Looking for a perfect excuse to spend more time outdoors this summer? Vaughan is filled with beautiful parks, scenic walking trails, family-friendly green spaces and exciting seasonal events and festivals to fill your summer with activity and adventure. Whether you’re yearning for a peaceful nature walk, a place to picnic with the family, a playground for the kids or a vibrant community festival, Vaughan’s parks offer something for everyone! Lace up your walking shoes, pack some sunscreen and check out these unforgettable summer park and trail experiences.

A gorgeous tree-lined park, Marita Payne Park (16 Jason St.) includes playgrounds, lit (baseball and bocce) sports fields, a basketball court and a soccer field.  There’s a picnic area where you can bring your dog (on-leash) and make it a day for the whole family including your four-legged friends. And for this summer, Storywalk is back, presented by Vaughan Public Libraries. Along the paved, even-terrain pathways, you will find excerpts from the book, The Last Last by Wendy J. Whittingham. It’s a one-of-a-kind reading experience where you and the kids can enjoy a book come to life under the open sky as you get active outdoors.

Spend the day outdoors at Vaughan’s North Maple Regional Park (11085 Keele St.). Located in Vaughan, it’s currently undergoing a massive expansion to become 364 hectares (900 acres) once complete. But there’s still lots to enjoy. Currently, the park features many amenities such as a park pavilion with washrooms, two FIFA-certified artificial turf soccer fields, a cricket pitch with built-in spectator seating, accessible pathways and more.

With a walking distance of 3.2 kilometres over easy terrain that is both paved and lit, Mackenzie Glen District Park (220 Cranston Park Ave.) takes you through the scenic areas around Cunningham Pond and Maple Lions Park. You’ll find playgrounds, a splashpad, sports fields, an off-leash dog area and picnic areas for the whole family. You’ll also find interpretative signage around the park that conveys the area’s history.

Now let’s take a trip through Sugarbush Heritage Park (91 Thornhill Woods Dr.). This outdoor park facility has a 2.4 kilometre walking trail. It’s not 100 per cent stroller-friendly but you can still manage to maneuver over or pass by rocks and tree roots. Travel through the shaded and cozy trees and then stop by the playground or enjoy the community garden. You’ll also find an off-leash dog area for small and large dogs. There are several paths to choose from, and they end up connecting and leading back in the same direction so you can’t get lost. It’ll probably take you between 45 minutes and one hour to walk from start to end, and you’ll love every minute of it. And yes, you can enjoy Vaughan’s Storywalk program here as well, with pages of children’s books displayed at various stations along the path.

Sonoma Heights Neighbourhood Walk (100 Sunset Ridge) features a paved and lit walking path that includes the Sonoma Greenway and Sonoma Heights Park. A side trail connects to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (10365 Islington Ave.) and the historic Kleinburg Village and shops. Within the park, there’s so much fun waiting for you. It features basketball courts, lighted baseball and bocce facilities, a skateboard zone, lit soccer and tennis courts, and a splashpad for the little kiddies. The main summer event happening at Sonoma Heights is a free concert thanks to Vaughan’s Concerts in the Park series. This annual summer music event brings a Tribute to Billy Joel on Wednesday, July 29, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

And there’s even more fun to be had at Vaughan’s other parks. Check out William Granger Greenway (William Granger Greenway, Kleinburg), The Village at Black Creek (1000 Murray Ross Pkwy.), or Kortright Centre for Conservation (9550 Pine Valley Dr.) for more excitement! All you need for a great family outing is fresh air, beautiful scenery and the will for adventure. Find everything interesting about Vaughan, by visiting visitvaughan.ca.

Vaughan is a great one-day trip, but it’s an even better weekend getaway! With so much fun in the sun ready to be had, 24 hours simply isn’t enough. Make the most of your visit by planning an overnight stay at one of our many incredible hotels and inns with amenities like electric car charging, indoor pools and free hot breakfast. Check out our accommodations directory for a wide range of amazing places to stay to recharge and make the most of your time in Vaughan!

As you explore all that Vaughan has to offer, don’t forget to tag us at #VisitVaughan and follow us on Instagram at @visitvaughan!