Family Day in Burlington Ontario

No matter what the weather is on February 18th, there are lots of great activities to enjoy on Family Day.  You can spend time in Burlington or the surrounding area and be sure that the little ones have no reason to say “I’m bored.”

If the snow remains you can dig out those toboggans, ski’s, skates, or snowshoes, blow off the dust and put them to good use.  The Conservation Halton parks are a great place to hike, bird watch, enjoy nature, and use those snow toys. Please check individual park sites to find out what activities are available at each location.

Have you ever heard of Snowsnake?  I honestly had no idea what this was when it was first mentioned to me, but I found out that this is a traditional Iroquoian game taking place at Crawford Lake Conservation Area as part of their Snowflakes & Snowsnakes event.  This unique event includes winter survival hikes, legends in the longhouse, hemlock tea tasting, and much more.

If you are more interested in an event that includes snuggling up and keeping warm, you can head to Mountsberg Conservation Area for Tales by a Winter Fire starting at 10am. You will be able to toboggan, hike, and enjoy an outdoor bonfire and if you prefer not to trek through the woods, relax on a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride being offered ($) through the fields and forest. 

Glen Eden offers tubing, fresh slopes, and even nighttime lighting for those of us who want to sleep in.  Although I am not much of a skier, I was able to master the bunny hill at Glen Eden.  If you are looking for a challenge or just trying something new it is it is well worth it, with their Discover Skiing and Snowboarding packages, this is a day of fun which is easy to organize.

Bronte Creek is always an inviting location to spend the morning, afternoon, or evening!  With the Olympic-sized outdoor rink you can lace up your skates and enjoy the pleasure of skating outside from 9am-9:30pm.  I personally love this because my friends enjoy skating while I am more of a watcher.  No matter how many times I try, I can never seem to get the hang of things, which ends up with me falling down constantly.  So instead, I’d rather sit and sip on a cup of hot chocolate, while they enjoy themselves.  With heated change rooms, washrooms, music, skate rentals, farm and play barn open from 9am-4pm, this is something that both friends and family can enjoy together.  Sometimes I even bring my dog, Nyssa, to run free in the leash free areas.  She is just as much a part of my family as my younger sister! 

The Rotary Centennial Pond offers a stunning view of the waterfront to enjoy while you skate.  Public skating is open daily from 10am-10pm depending on the weather. Don’t worry if the weather is not looking great for outside skating, The Appleby Ice Centre will be open with drop in programs for the entire family.  Check the website for skate types and times.

If you prefer the indoors, why not spend some time at the pool.  Pull out the swimsuits, goggles, and nose plugs and splash around in the water with public swimming at Aldershot Pool or Angela Coughlan Pool. Check the website for swim types and times.

Have your kids saying “RARW” at the Royal Botanical Gardens – Battle of the Titans.  Visitors can learn about paleontology, see a Tyrannosaurus Rex/ Triceratops life size diorama, play dress up, see dino prints, or try the digital dig pit. On February 17^th & 18^th Dr. Phil Manning, an internationally renowned dinosaur hunter from the University of Manchester will be on-hand to answer any of your questions on these prehistoric creatures.  The RBG is an affordable day out at only $30.50 for a family of four.  Once you’ve had the opportunity to see through dino-vision and learn about dino-diets, you will likely become “dino-hungry.”  The Garden Café at the RBG is featuring a Family Day Feast feeds two adults and two children and includes a salad, entrée and drink for only $30 + HST. (reservations are recommended).

For those that are more dramatically inclined be sure to get your tickets for Sing-a-long A Sound of Music at the Burlington Performing Art Centre. This interactive screening event is complimented with onscreen lyrics, props, costumes, and vocal warm-ups.  Be sure to visit the website to get a real feel for this cool interactive event and for ticket information.  

If you need a little extra incentive to get out of bed on the 18^th, the Burlington Chocolate Trail is a delectable treasure path Take your teen, best girlfriend or a special individual out to enjoy some decadent treats on this self-guided trail.  Is there anything better then spending the day with a little self enjoyment and chocolate - I don’t think so! 

Don’t worry about finding somewhere to eat on your day out, the restaurants of Burlington are always offering tasty meals. If you are looking for a prix fixe dining experience be sure to try one of more of the 23 restaurants participating in the Taste of Burlington from February 17 – March 10, 2013. 

Tourism Burlington will be open on Family Day from 9am-4pm,  and we are always available on the web, via Facebook or Twitter.

Whatever your plans are this Family Day we hope you enjoy your time together!

