global standards for safety, water quality, and environmental management. Centre Island Beach and Woodbine Beach are especially kid-friendly, and the latter offers free beach wheelchair rentals.

• In the summer, cool off at Splash Works. This 20-acre water park within Canada’s Wonderland is home to 17 water slides and attractions, including the toddler-friendly Lakeside Lagoon and teen-pleasing Muskoka Plunge, feared/loved for its 18-metre (60-foot) drop launch and 40 km/hour speeds.

Iconic Toronto events

• Celebrate love and diversity at Pride Toronto with music, visual arts, and family events throughout the month of June, leading to the iconic Pride Parade in June. 

• Jump up and catch the next generation of talent at Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Jr. Carnival Parade. Or join the crowds on Lakeshore Boulevard West as they cheer on over 10,000 masqueraders in the Grand Parade. 

• Score the season’s must-have plushies at The Ex. The Canadian National Exhibition is a local end-of-summer ritual, with gut-busting festival foods, a carnival midway and so. much. more. Fun fact: approximately 270,000 plushies are won each year during the Ex’s 2 ½ week run!

• Cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays (regular season runs through September). Home games have been amplified, with a bigger, better video board (more than double the size of the old one!), new menu offerings and swag galore.