Review: Riverdale Farm, Toronto

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 0 hours
Map:

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Description: Do you feel that it is difficult to explain what the animals look like based on children books or pictures? Even if the pictures are realistic, does he or she realize what is the size of that cow compared to that rabbit? Riverdale farm gives the opportunity to see various animals absolutely free in a farm environment. You could take your child to see when the cows are milked, or to see small piglets. You could also stroll along the naturally preserved ponds and catch a glimpse of turtles warming up in the sun in a early sunny spring day. What's best is that you do not have to leave the city to visit the farm.

Activities:

• For children: Children can mostly observe animals, pat them and be active. This could be an weekend when children could have fun and learn something new about the friendly animals from the Riverdale Farm.

• Hiking: The farm is not extremely large, but not small either. The size of the farm will give a little opportunity to hike, although it can not be measured in miles.
• Photography:This could probably be a great opportunity for children to learn taking pictures. There are many cuddly animals that they could pat and then shoot a few pictures of. Later on they could enjoy watching the picture at home on the large computer monitor.
• Picnicking: You may get hungry if you spend half a day at Riverdale farm. I have not noticed any food booths or coffee shops in the area. If you look at the map, the farm is located in a residential area. You could probably grab some snack along.

Verdict:

• Children:This is an absolutely free attraction right next to Don Valley Parkway. Children would definitely enjoy visiting the farm, although most children brought to the farm are in toddler and preschool age. I would expect little fun for teens at the farm.
• Day trip: Riverdale farm makes a great day trip even if you decide to visit to go later in the day.

Official website:
I do not know if an official web site exists. Friends of Riverdale Farm seems to be a decent web site to obtain additional information about the farm and the schedule.
Photos:

Any comments, suggestions or questions, add in the comments area.

Review: Toronto Island

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 0 hours
Map:


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Description:
Toronto Island can be reached only from the city core (or by private boat from anywhere). You need either to drive to downtown and park your car in a green parking lot, or take TTC and exit at Union station. You may also take a tram for a few stations more south from the Union station, or you could hike. Expect the lines to be long at the ferry during the hot months of summer especially during the nice weekends when the weather of most previous weekends was bad. Most of activities on Toronto Island include the fun at the centreville amusement park, splashing in the warm shallow water on the beach or building sand castles. Other people prefer to rent a bicycle and ride it all around the island. There are mostly special bicycles on the island which can be ridden by 1, 2, 3 or 4 people. The are a few food courts too, in case you get hungry.



Activities:

• For children: Amusement park is the primary attraction for children. I could say that there are plenty of attractions for 36 inch children at centreville which contrasts with most of the attactions available at its neighboring Ontario Place where most of the attractions start at 42 inches. If you wonder what am I talking about, it means that you probably haven't visited any attractions in Canada. In Canada, for any attraction there is a minimum and sometimes a maximum height at which a child is permitted on the ride.
  
  
  
  The attractions in Centreville are so various that they should please any toddler or pre-school aged child. There is probably not too much thrill or fun for older 7 - 9 years old children in the centreville.
  
   The centreville access is free and you pay per attractions only. Please take into account that even if a ticket is a few cents, there is no attraction that requires one ticket only. Many attractions require 3, 4 or 6 tickets for a ride. Centreville also has all day passes that can be bought individually. The best value is to buy a all day pass for your children and 10-15 rides worth of tickets for an accompanying adult for the rides that require an adult in case the child is under a certain height, if you are not too much into all the chu - chu train rides. For the most part the attractions do not require an adult and may be limited by the upper height, so an adult would not be permitted on the ride even with a all day pass.
  
  If you happen to be on the beach, then there are sprinkles and a large playground a little bit north from the shallow water beach. There are also plenty of picnic tables in that area and a pleasant shade coming from the old trees on stifling sunny days.
  

• Hiking:There are a few hiking trails along the lake shore and in the park. The lakeshore trails have to be shared with bikes that are only allowed along the lake shore trail.
• Fishing: I heard people go fishing in the channels of the Toronto island. From what I understand most of the fishing is catch and release, not because of the regulations, but because people do not want to test how the city pollution affects the fish, which in turn affects consumer health.
• Photography:Most of the photography will be focused on the little ones in the Centreville in case there is a little one around. Otherwise there are a few scenic landscapes, that may still require you to take the camera with you. For example there are few places in Toronto that would allow you to take a picture of the downtown from somewhere on the lake. CN Tower and the downtown look amazing from the Toronto Island.

