Milton Archives – Active Parents

Name: Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show
Start: 2025-09-03T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-09-03T21:00:00-04:00
Location: Oakville Place Mall

It’s Cherry Picking Season! Here’s Where to Pick Cherries Nearby

Amber Rohal — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:05:00 +0000

Cherry picking is a fond memory I have of time well spent with my grandparents. My grandpa loved sharing a massive bowl of fresh pick your own cherries. He was the one who taught me to spit the seeds in the garden haha! Make some memories of your own this summer when you and the whole family go cherry picking near me in the Niagara, Hamilton and Halton regions. We really do grow the best cherries out this way!

More Fruit Picking Places For You

June is strawberry season in Ontario! Find local farms in Niagara, Hamilton and Halton here.

Fall is for apple picking and we know the best farms that offer pick-your-own apples in all varieties.

Fresh flowers are so romantic! Find PYO Lavender and fresh flowers to kick off your spring and summer decor and sunflowers for the fall.

Cherry Picking in Niagara Region

Cherry picking in Southern Ontario’s Niagara Region is a popular summer activity, offering families a chance to enjoy the outdoors and pick fresh, delicious cherries. Here are some key details and tips for a successful cherry picking trip:

When to Go Cherry Picking

Season: Cherry picking season in the Niagara Region typically runs from late June to early July. The exact timing can vary depending on the weather and growing conditions, so it’s always a good idea to check with local farms for the most accurate dates.

Types of Cherries

Sweet Cherries: These are the most common type found in the Niagara Region. They are usually available from late June to early July.
Sour (Tart) Cherries: These are typically available a bit later than sweet cherries, often in early to mid-July. Sour cherries are great for baking and preserves.

What to Bring

Containers: Many farms provide containers for picking, but it’s a good idea to bring your own sturdy containers or baskets, especially if you plan to pick a lot.
Sun Protection: The sun can be strong, so bring hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses to protect yourself.
Comfortable Clothing: Wear comfortable, lightweight clothing and closed-toe shoes suitable for walking and standing.
Water and Snacks: Bring plenty of water to stay hydrated and snacks to keep everyone energized.
Bug Spray: Depending on the time of day and location, bugs can be an issue, so it’s wise to have some bug spray on hand.
Cash: Some farms may not accept credit or debit cards, so bring cash just in case.

Tips for Cherry Picking

Check Farm Policies: Each farm may have different rules and hours of operation, so check their websites or call ahead.
Arrive Early: The best cherries are often picked early in the day, so try to arrive early to get the best selection.
Pick Carefully: Handle cherries gently to avoid bruising them. Twist the cherries off the stems to avoid damaging the trees.
Sample Before Picking: Some farms allow you to taste a cherry or two before you start picking. This helps ensure you’re happy with the flavor and quality.
Storage: Cherries are best picked fresh and eaten soon after, but if you need to store them, keep them in a cool place and wash them just before eating.

Recommended Farms in the Niagara Region

Cherry Avenue Farms: Known for their large, sweet cherries, and they offer a great family-friendly experience.
Parkway Orchards: Offers a variety of cherries and other fruits, and has a beautiful setting for a family outing.
20 Valley Harvest Farm: Offers a variety of cherries for picking along with other seasonal fruits and local products in their farm shop.

Before heading out, it’s always best to check the latest information on the farm’s website or give them a call to confirm the picking schedule and any special requirements or events they might have.

Enjoy your cherry picking adventure in the Niagara Region!

Where To Pick Cherries Near You

We’ve curated great local farms that offer pick-your-own cherries and included as many details as we could find on their websites and social pages. As with all farming, cherry picking is very reliant on ideal weather conditions. To avoid disappointment, give the farm a call before you head out to make sure their harvest is ready for you. We’ve included phone numbers and website for all of the farms.

Puddicombe Estate Farms

Pick Your Own (PYO) sweet cherries are a highlight of many families who visit Puddicombe Estate Farm. Experience how delicious local Ontario fruit can be, especially when you pick it yourself! They offer sweet cherries in July and tart cherries in July-August.

Address: 1468 Highway 8, Winona (Hamilton), Ontario

Phone: (905) 643-1015

Hildreth Farms

Hildreth Farms offers pick your own cherries at the very end of June and into July. They also have a farmer’s market stocked full of delicious, homemade goodies likes jams, pies and sauces.

Address: 5529 Greenlane, Beamsville, Ontario

Phone: (905) 563-4423

20 Valley Harvest Farms

At 20 Valley Harvest Farms, the sweet cherries on Canada Day weekend will be red (like the Canadian flag) and look beautiful! They will need more time on the tree to develop a deeper colour. Sour cherries will be ripe around early to mid-July. It’s a short season, so you don’t want to miss it! Sweet cherries can be on the trees from 1-3 weeks and sour cherries from 2-4 weeks depending on weather.

Address: 4235 Fifteenth Street, Jordan Station, Ontario

Phone: (905) 562-5272

Parkway Orchard Cherry Picking

Cherry picking at Parkway Orchard will be fully open from June 15th for Cherry picking. Please note that the farm might be closed due to weather or low inventory at any time during the day, so it is best to check the ‘pick-your-own’ section on the website or give them a call before you visit.

Address: 15000 Niagara River Pkwy, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Phone: (905) 262-5097

Mathias Farm

Mathias Farms is a third generation family run fruit farm in the heart of the Niagara Region offering pick-your-own cherries and other seasonal fruit, and a fruit stand. Predicted opening date for sweet cherries in spring 2025 is June 24th. Be sure to check their social media page for the most up-to-date crop information.

Address: 1909 Effingham Street, Ridgeville, Ontario

Phone: (905) 892-6166

Cherry Avenue Farm

A Spring 2025 update from Cherry Avenue Farm: “Our first crop of the year will be sweet cherries, and due to the cold weather this spring we expect a later start date this year. We do not know exactly when the cherries will be ripe enough to start picking, but we expect it will be some time late in the first week of July, or early in the second week. We will update our picking info in a few weeks… Please check back with us then!”

Address: 4303 Cherry Avenue, Vineland, Ontario

Phone: (905) 562-5481

Sun Valley Farms

Sun Valley Farms’ cherry trees are all easy to pick, grown on a full-dwarf root stock. The cherry season is known for being very short – only a couple of weeks from late June to mid July – and can often be reduced by weather conditions. Expected opening date for spring 2025 is July 1st.

Address: 1186 Highway 8, Winona (Hamilton), Ontario

Phone: (289) 698-3856

Bridgmans’ Farm

Visit Bridgman’s for sweet and tart cherries in July and come back for peaches, apples and more! They charge by the basket and will supply 7 litre, 4 litre and 3 litre baskets, which are included in the price. You can bring your own baskets of these sizes and receive a small credit. Payment is by cash or debit.

Address: 20 Bridgman Lane, Winona, Ontario

Phone: (905) 643-1506

Hot Off The Presses!

Catch up on what we’ve been covering! Here are our latest reads, hot off the presses just for you. Never miss an article when you subscribe to our weekly newsletter filled with kid-friendly fun and events.

The post It’s Cherry Picking Season! Here’s Where to Pick Cherries Nearby appeared first on Active Parents.

Waterfalls, Hiking and More: Hilton Falls Conservation Area

Amber Rohal — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 22:10:51 +0000

Hilton Falls is one of the 8 Halton Conservation Areas and possibly our favourite. It’s less crowded than the more popular areas, and its amenities make it worth a visit (or two) every season. No matter when you visit Hilton Falls in Milton, Ontario you’ll get to experience a beautiful hike, a waterfall exploration and even ruins from long ago.

short walk to the falls

My family explored the yellow trail. This Hilton Falls trail is open and is the direct route to the falls themselves. The hiking trail is scenic, clean, safe, stroller-friendly and takes about 45 minutes to get to the falls. There are a few trails that take you off the direct route which are not stroller friendly – parts are very rocky and a lot have cliffs and drop-offs.

There are three bike trails consisting of everything from beginner level to very rocky and steep terrain. We did see quite a few older kids riding their bikes on the yellow trail.

There is a washroom in the Visitor Centre at the entrance to the park, and we passed a “rest house” along the yellow trail which was clean and had a place to clean your hands.

Hilton Falls and The Mill Ruins

The waterfalls and Mill Ruins didn’t disappoint. Remember to bring your camera! They are located almost beside each other at the end of the hike. Hilton Falls Conservation Area and the falls are open year-round. You can also use these trails for mountain biking in the warm months and cross-country skiing when the snow comes.

There is a nice rest/eating area right before the falls with picnic tables. In the winter, this spot is home to a fire pit that you can warm up by, or roast your own marshmallows and hotdogs over!

You get to the falls via a staircase through the rocks. You are allowed to stand in the falls, which is refreshing on a hot summer day and a great photo op! When you visit in the winter months, you’ll be delighted if the waterfall freezes over. There is just something so magical about a frozen waterfall.

There are rocks that you can walk on that take you to a different part of the falls. We found it less busy here. If you or your kids like frogs or snakes, chances are you’ll see some here during the summer months. We did!

Hilton Falls, small but stunning

More About Hilton Falls Conservation Area

There is no playground at Hilton Falls Conservation Area, but my boys, who are 5 and 7, still had a great time. There are many places to stop along the way if someone needs a break or a drink. They have a few labelled rest areas, but some logs have been made into cute benches too.

Except for the falls, the hiking area is shaded by mature trees which is a nice reprieve from the summer sun. Fall colours make the canopy even more beautiful. When you visit Hilton Falls in the winter, the trails and snow-covered branches are definitely photo-worthy.

Features & Amenities:

Free parking (huge lot)
Picnic tables throughout
Renovated Visitor Centre with washrooms
“Rest House” (a fancy outhouse that my son said looked like a big pipe)

Take the stairs down to the base of the waterfall

Notes from Sandra:

Bring water – there are no water stations
Some garbage cans, but they were only noticed at the main entrance and the entrance to the falls
Keep pets leashed

Hilton Falls Conservation Area is located at 4985 Campbellville Road in Milton. It is a part of Conservation Halton and is currently open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week. If you have a Conservation Halton Parks membership, it’s free. If you don’t, it’s $12 + HST for adults, $9.75 + HST for seniors, $8.75 + HST for children and free for those under 5. Reservations are recommended though not required.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Waterfalls, Hiking and More: Hilton Falls Conservation Area appeared first on Active Parents.

9 Beautiful Beaches Families Love Near Burlington, Hamilton

Amber Rohal — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Updated for 2025

There are so many beautiful beaches in Hamilton and Burlington! Most are free or cost a small fee to visit for the day. You can’t go wrong with a trip to the beach near Hamilton or the surrounding area. They are close by, and each offers something a little different from the other.

We’ve gathered information on the best beaches near Burlington, Hamilton and Niagara to help you plan a beach day to remember.

Notice: Some beaches close when the water isn’t safe for swimming. Further down in this list, you’ll find links to water safety resources.

More Fun In The Water:

Stay cool at a Splash Pad. You can find them all here.
Take the family rafting on the Grand River.
Looking to cool down quickly? Try creek walking.

Burlington Beach

Address: 1100 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A7 | website

My favourite thing about Burlington Beach is its proximity to my home! This is one of the most popular beaches near me, and we spend a lot of time here every season. This spot is a popular destination, so expect crowds on hot days.

Burlington Beach has a sandy shore and shallow water. You can walk far into the lake and the water won’t go higher than 4 feet.

Plan for a full day at Burlington Beach because they have washrooms, outdoor showers, a snack bar and a playground, too. With its popularity, parking can be difficult. Arrive early to get a parking spot, and if possible visit on a weekday.

You can find the parking prices and restrictions here.

Burlington Beach photo c/o Inside Halton

Christie Lake Conservation Area

Address: 1000 Hwy 5, Dundas, ON L9H 5E2 | website

Christie Lake has a 360-metre-long sandy beach and is a great location to enjoy the sun! Build sandcastles, get some tanning done and relish the views of the conservation area. As far as local beaches go, this one is just a stone’s throw away!

Our readers rate this as one of the best beaches in Hamilton, especially for canoeing and paddle boarding. Extend your visit and play some disc golf.

No reservations are required. Watch their X (Twitter) page for real-time capacity updates. Hamilton Conservation will close access and parking when they reach capacity. Admission to the conservation area is required. Fees are: Per 1 vehicle and driver: $16.50, Per passenger over 5 years of age: $5.50, Walk/bike in: $5.50.

Kelso Beach

Address: 5234 Kelso Road, Milton, ON, L9E 0C6 | website

Did you know we had such a great beach so close to home? Kelso Beach has a lake for swimming, camping, picnics, canoe rentals, and stand-up paddle boarding. There is a lifeguard on duty.

Reservations are not required but are recommended. Kelso Beach is part of a 35-hectare lake. Lots of room to play with kids, put chairs on the beach, sunbathe, and play volleyball. After your swim, grab a snack at the beach concession stand.

While you’re here, you can also take a stroll along the boardwalk, try a boat rental, or go fishing.

Pricing: Adults $12.00 +HST, Seniors $9.75 +HST, Kids 5-14 $8.75 +HST, Kids under 5 are free. Reservations are suggested but are not required. You can save $1.50 per person by making a reservation and paying your gate fees online before you visit.

Halton Region performs regular checks of the water quality. It’s part of their Beach Monitoring Program. They check many beaches, including Kelso Beach. Click here to see the current water quality conditions at Kelso.

photo courtesy of Halton Conservation

Emerald Lake

Address: 7248 Gore Rd, Puslinch, ON N0B 2J0 | website

Emerald Lake is a local favourite and our readers thought it was one of the best beaches near Hamilton! It has everything you could want for a day at the beach – and then some! This RV resort and water park is a popular destination for families because of its numerous amenities.

At Emerald Lake, you can enjoy the 5-acre spring-fed lake and the 5-acre spring-fed quarry. The quarry has a water park including a trampoline, a rock climbing wall, obstacle course, catapult, and more. You’ll also have access to the 2′ deep kiddie pool, the 200′ water slide, their 3,400-square-foot rubber surfaced splash pad, beach volleyball courts and a basketball court. Additionally, there is a snack bar and life jacket rentals on site.

Families of all ages rank this as one of their favourite beaches near Hamilton.

Pricing:

Ages 3 & under are free
(Weekdays) $25 + HST (ages 4 – 64)
(Weekends) $30 + HST (ages 4 – 64)
(Seniors – Everyday) $15 + tax

Some notes from Emerald Lake’s website: No reservations necessary to visit the waterpark for the day. We do have lifeguards on duty, but it is your responsibility as parents to watch your children. Life jackets are mandatory for all persons using water toys and in water toys area as well as no one under the age of 12 is permitted to go to the water park without adult supervision.

photo courtesy of emeraldlake.ca

Lakeside Park Beach, Port Dalhousie

Address: 1 Lakeport Rd, St. Catharines, ON, L2N 5B3 | website

This has always been one of our favourite beaches near Burlington and Hamilton. The shallow Lake Ontario water is great for younger kids to play in. The sand was warm and perfect for castle building and beach volleyball. They also have a snack bar in case you forget drinks. The beach itself is free to access, but you do need to pay for parking in the lot.

But possibly the best feature is the working antique carousel at Lakeside Park Beach in Port Dalhousie. It’s over 100 years old and each ride is only 25 cents! This is a staple on the ActiveParents summer bucket list!

photo courtesy of trip advisor

Valens Conservation Area

Address: 1691 Regional 97 Rd, Cambridge, ON N1R 5S7 | website

Valens is another one of the Hamilton beaches that has glowing reviews from seasoned campers. Readers raved to us about the facilities and cleanliness. I love the swimming area at Valens. We go multiple times throughout the summer.

