The Ultimate Family Travel Guide to Toronto

Toronto is a vibrant, multicultural city located a quick plane ride north of Chicago. As the most populous city in Canada and fourth in North America, Toronto is bustling with family-friendly museums, world-class shows, and diverse cuisine to satisfy everyone from foodies to picky eaters.

I’ve visited Toronto many times over the last twenty years. This last time, I brought my daughter to bond with my Canadian friends. Read on for reasons to grab your passports and head to this sister city with an iconic skyline along Lake Ontario.

Family-friendly activities in Toronto

Look up in Toronto and you’ll spy the iconic CN Tower. Travel up the CN Tower to stroll two observation decks and peer out over skyscrapers and the lake, taking in over 100 miles of scenery on a clear day. There are museums galore in Toronto, like the Hockey Hall of Fame and Royal Ontario Museum. Little Canada is a super cool space with miniature models of Canadian cities and landmarks. 

Did you know that Toronto boasts the third largest English-speaking theater district in the world? That’s right, after New York City’s Broadway and London’s West End. Choose from plays, musicals and all sorts of live entertainment. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is a top-rated attraction located next to the CN Tower. With over 20,000 aquatic animals and one of the most extensive jellyfish exhibits in the world, kids will be captivated. Acadia Earth is a multi-sensory exhibit within The Well outdoor shopping mall that encourages visitors to take actions towards a more sustainable earth. Immersive and interactive, it definitely causes you to rethink your carbon footprint.

There’s a chain of 15 Toronto Islands located a 13-minute ferry ride from the city. Centreville Amusement Park draws many families to the Toronto Islands for bumper cars, mini golf and rides best suited for children up to age 12. A fun way to spin around the Toronto Islands is with Toronto Bicycle Tours.

Read more about the top family-friendly attractions in Toronto.  

Where to stay in Toronto with kids

The Chelsea Hotel is centrally-located within walking distance of theatres, shopping and museums. It’s near Yonge-Dundas Square, which is like the Toronto version of Times Square.

The Chelsea is the largest hotel in Canada and part of the Langham families of hotels, so you know it’s quality. They have exceptional amenities for families, such as a family pool with waterslide, kids club and teen room.

We got more hotel recommendations for you and your family!

Kid-friendly restaurants in Toronto

Toronto is a culinary hot spot serving global cuisines in Michelin-starred restaurants to impressive yet low-key options in local hangouts. Here’s a taste of some family-friendly eateries serving dishes kids are happy to eat. 

El Catrin Destilera dishes up modern and traditional Mexican in a super cool setting. El Catrin boasts the #1 patio in Toronto, plus it’s heated, so you can eat outdoors even on crisp days. SOMA Chocolatemaker is a shop my daughter is dying to go back to. Their Distillery District location is near El Catrin, so you can stroll over after a meal. SOMA sells truffles, toffee, cookies, gelato, hot chocolate and other sweet treats. 

Pizza is a dish that tends to please everyone and Pizzeria Libretto presents a wide variety of tasty pies, including indulgent ones like duck confit as well as vegan and gluten-free pizzas. For brunch, you can’t go wrong eating at Café Landwer. My daughter savored her acai bowl and Nutella hot chocolate while I scooped up a Mediterranean mezze platter.

Read more about these family-friendly restaurants in Toronto. 

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