16 Amazing Things to Do in Tobermory with Kids in 2025

You might be wondering, what are things to do in Tobermory with kids, and is Tobermory kid-friendly?  If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Tobermory is one of the most charming small towns in Ontario, and currently receives 400,000 tourists every summer (almost 100x their population) to see the beautiful, unique rock formations, the crystal-clear blue waters and the almost tropical vibe.

Tobermory is popular for snorkelling, boat cruises, hiking, beaches and camping. Whether you’re in Tobermory for 1 day or 1 week, there is plenty to do in the area with kids.

I’m a mom of 2 and have been going to Tobermory almost every summer with kids for the past decade. This means I’ve brought kids of different age groups; I’ve been to Tobermory with babies and toddlers up to the pre-teen age.

Whether you’re looking for family-friendly places to stay in the area with kids, or the best restaurants, I’ve got you covered.

Here are the best things to do in Tobermory with kids, (and the age group they’d d be best for.) So, let’s jump in.

16 Amazing Things To Do in Tobermory with Kids

Here are the best family-free things to do in Tobermory as a family

1. Visit the Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park Visitor Centre

This visitor centre is a government building near town and sells Canadian souvenirs, guides, and postcards and provides information.

That doesn’t sound exciting, but trust me – this place is so worth visiting with kids in Tobermory.

What most people don’t know is:

• There’s a little museum attached to the visitor’s centre, which has all kinds of visuals, facts and things to look at that kids would be interested in.
• There is a little hiking area outside the visitor centre that leads to Little Dunks Bay lookout, which gives you a beautiful view of the lake. The walk is easy and family-friendly. If you have older children, they could swim or climb the rocks there. It’s about a 15 minute walk to the lookout
• There’s a 5-storey lookout tower that gives you a gorgeous panoramic view of the area. Older kids will have no problem climbing to the top. Our 3 year old climbed some of the way, and was carried the rest

Good to Know: The Visitor Centre is open from 9am to 5pm every day, and parking is first come first served. The museum, look out tower and the hike cost money -but it worked out to be very affordable, and I’d recommend them.

2. Walk along Little Tub Harbour

I recommend spending some time walking around Little Tub harbour with kids. Little Tub Harbour is also known as Tobermory harbour and it’s where all the ‘action’ in town is (as much as there can possibly be in a town this size)- hotels, shops, restaurants, a marina and a seawall.

Here are some things to do during your walk in Little Tub Harbour (with or without kids):

• Check out the marin, and watch the boats come in. If you walk a little further up the seawall, you can see the MS Chi-cheeman, which goes to Manitoulin Island (if your kids are young, cover their years – my 3 year old cried because of how loud it was)
• Grab some ice cream, and visit the Sweet Shop!
• Feed the ducks at the boat launch.
• Go into Diver’s Den, and check out the scuba gear and even book a snorkel tour (for kids 10+)
• Visit souvenir shops, book stores and small businesses that sell other unique items. You can find some great Canadian souvenirs
• Grab a bite at restaurants, or an ice cream cone.

All in all, you could spend a good half day just in Little Tub Harbour.

Good to know: To avoid confusion, it’s good to know that there are two “tub” harbours in Tobermory: Big Tub and Little Tub. Little Tub is the walkable touristy area, Big Tub is mostly residential but has shipwrecks and a lighthouse that can be viewed from a cruise

3. Sail on one of the best Tobermory cruises

Tobermoy is famous for its boat cruises, which take you to several attractions on Lake Superior; one of the most popular being Flowerpot Island.

There are three boat cruise companies in Tobermory that you can do in 2 hours or less.

The three main boat cruise companies in Tobermory you’ll have to choose between are Bruce Anchor, Blue Heron and Tobermory Wave.

Both, Blue Heron and Bruce Anchor cruises:

• Have glass bottom boats, which means there’s a very small part of the ship that allows you to look down at the floor of the lake and even see fish
• Destinations include Big Tub Harbour to see the 1800s shipwreck and lighthouse, and Flowerpot Island
• Have both indoor and outdoor seating options (I liked this option so I could sit in a shaded area with my toddler)
• Leave three times a day, morning, early afternoon and late afternoon
• Can fill up during peak season, so you should book for the date you want whenever you know which days you’ll be in Tobermory
• Have a fairly strict cancellation policy of (24 hours with Blue Heron, and 48 hours with Bruce Anchor) so keep that in mind 

Personally, I enjoy Bruce Anchor the most, because of their boarding area.