Spend the day, or camp overnight, rent a canoe and unwind with the family.

No reservations are required. If the beach reaches capacity, Hamilton Conservation will close the parking lot and beach access. Watch their X (Twitter) page for real-time capacity updates. Admission to the conservation area is required. Fees are: Per 1 vehicle and driver: $16.50, Per passenger over 5 years of age: $5.50, Walk/bike in: $5.50.

Valens Conservation Area photo courtesy of conservation hamilton

Bay Beach – also known as Crystal Beach

Address: 4155 Erie Road, Fort Erie, ON | website

The beautiful, clear waters are where Crystal Beach in Fort Erie got its name. The waters are ideal for canoeing and kayaking, some stand-up paddle-boarding, and swimming. Washrooms and change rooms are available for your convenience. Please leave your pets at home, they are not permitted on the beach.

Non-Residents can purchase a day pass to visit Crystal Beach. When you visit on a weekday, passes are $5 per person. When you visit on a holiday or Friday through Saturday, passes are $10 per person. Children 12 years and under are free.

Residents can purchase a full season pass for only $10 per person. You need to be a taxpayer, and it covers all household members. To help lower costs for families, children 12 years old and under can access the beach for free all season.

Bay Beach photo courtesy of Town of Fort Erie

Turkey Point

Address: 194 Turkey Point Rd, Turkey Point, N0E 1T0 | website

Not exactly one of the beaches near Burlington, but this one comes highly recommended so we added it. Turkey Point is an Ontario Provincial Park and it’s open May 2, 2025 to October 26, 2025. It is a 2km wide beach boasting beautiful sand and ideal conditions for busy families. Turkey Point doesn’t have lifeguards on duty.

Life jackets are available to rent, and both paid and free parking are available close to the beach.

photo courtesy of Ontario Parks

Long Point

Address: 350 Erie Blvd, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 | website

Long Point is another Provincial Park that we highly recommend. I think it’s one of the best beaches near Burlington. Lots of families raved about it and we finally made it there last summer.

The beach is massive and clean, and the Lake Erie water was great. The parking lot fills up quickly, and people come and go all day long. Street parking is also available in various locations. I took this photo below when we were there, and although it looks busy, there was a ton of space. We didn’t have anyone within 10 feet of us the whole time.

Long Point Provincial Park Beach

Know Before You Go…

Wondering if the water is clean and clear? We like to use a few resources to check before we jump into any body of water. Use one, or try a few and make sure they’re all on the same page.

Halton Region’s official water safety resource

Hamilton’s official water quality resource

Niagara’s official beach water testing results

If you’ve been to one of these beaches, share your review below and let other families know what to expect from their day trip. And please use the easy share buttons below to share this story with your friends!

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 9 Beautiful Beaches Families Love Near Burlington, Hamilton appeared first on Active Parents.

The Best Hiking Trails Near Hamilton and Halton For Families

Amber Rohal — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:52:57 +0000

I love how a few hours in the fresh air wears children out. These Halton and Hamilton hiking trails are the perfect inexpensive way to spend a morning. Soak up some vitamin D and enjoy the calmness that nature brings. Any excuse to get outdoors is a great excuse! Our family has always loved exploring hiking trails and these are our top recommendations for families.

The Best Hamilton Hiking Trails For Families

Eramosa Karst

Upper Mt Albion Rd, Stoney Creek | website | $10 per vehicle to park.

Part of the Hamilton Conservation group of areas, Eramosa Karst is one of the best hiking trails near me. I had never heard of it before, and attendance never seems to max out. Once I saw pictures of it I knew I had to plan a visit.

A “karst” is a landscape formed by dissolving rocks like limestone, creating things like sinkholes, caves, and underground rivers.

In addition to the karsts, the walking trails are ideal for any age and are stroller-friendly. There is a HUGE old tree that has split in three and provides great climbing. Be sure to take a few minutes to check out the natural spring and the views from the bench.

Eramosa Karst is our favourite walk because kids really move their bodies here!

Dundas Valley Conservation Area

650 Governors Road, Dundas | website | $10 per vehicle

Hamilton is home to some of the best hiking trails in Ontario. This trail is a favourite for our family because there is so much to see along the way. The trees offer a ton of shade. I’m certain the temperatures were at least 5 degrees cooler in their shady canopy.

The trail is smooth ground for the most part, and I saw some families easily pushing their strollers. Along the main loop, you’ll come across the replica of a Victorian railway station that serves as the area’s Trail Centre. It’s also home to washrooms.

Adjacent to it is a piece of the old Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway track, with a 1929 executive coach car and a 1931 baggage car. Both were donated by the Canadian Pacific Railway. We love catching equestrians riding horseback through the woods. If you have a dog, they are welcome as long as they stay on a leash.

Streams caught our attention as we made our way to the Hermitage Ruins. The magnificent stone mansion was built in 1855 by George Gordon Browne Leith, an immigrant from Scotland. The bricks used in its building originated from the Dundas Valley clay; limestone was quarried at the Credit River valley.

The Hermitage burned down in 1934. After that, Leith’s daughter built a much smaller house among the ruins and lived there until her death in 1942. The ruins have been reinforced using wooden braces to prevent further wear. Hopefully, they will be intact for years to come.

Trains are just one of the many sights to see while exploring Dundas Valley Conservation Area

Chedoke Radial Trail

120 Beddoe Dr, Hamilton, ON L8P 4Z4 | website | free admission, pay to park

Chedoke Radial Trail was another new trail for us. The trail itself is smooth ground and stroller-friendly. We went at about 11:00 am and the trail was a mix of shade and sun.

The enormous rock wall is awe-inspiring when you think of its size. The incline is roughly 200 meters and the views at the top are beautiful. There are those famous stairs, but zero chance I’m walking up 240+ steps if I don’t have to!

There were a few waterfalls that have a current/flow that fluctuates based on the current rain conditions. One waterfall, when rushing after a rainfall, pours down onto the 403!

Kids will enjoy climbing and balancing. Families of all ages were also enjoying the walk. We parked at the Chedoke Golf Course on a Sunday. The lot was busy with other families and golfers. I am pleased to report that their washrooms were open.

Chedoke offers lots of time for climbing and exploring under the canopy

The Best Halton Hiking Trails For Families

Hilton Falls Conservation Area

4985 Campbellville Rd, Burlington | website | $10 for adults, $7 for kids, $6 for seniors, kids under 5 free.

This Halton Conservation Area hiking trail is another hidden gem that was new to us. It’s a little more out of the city centre, so I expected it to be a bit less crowded, and it was.

Hilton Falls is a great spot for hiking with kids. The terrain is rocky and rooty which makes it challenging for them. Ideal for balancing and working those large muscles! Parents were manoeuvring their strollers, but some parts were a little challenging. If you have a dog, they are welcome as long as they stay on a leash.

The waterfalls and ruins are picture-worthy and the rock formations are impressive. Gather at the fire pit by the waterfall with your hotdogs or marshmallows to cook over the fire! Ideally, visit in the fall so you can see a rushing waterfall. Keep your eyes peeled for bugs, frogs, snakes and small fish.

Feeling adventurous? You can mountain bike the trails in the nice weather, or cross-country ski in the winter. I really do love these all-season Conservation Halton hiking trails in Ontario.

Hilton Falls is a great hike with multiple trails, a waterfall, ruins and even a campfire in the winter

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

1219 Burloak Drive, Oakville | website | $21 per vehicle

We love the various hiking trails near me at Bronte Creek. Trails start at the parking lot and, ranging in length from 1 km to almost 3 km, wind along the top of Bronte Creek (always be careful when hiking and biking!) to cover all of the grounds. Bronte has a great leash-free section of the park as well.

Stroll through the forest and along a stream, where, in fall, you can fish for trout and salmon, among other fish. Remind kids to look for frogs, small snakes and bugs and also the Bronte Creek cows are always grazing in the fields.

Follow the signs for the Gnome Trail and wander down a shaded path to the cutest community of painted gnome homes you ever did see. Bring a frisbee and play some disc golf. With a wheelchair and stroller-accessible trail, this is truly a family-friendly destination sure to please everyone.

Bronte Creek is home to multiple trails like this one.

Crawford Lake, Halton Conservation

3115 Conservation Road, Milton | website | $10 for adults, $7 for kids, $6 for seniors, kids under 5 free.

Crawford Lake is one of the most popular Conservation Halton hiking trails and for good reason! It is as full of great history as it is full of hiking trails. No matter what season you visit, you’re sure to love your experience.

Visit the reconstructed 15th-century Iroquoian village. The excavation between 1973 and 1987 uncovered 11 longhouses on the site and over 10 000 artifacts from the day-to-day lives of the Iroquoian people who once lived in the village. Three longhouses have been rebuilt to match archaeological findings.

Explore the village and learn about what daily life was like over 600 years ago through hands-on programs including simulated digs and fire-starting demonstrations. The Deer Clan Longhouse features exhibits that explore Indigenous art and culture.

After you’ve visited the Longhouse Village, walk the trail around Crawford Lake’s unique meromictic lake. With the boardwalk wrapping around the lake, Crawford Lake offers 5 great hikes for any season, ranging in length from 2 km to over 7 km. The boardwalk is stroller-friendly.

Learn about species at risk as you follow along with the Hide and Seek Trail and view the enormous wooden carvings. The Hide and Seek Trail is located along the blue Crawford Lake Trail as you head toward the lake.

The “Hide and Seek” trail at Crawford Lake is home to lots of hand-carved wooden sculptures like this one.

Cherry Hill Gate, Royal Botanical Gardens

680 Plains Rd W, Burlington | website | free admission, paid parking lot.

When I think of hiking trails near me, Cherry Hill Gate is what comes to mind immediately. It’s on the border-ish of Burlington and Hamilton and owned by Royal Botanical Gardens. The trail is relatively smooth and stroller-friendly. The entrance takes you down a steep-ish hill, so if it’s wet out, be warned that it could be slippery.

Once you’ve made it down, keep your eyes peeled for the huge upturned tree stump and a ton of chipmunks. As you walk the trail, be on the lookout for beavers, swans, turtles, snakes, spiders, and a variety of birds.

Much of the trail is a wooden boardwalk so very walkable. Shade is scarce along the boardwalk so go in the mornings or evenings to beat the heat. For years this was our favourite location for hiking with kids in Hamilton and Halton. It’s easy terrain and lots for them to see and do.

Cherry Hill Gate is a favourite spot for young families

Cootes Paradise Trails at RBG

You can access a variety of trails around the Cootes Paradise Marsh, and each has something fabulous to offer. We love the area near the Hamilton Aviary (Caleb’s Walk, Ravine Road Trail with its packed gravel trail. Download the Cootes Paradise trail map here and you can expand your walk as long as you’d like! Paid parking is available at various spots around Cootes Paradise.

Joe Sam’s Park

752 Centre Rd, Hamilton | free

One winter day we visited Joe Sam’s Park in Waterdown and we were impressed! We initially went for the excellent walking paths that take you through forests, over marshes and beside wetlands. The path was smooth and very stroller-friendly. The trail was wide, and ideal for wagons, smaller bikes and toddler exploring.

I cannot recommend this winter outing enough, especially to parents of young kids who need fresh air. There is also a playground right at the parking lot to entertain you before and/or after your walk. The loop is a nice size, it took us about 1.5 hours to complete, with lots of stopping for photos and exploring.

Tips for Successful Hiking with Kids

Bring water. I know it should be a given, but we have been known to forget, too!
Bring snacks, too. No one wants to get hangry.
If you’re going during spring and summer, bring bug repellent and sunscreen.
Make sure everyone has comfy shoes. Flip-flops need not apply.
If you want a little one to wander free, choose a location that isn’t a popular mountain biking location.
Choose a less popular spot and discover a hidden gem.

These are my favourite Halton and Hamilton hiking trails near me. I hope you visit one soon with your family. If you have a suggestion for more hiking trails, please tell me! We love sharing new Hamilton hiking trails and Halton hiking trails with our readers.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post The Best Hiking Trails Near Hamilton and Halton For Families appeared first on Active Parents.

Where To See Trains: 8 Places in Halton, Hamilton & Beyond

Amber Rohal — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:04:00 +0000

Wondering where to see trains nearby? If you’re a train enthusiast or simply love the charm of locomotives, you’re in luck! There are several fantastic places near you where you can witness the beauty of trains up close. Here’s a list of must-visit locations.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train (seasonal)

Various locations (visited 168 communities in 2022) across Canada and the USA

The CP Holiday Train started in 1999, travelling across Canada and the USA in November and December, making stops, hosting concerts, and collecting money and food for people in need. The website has a train tracker once the Holiday Train has started. Watch for local stops in November and December. While the Holiday Train does not offer rides, it does deliver holiday cheer! Enjoy the free concerts and be sure to bring donations for the food bank.

Freeman Station Rail Museum

1285 Fairview St, Burlington, ON L7S 1Y3 | website

(Currently closed) Wondering where to see trains in Burlington? The Station was built in 1906 by the Grand Trunk Railway and moved to its current location and restored by the Friends of Freeman Station volunteers. It is open for public events, class visits and private rentals. Visit the Station to learn about Burlington rail and telecommunications history. There’s a lovingly restored 1913 Canadian Pacific Boxcar and a 1929 Canadian National Caboose onsite. When you’re there be sure to check out the model electric train diorama. Accessible parking and washrooms.

Freeman Station in Burlington

Halton County Radial Railway

13629 Guelph Line, Milton, ON | website

Halton County Radial Railway (HCRR) has historical trains, streetcars and railway objects. There’s 2 km of track and operating streetcars. Take a ride and get off for an ice cream. The HCRR is owned and operated by the Ontario Electric Railway Historical Association. It is open weekends only in May, June, September and October from 10 am-5 pm, and Thursday through Monday in July and August from 10 am-4:30pm (weekdays) or 10 am-5 pm (weekends). The first ride is at 11 am. Pay per person, or purchase a family pass for 2 adults and 2 children for $80 for one time or $175 for an annual pass of unlimited visits. If you have a young train enthusiast in the family or you are looking for a unique birthday party idea, the Halton County Radial Railway also does birthday parties.

Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

900 Woodward Ave, Hamilton, Ontario L8H 7N2 | website

Known as the Steam Museum, the Museum offers Train Days by the Golden Horseshoe Live Steamers in the summer and into the fall. Train Days is a free event included with Museum entry that is by donation held on select days each summer. Ride on a miniature steam train for free around the grounds. Kids are gonna love it. Check the Active Parents calendar for upcoming Train Days events.

Dundas Valley Conservation Area

650 Governors Road, Dundas, ON, L9E 5E3 | website

At Dundas Valley Conservation Area, visitors can discover a unique attraction—a decommissioned train. This vintage train car, nestled amidst the natural beauty, serves as a fascinating reminder of the area’s history. It offers a glimpse into the past, allowing visitors to explore its exterior, peek through the windows and imagine the journeys it once embarked upon. The train car as well as a replica of a Victorian train station stands as a captivating feature, blending heritage with nature in this picturesque conservation area. Unfortunately, the interior of the train is no longer open to the public.

Visit this retired train car at Dundas Valley Conservation Area

Port Stanley Terminal Rail

Port Stanley Terminal Rail, 309 Bridge Street, Port Stanley, Ontario, N5L 1C5 | website

Welcome to Port Stanley, home to a tourist railway that’s been operating for 40 years. There’s a 1-hour train ride and a 6-hour train ride departing from the Port Stanley Terminal. The 1-hour Scenic Train Ride is a deal at $16.50 for adults and $10.50 for children aged 2 – 14 years. Free for infants 1 and under. Train rides are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm in May and June, and additionally on Wednesdays in July and August. Young kids will also enjoy the special event trains: Easter Bunny Trains, Teddy Bear Trains, Moms Day and Dads Day, Extended Parkside Trip, Music on the Rails, Murder Mystery, Pumpkin Patch and Santa Trains. The gift shop has train-themed merchandise, Melissa & Doug, Thomas the Tank Engine and other children’s books and toys. Train tickets may be purchased online or in the gift shop.

