11 Free Things to Do with Kids in Thunder Bay, Summer 2025

Like free stuff? Got kids? Check out our list of the top fun and FREE summer outings and activities for families in Thunder Bay in summer 2025!

1. Go to a Border Cats game Become part of the Junior Cats Club, where kids 12 and under get in free to Sunday afternoon home games at Port Arthur Stadium. Hit the concession stand and cheer on the Cats!

2.  Visit a fire station

Big red trucks, big rubber boots, big fun: To visit a Thunder Bay fire station, all you have to do is fill out a request form and set a date. The firefighters will take you and the kids on a tour of the station, including seeing the equipment and asking them questions about their job. (Kids must be of school age.)

3. “Fly” a plane

Visit the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Centre to see artifacts and exhibits about the region’s flying history, and try your hand at the amazingly realistic flight simulator, created by two local aviation enthusiasts. Open Wednesdays and Sundays from 1-4 pm or by appointment. The Centre is also hosting events with cool restored historic planes this summer, on July 19-20 so check their website event page for details.

4. See wild birds up close

At the McKellar Island Bird Observatory, kids can help be citizen scientists and monitor migratory bird trends. Visit researchers John and Maureen Woodcock, who carefully capture birds using special mist netting, then weigh, band and release them. Open approximately 7:30 am-1 pm, starting August 1, closed when it’s raining. (Donations welcome too!)

5. Visit the animals

Take a little country drive to see the friendly alpacas, geese, ducks, pigs and more at the animal farm at Vanderwees (note that there is a nearby mini-putt course and Funland activities on site, which have a fee).

6. See the sights

If you are a TBay resident with a library card, you can sign out free day passes for groups to Ontario Parks, Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Thunder Bay Museum. Such a great idea!

7. Groove to the music, live and outside

Live on the Waterfront is a concert series that runs on Wednesday nights from July 16 to August 20, 6-9 pm. You can also check out free concerts at Crossroad Music at Fort William First Nation on Saturday afternoons from 11 am-5 pm and at Chippewa Park  Sunday afternoons starting June 29 and going until August 31. Waverley Park has free concerts on Monday nights starting at 6:30pm and running from July 7 to August 25, and Hillcrest Park hosts the Macgillivray Pipe Band (yes, bagpipes!) on Thursdays in July, starting at 7:30 pm.

8. Experience art

Take your bikes and enjoy your art outside with the self-guided Def Sup graffiti art tour that shows off the city’s mural artists. The Ahnisnabae Art Gallery has art for sale, but you can still pop in with the kids to see incredible examples of Indigenous art. Kids 12 and under get into the Thunder Bay Art Gallery for free, and it’s free admission for all on Wednesdays (and just $5 for adults other days). The work of several different artists is on display this summer, including animal artwork by various artists in the Big Back Yard (at night) exhibit and bright modern art by acclaimed Ojibwe arist Benjamin Chee Chee. The gallery also has free all-ages Family Art Days every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm with hands-on activities and family-friendly ways to experience art.

9. Get a blast from the past Tuesdays are free admission days at the Thunder Bay Museum (and the rest of the time, adult admission is $3, kids 6-12 are $1.50 and kids under six are free). There are three floors to explore with recreated old shops, costumes to try on, beautiful beadwork and an exhibit about our local Rosies who built fighter planes at CanCar during WWII. Top kid attractions, according to museum staffers are the real jail cell and the wigwam. Just down Hwy 61 there’s the Oliver Paipoonge Heritage Park, a fun recreated village where families can check out an old-time schoolhouse, vintage garage and cars, model trains, general store and more—stop at the train station first to pick up a map. Admission is free for children 12 and under, and adults pay $5, and the hours are Friday to Sunday from noon to 4:30. The Park also hosts a number of special events throughout the summer.

10. Love the library

The Thunder Bay Public Library offers all kinds of family-friendly activities in summer 2024. Visit their events page to get all the listings of all the events. There’s everything from a new interactive projector and firefighter and Border Cat baseball player visits to crafts, storytimes, window painting, Science North shows, a Farm Day that includes a big machines on site and more.

11. Splash around

Shriek, giggle, spray: splash pads are always a winner. Why not take a tour of the city’s five splash pads to figure out which one is your family’s fave?

Don’t miss out on the fun! Like us on Facebook to see posts from TBaywithkids.ca throughout the month, featuring a variety of paid and free events for families in Thunder Bay.