We love hearing about active families getting out and exploring all there is to see and do in Hamilton Halton Brant. Samantha, a mom to four-year-old twins, brought her family for an African Lion Safari adventure and chronicled their day on her delightful blog, Loving You Is Cherry Pie. Thanks for letting us share your post Samantha, and bring those darling girls for another outing in Hamilton Halton Brant soon!


WE WENT WILD AT AFRICAN LION SAFARI

SAMANTHA – I have lived in the Great Toronto Area all of my life (other than my time living in Kingston while going to law school), and specifically the Halton region for the past six years. We love Halton! It’s especially great to live near the Niagara Escarpment with all of the unique spots for outdoor adventure out here. Even though our girls are quite young, our family has already hiked, visited waterfalls, picked strawberries and more. When we were offered the chance to visit African Lion Safari, we were very excited (we would have liked to try the Wake Up the Wild Adventure; however, children must be at least 8 years old). If you don’t know it, African Lion Safari is a drive through wildlife park located in Hamilton, Ontario dedicated to the conservation of declining wildlife species.

  • The day of our visit to African Lion Safari started with intense thunderstorms (or as Alexa likes to say, “hunter storms”) and we weren’t sure if we could visit as planned. We took a risk and made the 40 minute drive, and by the time we arrived, the clouds cleared and later the sun came out. It was the perfect weather for an outdoor adventure.

  • Our first stop was the 9km drive-through game reserve. Despite initially planning to take the Safari Tour Bus, we changed our minds at the park and drove through in our minivan to get up close and personal with the animals. And that we did. Shortly after entering we saw the lions and I can’t deny that I got nervous when this guy (or girl, I’m not sure?) came within a few feet of my window. He was just looking for some shade under the tree but for a second I was a little wary.

  • The rest of the drive was just as exciting as we got to see so many different kinds of animals. The girls really were in awe of the animals roaming around out there.

  • After parking our car, we walked to the elephant area and got a front row spot for the elephant swim. Again, they came so close!

  • We then walked around and checked out the grounds, rode the ponies and had sno-kones… once the girls saw the Misumu Bay Wet Play Area they were unstoppable. They had an absolute blast here and could have stayed there all day going down the slides.

  • Once we were done there, we climbed aboard the Nature Boy Scenic Railyway Tour. It was so picturesque to travel by train through the forest with my little family. By the time we left the train, tiredness started to set in and we had to abandon our plan to ride the African Queen Boat Cruise unfortunately. It’s definitely something I would want to try next time but we had to make the decision to end our adventure as we could sense our girls were so tired they were bordering on meltdown. They slept the entire way home and another hour once we got home, which is to say that they had a fantastic time. We all did, it was a great family adventure!

Travel Deals View All >>

Experiences & Tours View All >>

Now thru December 31

A Taste of Paris – Sip, Savour & Shopping

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour includes three tasting locations with timed stops to make your day...

Now thru May 20

Alex Jacobs-Blum – Living and Lost Connections

Art Gallery of Hamilton

123 King Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8P 4S8

Exhibition Period: Feb 10th - May20th

May 14

Eliza’s Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at Bell Homestead

Bell Homestead National Historic Site

94 Tutela Heights Road, Brantford, ON, N3T 1A1

Date & Time: May 14th, 1:00pm & 3:00pm Price: Adult - $45.00 + Tax Children...

May 10

Mom’s Night Out | Tea & Donuts Tasting Workshop

Joseph Brant Museum

1240 North Shore Boulevard East, Burlington, ON, L7S 1C5

Date & Time: May 10th, 6:00pm - 8:30pm Doors open at 6pm to enjoy a...

Now thru December 31

Brant Eats

Brant Tourism

31 Mechanic St, Paris, ON N3L 1K1

For your enjoyment all-year round!

Now thru December 31

‘To Market We Go’ – Brantford & Brant

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This Tasty Road Trips Tour is a full-day trip experience with a customized...

Now thru December 31

Road to the Ridge: Taste of the Escarpment

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour is a 4.5 hour all-inclusive self-guided tour with all food, sips,...

Now thru December 31

Music Bingo at Flux

Flux Brewing Company

185 Oakland Rd, Scotland, ON N0E 1R0

Date & Time: January 17th (1st bingo night of the year) $5 cover to join

Now thru May 29

Dance Fitness with Mindfulness & Movement

Dundas Museum & Archives

139 Park Street West, Dundas, ON, L9H 1X8

Dates: Every Wednesday and Saturday (Unless otherwise stated) Times: 7:00pm to 8:00pm Class Price: $10.00...

Now thru April 28

Special Exhibition – How can I know you?

Art Gallery of Burlington

1333 Lakeshore Road , Burlington, ON, L7S 1A9

Exhibition Dates: Jan 19th to Apr 28th

Now thru December 31

Explore Paris Like A Local – A Sweet Escape

Tasty Road Trips Food Tours

Paris, Ontario

Tour Details: This tour is a 4.5 hour all-inclusive self-guided tour with all food, sips,...

Now thru December 31

Hamilton Civic Museums Virtual Tours

28 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R 1A1

Similar Stories View All >>

Sustainability Excellence Hamilton & Brant

Discover a conscious travel journey in The Heart of Ontario’s Hamilton and Brant regions.

Read More

Sneaky Spring Savings

5 Ways to Do More & Spend Less On Family Fun This Weekend

Read More

The Best of Spring: Six Ways to Find a Fresh Air Fix

The definitive guide to fresh air forays.

Read More

Sustainability Excellence Halton

Discover a conscious travel journey in The Heart of Ontario’s Halton Region.

Read More

Birding in Hamilton Halton Brant

Why birdwatchers flock to these six hotspots.

Read More

Cross Country Trail Blazing

Conservation areas offer great access to the Niagara Escarpment during winter months.

Read More

Brrr-ing on big winter fun

Make a choice to bundle up and face winter head on.

Read More

Fall For Each Other: A Romantic Two-Day Road Trip Around Hamilton Halton Brant

Treat your fam to two days of non-stop fun!

Read More

A Fresh Fall Family Adventure in Hamilton Halton Brant

Treat your fam to two days of non-stop fun!

Read More

Plan a Couples Paddling Getaway You’ll BOTH Love

Plan A Paddling Escape For 2

Read More

The Getaway Gang 6 Ways To Plan An Amazing Last-Minute Camping Trip With Friends

Creative ways to find a campsite.

Read More

Water, Land, Air: Find Unexpected New Ways For Your Family To Play This Summer

Family Fun 3 Ways

Read More

Get Travel OffersEvent Details and
Planning Ideas for Your Next Trip

Sign up to receive the latest Hamilton Halton Brant travel news delivered right to your inbox.