Newcomers · Outings

Free things to do in Thunder Bay A full week out, without a big bill.

City parks, outdoor rinks and the library are the cheap days. Provincial parks and Mount McKay charge at the gate. This page says which is which, from the official page, before you pack the kids.

Last checked October 29, 2026. Rules change, so confirm on the linked page before you go or pay anything. Soma kwa Kiswahili.

1. Year-round, close to home

Start with a City park. You do not need a car for every good afternoon.

The City maintains 129 active parks and more than 55 km of paved recreational trails.
Neighbourhood parks are smaller. Most have playground equipment.
The City pages for Boulevard Lake, Centennial Park and Chippewa Park do not list a gate fee to walk in. Rides, the mini-train and arena ice do have prices, below.

Boulevard Lake

Where: 400 W. Lyon Blvd. The parkland around the lake is 650 acres, from the bluffs to the dam on the lower Current River.

Good for: trails, a fully accessible playground, and picnic tables in season.

Watch: the beach, mini-putt, washrooms and change room are seasonal. The page does not list a price to walk the trails.

Source: City of Thunder Bay, "City parks"

2. Winter: skating, sledding, snowshoes

Outdoor ice depends on the weather. Dress the way our winter guide describes, then pick one of these.

Outdoor rinks

How: typically mid-December to mid-March. The City map shows which rinks are open, and whether they have lights or a washroom.

Good for: a first skate. Prince Arthur's Landing, 2201 Sleeping Giant Parkway, lends skating aids at no fee, first come, first served.

Watch: that rink runs Dec. 1 to Mar. 31 if the ice allows, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. No skate rental. No sleds, chairs, strollers, sticks or pucks on the ice. Sledges are welcome.

Vickers Park trail

How: an unsupervised 500-metre skating loop near the front of the park.

Good for: a short skate without a hockey game around you.

Watch: nobody is supervising. Check the City map before you go; ice can close without notice.

Sledding hills

How: the City lists Balsam Pit Park, Centennial Park, Northwood Playfield and Chapples North Park.

Good for: children who would rather slide than skate.

Watch: the page does not list a fee. Bring your own sled. The hills are seasonal.

Snowshoes

How: Wishart Conservation Area says you can cross it on snowshoes in winter. The Forest Trail is a 2.3 km loop. The River Trail is 1.8 km.

Good for: a quiet walk. Winter FunDays also include snowshoeing, and every activity there is free.

Watch: Wishart is a conservation area, not a City park. Parking is at least $5 a vehicle. See the library pass below.

Winter FunDays 2027 run every Sunday from January 3 to March 14, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Marina Park and the Baggage Building Arts Centre. All activities are free.

Indoor public skating is the low-cost backup when outdoor ice is closed. The City lists child (14 and under) $5.75, student (15–18) $6.25, adult $7.25, older adult (over 65) $7.25, and family $16.75.

Helmets are required at every public skate.
On this date the City still said the 2026/27 public-skating schedule would be released in the fall. Check the page for the week you want.

Sources: City of Thunder Bay, "Arenas and outdoor skating", "City parks" (sliding hills) and "Winter FunDays"; Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, Wishart; LRCA parking fee

3. City parks, and what they charge

Walking in is not the same as a ride. Read the row before you promise the children a train.

Prices the City, or for Cascades the conservation authority, prints for these places. A blank gate fee means the page does not list one.
Place	What the page charges	Worth knowing
Boulevard Lake	No gate fee listed	Trails and an accessible playground. Beach and mini-putt are seasonal.
Centennial Park	No gate fee listed. Muskeg Express: free at 5 and under, $1.50 ages 6–14, $3.25 at 15 and older, tax included.	About 147 acres on the Current River, open year round. Centennial Park Road, off Arundel Street west of Hodder Avenue.
Chippewa Park	Small rides $2.50. Large rides $5. A book of 30 coupons, plus one Muskeg Express ticket, is $30. Tax included. No separate walk-in price is listed.	2465 City Road, on Lake Superior, with a view of the Sleeping Giant. Hotline 807-625-CHIP.
Cascades	Parking at least $5 a vehicle, on the spot. The online parking payment does not work here.	1190 Balsam St. Conservation Ontario lists it as year-round, with free admission, paid parking and snowshoeing. A 775-metre paved loop was repaved in 2023.

Centennial chalet: open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year round. It cannot be booked for a party. No alcohol or helium balloons.
Centennial also has a playground, hiking and ski trails, seasonal tobogganing, a 1910 logging camp and museum, and farm animals. The page lists those as features and does not add a separate entry price.
Muskeg Express: June weekends, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed weekdays in June. July to Labour Day weekend, Wednesday to Sunday, same hours. Closed 12 to 12:30 p.m. Last ride 3:50 p.m. Weather permitting, including Canada Day, the Civic Holiday and Labour Day.
Chippewa rides: June weekends, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., closed weekdays in June. July to Labour Day weekend, Wednesday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cascades trails: several walks, dogs on a leash, and an accessible washroom on the paved loop. The conservation authority, not the City, owns it.

