Toronto
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1. Aga Khan Museum
North YorkMore than 1,000 pieces of Islamic art from the collection of the family of renowned philanthropist and religious leader Aga Khan are the focus of this museum. Here you'll find Middle Eastern and Persian artifacts and inscriptions, many so ancient that they are only displayed for a few months at a time to preserve their lifespan. It's worth making the trip for the stunning architecture, which includes a massive main building topped by a silver hexagonal dome and a park distinguished by a glass pyramid more intricate than the one at the Louvre. The museum's mandate is strictly secular, but it's hard not to have a spiritual moment staring into the central courtyard pond. Guided tours are available for C$10. Check their calendar for workshops and performances.
77 Wynford Dr., Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1K1, Canada416-646--4677Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$20, free Wed. 4--8. Parking C$10., Closed Mon. -
2. Art Gallery of Ontario
ChinatownThe AGO is hard to miss: the monumental glass and titanium facade designed by Toronto native Frank Gehry hovering over the main building is a stunning beauty. Just south of the gallery in Grange Park you'll find visitors of all ages climbing in and around Henry Moore's Large Two Forms sculpture. Inside, the collection, which had an extremely modest beginning in 1900, is now in the big leagues, especially in terms of its exhibitions of Canadian paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries. Be sure to take a pause in the light and airy Walker Court to admire Gehry's baroque-inspired spiral staircase. The Canadian Collection includes major works by the members of the Group of Seven (a group of early-20th-century Canadian landscape painters, also known as the Algonquin School), as well as artists like Cornelius Krieghoff, David Milne, and Homer Watson. The AGO also has a growing collection of works by such world-famous artists as Rembrandt, Warhol, Monet, Renoir, Rothko, Picasso, Rodin, Degas, Matisse, and many others. The bustling Weston Family Learning Centre offers art courses, camps, lectures, and interactive exhibitions for adults and children alike. Free tours (daily 11 to 3 and Wednesday and Friday evening at 7) start at Walker Court. Savvy travelers can book a free visit online on Wednesday evenings, between 6 and 9.
View Tours and Activities317 Dundas St. W, Toronto, Ontario, MST 1G4, Canada416-979–6648Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$25, Closed Mon. -
3. CN Tower
HarbourfrontThe tallest freestanding tower in the Western Hemisphere, this landmark stretches 1,815 feet and 5 inches high and marks Toronto with its distinctive silhouette. The CN Tower is this tall for a reason: prior to the opening of the telecommunications tower in 1976, so many buildings had been erected over the previous decades that lower radio and TV transmission towers had trouble broadcasting. It's worth a visit to the top if the weather is clear, despite the steep fee. Six glass-front elevators zoom up the outside of the tower at 15 miles per hour, and the ride takes less than a minute. Each elevator has one floor-to-ceiling glass wall—three opaque walls make the trip easier on anyone prone to vertigo—and most have glass floor panels for the dizzying thrill of watching the earth disappear before your eyes. There are four observation decks. The Glass Floor Level is 1,122 feet above the ground. This may be the most photographed indoor location in the city—lie on the transparent floor and have your picture taken from above like countless visitors before you. Don't worry—the glass floor can support more than 48,000 pounds. Above is the LookOut Level, at 1,136 feet; one more floor above, at 1,151 feet, is the excellent 360 Restaurant. If you're here to dine, your elevator fee is waived. At 1,465 feet, the SkyPod is the world's highest public observation gallery. All the levels provide spectacular panoramic views of Toronto, Lake Ontario, and the Toronto Islands, and on really clear days you may even see the mist rising from Niagara Falls to the south. Adrenaline junkies can try the EdgeWalk attraction, which allows harnessed tower goers to roam "hands free" around a 5-foot ledge outside the tower's main pod. Reservations are required. On the ground level, the Gift Shop at the Tower has 5,000 square feet of shopping space with quality Canadian travel items and souvenirs, along with a shop selling Inuit art. Displays and exhibits throughout the building feature the history of the Tower and its construction; how the Tower works today, including engineering components that make it such a unique attraction; and a dynamic weather display. Peak visiting hours for the stunning views are 11 to 4.