TourBurlGrl2

Things to do over the holidays in Burlington, ON

It’s a wonderful time of year: there’s a chill in the air, Christmas music playing at every turn, and we are all reminded of just how lucky we are to spend the holidays with our loved ones, even if it does result in a Griswald-esque season of frenzy. This being said, when Johnny Mathis wrote ‘It’s Beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas’, the wisdom of the lyric “and Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again” has stood the test of time. It can be so difficult to find a way to keep the little ones entertained over the holiday season! Luckily, we’re happy to provide you with a list of recommended activities that are sure to keep the kids healthy, festive and MUCH too tired to stay up past their bedtime, no matter how many reindeer they hear on the roof.

This season Burlington is bustling with fun and physical activities that are perfect for the whole family: visit Rotary Centennial Pond at Discovery Landing or your local arena for free skating sponsored by Tim Hortons, or take a trip to Glen Eden to hit the slopes! And don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for special gym & ice holiday rates, courtesy of the Parks & Recreation ‘Winter Break in the City’ program!

Another great location for spending a day outdoors is Bronte Creek Provincial Park where you can not only avoid the Mayan apocalypse, but also enjoy skating on their giant outdoor rink (skate rentals available), and if mother nature cooperates you can toboggan, enjoy the ski trails or Snowshoe.  The playbarn is always open and a great distraction for kids of all ages.  Don’t forget that their Homestead Christmas runs until December 23^rd.

Time-travelling not your thing? Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens for a more contemporary celebration! Check out the RBG’s Christmas train set, stay for storytime and then head outside for a winter hike. You can even steal a little bit of time for yourself (and maybe a ‘holiday-sized’ brandy-and-eggnog) after dropping the kids off at one of the garden’s Winter Discovery Day Camps on January 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th!  And surely after all the time you will have had to relax, you’ll have all the energy in the world to take the family to Crawford Lake for a snowshoeing or cross country skiing expedition, Hilton Falls on December 22^nd for Christmas on the Trails  or a hike at Mountsberg where you can learn about majestic birds of prey. Or—if you like the idea of a wintry escape with animal friends but prefer fur to feathers—don’t miss your chance to take a horse-drawn wagon ride through Mountsberg’s beautiful landscapes, followed my marshmallow roasting over an open fire starting January 12th. Bring your blanket and your camera, this is sure to be a beautiful family memory!

We know what you’re thinking: that all sounds amazing but what if the weather is bad? I can only keep the kids occupied with paper cutout snowflakes for so long!  Fear not, fellow Burlingtonian! Buy your tickets now for Aladdin at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre! This pantomime is geared towards kids but fun for all ages: be a part of the show with this interactive theatrical experience.

And while many of us will be heading back to work after the holidays, school aged children are off for another week which means trying to find fun activities to fill their days.  The Museums of Burlington are a great way to spend the day exploring the history of Burlington and two of it’s famous residents – Joseph Brant & the Irelands. If you kids are more interested in the arts consider a visit to the Burlington Art Centre which is home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary ceramics.  Plus they have recently opened the Creative Hub - the BAC Creative Hub located just off the Brock Lobby. Drop in and get creative.  Desks and chairs, art supplies, activity sheets and art books to inspire, and display space for artwork are all available. Free. Open to all ages during BAC hours.  On January 6^th from 2-3pm you can participate in a free Guided tour led by a trained docent.  Plus there is a very cool exhibition in the Lee-Chin Family Gallery - Zoom: New Works by Reinhard Reitzenstein. The artist has a large visual representation of the Higgs boson particle (referred to in the media as the God particle) and electrons suspended from the ceiling, as well as photographs of oceans, landscapes and close ups of moss-wrapped stones dripping with moisture on the walls - from vastness to sub-atomic events.  Both the museums and the art centre are closed the week of Dec. 24-Jan. 1 and open regular hours starting January 2^nd.

Of course, we would be remiss if we did not also relay the many choices for a family friendly New Years Eve. Visit the New Years Eve Hoopla at Conservation Halton for activities for the whole family including a wagon ride, puppet show, and a scavenger hunt, or enjoy the celebration at Central Park, where you and the family can look forward to free skating, a Mad Science activity station, games, and two fireworks displays.  You can also head to Bronte Creek Provincial Park who will be celebrating New Year’s Eve with some howl'n going on! The Park Naturalist will be leading evening hikes where visitors will learn to howl like coyotes and then gather round the bonfire for the Countdown for Kids!

