The Best Family-Friendly Activities
Bruce County is an amazing destination for families with children of all ages. We’ve got some fun ideas and great tips for the best things to do in Bruce County with kids. On the list, you’ll find the perfect Family Day activities, March Break activities and fun things to do during summer holidays. So, pack up the car and bring the whole family to beautiful Bruce County!
Things to Do in Bruce County With Kids: Beach Day
Having a beach day with your family is one of the best reasons to visit Bruce County. Children adore playing in the sand and splashing in the water, and there’s truly something special about the shores of Lake Huron. Plan your weekend trips or week-long vacations around exploring Bruce County’s beaches and your kids will love every moment of it.
Point Clark Beach is a lovely and less active beach where you’ll escape the crowds for a tranquil experience. There’s a picturesque lighthouse, a little harbour, a playground and washroom facilities. It’s perfect for a day trip, and your kids can alternate their time between swimming at the beach and playing at Lighthouse Park.
Port Elgin Beach is another huge beach in Bruce County that the kids will love. There’s more than enough room to spread out your beach blankets and towels in order to spend a relaxing day in the sunshine. Port Elgin Beach has an expansive parking area and change facilities, plus you’re close to Port Elgin’s downtown core with many restaurants and cafes.
Oliphant Beach is a hidden gem in a tiny town, and visiting its beach is one of the best things to do in Bruce County with kids. The water is extremely shallow for a fair distance, only reaching knee height at most, making it ideal for beach trips with young children. This is also a popular destination for kiteboarders, which contributes to its intriguing scenery.
Go Splash Pad Hopping Around the County
It’s an extremely hot day outside and you’re looking for something to do with your kids, why not hit up all of the splash pads in Bruce County? With several splash pads across the region, you could visit a new one every day. It’s one of the best ways to beat the heat and it’s a wonderful place for your children to play.
There’s the Lucknow Splash Pad with its unique sprinklers, the Lions Park Splash Pad in Kincardine, the Rotary Park Splash Pad in Southampton, the North Shore Park Splash Pad in Port Elgin, the Walkerton Kinsmen Splash Pad in Centennial Park (also home to a heated outdoor pool!) and the Ripley Splash Pad in Lewis Park.
Now Playing Family Centre in Kincardine
Now Playing Family Centre is an indoor playground in Kincardine with indoor play equipment suitable for children aged 12 months to ten years. This is also one of the best rainy day activities for children in Bruce County. Now Playing Family Centre also hosts day camps on PD Days, March Break, Summer Break and Winter Break, as well as fun and entertaining birthday parties.
This recreational facility has plenty of equipment and games to keep your kids interested and happy. There’s a large indoor climbing gym, a soft play structure, a huge slide, a ball pit, sensory bins and many spaces to inspire the imagination. There are also special events, such as preschool music class and a moving and grooving class (learning, exploring, story time, music and dancing for young children).
Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre
The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton highlights the history of Bruce County through thousands of years of history. The museum offers fun children’s programming and special events for kids all year long. This is another great rainy day activity for kids, although your kids will be entertained no matter the weather or season.
The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre offers many activities throughout the year including, Museum Munchkins (program for preschoolers) and day camps with interactive exhibits and entertaining activities.
Things to Do in Bruce County With Kids: Sauble Speedway
The Sauble Speedway recently celebrated 50 years of motor racing in Sauble Beach. It’s an automotive stock car racing facility that’s fun for the whole family. After a relaxing day at the beach, head straight to the Sauble Speedway after you’ve watched the beautiful sunset. The Sauble Speedway opens from the end of June through the grand finale on Labour Day weekend.
Join thousands of race fans each night at Sauble Speedway where you can feel the energy and excitement in the air. On top of being spectators in the audience, adults and children alike can experience the thrill of racing first hand! Kids as young as five can race small-engine cars. It’s also a budget-friendly activity for families – children aged 12 and under get free admission. An evening at the Sauble Speedway is one of the most exciting things to do in Bruce County with kids.
Family-Friendly Hiking on the Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is a 900 kilometre hiking trail between Niagara and Tobermory, and it is the longest and oldest continuous footpath in Canada. Many stretches of the Bruce Trail are family-friendly, so it’s a great place to go hiking with your kids. Some parts of the Bruce Trail meander through dense forests and are next to intriguing rock formations and caves. A hike on the Bruce Trail is a fun adventure for adults and children alike.
While the majority of families head straight to Bruce Peninsula National Park and the Grotto or Indian Head Cove, there are many other parts of the Bruce Trail that you’ll find equally as beautiful and fascinating. Check out Bruce’s Caves Conservation Area, Purple Valley and Spirit Rock Conservation Area.
Create a new family tradition with your kids and tackle new parts of the Bruce Trail each time you visit Bruce County. Download the Bruce Trail app or purchase the official Bruce Trail guidebook to learn more about this natural treasure in Ontario.
Aerial Parks and Rope Courses
One of the best things to do in Bruce County with children are the aerial parks and rope courses scattered across the region. Little Cove Adventures in Tobermory is home to thrilling high and low ropes courses for the whole family. The high ropes courses are suitable for kids aged ten and up, and the low ropes courses are great for children aged older than six.
Swing across tires, climb across wooden bridges, scale rope nets and zipline from tree to tree. It’s quite the workout and without a doubt will tire out even the most energetic kids in the crowd. Ascent Aerial Park in Sauble Beach is another fantastic adventure park for all ages and abilities. In addition to the ropes course, Ascent Aerial Park offers ziplining, a climbing wall, axe throwing and more.
Mini Golf and Go Karts
Who doesn’t love mini golf? Families of all ages can challenge each other to a round of mini putt at two courses in Sauble Beach. Test your putting skills at Just Puttin’ Around and Putterama Mini Golf. They’re both right in the middle of town, so a round of mini golf can add an extra layer of fun to any beach day.
In Kincardine, Family Funland has a go-kart track and 27 holes of mini golf. You can also enjoy some tasty burgers, fries, hot dogs and ice cream in between your adventures.
Plays and Theatre
For a unique and fun activity for kids in Bruce County, check out a live performance at a local theatre. The Bruce County Playhouse in Southampton has a family series of productions.
The Kincardine Theatre Guild is a non-profit, volunteer run community theatre company with performances that will entertain theatre-goers of all ages. Lastly, the Victoria Jubilee Hall in Walkerton is a performance venue featuring live entertainment, movies and more. Whether it’s a live concert or a theatre production, there are events happening that will entertain children of all ages.