3 Awesome Family Road Trip Itineraries in Ontario

It’s time to leave the city behind and head off on a family adventure (at least for the weekend). Summer is the best time to get out of Toronto and explore, so fill the car to the brim and hit the open road!

We put together three awesome road trips itineraries to use, one if you have a full week of vacation, one if you’ve got a three-day weekend, and one if you can only get away overnight; all three are family-friendly, and all three are super fun! Make sure you make some reservations ahead.

*If you’ve only got one day to work with, make sure you take a look at our 10 Fun Family Day Trips From Toronto.

1. Overnight Getaway: Sandbanks Provincial Park

Day 1:
Morning – Head east towards Sandbanks Provincial Park (3–3.5 hours).

Afternoon – Arrive in Prince Edward County and make a day of it. Play some mini-golf at Caddy Shack, enjoy some tasty ice cream at Slickers or Scooperman’s, go horseback riding get lost at Bird House City, take a walk on the Waterfront Trail visit a local farm market, and let the kids run and play at all the parks in between.

*Moms and Dads, don’t forget to stop by a local winery to pick up a few bottles to take home with you!

Evening – Arrive at Sandbanks Provincial Park (or whatever camp ground you’re staying at nearby) and get yourself setup. If there’s time, go for an evening walk to explore. Otherwise, roast some hotdogs and marshmallows over the campfire and tell spooky stories until eyelids start to droop.

Day 2:
Morning – Wake up bright and early and head to the beach for some fun in the dunes. The Sandbanks is well known for it’s awesome sand dunes, so let the kids have some sandy fun before they head in for a swim.

Afternoon – Keep soaking up the rays and swimming like fish!

Evening – Pack up the car and head for home. If you want to take advantage of all your time away from the city, stop in Picton on the way home for a drive-in movie (Friday, Saturday, an Sunday nights at dusk), and then drive home while the kids sleep.

*If the weather isn’t looking great on day two, drive straight to Sandbanks on day one, and then make all the suggested Prince Edward County stops on your way home instead (including some museums if it’s really raining).

2. Long Weekend Adventure: Bruce Peninsula

Day 1:
Morning – Head northwest towards the Bruce Peninsula (3.5–4 hours). Set up (camp or cottage) in Lion’s Head. Lion’s Head is a great jumping off point for all the other amazing local sights and activities, and it also has a public beach, playground, grocery store, restaurants, cafes, a lighthouse, and even a hospital.

Afternoon – Grab some lunch at Rachel’s Bakery and Fifties Diner, and then enjoy the rest of the day at the beach.

Evening – Stop by the Lion’s Head Inn for dinner, or cook something over your campfire or cottage stove. On Friday nights in July and August, stop by the harbourfront for live music (around 8 pm). Any other night, take a stroll to the lighthouse, or grab some ice cream.

Later on do some stargazing on your own, or with the Bayside Astronomy group’s telescopes (Friday and Saturday nights in July and August). Lion’s Head is a designated Dark Sky community, which means your chance of seeing a shooting star is greatly increased. Prepare your wishes in advance!

Day 2:
Morning – If day two falls on a Saturday, you’re in luck! Head to the Lion’s Head Farmers’ Market between 9 am–12 pm for some local treats, live music, and festivities. If it’s not Saturday, take a morning hike and do some bird watching at the Lion’s Head Nature Preserve, or start the afternoon portion of your day earlier.

Afternoon – Pack a picnic lunch and drive over to the Bruce Peninsula National Park to the Cyprus Lake Grotto. Hike into the woods (a very gentle hike on a mostly flat path, with a washroom just past mid-way) for about 20 minutes and be rewarded with one of the most beautiful views in all of Canada. The water is cold, but if it’s calm, there is a small beach for swimming. You’ll never want to leave! If you’re feeling extra brave, make sure you climb the lookout tower (112 steps to the top!) on your way out.

Evening – Head to Tobermory and visit the Sweet Shop, do a little shopping, have dinner with views of Little Tub Harbour, and then grab some ice cream and go for a stroll.

*If you want to mix things up a little, you can stay in Lion’s Head for the night, and then for night number two, why not try a yurt?  

Day 3:
Morning – Pack a picnic, sunscreen, and lots of water, and then board a boat to Flowerpot Island in the Fathom Five National Marine Park. The best way to enjoy the ride is to take a cruise and tour the shipwrecks in a glass bottom boat before being dropped off. (There is also a small park fee.)

Afternoon – Start your hike at Beachy Cove, making your way to the Flowerpot LightStation, where you can explore all the buildings for free. During the summer months, you can also buy refreshments there, but make sure to bring plenty of your own water just in case. The LightStation area is great for your picnic, although really anywhere along the shore will do. There are some amazing caves and rock formations that are almost too cool to be true. Kids will love exploring the island. There are also two swimming areas, near the flowerpots and at Beachy Cove.

