A vacation is as much about state of mind as it is about location. If budget or time doesn’t allow a physical getaway, why not at least take a mental break with a “staycation”? It can work on any budget, it doesn’t require battling holiday traffic, and you don’t have to pack a thing!
Here are a baker’s dozen staycation ideas this weekend:
1. Join Sing-a-Long Grease at the TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre. Dress as your favourite character and sing your heart out. May 16, 17, 18 at 7 pm.
2. Go camping…in the backyard. Set up tents, get the s’mores ingredients ready, roll out the sleeping bags, put batteries in the flashlights and ban all electronic devices. Stay up late telling ghost stories and playing cards or singing songs.
3. Pretend you’re a tourist. Imagine you’re visiting the city for the first time and do that thing you’ve always meant to do (you know the one), but haven’t because you’ll get to it eventually. A few leads: the AGO has fun scavenger hunts for kids; the CN Tower’s glass floor is a must-do at least once; and the Hockey Hall of Fame is a blast for sports fans.
4. Have a picnic in High Park. One of the best places in the city for picnicking, High Park also has bike paths, a small zoo, and one of the city’s best playgrounds. Bonus: the cherry blossoms are in bloom as of May 14.
5. Plant a garden. We’re safely beyond the last frost in Toronto, so it’s time to plant squash, herbs, and nightshade vegetables.
6. Head to the Toronto Islands. Bring the little ones to Centreville Amusement Park, have a picnic, and rent a quadricycle (that’s a four-seater “bike”) for the waterfront trail.
7. See a Toronto FC game. If you haven’t seen Toronto’s resident professional soccer team in action, you’re missing a rollicking good time. Wear your red and white and brush up on the fan chants.
8. Go for a hike. Get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air at one of the many excellent conservation areas in the GTA.
9. Attend the WeeFestival. The first-ever WeeFestival of Theatre and Culture is a great way to introduce your preschooler to theatre, with performances geared toward the audiences younger than age six.
10. Visit the Toronto Zoo or Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. They’re bound to be busy, but the early bird gets through the doors unscathed and avoids burnout!
11. Plan a board-game tournament. Have each family member choose a game and buy a new game to jazz it up. Make or purchse game snacks and drinks to add to the fun.
12. Go canoeing or kayaking. Toronto Adventures has all kinds of paddling options, including beginning kayak and canoe lessons and rentals on the slow-moving Humber River.
13. Join the circus. The Harbourfront Centre’s International Circus Festival is a highlight of the weekend, with performances by aerialists and acrobats, jugglers, clowns, and comedians. Preschoolers can also participate in a tumbling and trapeze workshop.
