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Toronto boasts some of the best attractions in Canada, with the likes of the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Toronto Zoo drawing huge crowds to the city. If you prefer to avoid busy tourist attractions in favor of quieter, quirkier sights, this is your travel guide. Read on to discover 23 of Toronto’s best hidden gems.
1. Museum of Illusions
- Address: 132 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5A 1E2
- Website: museumofillusions.ca
- Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 10 am – 7 pm / Friday & Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm
The likes of the Bata Shoe Museum and the Hockey Hall of Fame might draw big crowds, but the Museum of Illusions is a hidden gem in Toronto’s museum scene. This quirky attraction will make you question your sight, scale, and ability to defy gravity with its 80 amazing experiences.
2. The Monkey’s Paw
- Address: 1067 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1M5
- Website: monkeyspaw.com
- Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 11 am – 8 pm / Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
The Monkey’s Paw on Bloor Street is a huge bookstore that sells rare, weird, and wonderful books and oddities. The majority of books lining the shelves are 20th-century titles, and they’re categorized into four groups: beautiful, absurd, macabre, and arcane. Be sure to check out the Biblio-Mat, a vending machine that dispenses random vintage books.
3. Underpass Park
- Address: 29 Lower River Street, Toronto, ON M5A 1M6
- Opening Hours: 24/7
Underpass Park sits beneath Eastern Avenue and is far removed from your typical urban park. Rather than green lawns and trees, the park is a concrete jungle featuring a gym, a basketball court, and skateboard ramps. The concrete pillars of the overpass are adorned with cool street art, so if you love urban murals and art installations, you can’t miss out on Underpass Park.
4. SkullStore Oddity Shop
- Address: 397 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2A7
- Website: skullstore.ca
- Opening Hours: Wednesday – Sunday: 1 pm – 7 pm
Set inside the Prehistoria Museum is the SkullStore Oddity Shop, where you can pick up some strange souvenirs to remember your Toronto visit. Highlights include taxidermied animals, prehistoric fossils, dinosaur bones, necromancer masks, shrunken heads, mummified hands, preserved brains, and more. All artifacts are legally and ethically obtained by the store.
5. Trinity Bellwoods Park
- Address: 790 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G3
- Website: trinitybellwoods.ca
- Opening Hours: 24/7
Situated on the ever-trendy Queen Street West is Trinity Bellwoods Park, the former home of Trinity College. The grand gates of the old college remain, welcoming you to the pretty 38-acre park. Look out for the elusive white squirrel that has been spotted in the park for decades.
6. Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
- Address: 120 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 1A5
- Website: fisher.library.utoronto.ca
- Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
With more than 700,000 volumes and 3,000 meters of manuscripts in its vaults, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is a haven for book lovers. The library hosts a new exhibition each month to display a few works for the public to read. To access other works in the library, you must first submit a formal request.
7. The Yorkville Rock
The swanky neighborhood of Yorkville is known for its luxury designer stores and upmarket restaurants. Many celebrities frequent this area during the Toronto International Film Festival. A lesser-discussed feature of Yorkville is its enormous rock. The rock is part of a collection in the Village of Yorkville Park that celebrates the diverse landscape of Canada.
8. Poop Cafe
- Address: 678 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1L4
- Website: instagram.com/poopcafe.ca
- Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 12 pm – 10 pm / Saturday & Sunday: 11 am – 10 pm
There are many places to eat in Bloor Street West but one of the more unique eateries is Poop Cafe, a themed dessert bar that serves delicious Asian-inspired sweets and treats. Almost everything is made out of chocolate, the chairs are replaced with toilets, and the cute poop emoji is used liberally to decorate this quirky cafe.
9. Leslieville Crazy Doll House
The Crazy Doll House, also known as Tchotchke House, is a regular old property on a residential street in the Leslieville neighborhood, but its front lawn is overflowing with dolls. From Barbies and action figures to ragdolls and stuffed animals, any and every type of doll is represented. And the display is constantly expanding! If you’re visiting Toronto in October, drop by the Crazy Doll House to see its creepy Halloween display.
10. Little Canada
- Address: 10 Dundas St E Basement2, Toronto, ON M5B 2G9
- Website: little-canada.ca
- Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday: 10.30 am – 6.30 pm / Friday & Saturday: 10.30 am – 7.30 pm
Little Canada is a miniature display of Canada featuring the nation’s biggest cities and best-known landmarks and attractions. It’s tucked away underground at Yonge-Dundas Square, making it a truly hidden gem. Check out the ‘Littleization Station’ to commission a precisely crafted miniature figurine of yourself.
11. The Vog Vault
Address: 686 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E7
Website: fluevog.com/stores/toronto-queen-st
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 11 am – 7 pm / Sunday: 12 pm – 6 pm
One of Queen Street West’s more unusual shops is John Fluevog Shoes. Fluevog is known for his eccentric shoe designs and his store is a cool industrial space set inside a former TD Bank. The Vog Vault is a converted bank vault designed to replicate a vintage photo of Fluevog. It features an antique Victorian loveseat set in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, which is the perfect spot for a cool selfie.