View Tours and Activities290 Bremner Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, MSV 2T6, Canada416-868–6937Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tower Experience C$43, Tower Experience with SkyPod C$50.50, EdgeWalk C$195 -
4. High Park
High ParkOne of North America's loveliest parks, High Park is especially worth visiting in summer—when special events include professionally staged Shakespeare productions—and in spring when thousands of visitors flock to see the cherry blossoms flower on High Park's sakura trees. Popular fishing spot Grenadier Pond is named after the British soldiers who crashed through the soft ice while rushing to defend the town against invading American forces in 1813. The High Park Zoo, open daily from dawn to dusk, is more modest than the Toronto Zoo but a lot closer to downtown and free. Kids love walking among the deer, Barbary sheep, emus, yaks, llamas, peacocks, and bison. The park was once privately owned by John George Howard, Toronto's first city architect. Colborne Lodge, his country home built in 1837 on a hill overlooking Lake Ontario, contains its original fireplace, bake oven, and kitchen, as well as many of Howard's drawings and paintings. Other highlights of the 399-acre park are a large swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness trails, and hillside gardens with roses and sculpted hedges. There's limited parking along Bloor Street north of the park, and along the side streets on the eastern side.
Bordered by Bloor St. W, Gardiner Expressway, Parkside Dr., and Ellis Park Rd. Main entrance off Bloor St. W at High Park Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6R 2Z3, Canada -
5. Hockey Hall of Fame
Financial DistrictEven if you aren't a hockey fan, it's worth a trip to see this shrine to Canada's favorite sport. Exhibits include the original 1893 Stanley Cup, as well as displays of goalie masks, skate and stick collections, players' jerseys, video displays of big games, and a replica of the Montréal Canadiens' locker room. Grab a stick and test your speed and accuracy in the Goodyear Shoot Out virtual experience, or strap on a goalie mask and field shots from big-name players with the Shut Out computer simulation. The grand building, a former Bank of Montréal branch designed by architects Darling & Curry in 1885, is covered with beautiful ornamental details—note the richly carved Ohio stone and the Hermès figure supporting the chimney near the back. At the corner of Front and Yonge Streets, the impressive 17-foot bronze statue Our Game is a good photo op. Entrance is through Brookfield Place on the lower level.
30 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1XB, Canada416-360–7765Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$20 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
HarbourfrontNorth America's largest aquarium contains more than 450 species of marine life spread out between 45 exhibit spaces. Maintaining their philosophy to "foster environmental education, conservation, and research," Ripley's also lives up to its reputation as a wow-inducing entertainment venue. One exhibit simulates a Caribbean scuba diving experience, complete with bountiful tropical fish, coral reefs, and a bright blue sky above. Sharks are a dominant theme: you can wind your way through tunnels that take you right into the almost 80,000-gallon shark tank, which houses three species of sharks and more than 5,000 other aquatic animals. The shark pattern on the roof is an unexpected treat for visitors peering down on the aquarium from the top of the CN Tower.
View Tours and Activities288 Bremner Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3L9, Canada647-351–3474Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$30 -
7. Royal Ontario Museum
YorkvilleThe ROM (as the Royal Ontario Museum is known to locals), opened in 1914, is Canada's largest museum and has a reputation for making its science, art, and archaeology exhibits accessible and appealing. The architecture of the gigantic complex, which includes the ultramodern Michael Lee-Chin Crystal gallery—a series of interlocking prismatic shapes spilling out onto Bloor Street—helps exemplify this. Other highlights include the Hyacinth Gloria Chen Crystal Court, a four-story atrium with aluminum bridges connecting the old and new wings, and an angular pendant skylight through which light pours into the open space. A look through the windows reveals parts of the treasures inside, such as the daunting creatures from the Age of Dinosaurs exhibit standing guard. The Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles and Costume angles out 80 feet over Bloor Street from its fourth-floor perch. The Daphne Cockwell Gallery of Canada exhibits an impressive range of First Peoples historical objects and artifacts, from pre-contact time to the present. The Matthews Family Court of Chinese Sculpture Gallery displays monumental Buddhist sculpture dating from 200 BC through 1900; the Gallery of Korea has over 260 artifacts of Korean art and culture. The Sir Christopher Ondaatje South Asian Gallery houses the best objects of a 7,000-piece collection that spans 5,000 years, and includes items from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tibet. The main floor has free admission during the summer.
View Tours and Activities100 Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6, Canada416-586–8000Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$23 -
8. St. Lawrence Market
Old TownSt. Lawrence Market is an iconic and historical city landmark, renowned as one of the world’s greatest food markets. Since the market’s construction in the early 19th century, it has served many functions such as a post office, Toronto’s original City Hall, and a police station. The market resides over two spaces; the South Market is located on the south side of Front Street in a large brick building that is home to more than 100 vendors. Many businesses are family owned and operated, specializing in local and imported goods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, and artisanal cheese. Grab something to eat from one of the popular take-out spots such as Buster’s Sea Cove, Yip’s Kitchen, or Carousel Bakery, which sells the famous Canadian bacon (also known as “peameal bacon”) in a bun. The North Market is located on the north side of Front Street and is undergoing redevelopment, aiming for a 2023 completion. The popular, weekly Saturday Farmers’ Market is temporarily relocated to a building just south of the South Market. As of May 2022, the weekly Sunday Antiques Market has ceased operation.
