Ahh Toronto – my home, my stomping ground. I’ve live in or around Toronto my whole life and love showing people around my city. Toronto is often thought of as the New York of the North and in some ways it is. Like a smaller, cleaner NYC. Like New York, Toronto has its fair share of tourist traps, some of them are worth it and some are a waste of time. I’ve collected my thought on which of Toronto’s tourists traps are worth it and which aren’t. I’ve also included some lesser known places you should add to your Toronto itinerary.

The Toronto Tourists Traps Actually Worth Your Time

• CN Tower – This is of course the best known tourist attraction in Toronto, but I also think it’s worth it. It is pretty expensive (~$60), but the view from it is spectacular. You can also eat dinner in their 360 restaurant or do the edge walk. I’ve haven’t done either of them, but both are apparently great.
• Ripley’s Aquarium – Some people think the aquarium is over priced and it is pretty expensive especially considering that it is not actually that big. However I love it and think it’s entirely worth the visit!
• The ROM – The ROM is a great museum in itself, plus every 3rd Monday in the month is free. But my personal favourite is Friday Night Live. Its a night where you can spend some time exploring the museum, then drink and dance the rest of the night away.
• The AGO – I think 1/2 the reason to go to the AGO is to see the buildings – it has a beautiful interior.
• Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist – While this is not actually in Toronto, most people visit it as a day trip out of Toronto. Niagara Falls is 100% a tourist trap, but its also 100% worth it. The best way to see the falls is the Maid on the Mist boat, pretty expensive, but totally worth it! Niagara Falls has many other ways to expierence the falls, but the only one worth the cost is the Maid of the Mists. The others are too expensive for what they are, you can just walk up to it for free. Unfortunately Niagara the town is a little bit of a sh*t hole. It’s kinda of fun for some cliche amusement park games, but don’t have too high an expectation for the town itself.

• Kensington Market – Kensington is such a quirky neighbourhood with lots off interesting shops, unique bars, beautiful wall art and most importantly brunch spots. It is fun to just walk around on a regular day, but if you’re in Toronto in the summer make sure you hit up Pedestrian Sundays. Street vendors and buskers line the streets and make the neighbourhood even more lively. It is also a great spot of street art!
• Toronto Islands – There are actually three islands just outside of Toronto, but Center Island is the most popular. You can take the ferry or a water taxi there. It provides beautiful views of the Toronto skyline, biking paths, a petting zoo, a small amusement park and beaches.
• A sporting event (preferably hockey) – Toronto loves it’s teams and they are a spectacle to behold. The big ones are the Maple Leafs (hockey) which is Canada’s sport and has a great vibe. NHL hockey tickets can get pretty pricy. But there are lots of minor leagues in Toronto which are much cheaper and also as good to watch. The Blue Jays (baseball) are generally the cheapest of the big teams to get tickets to. Because of that they tend to have a lot more drinking involved, particularly if you are in the nose bleed section (the very top section). Baseball also happens in the Roger’s centre and when the roof is open it is pretty spectacular. The last of the big teams is the Raptors (basketball) which is a big crowd pleaser. Particularly after Drakes interest and the 2019 winning season. Whatever season you visit Toronto will depend on what teams are playing, but I’ve been to all of these and they are all fun!

The Toronto Tourists Traps That are a Waste of Your Time

• Casa Loma – A lot of people would put Casa Loma itself on one of the must see tourist attractions in Toronto, it is after all a castle. But actually it is just a really just a big house. Personally I don’t really think that Case Loma is that impressive. Particularly if you have ever seen any other castle anywhere – the other castles are all better. They do have great events though.
• Fort York – You have to give Fort York credit for the establishment of Toronto, but otherwise there is not much to see. It generally is only visited as part of a elementary school field trip.
• Niagara (the town) – Ok I know I already mentioned Niagara and its not technically part of Toronto. If Toronto is the NYC of the north, than Niagara is the Vegas of the north. And not in a good way. It is filled with Casinos, arcades and chain restaurants, but somehow it still gets a ton of visitors. In my opinion you should go to Niagara Falls, skip the town and spend the rest of your time at Niagara on the Lake. It is the much more pleasant wine district just outside of the town.

Less Touristy Toronto Activities Worth Your Time

• Ax Throwing – This is one of the most ‘Canadian’ things to do in Toronto and it’s also a stupid amount of fun. I’ve done it a few time with BATL Ax, but there are a few different places that you can do it in Toronto.
• Evergreen Brick Works – This is a nice park for walking and taking photos. I really enjoy the year round Farmers Market on Saturdays. You can find lots of trendy stalls, fresh food and seasonal treats.

• Trinity Bellwoods Park & Brewery – During the summer month Trinity Bellwoods park is a hub of activity in Toronto. Theres a dog park (I once saw a pug costume party there), lots of cool bakeries, ice cream shops and coffee shops. When its warm there are tons of people out playing games, having picnics and drinking (although it is illegal in Canada!).
• Art Battle – Once a month there is an Art Battle event at the Great Hall in Queen West. Artist committee in a timed event and spectators vote (and drink). It’s an alternative night and and is a lot of fun!
• Casa Loma Escape Room – Casa Loma does put on some good events. Over halloween the put on a haunted house which is not terrible scary, but is pretty fun. They also have escape rooms, I love escape room and the cool setting of Case Loma makes these one special.