The Best Family Outings with GO Transit and PRESTO Perks

Let's GO on a budget-friendly trip with the family! While we all feel the pinch of rising expenses, you don’t have to skip out on all the fun with your family - GO's got your covered with amazing savings and connection to all sorts of fun outings.

When you travel on GO, you don’t need to worry about parking and traffic. Plus, since kids aged 12 and under always ride free on GO, along with their favourite toy, taking the family out for an adventure is easy on the wallet and on stress levels. Save even more with GO Weekday Group Passes and Weekend Passes!

For exciting adventures that are convenient and affordable to get to with GO, you can’t beat the top 5 attractions listed below, in addition to several more that are also accessible with GO. It's easy family fun! Pro tip: Use your PRESTO card to save on admission to all of these amazing attractions, with PRESTO Perks! Read below to choose your adventure, pull the kids away from their screens, and get ready for affordable family fun!

If you’re a hockey-loving family, this is the outing for you! You can get an up-close look at the original Stanley Cup, and kids (and adults) will love putting their stick skills to the test with the interactive exhibits like Goodyear Shoot Out, Shut Out, and NHLPA Game Time. You’ll save 20% off regular admission rates with PRESTO Perks! 

• Where: 30 Yonge Street, Toronto
• Cost:
• General admission (age 14-64) - $25 ($20 with discount)
• Senior (65+) - $20 ($16 with discount)
• Youth (age 4-13) - $15 ($12 with discount)
• Children 3 & under - free

• Get There With GO: Travel by GO bus or train to Union Station and then walk east along Front St. for about 10 minutes.

Gardiner Museum

If you think that a ceramics museum isn’t family-friendly, think again! Sundays are Family Day at the Gardiner Museum and you can “connect over clay” as you enjoy creative activities with your kids. This activity is free with your admission and a great opportunity for budding artists. Save 20% off your general admission with PRESTO Perks, and kids and youth are always free!

• Where: 111 Queen’s Park, Toronto
• Cost:
• Seniors - $11 ($8.80 with discount)
• Students - free with valid ID
• Kids and youth 18 & under - free
• Indigenous Peoples - free

• Get There With GO: Travel by GO bus or train to Union Station and then connect to the TTC subway and travel to Museum station.

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

Dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies, the dark and exciting Bat Cave — ancient and natural history comes alive at the Royal Ontario Museum! Kids will love the Hands-On Biodiversity Area and the Discovery Gallery. Save 15% off regular admission rates with PRESTO Perks! You can also enjoy free admission for everyone on the third Tuesday of the month (4:30pm - 8:30pm only) and free admission for post-secondary students all day every Tuesday.

Dont forget to check out our webpage focused on Climate Change: ROM + Climate Change.

The following is a list of all of the current and upcoming exhibitions at ROM for 2023-2024:

• T. rex: The Ultimate Predator on view through September 4, 2023
• Music Born of the Cold, on view through September 24, 2023
• Canadian Modern, on view through October 15, 2023
• Being and Belonging, July 1 to November 19, 2023
• Death: Life's Greatest Mystery, October 28, 2023 to April 7, 2024
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year, November 26, 2023 to May 26, 2024
• Psychedelics, March 9, 2024 to September 2, 2024

Where: 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto

• Cost:
• Adult - $26 ($22.10 with discount)
• Seniors - $21 ($17.85 with discount)
• Student (with ID) - $20 ($17 with discount)
• Youth (age 15-19) - $20 ($17 with discount)
• Children (age 4-14) - $16 ($13.60 with discount)
• Age 3 & under - free
• Indigenous Peoples - free
• Get There With GO: Travel by GO bus or train to Union Station and then connect to the TTC subway and travel to Museum station.

Art Gallery of Hamilton

The Art Gallery of Hamilton is the oldest and largest art museum in the region, and their permanent collection includes more than 10,000 works. The last Sunday of each month is Family Fun day, with hands-on activities and family-friendly tours offered. Best of all, you’ll get Buy One Get One Free on general admission with PRESTO Perks. Kids and students are always free and everyone can enjoy free admission on Thursdays.

• Where: 123 King St. West, Hamilton
• Cost:
• Adults - $15
• Seniors (65+) - $12
• Students (6+) - free
• Children (0-5) - free

• Get There With GO: Take the Lakeshore West line to Hamilton GO Centre. From there, it’s an 8-minute walk via James St. S, Main St. W, and Summers Lane.

Bird Kingdom Niagara Falls

Hundreds of tropical birds are waiting for you at the World’s Largest Indoor Free-Flying Aviary. Feed nectar to friendly lorikeets ($), and marvel at over 40 other species of birds from around the world. You can enjoy 20% off general admission rates with PRESTO Perks!

• Where: 5651 River Rd., Niagara Falls
• Cost:
• Adult (age 16+) - $19.95 ($15.96 with discount)
• Children (age 3-15) - $15.95 ($12.96 with discount)

• Get There With GO: Take the Lakeshore West line to Niagara Falls GO Station and then connect to the local WEGO bus system for a quick 8 minute ride (GO+WEGO Combo Tickets are a great option!). Or, if you prefer to walk from the station, enjoy a 25-minute stroll along River Rd.

