Tag Archives: Great Wolf Lodge

Top Ten Things to Do This Holiday Season

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via GIPHY

There are plenty of fun and festive things to do this holiday season. Here are my Top 10 places to check out:

  1. Toronto Christmas Market – Experience the magic of the holidays with carols, hot food, and plenty of handcrafted goods to choose from! Treat your kids to a storytelling session or pictures with Santa himself. You can explore the Distillery Christmas Market until December 23rd. Admission is charged on weekends only, beginning at 5 PM on Fridays.
  2. Skating at City Hall, Harbourfront, or The Bentway Skate Trail – Sharpen your skates and head on over to the shoreline of Lake Ontario, Nathan Phillips Square, or underneath the Gardiner Expressway. If you don’t have your own pair of skates, you can rent them for a small fee. Show off your skating (and dancing) skills at the Harbourfront Centre on their DJ Skate Nights!
  3. Christmas Lights Across Canada 2018 in Ottawa – It’s obligatory to include at least one light festival in every holiday list. Take a trip to Canada’s capital to be dazzled by festive lights across the city and the Magical Winter Lightscapes show projected on the Parliament Buildings.
  4. Day Trips to Niagara – The Falls are always stunning in the winter. There are plenty of casinos, restaurants, and museums in the entertainment district.
  5. Rochester, NY – For a quick overnight trip, visit Rochester, New York. The holiday spirit is very much alive with Christmas Markets and plays such as “The Nutcracker”. I also highly recommend the Minnesota Children’s Museum, as it has great exhibits that emphasize education mixed with fun.
  6. Ripley’s Aquarium – To see amazing creatures from under the sea, there’s always Ripley’s Aquarium. For the holidays they have special events such as breakfast with Santa! The aquarium is open daily from 9 AM to 11 PM.
  7. Eat Out – It’s never a bad time to take your family out to a nice dinner or lunch for some quality bonding time. Of course, nothing beats a home-cooked meal but sometimes it’s nice not to do the dishes. For those lazy mornings, go out for a nice brunch!
  8. Afternoon Tea – Feeling fancy? Head over to Fairmont Royal York for holiday tea and sandwiches at the Library Bar every Saturday and Sunday. A special new year’s day tea is also available on January 1st.
  9. Skiing and Snow Tubing – If you don’t mind heading up a bit north of Toronto, the ski hills are open at Snow Valley and Blue Mountain! For something a bit different, try out snow tubing—it’s easy and fun for the entire family.
  10. Great Wolf Lodge – The Lodge transforms into Snowland for the holiday season. Not only do they have a life-sized Gingerbread house, but they also have daily holiday events. You can also enroll the kids in North Pole University

Whatever you choose to do over the winter break, all of us at SQM hope you have a safe and enjoyable holidays!

 

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Unforgettable Ways To Spend Time with the Family…On Family Day!

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Family Day Activities

With the upcoming Family Day weekend, many people in Ontario are looking for something fun to do on one or more of the days of the long weekend.

Whether you’re in the Toronto area, outside of the GTA, or looking to travel elsewhere, there are a ton of places to go and things to do:

Great Wolf Lodge – Although some find it expensive, I know a lot of people like going to the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. What better way to spend the weekend than right down at the falls, enjoying the view and making a splash? It’s perfect for people of all ages…after all, who doesn’t enjoy a good waterpark? Alternatively, there’s the Fallsview waterpark in Niagara Falls! Whichever you choose, book early! There is a good chance are that both of these options will be busy on weekends… especially the long weekend.

Rochester, New York – I absolutely love visiting Rochester. They have an amazing outlet mall, and depending on what time of year you go they have a fantastic hockey team or Triple-A baseball team. There’s a great waterpark, lots of restaurants, an amazing children’s museum (Strong Museum of Play) and the George Eastman Museum dedicated to photography and film. I like staying at the Hyatt because there’s an indoor pool, and if it’s a weekend, generally the rate is a bit lower.

Deerhurst Resort – You could always escape to a northern resort like Deerhurst in Muskoka, where they have skating, fat biking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. They also accommodate kids, of course. To truly enjoy the winter wonderland that is northern Ontario, I suggest you and your family head up to Muskoka!

Snow Valley – I’ve written about this place before, after visiting it for an afternoon of snow tubing. While I personally had a great time tubing, you can also try your hand at skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing. There are smaller hills for kids and those who are just starting out, as well as lessons for first-timers. Snow Valley has a small chalet where you can warm yourselves up by the fire and grab something to eat before hitting the slopes.

Skating Rinks – There are many skating rinks across the province…both indoor and outdoor. Here in Toronto, there’s a new outdoor skating trail that runs under the Gardner Expressway around June Callwood Park to the east of the Fort York Visitor’s Centre. Unlike your typical skating rink, this is a trail, where skaters can skate between the pillars that hold up the highway, so it’s a little different than skating in circles. They also have regular entertainment throughout the week, if you want to take a break from the blades.

Indoor Activities – If you don’t want to be outside, there are lots of indoor swimming pools that are heated! In addition, if indoor activities are more your forte, go to an art gallery or museum. Have you tried trampolining? Hit up your nearest SkyZone and watch the kids have a blast, while you get in a great workout! I would also suggest Ripley’s Aquarium, where you can explore the deep sea while staying dry at the same time. That said, be forewarned that there are usually long lines at the aquarium during the weekend or on holidays.

Whatever you choose to do, have a safe and enjoyable Family Day weekend!

 

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Top 5 Toronto Staycation Ideas

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This week, we present to you another one of our “Top Lists”! Have you ever wanted to get away for the weekend, but find that a vacation would be too time-consuming and require a lot of planning? If you find yourself stuck in Toronto this weekend, then this list will help you make the best of it! Here is our pick of Toronto’s top 5 staycation ideas:

1. Book a Hotel: Check your friends or family into a hotel of choice for a few nights. When you arrive at the hotel, unpack and spend your day in the pool, enjoy some spa treatments, and try some fine wine while dining at the hotel’s restaurant. We highly recommend the One King West Hotel, the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, and the Thompson Hotel!

2. Take a Culinary Tour: Book a tour with The Culinary Adventure Company to experience Toronto’s culinary and historical diversity. Meet with chefs, artisan food producers, butchers, and bakers on a Food Tour, enjoy a seven-course gourmet picnic and a tour of vineyards on a Culinary Adventure, or take a class on how to make cheese! Whatever you choose to do, you will have a delicious staycation experience.

3. Go to the Beach: You can spend your weekend relaxing, catching some sun, playing volleyball, biking, and even rollerblading at Bluffer’s Park Beach! Due to its proximity to the Scarborough Bluffs, you and your family or date can end the weekend with a beautiful view. A visit to the Toronto Island beaches will be just as delightful and safe, as Toronto has high beach water quality standards.

4. Visit a Water Park: Put a splash of fun in your weekend by visiting a water park such as Kidstown! While children can enjoy features such as the tipping bucket, slide, splash pad, and wading pool, adults can have a picnic on the grassy area. Did you know that Kidstown is also free of cost? Another great water park to visit is the one at the Great Wolf Lodge. Make sure to check out their newest Wolf Tail ride!

5. Explore a Historical Site: If you love history and culture, then Black Creek Pioneer Village is a great place to immerse yourself in the customs, lifestyles, and surroundings of early Toronto residents. This month, you would not only get to explore the pioneer brewery, but also participate in The Battle of Black Creek – a revolutionary war re-enactment! In addition, the village offers many fun activities for children. Casa Loma is also a great place to visit if you are curious about Gothic Revival architecture!

 

 

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