OT - Ideas for a long weekend trip within reasonable drive of GTA?

[encinc]

We're looking for suggestions of places to go with the kids (aged 7 and 9) for a long weekend right after school gets out. We only have 2-3 nights, so we don't want to travel too far - probably within 3-5 hours drive from GTA. We thought about Ottawa, but it's a little further than we'd like to travel, and there's no way we want to deal with the Canada Day crowds. The boys love the outdoors but we're not campers. I'd love to do some cross-border shopping, but that's not the main purpose of this trip. Time with the kids is most important.

We've considered Niagara Falls (Great Wolf Lodge) and Rochester to visit the Strong Museum, but we've done both of those several times before. Does anyone have any ideas of someplace different for a quick getaway to celebrate the start of summer vacation?

 

[mollyseven]

Ottawa is our favourite with sooooo much to do and lots of outdoor activity. Canada Day in Ottawa is sooo much fun with lots of stuff for kids and all the museums are free on Canada day and the fireworks at night are amazing....only surpassed by Disneyworlds. Serious fun that weekend. I would reconsider Ottawa. Another fun thing is to go to Kingston and take the ferry over to Wolf Island....you can always then travel across wolf island (5 minutes) and then take the ferry to the US. We love crossing this way. You can do an easy drive to Watertown (they have an amazing outdoor city zoo there) or little farther to Syracuse......also a good zoo there.!!

 

[roxysmum123]

What about somewhere in the Barrie, Muskoka, Algonquin area?? Lots of great family resorts there!

 

[tone.def]

Muskoka / Haliburton / Algonquin!

 

[encinc]

What about somewhere in the Barrie, Muskoka, Algonquin area?? Lots of great family resorts there!

Can you suggest some resorts? We'd love to go up that way, but I'm finding the search for a place to stay rather overwhelming. Doesn't help that it's a long weekend, so I may have left it too late.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

You might like Viamede (near Peteborough). I've only stayed there once, but it was really lovely.

http://www.viamede.com/


TP

 

[Tink42]

You might think about going up to Collingwood - lots of hiking trails, can rent bikes, scenic caves, Wasaga Beach not too far.