12 Fun & Unique Things to do in Toronto (inc 2 you’ve never heard of!)
Looking for unique things to do in Toronto? You’re in the right place.
Toronto is a modern and popular city- and we really enjoyed visiting it for the weekend. But, after a while and if you travel a lot (like us!), all cities start to blend in together. So we set out to find fun and unique things you can ONLY do in Toronto. Must Do Things which make the place memorable and which are worth your time and money!
Yes, some of the stuff is touristy and yes, if you visit in Summer you may have to queue/ fight off the crowds. But whatever you do, you’ll know exactly which city you’re in! And you can definitely visit Toronto during winter- it’s one of the best places to experience Christmas in Canada.
Here are 12 of the best and most unique things to do in Toronto all year round- how many can you fit into your itinerary??
This list is split into unique things to do in Toronto all year round, and things to do during the Summer months, when warmer weather makes outdoor activities a little more…. pleasant!
JUMP AHEAD TO...
Unique Things to do in Toronto- all year round ‘must do’ activities
CN TOWER
301 Front Street West, Toronto- seriously, you won’t miss it.
We’re going to start with the most obvious. This incredible building dominates the Toronto skyline and going up it is a must-see for any new visitor. Walking around the outside is one of the best free things to do in Toronto– but we highly recommend paying to go up inside.
TOP TIP– get up early and go first thing in the morning. I’m talking 8.30am. We visited on Canada Day and had the place almost to ourselves for 30 minutes- by 10am it was heaving and there was an hour wait just to get into the lift. It’s so worth getting up early for (and then go have breakfast!)
If you’re brave enough, you can DANGLE yourself off the (near) top… yep, from a ledge on the outside! Watch the video of us scaring ourselves silly on the CN Tower Edge Walk here
TORONTO SIGN
100 Queen St W
Another crazy touristy thing, but you gotta get a picture with the Toronto sign!
TOP TIP– when you get up early to do the CN tower (and the Edgewalk!!), then pop to the Toronto sign first. Who knows- you might even have it to yourself!
Yes, I’m aware all my Top Tips involve getting up early. Sorry (not sorry!)
HARRY POTTER BAR- Concoct magical potions in the wizards and witchcraft bar
1479 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, Canada
A Harry Potter inspired bar? In Toronto? Complete with potions, elixirs and other concoctions designed to “bewitch the mind ensnare the senses” (yes, that’s a quote from Harry Potter. Mr WB had no idea what I was talking about… muggle 😉 )
Tuesdays are the day to visit The Lockhart, with the first and third Tuesdays being ‘Magic Night’ and the second and fourth boasting ‘Trivia night’! It’s only a small place (capacity 34) and they don’t take bookings, so turn up early to nab a seat.
Planning a trip to Canada?
You might be interested in these related posts:
TORONTO’s HALF HOUSE
54 St. Patrick Street
I love the story behind this house- someone refused to sell, so they tore only half the house down and left the other half standing!! Definitely worth a detour and a photo.
VISIT A GERMAN PUB… in Toronto
115 John St
Yep, there’s at least one German pub in the middle of Toronto- and it’s ridiculously cute. This tiny row of pubs are actually all worth a visit, but the Town Crier serves over 50 beers on tap, mostly European, and offers traditional German and Belgian dishes. If you’ve never had a Schnitzel (they serve theirs with Jagermeister!) or currywurst, get yourself down there asap!
Coffee more your thing? No problem- here are 5 best coffee shops in Toronto
GRAFFITI ALLEY
Rush Lane
Ok, so this is something Toronto has become famous for- and it’s a bit bewildering. I mean, yes, it’s an alley full of graffiti… and some of the artwork is spectacular… but a lot of them have been ruined by idiots spraying their tags over the top, which kinda spoilt it for me.
Still, this guide is about unique things to do in Toronto- and that’s definitely unique!
HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
30 Yonge St
I am slowly becoming a rabid ice hockey fan.
Sort of.
I could walk past an entire team on the street and not recognise a single one of them, but it’s an awesome sport. The problem is, as a UK citizen, I have absolutely no loyalties or affiliation to any team. Heck, it took me nearly a year to pick a NFL team. (Tampa Bay, obviously- they have a pirate ship in their stadium!)
But for anyone who is interested in Ice Hockey, this is a great reason to visit Toronto. The history, the dedication and even potentially the Stanley Cup are all on display, as well as loads of activities for kids.
Who knows, I might just become a Maple Leafs fan. 🙂
CASA LOMA
1 Austin Terrace
A castle- in the middle of a Canadian city?!? Who would have thought it! It’s a bit far out for a weekend itinerary, unless you’re REALLY inspired by castles, but for a longer trip or a second visit, this is definitely something unique to Toronto!
Things to do in Toronto during Summer
Some activities are definitely more suited to sunshine. Here are some of our top unique things to do in Toronto during Summer.
CN TOWER EDGEWALK
Funnily enough, it’s also at 301 Front Street West, Toronto!
Fancy dangling yourself from the 9th tallest free-standing tower in the world?!?! Well, now you can.
We didn’t mean to do the Edgewalk– I even turned up at the CN Tower in a short skirt and slip on shoes. But it was such a gorgeous day and the views were incredible- we could see Niagara Falls from the top! So we decided to do it- and it was the BEST thing we did in Toronto.
Yes, it was expensive- crazy expensive!- but every time we see the CN Tower now we know we wiggles our toes over the edge of that. Not many people get to say the same!! 🙂
It is best to book in advance, although we were there on Canada Day and got two spots right away, so you could probably decide on the day as long as you’re early enough!
Relax at a rooftop bar- ideally one with a pool!
627 King St
I love a good rooftop bar and Toronto has some crackers! One (of the many!) is Lavelle, with incredible views from the rooftop pool! You don’t have to be a guest at the hotel- you can just pay to use the pools (there are 3!) for the day. Yes, there are rooftop bars and pools all around the world- but not many with a view like this!!
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TORONTO’s HIDDEN LABYRINTH
24 Trinity Square
I kinda love the tranquillity of this area. Not many people know it’s here, but it’s a lovely spot and definitely worth a visit. Walk the labyrinth, sit under one of the many trees and spend some time people-watching in the sunshine.
DISTILLERY HISTORIC DISTRICT
9 Trinity Street
The history of this place is incredible. In a vibrant and modern city, it’s lovely to find an area which has been so well preserved. This fully pedestrianised area boasts cobbled lanes, boutique shops, cute cafes, art galleries- this district is really worth spending an hour (or five!) at.
Like many of the activities in the ‘Summer’ section, you can of course visit this at any time… but it’s definitely nicer with warmer weather!
So, there are 12 Unique things to do in Toronto, come rain, shine, snow or summer! I hope there were several must do things there you’d never heard of- and some you want to try out!
If you have a weekend in Toronto, add some of the above unique things to do into your itinerary- you definitely won’t forget which city you are in! Got any other suggestions? Let me know below so everyone can benefit.
Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.
Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.
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