Waterloo Central Railway

50 Isabella Street, St. Jacobs, ON, N0B 2N0 | website

The Heritage Hopper is a fun family afternoon train excursion with hop-on and hop-off stops along the way from Waterloo to St. Jacobs. It makes stops at Northfield, St. Jacob’s Farmer’s Market, St. Jacobs village and Elmira. Ride on a restored steam train and shop for fresh local produce. There’s separate pricing for first class, coach, child, adult and senior. A family pass for 4 costs $74.99. Watch for themed trains for the holidays, specifically at Easter and Christmas.

Westfield Heritage Village

Westfield Heritage Village, 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton, Ontario L0R 1X0 | website

A trip to Westfield Heritage Village is a trip back in time and there’s the historic Jerseyville station and Locomotive 103 steam train to explore. The locomotive was built in 1910 by Montreal Locomotive Works. It’s been fully restored, is the largest artifact in the Village, and is used in programming, photo shoots and movies. On Sunday’s and Holidays, parking at the Westfield Conservation Area is $11 per car and admission is $5.50 per person aged 6 years and up. Monday through Saturday, there is a flat rate admission fee of $16.50 per carload.

This beauty is located at Westfield Heritage Village

Local GO Train and Via Rail Stations

You don’t have to travel far to find a GO train station or a Via rail station in our region. The stations are busy and exciting, no matter the time of day. You can watch from afar or get an up-close look from the platform. Trains go whizzing by all day long and passengers love to exchange waves.

Upcoming Events Train Fans Might Like

List
Month

July 2025

July 6 @ 11:00 am - 3:30 pm Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology 900 Woodward Ave, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

admission by donation

July 7 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Centre 777 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 8 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Fire Safety Storytime

Fire Safety Storytime

Oakville Public Library - various branches

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Parks Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

July 10 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm HCMS Haida Artillery Experience

HCMS Haida Artillery Experience

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

July 13 @ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Club Roma Classic Car Show

Club Roma 125 Vansickle Road, St Catharines, ON, Canada

July 14 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Centre 777 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 16 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am Fire Safety Storytime

Fire Safety Storytime

Oakville Public Library - various branches

July 16 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Parks Ontario, Canada

July 16 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

July 17 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm HMCS Haida Behind the Scenes Tour

HMCS Haida Behind the Scenes Tour

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

July 21 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Centre 777 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 22 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Trains, Tuk Tuks and Trams – Transit Around the World

Trains, Tuk Tuks and Trams – Transit Around the World

HPL - selected branches

July 23 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Parks Ontario, Canada

July 23 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

July 24 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Fire Safety Storytime

Fire Safety Storytime

Oakville Public Library - various branches

July 24 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Away we Go: Transportation Adventure!

Away we Go: Transportation Adventure!

Milton Public Library - Sherwood Branch 6355 Main St W, Milton, ON, Canada

July 26 - July 27

Women of War: HMCS Haida

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

July 26 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Kitchener Touch a Truck

Kitchener Memorial Auditorium 400 East Ave, Kitchener, ON, Canada

July 26 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Burlington Model Railway Open House

Burlington Model Railway Open House

Burlington Model Railway Club 1137 Hidden Valley Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 27 @ 11:00 am - 3:30 pm Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology 900 Woodward Ave, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

admission by donation

July 28 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

August 14 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm HCMS Haida Artillery Experience

HCMS Haida Artillery Experience

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

August 15 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Fire Safety Storytime

Fire Safety Storytime

Oakville Public Library - various branches

August 18 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Centre 777 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

August 20 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Parks Ontario, Canada

August 20 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

August 21 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Away we Go: Transportation Adventure!

Away we Go: Transportation Adventure!

Milton Public Library - Sherwood Branch 6355 Main St W, Milton, ON, Canada

August 21 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm HMCS Haida Behind the Scenes Tour

HMCS Haida Behind the Scenes Tour

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

August 23 - August 24

HMCS Haida Birthday Weekend

HMCS Haida Pier 9, 658 Catharine St N, Hamilton, ON, Canada

August 23 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Classic Cars & Carnival at Ireland House Museum

Ireland House Museum 2168 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

August 23 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Burlington Model Railway Open House

Burlington Model Railway Open House

Burlington Model Railway Club 1137 Hidden Valley Road, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

August 24 @ 11:00 am - 3:30 pm Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Train Days at the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology

Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology 900 Woodward Ave, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

admission by donation

August 25 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Cruisin’ Car Show

Burlington Centre 777 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

August 26 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am Fire Safety Storytime

Fire Safety Storytime

Oakville Public Library - various branches

August 27 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

September 2025

September 3 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville’s Cruze Nights Classic Car Show

Oakville Place Mall 240 Leighland Avenue, Burlington, ON

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Where To See Trains: 8 Places in Halton, Hamilton & Beyond appeared first on Active Parents.

50+ Fun Date Night Ideas You Need To Put On Your Calendar

Amber Rohal — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:00:34 +0000

Discover the best date night ideas in southern Ontario. Our curated list of day dates, free dates, outdoor dates and more grows all the time to provide couples with more inspiration to spend one-on-one time together.

Discover the best date night ideas for couples in Halton, Hamilton, Niagara and Waterloo

Parents need a break from family life to recharge and rekindle. It’s so important to take time away and rediscover who you are when you’re not changing diapers or driving to practice. We are sharing some fun date night ideas that are even closer to home. Whether you are looking for quiet or exciting, we’ve got you covered.

Jump To A Category

Music and Movies | Food & Wine | Spas | Live Theatre | Take a Class | Play Games | Be A Tourist | Enjoy Nature | Be Active | Watch Live Sports

Music and Movies

For Music Lovers

The Royal Botanical Gardens have special year-round events for ages 19+. Enjoy the beautiful gardens outdoors or indoors, stroll through a special exhibit or listen to live music while nibbling on delicious appetizers and sipping a glass of beer or wine. Purchase tickets online for After Dark events. Admission to the WinterTide T.U. Jazz Fest is only $15. If you missed out on WinterTide, don’t worry, the RBG also hosts a summer concert series.

Take your sweetheart for live music, drinks, and appetizers at Uptown Social. Duelling pianos entertain the crowd every Thursday from 7-10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 9 pm-12 am. Be sure to reserve your table in advance by calling (905) 331-4700.

For The Cinephiles

Treat yourself to a new release or a popular classic showing at The Westdale in Hamilton. This theatre has been an important part of Westdale since it opened in 1935. The Westdale Cinema also showcases art and independent films. Films selected for screening are thoughtfully curated, ensuring we show the best of independent films and documentaries, interweaved with cinematic classics and all-time favourites, giving special attention to showcasing diverse Canadian works.

See a movie and share a bucket of popcorn. We also love that these indie movie theatres offer you big savings on tickets and concessions! You may also enjoy blockbuster movies at Landmark Cinemas.

To save on tickets and watch international films, you could go to Film.ca in Oakville or Cinestarz in Burlington. Tickets at Film.ca are $10 for general admission and $6.50 on Tuesdays. Tickets at Cinestarz are only $9 for general admission, $7 for matinees and $5 on Tuesdays.

Summer Outdoor Movie Nights

Grab a lawn chair or a soft blanket and watch a movie under the stars. Movie schedules are announced in early June, so keep your eyes on our calendar and details.

Food and Wine

Date Night Ideas For Foodies

Tourism Burlington runs Taste of Burlington, a Prix-Fixe Program 2 times a year, in the winter and again in the fall. It’s the perfect occasion to have a lunch date or dinner date at a restaurant you haven’t been to before. Prix-Fixe meals include a starter, entrée and dessert. Lunch prices range from $15-$45 per person depending on the restaurant, and dinner from $40-$79 per person. Participating restaurants include casual to fine dining with menus that feature burgers, pizza or burritos to pasta, steak, and salads. Take the opportunity to have a date night at a participating Taste of Burlington restaurant of your choice.

Taste of Oakville also runs each winter. Taste of Oakville has Prix-Fixe lunch and dinner menus at 30+ restaurants, and some with live music. Even after Taste of Oakville has ended it’s still a great idea to check out their list of participating restaurants for date night ideas.

Go very casual and snare an order of the best french fries in town, according to the locals.

Date Night Ideas For the Wine, Beer & Cider Fans

If you are looking for a date night that includes a drive in the countryside, head towards wine country and treat yourself to a glass of home-grown wine from Niagara Wineries. Here are some top recommendations from our wine-loving crowd.

The Edison Room at the Block Co. serves up gourmet charcuterie, wine and local craft beer. Reserve a table with your someone special to hear Juno award-winning musicians play on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm.

Redstone Winery and Restaurant, in addition to delicious food and wine, also hosts outdoor concerts in the warm weather

13th Street Winery has fire pits, a sculpture garden, an art gallery and a bakery onsite. They also have the best butter tarts – you’re welcome.

If you prefer craft beer, we recommend these breweries.

Burlington’s own Nickel Brook Brewery has beer, cocktails, root beer and ginger beer. They have a tap room in Etobicoke too.

Newark Brewery has a great selection of food and Canadian-made beers with a European flair. Visit any day, or make a special trip for one of their trivia nights.

Collective Arts Brewery and Beergarden is open daily and is also pet paws-itive so feel free to bring your little furry friend on your date. Very photo-worthy.

Waterloo Brewing and Taphouse is calling you if you love good food and great beer. Waterloo Brewing is Ontario’s first and largest craft brewer.

And if cider is more your thing you’ll enjoy this local gem.

Explore the orchards and enjoy a glass or 2 of crisp cider at West Avenue Cider House. Watch their website for fun events.

Read More: Can’t get away soon? Take the kids and enjoy a dinner out where kids eat free

Spa Dates

Book a couples massage at a spa and relax and unwind together. Go for the day or stay over. We have the scoop on the best day spas near us.

Live Theatre

There’s always a full calendar of events at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Village Theatre Waterdown, and the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Take your date for comedy, dance, music, theatre and more. Support up-and-coming actors and actresses by taking your date to a Theatre Sheridan performance. These performances are outstanding, super convenient and good value for money with tickets starting at just $20, and $15 for students and seniors.

Local Performing Arts Venues

Burlington Performing Arts Centre – 440 Locust Street, Burlington
Theatre Sheridan – 1430 Trafalgar Road, Oakville
Oakville Center for the Performing Arts – 130 Navy Street, Oakville
Theatre Ancaster – 357 Wilson St E, Ancaster
Village Theatre Waterdown – 317 Dundas Street East, Waterdown
Theatre Aquarius – 190 King William St, Hamilton
First Ontario Performing Arts Centre – 250 St Paul St, St. Catharines
Shaw Festival Theatre – 10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Hamilton Family Theatre – 46 Grand Ave S, Cambridge, ON

Get Hands-On With a Class

Cooking Classes For Adults

As an alternative to eating out, register for a cooking class, prepare something delicious and enjoy your meals together. Learn a new recipe to entertain and feed your friends. Longo’s offers adult cooking classes starting at $40 per person.

Pottery Throwing Classes

For those more into fine arts than culinary arts, try a wheel workshop at Crackpot Studio in Oakville. Also in Oakville, Pottery N Paint Café offers pottery and painting workshops for couples, groups and individuals. The Pottery Wheel Try Me session is perfect for first-timers. Creative Insight Pottery & More in Waterdown offers Saturday Nights Pottery and Wine and Saturday Adult Paint and Sip Nights events regularly.

Enjoy a Sweet Retreat

Who can resist quality chocolate? Book a chocolate-tasting tour at Chocolate Tales in Hamilton. Their pair their house-made chocolate with beer, wine, and more! You can even learn to make truffles and macarons!

Date Night Ideas For Couples Who Like To Play Games

Board Game Cafes are the perfect first date or casual date for anyone who loves having fun while being slightly competitive. Hundreds, even thousands of board games await your visit. Many are licensed to serve alcohol and food and they are just begging to be visited. With a small per-person playing fee ($5-10) this is an inexpensive way to spend an evening out. Check out 10+ area board game cafes here.

Be a tourist

Consider a day date to see some local attractions. Chances are if you grew up in the same city you’re living in now, you’ve never done all of the local attractions.

Stay in Halton and Hamilton and visit a local art gallery or museum, the Joseph Brant Museum or the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. You can even make memories by booking a flight aboard one of their vintage aircraft!

Make your way to Niagara and take in the quaint town of Niagara-on-the-Lake complete with wineries, cute food emporiums and beautiful scenery.

For more small-town charm, be sure to visit St. Catharines and hop a ride on their Antique Carousel in the park.

You can squeeze a ton of fun into a single day in Stratford, Ontario.

More tourist destinations we enjoy:

Little Canada is a miniature collection of Canadian landmarks, located in Toronto’s bustling Younge Dundas Square and easily accessible by GO Train.

Bird Kingdom is home to exotic birds, both large and small, as well as a menagerie of other animals.

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is a tropical getaway and will have you feeling like you’re in an enchanted forest.

Date Nights For Nature Lovers

Take your special someone to wander the trails and smell the roses at the Royal Botanical Gardens. Their events calendar is always full, and the Rock Garden is a peaceful and romantic destination.

The University of Guelph Arboretum is home to thousands of native trees, plants and blooms. The packed gravel pathways are bike-friendly and perfect for strolling along.

Choose a low-impact trail to explore if the weather is cooperating. Our list includes paved and packed pathways that are perfect if you don’t want to break a sweat.

If you can get away overnight, we highly suggest you treat yourselves to a Glamping Getaway at Four Corners Algonquin. We did and it was one of our fave weekends to date. So simple and peaceful and luxurious!

Keep it casual and pick up some fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market and make a fab dinner at home.

Just as summer is winding down, we are treated to fields upon fields of blooming sunflowers. Snap a photo or two and even pick your own at certain fields.

Active Date Night Ideas

If sitting and sharing a quiet meal is not your preference, consider a more active outdoor date. We know some great low-impact places to hike so you can chat and wander without getting out of breath.

Mini golf is a staple date night idea because it’s casual enough to be fun and silly, but you can turn up the competition a little too. Play outdoors in the good weather or all year long at this indoor glow-in-the-dark course in Oakville.

Teach one of your favourite pastimes to your partner when you take them like hiking, fishing, footgolf, or an indoor bowling date.

Need a great idea for a winter day date? Hit the hills for some exhilarating snow tubing. We know the best local hills, and some even let you go tandem. Very romantic. How about an evening on the ice? These local outdoor ice skating rinks are perfect for just that.

Prove your trust(and trustworthiness) when you belay for each other at The Hub indoor climbing centre in Mississauga. You can’t miss the massive dragon!

Catch A Local Game Live

Where To Watch Local Sports

Our four seasons mean we have 365 days of sporting events to look forward to. Get your tickets and your popcorn, and cheer on these home town teams.

The Intercounty Baseball League has teams across the region. Baseball season opens in May and runs through the end of August. The league is made up of 9 teams from southern Ontario, with special mention to the Hamilton Cardinals, Kitchener Panthers, Guelph Royals, and Brantford Red Sox.

The Niagara River Lions are our local Canadian Elite Basketball League Team and let me tell you the games and talent are next level! The CEBL consists of 10 teams across Canada.