If your little ones are getting to be not-so-little and have reached the dreaded “I can’t be seen with you in public!” age, send them off for a New Year’s Eve party of their own at Velocity, where kids between the ages of 8 and 14 can celebrate with a live DJ and free pizza in a safe, supervised environment. Finally, if after all this the kids have any energy left whatsoever, bring them over to Tansley Woods Community Centre on New Years Day from noon to 4pm where the fun continues! FREE swimming, a soccer skills workshop, a Wii games room, crafts and all sorts of entertainment make this party a must!

Remember to check the Burlington Events Calendar for new events, because there is always something new and exciting happening in Burlington! We wish you a fun-filled, safe and festive holiday season, and a happy New Year!

If you are looking for a listing of what is open & closed over the holidays visit our homepage for a downloadable PDF

Wishing you a very Happy New Year from all of us here at Tourism Burlington!

TourBurl Girl Elyse

Family Day Activities in Burlington 2012

It’s almost here – the second statutory holiday of the year and a day meant to share with your loved ones – Family Day 2012!  Burlington is a great place to celebrate Family Day, with a wide variety of events and activities you are sure to find something to please. 

For families looking to spend the day outdoors you need look no further than our local parks.  If the snow flies before the 20^th you can partake in tobogganing, snowshoeing and

cross-country skiing but rest assured that even without the white stuff there is plenty to see and do!

Baby goats at Mountsberg

Conservation Halton parks are a great place to walk, hike, birdwatch and enjoy nature.  At Mountsberg you can enjoy all things cute and cuddly with the arrival of baby goats and lambs to the Cameron barnyard! Moms and babies are all doing fine and are looking forward to visitors. Why not spend the day with the babies, play in the play barn and take a horse-drawn wagon ride ($) through the fields and forests. Then visit the Raptor Centre and take in the Birds of Prey show, this year you can also visit the Royal Ontario Museum’s spectacular Northern Owls exhibit being hosted at the park until February 23rd. Crawford Lake is home to a re-constructed 15^th century Iroquoian Village which you can explore or as part of their Season of the Snowsnake join the staff for a guided tours of the at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, try a guided winter survival hike at 2pm and create a craft or enjoy a discovery hunt from 10am to 4pm.  While the ground may be bare here, if you head to Glen Eden there is plenty of snow for you to ski, snowboard and tube on.  Look for special family day activities at the snow park to be announced soon.  Check out the video of our guest blogger Victoria Hughes and her daughter enjoying a private kinderski lesson.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park is another amazing location for enjoying the outdoors.  You can hike the trails, skate on the outdoor rink (weather permitting), visit the farm animals and explore the children’s play barn.  If you bring along your four legged friend they can run themselves out in the designated leash free areas.  There will also be special family day tours of the 1900’s farmhouse from 11am-3pm.
 
Lace up and head down to the Waterfront at Downtown Burlington.  Rotary Centennial Pond is open daily for skating from 10am-10pm (weather permitting) and the best part – it’s FREE!  While you are there you can also stroll the waterfront and the kids will love the playground in any weather.  Post skate, consider heading to one of the many downtown eateries for a hot chocolate or bite to eat.

Prefer your activities indoors?  The City of Burlington parks and recreation have some great family day activities planned.  Visit Tansley Woods and purchase a Family Day pass that allows you to participate in 3 activities at the Centre.  Activities run from 9:30am-4:30pm (see the website for schedule and activities).  Other drop-in programs will also be available including skating at Appleby Ice Centre and swimming at Aldershot  & Angela Coughlan pools.  Times and locations on the website.  Ever thought of joining the circus? Prestige Circus & Gymnastics School is having a family day free event.  Bring the kids and try out age appropriate circus skills and gymnastics.  Details online.


Facepainting at Kids Day


Looking for a family fun event?  The Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore presents Burlington’s Kids Day.  This family friendly event runs from 9am-5pm at Corpus Christie Secondary School with a pancake breakfast at 8:30am. Purchase a play all day wristband($15/child, $5/toddler under 2) and let the kids enjoy a wide variety of fun activities including professional entertainers, arts and crafts, sporting activities, inflatables and more!  Note: some additional activities are available at a nominal cost.  See the website for a complete listing.  There is food on-site so you don’t have to leave when the “hungrys” start.  I have visited this event in the past and it is very busy so be sure to pack some patience as the more popular activities may have line-ups.  It is a great way to spend the day and I highly recommend it – just be sure to visit the website for all the details on things like parking, strollers, changing areas, etc. before you go.