You get on the boat from a platform that has a stunning, panoramic view of the lake, and the lighthouse. It does have stairs though, so if you have any mobility concerns – then Blue Heron may be your best bet.

Tip: Heading to Tobermory from Toronto with kids 7+? Consider this bus day tour which includes a coach bus from the city, lunch, a glass-bottom boat tour, and Flowerpot Island

4. Discover Flowerpot Island

Flowerpot Island is known for its gorgeous, flowerpot-shaped rock formations. They are unlike any other rock formations you’ll see.

To explore Flowerpot Island, you’ll need to book a “drop off” cruise option with Bruce Anchor or Blue Heron.  This will give you 1-3 hours (your choice) on Flowerpot Island to hike, swim, picnic and admire the impressive, one-of-a-kind rock flowerpot rock stacks. There are also caves that you can explore on Flowerpot Island.

Things to Keep in Mind about Flowerpot Island:

• There are no amenities on Flowerpot Island: no food, no electricity or garbage cans. You should bring lots of water and snacks with you (as well as prepare to bring garbage back with you)
• There are washrooms, but they are compost washrooms.
• Age range to hike on Flowerpot Island: any age, but if they’re under 5, you may be carrying them for quite a bit of the way. It’s not stroller friendly, and you need good shoes, because there’s a lot of uneven terrain and rocky, uneven shoreline

• If you want time to swim at Flowerpot Island or see the cave (which may be best with older kids) then you should book 2 or 3 hours at least. We did 1 hour because we had our 3-year-old with us, and it was barely enough time to make it back to the boat for our return.
• Flowerpot Island is a sensitive piece of nature that they are working hard to preserve, so please leave it better than you found it.

5. Go on a snorkel adventure with Diver’s Den

Tobermory is one of the best places to snorkel, because of the shipwrecks. Diver’s Den usually takes snorkel tours to the Sweepstakes shipwreck, which as a scuba diver, I can tell you is one of the coolest shipwrecks around.

The top of the Sweepstakes ship is only about 5 feet below the water’s surface, so you can see the whole vessel very clearly. Kids would be fascinated to see this 1800s shipwreck, and it would be an experience they’d remember forever.

My daughter and I recently did the snorkel tour together, and she really enjoyed it. She did get a bit cold though, and needed to take some breaks to warm up. Which was no problem – you can easily swim back to the ship, and sit in the sun for a while.

Diver’s Den snorkel packages are 2 hours long and depart daily at 2pm and 4pm. The fee includes all the snorkel gear.

Keep in mind:

• Snorkel tours are subject to cancellation if weather doesn’t cooperate 
• Age range: 10+ years old. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
• Anyone snorkelling must be able to tread in deep water
• You must arrive at Diver’s Den one hour before your snorkel tour

6. Swim at Little Cove Beach

Little Cove Beach is less than 10 mins drive from Little Tub harbour. Like the visitor centre, you do not need a reservation. The parking is first-come first serve.

Little Cove Beach is safe enough to swim with close supervision with an adult. It’s still rocky, so I’d recommend water shoes to prevent slipping, and definitely lifejackets and floaties for younger kids or unconfident swimmers.

Good to Know: Like any other Tobermory attraction in the summer, Little Cove parking fills up quickly, so you’ll want to get here as early as you can!

7. Enjoy nature at Singing Sands Beach

Singing Sands is a special beach, located just 10km south of Tobermory. The beach is famous for how shallow it is – even if you walk 500m into the water, it will still only go up to your knees. This makes it excellent for young children especially.

That being said, Singing Sands is not a great beach for people who want to actually swim, but its a nice attraction for exploring the shoreline. It also has walking trails and picnic benches. 

There is also a walking trail along a wooden boardwalk which passes by orchids and other plants that are unique to the Great Lakes region.

There is a large washroom building on-site at Singing Sands, and there are several picnic tables.

Good to Know: Similar to other destinations in Tobermory, Singing Sands is VERY busy on summer weekends. Parking is first-come first-serve, and by mid-day on a weekend in the summer, it’ll be full. Make sure you’re up early and ready to go to get a parking spot. If you can arrive before 9 am, you should be able to get a spot, even on a summer weekend.

8. Check out Halfway Log Dump

As long as you don’t let the name discourage you, Halfway Log Dump is a nice beach along the Niagara Escarpment.

Like anywhere else in Tobermory, it looks onto a view of beautiful turquoise waters out into the horizon. It’s less crowded than the Grotto and Flowerpot Island, but reservations are still needed.