You can never go wrong when you catch a Hamilton Ticats football game at Tim Horton’s Field (aka Ivor Wynn Stadium iykyk).

Ride the GO train to Exhibition Place and cheer for TFC (Toronto Football Club) at BMO Field. Go Reds!

And who would we be without a plethora of hockey games to choose from? Hamilton Bulldogs, Niagara IceDogs, Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers all play close by, and go head-to-head in Ontario Hockey League (OHL) on-ice action.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 50+ Fun Date Night Ideas You Need To Put On Your Calendar appeared first on Active Parents.

Pick Your Own Strawberries Near Burlington, Oakville and Milton

Amber Rohal — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Make the most of the early days of summer by taking the family to pick your own strawberries in Halton! Strawberries are at their peak sweetness in the early days of summer vacation – June and July – and we know where you can find the best farms for strawberry picking near Burlington, Oakville and Milton!

Is There Strawberry Picking Near Me?

Yes! Our list of strawberry-picking farms provides you with all of the info we could find online. Harvests will vary, therefore we always suggest checking with the farm before you visit. No one wants that kind of disappointment! Prices, quantity and quality will vary from farm to farm, as will hours. As this info is released we will update our guide. Furthermore, Springridge Farm does NOT offer strawberry picking, but they do sell delicious ready-picked berries.

Pick Your Own Strawberry Season is Here!

Find other strawberry picking destinations all around Ontario!

Hamilton area pick-your-own strawberry farms
Niagara area pick-your-own-farms
Local farmers markets, when you want to skip right to the eating phase of strawberry season

The Best Local Farms for Pick Your Own Strawberries in Halton

Andrew’s Farm Market and Winery

Address: 9365 10 Side Road, Milton, ON L9T 2X9

Looking for strawberry picking in Milton? In spring and summer, you can pick strawberries, peonies, raspberries, blueberries, currants, dahlias, and gooseberries and Andrew’s Farms – formerly Andrew’s Scenic Acres – with 165 acres to explore. PYO strawberries start mid-June. Bring your own harvest basket or buy one at the farm.

Admission is $16.95 + HST per person 6-64 years old. Seniors over 65 years are $12.95, and kids under 5 are free. Save a few dollars when you purchase your tickets online in advance.

There’s no charge to visit the farm store or winery. Outside food is not permitted. BBQ lunch and ice cream are available on weekends.

Downey’s Apple and Strawberry Farm

Address: 13707 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon, ON

We included Downey’s as an option after we saw a few families say they made the drive because it’s worth it. Strawberry picking starts in June, keep watching here for updates. Raspberry picking is on the calendar as well! The approximate dates are mid-June for strawberries, early July for raspberries, and end of August for apples. There is an approximately 5 min walk to reach the strawberry field. Strollers and wagons are NOT permitted in the fields.

PYO pricing: 2 litre (max 2 people picking into the basket) $16, 4 litre (max 4 people picking into the basket) $32, 6 (max 6 people picking into the basket.) $48. There is a minimum PYO purchase of $8 per participant (all ages).

Uncle Scott’s Farm

Uncle Scott’s Farm is now closed permanently.

And Finally, More Pick Your Own Farms In The Area

Don’t stop there! If you’re looking to support more local farms and roadside produce stands, why not plan a day in Niagara to pick strawberries? Or choose one of these Hamilton PYO Strawberry farms to patronage.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Pick Your Own Strawberries Near Burlington, Oakville and Milton appeared first on Active Parents.

Rotary Park in Milton

Amber Rohal — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

A sweet hidden gem in the heart of Milton is Rotary Park. If you’ve never been, this summer is a great time to visit. It has something for everyone, even in the winter!

What To Expect At Rotary Park in Milton

The playground is located behind the tennis courts, which are open for public use from spring thru fall. Bring your rackets and tennis balls because an empty tennis court is a great place for kids to whack around a ball and tire themselves out chasing after it.

This playground has apparatuses for various ages and skill sets. The climbers feature some cool natural designs of rocks and logs to climb on and through. There are slides of different heights. The playground itself has both big kid and baby swings, as well as more swings in the shaded trees with some sand underneath. It also has this awesome swing great for the bigger kids to practice their balancing on!

Next, you have the splash pad and pool (It opens up on June 25!) The splash pad has several tables and benches around it as well as some shady trees for a blanket. The snail was a hit amongst my kids as their favourite water feature. Other than the pond of course!

Walk the Mill Pond Loop at Rotary Park

Mill Pond is a beautiful short-loop trail. Loops are the best with young kids as I find mine at least do not like the idea of backtracking. The trails are shaded by massive trees and water on either side of some of it. There is a dam at the back that has huge rocks the older kids can cross in the summer, and the water is shallow enough on one side to get your feet wet. We have spotted all sorts of wildlife and some people even go fishing. They host a fishing derby each year where they stock the pond.

Rotary Park Playground Features

climbers
slides
swings

Rotary Park Amenities

lap pool
beach pool with splash zone
tennis & pickleball courts
baseball diamond
shade trees
benches

More Fresh Air Fun You Will Love:

In Wintertime, Mill Pond is an ice rink. It is kept in great condition by staff but not supervised. A great place to play a local game of hockey or teach your kids how to skate.

The best part is downtown Milton is just a short walk away. There are so many great places to eat and get some amazing desserts. Rotary Park is definitely worth a visit!

Tips For Your Visit

Registration for swimming is not required but recommended to guarantee a spot
Bring bug spray for the pond walk
There are outhouses in the spring-fall
No water bottle refill station so bring lots to stay hydrated
The trail around the pong is not stroller or wheelchair friendly.

Rotary Park is located at 100 Garden Lane in Milton Ontario.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Rotary Park in Milton appeared first on Active Parents.

Watch Free Outdoor Movies This Summer

Amber Rohal — Fri, 30 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Back for 2025! Enjoy free outdoor movies near you this summer! Nothing tells you it’s summertime like the release of the movies in the park schedule!

You may be asking why I love an outdoor movie so much. I’ll tell you! I really think these are the ideal family activity for a summer evening. Very little preparation needs to go into the outing. We sometimes picked up McDonalds or a cheap pizza and ate it picnic-style on the grass before the movie started. Other times we get kid-approved charcuterie-style dinners. For some reason, kids will eat lots of anything when it’s served al fresco!

I don’t know about your kids, but mine loved going to the free outdoor movies in the park in their pajamas, and that made the transition to bed pretty easy. Another win!

My kids loved that this was an event filled with other kids. It was like their version of Coachella haha! Big performance, people everywhere and a very casual vibe. They’ll meet and make new friends and the fresh air will tire them out. Many of the free outdoor movies are help at big park spaces, so there’s usually a playground to enjoy and maybe even a splash pad! Maybe it’s better than Coachella?

Photo courtesy of depositphotos.com

What Should You Bring To Movies In The Park?

You don’t need much to make this casual outdoor activity with kids great. Here’s what we suggest bringing with you to the free outdoor movie night

Camping chair or picnic blanket to sit on
Drinks and snacks for everyone
Wear your fave jammies
Bring a small blanket just in case the temp drops once the sun goes down
Bug spray – just in case
Something to do before the movie starts – a frisbee, a ball, skipping rope, a scooter, an activity book, etc.

What Free Outdoor Movies Are Playing in 2025?

Here is the list of scheduled dates and locations for Outdoor Movie Nights in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Niagara. Keep your eyes on the forecast and if it looks questionable, confirm the movie is still playing before heading to the park.

List
Month

Various Burlington Parks Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 29 Movies by the Lake

Movies by the Lake

Spencer Smith Park 1400 Lakeshore Road , Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 31 @ 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm Movies Under the Stars

Movies Under the Stars

Various Burlington Parks Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Coronation Park - Grimsby 77 Main St W, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

September 2025

September 12 @ 8:30 pm - 11:00 pm Movie Night at Niagara Outlets

Movie Night at Niagara Outlets

Niagara Outlets 300 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada

September 13 @ 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm Park Crawl Hamilton

Park Crawl Hamilton

Gore Park 1 Hughson St S, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

September 14 @ 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm Park Crawl Hamilton

Park Crawl Hamilton

Gore Park 1 Hughson St S, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Watch Free Outdoor Movies This Summer appeared first on Active Parents.

100 Days of Fun: Summer Event Calendars For June, July and August

Amber Rohal — Fri, 30 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The best part about summer break is all that free time. But the overwhelming part of summer break is all that free time! Don’t stress, because here at Active Parents we are well versed in finding great things to do in your community and close by.

We’ve created these summer event calendar highlighting 3 months of great things happening near you through June, July and August. Our regions are firing up with summer festivals, outdoor movies, free community concerts, beach days and so much more. It’s an exciting time to be a local, don’t you agree?!

Our June, July and August summer event calendars are your cure for summer boredom and the key to making some serious memories with the kiddos this year.

What’s So Special About Our Summer Event Calendars?

Our summer event calendars can be used in a variety of ways to make your summer so much easier. Here is some inspiration:

Download the calendars from our drive and they will have a linked event or blog to give you complete details. Everything from the beach beaches to play visit, the coolest splash pads to chill out at and of course the best in free kid-friendly activities all summer long. Download our calendars to your phone, tablet or desktop and the links will be active and ready for you when you need them.

You can print our calendars, too! Post them on your fridge or keep them in your purse. Circle all of the most-do activities for your bucket list and cross them off as you go!

Keep us in the loop! Tag us on Instagram when you cross and activity off you summer event calendars!

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 100 Days of Fun: Summer Event Calendars For June, July and August appeared first on Active Parents.

Pick Your Own Flower Farms

Amber Rohal — Fri, 09 May 2025 15:17:00 +0000

Pretty colours and sweet scents await you at these Ontario pick-your-own flower farms. Gather your family together and head out to a local farm this spring. Take photos of your kids as you pick your own tulips or other beautiful flowers. Spend quality time together and return home with a lovely arrangement to add extra cheer to your home.

A farm visit, whether it be a pick your own flower farm or a pick-your-own fruits and veggies farm, is a delight for the whole family. You can’t beat the scents and fresh air, and kids are always surprised to know where their produce comes from. It also makes for an easygoing date night.

JP Niagara Tulip Experience Pick Your Own Tulip Farm

Surround yourself with a million flowers at this popular pick your own tulip farm in Niagara. It is so popular you need to book your visit or risk not being allowed in due to capacity. The JP fields are made up of 85 varieties of tulips to choose from. Each admission ticket includes 10 tulips, otherwise additional tulips are $1 per tulip, which can be paid on-site with checkout. Admission prices range from $12-18 per person.

Open daily from late April to late May, though weather and craps will determine the official dates.

1934 Centre Street, North Pelham

TASC Tulip Farm – Pick Your Own Tulips

Tasc Tulip Farm opened in 2021 and has been bringing us millions of tulips since. In 2023, they worked hard and planted 2 million tulip bulbs at their Fenwick farm and they are waiting to be picked. The best time to pick tulips is late April to mid-May, though weather is the determining factor to the harvest. Enjoy 15 acres and 108 varieties of pick-your-own tulips. Pre-book your visit online and choose 10 tulips for $10 or 20 for $20.

Photographers, you can book a shoot here, too!

1173 Line 3 Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

Windecker Woods Cut Your Own Flower Farm

The Windecker Woods Farm is open 7 days a week from dawn until dusk. Find the ‘Flower Pavilion’ and start from there. This farm offers a completely ‘Self Serve’ u pick flowers experience, so no need to find someone to get you started. They offer clippers and a basket to hold the flowers you’ve picked. They grow different blooms every month from peonies to zinnias to dahlias. Come in the fall for more fall blooms. The season runs from late May to early October, though weather is the determining factor to the harvest.

You can pay what you think is fair for the bouquet you’ve put together. They accept cash at the drop box or by sending an e-transfer.

215 Windecker Rd, Cayuga, Ontario

Andrews Scenic Acres

Andrews Scenic Acres Pick Your Own Farm is 165 acres of beautiful escarpment countryside. Enjoy walking trails, wagon rides, a playground for kids, an animal corral, the straw mountain climb and a corn maze. Plus, lots of great photo opportunities year-round. Their famous Dahlia & Sunflower fields bloom in August & September.

Hours: Open daily May – November

9365 10 Side Road, Milton, ON L9T 2X9

Where will we find you this weekend? Maybe at a local pick your own tulips farm or at a u pick flowers stop with the kids? Enjoy the fresh air and hospitality of these local farms, and more all summer long.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Pick Your Own Flower Farms appeared first on Active Parents.

5 Must-Do Activities at Halton County Radial Railway Museum

Amber Rohal — Wed, 07 May 2025 20:29:26 +0000

The Halton County Radial Railway Museum in Milton is open for the 2024 season and we couldn’t be happier! This is a volunteer-run train museum and a unique attraction to visit. You’ll love the history and hands-on exploration that happens.

Location and Admission

Hours of Operation:

Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. First ride is at 11:00 a.m.

May & June: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
July 1 to August 31: Five days a week (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
September 1 to October 27: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays

Admission Prices for 2024

Adult = $24.00
Senior (65+) = $22.00
Child (4-9) = $12.00
Youth (10-17) = $18.00
Under 4 = FREE
Family Pass (Max. 2 Adults and 2 Children) = $70.00

They also offer season passes for super fans. Once you’ve paid your admission to everything else is covered including unlimited streetcar rides!

Accessibility at Halton County Radial Railway Museum

The museum grounds are somewhat wheelchair and stroller friendly but you will be limited to what you can do. For young children, if you can use a carrier or a small folding stroller it will probably be easiest. Visiting with a wheelchair user? We suggest calling ahead to check accessibility based on your specific parameters.

Washrooms are located inside the main gift shop. There is a small snack bar here as well. The food offerings are limited to snacks and drinks but will most likely expand as the summer comes and crowds increase. You can bring in your own food and enjoy it at one of the many picnic tables throughout the grounds.

All Aboard! Let’s Visit Halton County Radial Railway

Once you enter the Halton County Radial Railway museum grounds you will see which streetcars are operating that day. The rides are every 20-30 minutes and when we were there 3 different cars were in use.

Each car went out one at a time throughout the day. We got on the 11 am ride and rode all 3 cars in a row, which took us about 1.5 hours.

It was incredible to be inside the different cars and feel how different each ride is. Shockingly, the older the car the smoother the ride! Throughout the rides, your conductor shares about the history and significance of the vehicles, the electric railway and the museum itself.

Ride the trains as much as your heart desires. Ask the conductors to punch your ticket for you.

Meadowvale Station

You are welcome to stay on the streetcar for the entire loop but if you want to get off there is a stop at Meadowvale station. This is a fabulous spot to have a picnic or explore the rock garden. Once you get off, another train will be by again in approximately 30 minutes. Just enough time to treat yourselves to an ice cream cone in the summertime.

Rockwood Station

The main museum is Rockwood Station and it’s located right at the entrance to the grounds. This is an excellent spot to explore the old station and learn about the history of the Radial Railway in Ontario. If you’re curious to learn more you are welcome to speak to the docent who is very knowledgeable about the history of the station and the trains that passed through the city.

Be Sure To Visit Car Barn #3

Car Barn #3 is where all of the restored vehicles are and it’s definitely worth a visit. There are lots of things that you can touch and explore and many of them are open so you can enter them and take a look. Take time to learn more about each vehicle when you read the information posts throughout with lots of educational facts.

Be sure to let your kids drive the bus and explore the subway maze. Shhh…it’s not really a maze just a bunch of connected subway cars but we really enjoyed it!

If you have a train enthusiast in the family or are just looking for a unique experience, I would definitely recommend a visit to the Halton County Radial Railway Museum. The entire museum is run by volunteers and they do an outstanding job. Everyone we talked to was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and had an infectious passion for trains and streetcars.

