Family Vacation Toronto | Pan Pacific Toronto Family Staycation

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20 Best Family Activities for your Toronto Staycation

Longing for a blissful family vacation in Toronto with your partner and children? Need help in planning the best Toronto staycation itinerary for your family?

There are so many ways to have a playful weekend in family-friendly Toronto. You can visit familiar haunts or discover new places together. Above all, a family trip allows you to create treasured memories with your children while they are still eager—or willing—to holiday with you!

Read on for our Toronto local getaway guide for families, which includes:

  1. Where to Stay During Your Toronto Local Staycation
  2. Top Toronto Local Places of Interest for Families with Toddlers
  3. Top Toronto Local Attractions for Kids
  4. Best Toronto Places to Visit with Teens

This guide is brought to you by Pan Pacific Toronto. We hope you will find it useful for your Toronto family holidays!

 

Where to Stay During Your Toronto Local Staycation

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Located in North York Toronto, Pan Pacific Toronto sits in a vibrant and culturally diverse neighbourhood, which offers a spread of international cuisines and countless shopping options.

By choosing Pan Pacific Toronto, you will also be close to top Toronto attractions such as:

  • Aga Khan Museum

  • Art Gallery of Ontario

  • Canada's Wonderland

  • CN Tower

  • Ontario Place

  • Ontario Science Centre

  • Royal Ontario Museum

  • Toronto Zoo

 
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If yours is a family of four, book adjoining rooms or settle in our 47sqm Junior Suite, which can accommodate two Queen beds. 

The Junior Suite is ideal for families who wish to stay together in a single room.

From the comfort of the Junior Suite, you and your family can soak in the tranquil views of the surrounding parkland, while catching up on your entertainment backlog with our cable and pay-per-view movie channels. 

Need to settle work on the side? Our Junior Suite has a work desk for setting up your staycation office. While you are working, your kids can channel their inner Serena Williams at the in-house tennis court, or take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool.

Need more information about Pan Pacific Toronto, or advice on planning your staycation? Get in touch with our team today!

 

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Where to Go in Toronto with a Baby or Toddler

Hoping for a fuss-free Toronto staycation with your little ones? Visit these baby-friendly attractions where everyone can have fun!

 

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Royal Ontario Museum: Take your curious tots to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), where the touch-friendly Discovery Gallery is designed to encourage tiny hands to go exploring. You can also sign up for ROMKids Junior, an eight-week sensory adventure through the museum’s galleries, guided by early learning instructors. The programme is for two to four-year-olds (with an accompanying adult), but younger siblings can attend free of charge.

Get directions to Royal Ontario Museum (26-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Canada’s Wonderland: At Canada’s Wonderland, children under three enter for free. Make a beeline for KidZville and Planet Snoopy, where little ones can enjoy more than 25 kiddy attractions. Have fun riding the Character Carrousel or meeting the Peanuts gang here!

Get directions to Canada’s Wonderland (25-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

High Park: This is Toronto’s answer to Central Park in New York! At High Park, you can picnic with your little ones, explore tot-friendly playgrounds, visit the zoo, and ride on the “trackless train”—a tractor that pulls along several wagons to take visitors around the park. You can also join the High Park Nature Centre’s Early Years Clubs to better appreciate the environment, and meet other families who value nature.

Get directions to High Park (22-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

York-Durham Heritage Railway: For toddlers who can’t get enough of trains! The non-profit York-Durham Heritage Railway runs regular themed events that include a short train ride through the Uxbridge-Stouffville corridor, with a brief stop in the town of Stouffville. 

Get directions to York-Durham Heritage Railway (44-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Ripley’s Aquarium: Kids under three get in free at Ripley’s Aquarium, and it is a stroller-friendly environment, but you may find it easier to use a baby carrier for pre-walkers and infants. Be sure to stop at the Discovery Centre, which is packed with interactive exhibits. Here, your children can get their hands wet and engage with sea animals!

Get directions to Ripley’s Aquarium (19-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Riverdale Farm: Wish to escape from the urban jungle? Beginning walkers (and older kids) will love exploring Riverdale Farm, a working farm in Toronto's Cabbagetown neighbourhood. Visitors will get a first-hand taste of farm life, such as raising livestock—cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and chickens—and tending to the flower, vegetable, and herb gardens. 

Get directions to Riverdale Farm (18-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Kids Fun Town: This indoor playground is built for pretend play and toddler fun! At Kids Fun Town, little ones can indulge in experiential play at the themed play areas—including a construction site and a supermarket—while older kids can jump around on the bouncy castle, or get a workout on the climbing play structures. 

Get directions to Kids Fun Town (20-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Best Kids’ Activities for Your Toronto Staycation

Make your Toronto staycation extra memorable for your children by visiting top Toronto attractions! The following places of interest will appeal to kids from six to 12 years of age.

