27 Best Sights in Toronto, Ontario

St. Lawrence Market is a historic Toronto landmark, widely regarded as one of the world’s top food markets. Since the early 19th century, it has served as a post office, city hall, and police station. The market spans two sections. The South Market is housed in a large brick building with more than 120 vendors. Many are family-owned, offering local and imported goods, meat, seafood, and produce. Grab a bite at popular take-out spots such as Buster’s Sea Cove, Yip’s Kitchen, or Carousel Bakery (known for its Canadian bacon—or “peameal bacon”—sandwich). The newly renovated North Market hosts the Saturday Farmers' Market. The Sunday Variety Market is in a large white tent just south of the South Market with vendors selling antiques, handmade goods, and more.

One 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.

Sankofa Square—formerly Yonge-Dundas Square—was renamed in December 2023 after extensive community consultation to better reflect the city’s diversity. Often called Toronto’s Times Square, this bustling downtown plaza features oversized billboards, bright lights, and 20 playful fountains that shoot up from the concrete like mini-geysers. In warm weather, locals and visitors gather at café tables or cool off in the spray. From May through October, weekends offer artisan markets, film screenings, cultural festivals, and live music.

These 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 no longer illegal in many parks in Toronto.) There are also supervised wading pools, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, 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, and there's a place to rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards near the Ward's Island ferry pier at 13 Algonquin Bridge Rd. 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.

Allan 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.

Built under the Gardiner Expressway, the Bentway is part of the city's efforts to reclaim public spaces. The sprawling stretch of land houses whimsical art installations, communal dining and picnic spaces, a gloriously smooth paved pathway built for roller-skating and ice-skating (rentals available at C$10) depending on the season, and various community events, festivals, and concerts.

This small but charming public space features a striking two-tiered cast-iron fountain surrounded by 27 whimsical dog sculptures—and one cat—making it a popular spot for a quick break or an Instagram-worthy photo. Designed by the acclaimed firm Claude Cormier + Associés, the fountain is ringed by statues gazing up at a golden bone perched at the top. With plenty of seating and green space, Berczy Park offers a relaxing oasis in the heart of the city where people and their dogs gather year-round. In the colder months, the fountain shuts off, but the park still draws visitors to see the dog statues decked out for the holiday season. 

One of several wedge-shaped buildings found across North America, Toronto’s Flatiron Building sits on the triangular block bordered by Wellington, Scott, and Front streets. Built in 1892, it originally served as the head office of the Gooderham and Worts distillery. On the back, a clever trompe l’oeil mural by Derek Besant wraps around the windows, creating the illusion that part of the building has been tacked to the wall and is peeling away.

This historic site is a must for anyone interested in the city's origins. Toronto was founded in 1793 when the British built Fort York to protect the entrance to the harbor during Anglo-American strife. Twenty years later, the fort was the scene of the bloody Battle of York, in which explorer and general Zebulon Pike led U.S. forces against the fort's outnumbered British, Canadian, and First Nations defenders. The Americans won this battle—their first major victory in the War of 1812—and burned down the provincial buildings during a six-day occupation. A year later, British forces retaliated when they captured Washington, D.C., and torched its public buildings, including the Executive Mansion. Exhibits include restored barracks, kitchens, and gunpowder magazines, plus changing museum displays. There are guided tours, marching drills, and cannon firings daily during the summer months. The Fort York Visitor Center has been highly praised for its modern architectural design and exhibits on the founding of York, the changing harbor, and the War of 1812, plus an area displaying rare artifacts related to Toronto and Fort York's history. The grounds of the fort have also become a popular venue for music festivals during spring and summer.

Toronto is filled with back alleys and laneways, most of which are not very nice to look at, but Graffiti Alley is a vibrant amateur spray paint gallery. Running behind Queen West from Spadina to Portland Street, the alleyway is filled with colorful work from local graffiti writers and gets a constant stream of gawkers and photographers dodging garbage and recycling bins to see the art. It's become such an institution that its former nickname is now its official street name, with a street sign and everything.

Stretching from just west of York Street to Spadina Avenue, this culture-and-recreation center is a match for San Francisco's Pier 39 and Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The original Harbourfront opened in 1974, rejuvenating more than a mile of city; today a streamlined 10-acre version draws more than 3 million visitors each year. Queens Quay Terminal is a former Terminal Warehouse building that was transformed in 1983 into a magnificent, eight-story building with specialty shops, eateries, and the 450-seat Fleck Dance Theatre. Exhibits of contemporary arts are mounted at the Power Plant (free), which can be spotted by its tall red smokestack; it was built in 1927 as a power station for the Terminal Warehouse's ice-making plant.

