Top Things To Do In Toronto

Movie producers might turn to Toronto for its visual similarities to New York City, but locals and visitors realize that Canada’s largest metropolis has a style and flavor all its own. With more than 100 cultures represented in its people – not to mention three Chinatowns and two Little Italys – Toronto lives up to its Fortune magazine billing as "the world’s newest great city." And Toronto’s top attractions are pretty nifty too. Take a peek.

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  CN Tower

  Built to broadcast signals for the Canadian National railway company, CN Tower offers panoramic views of Toronto's cityscape and vistas that stretch as far as Niagara Falls (on a clear day). In a mere 58 seconds, elevators whisk visitors to one of two observation levels. EdgeWalk, a new feature for thrill-seeking travelers, lets the brave traverse a five-foot-wide (1.5-meter) exterior ledge 1,168 feet (356 meters) above the ground. It's no wonder that visiting the CN Tower is one of the top things to do in Toronto.

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  Toronto Zoo

  With a refurbished and expanded polar bear habitat, a new endangered African penguin exhibit, and a new Great Barrier Reef exhibit – and more than six miles (10 km) of walking trails – there’s plenty to do and see at Toronto zoo. Be sure to visit the park’s littlest gorilla, Nassir, just one of the many babies born thanks to the Zoo’s successful endangered animal breeding program.

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  Royal Ontario Museum

  Canada’s largest museum of natural history and human cultures celebrates Earth’s biodiversity and offers 30 extinct mammal fossil skeletons, as well as 166 non-mammalian fossil specimens from the Cenozoic Era. Unveiled in 2007, the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal – an expansion composed of five interlocking prismatic structures that house eight new galleries – has landed the museum on Travel+Leisure magazine’s list of "the world’s most beautiful museums."

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  Ontario Science Centre

  Perhaps the first interactive science museum when it opened in 1969, Ontario Science Centre engages visitors through a wide variety of hands-on experiences, all designed to lead to new insights and discoveries. A $47.5-million transformation of the museum, completed in 2007, introduced the wildly popular KidSpark, a space designed especially for junior scientists.

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  Casa Loma

  The romantic grandeur of this magnificent estate situated on a bluff overlooking Toronto is not to be missed. Built in the early 20th century by a Canadian financier and industrialist, the re-creation of a medieval castle features Norman, Gothic and Romanesque elements and has 98 rooms. The property also boasts five acres (2 hectares) of impeccably maintained gardens.

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  Niagara Falls

  Formed by a retreating glacier 12,000 years ago, the three cataracts that comprise Niagara Falls are awe-inspiring. The water roaring over Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil and American Falls generates electricity, but most visitors’ chills come just from looking, whether they be in Queen Victoria Park, aboard a famed Maid of the Mist boat, or even flying high in a helicopter.

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  St. Lawrence Market

  A bustling venue since 1901, the St. Lawrence Market name encompasses multiple offerings. Perhaps the best known, the Tuesday-Saturday South Market boasts more than 120 vendors offering fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. On weekends, the North Market opens its doors to farmers with seasonal wares and antique dealers with items ranging from classic to kitsch.

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  Toronto Islands

  An 1858 storm separated a sandspit from the mainland, forming a peninsula and a cluster of islands that now sport myriad recreational activities for all ages. Following a short ferry ride, visitors can enjoy boat and bike rentals, a modern amusement park, fishing, tram tours, disc golf or even a clothing-optional beach.

To visit many of the things to do listed above that charge admission, use a Toronto CityPASS and save nearly half off combined admission. Plus, CityPASS holders avoid some ticket and entry lines, which means less time waiting and more time doing. Toronto CityPASS includes admission to CN Tower, Toronto Zoo, Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Science Centre, and Casa Loma. Some special exhibits are not included with the CityPASS and may require an extra fee.

Passes can be purchased online or at any attraction that accepts CityPASS. Use CityPASS and discover the best of Toronto.