Halton County Radial Railway Museum is located at 13629 Guelph Line in Milton, Ontario.

Take a Tour of Halton County Radial Railway Museum

Sara and her son toured the Halton County Radial Railway Museum and have 5 must-dos for when you visit!

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 5 Must-Do Activities at Halton County Radial Railway Museum appeared first on Active Parents.

Kids Bowl Free This Summer! Here’s How To Score This Deal

Amber Rohal — Tue, 06 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Summer is almost here and we have a great idea for keeping kids moving and having fun! Kids Bowl Free is back for 2025, and we know the lanes who want to see YOU.

Select bowling alleys across Canada and the US offer free bowling for kids during the summer. Register on the website (linked below) to receive coupons for 2 games of bowling every day, all summer long. Read below about where and how to take advantage of the program in Halton and Niagara Regions, as well as Kitchener Waterloo.

Sadly, there are no alleys in Burlington or Oakville taking part in 2025.

Kids ages 2 years to 15 years old are invited to register for their free games of bowling. Each alley has different start and end dates, so make note of that.

Ads are how we pay our bills and keep our blog free for you to enjoy. We also use affiliate links; if you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

How Does “Kids Bowl Free” Work?

Summer Entertainment doesn’t have to break the bank! For over 15 years now, bowling centers around the globe have provided 2 FREE Games of bowling each day to kids during the Spring and Summer. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer. So, are you wondering how do you get in on the fun? Here’s how:

Step 1: Scroll down and find your local bowling centre.

Step 2: Register your kids. Eligible kids will receive 2 free games each day during the dates provided by the bowling alley. Participating bowling centers set their age limits, see the center registration page for more details.

Step 3: Go Bowling All Spring & Summer!

Once you register your kids, you’ll receive coupons every week for free bowling at your chosen bowling centre. You simply show them to the alley when you arrive and kids will enjoy 2 free bowling games that day. Shoe rental is not included, it’s an extra cost.

What About The Adults? Can They Also Bowl Free?

Kids Bowl Free loves grown-ups, too! That’s why they created the Family Pass. Family Passes for other family members and adults to bowl are available at an additional cost AFTER you register for kids bowling free. They provide 2 games of bowling daily per person and can only be purchased through the KBF program, not at the bowling alley. You pay just a single payment and you can get 2 Games free all summer long for up to 4 adults during your centres KBF hours.

Where Do Kids Bowl Free Near Me?

University Lanes Bowling

May 20 to August 22, 2025 | 101 Osler Dr. – Unit 114, Dundas, ON

Echo Bowl

June 1 – to September 1, 2025 | 760 Colborne Street E., Brantford, ON, N3S 3S1

Kingpin Bowlounge

April 15 – September 1, 2025 | 425 Bingemans Centre Dr. in Kitchener, ON

Kingpin Cambridge

April 15 to September 1, 2025 | 355 Hespeler Rd. Cambridge, ON

ibowl.ca Family Fun Center

June 29 – August 31, 2025 | 10 Park Hill Rd. E. Cambridge, ON

University Lanes

May 20 – August 22, 2025 | 101 Osler Dr., Dundas

Lucky Stryx

Kids Bowl Free from May 1 to August 31, 2025 | 7 Klauck Street, Fort Erie, ON

Champs Family Entertainment Centre

July 7 – September 4, 2025 | 300 Bronte St. South in Milton

Fairview Bowling Lanes

May 20 to August 31, 2025 | 285 Geneva St., St. Catharines, ON

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Kids Bowl Free This Summer! Here’s How To Score This Deal appeared first on Active Parents.

Disc Golf Courses Near You

Amber Rohal — Sat, 03 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Get outside and get active with friends while playing at one of these area disc golf courses.

What Is Disc Golf?

Disc golf is a sport that involves throwing a flying disc or Frisbee into a basket or target, similar to traditional golf where players hit a ball into a hole. The objective is to complete a course with the fewest number of throws possible. The course is typically laid out over a large outdoor area, often in a park or wooded area, and can consist of 9 or 18 holes, each with a designated starting point and target.

Players must navigate various obstacles, such as trees or other natural terrain, in order to successfully complete each hole. Disc golf is a popular recreational activity and there are many courses near us. It’s family-friendly, gets you in the fresh air and makes for a great date night idea.

Disc Golf Courses Near You

No matter where you live, the chances are good that you have a course near you. Several of the courses below are open year-round and free to use. Occasionally you need to pay for admission to the Provincial Park or Conservation Area.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

Address: 1219 Burloak Drive, Oakville, Ontario, L6M 4J7

Entry to Bronte Creek Provincial Park is required, by way of a day pass, season’s pass or annual pass. A daily vehicle permit is $21. The 18-hole course is located beside Parking Lot F. Rental equipment is not provided. The Friends of the Park website lists club and league playing times.

Sherwood Community Center

Address: 6355 Main St W, Milton, ON L9T 2Y1, Canada

There’s plenty of parking at the Sherwood Community Center in Milton. Amenities include an arena, pool, cricket park and disc golf course. The disc golf course is in the park behind the Community Center. The course was built in 2020 and is suitable for beginners and for practice.

Christie Lake Conservation Area

Address: 1000 Highway 5 West, Dundas, ON, L9E 5E2

Entry to Christie Lake Conservation Area, without an HCA pass, is $16 per vehicle and driver. Passengers 5 and over are an additional $5 each. It is $5 to walk or bike into the park. Christie Lake has an 18-hole championship disc golf that is open year- round. Download a scorecard and fact sheet provided on the website.

Buncrana

Address: Buncrana Golf Course, 1079 Hwy 8, Dundas, ON L9H 5E1

Buncrana has it all, disc golf, footgolf and golf. Fees are $10 for adults and $5 for juniors (under 12). Children under 6 play for free. A day pass is $20. Want your own discs? They also sell disc starter packs of 3 discs for $32.

King’s Forest Golf Course (*seasonal)

Address: 100 Greenhill Ave, Hamilton, ON L8K 6M4

King’s Forest is an 18-hole Championship Golf Course with a seasonal disc golf course. Disc golf fees are $6 +HST for 18 holes and $10 + HST for a full day. A fall/winter season membership is $100 + HST. Equipment lending and sales are available onsite. The course will re-open in November 2023.

Firemen’s Park Disc Golf Course

Address: 2275 Dorchester Rd, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6S4

The Niagara Falls Disc Golf Club, Ontario Disc Sports Association, City of Niagara Falls and the Stamford Centre Volunteer Firefighter’s Association opened an 18-hole course in the lower level of Firemen’s Park. This is a mixed-use, free-to-use park with parking. There are no restrooms or drinking water available.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Center

Address: 14 Anderson Lane, Niagara-on-the-Lake

NOTL opened its first course in 2022. The 9-hole course weaves through the trees outside of the NOTL Community Center. It is free to use, and discs are available to borrow or buy at the Community Center. Course hours are 7 am-10 pm. Washrooms and a first-aid kit are available in the Community Center.

Columbia Lake University of Waterloo Disc Golf Course

Address: the University of Waterloo Environmental Reserve, parking across the street at 275 Frank Tompa Dr., Waterloo, ON

Columbia Lake is a small 9-hole University of Waterloo course. Limited access is available to non-University of Waterloo students who purchase a Day Pass for $2.65 or a Season Pass for $50. Limited parking spots are available. The course is not maintained in the winter months.

Soper Park

Address: 120 Shade St., Cambridge

Soper Park in Cambridge is home to a 9-hole course. The park hours are 7 am-11 pm. It is a mixed-use park and washrooms are available.

Learn More About Disc Golf

Learn more about the game by reading up on it. The Professional Disc Golf Association has A Complete Beginner’s Guide. Many public libraries lend sports equipment, including for disc golf – check out our Beyond Books: Public Library posts. The Burlington Public Library, for example, lends Backyard Disc Golf Sets through its lending library.

Once you get a feel for it, if you like disc golf, you might even decide to join a Disc Golf Club. You’ll find more courses and disc golf course reviews on UDisc – it’s also an app for disc golfers.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Disc Golf Courses Near You appeared first on Active Parents.

Milton Community Sports Park Has The Biggest Climber We’ve Ever Seen

Amber Rohal — Fri, 02 May 2025 14:33:41 +0000

Add a day at Milton Community Sports Park to your summer calendar if you’re looking for a park that has a playground, zipline, basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, skate park and more!

where is Milton community sports park?

Located at Derry Road and Hwy 25, this mega sports complex is easily accessible by car if you’re not local. There is ample free parking. Pop the address 805 Santa Maria Blvd. into your GPS and have a great visit!

what can you do at this Milton park?

In a word. Everything. Outdoors – which is where we were – is equipped with the following areas:

Basketball “courts” – the 4 courts are not big enough for a regulation game but great for free throws, or 3 on 3.

A skatepark with a separate bowl – kids of all ages were able to make use of the various-sized ramps, grinds and drop-ins. The bowl was completely separate from the main skate park, and the kids liked that so they could practice drop-ins without the congestion. This was a large and very popular park. Park your patience.

Beach volleyball courts – we saw kids taking part in a city program on the 6 beach volleyball courts. The courts and nets were in great shape.

A well laid out playground – the playground was spread out very well, so there wasn’t any congestion even those there were lots of kids. The playground has a zipline that was very popular with kids of all ages. 4 big swings and 2 baby swings, a smaller climber perfect for toddlers, and a long climber (see photo) for the more adventurous and skilled kids.

huge climber for the win!

The massive climber that we teased you with in our Instagram stories was the main attraction for my kids. It was over 2 stories tall and somehow was accessible for little kids and a challenge for my tween and teen! I saw some parents make it to the top as I clutched my pearls and kept my 2 feet on the ground.

indoor activities at the community centre

We didn’t venture indoors because nothing is accessible right now, but during regular times you can find numerous ways to stay active and have fun at the Milton Community Sports Park community centre. Swimming, sports gyms, fitness, children’s and adult programming and more will return gradually as the province reopens.

Milton Community Sports Park Amenities

playground
spray pad
accessible swing
skate park
BMX course
soccer fields
baseball diamonds

tips for your next visit to Milton community park

Bring your wheels because there are bike paths and a skate park to roll around. The paths that wind throughout the playground area are all paved, and very stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. And wear comfortable shoes so you can make good use of the walking paths too!

Sunscreen and hats. The trees aren’t yet giving off much shade, and covered seating is limited. There are lots of picnic tables though, so pack a picnic and lots of water.

Bring your balls! Lots of wide-open grass space for soccer, catch, and kite flying.

More Playgrounds You will love

Did you know you can sort our playground and park reviews based on what you need? Hate woodchips? Choose places with rubberized play surfaces. Need a covered or shady spot to set up base for the day? We can help you find that. Everything from great parking to access to washrooms, we know it and we tell you. Click here to find your perfect park.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Milton Community Sports Park Has The Biggest Climber We’ve Ever Seen appeared first on Active Parents.

Free Things To Do With Kids This Month!

Amber Rohal — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Hello freebies! This month brings us a sandbox full of free things to do with kids, too. Whether you’re looking for educational outings or fun adventures, there’s something for every family and all offer FREE admission. This list highlights free things to do in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Niagara and more!

As parents, we understand the joy of spending quality time with our little ones without breaking the bank. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of fantastic and FREE fun to enjoy with your kids. From outdoor escapades to creative indoor activities, we’ve scoured every corner to compile the ultimate collection of fun-filled experiences.

We think this list of family-friendly events that are free of charge will knock your socks off. We don’t often appreciate how many great activities for kids (and parents!) our area has, but there are lots!

Get ready to create family fun and let your imaginations run wild, all while keeping your wallet happy. So, let’s dive right in and discover free things to do with kids that guarantee family bonding!

We have combed our events calendar to bring you all the best FREE kids’ events near you. Use this calendar to find free things to do today or free things to do this weekend!

Free Things To Do With Kids Today, This Weekend and This Month

If you have children to keep busy, you may wonder, “What free activities are available nearby?” We have the answer! Here is a list of all the free events happening this month.

List
Month

BPL various branches

July 8 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Community Play Night – Free Swims in Oakville

Community Play Night – Free Swims in Oakville

Various Oakville pools

Free

July 9 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Safari Adventure with Hands on Exotics @ Sherwood In-

Milton Public Library - Sherwood Branch 6355 Main St W, Milton, ON, Canada

July 9 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Coyote Etiquette and Petiquette

Coyote Etiquette and Petiquette

BPL - Central Branch 2331 New St., Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Access Storage Free Swim at Angela Coughlan Pool

Access Storage Free Swim at Angela Coughlan Pool

Angela Coughlan Pool 2425 Upper Middle Rd, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Big Blue Blocks at HPL

HPL - Central Branch 55 York Boulevard, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Build with Blue Blocks

Build with Blue Blocks

HPL - Central Branch 55 York Boulevard, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Indigenous Storytelling: Star Stories

HPL - Valley Park Branch 1050 Paramount Dr., Unit 12, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Fire’s Summer Splash

Oakville Parks Ontario, Canada

July 9 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Stuffies Night at the Library

Stuffies Night at the Library

BPL various branches

July 10 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Mobile Zoo Visit

Mobile Zoo Visit

HPL - selected branches

July 10 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Tell Tales

Tell Tales

HPL - selected branches

July 10 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Stuffies Night at the Library

Stuffies Night at the Library

BPL various branches

July 10 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Grimsby Music in the Park

Grimsby Music in the Park

Coronation Park - Grimsby 77 Main St W, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada

July 10 @ 9:00 pm - 11:00 pm Movies Under the Stars

Movies Under the Stars

Various Burlington Parks Burlington, Ontario, Canada

July 11 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Birding for Kids

Milton Public Library - Sherwood Branch 6355 Main St W, Milton, ON, Canada

July 15 Movies by the Lake

Movies by the Lake

Spencer Smith Park 1400 Lakeshore Road , Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Free Things To Do With Kids This Month! appeared first on Active Parents.

Springridge Farm 2025: Top Tips For Visiting From A Local

Amber Rohal — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Just announced! Springridge Farm will open on April 17 for their 2025 season. This is an absolute must-do for families with young children. The farm is home to animals, activities and an all-seasons shop full of delicious goodies. Here’s what to expect when you visit Springridge Farm this year.

Read More: Looking for more farm fun? Look right here for animal adventures and fun in the fresh air.

Welcome To Springridge Farm in Milton

Be sure to scroll through our Springridge Farm Photos to see what to expect. When you want something great to do outdoors, this is it! Getting to Springridge is easy peasy, and they have a ton of free parking. Their lot is gravel, and there is a paved walkway getting you to the farm store and bakery. The grounds of the farmyard are a mix of dirt and wood chips. It may be difficult for some strollers, so keep that in mind.

The Fun Farm Yard is Open!

Springridge Farm’s “Fun Farm Yard” is a long-time family favourite place to visit. This is a great place for multi-generations to visit together. The grandparents have as much fun as the kids do!

The farm is not asking for visits to be pre-booked, you can pay for your visit on a first-come, first-serve basis. Admission for everyone over 2 years old is $14 on holidays and weekends and $10 a person on weekdays. This gets you full access to the farm, which includes:

spider web climber
tube slides
giant sandbox
straw play
goat mountain
escarpment lookout
farm animals
antique tractors
singing chicken show
pedal tractors & farm hoppers
tractor-drawn wagon ride
big red Adirondack chairs for parents to sit and relax while children are enjoying the fun farm
NEW singing tractor
NEW crank steam tractor

Don’t forget a camera because there are a ton of photo ops with cutouts, animal statues and of course the big red Muskoka chair.

