Things to do in Toronto
Toronto's downtown neighbourhoods - including the Financial District, the Harbourfront and Old Toronto - include most of the city's prime sights. The landmark CN Tower stands at the centre of things, surrounded by the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Royal Ontario Museum, Fort York and Harbourfront Centre entertainment complexes. Toronto's historic Distillery District has been renovated to house galleries, shops and eateries. A trek further out to The Annex is worthwhile for the Bata Shoe Museum.
Museums and Galleries
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1. Ontario Science Centre - Museums and Galleries
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This large interactive science museum, in suburban North York, explores the workings of robots, the mysteries of space and the principles of electricity. Ontario Science Centre staff demonstrate paper-making, glass-blowing and lasers.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$18; concessions C$13.50; 4-12s C$11; under-4s free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5pm; Jun-Sep: daily 10am-6pm (until 8pm Thu)
Address
770, Don Mills Road, Toronto M3C 1T3
Telephone
+1 416 696 1000
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2. Hockey Hall of Fame - Museums and Galleries
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dedajc91/Frommers.com Community">Hockey and its players from Canada and around the world are celebrated at the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Financial District. The museum's most popular display is the 1892 silver Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional sports trophy.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$12-C$15; 4-13s C$10; under-3s free
Opening hours
Summer & holidays daily 9.30am-6pm (from 10am Sun), winter Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 9.30am-6pm; Sun 10.30am-5pm
Address
30, Yonge Street, Brookfield Place, Toronto M5E 1X8
Telephone
+1 416 360 7765
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3. Art Gallery of Ontario - Museums and Galleries
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One of North America's largest art museums, Art Gallery of Ontario recently completed a new building in Chinatown by architectural master Frank Gehry. The museum showcases pre-eminent Canadian artists, North American artistic movements and European masterpieces.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$18
Opening hours
Tue-Sun 10am-5.30pm (Wed until 8.30pm)
Address
317, Dundas Street West, Toronto M5T 1G4
Telephone
+1 416 979 6648
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4. Bata Shoe Museum - Museums and Galleries
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Bata Shoe Museum in The Annex is one of only two shoe museums in North America (the other is in Mexico). It displays 4500-year-old Egyptian sandals, Chinese bound footwear, the shoes of Picasso and Elvis and footwear from six continents.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$12; concessions C$6-C$10; 5-17s C$4; under-5s free; Thu 5pm-8pm free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5pm (until 8pm Thu & from 12pm Sun)
Address
327, Bloor Street West, Toronto M5S 1W7
Telephone
+1 416 979 7799
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5. Design Exchange - Museums and Galleries
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Dedicated to the preservation of Canadian design from 1945 to the present, the Design Exchange includes furniture, housewares, graphic design and lighting. It is located in the Financial District in a building that once housed the Toronto Stock Exchange.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$5; concessions C$4
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5pm (from 12pm Sat & Sun)
Address
234, Bay Street, Toronto Dominion Centre, Toronto M5K 1B2
Telephone
+1 416 363 6121
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6. Royal Ontario Museum - Museums and Galleries
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The Royal Ontario Museum is a Toronto mainstay, but its Michael Lee-Chin Crystal addition draws heightened attention. Located in Queen's Park, it features terrific East Asian, First Peoples and Canadian exhibits, as well as a dinosaur exhibit.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$22; concessions C$19; 4-14s C$15; under 3s free
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5.30pm (until 9.30pm Fri)
Address
100, Queen's Park, Toronto M5S 2C6
Telephone
+1 416 586 8000
Attractions
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7. CN Tower - Attractions
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One of world's tallest buildings, at 553 metres, the CN Tower is synonymous with Toronto itself. Located near the Harbourfront, a trip up to the observation deck is popular, as are visits to the rotating 360 Restaurant and two cafés.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
First two observation levels C$19.99-C$21.99; 4-12s C$14.99, Sky Pod C$24.99-C$26.99; 4-12s C$20.99
Opening hours
Summer: daily 9am-11pm; Winter: daily 9am-10pm (until 10.30pm Fri & Sat)
Address
301, Front Street West, Toronto M5V 2T6
Telephone
+1 416 868 6937
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8. Casa Loma - Attractions
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Begun in 1911, Casa Loma is the estate home of millionaire financier Sir Henry Pellatt. The elaborate mansion in the Forest Hill neighbourhood is styled after a European castle, and includes 98 rooms, two towers, and lots of creepy passageways.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$18; concessions C$12.50; 4-13s C$10.50; under 4s free
Opening hours
Daily 9.30am-5pm (last admission 4pm)
Address
1, Austin Terrace, Toronto M5R 1X8
Telephone
+1 416 923 1171
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9. Evergreen Brick Works - Attractions
Show moreBe prepared: You have to hike it here on foot over a lush path, take a shuttle from Broadview subway station, or drive and pay for parking. Once the home of the city's founding brick factory, Evergreen Brick Works has been reinvented to include a farmers market that runs year-round on Saturdays, a cafe and restaurant featuring local goods, a beautiful park and thoughtful exhibits.