Sources: City of Thunder Bay, "City parks"; Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, Cascades; LRCA parking fee (minimum $5 a vehicle since January 1, 2021); Conservation Ontario, Cascades (1190 Balsam St., year-round, admission free, parking paid)

4. Kakabeka Falls and Sleeping Giant

Both are Ontario Parks, outside the city bus network. A vehicle needs a day-use permit. Passengers in that vehicle are included.

Kakabeka Falls

How: day use is listed for all of 2026. The falls are 40 metres, the second-highest in Ontario, with a boardwalk. Winter has groomed cross-country ski trails.

Good for: a half day. The park is at 4853 Highway 11/17, Kakabeka Falls. Phone 807-473-9231.

Watch: camping on the same page ran May 8 to October 13, 2026, separate from the day-use dates. Ski fees here are included in the daily vehicle permit.

Sleeping Giant

How: day use is listed for all of 2026. A winter season is listed from November 27, 2026 to March 22, 2027. More than 100 km of hiking trails, and 50 km of groomed ski trails.

Good for: a long day, not a quick stop. The gatehouse is about 35 km south on Highway 587. Phone 807-977-2526.

Watch: ski fees are included in the daily vehicle permit. Cabins are a separate rental. Most day-use permits run 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a park can differ.

Ontario Parks' day-use table for April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 does not name which price these two parks use. The regular daily totals are:

$12.25, $15.50, $18.00 or $21.00, depending on the park and the season.
An Ontario resident who is 65 or older pays less. So does an Ontario resident with a CNIB card or a Ministry of Transportation accessible parking permit.
Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces who live in Ontario can have free day use. Bring the ID the fee page names, plus photo proof of Ontario residency.
A seasonal vehicle permit is $111.87 for the year, $84.75 for summer, or $67.80 for winter. It does not by itself hold you a spot.

Buy the permit and read the price before you drive. Many parks sell a daily permit up to five days ahead. Others sell it when you arrive, if a spot is left.

Sources: Ontario Parks, Kakabeka Falls, Sleeping Giant, day-use fees for 2026 and "Day use"

Towns farther along Highway 11 and Highway 17, with the kilometres each official page prints, are in day and weekend trips from Thunder Bay.

5. Anemki Wajiw (Mount McKay)

This lookout is not a City park and not an Ontario Park. The local First Nation runs it and posts the toll.

Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Closed for the winter season, so by late fall it may already be shut.
Toll, due at entry: car or truck $10, motorcycle $6, bus $50, walk-in or cyclist $2 each, season pass $110.
Pay by Interac or credit. The poster says they do not accept cash and have none on site.

These are the 2026 poster prices. Read the operator's page again before you go. The lookout is closed in winter, so do not plan a January drive up.

Sources: the operator's "Anemki Wajiw (Mount McKay)" page and its 2026 toll gate price poster

6. The public library

Thunder Bay Public Library's children's page says storytimes, songs, crafts and open play are always free. The fall 2026 Connect newsletter says every program is free to attend, and the card is free too.

Family Storytime for the whole family, with play afterwards.
Baby & Me Storytime, best for babies from birth to 12 months and their caregivers.
Discovery Club at every branch: drop-in STEAM play.
Play Day: sensory toys and interactive books.

Who can get a card, the four branches, and the Waverley closure on November 23, 2026 are in the families guide. The main phone is 807-345-8275.

A card also lets you borrow passes. They go out for one week, with no renewal, and the catalogue listing can add limits.

Ontario Parks day-use pass: one week of day use at any Ontario Park. Late fees can apply.
Thunder Bay Art Gallery pass: free admission for you and up to three guests.
Fort William Historical Park family pass: free admission for four. Not for third-party functions, camping, or some special events.
LRCA EXPLORE pass: day use and parking at the authority's ten conservation areas, including Cascades and Wishart.

Place a hold and pick the pass up at the branch you choose. Read that pass's catalogue note before you count on it for Kakabeka or Sleeping Giant.

Sources: Thunder Bay Public Library, "Kids"; "Other things you can borrow"; Connect, fall 2026, "every program is free"

7. Museum and art gallery

Thunder Bay Museum

How: pay what you can. Suggested amounts are $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 17, and free for age 5 and under. Members are free. Drivers and tour escorts are free.

Good for: a rainy afternoon. 425 Donald St. E., kitty-corner to City Hall, which the museum says is a bus terminal. Phone (807) 623-0801.

Watch: children 14 and under must be with an adult. Winter hours (day after Labour Day to June 14): Tuesday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Summer (June 15 to Labour Day): daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thunder Bay Art Gallery

How: adults $5. Children under 12 are free. Members are free. Everyone is free on Wednesdays.

Good for: a short visit on the Confederation College campus, 1080 Keewatin Street. Parking in the lot across from the door is free.

Watch: Tuesday to Thursday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday to Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Monday. Phone (807) 577-6427. A library pass covers you and up to three guests.