Toronto Zoo

At the largest zoo in Canada, you’ll explore animal exhibits in seven geographical areas. From tigers to giraffes to grizzly bears, everyone in your family will find their favourite animal here. Together, you can learn how the Toronto Zoo is working to protect endangered species and their habitats. With PRESTO Perks, you’ll save 20% off regular admission rates!

• Where: 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto

• Cost: Varies - see Zoo Admission Tickets for more information.
• Get There With GO: Good news! Returning this year, starting May 20, 2023, GO Transit brings back seasonal weekend bus service to the Toronto Zoo on GO bus route 96Z. Route 96Z will serve Durham College Oshawa GO, Whitby GO, Ajax GO, the Toronto Zoo, Scarborough Centre Bus Terminal, Yonge Street at Sheppard Avenue and Finch Bus Terminal.

At Immersive Disney Animation you won’t just see a whole new world, you’ll become part of it! Step inside your favorite Disney songs and stories - and see them come to life around you. From timeless classics to modern masterpieces, there is something for everyone. It’s magical!

• When: Show is running now
• Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace, 1 Yonge St, Toronto
• Cost: PRESTO Perks - save with an exclusive offer on tickets.
• Get There With GO: Travel by GO train or bus to Union Station. Walk east on Front St to Yonge St., then turn right and walk south to the corner of Queens Quay.

It will take a little longer to get to these places, but “it’s about the journey, not the destination” and kids will enjoy taking a transit adventure between GO Transit and TTC, our amazing local transit partner. Of course, it helps that the destinations are ALSO amazing with PRESTO Perks!

Ontario Science Centre

Little scientists will love discovering and exploring at the Ontario Science Centre! Kids can learn-through-play in the popular KidSpark area and explore hundreds of hands-on exhibits throughout the Science Centre. Learn about space, electricity, the human body, rainforests and much more. Save 20% off regular admission rates with PRESTO Perks!

• Where: 770 Don Mills Rd, Toronto

• Cost:
• Adults (age 18-64) - $22 ($17.60 with discount)
• Seniors (65+) - $16 ($12.80 with discount)
• Students (with ID) - $16 ($12.80 with discount)
• Youth (age 13-17) - $16 ($12.80 with discount)
• Children (age 3-12) - $13 ($10.40 with discount)
• Infants (under 3) - free
• Get There With GO: Take the Lakeshore East line to Danforth GO Station and connect the TTC.

Aga Khan Museum

At North America’s first museum showcasing exclusively Islamic Arts, you’ll see art from historic and contemporary Muslim communities. On Sundays, there are family-friendly activities included with your admission. With PRESTO Perks, you can get 20% off regular admission rates and enjoy 10% off at the gift shop!

• Where: 77 Wynford Dr., Toronto
• Cost:
• Adults - $20 ($16 with discount)
• Seniors - $15 ($12 with discount)
• Students (age 14-17, or full time post-secondary with ID) - $12 ($9.60 with discount)
• Children (age 6-13) - $10 ($8 with discount)
• Ages 5 & under - free

• Get There With GO: Take the Lakeshore East line to Danforth GO Station and connect the TTC.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Take a step back in time at this living history museum. Both you and your kids will love discovering how people lived, worked, and played in the mid 19th century in rural Ontario. Explore the schoolhouse, tinsmith shop, printing office, general store and more. Hands-on activities will make your family feel like they’ve really travelled to the past. You’ll save 20% off regular admission rates when you use PRESTO Perks!

• Where: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, North York
• Cost:
• Adults (ages 15-64) - $16.40 ($13.12 with discount)
• Seniors (65+) - $13.10 ($10.48 with discount)
• Students (age 14+ with ID) - $13.10 ($10.48 with discount)
• Children (age 4-14) - $12 ($9.60 with discount)
• Toddlers (age 3 & under) - free

• Get There With GO: Take the Barrie line to Downsview Park GO Station and then connect to the TTC.

Between saving the universe, attending fancy tea parties or just going along for a ride, today’s toys are busier than ever. Now, not only do kids GO free, but their best friends do too with the FREE GO Toy Pass! This pass will have the toy’s photo and details, along with important GO safety messaging on the back of the card to ensure safe and fun adventures.

More Ways to Save on GO Transit

While kids 12 and under ride GO for free and PRESTO Perks offer great savings on attractions, parents and guadians can take advantage of some other fantastic savings on GO to really get the best bang for your buck. Consider these options when planning your next family adventure!

Weekend Passes

For weekend adventures, be sure to use a $10 One-Day Pass for unlimited GO travel on a Saturday, Sunday or Victoria day. They’re perfect for saving money and taking you everywhere you need to GO for a weekend adventure! Buy your GO Weekend Passes now!

Weekday Group Passes

Taking on a family adventures with a group throughout the week? Look no further than a GO Weekday Group Pass! Perfect for outings with multiple adults, or when you’re playing ‘tour guide’ to your visiting family members! Groups get unlimited travel throughout the GO network starting at $30 for 2 people. Buy your Weekday Group Pass now!

Fare Discounts

We’ve increased discounts on some of our fares to help customers save more money. Our discount for all youth aged 13-19 and full-time post-secondary students has increased from 22.5% to 40% off the regular adult fare. Our Co-Fare discount has increased to 100% off on most local transit agencies. That means that your local fares are now FREE when you connect to or from GO Transit. Riding with GO is more affordable than ever!

Start planning your outings now!