Are There Animals At Springridge Farm?

Oh yeah, there are! Springridge is home to goats, rabbits and chickens. The goats have a very cool enclosure with a spiral staircase and their own red barn. The rabbits are sooooo soft and those silly chicks are hilarious to watch and feed. Bring your animal lover to visit.

Bring a few quarters so you can buy some feed for the animals.

Reader question: Are pets/dogs allowed at Springridge Farm? Service dogs are welcome, but all other pets should stay home for this trip.

The goats have a pretty swanky pen at Springridge Farm

what else is there to do?

In addition to the animals at the farms, Springridge is home to some great kid-friendly activities. At the top of Victoria’s must-do list was riding the pedal tractors. Located in a big open-air barn with a paved floor, kids can hop on and off brightly coloured tractors and peddle around at high speeds (well, as fast as they can pump their legs!).

Also, hop on the Farm Hoppers – those inflatable animals that kids sit on and bounce around on. Then wander over to the giant pipe slides and little to the vibrating giggles and kids of all ages make their way down over the corrugated ride. Make time in your visit to watch the singing chicken show, too. Lots of laughs!

Wagon Rides and Escarpment Lookout

A visit to the farm wouldn’t be complete without a ride in their big, red wagon. Rides are included in your admission and run hourly starting at 10:30 am until 4:30 pm on weekdays, and on weekends the tractor runs continuously from 10 am till 4 pm. The ride is non-stop and takes about 15 minutes. You’ll get a tour of the farm and some beautiful views of the escarpment.

Speaking of the views. make to make the trek up to the Escarpment Lookout. It’s a workout, but you won’t regret it! On a clear day, you can see the CN Tower!

tips for visiting Springridge farm

Remember your camera – so many cute photo opportunities
Bring some quarters so you can get some animal feed for the goats, rabbits and chickens
Food is available to purchase on-site, so don’t bring your own to the farm. Snack in the car if you need to
Pack your hand sanitiser as there is a lot to touch
Lots of tables and seating
Plan to be here for a few hours, and for kids to have a blast!

Is Springridge Farm Open Today?

Springridge Farm will open on April 17 for the season. The farm is open from early spring through to Christmas Eve. Springridge Farm hours are 9 am to 5 pm daily, and they are located 7256 Bell School Line in Milton, Ontario.

Take a Video Tour of Springridge!

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Springridge Farm 2025: Top Tips For Visiting From A Local appeared first on Active Parents.

Where Do Kids Eat Free in Burlington, Oakville and Milton?

Amber Rohal — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:08:00 +0000

“Where do kids eat free?” is one of the most frequently asked here at Active Parents, so we keep our list of places where kids can eat free updated! Turns out there are quite a few restaurants in the area that cater to the kiddies while taking it easy on the parent’s pocketbook.

This list is up to date as of March 2025, but as always, you might want to call the restaurant to confirm that they’re still offering a Kids Deal on your preferred night. And if you know of any restaurants that offer free kids meals (or kids specials) please let us know!

Also, check out our Kids Eat Free Guide for Hamilton and our Kids Eat Free Guide for Niagara Region.

Mondays

The Firehall in Oakville gives up to 2 little chiefs a free kids meal when an adult entree is purchased after 4 pm.

At Boston Pizza Burlington North at 4523 Dundas Street, kids receive a free kids meal every Monday with a minimum $16 purchase.

Tuesdays Kids Eat Free

Visit Denny’s on Tuesdays after 4 pm and kids (10 yrs and under) dine free when you eat in and a regular-priced adult entree is purchased.

Dine in at Burlington’s Skyway Diner and kids eat free with an adult entree purchase.

At East Side Marios, kids 10 and under eat for $2* every Tuesday. To qualify, you need to purchase any adult entrée for $19.99 or more. You can also sign up for their Mini Marios club and get 5 free kids meals.

Wednesdays

Boston Pizza Burlington South at 3120 South Service Road has Kids Eat Free every Wednesday with the purchase of an adult meal.

At Boston Pizza Waterdown, for a $5 donation you can get 5 Free Kids Meals with their Kids Card until June 2025. This location also has Kids Eat Free all September long, dine-in only with a minimum purchase. Kids can also get a Free Kids Meal with the purchase of an adult meal during the month of July when they bring in their report card (conditions may apply, check with the restaurant ahead of your visit).

At some Swiss Chalet locations kids eat free on Wednesdays with the purchase of an adult meal when you dine-in.

IKEA Family members get one free kid’s meal for every adult meal purchased in the IKEA Restaurant on Wednesdays. Valid until August 31, 2025. It is free to join IKEA Family.

Every Wednesday at Big Bam Burger Oakville, Kids eat free with the purchase of a regular priced adult entree. Valid for kids 10 year and under, for dine-in or take-out only.

Saturdays

At Joe Dogs Gas Bar kids eat free from 5pm-9pm on Saturdays with every $20 spent.

There are fewer promotions happening on Saturdays. Please let us know if you discover any and we’ll be sure to post it here.

Sunday Deals

Burlington’s Squire’s Pub has kids dine free on Sundays when an adult entree is purchased.

Burlington’s Slye Fox has kids under 10 eating a kids’ meal for free when their adult purchases an entree.

Burlington’s QB’s offers half-price kid’s meals on Sundays with the purchase of an adult entree and drink, plus each child receives a game card for a free play.

Symposium Cafe has a Sunday kids eat free meal for children 12 and under from 2pm to close with the purchase of $15.99 or more.

STACK BBQ in Oakville treats kids 10 and under to a free Short STACK meal with the purchase of an adult entree and beverage.

The Furnace Room in Milton has kids eating free with a $10 purchase from their accompanying adult.

Every Day Deals

East Side Mario’s has a kids club called Mini Marios where, when you sign up online, kids will receive 5 free kids meals and 5 “chillers” (which are slushy drinks).

Montana’s now offers a Kids Club promotion where kids can sign up and get a free kid’s meal on their birthday and a free Kids Cooler upon sign-up. Click here for the details.

Goodfellas Pizzaria invites kids to a free kids dinner offer and beverage every day with a minimum table purchase of $80. Locations in Milton, Oakville, Georgetown and Mississauga.

At Mandarin Burlington, kids 4 and under eat free from the buffet, and kids 5-12 years old are half-price for the buffet.

Kids 11 years and under eat free with an accompanying adult at CYCENE Social Club located in the Holiday Inn Burlington Conference Centre.

Turtle Jack’s Loyalty Club (TLC) members can receive an exclusive offer of buy 3 kids meals, get the 4th meal free, using the TLC app.

Did We Miss a Kids Eat Free Deal?

If you know of a deal not on our list OR visit a restaurant and find out our information is no longer accurate, please contact us. Your feedback helps us keep our list up to date!

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Where Do Kids Eat Free in Burlington, Oakville and Milton? appeared first on Active Parents.

Sensory-Friendly Events And Special Needs Activities

Amber Rohal — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:14:45 +0000

Welcome to our calendar of local sensory-friendly events, activities, movies and shopping hours. This is a list of sensory-friendly events taking place near Halton, Hamilton, Niagara and the Waterloo Region. Whether you are a person with sensory sensitivities, or a caregiver looking for inclusive activities for your loved ones, we hope this list will be helpful in finding events that suit your needs.

Our calendar lists sensory-friendly movies and shows, events and event sensory-friendly shopping times at local businesses.

Special Events and Fun Activities for Kids with Special Needs

Many kids and adults in our community experience sensory sensitivities. Whether it be from autism, ADHD, or other sensory processing disorders, needs vary from person to person. For these individuals, attending events such as concerts, movies, and sports games can be overwhelming and sometimes even impossible due to lights and loud noise. However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement towards creating spaces that cater to these needs. These events and activities typically feature modified lighting and sound levels, designated quiet areas, and other accommodations to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all attendees.

Here is a round-up of sensory-friendly locations and details on what they offer special needs families to make their visit more comfortable.

Sensory-Friendly Play Places and Attractions

We Rock The Spectrum Oakville was designed specifically with special needs families in mind. We Rock The Spectrum offers a play place where everyone is welcome, and no one ever has to say sorry. Visitors will have fun with their play structure, adaptable swings, and zipline. Be sure to check out their calming room and camps created to support kids on the spectrum.

The Westdale Cinema in Hamilton hosts sensory-friendly movies. During these specific times, they dim the lights and lower the volume. They also offer Open Captioning for deaf or hard-of-hearing movie-goers. These special movie times skip the advertisements and movie previews and start the movie right away.

Burlington Public Library offers visitors Sensory Kits to use while in the library. These kits contain noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, and sensory fidget toys. Sensory kits are free to use in the library and are available at 6 of the 7 BPL branches.

Sobey’s grocery stores have set times each week that they refer to as “sensory hours”. During these times, their lights are dimmed and music is turned way down or off. You can find your local stores and more info on sensory-friendly shopping hours at Sobey’s here.

Flying Squirrel in Hamilton hosts a sensory-friendly day on the first Tuesday of every month. Every day, Flying Squirrel offers guests with special needs a rate of $8 per hour, with free admission for one assisting caretaker or parent.

Cineplex movie theatres offer sensory-friendly screenings. This program provides a sensory-friendly environment for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. Enjoy newly released films in a “lights up, sound down” environment in theatres across Canada.

Major Attractions

Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto has been designed at a certified Autism centre. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada hosts monthly sensory-friendly hours throughout the year, which will offer increased lighting, a music-free environment and a quiet room for guests who require a break. These monthly sensory-friendly days were developed in partnership with Autism Ontario and will occur monthly. They accept the Acces 2 card and are Accessibility Certified as well.

Have You Got Your Access 2 Card?

“The Access 2 card is for people of all ages and types of permanent disabilities who require the assistance of a support person at hundreds of participating entertainment, cultural and recreational venues across Canada.” This card provides free admission for a support person to over 500 attractions and locations nationwide. Click here to learn more about applying for and using an Access 2 card.

Are you hosting an event that caters to the needs of children with disabilities or sensory processing disorders? We would love to include it in our list. Listing an event is free and easy thanks to our submission form.

Upcoming Special Needs and Sensory-Friendly Events, Movies and Shopping Hours

Are you hosting an event that fits this list? We would love to include it. Listing an event is free and easy! Please add it to our calendar.

There were no results found.

List
Month

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Sensory-Friendly Events And Special Needs Activities appeared first on Active Parents.

100+ Awesome March Break Activities For 2025

Amber Rohal — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

March Break 2025 in Ontario is full of great things to do in Hamilton, Halton, Niagara beyond. Our popular events calendar is full of cool March Break activities and fun things you can do with the kids this week. We’ve also suggested some of our favourite daytrips and local places to take kids to help you have something great to do every single day of the school break.

Outdoor Activities on March Break

Mountsberg Conservation Area is home to Maple Town once again this year. We love Maple Town because it is a great fresh air experience. You will learn how trees are tapped and how sap is collected then turned into delicious maple syrup. Pre-book your visit online.

Westfield Heritage Village is hosting “Maple Syrup Season” on select days in March. We’ve got two demonstration sites, a Maple Trivia Trail, and take-out pancakes from the St. George Lions Club. Visitors will also be able to buy maple treats from the General Store and Gift Shop.

Bring back the basics and blow your kids’ minds at the same time when you take them to a different playground every day! We have 40+ playground reviews for Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Milton right here. And we know the best natural playgrounds, too! Playgrounds are our favourite free March Break activities near me.

Have you tried snow tubing yet? The price isn’t as steep as I thought it would be! It’s a full day of thrills and chills on the hill with the family.

Explore nature with these kid-friendly hiking destinations. They have lots to see and do, and the inclines are too steep for little legs (or old lady knees, like mine!)

Some of our favourite free March Break activities are ice skating and tobogganing. We know the best outdoor rinks and hills around!

Challenge your whole family to a cool ropes course like the one at Treetop Trekking in Hamilton.

One of the destinations I recommend most – and about once a week – is a trip to Triple C Farm. You’ll get up close and personal with a wide variety of farm animals, each rescued and brought back into good health at this lovely farm.

March break Things To Do Indoors

Joseph Brant Museum has new exhibits, perfect for a spectrum of ages, plus a brand new Children’s Gallery. We visited with young kids and grandparents, and everyone had rave reviews.

Find the coolest indoor play centres in Halton and in Hamilton/Niagara here. They will be a popular destination this week, so if you’re looking to make some new friends with kids, you’re in luck!

Royal Botanical Gardens welcomes visitors to “Tumble down the rabbit hole into “Alice in Bloomland,” a wondrous botanical experience at Royal Botanical Gardens where reality bends and blossoms into a world of curiosity for all ages! Inspired by the pages of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, this floral showcase weaves together the magic of horticulture, the whimsy of floral design, and the marvel of visual arts to create an enchanting indoor wonderland straight out of a dream.”

Dress in your brightest whites and take the kids for a round of glow-in-the-dark mini golf here. Always a great idea if you have tweens and teens looking for March Break things to do.

Wander through the Art Gallery of Hamilton – especially the 2nd floor – and let your kids enjoy a feast for the eyes! A visit to the gallery is a great March Break activity in Hamilton.

Grab your kiddos and try out some cool board games at a local board game cafe. Or get creative and paint something beautiful at a local paint and pottery studio.

Enjoy the beauty of the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory and you’ll be floored to realize it’s like a tropical climate in the middle of the city.

Children’s museums are so much fun to explore and enjoy and they offer hands-on learning and entertainment for kids.

Keep this list of things to do with tweens and teens handy and plan some fun with friends this March Break.

Free March Break Activities

Burlington Public Library has something awesome happening at each of their branches this week. You can find their full calendar of events here. And be sure to stop into the brand new Discovery Space at Central branch – you’re going to LOVE it! The space is drop in, no booking needed and filled with the coolest toys, arts and crafts and gadgets your kids will adore.

Hamilton Public Library branches have a full week of amazing – and free – activities for kids. Take in a story time, play games, nd join in activities including STEM and creative workshops. Find their events calendar here.

Geocaching is a great way to spend time outdoors with your kids. It brings together walking in the fresh air, investigative skills and a scavenger hunt!

Our events calendar is home to free and paid events happening this week.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Is March Break in 2025?

Ontario public and catholic schools are closed from March 10 thru 14 inclusively. Private school board closures may differ.

Should I pre-book our activities?

March Break is very busy at family-friendly destinations. If you can, prebook your visit to avoid disappointment.

March Break Activities and Events

In addition to the great suggestions above, there are a ton of cool events happening over March Break, too! You can find them all listed below.

There were no results found.

List
Month

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 100+ Awesome March Break Activities For 2025 appeared first on Active Parents.

Children’s Museums and Galleries Families Love

Amber Rohal — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

We’ve collected some of the best family-friendly children’s museums and galleries in our region. Whether you want to know more about life in pioneer and early industrial times, famous sports personalities, appreciate works of art, dabble in hands-on experiments and science, planes, trains, automobiles and even secret passages, these family destinations will help you do just that.

Some of these destinations are seasonal and we’ve noted that in their write ups below.

Children’s Museums and Galleries in Oakville

Oakville Museum The historic buildings of Erchless Estate were once home to Oakville’s founding family, The Chisholms, but are now the setting for Oakville’s community museum. Guided tours are available of the building and grounds and the museum is home to ever-changing exhibits. Admission is by donation. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Oakville Galleries – Housed in two spaces in downtown Oakville there are travelling exhibitions as well as a permanent collection.

