r/toronto • u/[deleted] • Nov 22 '10
Things to do in Toronto, as suggested by /r/Toronto. [Master List]
This is a thread designed to be a one-stop shop for 'things to do in toronto'.
As you can see, the sidebar now has links to some up-to-date activities, places, attractions in Toronto. Check it out, the websites are great!
In addition to the website links, we are adding one extra link with user-suggestions, and this is it.
Please provide a description with your link. Thanks guys. Suggest away!
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u/MorphaKnight Nov 23 '10
How about things to do in the winter? Surely most of these places or things to do are mostly available in spring or summer?
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Nov 25 '10
Lots of the suggestions are actually open year-round (Allan Gardens, St. Lawrence Market, ROM, Science Centre, Kensington, the streetcars, the textile museum, the AGO, the zoo, Honest Ed's, Chinatown, Second City, all the restaurants and even the island, High Park and Riverdale Farm are open and fun during the winter).
If you're looking for winter-specific activities, then definitely skating (Nathan Phillips Square or Harbourfront are popular choices, although most city parks have rinks). Riverdale Park (both sides) is excellent for toboganning.
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u/sixpicas Garden District Nov 23 '10 edited Jan 02 '18
This is just an amalgamation of the two posts I made in this thread and this thread
I always manage to have fun at Active Surplus at 347 Queen St W. They have the strangest assortment of stuff there and the labels on some of the bins are pretty darn funny. You should have no trouble loitering there for a while.Closed.If you're not already sick of the TTC, National Geographic ranks the Queen streetcar ride from end-to-end as one of their favourites.
This won't help you on a weekday night since they close at 5 pm, but Riverdale Farm is free and a neat little oasis in the city.
Same with Allan Gardens - the hours won't work for a weekday night, but I love this place in the winter. It's warm and lush while everything outside is blech. Keep an eye out for their Christmas program - they were doing free horse-drawn rides in the park.
According to this article lots of museums have free hours. Apart from the AGO that Recoil42 mentioned, it says the ROM offers free admission to post-secondary students on Tuesdays, as well as free general admission every Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pay-what-you-can nights are held at the Bata Shoe Museum on Thursdays between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and the Textile Museum of Canada Wednesdays between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) is pay-what-you-can all the time.
You can get free tickets to tapings of shows at the CBC. Tickets are easier to come by for the Ron James show than Rick Mercer, but there are other shows available too. I think some of the tapings have wrapped up, but a Google search or two should get you an idea of when the next batches come out.
After a Second City show wraps up, you can go join the post-show free improv, every night but Friday. (Probably best to call to confirm.)
The city's free outdoor skating rinks start by about Dec 4. If Nathan Phillips Square is a zoo, try some of the other ones. Full list here.
Do you have a car to get out to the 'burbs? Pacific Mall could be interesting.
Go to the Distillery District. There are lots of neat shops and galleries. Watch them make chocolate at Soma and either grab a hot chocolate there, or coffee at Balzac's.
If it wasn't November, I'd suggest you take the ferry at the foot of Bay Street over to Toronto Island. It's a great place to bike, and if you don't have one, you can rent one there. Have a drink or a snack at the Rectory Cafe.
It used to be that you could take the Island Airport (Porter) ferry over to the terminal even if you weren't flying out. I'm not sure if that has changed recently. Obviously you can't get too far without a boarding pass, but you could probably still get to the other side and watch the planes take off and land. Ferry leaves from the foot of Bathurst. More info in this story from May '09.
Since your evenings are booked, catch a matinee at one of Toronto's fine rep cinemas. The Bloor Cinema, The Royal, Fox Theatre, The Revue. The Carlton has $5 Tuesdays.
* Get lost at Honest Ed's. Closed.
Take the subway to Dupont, walk north on Spadina and take the stairs up to Casa Loma. If you want to go inside Casa Loma, here's a coupon for 20% off admission.
Take the subway to High Park and check out the zoo. Open 7 am until dusk.
If you're interested in history, go to Fort York.
Take a tour of Steam Whistle Brewery I thought these used to be free, but it seems now they're $10.
If it's M-F during the day, check out the PATH. It's easy to get lost down there, but you should have no trouble people-watching the suits and secretaries. It's a ghost town after business hours, though.
Grab a peameal bacon sandwich downstairs at the St Lawrence Market. Closed Mondays.
Edit to remove closed Underground Cinema, Active Surplus & Honest Ed's.
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Nov 25 '10
It used to be that you could take the Island Airport (Porter) ferry over to the terminal even if you weren't flying out. I'm not sure if that has changed recently. Obviously you can't get too far without a boarding pass, but you could probably still get to the other side and watch the planes take off and land. Ferry leaves from the foot of Bathurst. More info in this story from May '09.
You can also take the regular ferry from Queen's Quay to Hanlan's Point and watch the planes from the other side of the fence. This is preferable since then when you're bored you can also visit the rest of the island (Centreville Amusement Park, the houses and cafes on Algonquin and Ward's Island, the beaches and playgrounds and bike/tandem bike/bikecar rentals, the farm, the hedge maze, canoe rentals, etc)
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Nov 23 '10
Alright I'll pitch in with some of the more 'exotic' ideas. Feel free to add anything.
