The best things to do in Toronto, selected with a local point of view. Find attractions, parks, tours, markets and neighbourhood finds.
Showing 265–288 of 494 experiences.
Toronto's most beautiful outdoor skating rink — the Natrel Rink at Harbourfront sits directly on Lake Ontario's edge with the city skyline as its backdrop. Free skating with skate rentals available, live DJ nights on Fridays, and a warming hut with hot chocolate. A Toronto winter essential.
Time needed: 1–2 hours; crowds peak Friday and Saturday evenings.
Toronto's best outdoor skating rink — the Natrel Rink sits on the waterfront with Lake Ontario as a backdrop and DJ skating sessions on weekend evenings. Free to skate, free skate rentals available. The combination of lake views, city lights reflecting off the ice, and live music on DJ nights makes this genuinely special.
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Toronto's best neighbourhood discovery method — guided cycling tours cover the Beaches, Leslieville, Kensington, Roncesvalles, Greektown, and the waterfront with local guides who know the back streets, hidden murals, and best stops. Bike Share Toronto's large network lets you self-guide any neighbourhood with a day pass.
Time needed: 2–3 hours for guided tours, or flexible for self-guided exploring.
The world's most famous waterfalls are 90 minutes from downtown Toronto. Horseshoe Falls dumps 168,000 cubic metres of water per minute over the brink — and you can get close enough to feel the spray on the Maid of the Mist boat. A non-optional Toronto day trip.
Time needed: Half day to full day (4–8 hours, depending on activities and travel mode).
A self-guided driving audio tour of the Niagara Falls route from Toronto — at CA$21, it's the most affordable way to do the Niagara day trip with expert commentary along the entire 2–3 hour drive. Navigate at your own pace with narrated stops covering the Escarpment, wine country, and the Falls themselves.
Time needed: Full day (2–3 hours each way, plus exploring the Falls).
A helicopter tour directly over Niagara Falls — the most dramatic way to experience one of the world's great natural wonders. At CA$3,500 per group, this is a premium private experience that covers the full Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and the Niagara Gorge from altitude. Genuinely unforgettable for the right group.
Time needed: 1–2 hours including check-in, safety briefing, and flight.
One of the most reviewed Toronto–Niagara packages available — 237 operator reviews, 2 days from CA$372 covering Niagara Falls and Toronto Downtown. A well-tested, well-organized two-day itinerary that delivers both destinations without sacrificing quality at either.
Time needed: 2 full days.
Niagara Falls after dark — the Falls are illuminated nightly from dusk to midnight with coloured lights, and fireworks launch from Table Rock every Friday and Sunday in summer. The combination of illuminated falls and fireworks from the Canadian side is spectacular. The Journey Behind the Falls tour at night is genuinely dramatic.
Time needed: 2–4 hours (plus travel time).
Niagara is more than the falls — the Niagara Region's 50+ wineries, the Welland Canal locks (watching massive lakers and ocean freighters pass through), Jordan Village's fine dining, and the twenty valley cycling trails offer an entirely different Niagara experience from the tourist falls circuit.
Time needed: Full day, or overnight if you want to wine-hop and not rush.
The most charming small town in Ontario — a perfectly preserved Georgian village at the mouth of the Niagara River. The Shaw Festival runs May–October with professional theatre in four venues. Surrounded by 50+ wineries producing world-class Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Time needed: Full day (8–10 hours), including travel from Toronto.
Ontario's premier wine region — Niagara-on-the-Lake's Wine Route winds past 30+ award-winning wineries producing world-class icewine, riesling, chardonnay, and pinot noir. The town itself is a heritage Victorian gem with the Shaw Festival theatre, fine dining, and beautiful Lake Ontario shoreline. 90 minutes from Toronto.
Time needed: Full day (plan for 6–8 hours including travel from Toronto).
Toronto's night market scene has exploded — from Japanese-inspired Night It Up! in Richmond Hill (one of North America's largest Asian night markets) to rotating food truck festivals and the Kensington Market summer block parties. Global food, lanterns, live music, and the city at its most festive.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on crowds and your appetite.
A self-guided walking tour of Old Toronto's historic core — from CA$11 (was CA$14), this 75 to 105-minute audio tour covers the city's oldest streets, Victorian architecture, and the neighbourhood stories that shaped modern Toronto. Perfect for history buffs and independent walkers exploring the St. Lawrence area.
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Canada's largest juried craft and design show — the One of a Kind Show at Exhibition Place brings 600+ Canadian artists, designers, and makers together twice a year (spring and Christmas). Original jewellery, ceramics, fashion, textiles, and art — everything sold directly by the people who made it.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on crowds and your shopping speed.
The Ontario Greenbelt wraps around Toronto with dozens of working farms offering pick-your-own produce, farm markets, and agritourism experiences — strawberries in June, peaches in August, apples in September, pumpkins in October.
Time needed: 2–3 hours, depending on what you’re picking and farm activities.