• Camping: There is a small village on the east side of the islands. There is an airport on the west side of the island. People do not tend to camp on the island and there is no official camp site.
• Picnicking:There are plenty of picnic tables in the shade, and there are also plenty of people using them. I have a feeling that there are plenty of people coming to the island for a picnic only.
• Bikes rental:Riding a bike on Toronto Island makes you feel in 18th century. You ride the bike and there is no motorist honking and noone cutting corners rushing somewhere. You can ride your own bike or rent a bike on the centre island. If you decide to take your own bike to Toronto Island, you should check with the ferry schedule. There are times when bikes are not allowed on the ferries going to center island.

Verdict:

• Children: It is a lot of fun for children whether to visit the centreville amusement park or just to jump and splash under the sprinles. Teens may prefer other attractions aroumd Toronto and centreville amusement park is mostly focused on toddler - preschool ages with few attractions for teens.
• Camping: No Camping.
• Day trip: It is a good place to visit when you wake up one sunny weekend and realized that you had no plans for such a great day.

Official website:
Center Island official web site.


Photos:




Any comments, suggestions or questions, add in the comments area.

Review: Elora Gorge Conservation Area

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 2 hours

Map:
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Description: Although I have only visited Elora Gorge in early fall, I found it beautiful in this season. The colors of the ever greens mixed with maple sugar reds and yellows give you the feeling that this is one of the most beautiful and spectacular natural area in the Grand River valley.

Activities:

• For children: There is a nice, but fairly dusty playground right next to the picnic area. There are basketball hoops a few meters away. The picnic area is an open area and ball games, frees bees and other children activities are common.

• Hiking: Although there are hiking trails away from the gorge, the most popular and the most spectacular trails are right on the edge of the gorge or even in the gorge. The gorge is high and although it is fenced, extra care is suggested if visiting with children. There are many lookout points where you would feel hanging right on top of the gorge. If you are on the left side of the gorge while visiting (where the picnic area is and the children playground), and you have enough energy to hike to the right side of the gorge then you have to walk down the river until the first bridge, then you could hike back up the river. This could be very rewarding when the water is low, as the trail will take you right into the gorge. The experience is different looking up from the gorge at the vertical cliffs around you, than looking down from the edges of the cliff from the other side. The rapids in some areas are pretty fast, and the edges could be slippery, so keep an eye on the children.

• Swimming: Although the official site cites swimming, I have never been swimming in the area. I would rather expect people to come here for hiking end picnicking than swimming. If you visit one day and think that still have time for swimming then you could drive to the nearby Elora Quarry for swimming.
• Fishing: Fishing is allowed under catch and release program in attempt to preserve the trout population.
• Photography: Elora gorge is great for photography enthusiasts. Whether from the top of the cliff or from the bottom of the gorge the views are spectacular and an avid photographer will not be disappointed. Make sure that the batteries are charged before you visit Elora gorge and that you have enough extra storage just in case you decide to take extra pictures.

• Camping: Elora gorge has many camping sites. I have walked past the campsites in fall and they were all empty. The reason may be that you could have a great time during a one day visit, so there is little reason to camp there. The privacy of the campsites seemed to be really limited as the hiking trail is right next to camping sites.
• Picnicking: There are many picnic places and there is plenty of activities for children right next to picnic places to define this place as one of the best picnic areas.

• Tubing: You could rent tubes from up the river and go for a thrill ride for about 2 km.

Verdict: This is an marvelous place to visit during a weekend. It is best for hiking, photography and picnicking.

• Children: The conservation area picnic area is very good if you visit with children. On the trail, however, parents or guardians must keep a close watch on children at all times.
• Camping: There are other great places for camping close to Toronto.
• Day trip: The conservation area is a good place for a one day trip. It takes 2 hours to drive from Toronto and 2 hours to drive back. To make most of it, you should plan to head to Elora Gorge early in the morning.

Photos



Official website:
For detailed information on pricing, open season or address visit:
Elora Gorge Conservation Area





Place activities suggestions or corrections in the comments section.