Sources: Thunder Bay Museum, "Visiting"; Thunder Bay Art Gallery, "Visitor info"

8. Community events

Wakenyatbay events, including Jamhuri Day on December 12, are on our events calendar. Join and you hear about them.
Kenyan associations across Canada are listed on the associations page, each with a link to that group's own site. We do not copy their event text.
Winter FunDays are the City series we could confirm as free for 2027. Dates are in the winter section above.
Paid recreation programs are in The Key. How to register is in the families guide.

Running a free community event in Thunder Bay? Tell us and we will read it before it goes on the calendar.

Source for Winter FunDays: City of Thunder Bay, "Winter FunDays"

9. Free programs for families

EarlyON

How: free programs for children from birth to 6 and their parents or caregivers.

Good for: play, songs, and other families. Every EarlyON centre in Ontario is open to all families in the province.

Watch: the Thunder Bay centre we list, and how to book it, is in the families guide. Use Ontario's map if you want another site.

Settlement and community

How: the finding-community guide lists settlement help, student clubs and places of worship we have checked.

Good for: meeting people, which is its own kind of free outing.

Watch: a class or a club can still ask you to register. Read that group's page before you go.

Source: Government of Ontario, "Find an EarlyON child and family centre" (page updated March 5, 2026)

10. Getting there by bus

Thunder Bay Transit runs inside the city limits. Kakabeka Falls, Sleeping Giant and Mount McKay are not bus trips. Plan a ride for those.

Cash

How: $3.25, exact Canadian coins or bills. The operator cannot make change.

Good for: a one-off ride.

Watch: if you pay cash and will change buses, ask for a paper transfer as you board. It lasts 90 minutes.

Lift Pass

How: a reloadable card. A new card is $5. A 90-minute transfer starts on its own when you tap.

Good for: a family that will ride more than once.

Watch: youth, senior and discount cards need proof, and you get those cards at the transit office, 570 Fort William Road.

Children

How: age 12 and under rides free. Age 5 and under needs no card. Ages 6 to 12 need a Lift Pass.

Good for: a park day that would otherwise be four fares.

Watch: if a child rides alone, the parent is responsible for whether that child can manage the bus.

Plan the trip on the City's transit page, in the Transit app, or in Google Maps. The City says its riders get the app's Royale upgrade at no charge. Or call (807) 684-3744.
Some routes have no Saturday or Sunday service, and listed holidays use a holiday schedule. Open the schedule for the day you are going.
Board at the front and leave by the back. Buses are low-floor, with a ramp, a kneeling feature, and spoken stop announcements.
The museum points you to the City Hall terminal. For any other park, type the address into the trip planner rather than guessing the route.

In winter, the City suggests reaching the stop five minutes early and wearing something bright. That note is also in the winter guide.

Sources: City of Thunder Bay, "Fares and passes" (fares effective April 1, 2026), "Transit", "Transit app", "Schedules and maps" and "Using the farebox", and "Winter weather guide"

A free spot we missed?

A park, a storytime, a hill that works with a borrowed sled. Send it and we will check the official page before we add it.

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Quick answers

What can we do in Thunder Bay without a gate fee?

The City pages for Boulevard Lake and Centennial Park do not list a gate fee. Chippewa Park lists ride prices and no separate walk-in price. Outdoor rinks do not list a fee, and skating aids at Prince Arthur's Landing are free to borrow. Library programs are free. Winter FunDays, every Sunday from January 3 to March 14, 2027, are free. Provincial parks and Mount McKay charge at the gate.

How much is a day at Kakabeka Falls or Sleeping Giant?

A vehicle needs an Ontario Parks day-use permit, and the passengers in that vehicle are included. From April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 the regular daily totals are $12.25, $15.50, $18.00 or $21.00. The fee table does not say which one these parks use, so read the price when you buy. The library loans a one-week Ontario Parks pass. Late fees can apply.

Where can children skate or go sledding?

Outdoor rinks usually run from mid-December to mid-March, if the ice holds. Prince Arthur's Landing, at 2201 Sleeping Giant Parkway, lends skating aids at no fee and does not rent skates. Vickers Park has a 500-metre skating trail. The City lists sledding at Balsam Pit Park, Centennial Park, Northwood Playfield and Chapples North Park. Indoor public skating is priced, and helmets are required.

When is the art gallery free, and what does the museum ask?

Thunder Bay Art Gallery is free for everyone on Wednesdays. Other days adults pay $5 and children under 12 are free. The Thunder Bay Museum is pay-what-you-can. Suggested amounts are $8 for adults, $3 for ages 6 to 17, and free for age 5 and under. Children 14 and under must be with an adult.

How much is the bus, and do children ride free?

The cash fare is $3.25 in exact Canadian money, and the operator cannot make change. Children 12 and under ride free. Age 5 and under needs no card. Ages 6 to 12 need a Lift Pass. If you pay cash and will change buses, ask the operator for a paper transfer as you board. It lasts 90 minutes. Buses stay inside the city, so Kakabeka Falls, Sleeping Giant and Mount McKay are not bus trips.

This page is general information, checked on October 29, 2026. Fees, hours and ice change, so confirm on the linked page before you go or pay. Questions: info@wakenyatbay.ca.

Next guide: Day and weekend trips →