Evening – Start the drive home. Feel free to stop anywhere that strikes your fancy along the way.

Bonus Day 4:
If you get to take an extra long weekend, bump day three to day four and have a day of adventures at Greig’s Caves and Little Cove.

*If the weather is bad, head to the Visitor Centre for great exhibits, theatre programs, and some colouring. Then head to Tobermory for some inside fun.

3. Week of Family Fun: Ottawa, Montreal, Vermont

Day 1:
Morning – Grab your passports and head east towards Ottawa (4.5 hours). If you arrive and the summer heat is out of control, take a quick break to cool off at one of the local pools.

Afternoon – Visit Parliament Hill. Have a discussion about how Canada’s government works, and get to know Trudeau a little better. After your sojourn into politics, head to the lively Byward Market to do a little shopping and snacking.

Evening – After you’ve been through the market grab dinner and dessert on one of the many restaurant patios. At 7:30 pm, take an evening cruise on the river and enjoy the many views. On your way back to your hotel, make sure to stop by Parliament to catch the sound and light show.

Day 2:
Morning/Afternoon/Evening – Fill your whole day with some of the great summer attractions for kids in Ottawa. There’s something for everyone.

Day 3:
Morning – Head to Montreal (2 – 2.5 hours). Now it’s time to stretch those legs. Take a walk through Old Town, marveling at the cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways, historic architecture, and tourist attractions.

Afternoon – Enjoy a stroll by the water at Old Port, and grab food from the food trucks for lunch. Next, head to Voiles En Voiles to climb aboard a replica pirate ship and aerial course, and then rent a paddleboat to sail the seven seas.

Evening – When you’re all tuckered out have dinner in Old Town and head to bed early.

Day 4:
Morning/Afternoon – After grabbing some fresh bagels for breakfast, spend the day at Space for Life. Enjoy the biodome, botanical gardens, insectarium, and more. The botanical gardens are a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch. Make sure you take a look at the Olympic Stadium next door as well, and learn about its unusual architecture.

Evening – Grab some Montreal smoked meat sandwiches for dinner at the famous Schwartz’ Deli. Afterwards, if you’ve got any energy left at all, head up Mont Royal to see a panorama of the city lit up at night.

Day 5:
Morning – Head to Shelburne, Vermont (1.5 hours). Stop in at the Teddy Bear Factory for a tour. See how the stuffies are made and maybe even make your own!

Afternoon – Learn some history at the Sherburne Museum, an eclectic museum filled with unusual attractions that the whole family will enjoy.

Evening – Head to Shelburne Farm (also an environmental education centre) for some farm-fresh dinner, and ample walking trails and a tour of the historic barns. Make sure to leave plenty of time for the Children’s Farmyard, where kids can milk a cow, brush a sheep, help with farm chores, and more. In the summer, the farm has live music starting at 6 pm every evening. Sherlburne Farm is also on the Cheese Trail, so make sure you grab some to take home with you!

*Moms and dads, Sherburne is also home to Fiddlehead Brewing Company.

Day 6:
Morning – Head over to Burlington’s ECHO Leahy Centre on Lake Champlain. It’s a science centre and a lake aquarium rolled into one. There are amazing exhibits for kids to explore and learn all about wildlife, ecology, plant life, and more.

Afternoon – Have a light lunch in downtown Burlington and then hit the road in search of tasty treats! First stop, a tour of the Ben and Jerry’s Factory to learn how ice cream is made, sample some new flavours, and buy some swag. Second stop, Cold Hollow Cider Mill where you can see how cider is made, watch the donut robot in action, visit Honey Bee Corner, and enjoy all the tasty treats they have to offer. Then, your final stop on the way back to Burlington will be the Audubon Trails near Huntington, where you can stretch your legs, do some birding, and get active after your afternoon of nibbling.

Evening – Head back to Burlington for a slice of pizza and then hit the hay; you’ll be tired after this long day!

Day 7:
Morning – It’s time to head home (7 hours). Sigh.

Afternoon – Make sure to stop for some lunch. Brockville is about halfway and it’s got a variety of restaurants, and some waterfront area for picnicking. Grab some food from Don’s Fish and Chips and then stretch your legs with a five-minute walk to Hardy Park Bandshell to enjoy your food on a picnic table overlooking Tunnel Bay and the St. Lawrence River.

Evening – If you don’t want to go straight home, you could always stop in Picton on the way home for a drive-in movie (Friday, Saturday, an Sunday nights at dusk), and then drive home while the kids sleep.