Growing up in Toronto, there were many things to do as a family but one of my ultimate favourite places to go to was Centre Island, or more specifically Centreville. I remember loving the ferry ride to get to the island and then spending the day on all the fun rides. Those are the moments that I remember and cherish to this day.
Now with a family of my own, it was my turn to provide these same fun memories to my daughter who now at the age of two can enjoy more of them.
Here are my five top reasons why Centreville is a great place for families to visit.
Escape from the Big City
It is hard to believe that Centreville is only a ferry ride away from the busy city of Toronto, Canada and gives guests a scenic ride to the Island with unbelievable views of the city with planes flying overhead into the airport. Once you arrive at the Island you can already feel such a calming atmosphere. The scenery is landscaped beautifully and there is so much to see on the island. It is a great place to see and a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Click here to see a map of the island.
Momma Braga Tip: To avoid long line ups, it is best to purchase your ferry boat ticket online as it will save you time.
Centreville Amusement Park
From rides and games to a wide selection of food outlets, there is something for everyone at Centreville, like they say! Centreville celebrates 50 years of fun this year and has been a hot spot for families with young children for many years. Even though many know about Centreville Amusement Park, I think families don't realize how toddler-friendly it is. There are many rides and attractions for toddlers and that is the best part! There are of course some rides that are not recommended for toddlers but I find Centreville full of many more options.
Momma Braga Tip: When planning your visit, check out the website to see what type of rides they have and it also lists how many tickets you need to ride each one. The neat part of this section is that it lists the intensity of the rides under: Smooth, Moderate and Extreme. I also recommend to check the hours of operation as well before visiting, click here.
There is no entry fee to enter Centreville Amusement Park (which is fantastic!) but to enjoy the rides and attractions payment is required. There are different rates depending on what you would like to do. Each ride requires a certain amount of tickets to ride them and you can also buy a pass that will provide you unlimited access to the rides for the day. You can learn more about the available passes here. Please note that some rides require an adult to accompany a small child and therefore the adult will require tickets. Keep this in mind when making your decision on what to purchase.
Momma Braga Tip: We purchased the Family of 4 All Day Ride Pass and we purchased it online to save some money ($105.50 CDN) as this way we didn't have to worry about how many tickets we needed. If you are looking to buy a pass, I recommend to purchase it online to save yourself some money.
Nikki Favourites: Our daughter had a few favourite rides that she recommends for all her young toddler friends which are: Centreville Train; Antique Carousel; Kiddie Boat; Fire Engines; Touring Cars; Twirling Teacups; and the Pony Express.
Far Enough Farms
A staple of Centre Island is the Far Enough Farms and a must see with your little ones. My daughter loves animals so of course, this was on our must see list. Far Enough Farms is locating just east of Centreville Amusement Park and is open daily 365 days a year from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and completely free to enjoy! Yes! I said FREE!
There are 40 different species to see at the farm and you can learn about them through the farmers and farm hands that are always on hand to answer any of your questions. We truly enjoyed this part of our visit and of course so did my daughter!
Fun Games
Can't forget about all the games that you can play to win some stuffed toys to add to your collection! Check out all the games they have on site by clicking here.
Great Food Outlets
Plenty of yummy food to eat at Centreville and they are all great! We didn't bring our own food as we decided to fully experience Centreville. Here is a list of all the available food outlets. We ended up eating at the Carousel Café which we just adored. It's located a short walk away from Centreville.
These are my top five reasons to visit the Centreville Amusement Park and if these reasons are not enough... I think the most important part was it provided a city escape to spend time together as a family. Overall, we all had a great time and what tugged at my heart strings was seeing the pure joy in my daughter's constant smile as she enjoyed every minute of Centreville. I got to see what my parents use to see in me and for that, I am truly grateful for. Our family tradition continues and that is what makes Centreville a great place for families!
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