With no cars, the Toronto Islands, a short ferry ride from downtown, provide lots of green spaces and parkland. With older kids, go biking and inline skating. Take younger kids to ride the handcrafted carousel and visit the farm animals at Centre Island’s Centreville, an old-fashioned amusement center. Also nice for little ones is the island’s Franklin’s Children’s Garden, based on the “Franklin the Turtle” book series. Here, kids can climb on sculptures of Franklin, Goose and Rabbit and search for real turtles in the pond. Wards Island is just a short walk from Centre Island and families can enjoy dining options there, such as the Rectory Cafe, which offers beautiful views of the Toronto skyline.