Similar to the Grotto, you need a reservation from Parks Canada in order to park at Halfway Log Dump anytime between June17 and September 5th.

Dropping people off at Halfway Log Dump to avoid the parking isn’t recommended; you need a valid permit in order to enter the park at all.

Good to Know: Halfway Log Dump is a pebble beach, so water shoes or sandals are needed, especially for young kids

9. Hike and swim at the Grotto, and Indian Head Cove

The Grotto is a limestone cave with natural, crystal clear, turquoise water. Last year, it was said to be the top attraction in Tobermory, and also one of the top tourist attractions in Ontario.

So, while is is beautiful, you expect it to be busy – especially in the summer.

Here’s what to keep in mind about visiting the grotto with kids:

• The Grotto and Indian Head Cove are basically the same attraction (they’re right beside each other)
• Once you’re in the Grotto parking lot, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the Grotto. The walk from the parking lot to the grotto is easy, and will take you through a forestry area. Some parts of the walk are right up against the shoreline so you can get a view of the water.
• Older children will be able to explore all over the terrain, but younger kids you should hang on to. The area is a bit dangerous with large rocks, and very uneven terrain. My 11-year-old loved exploring the area, and I got so many great photos of her.

• My 3-year-old on the other hand, we kept close by us at all times. So, you’ll have to make the best judgement based on your kid’s ages, how responsible they are, and other factors
• Set aside a minimum of 1 hour to visit the Grotto and Indian Head Cove. (20 min walk there, 20 minutes for photos and 20 minutes back.) However, some people bring towels and swimsuits and spend hours there.
• There are two bathrooms – one at the entrance by the parking lot, and another one right by the grotto. The one by the grotto was a compost one, and it smelled bad from 20 feet away – I wasn’t able to get close to it. (We somehow got my 3 year old to go in it.) So, warn your kids to use the one at the front entrance if you can!

Good to Know: You need to book a parking pass through Parks Canada to visit the Grotto anytime between April 30th and October 31st. Reservations for the 2024 season can be made on the Parks Canada website here.

Another tip – the Grotto is located 20 minutes from the town of Tobermory. I recommend reserving it for the day you leave Tobermory (assuming you don’t live there) so that you can visit it on the way out.

 10. Go kayaking

What better place to kayak is there than Tobermory, where the water is so clear you can almost see down to the bottom?

A great place to kayak is right in Little Tub Harbour (pictured above) at On the Water Kayaks. With kids, you can do their tandem kayak option for $40/hour.

11. Play at the small playground

The small playground is located at Nicholas st and Highway 6 is one of my favourite things to do with little ones in Tobermory.

It’s close enough to walk here from Little Tub Harbour (5-10 mins.) Las Chulas restaurant is right across the street – you can grab a burrito and a coffee, and then come here to play.

The playground would be fine for all ages, although its probably best suited to younger children, however my 11 year old enjoys playing on it. There’s a tennis court right beside it too.

12. Pick up some Tobermory souvenirs to remember your trip by

In Little Tub Harbour, you will see lots of shops selling Tobermory souvenirs – T shirts, magnets, signs, artwork, and more.

There are lots of kid’s clothes, backpacks and other items. We grabbed T-shirts for our girls, and a magnet from the visitor’s centre.

13.  Jump into the crystal-clear water

If you keep walking along the seawall at Little Tub Harbour, you will eventually find a dock to your left. This dock is often used by scuba divers to get into the water. At the top of that dock is a compost-style washroom which is well maintained.

Anyone is welcome to jump into the water from this dock. You can see shipwrecks underwater if you’re snorkeling.

Keep in mind:

• This may not be safe when the tide is stronger
•  The water can get quite deep
• Scuba divers from Diver’s Den use this area to shore-dive, so be mindful that you’ll need to be out of their way if needed
• The water is quite cold, especially from May-July. I wouldn’t expect to swim for a long time here without a wetsuit

14. Go watch the sunset

Sunsets are one of the best things to finish off an amazing day in Tobermory, and there’s a great place near Little Tub Harbour to be able to enjoy them.

Go to the boarding area of Bruce Anchor Cruises to see a beautiful view of the lake, with the lighthouse. This is pretty during the day, but at sunset, its quite the beautiful view which my photo does not do justice.

The exact address for this viewing platform is 7480 Hwy 6, Tobermory. Its a 5-10 minute walk from Little Tub Harbour.