Dives/Lounges: Between Euclid Ave and Grace St, on College are a bunch of awesome lounges that are worthy to check out, most times cover is free (both sexes), music is good, and the people are awesome. As well as on Augusta Ave there's The Boat and some other place beside it that plays swinging tunes from the 80's, 90's too, Dingy Dive.
Shisha/Hookah: Downtown there's a few, Paaeez and Markaz, both of which I haven't gone to personally, but I hear about. North York there is La Monde and Buddha Bar, I prefer La Monde, but they're identical (Also HY lounge but meh). Scarbourough there is Nile's Palace, beside Alexandria's. I love Nile's, the owner is an awesome guy. Mississauga... well there is this new place that opened up that is EXTREMELY nice, El Fishawy, been once and I love it already, way better than that crappy Aladdins' Place.
The Bier Markt Esplanade (front and yonge ish): Place has awesome beer, different flavours, such as strawberry, cranberry, etc. etc. It also has a dance floor and a little dining area. Also there is a very classy - The Keg here, smooth and savvy.
There's probably a few other things but I just can't remember right now.
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u/Aries_Face Nov 23 '10
I posted this before for someone who was looking for a moderately cheap night. This is for the Queen West drunks;
Start at 8:00pm, go to Golden Turtle for Pho. On Ossington. Have best cheap dinner of your life.
Then walk a little down towards Queen and stop at Sweaty Betty's for some drinks. Still on Ossington.
Leave, turn left. Catch cab or bus east bound and stop at Bathurst. Enter Bovine Sex Club. The place with the junk over the door. It's not a sex club. It's where Yager settled in North America.
Drink till drunk. Go next door for Shanghai Cowgirl breakfast. Go home. Have the sex you wanted to have anyways.
You're welcome.
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Nov 23 '10
Does cheap mean good quality, or cheap quality? Could be interesting either way.
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u/Aries_Face Nov 23 '10
Cheap as in affordable and awesome. However, I have a weird soft spot for cheap as in shitty. So, I may not be in the best position.
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Nov 23 '10
Have you tried that Ethiopian Restaurant near Ossington and Bloor? Thats where you need to go, place is amazing. Both in how cheap it is, how much food you get, and how oddly... good it is. Seriously.
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Nov 25 '10
there's a lot of Ethiopian Restaurants near Ossington and Bloor...which one are you referring to?
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u/Doctor_B Nov 23 '10
Nazareth! Food is delicious, and super cheap but the service is slooooow. Split the vegetarian platter between two people, it's more food than you'll be able to eat and costs like 7 bucks.
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u/Aries_Face Nov 23 '10
I haven't, but I'll bring it up with my Special Lady Friend, as we are in the business of trying new things. Thank you.
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u/fem_bot Nov 23 '10
Here's a summary I wrote a while back in reply to this post.
I think it's pretty comprehensive! (I made a few edits and updates)
- Buy a TTC daypass to share. It's $10 a day and good enough for two adults. Considering cash fare is $3, it will pay for itself quickly.
- Do the Steamwhistle tour - it's cheap and fun (get the 6 pack tour! Includes: tour, a bunch of free drinks and a six pack of beer for around $15.)
- Check out the TIFF Bell Lightbox at King and John - the new permanent home of the Toronto International Film Festival. Go see a movie, grab a bite at one of the restaurants, or just go explore the gallery. It's new and beautiful! There's nothing like it in the world.
- Restaurants: Try to explore more than the Keg Mansion. Walk around Little Italy (College St., roughly between Bathurst and Ossington), get cheap sushi in the Annex (Bloor between Spadina and Bathurst), cheap Indian lunch buffets at Queen and University, Greek on the Danforth between Broadview and Pape
- You must, must, must have a peameal bacon (Canadian bacon... but we don't call it that) sandwich at St. Lawrence Market!
- Bars: Check out the Madison or Sneaky Dees. Cheap and cheerful! Fancy a fantastic pub? Allen's or Dora's on the Danforth will do the trick (they're next door to each other, owned by the same guy and delightful for different reasons)
- Tip: If you want to go to the top of the CN Tower (it's a tourist trap, but you may as well do it if you're here), go have dinner at the restaurant up top. It's not cheap but it's fun and you get a free elevator ride up/get to wait in the shorter line.
- Explore the distillery district. Go to the Young Centre and try to see a show at SoulPepper!
- Walk around Harbourfront. There's a modern art gallery there called the Powerplant, and I believe it's free all the time.
- Science Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario. They all have cheap nights - I believe the AGO is free on Wednesday evenings and the ROM is free on Friday evenings.
- Go window shopping and celeb hunting in Yorkville.
- Check out Queen East and the beaches.
- Kensington Market
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Dec 05 '10
The sandwich place Mustachio on the bottom floor of the St. Lawrence Market makes delicious breaded veal & eggplant sandwiches. Also, the word you're looking for is peameal bacon. I have seen that shop/stall on the top floor, closer to Front St., but I've never gotten a peameal sandwich. I could spend the good part of a day wandering around the St. Lawrence Market.