 

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Ontario Science Centre: Learning about science is more important than ever, especially in our science and technology-driven world. Nurture your budding scientists by taking them to the Ontario Science Centre, which features over 600 interactive exhibits, daily programmes, and films in Ontario's only IMAX® Dome theatre.

Get directions to Ontario Science Centre (11-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Toronto Zoo: There is so much to see at the Toronto Zoo—for minimal staycation planning, you could even designate this as a full-day activity. The Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada, and it is divided into seven viewing areas: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. If you have not visited the zoo lately, nothing beats letting your kids encounter animals in real-life, rather than up on a screen!

Get directions to Toronto Zoo (20-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Centreville Amusement Park: Want a more budget-friendly alternative to Canada’s Wonderland? Hop on a ferry at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to get to Centre Island, where you can visit the Centreville Amusement Park. The rides are most appropriate for kids aged three to seven, but older kids will still enjoy the bumper cars, haunted house, and log ride. You can also explore the rest of Centre Island, including the Franklin Children’s Garden, which has a playground and splash pad/spray pool. 

Get directions to Jack Layton Ferry Terminal (19-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto: If your child is content to spend hours at home tinkering with LEGO, then a trip to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is just what he or she needs! Kids can hone their master-building skills at the 10 LEGO build-and-play zones, or catch a LEGO movie in 4D.

Get directions to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto (24-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Hockey Hall of Fame: Is your child an ice hockey fan? Delight him or her with a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Spread across 65,000sqft, the Hall of Fame features the finest collection of ice hockey artifacts from around the world, a chance to go one-on-one against animated versions of today's star goalies and shooters, and themed exhibits dedicated to the game’s greatest players.

Get directions to Hockey Hall of Fame (38-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Casa Loma: Did you know that there is a castle in Toronto? Visiting the majestic 98-room Casa Loma is an activity that the whole family will enjoy! The gothic revival-style castle was built a century ago by a Canadian financier, who later had to give up the property due to bankruptcy. Thankfully, the City of Toronto stepped in to preserve the castle, which is today one of Toronto’s top attractions. You can use a multimedia guide to tour the premises, but with kids in tow, it may be better to find your way around using a map. 

Get directions to Casa Loma (24-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Staycation Activities for Bonding with Teenagers

A Toronto staycation is a chance to spend quality time with your teens. Be sure to involve them in the planning, by letting them have a say in your Toronto getaway itinerary!

 

 

Self-guided Walking Tours: Think you know Toronto like the back of your hand? You could be surprised. Play local tourist with your teens by going on a self-guided Toronto walking tour. Options include urban walks, nature walks, and architecture tours—do pick something that fits your teenager’s interest!

 

Treetop Trekking: For your daredevil teen, a visit to Treetop Trekking is a chance to get some fresh air, while trekking from tree to tree by navigating suspended bridges, Tarzan swings, swinging logs, and ziplines. If the family is up for it, night treks are available too.

Get directions to Treetop Trekking, Stouffville (22-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

CN Tower Edgewalk: Need a reason to head to the CN Tower? Try the EdgeWalk, CN Tower’s most thrilling attraction! This is a full-circle, hands-free walk on a 5ft (1.5m) wide ledge encircling the top of the Tower’s main pod, and it takes place 1168ft (356m or 116 storeys) above the ground. Only the brave need apply!

Get directions to CN Tower Edgewalk (19-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto) | Buy tickets

 

Royal Ontario Museum: If yours is a family of culture buffs, consider visiting the Royal Ontario Museum, even if you have visited before. Canada's largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a staggering 13 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens, spread out over 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. Wondering how to get the most out of a museum visit with your teen? Take it slow! You will not be able to cram everything into a single visit, so just focus on having fun.

Get directions to Royal Ontario Museum (26-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Art Gallery of Ontario: Engage your art enthusiast teen at the Art Gallery of Ontario, which is home to over 90,000 artworks. This is your chance to discover Canadian, First Nations, Inuit, African, European, and Oceanic artists. You can also look forward to travelling exhibitions of all genres, which make their occasional appearance here.

Get directions to Art Gallery of Ontario (24-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Aga Khan Museum: For an immersive cultural experience, take your teen to the Aga Khan Museum. Here, you will learn about the fascinating artistic, intellectual, and scientific contributions of Muslim civilisations to the world. (Yes, algebra came from the Arab world!) Zero in on 10 must-see works at the museum, or book a tour for a grand overview.

Get directions to Aga Khan Museum (9-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

Ontario Place: Want a place to chill with your teen, with several activity options to suit your fancy? Visit the waterfront attraction Ontario Place, where you can rent kayaks and paddle boats, catch a movie, or check out an entertainment event that the entire family will enjoy. 

Get directions to Ontario Place (23-minute drive from Pan Pacific Toronto)

 

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