You will see other people gathered here to watch the sunset too, but there’s plenty of room. The stairs leading down to the boat boarding area provide a lot of space for people to sit and watch.

15. Eat at Shipwreck Lee’s

There are lots of good places to eat with kids in Tobermory; the Crowsnest and Pharos in particular, are very family-friendly. 

However, Shipwreck Lee’s deserves a special mention, because of the decked-out pirate theme. The whole restaurant is made to look like you’re on a pirate ship, even the staff are dressed as pirates!

You and your kids are both sure to get a kick out of this. Shipwreck Lee’s is famous for their mouth-watering fish and chips, onion rings, fries and deep-fried pickles.

Good to Know: There are now two Shipwreck Lee’s locations in Tobermory, but the only one with kids’ meals is the one on Little Tub Harbour

16. Take the ferry to Manitoulin Island

Manitoulin Island is special because its the world’s largest freshwater island. Its also has interesting history attached to it; settlements for indigenous people, and some of the first European settlers in Canada.

Manitoulin Island also a great location for viewing the Northern Lights. You can go to Manitoulin for the day, or overnight for a few days.

The ferry to Manitoulin island is called the MS Chi-cheeman, and you can book it online. It takes 2 hours to take the ferry from the Tobermory Harbour to Manitoulin island. You could spend a day on Manitoulin island, or you could stay overnight. Camping on Manitoulin Island is popular, but there are are also hotels too.

You have the option of taking your car on the MS Chi-cheeman, or going on your own. However, we’d strongly recommend bringing your car to Manitoulin Island. Once you get off the ferry on Manitoulin, its a few kilometres before you reach anything, and the towns and sights to see are fairly spread out.

Good to Know: The cost to bring your car with you is roughly the same as the cost for an adult ticket (roughly $35 CDN) but it depends on the dimensions of your vehicle, which you’ll give at the time of booking.

Where to Stay in Tobermory with Kids

Here are some of the best places in town to stay as a family.

• Bruce Anchor Motel My favourite thing about staying at the Bruce Anchor that you don’t need a car most of the time. Its a 3-minute walk into Little Tub Harbour. The rooms are comfy, with AC and a flat screen TV, and its a stone’s throw from an area to catch the great sunset
• Escarpment Heights Motel This place is the best of both words – tucked away in a more private area, but less than a 10-minute walk from Little Tub Harbour. Spacious rooms with AC and flat-screen TV
• Tobermory Village Campground – if you don’t mind camping, this is the ultimate family campground in Tobermory. They have a playground, splash pad and many other amenities!
• Cedar Vista Motel This hotel is about a 3-minute drive from Little Tub Harbour, but across the street from several restaurants. We stayed here recently and rented their 3-bedroom cabin. I do not recommend staying in their cabin; there were a few issues with it – however, we let the owner know and he was very receptive of it and said he would make the necessary changes. (So, hopefully he does.) Personally, I would only recommend that you stay here if you can’t find anything else. Based on our recent experience, it should only be your last resort.

For more family-friendly accommodations in Tobermory, click here.

FAQ: Things to Do in Tobermory with Kids

Below are some frequently asked questions about Tobermory to give you an insider-insight on things to do, when to visit, and how long to stay.

How can I spend a day in Tobermory?

To spend one day in Tobermory, choose between either a morning hike to the Grotto in the OR a boat cruise to Flowerpot island. Then in the afternoon, get a bite to eat in Little Tub harbour, and spend some time walking around there. Admire the marina, seawall and the little shops on the way.

Which beach is best for kids in Tobermory?

The best beach for kids in Tobermory depends on the age of the kid. If your child is under 5, then singing Sands may be best because its sandy and very shallow. If you have older children, then Halfway Log Dump and Little Cove are pretty very family friendly.

What are the best Tobermory cruises?

The best cruises in Tobermory are Bruce Anchor and Blue Heron. They have glass bottom boats, and some shade, and they take you to the Sweepstakes shipwreck and Flowerpot Island.

What are things to do in winter in Tobermory?

One winter activity in Tobermory is snowshoeing to the Grotto. Since this is during off-season, you don’t have to worry about paying for parking.

Conclusion: Things to Do in Tobermory with Kids

Tobermory is truly a gem in Ontario that we’re lucky to have. The Tobermory attractions are perfect for school-age kids. Bringing your kids here will be an experience they’re likely to remember for a long time.

When visiting Tobermory with kids, remember to treat this pristine location responsibly, so that we can enjoy the crystal-clear waters for years to come!