Two excited boys are holding colourful birds

Bird Kingdom | Niagara Falls Tourism

Fun March Break activities in Ontario 2024

Two excited boys are holding colourful birds

Bird Kingdom | Niagara Falls Tourism

Plan a week-long getaway or an overnight stay at a family-friendly resort in Ontario. Discover plenty of family bonding activities and fun things to do with your toddlers, tweens or teens.

Here’s a list of engaging experiences and programs, with something for everyone in the family.

 

Toddlers and kids

Find fun indoor and outdoor activities to keep the little ones entertained. Animal- and insect-lovers will enjoy wildlife experiences and zoos, active kids can burn off energy at outdoor parks and indoor activity centres, and budding scientists will find lots to feed their curiosity at science centres.

Outdoor parks and wildlife

Rouge National Urban Park

Explore the Rouge National Urban Park, just outside Toronto. Download the Rouge App for a sneak preview of attractions in the park, including wildlife.

Location: 7277 14th Avenue, Markham

Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG)

The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Burlington hosts a variety of entertaining family programming, and kids are free to play in the Natural Playground.

Location: 680 Plains Road West, Burlington

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre

Recognized for its vital role in protecting endangered trumpeter swans, this wildlife centre in Midland is a designated Important Birding Area. View diverse wildlife and participate in nature-based, family-friendly activities and events. Kids will especially enjoy feeding the chickadees.

Location: 16160 Highway 12 East, Midland

Animal attractions

Toronto Zoo

Treat your future zoologists to a day of discovery at the Toronto Zoo, where several indoor pavilions remain open throughout the year.

Location: 2000 Meadowvale Road, Toronto

Wolf Centre at Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve

Witness wolves in the wild at this massive facility featuring an indoor observatory. Visit for the day or book an overnight stay at a holiday unit or campsite in Haliburton Forest.

Location: 1305 Redkenn Road, Haliburton Forest

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

Entomica Insectarium is located inside the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie and offers interesting facts and insights about insects through interactive exhibits.

Location: 50 Pim Street, Sault Ste. Marie

Reptilia Zoo and Education Centre

Learn about hundreds of species of reptiles, arachnids and amphibians at Reptilia Zoo and Education Centre, with two locations in Vaughan and Whitby.

Locations: 2501 Rutherford Road, Concord (Vaughan)  1400 Victoria Street East, Whitby

Indoor adventures

Through My Eyes at the Young People’s Theatre

Catch this fun and vibrant show designed for families with young children (recommended for ages 4-7) that explores the joy of childhood wonder.

Location: 165 Front Street East, Toronto

Aero Sports

Younger kids will enjoy hiding and playing on the obstacle courses at the Toddler Zone, available at Aero Sports’ various locations in Southern Ontario. Older kids can play dodgeball or channel their inner ninja on challenging obstacle courses.

Locations: Oakville, Brampton, London, Windsor and St. Catharines

FunworX

Part of Bingemans in Kitchener, FunworX is an interactive, three-level indoor family playground with a giant play structure, arcade and rope courses.

Location: 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener

Kidsapia

Based on the Japanese soft play system, Kidsapia features an innovative indoor playground and entertainment centre that encourages kids to learn through play.

Location: Erin Mills Town Centre 5100 Erin Mills Parkway, Unit D13/D14, Mississauga

Indoor waterparks

For water-loving families, Ontario is home to several indoor waterparks that will give you an early taste of summer fun with water slides, raft rides, wave pools and more. Many also offer resort accommodations along with water park admission, so you can save and play throughout your March Break.

Gabby's Dollhouse Spring Tour

Fans of Gabby's Dollhouse can join Gabby on her first Canadian tour. She will travel to different destinations in the Greater Toronto Area from March 11 to March 23. Those in attendance will receive an activity book and a chance to take a picture with Gabby. There will be prizes too. Check online to see if she will be visiting near you. 

Tweens

Older kids have plenty of options to keep them active and engaged over the break, with fun indoor and outdoor activities and ways to keep learning. Take a nature or history tour, explore an “upside down” museum, visit a sugar shack for maple sugar treats (and to learn how they’re made), go stargazing at an observatory, or spend time with furry, winged and creepy-crawly creatures at an animal attraction.

