Craving a bit of adventure? Don’t binge Spy Kids again; instead, visit the Ontario Regiment RCAC Regimental Museum in Oshawa. This museum boasts more than 80 running military tracked and wheeled vehicles, and on Tank Saturdays, you can watch live demonstrations and even take a ride in one.

The Greenwood Conservation Area is only 20 minutes east of Toronto. This beautiful getaway from the city offers hikers beautiful trails and the opportunity to explore the forest and steep-sided river valley banks of Duffins Creek. It’s not only great for kids of all ages; it's also dog-friendly.

I love food, and farm-fresh always brings me back to my childhood, so Farmers’ Markets are one of my favourite ways to buy local produce. Skip the stuffy old grocery store and meander through the stalls of your local Farmers Market. There are a bunch of them across the region, and I’m sure your kids will enjoy the baked goods, fresh local produce, artisanal cheeses, and other delicious foods.

Head to The Heber Downs Conservation Area and take in the stunning natural scenery, beautiful trails and gorgeous forest. This 284-hectare conservation area offers a variety of activities like fishing, nature walks, pond exploration on floating docks, and picnicking, all popular activities with visitors. My boys love searching the ponds and creeks for frogs, snakes and turtles. If catching creatures isn’t for you, tell the kids to “take a hike” through more than 5 km of trails that run through this property. The natural valley of the Lynde Creek bisects a portion of this Conservation Area and provides many scenic vistas.

Grab a bite to eat at a kid- and adult-friendly restaurant. I love, love, love the F.A.R.T Cafe (Food and Art Cafe). The owners are beautiful people who love to create. They make art, music, and, of course, delicious food. My favourites include the breakfast poutine, the chocolate milkshakes, and the banana bread French toast. I have also heard amazing things about the unicorn pancakes.

Enjoy a fun-filled adventure at the Durham Escape Rooms. Work together as a family to complete the quest and escape rooms with various challenges and puzzles. Escape room games can help kids develop leadership skills, so let them take the lead and watch them succeed.

I grew up on a farm, and Knox Pumpkin Farm in Hampton, Ontario, brings me back to my roots. I love roaming around the barns and visiting the animals on a summer afternoon. I can’t help but share memories with my kids about the livestock we raised and the mischief I got into on the farm. In the autumn, you can take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkins or get lost in the corn maze. It’s a fun seasonal adventure for the whole family.

When I was a child, I loved to go to Pickering Playing Fields to play mini-golf or spend time in the batting cages. Pickering Playing Fields is an outdoor mini-golf course with whimsical designs and challenges and a driving range. 

If you are looking for something a little more trippy to do with the kids, check out Putting Edge, located in the Whitby Entertainment Centrum, just off the 401 at Thickson Rd. This glow-in-the-dark putt-putt is a super fun visual experience. Your kids will love working their way through these 18 vibrant holes. Don’t forget to wear some neon or white clothes, and you can glow under the black-lit neon courses.

What are your favourite activities with the kids in and around the Durham Region?