The iconic man-made island complex on Lake Ontario is undergoing a massive transformation — but the waterfront promenade, the Cinesphere dome (North America's first IMAX screen), and the summer events remain. Watch the redevelopment unfold in real time.
Time needed: 1–2 hours, more if attending an event or film.
Toronto's western waterfront entertainment complex — Budweiser Stage hosts outdoor concerts from May through October on a lakeside stage that seats 16,000. The waterfront location, open-air lawn seating, and summer concert atmosphere make it one of Canada's best outdoor music venues. Check the summer lineup early — shows sell out fast.
Time needed: 3–4 hours (full evening for a concert, including entry and exit crowds).
Toronto's western waterfront entertainment hub — Exhibition Place hosts the Canadian National Exhibition (August 21–September 7, 2026), winter skating, concerts, the Medieval Times Castle, and year-round sports and entertainment events. Ontario Place (currently being redeveloped) includes the Budweiser Stage, one of Canada's best outdoor venues.
Time needed: Half day to full day if visiting during a major event; 2–4 hours for a concert or casual stroll.
Ontario Science Centre's interim Harbourfront Centre location with hands-on exhibits, KidSpark, the Space Deck, Innovation Station, and Curiosity Commons. Check the official site for current hours and admission.
Time needed: 3–5 hours, possibly all day if the kids are having their way.
Toronto's most immersive cinema — the IMAX dome at the Ontario Science Centre projects films onto a 24-metre curved screen that fills peripheral vision completely. Nature documentaries, space films, and special programming make it extraordinary for children and adults equally. Often overlooked in favour of the science centre itself.
Time needed: 1–2 hours, depending on film length and pre/post movie exploration.
Ossington Avenue is Toronto's most concentrated strip of excellent bars — Bar Isabel, reBar, Reposado, Bellwoods Brewery, and a dozen more in a single block. Each night starts at one and ends at another, and the quality is consistently higher than anywhere else in the city.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on crowds and your stamina.
Movies under the Toronto sky — from the free outdoor film series at Harbourfront, Trinity Bellwoods, and Fort York, to ticketed rooftop cinema events. Toronto runs outdoor screenings from June through September. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and watch a film with the city as your backdrop.
Time needed: 2–3 hours, including pre-show settling and the main feature.
The largest indoor Chinese shopping mall in North America — 450+ stores across two connected buildings. Anime merchandise, imported goods, bubble tea, hand-pulled noodles, and a food court that's a world in itself. A full cultural experience.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on crowds
Guided painting sessions with wine — Toronto's many paint-and-sip studios run 2-hour guided sessions where an instructor takes the group through the same painting step-by-step. Beginner-friendly by design, wine included or BYOB, and your finished canvas goes home with you regardless of artistic ability.
Time needed: 2 hours
First-timers should start with the CN Tower observation deck for city views, then walk the Distillery District and Kensington Market for culture and food. Add Ripley's Aquarium, a Harbourfront walk, and St. Lawrence Market on a Saturday morning. For a full plan, see our 48-hour first-timer itinerary.
Check our Events page for live concerts, sports, and festivals happening this weekend. Regulars include the Distillery District on weekends, Kensington Market, Saturday morning at St. Lawrence Market, and the Toronto Islands by ferry. In summer, look for outdoor festivals along the waterfront.
Toronto is excellent for families. Top picks: Ripley's Aquarium of Canada (the shark tunnel alone is worth it), the Toronto Zoo, Ontario Science Centre, High Park, the ferry to Centre Island, and the CN Tower glass floor. The waterfront and Harbourfront Centre also have excellent free kids programming in summer.
Some of the best free activities include exploring the Toronto Islands (ferry costs $9.38 return), walking the Harbourfront, visiting High Park and the Scarborough Bluffs, browsing the Distillery District and Kensington Market, and checking out the Art Gallery of Ontario on the first Wednesday of the month from 6–9pm. Graffiti Alley is always free.
Toronto is famous for the CN Tower, the Distillery District, world-class food markets like St. Lawrence Market, its multicultural neighbourhoods (Kensington Market, Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown), and being a major sports city home to the Raptors, Maple Leafs, and Blue Jays.
3–4 days is ideal to see the main highlights including the waterfront, CN Tower, Distillery District, Kensington Market, and a few neighbourhood restaurants. A full week lets you explore more neighbourhoods, do a day trip to Niagara Falls, and enjoy live events or sports.
June to September is peak season with warm weather, patios, festivals like TIFF and Caribbean Carnival, and outdoor events. May and October offer fewer crowds with still-pleasant weather. Winter is great if you love skating, the Christmas Market, and indoor culture.
Downtown Toronto is very walkable — most major attractions, restaurants, and hotels are accessible on foot or via the TTC subway and streetcar. The PATH underground network connects many downtown buildings. The Harbourfront trail is a beautiful flat walk along the lake.
WTF Toronto creates guides using independent editorial research, official sources, local knowledge and firsthand experience where available. Commercial relationships are disclosed where applicable.