Developed by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and garden designer Julie Moir Messervy, the Music Garden on the south side of Queens Quay is Ma's interpretation of J. S. Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 (which consists of six movements—Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Minuet, and Gigue). Each movement is reflected in the park's elaborate design: undulating riverscape, a forest grove of wandering trails, a swirling path through a wildflower meadow, a conifer grove, a formal flower parterre, and giant grass steps. York Quay Centre hosts concerts, theater, readings, and ateliers. The Craft Studio, for example, has professional craftspeople working in ceramics, glass, metal, and textiles from February to December, in full view of the public. A shallow pond outside is used for canoe lessons in warmer months and as the largest artificial ice-skating rink in North America in winter. At the nearby Nautical Centre, many private firms rent boats and give sailing and canoeing lessons. Seasonal events include the Ice Canoe Race in late January, Winterfest in February, a jazz festival in June, Canada Day celebrations and the Parade of Lights in July, the Authors' Festival and Harvest Festival in October, and the Swedish Christmas Fair in November.

Looking for all the world like a setting from one of the Harry Potter novels, this neo-Gothic student center opened its doors in 1919. Originally restricted to male students, Hart House has been open to women since 1972. Revolving selections from Hart House's robust art collection, which includes pieces by the Group of Seven and Emily Carr, hang throughout the building. Each year, new pieces are carefully curated by committee, with a focus on living Canadian artists. The Justina M. Barnicke Gallery comprises two rooms of mixed-media art showcasing contemporary creators from Toronto and beyond. The stained-glass windows and vaulted ceiling in the Great Hall are impressive, but so is the cuisine at the on-site Gallery Grill, which offers a menu of grilled seafood, house-made pastas, and creative veggie options from September through June.

Just a 10-minute walk east on the boardwalk from Woodbine Beach, the officially merged stretch of Kew Beach, Scarboro Beach, and Balmy Beach is a bit pebbly and slightly more secluded, making it ideal for those seeking a quiet stroll or a dip in the lake. Look for the historic Leuty Lifeguard Station, which was built in the 1920s. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard rental shops sit along the shore. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: walking; sunrise; swimming.

Honoring the memory of the city's first children's librarian, this branch houses the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, which contains over 90,000 items, including a cuneiform tablet dating all the way back to 2,000 BC. In addition, the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation, and Fantasy includes another 80,000-plus items covering everything from parapsychology to UFOs.

This 1893 Romanesque revival building, home to Ontario's provincial government, is often referred to simply as "Queen's Park," after the surrounding grounds. The detail-rich exterior is made of pink Ontario sandstone; inside, the huge, lovely halls echo half a millennium of English architecture. The long hallways are hung with hundreds of oils by Canadian artists, and a permanent space is devoted to rotating works by Indigenous artists. Various specialized tours are available, focusing on everything from the parliamentary chambers to the building's artwork and architecture. It is also possible to watch parliament in session from the public gallery. Statues of historical figures, including Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, dot the lawn in front of the building.

This spot once hosted the city's main zoo, but it's now home to a rural community representative of a late 19th-century farm. Permanent residents include horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys, ducks, geese, and chickens. While it's not a petting zoo per se, kids get a real kick out of watching farmers go about their daily chores, which include feeding and bathing the animals. The adjacent playground has a wading pool. The nearby Riverdale Park offers some of the best skyline views in the city.

Now dwarfed by bank towers, this Anglican church with its soaring Gothic spires still holds the tallest steeple in Canada. Its illuminated clock once helped guide ships into the harbor. St. James Cathedral is the fourth church built on this site—the third was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1849. As part of its bicentennial celebration in 1997, the church added a peal of 12 bells. Stand nearby most Sundays around 10:10, just after the 9 am service ends, and you’ll hear a glorious concert of ringing bells.

Early writing artifacts such as a Babylonian cuneiform tablet, a 2,000-year-old Egyptian papyrus, and books dating to the beginning of European printing in the 15th century are shown here in exhibits changing three times annually. Subjects of these shows might include William Shakespeare, Galileo Galilei, Italian opera, or contemporary typesetting. Registration is required to use the collections, so bring government-issued ID with you, but there's no admission fee to view the exhibition area.