Outdoor tours and activities

Niagara Bound Tours

Explore Ontario’s beauty and history by booking a car caravan tour with Niagara Bound Tours. Learn about the brave journey that freedom seekers took in the Niagara Falls Region during the era of the Underground Railroad.

Location: St. Catharines

Thrive Tours

Feel the connection with nature on a guided hiking tour in Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma Region.

Location: 18 McPhail Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie

Waterloo Central Railway

Hop on board this historic passenger train, which travels through Waterloo’s countryside.

Location: 50 Isabella Street, St. Jacobs

Lumière: The Art of Light

Formerly known as the Winter Light Exhibition, this free light installation festival has moved to Trillium Park in Ontario Place, Toronto. The exhibit lights up from dusk to 11:00 p.m. from March 12 to April 20, 2024.

Location: 55 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto

Maple syrup attractions

Sugar Shack TO

The Shack is Back! Sugar Shack TO, presented by Redpath, is a free, family-friendly, winter event on Toronto’s waterfront that celebrates all things maple. 

Maple Syrup at Westfield

Spring is Maple Syrup Season in Ontario. Visit Maple Syrup at Westfield Heritage Village in Rockton to enjoy sugary treats and learn all about how they’re made. Test your maple syrup knowledge on the Maple Trivia Trail before enjoying pancakes topped with delicious maple syrup. Make a reservation in advance online to avoid disappointment.

Location: 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton

Fulton’s

Maple syrup season is an annual treat at Fulton’s, just an hour outside Ottawa. You’ll find maple taffy available to purchase at the Maple Shop, along with all sorts of other maple products to buy.

Location: 399 Sugar Bush Road, Pakenham

Indoor fun and attractions

David Thompson Astronomical Observatory

If your kids are interested in space and the stars, pick a clear day and go stargazing at this astronomical observatory in Thunder Bay.

Location: Thunder Bay

Canadian Museum of Nature

The Canadian Museum of Nature will be buzzing with activity this year with many exciting offerings, starting with the incomparable touring exhibition, Bug Adventure. Discover some of science interpreters’ “Favourite Things” at a special specimen cart in the museum’s atrium.

Location: 240 McLeod Street, Ottawa

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

Visit LEGOLAND’s MINILAND Toronto, located inside the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, to see amazing creations and familiar Toronto landmarks made from thousands of LEGO blocks.

Location: 1 Bass Pro Mills Drive, Vaughan

Niagara Parks Power Station

Find out what happens behind the scenes at Niagara Parks Power Station with an interactive experience about power generation, while you watch the majestic Niagara Falls in action

Location: 7005 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls

Movieland Wax Museum and Upside Down House

Take a stroll throughout Niagara Falls’ Movieland Wax Museum to see wax figures of your favourite movie characters and Hollywood celebrities. While in Clifton Hill, visit the whimsical Upside Down House and experience what it feels like to walk on the ceiling.

Locations: 

Movieland Wax Museum 4848 Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls

Upside Down House 4967 Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls

Animal attractions

Bird Kingdom

This is the world’s largest free-flying indoor aviary, with a multi-level “rainforest” habitat teeming with hundreds of tropical birds.

Location: 5651 River Road, Niagara Falls

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Experience the enchanting sight of thousands of exotic butterflies fluttering through tropical gardens.

Location: 2500 Kossuth Road, Cambridge

Ripley’s Aquarium

Dive into the mysterious and magical underwater world at Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto, where you can view countless species of fish, jellyfish, sharks, stingrays and more.

Location: 288 Bremner Boulevard, Toronto

Cedar Meadows Resort & Spa

Take a tractor-drawn wagon wildlife tour through 40 hectares of woodland—home to elk, deer and bison.

Location: 1000 Norman Street, Timmins

Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park

Just east of Toronto, Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park features a variety of wildlife, including lemurs, wolves and tigers. You can also stay overnight at the Safari Bed & Breakfast.

Location: 3667 Concession Road 6, Orono

Teens

Find extreme levels of fun for your teenager with both indoor and outdoor March Break experiences—everything from yurt camping to escape rooms, arcades, skate parks, submarines and science centres. Challenge them to try something new, get hands-on and learn more about the world around them.

