The best things to do in Toronto, selected with a local point of view. Find attractions, parks, tours, markets and neighbourhood finds.
Showing 121–144 of 494 experiences.
North America's largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture turned into galleries, studios, restaurants, and shops. Walk the cobblestones with a coffee in hand — this is Toronto at its most Instagrammable.
Time needed: 2–3 hours (longer if you eat or visit galleries)
The best preserved Victorian industrial district in North America — the Distillery's 44 heritage buildings on 13 acres are car-free and entirely walkable. The galleries, studios, restaurants, cafés, and shops are housed in original 1859 Gooderham & Worts Distillery buildings with exposed brick, original machinery, and cobblestoned laneways.
Time needed: 2–3 hours, longer if you browse every gallery or snack stop.
Toronto's most scenic municipal golf course — Don Valley's 18 holes wind through the lush Don Valley ravine with elevation changes and tree-lined fairways that make it genuinely challenging. The $50–70 green fees are exceptional value for the setting, and the clubhouse patio overlooks the valley.
Time needed: 4–5 hours for a full 18-hole round, including time at the clubhouse.
Toronto's great ravine escape — the Don Valley Trail winds through the city's largest ravine system connecting downtown to the Evergreen Brick Works, a transformed 19th-century industrial site surrounded by wetlands, with a weekend farmers market and excellent café. Tall forest inside the city — one of Toronto's genuine surprises.
Time needed: 2–4 hours, depending on how much you explore and if you linger at the market or café.
The Don River Trail system runs 23km from the waterfront up into the valley — a car-free greenway through the ravine system that makes Toronto uniquely livable. Rent a bike at Union Station and ride to the Brick Works for brunch.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on pace and stops.
Toronto's most surprising skyline view — Riverdale Park East's hilltop gives a direct north-to-south view of the downtown skyline across the Don Valley ravine. The city's skyscrapers rise above a green ravine canopy, making Toronto look simultaneously urban and naturally lush. Winter after a snowfall is particularly spectacular.
Time needed: 30–90 minutes
Toronto's annual open buildings weekend — Doors Open (every May) opens 150+ normally inaccessible buildings for free: the subway control room, the rooftop of City Hall, steam plant tunnels, private heritage buildings, architectural gems, and engineering infrastructure. The most concentrated inside-access event in the city's calendar.
Time needed: Half day to full day, depending on your stamina and route.
Downey's Farm in Caledon offers seasonal farm experiences and the 2026 Pumpkinfest, running September 19–October 31. Pumpkinfest includes Boo Barn, a family-friendly spooky attraction during daytime hours; it is not a separate nighttime Haunted Farm event.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on season and activities.
A 75 to 90-minute private layover tour of downtown Toronto designed for travellers with limited time between flights — at CA$180 per group, this is the most efficient private city introduction available. Covers the essential downtown highlights in a compressed, well-organized tour that gets you back to the airport on time.
Time needed: 75–90 minutes for the tour, plus 1.5–2 hours total transit to/from Pearson airport.
Toronto's most spectacular waterfront sport — the Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival on the Toronto Islands draws 5,000+ paddlers and 150,000 spectators to Centre Island every June. Teams of 20 race 500m sprints in decorated boats while drummers pound the beat. Watching (or joining a community team) is one of summer's great Toronto experiences.
Time needed: 2–4 hours for races and wandering the festival; a full day if you want to explore the island too.
The underground music venue beneath the Drake Hotel — Drake Underground is a 200-capacity basement room that books indie, electronic, hip-hop, and experimental acts before they graduate to larger stages. The room is dark, the sound is excellent, and the Drake Hotel's full hospitality means drinks arrive consistently and quickly.
Time needed: 2–3 hours for a typical headliner show.
Toronto's most beloved community park also hosts one of the city's original farmers markets. The Thursday evening market combined with the wood-fired clay oven, skating rink in winter, and play area makes this the city's most complete park.
Time needed: 1–2 hours for the market and playground; longer on warm evenings or for free skating in winter.
Southern Ontario's best hiking — the Dundas Valley Conservation Area has 40km of trails through the Carolinian forest at the head of the escarpment, with wildflower meadows, the Desjardins Canal historic site, and the Spencer Gorge watershed. The spring trillium bloom (May) is one of Ontario's most beautiful natural events.
