Start off your kid`s day at the Hockey Hall of Fame. It`s a combination museum and shrine to Canada`s favourite sport. You`ll recognize it instantly by the 17-foot bronze statute called "Our Game" just outside the grand 1885 building that was once Bank of Montreal bank. Inside you can see the original 1993 Stanley Cup and a replica of the Montreal Canadiens' locker room. Hands-on exhibits allow you to grab a stick and test your speed or the accuracy of your shot. Great fun for kids of all ages.
[PHOTO_137378] A few short blocks away is the CN Tower, Toronto`s famous icon and tallest structure at 1,185 feet and 5 inches tall. One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, you can ride to the top to the Skypod and on a clear day see as far away as the American border and Niagara Falls. You're thrill seeking kid will love the EdgeWalk attraction, where you strap on a harness and head outside to the 5-foot ledge outside the main pod. tower-goers roam "hands free" around a 5-foot ledge outside the tower's main pod. Be sure to check what's on at the Rogers Centre, home to the Toronto Blue Jays. The facility offers a behind-the-scene tour where you can see the locker room of the sports stars. It also hosts everything from charity functions to trade shows to rock concerts. Near by is historic Fort York, a British fort built in 1812 and the scene of the bloody Battle of York during the epic War of 1812. The tour include visiting the soliders' and officers' quarters, seeing the guns and ramparts. In the summer there are demos of drills, pioneer cooking and music. Give your kids a taste of the military life with the ever-popular Kids' Drill.
Circle back to Harbourfront Centre and check out all the activities it has to offer for kids. In the winter there is outdoor skating and a year-round plethora of free or low-cost cultural festivals throughout the year as well as theater, literary and music events. An old-fashioned amusement park awaits on Toronto Island Park just a 20-minute ferry ride from the Bay Street Ferry Dock, one block east of Harbourfront. It's a natural haven with beautiful gardens and no cars. The Centreville Amusement Park offers over 30 rides and attractions from the 1930s and 50s. Kids will get a kick from the quaint merry-go-round and the Swan ride.
[PHOTO_137379] Your teen may want to do some shopping for some groovy styles. Save a bundle and find cutting end fashion at Kensington Market. Grab the streetcar at the end of Spadina and head up to this cool market area where your fashionista can scour through the trendy second-hand shops for a bit of Toronto style. It's a great place to grab some lunch as well. You can also walk one block and be in Chinatown with all its bargains and great Chinese food restaurants. Your little princess might enjoy a visit to Castle Loma, Toronto's very own a medieval castle, famed for its opulent style and faithful creation of European castles. Be sure to visit the Great Hall with its 60-foot ceilings and see the gorgeous antiques on the second floor as well as the Peacock Alley, designed after Windsor Castle. The secret 800-foot underground passage leads up to the marble and mahogany stables. If it all seems vaguely familiar it's because several films including X-Men..'
You'll finish off your day tired but satisfied with a happy crew.
[PHOTO_137379]
