Top 5 Things To Do in Toronto

Toronto is a fun, exciting, vibrant, and diverse city, but it’s easy for visitors to get sucked into the really touristy parts of town. Problem is, there’s so much more to Toronto than the CN Tower. So, we’re here to help you with our guide to the real, local, top 5 things to do in Toronto.

5. Vintage Shopping

Toronto has some great vintage shopping, and if that’s your type of thing, you can easily get some fabulous finds. Head to Kensington Market and vintage institution Courage My Love – it’s most people’s first stop for vintage in the city.

There are also several great shops around it. That being said, the vintage scene has begun to move westwards, with some fantastic shops popping up along Ossington Ave between Queen W and Dundas W. The strip isn’t too far from the downtown core, and you’ll be rewarded with some excellent shops.

4. Explore the Neighbourhoods

Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, including many ethnic ones, so it’s best to head out of the downtown core and explore them. You’ll find most of the neighbourhoods are very accessible by transit, and far less touristy than the main drag. For one of the best Little Italy neighbourhoods in North America, head to College St West, west of Bathurst. Have a hankering for Greek? Head to the Danforth, east of Broadview. Little Portugal is around Dundas St West, west of Bathurst. Little India? Gerrard St. East between Greenwood and Coxwell.

Some non-ethnic neighbourhoods are also fun to explore, including the newly reinvented Leslieville, on Queen St East just east of Broadview. Further afield is The Beach, on Queen St. East just east of Woodbine. Both are great communities filled with restaurants, unique shops, and fun festivals. Back west on Queen St is Trinity-Bellwoods, which features the same-named Trinity Bellwoods Park at its centre. Farther west, Roncesvalles Ave hits Queen St West, and north on Roncesvalles will put you smack in the middle of Roncy. Regardless of where you head out in the city, there are incredible and vibrant pockets, you just have to be open and ready to explore!

3. Graffiti Alley

Graffiti Alley is one of the coolest parts of Toronto. Duck down south off Queen St West around Peter or Spadina and you’ll find mid-block alleys filled with bright colours and magnificent graffiti works of art.

The alleys are seemingly endless, and the talent is obvious. There's also some great graffiti peppered throughout Kensington Market, and it's featured on our Kensington Market and Chinatown tour.

2. Brunch

In Toronto, brunch is a bit of an institution. While weekdays are filled with trips to coffee shops to grab something quick to go, Torontonians live for their weekend brunches. As such, brunch in Toronto is more than just eggs, toast, sausages, and bacon – it’s an art. There are several great places to grab sit down brunch in Toronto, and most of them are outside of the downtown core. We recommend: School, Aunties & Uncles, Kalendar, Saving Grace, Hadley’s, and Wish.

1. St Lawrence Market + Toronto Island

Recently voted the best urban market in North America, St. Lawrence Market is a favourite amongst locals and visitors. The produce is fresh (and local in the summertime) and the vendors are varied and wonderful. The market is full of food (and samples!), and one of our favourite stops is Kozlik’s mustard.

Something we love to recommend is to grab picnic-style food, like baguettes, cheese, deli meats, mustard, fruit, etc, and head for the Toronto Island (weather permitting, of course!). The ferry costs about $6 return, and the island is a beautiful, accessible respite from the city. It’s the perfect place to have a picnic, enjoy the summer sun, and take in a stunning view of the city.

Looking for more Toronto tips? Check out our guide to 24 hours in Toronto as well as a list of our Toronto tours.