Time needed: Half day to a full day, especially if you're hiking multiple trails.
Astronomy with Canada's largest telescope — the University of Toronto's Dunlap Observatory holds public stargazing evenings using its historic 74-inch telescope, guided by U of T astronomers. Seeing Saturn's rings or Jupiter's moons through an actual observatory telescope is a perspective-shifting experience worth the 45-minute drive.
Time needed: 1.5–2.5 hours, depending on the length of talks and telescope lineups.
Toronto's most beloved formal garden — 35 acres of English-style gardens along a ravine, with bridges, streams, and seasonal plantings that are spectacular from spring through fall. Connects to the Wilket Creek Park ravine trail system.
Time needed: 1–2 hours to stroll the gardens, or more if you walk the ravine trails.
Toronto's iconic Latin dance club — El Convento Rico has held down 750 College Street since 1987, running Latin dance nights and drag performances in a basement club marked by an eerie nun portrait above the door. Friday nights include dance lessons for beginners; Saturday nights are for people who already know how to move. One of the most joyful, inclusive, genuinely welcoming clubs in the city.
Time needed: 2–4 hours depending on how deep you want to get into dancing or the late-night party scene.
The most storied small club in Canada — the El Mocambo on Spadina has hosted the Rolling Stones (secret 1977 recording), Elvis Costello, Prince, and U2 in a two-floor club that seats 400. The restored neon palm tree sign is a Toronto landmark. Live shows run weekly across the main stage and intimate upper stage.
Time needed: 2–3 hours (full concert evening)
The world's last operating double-decker theatre — the Elgin (downstairs) and Winter Garden (upstairs) are a UNESCO-designated heritage site from 1913. The Winter Garden's forest-like ceiling of preserved beech leaves and hanging lanterns creates one of the most extraordinary theatrical interiors anywhere on Earth.
Time needed: 2–3 hours for a show and quick wander; 60–90 minutes for a guided heritage tour.
Toronto's grand dame of day spas — Elmwood has been on Bay Street since 1979, operating in a heritage Victorian house with original plasterwork, a rooftop patio, and a full menu of facials, body treatments, and wellness therapies. The Elemis and Guinot facial lines are their signature. A Toronto institution.
Time needed: 3–5 hours for full experience or packages, 1.5–2 hours for a single treatment.
Ontario's most beautiful village — Elora sits above a dramatic limestone gorge carved by the Grand River, with heritage limestone buildings lining its main street, independent restaurants and galleries, and the Grand River Gorge Trail running through the canyon below. The Elora Gorge Conservation Area has swimming, tubing, and camping.
Time needed: Allow at least half a day (4–6 hours) to explore the village, trails, and conservation area.
A former industrial site transformed into a sustainable farmers market, community hub, and nature park. Saturday morning market is packed with local produce, baked goods, and artisan goods.
Time needed: 2–3 hours, longer if you hike the trails or linger for lunch.
Toronto's most beloved combination of nature, heritage, and local food — the Evergreen Brick Works Saturday market features 80+ Ontario vendors inside the spectacular industrial ruins of a Victorian brick factory. The surrounding Don Valley trails make it a full-day destination.
Time needed: 2–3 hours (longer if you wander the trails or grab brunch).
Industrial heritage meets natural valley view — Evergreen Brick Works' elevated lookout above the old quarry pit offers a unique perspective: the exposed stratigraphy (glacial deposits from 12,000 years ago) below, the Don Valley forest surrounding, and the city skyline visible above the ravine trees. Geology and city view in one frame.
Time needed: 30–60 minutes, more if you bring a camera or explore surrounding trails.
A 120-kilometre aerial tour of Toronto by light aircraft with iflyTOTO — the city's most expansive air tour option, covering the full skyline, Toronto Islands, Lake Ontario, and surrounding region in a breathtaking low-altitude flight. Rated 4.2/5 with nearly 200 reviews, this is a step up from the helicopter tour for those who want to cover serious ground.
Time needed: Plan for 1.5–2 hours including check-in, pre-flight briefing, and the roughly 30–45 minute flight.
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.