10 Best Things to Do in Toronto

Fort York played quite an important role in the early years of the city of Toronto. It was built in 1793 to protect the fledgling settlement and was then destroyed during the Battle of York, in the War of 1812. However, it was quickly rebuilt to protect the town of York from future raids. The site is now home to Canada’s largest collection of buildings from the period, allowing visitors a glimpse back into history. Visit in summer for the best experience, when you’ll see special events and exhibits, including reenactors in military uniforms of the time. 

Torontonians love their sports, with ice hockey naturally among the most popular. The Hockey Hall of Fame is the home of the Stanley Cup – the sport’s most coveted prize – as well as a huge range of exhibits. These include a to-scale recreation of the Montreal Canadiens dressing room and seemingly endless items of hockey memorabilia and equipment. The Great Hall is the real highlight, though, and features the names and histories of some of the sport’s greatest stars.

Ontario Science Centre has the ‘learn-through-play’ concept right at its core, with many of the exhibits being interactive and engaging. It covers geography, biology, astronomy and a bit of chemistry across 8 exhibit halls. The Planetarium in the Space Hall is particularly popular, but it’s also good to walk through a rainforest or watch a movie in the IMAX theatre. The exhibits change on a regular basis, keeping everything fresh and exciting. 

Opened in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum is among the oldest and largest museums in Canada. It has a collection of over 6 million artefacts across 40 galleries, covering a diverse range of subjects, from natural history to Near Eastern and African art and, of course, Canadian History. It’s located on the campus of the University of Toronto in a building that is both classically historical and dazzlingly modern. 

Despite being built between 1911 and 1914, Casa Loma has the look of an 18th-century Gothic Revival castle. It was originally an ostentatious show of wealth, created by the man who built the first hydro-electric plant on the Niagara River. It’s now a museum, landmark and popular venue for wedding ceremonies, thanks to its beautiful 5-acre gardens, which are open from May to the end of October. Self-guided audio tours of the 98-room castle and its grounds are available in several languages.

CF Toronto Eaton Centre is a large and popular shopping mall in the middle of the downtown area of the city. It’s noted for its excellent choice of high-end stores and for its elegant design. Among more than 250 retailers, restaurants and services are names like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hugo Boss and Zara. Many of the food outlets are gathered around the stylish Urban Eatery food court. Look out for Flight Stop, the dramatic art installation featuring 60 Canada geese in flight, which hangs from the ceiling of the Eaton Centre.

The square in front of Toronto City Hall is often bustling as people enjoy sitting by the fountain and the 3D Toronto sign. With 3-metre-tall letters, it’s quite an iconic spot for a selfie. There’s also a good café in the square, with plenty of other options nearby. The look of the building itself is a little controversial. Some call it striking and futuristic, cheering when it appeared in a 1989 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Others call it ugly (especially when compared to Toronto Old City Hall, which is next door), cheering when it was blown up in 2004’s Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

CN Tower is undoubtedly the most iconic structure on the Toronto skyline and, at 553.3 metres, is among the tallest free-standing structures in the world. Enjoying the view from the top is one of the essential things to do in Toronto - you can't really say you've seen the city until you've seen it from the 346-metre-high LookOut Level! Glass-fronted elevators carry you up there for views right across the city and the nearby Lake Ontario. There’s even a section with a glass floor, so the views also go straight down, too. It’s undoubtedly the best place to enjoy the sunset, but you can make it even more romantic by booking a table at the revolving 360 Restaurant.

The Entertainment District is exactly what it sounds like – an area of Old Toronto which is packed with bars, clubs and theatres. Its extremely popular, for its size, making it one of the liveliest party places in the world. Highlights include Bar Hop on King Street– a gastropub with an easy-going atmosphere and dozens of craft beers on tap. If you’re looking for a more upbeat evening, head to The Fifth Social Club on Richmond Street for fun and dancing. Alternatively, The Second City Toronto on Mercer Street does nightly improv and sketch comedy shows.

The Kensington Market area, just north of Chinatown, is home to a trendy, bohemian atmosphere and a great collection of vintage stores, art galleries and, obviously, a market. Many of the Victorian-era buildings along the tree-lined streets in the area display impressive works of street art and contain a good range of international restaurants, bars and cafés. The market itself specialises in fresh produce, meat and fish, and is popular with the students and families who live nearby. Try to visit on the last Sunday of the month, when the area goes car-free to allow for a giant street market.