View Tours and ActivitiesFront and Jarvis Sts., Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C4, Canada416-392–7219Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
9. Textile Museum of Canada
Dundas Square AreaWith a more than 45-year history of exploring ideas and building cultural understanding through its collection of 15,000 artifacts from across the globe, this boutique museum’s exhibitions and programming connect contemporary art and design to international textile traditions.
55 Centre Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2H5, Canada416-599–5321Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$15, Closed Sun.–Tues. -
10. Toronto Island Park
HarbourfrontThese 14 narrow, tree-lined islands in Lake Ontario provide a gorgeous green retreat with endless outdoor activities. The more than 230 hectares of parkland are hard to resist, especially in the summer, when they're usually a few degrees cooler than the city. Sandy beaches fringe the islands; the best are on the southeast tip of Ward's Island, the southernmost edge of Centre Island, and the west side of Hanlan's Point. A portion of Hanlan's Beach is officially "clothing-optional"—Ontario's only legal nude beach. In the summer, Centre Island has bike and rowboat rentals. Bring picnic fixings or something to grill in one of the park's barbecue pits, or grab a quick (but expensive) bite at one of the snack bars or cafés. (Note that the consumption of alcohol in a public park is illegal in Toronto.) There are also supervised wading pools, baseball diamonds, volleyball nets, tennis courts, and even a disc-golf course. Winter can be bitterly cold on the islands, but snowshoeing and cross-country skiing with downtown Toronto over your shoulder are appealing activities. All transportation on the islands is self-powered; no private cars are permitted. The boardwalk from Centre Island to Ward's Island is 2½ km (1½ miles) long. Bikes are allowed on all ferries, or you can rent one for an hour or so once you get there. Bike rentals can be found south of the Centre Island ferry docks on the Avenue of the Islands. You may want to take one of the equally frequent ferries to Ward's Island or Hanlan's Point from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Both islands have tennis courts and picnic and sunbathing spots. Late May through early September, the ferries run between the docks at the bottom of Bay Street and the Ward's Island dock between 6:35 am and 11:45 pm; for Centre and Hanlan's islands, they begin at 8 am. Ward's Island Ferries run roughly at half-hour intervals most of the working day and at quarter-hour intervals during peak times such as summer evenings. In winter the ferries run only to Ward's Island on a limited schedule. Savvy travellers can also grab a ride from a water taxi along the waterfront.
View Tours and ActivitiesToronto, Ontario, M5J 2H3, Canada416-392–8186-island informationSight Details
Rate Includes: Ferry C$8 round-trip -
11. Yonge-Dundas Square
Dundas Square AreaA public square at a major downtown crossroads, Toronto's answer to New York's Times Square is surrounded by oversize billboards and bright light displays. Visitors and locals converge on the tables and chairs that are scattered across the square when the weather is fine, and kids (and the young at heart) frolic in the 20 water fountains that shoot out of the cement floor like miniature geysers. From May to October, there's something happening every weekend—it could be an artisan market, an open-air film viewing, a summertime festival, or a live musical performance.
1 Dundas St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2R8, Canada -
12. Allan Gardens
CabbagetownAllan Gardens has been a green oasis in Toronto for well over a century. A domed indoor botanical garden and arboretum, the conservatory is filled with plant, flower, and tree species from around the world, preserved and cultivated in six different climate zones. If you're a nature lover you can easily spend hours among the succulents, vines, orchids, hibiscus, and weeping willows, and all for free.
19 Horticultural Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5A 2P2, Canada416-392--7288Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
13. Barbara Hall Park
Church–WellesleyThis pocket-size park is pleasant enough during the day, but at night it comes alive with strings of rainbow-color lights that symbolize the LGBTQ+ community. There's a mural of gay history on an adjacent building, and tucked away in one corner is the Toronto AIDS Memorial.
519 Church St., Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 2C9, Canada -
14. Bata Shoe Museum
The AnnexCreated by Sonja Bata, wife of the founder of the Bata Shoe Company, this museum holds a permanent collection of more than 14,000 foot coverings and, through the changing fashions, highlights the craft and sociology of making shoes. Some items date back more than 4,000 years. Among the items that may pop up in the rotating exhibits are delicate 16th-century velvet platforms, iron-spiked shoes used for crushing chestnuts, 8-inch lime green Vivienne Westwood heels, Elton John's boots, and Elvis Presley's blue (patent leather, not suede) shoes.
