High Park (Playground + Zoo)

High Park is Toronto's largest and most beloved public park, and for families, it is simply unbeatable. Spanning 399 acres in the city's west end, it combines a free zoo, an adventure playground, kilometres of nature trails, gardens, a lake, and wide-open green spaces — all completely free of charge.

The Jamie Bell Adventure Playground is the centrepiece for families with young children. Partially designed with input from kids, the playground features imaginative wooden climbing structures, multiple slides, swings for all ages, sand play areas, and a nearby wading pool for summer cooling. It is one of the most popular playgrounds in the city and for good reason — it offers enough variety to keep kids entertained for an hour or more.

The High Park Zoo, founded in 1893, is Canada's oldest zoo and one of the last free zoos in the country. It is intentionally small, making it perfect for young children who would be overwhelmed by a larger facility. The animal collection includes capybaras (a Toronto favourite), Highland cattle, American bison, llamas, deer, peacocks, emus, wallabies, and various farm animals.

The llama feeding experience ($2 per cup of feed) is a must-do — the llamas are gentle and kids can hand-feed them through the fence.

Beyond the playground and zoo, the park is a nature paradise. The trail system winds through rare oak savannah habitat, along the shores of Grenadier Pond, and through dense forest that makes you forget you are in Canada's largest city. In late April, the cherry blossom groves near the hillside gardens create a spectacular pink canopy that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors — arrive early on a weekday if you want to enjoy it without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

From April to November, the park is vehicle-free on weekends and holidays, transforming the roadways into safe, wide paths for families to walk, bike, and scooter. This alone makes weekend visits significantly more relaxed for parents with young children.

High Park is accessible by subway (High Park station) and has limited metered parking lots. The Grenadier Cafe inside the park offers casual food, but packing a picnic is the Toronto parent move — the hillside overlooking Grenadier Pond is one of the most beautiful picnic spots in the city. Plan for at least 2-3 hours, though many families make it a half-day outing.