When to Go

When to Go

The temperature can often fall below freezing from late November into March and can be brutal in January and February. (The climate is very similar to that of New York City.) That simple fact alone may discourage some tourists but also attracts skiing and skating enthusiasts. In the often-bleak winter months, underground shopping concourses allow you to walk through much of the downtown area and avoid the cold.

Some of the best theater, ballet, opera, and concerts take place between May and September; both the Stratford and Shaw festivals, in venues each about a 90-minute drive from Toronto, are in full swing from mid-April or May through November. Toronto has year-round engagements of major theater productions.

Toronto is most pleasant to walk around and simply enjoy from late spring through early fall, when there are outdoor concerts and open-air dining -- and the entire city seems to come to life. On the other hand, some hotels drop their prices up to 50% in the off-season, particularly December and January.