Milton Family-Friendly Museums and Galleries

Halton County Radial Railway – See the collection of historic streetcars, trains, and buses, then experience life on the rails on the 2km full-sized electrical railway. Look out for their very popular Halloween and Christmas events to start back up! Admission is $24 for adults, $22 for seniors, $18 for ages 10-17, $12 for 4-9 and kids under 4 are free. The museum is opening for the season is in May. You can read all about our visit to the HCRR here.

image courtesy of HCRY.org

Burlington Children’s Museums and Art Galleries

Ireland house was occupied by the Ireland family between 1835 and 1985 and shows what life was like in the 1850s, 1890s, and 1920s. Home of the traditional Victorian Christmas event, there are often special days or programs to look out for.

Art Gallery of Burlington is located in the downtown neighbourhood. It is free to visit any of the exhibits and galleries, but donations are greatly appreciated. The exhibits rotate throughout the year, so visiting is always a great idea. Their Family Studio is home to free art classes throughout the year as well.

Joseph Brant Museum has a permanent collection showing the history of the region with lots of local photographs and items. See the changes through the time of places you see every day! There’s also a travelling exhibition space that changes a few times a year. Keep an eye on their website to see what’s new and happening.

During its renovation, Joseph Brant Museum was outfitted with a permanent kid-friendly section called the Children’s Gallery. This gallery is where kids get hands-on with a variety of ways to learn about Burlington. Activities encourage kids to use STEAM techniques to play and learn simultaneously. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, Children 3-12 are $6 and under 2 are free.

Giant Lite-Brite is just one of the interactive exhibits in the Children’s Gallery at Jo Brant Museum

Hamilton Area Museums Families Love

Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology – Explore the early industrial revolution in this 150-year-old waterworks with two 70-ton steam engines. The museum has a variety of permanent and changing exhibits.

Battlefield House – Experience this 19th-century homestead, home to the Gage family and the site of the 1813 Battle of Stoney Creek. Look for the re-enactment of the Battle in early June.

Dundurn Castle – Lots to explore at this site: Dundurn Castle, built in the 1830s, the Hamilton Military Museum, and the coach house.

Dundurn Castle in Hamilton

Whitehern Historic House and Gardens – See artefacts from many different time periods in this house that was inhabited by three generations of the McQuesten family.

Art Gallery of Hamilton – Home of one of our favourite installations, the Bruegel-Bosch bus. See how many strange things you can spot! Read about our visits here. There are free days and discounts often, and the entire 2nd floor is great for families to visit.

Art Gallery of Hamilton

More Hamilton Museums and Points of Interest Kids Will Enjoy

Worker’s Art and Heritage Centre – A community museum celebrating the history of workers and labour, as well as social justice issues.

HMCS Haida (June-Sept) Climb aboard the Tribal class destroyer and imagine being a crew member on “Canada’s most fightingest ship”.

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum – Get an up-close look at many of the aircraft flown by Canadians and the Canadian military from the beginning of WWII to the present. Visit in April thru the warm weather to watch planes take off and land.

Westfield Heritage Village: Over 35 historical buildings are set in a large conservation area. Step back in time with the help of costumed interpreters, and then hike the surrounding woodlands and meadowlands. Known for Maple Syrup, Ice Cream and Christmas events there’s always a good time to visit!

CFL Hall of Fame houses over 30,000 items, including trophies, helmets, and playing equipment. Not to mention game and record balls, jerseys, sweaters, banners, photographs, films and videos. A must-see for any football fan!

At the time of publication, the Hamilton Children’s Museum remains closed due to capital project work. We can’t wait to see what the future brings for one of our favourite children’s museums!

Family-Friendly Museums and Galleries in Niagara

Laura Secord Homestead: This small house in the small village of Queenston was the home of and starting point of Laura Secord’s 32km journey to warn the British of the attack planned by the Americans during the war of 1812.

Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo Children’s Museums

Guelph Children’s Museum: With special hands-on interactive kid-friendly galleries you can explore the history of Guelph and with temporary, changing exhibits, there’s always something new to see.

THEMUSEUM: Five floors of fun! THEMUSEUM has permanent and temporary exhibitions, events, and programs for all ages. Walking pianos, a bed of nails, and waterflow table are all big hits here! This is one of the best family-friendly children’s museums I’ve been to!

Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum and Doon Heritage Village: Discover the history of the Waterloo region from indigenous peoples to community settlement in the 1800s, to the industrial revolution and manufacturing boom. Outside, wander the 60-acre Doon Heritage Village where interpreters in period dress and the Building Stories app will help you learn more about the buildings and way of life from the early 1900s.

Making stop-motion animation at THEMUSEUM

Museums and More That Are Worth The Drive to Toronto

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM): Explore natural history from dinosaurs to the bat cave, as well as history from around the world. With special hands-on interactive galleries, the artefacts really come alive!

Hockey Hall of Fame: Home of the original Stanley Cup as well as artefacts, memorabilia and hands-on galleries. Permanent exhibits show Ethnicity in Hockey, Women in Hockey, and Disabled Hockey.

Casa Loma: Sir Henry Pellatt built Casa Loma – then the biggest private residence in Canada – full of extravagant fixtures and fittings. An extremely popular film location you can see some recreations from some of the more famous movies and television shows filmed there. With a secret passage out to the carriage house, there is a lot to explore.

Black Creek Pioneer Village: Visit small-town Ontario from the 1860s made up of 40 heritage buildings, most donated and relocated to Black Creek (sometimes brick by brick!), 70 heritage animals and gardens of plants and flowers grown from heritage seeds. Costumed educators show visitors the trades and crafts of the time using some of the 50,000 artefacts on-site to bring the time to life.

McMichael Art Gallery: Focussed exclusively on indigenous and Canadian art, this beautiful gallery is home to over 6,500 artworks by the Group of Seven, First Nations, Metis, Inuit and contemporary artists. With permanent and temporary exhibitions there’s always something new.

Dinosaurs at The ROM

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Children’s Museums and Galleries Families Love appeared first on Active Parents.

2025 Guide To Easter Egg Hunts And Easter Events

Amber Rohal — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Welcome to our guide to Easter events and egg hunts 2025! With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about fun activities to do with your family and friends. One of the most exciting events of the season is the Easter egg hunt. And lucky for you, there are plenty of options right in your local area.

In this list, we are sharing the best egg hunts near Hamilton, Halton and Niagara, including events in Milton and Easter egg hunts in Burlington and Oakville. Each listed event includes locations, dates, and details on registering for the big day. Some Easter events near you will need pre-registration and some are drop-in, so make sure you check out that info.

Whether you are a parent looking for Easter events in Oakville, Milton, Burlington or Hamilton to go to with your kids, or just someone who loves the thrill of the hunt, you won’t want to miss out on these exciting events. So get ready to grab your basket and join us as we explore the wonderful world of local Easter egg hunts!

Read on, and you’ll be delighted to see that there are many free easter events near me this year! The kids can have a blast at an easter egg hunt in Oakville and save you some money, too! Don’t miss this especailly-for-dogs easter event in Hamilton, either.

Read More: Find more hop-tastic Easter ideas here in our list of 18 egg-cellent Easter activities for kids to do at home.

Add Your Special Event To This Guide

Are you hosting an Easter event that is open to the public? We want to know about it! You can add it to this list by submitting it here.

The Best Easter Egg Hunts in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Milton and All of The Bunny Events in Burlington, Hamilton and Beyond

There were no results found.

List
Month

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 2025 Guide To Easter Egg Hunts And Easter Events appeared first on Active Parents.

Free Fishing Weekend 2025 in Ontario

Amber Rohal — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 23:40:00 +0000

In 2025, Ontario has planned four Free Fishing weekends. These are times when you can fish without a licence. They are a great reason to get out with the kids and try your hand at angling.

Wondering where you can fish near you? We have a roundup of reader-recommended fishing holes, lakes, creeks and more in the Hamilton and Halton area. If you have a fishing spot to recommend, please share it with us.

Grab a rod and some worms and enjoy a free fishing weekend!

Free Fishing Weekends 2025 – Free Fishing in Ontario

Normally, in Ontario, you need to possess a fishing licence to fish recreationally. However, four times a year the government allows for licence-free fishing, and these weekends make the ideal time to get out in nature and enjoy a day lakeside.

Free Fishing Weekend in Ontario will allow for licence-free fishing for Canadian residents on the following days:

Family Fishing Weekend in February (February 15-17, 2025)
Mother’s Day Weekend in May (May 10-11, 2025)
Father’s Day Weekend in June (June 14-15, 2025)
Family Fishing Week in July (June 28–July 6, 2025)

If you’re not a regular fisher or a fishing licence holder, make sure you take advantage of these weekends. They are a great and fun way to spend time with family and friends while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors!

How To Borrow Fishing Equipment

Since 1998, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has sponsored a program called TackleShare to loan our fishing equipment for free. This program removes the financial barrier that would keep families from enjoying this relaxing sport.

Borrow rods, reels and even tackle is as simple as checking out a book from the library. TackleShare has hundreds of loaner sites in Ontario. They also partner with Ontario Parks to help bring fishing to more families. Just one more way to enjoy a free fishing weekend in Ontario! You can find a list of the loaner sites here.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Free Fishing Weekend 2025 in Ontario appeared first on Active Parents.

Indoor Playgrounds & Trampoline Parks in Burlington Oakville Milton

Amber Rohal — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 19:54:57 +0000

Indoor playgrounds and trampoline parks are excellent destinations no matter the weather or season! When you want something high-energy and full of excitement, an indoor play centre near serves your needs. I love taking my kids to an indoor playground when the weather isn’t cooperating. There’s something to do with kids of all ages.

Indoor playgrounds offer a haven of adventure for children and can be a relief for parents who have kids with energy to burn. These drop in play spaces have colourful slides, ball pits, and climbing structures to help kids move and explore. They provide a weather-proof environment for active play regardless of weather, fostering social interactions and physical development. Kids relish the freedom to explore, conquer obstacles, and make new friends, enhancing their motor skills and confidence.

One way to make sure the fun isn’t overwhelming is to find a location like We Rock The Spectrum in Oakville. They have a quiet spaces in case having the playground indoors gets to be a little too much for guests.

Indoor playgrounds give parents a chance to take a break while their kids play safely. It’s a good time to catch up on work or just relax.Plus, many offer free wifi and even a hot coffee, which makes a visit all the more enticing!

Read More: We visited Lil Monkeys Indoor Playground Inc. Read all about it. And if you’re up for a drive, this indoor playground in London has a trampoline park and ninja course!

Read More: If you’ve got toddlers, they’ll love this list of toddler-friendly play centres. If you have kids under 7 (or so), they’ll love this FREE little indoor playground in Burlington at one of the community centres.

Kids Indoor Playgrounds Near Me Make Great Party Venues

These spots offer a variety of play structures including climbing walls, arcade games and super fast slides. One reason indoor playgrounds make excellent venues for birthday parties is because they offer all-inclusive party packages. Your entertainment, food, set up and clean up can be all taken care of with a single phone call.

You will also find great choices for birthday party places right here. The options are fun and unique and deserve a look as well. Think outside the box!

Jumping away at Aero Sports Trampoline Park

Indoor Playgrounds: Oakville, Burlington and Milton

This list is our complete list of children’s indoor playgrounds in Milton, Burlington and Oakville. Find our article on Indoor Playgrounds in Hamilton here.

Supreme Cheerleading

Supreme Cheerleading – Burlington’s Youth Cheer & Tumbling Facility At Supreme Cheerleading we offer high-quality cheer and tumbling programs for kids ages 3 and up. Whether your child is just starting out or building on existing skills, our certified coaches create a fun, safe, and supportive environment where confidence and teamwork thrive. From recreational classes to competitive teams, we’re sure to have a program that fits your child’s goals and schedule. Our classes focus on tumbling, stunting, jumps, and conditioning. Helping build strength, flexibility, and social connections. Our All-Star teams are known for excellence, proudly representing Supreme at top competitions like All-Star Worlds. Looking for personalized coaching? Private lessons are available and tailored to your athlete’s goals. Perfect for both cheerleaders and gymnasts wanting to sharpen their tumbling. Our themed camps (PA Day, March Break, and Summer) are packed with stunting, tumbling, obstacle […]

Activate Indoor Gaming Experience

High-energy, massive indoor gaming experience. Read about our visit here.

Aladdin's Adventures Indoor Playground - Mississauga

Aladdin's Adventures Indoor Playground Burlington

Amazing Adventures - Mississauga Northwest

Amazing Adventures Playland® is an indoor adventure playland filled with soft play structures, foam ball and cannon arenas, toddler play areas and thrilling arcade games! The playland facilities have been designed to captivate children’s imaginations and to create memorable experiences.

Balls of Fun

Climber's Rock

Easy-Peasy Indoor Playground

Eazy-Peazy offers a safe, clean, and exciting environment for children to play in. We also feature a play structure for children over the age of 4, a smaller play area for toddlers under the age of 4 and a soft play area for infants. Play structures are equipped with soft indoor playground equipment, extensive padding and no sharp edges.

Epicplayzone

Milton’s largest active play zone for kids and adults alike. Great for the whole family. Epic Play Zone offers Laser Tag, Indoor Playground, Arcade, Birthday Parties.

GYGO - Get Your Game On

A 26,000-square foot active play experience with a wide range of indoor and outdoor games and activations, like NERF Challenge, mini golf, laser tag, go-karts and more.

Jumbaloo Indoor Playground

Here at Jumbaloo, we offer a kid's indoor play area for children from toddlers to the age of 12 with exercise, entertainment, and lots of fun. We are conveniently located at 401 and Winston Churchill with easy access from all directions, also from the 407.

Lil' Monkeys Indoor Playground

3 and a half storey play structure, toddler area, Bungee trampolines, the largest toddler section around, gyrosphere, vortex and Virtual Reality.

Play Project Parkour

Open gym program is a supervised non-instructional drop-in program. Participants are encouraged to train on our parkour equipment and use the spring floor to work on their acrobatic skills.

Skedaddle Kids Indoor Playground

Over 4000 square feet of FUN! 2-level play structure with slides & climbers, single-level play structure & ball pit for younger kids, 2 oversized party rooms, separate snack area (with FREE WiFi), hot & cold beverages, healthy snacks and treats, peanut and nut-aware facility.

We Rock The Spectrum Oakville

As the only kids' gym that offers an inclusive philosophy, we have found all children can benefit from our uniquely designed sensory equipment that is specifically designed to aid children with sensory processing disorders. However, in our experience, all children are able to benefit greatly from this equipment and by allowing children of all ability levels to play together they are able to learn a great deal from each other and become the best motivation for success in every level. Read about our visit here

Zorbit Sports

At Zorbit Sports our goal is to get kids moving again and we believe we have novel ways of encouraging them to do so. We provide a safe, unique and friendly place for your kids to play and learn the important aspect of interaction with others.

Add Your Trampoline Park or Indoor Play Centre

If you know of an indoor playground or trampoline park we missed, please use this form to give us the details and we will be more than happy to include it. Basic listings are free because we know how great a service our guide are to the parents in our community. Click here for the submission form.

Hot Off The Presses!

The post Indoor Playgrounds & Trampoline Parks in Burlington Oakville Milton appeared first on Active Parents.

23+ Outdoor Skating Rinks in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Milton

Amber Rohal — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 03:42:09 +0000

“Hey, Active Parents! Is there outdoor ice skating near me?” Yep! Outdoor ice skating rinks are a great place to take your kids in the winter. Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Hamilton each are home to multiple ice skating rinks, open all winter. We are home to ice skating loops, frozen ponds, and refrigerated ice pads.

Each rink offers something different, and if you try a few out, you’re sure to find your family’s favourite. In this list, we share all of the public skating rinks and their addresses. We also share info on booking your skate time (if required) and share some photos of rinks we have been to.

