The best $8 family day trip in Canada — the Toronto Islands ferry from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal puts you on 612 acres of car-free parkland with beaches, an amusement park, picnic areas, a petting zoo, kayak rentals, and the most spectacular view of the Toronto skyline available. All for $8 round-trip ferry fare.
Neighbourhood: Harbourfront / Toronto Islands · Address: Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, 9 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON · Hours: Ferries run daily 8am–11pm (frequency varies seasonally)
Why Visit
For $8 you get a ferry ride and access to a car-free island escape, with Toronto’s skyline as your backdrop. It’s the easiest way to trade city chaos for sand, grass, and ice cream without actually leaving town.
What Makes It Unique
Unlike city parks, the Toronto Islands are totally car-free, making them great for biking and safe for kids to run around. The combo of three beaches, a retro amusement park, farm animals, and the airport-free views of the city skyline sets it apart from any mainland green space. There’s nowhere else where you’ll find picnic tables five minutes from a petting zoo and a clothing-optional beach.
If you’re trying to do Toronto with kids without spending a fortune, the Toronto Islands ferry is one of the easiest wins in the city. You pay about $8 round trip at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and, 15 minutes later, you’re stepping onto 612 acres of car-free island parkland that feels surprisingly far from downtown. It’s not fancy, and that’s part of the appeal. You pack snacks, maybe a towel, maybe a change of clothes for the kids, and suddenly you’ve got a full day.
What makes it such a good family outing is how little planning it really needs. The ferry itself is half the fun for children, especially if you grab a spot outside. As the boat pulls away from Queens Quay, the skyline opens up behind you and everyone starts taking the same photo for a reason. On the way back, though, that view is even better. From Centre Island, the whole city lines up at once: CN Tower, Rogers Centre, the glass condo towers, the waterfront. It’s the best Toronto skyline view there is, and somehow it still only costs eight bucks.
Most families head to Centre Island, which makes sense. That’s where Centreville Amusement Park is, with old-school rides that are ideal for younger kids, plus open green space where they can just run without you worrying about traffic. There are picnic tables, shady spots, and enough room that even on a busy summer day you can usually find your own patch of grass. If you want a reliable picnic stop, Far Enough Farm area is a good bet, especially since the petting-zoo atmosphere keeps little kids entertained even when they’re done eating and ready to move again.
If your family is more beach than rides, keep walking. Ward’s Island beach is usually my pick if you want a calmer, more local-feeling stretch of sand. It’s less chaotic than the Centre Island side and feels more relaxed. Bring water shoes if anyone’s picky about rocky edges, and don’t count on cheap food once you’re over there. The smart move is bringing lunch, extra water, and something simple like fruit, sandwiches, and chips. There are food options, but lines can get long and prices jump the second you’re on an island.
You can also rent bikes or kayaks if the mood hits, but honestly, a lot of the day is just wandering the paths, watching boats pass, and letting kids burn energy in a place where no cars are allowed. That alone feels rare in Toronto. Go early if the weather’s good, because ferry lines can get long by late morning, especially on weekends. And if Centre Island looks packed, consider taking the ferry to Ward’s and walking across.
It’s one of those Toronto outings that actually lives up to the hype. Cheap, easy, beautiful, and genuinely fun for both kids and adults. For the price, nothing else in the city comes close.