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It’s no surprise that Toronto, Canada’s largest city, has some of the best tourist attractions in North America. It’s home to a huge variety of museums, galleries, historic sights, and architectural wonders, but it can be hard to squeeze everything into a single trip. Here are 24 must-see attractions in Toronto to help you plan your adventure.
1. The CN Tower
- Website: cntower.ca
- Address: 290 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3L9
- Opening hours: 9 am – 10 pm daily
Towering 553 meters over Downtown Toronto, the CN Tower is one of the city’s best-known landmarks. Head up to the Sky Pod for incredible views of the city — you can even spot Niagara Falls and New York State on clear days.
If you’re brave, walk across the glass floor on the Outdoor Sky Terrace to get a bird’s eye view of Toronto’s streets, or take a stroll on the Edge Walk for a thrilling hands-free walk around the tower’s main pod 365 meters above the ground.
2. The Royal Ontario Museum
- Website: rom.on.ca
- Address: 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5.30 pm daily
The ROM is the largest museum in Canada and is renowned for its extensive collections that cover worldwide natural history, culture, and art. There are around six million objects on display here, so be sure to plan your trip in advance to catch all the exhibits that interest you most, unless you have time to visit more than once during your trip.
3. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
- Website: ripleyaquariums.com/canada
- Address: 288 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3L9
- Opening hours: 9 am – 11 pm daily
More than 16,000 marine animals call Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada home, including stingrays, giant lobsters, and giant octopus. The aquarium has an impressive underwater tunnel and offers hands-on experiences with its touch tanks. It’s a must-visit for families.
4. Art Gallery of Ontario
- Website: ago.ca
- Address: 317 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 1G4
- Opening hours: Monday: 10.30 am – 4 pm / Tuesday & Thursday: 10.30 am – 5 pm / Wednesday & Friday: 10.30 am – 9 pm / Saturday & Sunday: 10.30 am – 5.30 pm
The AGO is one of North America’s largest art museums, boasting 95,000 pieces from around the world. The gallery has an extensive collection of Canadian art as well as European masterpieces from the likes of Picasso, Rubens, Goya, and Rembrandt.
5. Niagara Falls
It takes around 90 minutes to reach Niagara Falls from Toronto by road, and it’s well worth the day trip to see this incredible natural wonder. You could hire a car and drive yourself or book a tour that includes hotel pickup and drop-off. Once you arrive, take a cruise to get a close-up view of the spectacular waterfalls.
6. Ontario Science Centre
- Website: ontariosciencecentre.ca
- Address: 770 Don Mills Rd., North York, ON M3C 1T3
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
The interactive Ontario Science Centre is one of the top tourist attractions for children in Toronto. Visitors can enjoy arcade games, live science demos, a simulated rainforest, climbing walls, an IMAX Dome theatre, and a planetarium.
7. High Park
- Website: highparktoronto.com
- Address: 1873 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6R 2Z3
- Opening hours: 24/7
High Park provides 400 acres of tranquil green space just east of the city center. There are sprawling lawns and gardens, walking trails, swimming pools, playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, and an off-leash dog park.
8. Old Chinatown
Toronto is one of the world’s most multicultural cities and it has a huge Asian community. Old Chinatown — the original and largest Chinatown in the city — runs along Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. There are lots of incredible Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants and food stalls here, making it a haven for foodies.
9. Toronto Zoo
- Website: torontozoo.com
- Address: 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7
- Opening hours: 9.30 am – 7 pm daily
The Toronto Zoo is home to more than 5,000 animals, including lions, tigers, penguins, pygmy hippos, giraffes, orangutans, giant pandas, and polar bears. The zoo focuses on animal conservation and environmental protection, so you can rest assured your visit will support the world’s wildlife.
10. St. Lawrence Market
- Website: stlawrencemarket.com
- Address: 92-95 Front St East, Toronto, ON M5E 1C3
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday: 9 am – 3 pm / Saturday: 7 am – 5 pm / Sunday: 10 am – 5 pm
St. Lawrence Market originally served as a public meeting place and concert hall when it first opened in the middle of the 19th century. After being restored in 1967 it became a market for fresh food products and flowers. With a grand staircase and chandelier, this beautiful building has an extremely charming atmosphere. Check out the nearby Gooderham Building when you visit for even more impressive architecture.
11. Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a neighborhood renowned for its multiculturalism. There’s a vast mix of eateries here serving cuisine from all over the world. You’ll also find specialty coffee shops, cafes, art galleries, and vintage stores.
12. Bata Shoe Museum
- Website: batashoemuseum.ca
- Address: 327 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1W7
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm / Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
Fashion lovers can’t afford to miss the quirky Bata Shoe Museum because an incredible 4,500 years of footwear history is documented here. Exhibits include the boots of Arctic-dwelling indigenous peoples, Elton John’s iconic silver platforms, and Marilyn Monroe’s renowned red stilettos.