View Tours and Activities327 Bloor St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1WT, Canada416-979--7799Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$14 -
15. Berczy Park
Old TownThis small but charming public space is home to a gorgeous two-tiered water fountain surrounded by 27 whimsical dog sculptures—and one cat—making it a delightful spot for a short respite and the perfect Instagram pic. Designed by celebrated Claude Cormier + Associés, the grand cast-iron fountain is encircled by the statues, whose eyes reverently look to the golden bone positioned at the top. Ample seating and grass make Berczy Park a relaxing oasis in the heart of the city where people and their dogs love to gather. During the colder months the fountain is turned off, but it remains worth the visit to see the dog statues cutely decorated with Santa hats for the holiday season.
35 Wellington St. E, Toronto, Ontario, M5E 1C6, Canada -
16. Black Creek Pioneer Village
Greater TorontoA namesake subway station is a short walk from this living-history-museum village that makes you feel as though you've gone through a time warp. Black Creek Pioneer Village is a collection of over 40 buildings from the 19th century, including a town hall, a weaver's shop, a printing shop, a blacksmith's shop, and a one-room schoolhouse. The mill dates from the 1840s and has a massive wooden waterwheel that can grind up to 100 barrels of flour a day. As people in period costumes go about the daily routine of mid-19th-century Ontario life, they explain what they're doing and answer questions. Visitors can see farm animals, churn butter, take wagon rides and Victorian dance classes, and explore a hands-on discovery center.
View Tours and Activities1000 Murray Ross Pkwy., Toronto, Ontario, M3J 2P3, Canada416-736–1733Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$16, parking C$9, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
17. Campbell House Museum
Queen WestThe Georgian mansion of Sir William Campbell, the sixth chief justice of Upper Canada, is now one of Toronto's best house museums. Built in 1822 in another part of town, the Campbell House was moved to this site in 1972. It has been restored with elegant early-19th-century furniture, and knowledgeable guides detail the social life of the upper class. Don't overlook the Lost & Found garden exhibit, salvaged from heritage buildings.
160 Queen St. W, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3H3, Canada416-597–0227Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$10, Closed Jan. and Mon. -
18. Canada's Wonderland
Canada's first and largest theme park, filled with more than 200 games, rides, restaurants, and shops, includes favorite attractions like Planet Snoopy, home of Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang; Windseeker, which features 32 301-foot swings; and Skyhawk, where riders take control of their own cockpit. But Wonderland isn't just for the smallest members of the family; one of 17 roller coasters in the park, The Bat takes riders forward, and then back, through stomach-churning corkscrews and loops. Bring swim gear to take advantage of Splash Works, a 20-acre on-site water park, which boasts 17 waterslides, cliff jumping, and Canada's largest outdoor wave pool. Order tickets online in advance for discount prices.
View Tours and Activities1 Canada's Wonderland Dr., Vaughan, Ontario, L6A 1S6, Canada905-832–8131Sight Details
Rate Includes: From C$50, Closed Nov.–late May and weekdays in Sept. and Oct. -
19. Casa Loma
The AnnexA European-style castle, Casa Loma was commissioned by financier Sir Henry Pellatt, who spent the equivalent of C$20 million building his dream home—only to lose it to the taxman a decade later. Some impressive details are the giant pipe organ, the 60-foot-high ceilings in the Great Hall, and the 5-acre estate gardens. The rooms are copies of those in English, Spanish, Scottish, and Austrian castles, including Windsor Castle's Peacock Alley. This has been the location for many a horror movie and period drama, plus Hollywood blockbusters like Chicago and X-Men. Included in the admission price is a self-guided multimedia tour (available in nine languages). A tour of Casa Loma is a good 1½-km (1-mile) walk, so wear sensible shoes.
View Tours and Activities1 Austin Terr., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1X8, Canada416-923–1171Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$40 -
20. City Hall
Queen WestThe design for Toronto's modern city hall, just across the way from the Old City Hall building, resulted from a 1956 international competition that received 520 submissions from architects from 42 countries. The winning presentation by Finnish architect Viljo Revell was controversial—two curved towers of differing height—but logical: an aerial view of City Hall shows a circular council chamber sitting like an eye between the two towers that contain office space. Revell died before his masterwork was opened in 1965, but the building has become a symbol of the thriving metropolis. A remarkable mural within the main entrance, Metropolis, was constructed by sculptor David Partridge from 100,000 nails. Annual events at City Hall include November's Cavalcade of Lights celebration, featuring fireworks and live music amid the glow of more than 525,000 lights illuminated across both the new and old city halls. In front of City Hall, the 9-acre Nathan Phillips Square (named after the mayor who initiated the City Hall project) has become a gathering place for everything from royal visits to protest rallies, picnic lunches, and concerts. The reflecting pool is a delight in summer, and even more so in winter, when it becomes a skating rink. The park is also home to a Peace Garden for quiet meditation and Henry Moore's striking bronze sculpture The Archer.
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