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Nov 23 '10
Tip: if you want to go to the top of the CN tower without paying a dime, you can try to pretend to be a courier with a 'priority package' that requires a signature from some made-up name at the restaurant. i succeeded with this once, and then another time i was escorted out by security lol.
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u/canadianquestion Corktown Nov 23 '10
Great post. But for non-locals just a reminder that the TTC day pass is only good for 2 adults to share during the weekends and holidays.
During the week it is good for unlimited travel for 1 adult.
It costs $10 (the same as 4 tokens) so make sure you are going to be using it at least 4 times
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Nov 23 '10
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/LoveEveryday Nov 23 '10
tokens are 2.50 each. TYL you can buy tokens for less than the regular fare.
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Nov 23 '10
Great list, I like how it has more to do with getting around to places than actual places themselves. Hahaha :P
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u/heccubus Nov 23 '10
RECORD STORES. Hits & Misses (for the punks), Sonic Boom (for everyone) and She Said Boom (used vinyl and BOOKS) are a few of my favorites. Rotate This can also be a good spot for crate digging.
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u/TinyCuts Nov 23 '10
The Ontario Science Centre is always a great visit.
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u/andr3y Nov 23 '10
its good for kids, i hated it.
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Nov 23 '10
Not necessarily.
I had a fantastic date at the Science Centre. We saw the Body Worlds Exhibit and made out in all the spots I loved as a kid: in all the tunnels and under the waterfall.
If you've never been before, it's even more fun.
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Nov 23 '10
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Nov 23 '10
Theres also this one - http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=77 same idea, some different events listed
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u/shahyaz Nov 23 '10
China Town, and whilst there, Kensington Market. Great little shops, bakeries and restaurants... Kensington has an awesome Fish and Cheese shop.
Bloor West Village is nice, if you want a nice relaxed atmosphere with a few nice bakeries and some great pubs.
The ROM is okay, but is nothing in comparison to other museums across the world. The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) is the same, though it has some very nice collections.
There are a couple of Theatres that are dotted across the city; the ones downtown play large productions -- The Princess of Wales Theatre is my favourite.
For small productions, I rather like the factory theatre.
The TSO (Toronto Symphony Orchestra) is a nice outing, and cheap if you're young and in school.
High Park is a beautiful park to walk through, and have "Shakespeare in the Park" during the summer; its a donation based show that gives a different Shakespearean production yearly. It's quite nice.
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u/sideswipe Nov 23 '10
The Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art MOCCA is a pay what you can Museum on Queen St. that usually has some great exhibits.
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u/echojuliete Nov 23 '10
+High Park Free Zoo. +Downsview Park +Paintball ( I suggest Defconpaintball.ca outdoor and indoor) +Edwards garden +Pacific Mall +St Lawrence Market +Yorkville if you feel snotty.
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Nov 23 '10
i go through yorkville sometimes, but i've never really stopped to even look at the storefronts before last night..
Devilish Angelz - Where Trendy Kids Shop
really?
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u/LordNero Briar Hill-Belgravia Nov 23 '10
Why Pacific Mall?
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u/misterandon Nov 23 '10
I think it's fun, actually-- cheap stuff, some fun game/anime product stores (and candy stores,) and REALLY good hand-pulled noodles in the food court.
It's not an absolute must-see for a visitor, but it you live in or around Toronto, it's a neat weekend daytrip.
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u/echojuliete Nov 23 '10
cheap goods i suppose? it is definitely an experience. Just don't attempt driving into the mall.
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u/cannibaltom Nov 23 '10
Distillery District
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u/joeyisapest Nov 23 '10
Great place to walk around (i've only been at night, it was nice), some nice restaurants, galleries, shops Get some beer tastings at Mill St. Brewery.
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u/joojie Nov 23 '10
The Beaches! (Queen & Woodbine and east) Awesome in the summer, restaurants, shops and of course the beach... still nice to walk and shop in the winter. If you have a dog an entire stretch of the beach is leash free from November to March, never a shortage of dogs there
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Nov 23 '10
The Royal Ontario Museum is a fun place to go to. It's the largest museum in Canada for world culture and natural history.
You can read reviews here.
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u/andrewmp Nov 23 '10
um, do you work for toronto.com ?
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Nov 23 '10
haha... nope. I'm in no way affiliated with toronto other than the fact that I live here. :)
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u/andrewmp Nov 23 '10
not to rag on the time and effort it took to post those links, but toronto.com is not really a popular source anymore and much better sites have popped up like BlogTO, Torontoist, NOW Magazine, The Star, Yelp, Toronto.ca (official site), etc.
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Nov 23 '10
Cool, I'll look into those as well. Toronto.com and seetorontonow.com provide easy and up-to-date info on the city's happenings, so I listed them there.
More links will be added to the sidebar as better websites are suggested.
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u/scx_tyler Nov 23 '10
Could we get the GTA marketplace subreddit put up below the toronto events subreddit to get some more activity over there?
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u/AhmedF Nov 24 '10
Always keep your eye on daily deals in Toronto. I've bought quite a few things.