13. Distillery District
The Distillery District comprises the renovated Victorian buildings that once served as the largest distillery in the world. It is now a pedestrianized area where you can appreciate the heritage architecture while browsing the art galleries, studios, restaurants, and boutique stores that have given the distillery a new lease of life.
14. Casa Loma
- Website: casaloma.ca
- Address: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, ON M5R 1X8
- Opening hours: 9.30 am – 5 pm daily
Casa Loma is an extraordinary Gothic Revival castle built for Canadian multimillionaire Sir Henry Pellatt in 1914. The castle has more than 100 rooms, several secret passageways, five acres of beautiful gardens, horse stables, and an 800-foot tower that offers fabulous city views. Now open as a museum, the castle has many fascinating exhibits, including an antique car display and a collection of landscape art by the Group of Seven.
15. City Hall & Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square is home to several popular attractions, including the bronze sculpture The Archer, the iconic Toronto sign, and a pond that serves as an ice-skating rink in winter. It also boasts the impressive new City Hall building, which was incredibly divisive when first built in 1965 due to its ultra-modern design.
16. Yonge-Dundas Square
- Website: ydsquare.ca
- Address: 1 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 2R8
The bright lights and bustling atmosphere of Yonge-Dundas Square are akin to Times Square in New York. Take a seat and soak in the atmosphere, or cool off in the square’s dancing fountains. Live entertainment, promotions, and community events regularly take place here. There are also plenty of restaurants and shops in the surrounding streets to keep you busy.
17. Toronto Islands
Take a ferry from Queen’s Quay to the Toronto Islands to enjoy golden beaches, relaxing nature trails, and incredible views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline. Toronto Islands is also home to Centreville Amusement Park which is a popular attraction for families.
18. Black Creek Pioneer Village
- Website: blackcreek.ca
- Address: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, Toronto, ON M3J 2P3
- Opening hours: Wednesday – Sunday: 11 am – 4 pm
Around 19 miles north of the city center is Black Creek Pioneer Village which recreates life in the 1860s. Costumed performers demonstrate the daily routines of historic rural life, and the village features homes, farmsteads, a school, and a church.
19. Fort York National Historic Site
- Website: fortyork.ca
- Address: 250 Fort York Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3K9
- Opening hours: Wednesday: 11 am – 5 pm / Thursday: 11 am – 7 pm / Friday – Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm
The 43-acre Fort York is where British and Canadian soldiers defended Toronto (then a small town called York) against the US troops during the War of 1812. You can learn about the bloody Battle of York and get insights into Toronto’s complex history during your visit to Fort York.
20. Toronto Eaton Centre
- Website: shops.cadillacfairview.com/toronto-eaton-centre
- Address: 220 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 2H1
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday: 10 am – 9 pm / Sunday: 11 am – 7 pm
The Eaton Centre is a popular indoor shopping mall that contains more than 230 stores and restaurants. It was originally built in 1977 and has since become one of Toronto’s busiest attractions. There’s a good mix of luxury and affordable goods available from well-known international brands.
21. Harbourfront Centre
- Website: harbourfrontcentre.com
- Address: 235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8
- Opening hours: 10 am – 9 pm daily
The Harbourfront District was originally an industrial area, but since the 1970s it has gradually been transformed into a social and cultural hub. The Harbourfront Centre is a 10-acre complex comprised of multiple outdoor stages, galleries, theaters, and parks that host installations and performances throughout the year.
22. Hockey Hall of Fame
- Website: hhof.com
- Address: 30 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5E 1X8
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Sports fans will be fascinated by the Hockey Hall of Fame which shares insights into the all-time greatest ice hockey players, including those from the Toronto Maple Leafs. There are 388 members currently in the Hall of Fame, and you can see many of their famous artifacts, including gloves, pucks, and sticks. The original 1983 Stanley Cup and other trophies, records, and pieces of NHL memorabilia are also on display here.
23. Rogers Centre
- Website: mlb.com/bluejays/ballpark
- Address: 1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V 1J1
The Rogers Centre is a huge domed sports arena that is home to the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays. It’s one of Canada’s biggest stadiums, with 53,000 seats. Although built primarily for baseball, it hosts a variety of sporting and entertainment events. You can take a fascinating guided tour to get behind-the-scenes insights into the stadium and its team.
24. Entertainment District
The Entertainment District is a neighborhood in Downtown Toronto renowned for its live performance venues, such as Roy Thomson Hall and the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Many of the biggest Toronto attractions, including the CN Towner, the Rogers Centre, and Scotiabank Arena, are also situated here. This is an excellent area to enjoy a night out as there are plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy before you catch a show.
Explore Toronto’s Greatest Sights
There’s lots to explore in Toronto, but make sure you catch some of these must-see attractions on your upcoming visit. Get started planning your sightseeing itinerary so you don’t miss this vibrant city’s highlights.