12. Toronto PATH
- Address: 1 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 1A1
- Website: pathmap.ca
PATH is an extensive system of underground pedestrianized tunnels and basements that link subway stops, tourist attractions, office blocks, shopping malls, sports venues, hotels, and government offices. It’s a fantastic way to get around the center of the city on foot.
13. Little Italy
Toronto is a city built on immigration, and Little Italy is where you can find some of the city’s best Italian cuisine and produce. The authentic atmosphere in this neighborhood feels incredibly European, and there’s a friendly, trendy vibe that makes you want to spend an afternoon sipping wine and eating pasta. Consider taking a food tour with a local guide to discover the best dishes in the neighborhood.
14. stackt Market
- Address: 28 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5V 0C6
- Website: stacktmarket.com
- Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 9 am – 11 pm
St. Lawrence Market might be Toronto’s biggest and best-known market, but stackt is a cool alternative. It’s housed within stacks of shipping containers, and the stores and cafes here are as quirky as the setting. Be sure to check out the microbrewery, and look out for workshops and movie nights if you want to get involved in this creative community.
15. Toronto’s Half House
Not too far from the famed Art Gallery of Ontario is Toronto’s Half House. Originally built in the late 1890s, it formed part of a series of row homes within the Toronto slums. As the neighborhood evolved over the years, all of the row houses were bought up, torn down, and replaced while the owner of the Half House refused to move. Now, the unique building offers a fascinating glimpse into days gone by.
16. The Village
- Address: Church and Wellesley
- Website: churchwellesleyvillage.ca
The neighborhood of Church and Wellesley is known by locals as ‘The Village’ and is Toronto’s leading LGBTQ+ district. Annual Pride celebrations take place here, but there’s excellent nightlife all year round. During the day, enjoy the area’s range of art galleries, theaters, and boutiques, or grab brunch or lunch in one of the many cafes.
17. R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant
Set on the shores of scenic Lake Ontario, R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant is one of Canada’s most unique and beautiful industrial buildings. It was commissioned in the 1930s when Art Deco was in vogue, and the result is an architecturally stunning building that blends Art Deco with Modern Classic and Romanesque Revival styles. This is a must-see for lovers of architecture and engineering enthusiasts.
18. Necropolis Cemetery
- Address: 200 Winchester St, Toronto, ON M4X 1B7
- Website: mountpleasantgroup.com/toronto-necropolis
- Opening hours: 8 am – 5:30 pm daily
The Toronto Necropolis is one of the oldest cemeteries in the city. It’s the final resting place of many renowned Torontonians, including William Lyon, the city’s first mayor, Jack Layton, the former NDP leader, and Anderson Ruffin Abbot, the first Canadian-born black surgeon. A combination of Victorian architecture, picturesque sculptures, and natural vistas make this a truly beautiful final resting place.
19. Toronto Ghost Walks
Old Toronto has a rich history, and with it comes a variety of spooky ghost stories. Many places throughout the city are said to be haunted, including the cobblestone streets of the Distillery District, the University of Toronto, and Black Creek Pioneer Village. Take a ghostly guided tour led by a lantern-wielding ghost hunter to learn more about the city’s supernatural happenings.
20. Old Chinatown
Toronto has multiple Chinatowns, but Old Chinatown in Downtown Toronto is the oldest and most fascinating. It’s also a great neighborhood for foodies to explore. Centered around Spadina Avenue, this bustling neighborhood is home to several high-quality Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese restaurants. Don’t miss Sonic Boom, a huge music emporium beloved by locals.
21. Centre Island
Families interested in exploring the Toronto Islands will love Centre Island which is home to Centreville Amusement Park and Franklin’s Children’s Gardens. There are also opportunities for biking, walking, and swimming.
22. The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse
Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in Toronto Island Park is one of Toronto’s oldest landmarks, having been built in the early 19th century. It is no longer in service and spends most of the time locked down, but it does occasionally open up for special events. It’s still worth visiting to appreciate it from the outside. It’s said to be haunted, with reports of mysterious ghostly moaning coming from the lighthouse on misty nights.
23. Brampton
Brampton is a fast-growing city 27 miles west of Toronto, and although it isn’t a well-known tourist destination, it has plenty of fun attractions. If you want to escape the crowds and get an idea of what local life is like, a day trip to Brampton is a good choice. Highlights include:
- Gage Park
- Great War Flying Museum
- Brampton Arts Walk of Fame
- Wet’n’Wild Toronto
- Peel Art Gallery
- Claireville Conservation Area
- Professor’s Lake
- Bovaird House
- Heart Lake Conservation Area
Plan Your Trip to See Toronto’s Quirky Side
If you love wandering off the beaten path during your travels, you’ll adore some of Toronto’s hidden gems. Be sure to check out as many as possible on your next trip to this awesome Canadian city.
