Best Things to Do in Toronto: Sights, Food and Nature

The best things to do in Toronto fall into four easy groups: the skyline around the CN Tower, the markets and neighbourhoods where the city's immigrant communities shaped the food, a cluster of museums near Queen's Park, and the lake with its islands and cliffs. Toronto is Canada's largest city and one of its most multicultural, so a good visit mixes all four rather than ticking off a single list of landmarks.

Start with the skyline: CN Tower and the waterfront

The CN Tower is the obvious first stop, and for once the obvious choice is justified. The tower is about 553 metres tall, and its observation decks and glass floor give you a clear picture of how the city sits on Lake Ontario, with the Toronto Islands just offshore and the grid of downtown spreading north. Go on a clear day, and check the official website for current tickets and opening hours, since they change by season.

Right beside the tower is Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, famous for a glass tunnel where sharks swim over your head. It works well when the weather is bad or when you travel with children. If you prefer your thrills outdoors, the CN Tower EdgeWalk is a hands-free walk on a ledge around the roof, 356 metres above the ground. It is not for everyone, and bookings are made in advance, but it is the most unusual activity in the city centre.

Eat your way through the markets

If you only have time for one food experience, make it St. Lawrence Market. This historic indoor market has dozens of local stalls and is often ranked among the best food markets in the world. Come hungry, walk one full loop before buying, and then go back to the counter that looked best. Weekday mornings are calmer than the busiest market days.

A short walk west is Kensington Market, a bohemian district where Latin, Caribbean and Asian eateries mix on every block, alongside street art and vintage shops. It is a neighbourhood for wandering rather than for a fixed itinerary. For sit-down meals, the city's reputation rests on variety: Pai Northern Thai Kitchen for spicy Northern Thai dishes, Pizzeria Libretto for Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza, Pearl Diver for oysters, and Bar Raval for pintxos and cocktails in a wooden interior inspired by Gaudí. Our Toronto food guide goes deeper, and if you like market cities, compare it with what to eat in Mexico City.

Museums worth your time

Toronto's museums are concentrated, which makes them easy to combine. The Royal Ontario Museum is Canada's largest museum of natural history and world cultures, running from dinosaur skeletons to Egyptian artefacts. A few minutes away, the Art Gallery of Ontario, redesigned by Frank Gehry, holds a broad collection of Canadian and European art. Add the Gardiner Museum for ceramics or the unusual Bata Shoe Museum, which has more than 13,000 shoes, and you have a full rainy day within walking distance.

Further afield, Casa Loma is an early twentieth-century castle with towers, gardens and city views, and Fort York National Historic Site tells the story of the War of 1812 and the city's origins. Sports fans should not skip the Hockey Hall of Fame, where the Stanley Cup is displayed. If museums are your main reason to travel, the logic is similar to the best museums in New York: pick one or two big institutions per day and leave room for a small one.

Neighbourhoods and culture

In the east of downtown, the Distillery District is a group of Victorian distillery buildings now turned into a pedestrian zone of galleries, cafes and restaurants. Balzac's Coffee Roasters is a convenient coffee stop there. Back toward the centre, Nathan Phillips Square has the modernist City Hall and the famous Toronto sign, and in winter the square becomes a skating rink, which is one of the most local things a visitor can do.

For evenings, the Entertainment District has the Princess of Wales Theatre for large-scale musicals, while Scotiabank Arena is where hockey and basketball fans can see the Maple Leafs or the Raptors when the season is on. In summer, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival is one of the biggest festivals in North America, with costumes, music and parades, though dates change, so verify them before booking a flight. St. James Cathedral, a Gothic Revival church with a tall spire, is a quiet contrast to the glass towers around it.

Green escapes inside the city

You do not need a car for a good dose of nature. The Toronto Islands are reached by ferry and are known for beaches and some of the best views of the skyline. High Park is the largest city park, with oak woodland, ponds and spring cherry blossoms. Evergreen Brick Works links a former brickworks with trails into the Don Valley, and further east the Scarborough Bluffs are clay and sand cliffs that rise up to 90 metres above the lake.

Cyclists can follow the paved Martin Goodman Trail along the lakeshore, and paddlers can rent canoes, kayaks or paddleboards at Harbourfront Canoe & Kayak. See the hiking and parks page for Toronto for more trail ideas, including the Rouge National Urban Park, Canada's first national urban park.

Day trips: Niagara and the escarpment

Niagara Falls is the classic excursion and fits into a day, but give it a full day because travel time adds up. For something less crowded, Niagara Glen Nature Reserve has giant boulders and riverside trails in the river gorge, and Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours offer a fast ride through the rapids. Climbers head to Rattlesnake Point, one of Ontario's best-known outdoor climbing areas on the limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment.

How to combine it all

For a first visit of three or four days, give one day to the waterfront and the CN Tower, one to the markets and Kensington, one to museums around Queen's Park, and one to either the islands or Niagara. Winter is cold and summer is lively, so adjust the outdoor parts to the season. If you have already enjoyed a canal-lined European city, our guide to the best things to do in Amsterdam shows how a similar mix of neighbourhoods and museums works there.

When you know your dates and interests, the plan builder for Toronto can turn these places into a day-by-day route. You can also read the full Canada country guide to see where Toronto fits among the other destinations.