Yurt camping

George Lake Campground

If you’ve always dreamed of outdoor camping but have been held back by a lack of gear or know-how, yurting in Killarney might be the answer. Enjoy the crisp outdoor air in one of six private yurts in George Lake Campground. Make a reservation through the Ontario Parks Reservation website.

Location: Highway 637, Killarney

Minaki Yurt Adventures

Discover great boreal forests and clear frozen lakes in Northern Ontario with Minaki Yurt Adventures. Available year-round, they offer heated yurts with easy access to 20 kilometres of forested hiking trails.

Location: 1 Trailhead Road, Minaki

Games and attractions

CN Tower Edgewalk

Due to popular demand, EdgeWalk will open during March Break (March 9 to 17) and then officially for the full season as of April 6, 2024. EdgeWalk is the World’s Highest Outdoor Walk on a Building (Guinness World Record). 

Location: 290 Bremner Boulevard, Toronto

Escape Manor Junior

Rise to the challenge of an escape room adventure together. This interactive, group activity involves clues, puzzles and tasks to solve and “escape” within a set timeframe. There’s fun for the whole family at kid-friendly Escape Manor Junior, with four different themed stories that range from adventures with witches and wizards to space travel and finding the world’s tastiest taffy recipe.

Location: 900 Greenbank Road, Nepean

Casa Loma Escape Rooms

Make your way through the elaborate rooms and tunnels of Toronto’s famous gothic estate to solve puzzles and complete tasks as the clock counts down. Travel back to the days of bootlegging, search for the last dragon egg to save dragons from extinction, and more. Costumed actors are also on hand and may carry essential clues.

Location: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto

Museums and science centres

Science North and Dynamic Earth

Immersive exhibits and shows at Science North explore the mysteries of the universe. Just down the road, the programs at Dynamic Earth will teach you about mining in the area—and don’t miss the “Big Nickel,” the largest coin in the world.

Locations:

Science North 100 Ramsey Lake Road, Greater Sudbury

Dynamic Earth 122 Big Nickel Road, Greater Sudbury

Museum of Ontario Archaeology

Family members interested in history and archaeology will enjoy this fascinating museum in London, where artifacts bring to life the stories from our past.

Location: 1600 Attawandaron Road, London

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

The ROM in Toronto hosts creative and diverse exhibitions and family programs each year for March Break.

Location: 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto

HMCS Ojibwa Tours (Museum of Naval History)

Explore the museum submarine HMCS Ojibwa in Port Burwell. Take a tour with an expert guide to learn all about the ship’s role during the Cold War.

Location: 3 Pitt Street, Port Burwell

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre

Kids interested in aviation will love the Children’s Flight Centre at this museum in Sault Ste. Marie, where they can use flight simulators and experience 3D stories about fighting fires. 

If you’re looking for cultural activities in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma region, check out the Cultural Corridor Connection, a family pass that lets you save on admission to amazing local attractions, sites and events.

Location: 50 Pim Street, Sault Ste. Marie

National Air Force Museum of Canada

This museum near Trenton pays homage to Canada’s military aviation heritage.

Location: 220 RCAF Road, Astra

Indoor adventures

Joyride 150

BMX riders of all levels can hone a number of skills at Markham’s Joyride 150, Canada’s largest indoor bike park.

Location: 150 Bullock Drive #1, Markham

All-IN Skate Park

At All-IN Skate Park, BMXers, skateboarders and scooter riders are treated to over 3,000 square metres of skate park near Grand Bend.

Location: 36 Main Street, Zurich

The Rec Room

The Rec Room, with various locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), London and Barrie, offers a plethora of games and activities.

Locations: Toronto, Mississauga, London and Barrie

Clip ’n Climb

Test your agility and discover new heights at Clip ’n Climb in Windsor, and experience innovative climbing activities that require speed, balance and lots of stamina.

Location: 3400 Grand Marais Road East, Windsor

Arcades

Play popular games like Pac-Man or Space Invaders at arcades in Toronto, such as Levelup Virtual Reality Arcade and Zed*80 Arcade Bar. You’ll find both classic arcades and state-of-the-art technology games, as well as delicious snacks for kids and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for the adults.

Locations:

Levelup 124 Church Street, 3rd floor, Toronto

Zed*80 185 Danforth Avenue, Toronto

Last updated: June 21, 2024

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