This park comprises a peninsula that juts 5 km (3 miles) into Lake Ontario. Created from rubble from construction sites around the city and sand dredged for a new port, the peninsula has become one of the best areas in the city for bird-watching, photography, cycling (a Bike Share Toronto stand is located at the mouth of the trail), walking, and jogging. At least 334 bird species have been sighted at the park, and the peninsula is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of double-crested cormorants in North America. At the end of the spit of land, you'll find a red-and-white lighthouse, in addition to amazing views of downtown and an awesome sense of isolation in nature. Bird-watching is best from May to mid-October. To get here, head east along Queen Street to Leslie Street, then south to the lake. Dogs and private vehicles are not permitted.

These beautiful themed botanical gardens and adjacent estate garden (once owned by industrialist Rupert Edwards) flow into one of the city's most visited ravines. Paths wind along colorful floral displays and exquisite rock gardens, which are incredibly popular with wedding photographers. There's also a signposted "teaching garden" for kids to touch and learn about nature. You can join a 90-minute tour ($) between early May and late October; go online for times and to reserve your spot. Refreshments and snacks are available on-site at the Dandelion Café. The paid parking lot can get very busy on weekends in spring and autumn. For a long nature walk, head south through Wilket Creek Park and the winding Don Valley. After hours of walking (or biking or jogging) through almost uninterrupted parkland, you reach the southern tip of Taylor Creek Park on Victoria Park Avenue, just north of the Danforth—here you can catch the subway at Victoria Park Station.

Located on the first floor of Toronto Police Service Headquarters, this museum is a replica of a 19th-century police station. Its collection explores the history of policing in Toronto, with exhibits on infamous crimes. Quirky but engaging, the museum offers an offbeat look at law enforcement history. All visitors must pass through a security screening upon entry.  You must call ahead to book a guided tour.

Designed by one of Canada's most admired architects, Raymond Moriyama, who also created the Ontario Science Centre, this five-story library is arranged around a large atrium, which gives a wonderful sense of open space. One-third of the more than 6.2 million items—spread across 82 km (51 miles) of shelves—are open to the public. Audio carrels are available for listening to nearly 40,000 music and spoken-word recordings. There's an impressively large performing arts collection, and, lest you think libraries have to be quiet, listening stations and piano rooms are on the fifth floor—as is the Arthur Conan Doyle Room, which is of special interest to Baker Street fans. It houses the world's finest public collection of Holmesiana, including records, films, photos, books, manuscripts, letters, and even cartoon books starring Sherlock Hemlock of Sesame Street. The fourth-floor Jack Rabinovitch Reading Room opened in 2022, with collections from the man who founded Canada's most prestigious literary award, the Giller Prize.

This small, functioning post office dates back to 1833 and still operates with quill pens, ink pots, and sealing wax. For C$5 plus the postage stamp, you can use the old-fashioned equipment to send a letter. Exhibits feature reproductions of letters from the 1830s, and all outgoing mail is stamped with distinctive cancellation marks.

Bellwoods is the top destination for west-enders to kick back on a sunny day. The tree-lined park runs between Dundas West and Queen West, which makes for a scenic stroll if you're heading between neighborhoods. It's a great spot for picnicking and people-watching---or dog-watching, if you take a bench next to the dog bowl. It's especially attractive in mid-May, when the cherry trees bloom pink, or when the leaves turn in the fall.

Almost a city unto itself, the University of Toronto's student and staff population numbers well over 100,000. The institution dates to 1827, when King George IV signed a charter for a "King's College in the Town of York, Capital of Upper Canada." The Church of England had control then, but by 1850 the college was proclaimed nondenominational, renamed the University of Toronto, and put under the control of the province. Then, in a spirit of Christian competition, the Anglicans started Trinity College, the Methodists began Victoria, and the Roman Catholics began St. Michael's; by the time the Presbyterians founded Knox College, the University was changing at a great rate. Now the 12 schools and faculties are united and accept students from all over the world. The architecture is interesting, if uneven, as one might expect on a campus that's been built in bits and pieces over 150 years.

Yorkville is also home to a unique park on Cumberland Street, right outside Bay subway station, designed as a series of gardens along old property lines and reflecting both the history of the Village of Yorkville and the diversity of the Canadian landscape. The result of an international design competition, the park lines the street with a soothing waterfall fixture, tree-lined enclaves, and a big rock sculpture that children love to climb on. It's rare to find that kind of open public space in a retail area in the city that doesn't require you to buy something, though the ample outdoor seating often looks like a shared open-air café for nearby shops like Starbucks, Nutbar, and vegan lunch spot Kupfert & Kim.

The largest, and probably best-known, of all the area beaches spans 37½ acres along the coast of Lake Ontario. You'll find beachgoers of all ages swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, strolling the boardwalk, and playing volleyball on outdoor courts. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.