Checking out the Chocolate Exhibition at the RBG


A sweet way to spend family day is to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens for Chocolate: The Exhibition (running to April 15).  In addition to the amazing interactive exhibit from the Museum of Chicago there are numerous activities for kids of all ages.  Start with the chocolate chase, a self-guided scavenger hunt that can be traded in for a reward at the marketplace.  Visit the interpretive programs full of stories, activities, chocolate making and more.  Be sure to include a stop at the Gardens Café for a sweet lunch or snack while visiting.  Inside you can also explore the year round gardens and take in the Glass under Glass exhibits.  When you are done there are loads of great hiking/walking trails to explore and the birds at The Gardens are famously friendly (we hear they like sunflower seeds in the shell best).

For those looking for a culinary delight consider the self-guided Burlington Chocolate Trail, a decadent day of all things chocolate in Burlington.  Check out the video of our day on the trail.  Or consider prix fixe dining with a Taste of Burlington (Feb. 20-Mar.11) at twenty-five of Burlington’s finest restaurants.  You are sure to find something to please your palate.

Tourism Burlington will be closed on Family Day but we are always available on the web, via Facebook or Twitter.

Whatever you do, we hope you enjoy the day.  Have fun, play hard, eat well & enjoy!

The Kids are bored, now what?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Then you realize the kids are off school for 2 weeks and you are out of ideas on what to do with them. We have put together a blog full of activities to keep everyone entertained.  For more detailed information on events (times, cost, etc) please visit the individual websites.  Now, get out there and have fun!

Ring in 2012 with any one of the exciting events happening in Burlington this New Year’s. For a family-friendly event, go to Central Park for the City of Burlington’s Family New Year’s Eve. Celebrate from 6pm-10pm and see how the park is transformed into Seussville for the evening! With performances of “Seussical the Musical” by Student Theatre, free skating, crafts and games, and fireworks at 10pm, your family will have a fabulous night! Bronte Creek will keep you partying until midnight with their New Year’s Eve Family Skate and Coyote Howl. Starting at 5pm and continuing through until 12:30am, you and your family can skate, snack, hike, and howl your way into 2012.  At Glen Eden you can enjoy free hot chocolate, a bonfire and music at the tube park and skiing and snowboarding until 8pm.

On January 1st you can continue celebrations with a New Years Day Party from 12–4pm at Tansley Woods Community Centre. This Suessville family fun is a free event with entertainment, free swimming, open gym, and activities. Enjoy a performance of Suessical the Musical and more.

Skating at Rotary Centennial Pond

Lace up your skates this holiday season.  Many local arenas are part of the Tim Hortons Free Skate, check the website for dates, times and locations.  For those that prefer an outdoor rink consider heading to Rotary Centennial Pond on the waterfront for free skating daily from 10am to 10pm.  Be sure to phone ahead and check the ice conditions 905 634 7263.  Bronte Creek Provincial Park is home to a huge outdoor rink that is can be in good condition even with a mild spell. It's a good idea to call ahead to listen to the automated recording of current rink conditions. 905-827-6911. If the recording is a few days old it means the rink conditions have not changed. The rink is open daily 9:00am - 9:30pm. (weather permitting) and on New Years Eve the rink stays open until 12:30am.

Mountsberg

For more outdoor fun, consider Conservation Halton parks.  All the parks have amazing hiking trails and some offer snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing (weather permitting).  Crawford Lake also has moonlight snowshoe hikes (suitable for ages 8 and up) every Friday and Saturday from 6:30-8:30pm. Each hike begins with basic instruction and some historical background on the sport of snowshoeing. Next, you will strap on a pair of snowshoes, and take a guided trek through the Crawford Lake woodlands. Your guide will point out some of the natural features of the area, and motivate you along the way. At the end of the evening relax by a fire with a steaming hot chocolate. Pre-registration is required and if there is no snow a guided hike is substituted. On Jan. 6 from 6:30-9:00pm participate in a Guided Moonlight Ski at Hilton Falls (suitable for ages 5yrs and up). Enjoy the magic of a winter's evening with hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows over an open fire by the falls after a guided moonlight ski. Pre-registration is recommended and limited ski equipment rental packages are available, be sure to reserve yours early.

 At Mountsberg, you can enjoy a wagon or sleigh ride through the fields and forests of the park. The jingle of the harness and the sound of the horses tromping along the trail will make for an enjoyable trip. Wagon Rides are offered daily along with birds of prey presentations from Dec. 26-Jan. 7 and weekends until Feb. 20.

Glen Eden

No need to head north, Glen Eden is officially opening on Dec. 26 for skiing and snowboarding.  Hit the slopes for a day of fun on one of their 14 runs.  Private lessons can be arranged for first-timers or those wanting some expert training.  The week of Dec. 27-31 there will also be camps running but you need to book early as these fill up quick. 