You’ve found skating rinks near you. Looking for more winter fun? We suggest this list of winter things to do.

The rink at Spencer Smith Park requires pre-booking your visit online and you can click here to make that booking. However, the rest of the outdoor ice skating rinks in Hamilton, Burlington Oakville and Milton don’t need much pre-planning at all, and they are free to use!

Jump to your city’s skating rinks by clicking the city name here: Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Milton

Outdoor Ice Skating rinks in Burlington

Ice skating in Burlington at Rotary Centennial Pond will be open for skating this winter, with no reservations needed. This is one of the nicest ice rinks near me, and I love skating under the lights.

Residents can book a spot 25 hours in advance by clicking here. Out-of-town friends can book 2 hours before the time they want if spaces are available. Reservations are for 1-hour timeslots. Skates are available for free rental, too! Outdoor ice skating in Burlington at Rotary Pond is free.

Rotary Centennial Pond at Spencer Smith Park in Burlington offers skate rentals for free

Burlington’s neighbourhood ice rinks

Neighbourhood residents create their own ice rinks as part of a program partnership with the city. These rinks are free unsupervised, and completely created and maintained by the residents. Find all of the rinks here.

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in Hamilton

Winter is here and drop-in outdoor ice skating rinks in Hamilton are back. Staff are on-site at City-operated outdoor rinks to maintain the ice and monitor COVID-19 safety measures. Outdoor ice rinks are weather dependent, during extended periods of above 0-degree temperatures, ice conditions may require closure. Closure notifications will be posted both online and at the park.

Outdoor public ice skating in Hamilton is offered at the following 4 locations:

Bernie Morelli – Serafini Family Outdoor Ice Rink

Dundas Driving Park

Waterdown Memorial Park

Freelton Community Park

The ice at Valens Lake Conservation Area is frozen and ready for ice skating. Admission is $15.50 for 1 person and each additional passenger is $5. In addition to a great ice skating experience, you can purchase firewood and enjoy a campfire in one of the fire pits. Bring your marshmallows and hot cocoa!

Princess Point also provides access to a designated skating area across Cootes Paradise. The ice thickness is measured each Friday before the end of the day and updated at the on-site signage. Parking for this rink is $10 and is located at 335 Longwood Road. This outdoor rinks near me is a top recommended option from our community of parents.

Waterdown Memorial Park is home to an awesome skating loop.

Community-Maintained Hamilton Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks

Thanks to some awesome Hamilton residents you can access a number of free, community-maintained skating rinks, too! These rinks are often less busy, therefore perfect for first-timers and newbies. These skating rinks are operated by neighbourhood volunteers (weather permitting), so here is where you can find them. (source)

Outdoor Skating rinks In Oakville

Try one of these outdoor skating rinks in Oakville! The rink at Trafalgar Park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, weather permitting, from mid-December to March. Follow the Town of Oakville on their social pages for rink updates and closures.

Bloomfield Park – 2531 Westoak Trails Boulevard

Clearview Park – 1260 Sir David Drive

Coronation Park – 1426 Lakeshore Road West

George Savage Park – 3200 George Savage Avenue

Glenashton Park – 1051 Glenashton Drive

Kinoak Arena lot – 363 Warminster Drive

Langtry Park – 2186 Brays Lane (closed currently Jan 2024)

Millbank Park – 166 Glenashton Drive

Nautical Park – 355 Nautical Boulevard

Old Abbey Lane Park – 1110 Old Abbey Lane

Sixteen Hollow Park – 2140 Westoak Trails Boulevard

Sixteen Mile Sports Complex – 3070 Neyagawa Boulevard

Trafalgar Park – 133 Rebecca Street – outdoor refrigerated rink

Wallace Park – 245 Reynolds Street

William Rose Park – 455 Wheat Boom Drive

Windrush Park – 1225 Windrush Drive

Admission is free and first come, first served as space allows.

Capacity limits apply and are subject to change.

You can rent helmets and skates from the community centre.

Cancellations are posted on-site. Please contact the facility directly for the most up-to-date information.

Ice skating rinks in Milton

Milton has two outdoor rinks maintained by the Town, located at Rotary Park (100 Garden Lane) and Campbellville Old Baseball Diamond (105 Campbell Ave. E.). The rinks are not supervised by Town staff. For everyone’s safety and enjoyment, please follow the rules.

The rink is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, when conditions are safe

After sunset, you must push the ‘on’ button to activate the lights

Rink users must physically distance themselves and follow all public health guidelines

You must wear skates on the ice, no shoes or boots are allowed

No hockey nets, sticks, pucks or balls

Help us maintain the rink by placing garbage in containers provided

No pets, food or drink on the surface

Where to Get Your ice and hockey Skates Sharpened in Burlington, Hamilton and Oakville

Make sure your skate blades are sharp before you hit your local outdoor skating rink! Take them to one of these locations to get them sharpened.

SportChek in Burlington Centre – contact them directly for availability.

Fast & Sharp – Mobile Skate Sharpening Service in Burlington. $10 for hockey and goalie skates, and right now they aren’t accepting figure skates for sharpening. Drop off and pick up currently.

Gillian’s Skate Ship in Burlington – $7 to sharpen skates, contactless pickup and drop off available.

Tydan Blades in Dundas – $10 to sharpen, contact for info.

Centre Ice Training Academy in Burlington

Al’s Source for Sports in Burlington

Hot Off The Presses!

The post 23+ Outdoor Skating Rinks in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Milton appeared first on Active Parents.

50+ Things To Do This Winter

Amber Rohal — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 17:58:00 +0000

Let’s banish those winter blues! Here are more than 50 things to do in winter in Hamilton and Halton area, including Milton, Oakville, Burlington, Waterdown, Hamilton, Stoney Creek and beyond. We love keeping this list on hand for those days when you need a little extra motivation to head out into the coldworld. This list of winter thing to do should inspire you to revisit a family favourite winter adventure, try something new and have fun!

Explore Nature

Hike at one of our favourite kid-approved hiking spots. We’ve got stroller-friendly hikes here, so bring the littlest explorers with you.

Wander near the water. Lake Ontario’s waterfront is easily accessible, smooth-paved in most areas, and always free to explore.

Keep an eye on the wildlife all winter in Burlington’s Cherry Hill Gate. Bring your binoculars and observe the birds, squirrels and other animals in the waterways. They’re active no matter the time of year!

Visit Bronte Creek Provincial park and explore the working Victorian-era farmhouse and see some of their farm animals. If the temperatures are mild, they may be out in their pens! (spring and summer)

Take a trip to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. It’s a tropical oasis that kids will love.

Triple C Farm is one of our favourite places to visit – even in the winter! Their farm takes in animals in need and is home to goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, alpacas, llamas, pigs and more!

It’s always a warm, spring day at the Gage Park Greenhouse. Bonus – it’s free to visit all year long!

Gage Park Greenhouse has turtles, fish and birds!

Soak Up The Christmas Spirit

Use our Google Map to find streets and neighbourhoods decked out in their Christmas lights and displays.

Wander through Downtown Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park and see the annual Lakeside Festival of Lights. No cost, and strategically located near some great hot chocolate shops!

Top Pick: check out our Map of Christmas lights – it includes photos, address, and driving routes.

Add a Memorable Family Experience To Your Calendar

Hop aboard one of these epic train rides and enjoy the ride, the sights and the experience.

Save your pennies and skip the major leagues! We absolutely love OHL hockey games. They’re family-friendly and full of action for a fraction of the price of a Leafs game. Check out the home games for the Brantford Bull Dogs (who have moved from Hamilton to this arena in Brantford) and the Niagara Ice Dogs here.

TreeTop Trekking in Hamilton has their Tree Walk Village open over the winter break.

Families who love a challenge will love the skills needed to beat an Escape Room. We have a ton of them to choose from, and each location has different themes, rooms and skill levels required.

When was the last time you beat your kids at bowling? Sounds like they could use a rematch and we know the coolest lanes to visit.

All aboard for a seasonal train ride.

Run, Jump, Climb and Play!

Play Indoors no matter the weather. Here’s our massive list of indoor things to do nearby.

You can read our coverage of local play centres here and see which ones are going to be added to your “must-visit list”.

Tweens and Teens will love climbing at The Hub Climbing in Mississauga.

Indoor play centres are always an option to escape the winter temperatures while also keeping the kids active and moving. Here are the lists of indoor play centres in Halton and this list is for Hamilton and Niagara.

My teens love an afternoon at the arcade. And I love when I can beat them at retro video games and air hockey!

Bowling is one of our favourite things to do with the kids because we never know who will score the lowest haha! But the best part is that you don’t need to win to have a great time.

Easy Outdoor Activities For Winter Fun

Toboggan the hills, there are 10 city-approved sledding hills in Hamilton and Burlington for you to try.

Skate at an outdoor skating rink. We know where the best ones are!

Glide around these cross-country skiing trails in and around Halton and Hamilton.

One of the most popular outdoor winter activities for families is snow tubing. There are more local tubing hills that you would imagine!

Outdoor rinks are ready for you!

Take a Road Trip or a Day Trip

Stratford, Ontario looks like a Hallmark movie set in the winter, and their downtown shopping is quaint. Don’t miss out on their widely-known chocolate shops while you’re there.

Spend the day or weekend in Guelph because there is so much to do! Here are 10+ things to do in Guelph to get you started.

Have you read our recap of our trip to London, Ontario? You need to add a visit to your winter season itinerary!

Staycation-ing is my jam, and we loved our local stay trip in Burlington.

Have you heard of Leamington? It’s a cute little town that is home to an excellent hotel that is so much fun you won’t need to leave it!

Best Western Leamington is so fun you won’t want to leave the hotel!

Eat Great Food

It wouldn’t be winter in Canada without a visit to the maple syrup farms and festivals.

Our readers told us the very best donuts in Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville – go get one today!

The best french fry joints are open all year long. You told us these were the best spots for fries in town.

It’s never not a great time for ice cream! And lots of these ice cream shops are open all year.

Free and Cheap Ideas

Look into Postcrossing. We’ve been talking about it non-stop since we discovered it. You get an address for someone who would love to receive a postcard and send them one. You, in turn, get one sent to you. We’ve sent and received cards from Japan, England, Lithuania and Africa!

The same goes with Letters From Afar. Kids will love following Isabelle on her world adventures through beautiful letters, maps and stamps. We’ve been subscribers for years and these letters are truly something you can save and read with your grandkids!

Get science-y with these easy and quick at-home experiments you can do with simple items from your cupboards. Kids will love it and they’ll leave a little something, too!

Check out the Library. They’ve got books, movies, games, learning kits, audiobooks and even family passes to art galleries, conservation areas and museums!

Play at the Tansley Woods Community Centre play structure. It’s free!

More Bogs We Know You’ll Love

The post 50+ Things To Do This Winter appeared first on Active Parents.

Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farms Near Burlington and Hamilton

Amber Rohal — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 04:06:00 +0000

It’s the time of year to visit a Christmas Tree Farm near Hamilton and Burlington to bring home your holiday centrepiece. You can choose to cut your own tree at a Christmas tree farm near you or buy one that’s pre-cut and ready to tie to the roof of your car. Christmas Tree Farms have the usual precautions in place, and some are asking that you pre-book your visit. Make sure to read our details before visiting your favourite local Burlington and Hamilton Christmas Tree Farm.

Local Christmas Tree Farms

Andrews Tree Farm

Opening day: November 30, 2024 (until they run out of trees)

Address: 1865 Wilson St W., Jerseyville, ON, L0R 1R0

Price: Pre-cut starting at $60 (taxes included), Cut your own $705 (taxes included)

Details: Multiple varieties and sizes from 5’ to 14’. They take care of the bailing, shaking and drilling. Buy a bag of marshmallows and a stick to roast marshmallows on the outdoor fire pit. All proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Society and patients who are battling dementia.

Activities for kids while you shop! Bring your phone to take part in the kids scavenger hunt. Every family that completes the hunt will win a free gift from Andrews. Wagon rides will be available at weekends. No reservation is required.

Cagene’s Christmas Trees

Opening November 13th 2024 while supplies last.

Address: 1788 Charlotteville Road 8 East, Simcoe

Details: This 49-acre farm has a selection of trees, wreaths and greenery. Prices starting at $45. Netting is $5. No shaker. Wreaths start at $35.

Clembrook Christmas Farm

Opening day: Friday, November 24, 2023 and open 9-5 weekends and noon till 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays

Address: 4231 Derry Road, Milton ON, L9E 0P2

Price: n/a

Details: Phone in your pre-cut tree order for next day curbside pick up, Saturday, December 2 is National Christmas Tree Day and $4 from each tree will be donated to the Community Foundation of North Halton. No reservation required, though the gift barn and other activities will be closed this season.

Elliot Tree Farm

Open November 29, 2024 at Noon to 7pm. Weekends 9-5. Weekdays noon -7pm.

Address: 9467 Erin East Garafraxa Townline, Hillsburgh, ON N0B 1Z0

Price: TBC

Jingle Bill’s Christmas Tree Farm

Opening day: Schedule an appointment online

Address: 7373 Concession 1, Puslinch, ON N0B 2J0

Price: No appointments available for 2024 as of today.

Details: At Jingle Bills we grow each tree without the use of pesticides to ensure your tree is as natural and healthy as any tree found in the woods. Choose from White Pine or White Spruce for the perfect focal point for your celebrations. Bring a sled when the weather is suitable for tobogganing.

While you’re here, visit Jingle Deb for hot chocolate, warm apple cider and cookies, then head over to the Elves Marketplace where you can use Santa’s Mailbox to send a letter to the big man in red!

Mark’s Christmas Trees

Opening day: Weekends in December, from 10am – 4pm by appointment

Address: 1233 Safari Road, Millgrove, ON L8B 1A4

Price: n/a

Details: Fresh cut trees and wreaths are free of herbicides and pesticides. Accepting cash or e-transfers. Limited availability.

Merry Farms

NOTE: Dec 12, 2024. The farm is now closed for the 2024 tree season.

Address: 1974 Concession Road 2 W, Hamilton (Lynden), ON

Price: $90 (including tax) and up

Details: Offering both pre-cut and cut your own trees. Some dates require a reservation. Check their website to plan ahead and avoid disappointment.

Spruce Meadows Christmas Tree

Opening day: Spruce Meadows will be closed for the 2024 season.

Address: 1952 Ainsley Rd, Hamilton, ON L0R 1L0

Price:

Details: They grow Norway spruce, white spruce and white pine. Well behaved dogs on lease are welcome at the farm. You may bring your own food and drinks to enjoy.

Swance Tree Farm

Opening day: Not selling trees for the 2024 season due to low supply.

Address: 2291 Kilbride St, Burlington, ON L7P 0H7

Rinas Christmas Trees

Opening day: Open daily till Dec 22nd 2024. 9 AM to 5 PM

No appointments required

Address: 1762 Concession 6 West, Rockton/Hamilton

Price: $83 HST included.

Details: Cash only. No appointment is necessary. Check the website to see if hayrides and the warming shelter are available.

Watson Christmas Tree Farm

We will be open November 30th this year! Weekends only 10:00 am to Dusk.

Pre-cut trees only

Address: 7156 White Church Road, Mount Hope, Ontario

Price: n/a

Details: Selling cut your own and pre-cut trees with lots of varieties to choose from. No additional charges for drilling and bagging. Leashed dogs are welcome.

Have a Holly, Jolly Time With These Helpful Articles

Enjoy some of our most recent articles on all things Christmas. Or click here to see everything Winter-related.

The post Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farms Near Burlington and Hamilton appeared first on Active Parents.