Find family getaways in Ontario

Home to the Great Lakes, national parks, and spectacular countryside, Ontario is a lovely province with a wide variety of experiences for travellers. From theme parks and zoos in Toronto to vast lakes and wilderness in cottage country to the charming attractions of Barrie, you’ll find something for every interest in Ontario. Suited to kids both young and old, each destination on the list ensures that there will be plenty of memories for the whole family and unforgettable experiences for family bonding and quality time. Take a look at the best family getaways in Ontario and prepare for the trip of a lifetime.

Greater Toronto for kids’ attractions

The Greater Toronto area offers an array of attractions for a family trip. In Toronto, you’ll find the Toronto Zoo, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, High Park, and the CN Tower. The city has many theme parks and educational attractions as well, such as the Centreville Amusement Park, the Riverdale Farm, and the Black Creek Pioneer Village. You’ll also like the Toronto Islands, a chain of islands in Lake Ontario with sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, biking trails, and outdoor recreation sites for activities like paddleboarding, volleyball, frisbee golf, and more.

Northern Ontario for outdoor fun

One of the best parts of travelling to Northern Ontario is getting there. You can take a scenic train ride through the countryside with Algoma Central Railway to see wilderness, granite ridges, and the imposing Agawa Canyon. During the ride, you’ll get a break to spend time outdoors and wander the hiking trails to hidden waterfalls and scenic lookout points. The region also hosts cultural events throughout the year, such as the Northern Lights Festival Boreal, Festival of the Sound, and the Red Rock Folk Festival. If you want more outdoor fun, activities like canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are all popular.

Southern Ontario for hiking tours

Niagara Falls and Clifton Hill are among the most popular destinations for a family trip, especially with young children. The American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls that make up the American and Canadian waterfalls are a spectacle in themselves, and you can get up close with viewing platforms in the adjacent park, the Cave of the Winds tour, or the Maid in the Mist cruise, all of which are appropriate for children. Nearby Clifton Hill is another great place to find fun with the kids, especially with attractions like Nightmares Fear Factory, Ripley’s Moving Theatre, the Niagara SkyWheel, Dinosaur Adventure Golf, and Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. After sightseeing at Clifton Hill, you can visit Niagara-on-the-Lake for recreational lakes, community parks, and charming local eateries and shops.

Central Ontario for family fun

Home to the Niagara Escarpment, Fathom Five National Marine Park, and the Imperial Tower of the Cove Island Lighthouse, Central Ontario has a diverse array of things to see and do for the whole family. You can take the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth on Lake Huron to enjoy scenic views of the escarpment and surrounding landscape. Central Ontario has numerous recreational lakes with beaches, dense forests, and rivers for canoeing and kayaking. Barrie, a town in Central Ontario, is home to several ski resorts with long seasons and plenty of adventure for all seasons, community parks with leisure areas, and kid-friendly attractions like Splash ON Water Parks, XPlay Amusements theme park, and Bear Creek Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary Inc.

Ontario cottage country for relaxation

Ontario’s cottage country is a popular spot for an escape in the off-season. Cottage country, a region of countryside dotted with charming cottages, is only a few hours from major Ontario cities like Toronto and Ottawa. Some of the top places are Muskoka and Kawarthas, which boast lakes for recreation, parks for picnics, and other family-friendly activities. Best of all, the lakes have sandy beaches that are free to the public, so you can spend time with the kids by the water. Another highlight of cottage country is the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, a wilderness park with recreation areas and wildlife.