LET IT SNOW! 7 WARM DESTINATIONS FOR COOL TORONTO DAYSToronto, Ontario, Canada
As the largest city in Canada, you might expect Toronto to have tonnes of activities to keep its youngest citizens and pint-sized tourists entertained. You might expect attractions to appeal to all manner of kid-oriented fascinations - animals, sports, technology, history and whatever else has captured the little ones imagination. And, as we patiently endure the unpredictability of the winter weather report, you may also expect to find lots of warm indoor options to keep the kids entertained.
You won’t be disappointed. Ranking in the top 40 in Euromonitor’s list of top tourist destinations, Toronto shines in its effort to entertain, to educate, and to capture the imagination of kids of all ages. And as those winter weeks turn into months and kids grow restless for some action that doesn’t require bundling up, Toronto comes through for parents with thrills and entertainment. Take your kids to one of these 7 Toronto destinations and you'll all stay warm and dry when the weather outside is frightful. Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Two swords clash amid a shower of sparks, a lance strikes and shatters as The Red Knight is thrown from his steed, the king rewards the victor, and a beautiful maiden awaits the return of her gallant prince. Either you have been transported back in time to 11th century Spain, or this is the spectacular Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. Row on row of crown-clad cheering kids give it away, but who cares! Toronto’s Medieval Times castle is reality for now, and a tournament is in progress with all the spectacle, colour, beautiful horses and flowing manes you’d expect from the real thing. This is a hit with kids, kids-at-heart, history buffs, horse-lovers, and those who appreciate a hearty meal sans cutlery - in fact, just about anyone! Royal Ontario Museum Got a couple of kids and looking to expand their horizons? There is no better place than the ROM. Arm them with a camera each and you’ll witness their fascination and they’ll record memories to boot. We now have literally hundreds of kid-photographer pics of colossal sparkling geodes, Native American totems, mummified Egyptian kings, and every imaginable flying creature. This truly is a world of history and geology and every other ‘ology’that will set kids imagination soaring. Take a `night-time’ stroll through the dark recesses of the Bat Cave but be sure to duck as a spectacular dramatization of bats takes flight. And don’t miss the ‘Ultimate Dinosaurs’ exhibition - your mini- paleontologists will be in awe of these huge and fearsome creatures. Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo has over 5,000 animals representing over 500 species with a large contingent housed in indoor pavilions for those cool Toronto days. Your kids will try to see them all. There’s also a camel ride, pony ride and zoomobile ride. Your kids will ask to ride them all. There’s an interactive kid zoo and educational animal shows. And … you guessed it, the kids will try to pet, and watch, them all. There is so much to see and do, but a day at the zoo has a must-see of the animal variety that will have the whole family mesmerized. Check the zoos ‘cute alert’ for all the latest babies - little fat baby African Penguin Chicks, rare white lion triplets Fintan, Lemon and Makali, and sleepy eyed baby gorilla Little Nassir to name just a few. Casa Loma Sir Henry Pellatt was known as the businessman with a Midas touch. As he grew in wealth he dreamed of a grand “House on the Hill”. He spent 3.5 million to accomplish this dream and built the most splendid private home in North America. Casa Loma comes with all those things a kid would hope to find - a dark and spooky tunnel, winding stairs that climb and climb to the upper reaches of the tallest turret, and of course, secret passageways -one very sensibly situated from Sir Pellatt’s study to his wine cellar. Now set the kids free in the magical "Secret Garden” which literally overflows with blooms and features a dragon sculpture with bells. Legend has it that if you’re pure of heart, ringing the bells will bring the dragons to life. CN Tower Take a 58 second, 22km/hr ride straight up and you will be rewarded with a stunning view. CN Tower’s Lookout Level gives you a unique birds-eye view of Toronto’s multitude of skyscrapers and Lake Ontario shoreline. Now, travel another 33 stories to the Skypod- at a dizzying 447m, and on a clear day, you’ll see beyond Niagara Falls and into New York State. CN Towers glass floor will be a hit with any little ones who don’t mind the unobstructed view of a very long drop to tiny buildings and ant-like people far below. And if watching the kids on that glass floor causes you to develop a whole new phobia, never fear! CN tower guides assure tourists that “If 14 large hippos could fit in the elevator and get up to the Observation Deck, the glass floor could withstand their weight”. Not scary enough for junior? Send the little darling on the Edgewalk (13+) and your (securely chained!) kid, leaning out over the edge will experience the thrill of a lifetime. Ontario Science Center “A fossil is an extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is.” “H2O is hot water, and CO2 is cold water.” If your child’s knowledge of science sounds a little like this, perhaps its time for a trip to the Ontario Science Center. Lots of fun will lead to lots of learning through interactive displays, exhibitions, and art installations on every imaginable topic. Endless questions from my kids about our bodies made the Human Body exhibit a great opportunity for all the answers, all at once, all in one place. They were in awe - a little stunned - and bursting with a whole pile of new questions! Take the little ones to ‘Space’ where meteorites from Mars, cosmic rays and black holes will have them in awe of the immensity of our universe. And as‘Mindworks’, delves into the complex mysteries of the human brain, the kids will be left with a sense of the awesomeness of their own potential. Hockey Hall of Fame Hockey is what brings us together as Canadians. And the Hockey Hall of Fame is where hockey brings fans from around the world together in Toronto. There has to be a sense of fellowship with all those who came before in the hallowed halls of the legendary Stanley Cup. Actually touching this icon is an inspiration to any kid whose ever donned a hockey jersey at 5 am for a cold morning on the ice. See lots more hockey ‘silverware’, tour a replica of the Montreal Canadiens Dressing Room - home to 23 Stanley Cup champions, and learn about a new year of Hall of Fame inductees as well as legends of the past. Not to be missed (literally!) is a few shots in the NHLPA Be A Player Zone. Play goal against virtual legendary hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky and your little ones will feel a little legendary themselves! |
TRAVEL DIY MEDIEVAL TIMES Email | Website | TripAdvisor 10 Dufferin St, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3 1 866.543.9637 ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM Email | Website | TripAdvisor 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6 1 416.586.8000 TORONTO ZOO Email | Website | TripAdvisor 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7 1 416.392.5929 CASA LOMA Email | Website | TripAdvisor 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, ON M5R 1X8 1.416.923.1171 CN TOWER Email | Website | TripAdvisor 301 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2T6 1.416.868.6937 ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTER Email | Website | TripAdvisor 770 Don Mills Rd, North York, ON M3C 1T3 1.416.696.1000 HOCKEY HALL of FAME Email | Website | TripAdvisor 30 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5E 1X8 1.416.360.7765 |
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