Toronto Zoo

Well, we love this place. We've been members for a number of years. There is always something to do for kids.

There is a playground with slide, tower, sand, and spider rope web. There is a splash pad in the summer. There's a train ride. There's food with the best Pizza Pizza pizza (no joke) and a Smoke's Poutinerie. You can do a safari camp but we haven't tried that yet.

Oh yeah, there are animals as well. (The stars this year are the pandas.)

ROM (Royal Ontario Museum)

OK, this museum is huge. It is impossible to see everything in detail in one visit. The dinosaur skeletons are quite impressive even in comparison to the Smithsonian and the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. There's a huge on in the lobby. Makes the T-Rex look like a baby. There's a T-Rex on the second floor, of course. The dinosaur skeletons show which bones are real, casts, and imagined parts--nice touch. This is sort of kid friendly. There are tours as well.

This is in the University of Toronto, St. George campus, at Bloor St. West and University Ave. Parking is available on campus or just get off at the Museum subway stop.

The stuffed animals (taxidermy, not teddy) are also nice. There are Roman busts (statues) on the fourth floor. There's just so much to see like Ghanian (sp?) coffins, etc. etc. There's a reasonably priced deli at the basement.

You can stroll through the U of T grounds after or even Queen's Park, the seat of provincial government. Young kids may not enjoy as much but older kids can see pretty cool stuff.

Fort York (Toronto)

Due to the generosity of Sun Life through the Toronto Public Library, the tickets are free. Just pay parking.

Nice fort. Smaller than Quebec City but more things to see (few restricted areas). Highlight is wearing the redcoat uniform. Good history lesson, guided tour. Nice to see preserved buildings: bunkers, munitions depots, mess hall, galley, artillery. We lost this battle but won the war (1812).

You can wander freely and enter the buildings, ride the cannons, run through the base. It's so out of place in the middle of a modern city. One of the nicer gift shops around. Get play guns, swords, buttons, etc. It takes 2-3 hours to see everything. Good day trip with the kids.

It's close to a park, the waterfront, and Ontario Place.

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)

Went to the gallery with toddler and grade fiver in tow. You can street park at the front on Dundas St. West. The entrance tickets are free courtesy of Sun Life through the Toronto Public Library. Great deal!

This is not a place for young kids in general. You can borrow a stroller but are limited to a couple of stations where you can dress up or draw. Not much of the gallery is hands-on. If you don't believe me, try climbing a bronze by Moore on the second floor.

For adults like me, it's like a time machine where you see a manual Smith-Corona typewriter! I remember typing reports in high school where I had to borrow one of these. Also, you get to see the scale of things. There was one sculpture I recognized from encyclopedias: The Assault of Persephone by Neptune. . . or Pluto. . . or Goofy. Anyway, I thought it would be larger but there it was. Kind of disappointing.

The native art and bronze sculptures are grand! There are also photos and film which I don't really care for. I like traditional art. There are bathrooms and water fountains on every floor. I'm guessing many of the people here are volunteers because you get a wide range of service quality from overly enthusiastic to downright forbidding. I warned you--not a place for energetic toddlers.

The best part for us is the animated display of Yoda lying frail in ET's arms. If this doesn't get to you, nothing will. Get. To. You. Awright, heart of stone!

Don't forget to see the Grange. There are stores and restaurants around and there's a park behind it. Don't drive on Yonge or Bloor to get here. You will be sorry.

To summarize, good for older, art lovers and bad for toddlers and art haters. Who knew?