Doorways to the Holidays

For indoor and outdoor fun look no further than, The Royal Botanical Gardens. The RBG is open 10am-4pm daily with beautiful gardens and lots of great outdoor trails you can spend a day exploring.  Doorways to the holidays featuring cleverly decorated holiday themed doors throughout the Centre is still on display and you can join RBG interpreters for a variety of family activities this holiday season. Go for a walk in the woods with the birds; explore winter traditions and the plants that have influenced them over time; or make a bird-friendly or holiday craft to take home. If you have to work you can always sign the kids up for a week of discovery and adventure at RBG’s discovery camps running Jan. 2-6.

Visiting the BAC

For those of an artistic nature the Burlington Art Centre is a great way to spend a few hours enjoying the exhibits and collections and best of all it’s free!  Currently there are 2 exhibitions to enjoy. “Black + White = Grey” , a collection of works by a number of artists, including Kayo O’Young, Diane Nasr, Jane Hill, and Sadashi Inuzuka, showcases the relationship between ceramics and technology through the use of glazes, colour, and clay and “Gino Lorcini: Significant Forms” offers visitors a unique look at the range of three-dimensional works and wall reliefs by the artist. The BAC will be closed until January 2nd and then open daily. 

If you are feeling crafty, consider Art Glazed Over a paint your own ceramics studio, offering drop in fun or pre-registered workshops for the winter break.  Or you could head to Art Felt  for art based day camps for children 5-12 years the week of Jan. 2-7.   

Joseph Brant Museum

Step back in time and learn about local history at the Museums of Burlington. If you love fashion you will want to visit the exhibit The Gilded Age: In Pursuit of Pleasure - Fashion in Edwardian Times currently housed at Joseph Brant Museum or head to Ireland House at Oakridge Farm and tour the historic house that housed three generations of the Ireland family.  With admission rates under $5.00 per person you can’t find a better deal.  Museums of Burlington are closed until January 2nd when regular museum hours resume.

We have highlighted some of the great things to see and do over the break here in Burlington, be sure to visit our website for more ideas and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for other updates.

 

Bronte Creek Homestead Christmas

On December 3rd I took my daughter Hannah and her adorable friend Kate to Bronte Creek Provincial Park where we were treated to their special Homestead Christmas experience!  This weekend event throughout December sells out each year, so we were glad we booked early and scored our spots back in October.  (Moms: mark that down in your calendar now to make sure you get a spot in 2012!)

We got a taste of what Christmas was like back at the turn of the century – and no, young-people-reading-this, not when 1999 turned into 2000...I’m talking about the other turn of the century, when 1899 became 1900! 

Bronte Creek is a special place for my family, since my mom actually lived in the farmhouse there when she was a kid, not too many years before it became a provincial park.  My grandparents and great grandparents were farmers there, and built the Spruce Lane Farmhouse you can now tour when you visit.  I bet my mother never imagined thousands of people would one day be traipsing through her old bedroom and peeking around!  How crazy is that?

The kids got to do a bunch of Christmas crafts, dress up in old-fashioned dresses, learn about the history of the park, and meet Santa too!  They even got to taste Mrs. Claus’ famous cookie recipe and drink some warm apple cider. 

Homestead Christmas is a great tradition to enjoy with your family, but no matter what time of year, Bronte Creek is a great park to explore.  It’s open all winter long and those chilly winter weekends are a great time to hike the trails, skate at the giant ice rink, or play in the Children’s Barn!  In many ways winter is the best time to go there, since it’s a little less busy than the summer, and parking spaces are aplenty while pesky lineups are not!  

So the next wintery morning you wake up cringing because you’re thinking to yourself that you have totally run out of ideas of what to do with your kids, or yourself for that matter, grab your scarf and mittens and head over to my mom’s old place (also known more commonly as Bronte Creek Park). Trust me, you’ll have a wintery Burlington blast!

Victoria Hughes, Guest Blogger

Victoria Hughes is a local entrepreneur, social media specialist and website & blog author. Born in Burlington and living in the GTA her whole life, her professional career has taken her through the diverse worlds of leadership consulting, fashion retail management, fine dining, communications technology and online travel. After launching her own business in 2008, she began authoring the daily Girl It Up! fashion and discount blog, tweets on topics of the day @vbhughes and recently spearheaded a site full of guidelines and resources to keep youth safe & smart as they explore the ever-changing world of social media: safesocialmedia.ca . Her greatest loves are travel, shoes, laughter and family.