captainsunshine Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hi All!! So my 10-year-old niece will be visiting me starting next week. This is her first time in Canada and I want to make the most of it.. I was just wondering if y'all have some ideas on fun activities/sightseeing that a 10-year-old would enjoy in the GTA.. I most definitely will be taking her to Niagara Falls. I'm trying to keep the cost to a minimum, so I'm looking for suggestions that won't cost me a lot of money.. I'm also thinking about taking her camping somewhere fun and kid-friendly, and was thinking of Sandbanks Provincial Park. Does anyone know about this park? Any other suggestions or info is appreciated! Thanks, all! You've all been a huge help to me already!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 If she's interested in that kind of thing, the Ontario Science Centre can be a lot of fun, though tickets are in the $10 - $20 per person range.Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basher Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 The Toronto Islands are a great place for a picnic, and you can walk around Centreville (they have a small zoo) for free. The ferry ride alone would probably be fun for a 10-year-old.Toronto Zoo is another fun place for a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Wish Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 -Go see a ship travel down the locks at the Welland Canal on the way to or from Niagara Falls.-Fort George, Niagara or York are very cool (George is my fav) again if you are heading to Niagara Falls along with Balls Falls Conservation area near Beamsville is an awesome free place-The beaches on Toronto Island Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainsunshine Posted July 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Awesome!!I'm printing out the ferry schedules and stuff for Toronto Islands right now!! It's now on the definite list!! I haven't even been there yet, so I'm excited!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 The St. Lawrence Market is free, and could be a lot of fun, too. (But it is kind of loud and chaotic; there's a lot going on, and it's a true commercial market, even seedy and grungy in places, so may not be appropriate for all.)Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basher Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 I am going to spend the next 5 minutes wondering how the St. Lawrence Market could be fun for a ten-year-old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 There are a bunch of tour busses around town as well. One looks like a helluva lot of fun that I see down here all the time is the HippoBus; http://www.torontohippotours.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 the beaches are pretty exciting for a 10 year old.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 the beaches are pretty exciting for a 10 year old..The Beaches Jazz Festival is also happening 'round about next week(end).Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 balls falls is so worth the stop. there are signs for it on the highway. i'm not sure what admission fees are like, or how much she's into history, but i liked going to see dundurn castle (in hamilton, really close to burlington) when i was a kid. it's set up like it was in the olden days, with actors playing the parts of the people that lived there and the servants and stuff.there's a HUGE jungle gym\childrens play park in gage park in hamilton that's free and always garunteed to be full of kids for that afternoon when you just can't captivate her attention anymore.you can always find the closest stretch of bruce trail and go for a nice hikedon't get sucked into the cheesey haunted houses and wax museums when you're in the falls. instead go to the butterfly conservatory, your 9 or $10 is much more wisely spent there.you can always go for a swim in pt dover (lake erie) and stop for an ice cream at hewitts dairy in hagersville on the way back. they make the ice cream right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-towns Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 everyone loves marineland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 around Webster's Falls is excellent day hike material (would pick a not crazy humid day for the best experience)... make sure you go down into the valley... many crazy beautiful spots along the river... Tew's Falls is about a half kilometer away and the two rivers from each falls meet up and turn into one big river... the valley is shaped like a big Y Waterfalls in Hamilton/Dundas Elora Gorge is a really nice campground, close by right just on the other side of Guelph... doesn't look like the rest of southern ontario, big cedar trees growing out of granite rock, pine needle forest floor... if you go bring little rafts, air mattresses or an inner tube to ride down the river... if you plan to go reserve ahead of time African Lion Safari - met a girl who worked with the elephants there and she insisted the animals are very well looked after The Metro Toronto Zoo - had a llama spit in my face there as a kid but still enjoyed it a lot Wild Water Works/Confederation Park in hamilton (well, in stoney creek really) would be a perfect place on a hot day... $8.90 admission after 4pm (regular $16.10). Open until 8pm until Aug 19, until 6pm through Labour Day. The Butterfly Conservatory near Niagara Falls is supposed to be pretty neat... my niece liked it (I'm overdue on checking it out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schwa. Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 agree with balls falls, very nice and chill and lots of fun rocks to climb on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 when I was 10, I enjoyed playing with Empire Strikes Back action figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Balls Falls is cool, there's usually some sort of activity going on near the trailhead geared at kids, tours of the grist mill etc... personally think Webster's Gorge blows it away when it comes to climbing and hiking in a nice natural setting though... find the hiking more exciting, better spots to stop and chill... top of Webster's falls is a perfect picnic spot as wellyou'll have to come down for some hikin/climbing one weekend Schwaby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 (edited) when I was 10, I enjoyed playing with Empire Strikes Back action figures. and now you're a computer geek (fair enough though, for me it was hot wheels cars I though were really imaginary people) Edited July 12, 2007 by Guest got carried away... took deep breath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimafleck: the living legend. Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 if you are in the niagara area, the butterfly conservatory is awsome. wear bright colors and they will land on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanada Kev Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 if you are in the niagara area, the butterfly conservatory is awsome. wear bright colors and they will land on you.Good tip! I'll try and remember that. I've been meaning to check that place out for years now. My mom went ages ago and said it was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 if you are in the niagara area' date=' the butterfly conservatory is awsome. wear bright colors and they will land on you.[/quote']Good tip! I'll try and remember that. I've been meaning to check that place out for years now. My mom went ages ago and said it was amazing.is a link to their website above in my first post (thanks for the bright clothing tip!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimafleck: the living legend. Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 acid is a must if you follow my tip. trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisley Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 duly noted=) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokonon Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 The ROM is cheap on Friday nights, five bucks I think. (unless you go with YATS, then it's free!) There are some great things for kids to check out, I highly recommend the bat cave. The AGO is free on Wednesday nights. The Toronto Public Library has a ton of free stuff for kids too. Some of it really looks like fun. You should take her canoeing too, it's such a quintessentially Canadian thing. There's a great rental place in Paris, near Brantford, or you could go rafting with Blue Heron rafting. The owner is comedian Roger Chandler, so it's always a fun time. Rafting is fun on its own, but throw in Roger and it's a boatload of monkeys! (lots of pun intended)If you want to go camping, my family used to always go to MacGregor Point near Port Elgin. They had lots of kids activities put on by the park staff and it's a beautiful spot that's not too far away.What about renting bikes and taking her on a tour of the Toronto waterfront or somewhere like that?Rainbow Cinemas is a good place to go for cheap movies. There's one somewhere along Front Street, if I remember correctly.That's all I got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainsunshine Posted July 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Wow, thanks y'all!!! These are some amazing suggestions, and I can't wait to show her what Canada has to offer! I'm so excited since I'll be experiencing most of this stuff for my first time as well! Yay!! Thanks everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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