Cedar Park Resort

I can't speak highly enough about this campground! We loved our time at Cedar Park Resort in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Now this is more of a fun family resort! Maybe not a luxury resort with paved roads and cement pads type resort but a resort with lots of kids activities to keep them happy and having fun!

We loved our time here!

Our site was nice and large and it backed onto a huge field so it felt like we had our own personal oasis. We loved having our campfire behind us where the ring of trees is. It felt more private then the other sites that were just fire rings in the back and no trees as a division to the field.

Not only that but we camped here with friends. Our friend who bought our old trailer and some friends we met this winter when we stayed at Peace River in Florida! So glad they could join us.
The only picture I got of everyone is poor quality one night around the campfire but it's one at least.

The highlight of camping here was of course the water park. The majority of it was included with our camping fees. The only thing that cost extra here was the big water slides at $7 for a day pass to it (and mini golf was extra but we were too busy in the water for that).

Along with this giant water play area there was a huge pool with a roped off shallow area.

It also had a deep end where kids had to pass a swim test to get a wrist band to enter it.

As well there was a large wading pool and water area for younger kids.

Everyone's favourite by far was the large water play area with the bucket drop.

When we weren't swimming we were playing with friends...

 Enjoying some Bocce Ball...

 Playing at the gigantic playground...

Having fires, sparklers, and playing glow in the dark tag.

 

We had a magician join us...it was sooo cute.

And last but not least you can't forget about catching frogs at the pond because where there is a pond...you'll find Sierra.

So as you can see we had a lot of fun here and it was worth every penny! We hope to come back again later in the summer.

Ripley's Aquarium, Toronto, Ontario

We have wanted to go to Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto since it opened and this month we went as a part of our local homeschool group.

However the price tag for admission was hard to swallow so we never went. The AZA reciprocal programs are wonderful (mainly in States) but coming home to Canada and having to pay full price kills me. Maybe I am too cheap but to me an afternoon at the Aquarium is not worth over $100 when we have been able to visit so many Zoo's and Aquariums for FREE or half price in the States.

Ripley's in Toronto does offer educational rates for school groups and homeschool groups. The cost is $10 per student (Reg $16.98) plus hst and staff /parents are $25.48 plus hst (reg $26.98). With these educational prices if your child has a diagnosis then they have a free worker. At the time we went I had one with an Autism diagnosis so my admittance was free and only my husband had to pay. Now if we went again my husband could also attend for free as my other daughter now has an Autism diagnosis too. This makes the aquarium extremely affordable for families with special needs children.  Regular homeschool families still get over charged in my opinion.

I'd still prefer their pricing to be like Ripley's in the Smokies where all homeschool families can walk up to the door, show proof of homeschooling and get in for $7.14 US plus tax and one adult per 10 kids is free. Extra adults pay the same rates as the students. They also offer affordable classes for Homeschool groups...So Ripley's of Toronto why do you not have a supportive Homeschool policy for us? I've emailed them before but got no response. Enough of that, it makes me upset.

On to our fieldtrip!

 With everything I've said above, Ripley's still is a great aquarium and where they built it in Toronto was an engineering feat! I just wish their pricing was comparable to their US counterparts. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

  

Petting the horseshoe crabs in the touch tanks

This crawl through tunnel was a lot of fun

 The conveyor belt walkway through the shark tank was one of our favourite exhibits.

Oh no they crashed the sub

 

 

 The jelly fish exhibit with the coloured lights that make them change colours was our favourite exhibit.

We did enjoy our day here but even after seeing the Aquarium I would not return for full price. It's nice, but not that nice.