Thunder Bay Summer Fun List 2025

Looking for family-friendly activities in Summer 2025? Here’s the tbaywithkids.ca list of 68 fun things to do with the kids in Thunder Bay! Which ones will your family do this summer…or can we challenge you to do them ALL?

1.     Throw rocks in Lake Superior. Can you skip a stone across the water?

2.     Look at the view through your binoculars at Hillcrest Park.

3.     Go on a “photo safari” to Vickers Park and take close-up pictures of bark, shadows, bugs etc. This is a great time to check out the park's colourful story walk signposts, by Indigenous artist Ryan Pooman.

4.     Plant your own little garden.

5.     Fly a kite at Boulevard Lake.

6.     Go to an event like a craft workshop, author reading or storytime at a Thunder Bay Public Library branch…maybe a different one than the one you usually go to.

7.     Spot a rainbow at Kakabeka Falls. Visit some other local waterfalls too.

8.     Hike the Middlebrun Bay trail at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Check out other hikes too!

9.     Watch the skateboarders and BMXers at the Marina Park skate park (and maybe give it a try when you’re ready!)

10.  Visit the store at Silver Islet and get a yummy treat.

11.  Get your picture taken at the graffiti alley on Cooke Street.

12.  Take a grown-up out for ice cream.

13.  Try a Coney dog.

14.  Paint some rocks. Paint a local paint kit. Paint some ceramics.

15.  Make an obstacle course in your yard.

16.  Watch the stars come out. Try the free SkyView app—just point the app at the night sky and it shows you what constellations you’re looking at.

17.  Visit all five splash pads and decide which one you like best or try the water park at Boulevard Lake.

18.  Go to the Port of Thunder Bay website and click on the yellow anchor see where the ships in the harbour are from. Or, watch a cruise ship come into port.

19.  Go on a road trip to Ouimet Canyon.

20.  Make up a “street scavenger hunt” in your neighbourhood (clue example: “which building has a yellow door?”) and challenge another family to match a street number to each clue.

21.  Create a dance routine using music from a local band, musician or performer. Ideas: the Cartwrights, Tim Albertson, Nick Sherman, Sara Kae, Aysanabee, the Lockyer Boys or DJ Big D.

22.  Visit www.geocaching.com to see where the 950+ local geocaches are, and plan a trip to one.

23.  Take a sketch pad to Marina Park and draw the Sleeping Giant.

24.  See if you can find monarch caterpillars or butterflies at the Adelaide Monarch Garden (south end of Adelaide Street near Boulevard Lake).

25.  Learn to identify three local boreal bird calls. (Ideas: raven, white-crowned sparrow, ovenbird, robin…)

26.  Get a baseball mitt and baseball and play catch. Bonus points for wearing Border Cats gear. Or go to a game!

27.  Watch the sun set, then create some art inspired by it the next day.

28.  Go for a trail run or nature walk at Kamview Nordic Centre.

29.  Find some amethyst.

30.  Decide which is your favourite Thunder Bay signature food: Persians, Finnish pancakes or Sally Anns?

31.  Colour some www.tbaywithkids.ca Thunder Bay colouring pages. 

32.  Rock on! Learn about the cool rocks, rock formations and mountains in our area and then go on a road trip to see them.  

33.  Build a fort and fly a flag from it.

34.  Try the mountain bike tracks at Centennial Park and Trowbridge.

35.  Blow bubbles at Waverley Park.

36.  Go for a bike ride at the International Friendship Gardens.

37.  Play mini golf (or make your own course).

38.  Pick berries.

39.  Go to the Oliver Paipoonge Heritage Park to tour around the general store, garage, school and more…what was life like for some of the people who lived here a hundred years ago?

40.  See if you can spot any fireflies, and learn how to safely catch and release them.

41.  Throw a Frisbee at Wayland Park.

42.  Climb a tree.

43.  Read a book by a Thunder Bay author, like Jean Pendziwol, Donna White, Sheila Burnford, Holly Haggarty, Elizabeth Kouhi, Tonya Muchanao, Ruby Slipperjack, Zachry Hendricken, Dave Mossman, Stephanie Vincent, Jennifer Barrow or Duncan Weller. See what the local bookstore has!

44.  Got to www.nfb.ca and watch the documentary “Rosies of the North.” 

45.  Lie on your back and watch clouds.

46.  Record the sounds of different forms of water (raindrops, waterfall, creek….)

47.  Make a meal or snack using some ingredients grown or made in Thunder Bay.

48.  Go fishing.

49.  Visit a conservation area (see www.lakeheadca.com for locations)

50.  Have a picnic—breakfast, lunch or dinner!

51.  Go on the rides at Chippewa Park.

52.  Dance at a free concert at Marina Park, Crossroad Music, Chippewa Park or Waverley Park.

53.  Visit the McKellar Island Bird Observatory (open in August) to learn all about birds and maybe even carefully hold one as a citizen scientist!

54.  Tour Fort William Historical Park and imagine what life was like 200 years ago.

55.  Watch some fireworks.

56.  Visit a Thunder Bay art gallery or store (there are at least 10).

57.  Visit a Thunder Bay museum (there are four, plus watch for a new motorcycle one coming soon).

58.  Visit a farmers’ market.

59.  Go to a pow wow.

60.  Cheer at a Chill game.

61.  Ride the train at Centennial Park.

62.  Roast marshmallows.

63.  Make a DIY slip’n’slide or run through a sprinkler!

64.  Tour a city fire station to meet firefighters and see the big trucks.

65.  Go to the lookout at Anemki Wajiw (Mount McKay).

66.  See some fast cars at the Thunder City Speedway. Or, visit a car show.

67.  Check a website that predicts aurora borealis activity—maybe you can see the northern lights!

68.  Go to a city pool or beach that you haven’t been to before. Or go to them all and rate your fave!

We hope you have an amazing summer! Follow @tbaywithkids on Facebook to keep track of all the local family-friendly events and activities in Thunder Bay.