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Free admission
Address
550 Bayview Ave, Toronto, Canada
Telephone
416/596-1495
Transport
By car: From downtown, take River St. just N of Gerrard St. to Bayview Ave., then follow Bayview Ave. to the site
Website
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10. Fort York - Attractions
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Built to protect Ontario's harbour during hostilities with the Americans throughout the War of 1812, Fort York marks the birthplace of modern Toronto. Restored buildings include barracks and kitchens. Fort York is located in the Harbourfront district.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$8; concessions C$4; under 13s C$3
Opening hours
Daily 10am-5pm (until 4pm Mon-Fri in winter)
Address
100, Garrison Road, Toronto M5V 3K9
Telephone
+1 416 392 6907
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11. Harbourfront Centre - Attractions
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Queens Quay, home to the Harbourfront Centre, buzzes with locals and travellers looking for fun in the Harbourfront district. As well as public parkland, there's ice skating, outdoor concerts, shopping and dining venues, two art museums and artisan studios.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free (theatre and exhibitions cost extra)
Opening hours
Park daily all day (restaurant, museum and shop hours vary)
Address
235, Queens Quay West, Toronto M5J 2G8
Telephone
+1 416 973 4000
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12. Riverdale Farm - Attractions
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Riverdale Farm is a living history farm museum in pleasant Cabbagetown. Footpaths meander through vegetable gardens and past pens with goats, cows, pigs and hens. Visitors can watch milking, egg collecting and feeding as well as craft demonstrations.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily 9am-5pm
Address
201, Winchester Street, Toronto M4X 1B8
Telephone
+1 416 392 6794
Transport
By subway to Castle Frank station then 65 Parliament bus to Winchester Street
Website
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13. Toronto Zoo - Attractions
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287-hectare Toronto Zoo is set in the Rouge Valley in Scarborough, with African, American, Australasian, Indo-Malaysian and "Canadian Domain" pavilions. The African Savanna is known for its striking landscape and animals. A Zoomobile transports summertime visitors through the grounds.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
C$21; concessions C$15; 4-12s C$13; under-4s free
Opening hours
Summer daily 9am-7.30pm (until 6pm spring & autumn & until 4.30pm winter)
Address
361A, Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough, Toronto M1B 5K7
Telephone
+1 416 392 5929
Special things to do
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14. High Park - Special things to do
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One of North America's prettiest, High Park is a Toronto favourite. The west-end park features a rose garden, swimming pool, fishing pond, boat rentals, tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, fitness trails, ice skating and the free High Park Zoo.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening hours
Daily all day
Address
1873, Bloor Street West, Toronto M6R 2Z3
Telephone
+1 416 392 1111
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15. Toronto Islands - Special things to do
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Bathed in Lake Ontario's breezes, the Toronto Islands are especially enjoyable in summer but remain popular year-round. Take the ferry from Queens Quay for beaches, running and biking paths, picnicking areas, the Centreville Amusement Park and shopping and dining outlets.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Ferries C$6.50; concessions C$4; 2-14s C$3; under-2s free
Opening hours
Daily all day (ferries run every 30 minutes in summer, every 45 minutes spring & autumn & every hour in winter)
Address
Toronto Islands Ferry, Bay Street at Queens Quay, Toronto M5J 1A6
Telephone
+1 416 392 8193
