Things to do in Toronto, 2026

Top picks: what Toronto locals recommend most

We read seven threads on r/askTO, the city's question forum, where visitors asked what to do in Toronto between March and September 2026. We counted how many top-level replies named each place: 126 replies in all (our calculation; method below). The counts are small and come from one forum, so read them as a measure of what regulars suggest, not as a survey. Hours, prices and transit directions come from each operator's own website and the TTC, checked Oct. 6 and 7, 2026.

Niagara Falls came up as often as the islands (16 replies), but it is a day trip outside the city, so it is not in our list.

1. No. 1 by local mentions · Island parks, by ferry

   Toronto Islands

   The City ferry costs $9.57 return for adults 20 to 64, $6.15 for youth 15 to 19 and seniors, $4.51 for ages two to 14, and nothing for babies.¹ Tickets bought online stay valid until Dec. 31 of the year you buy them; tickets bought at the terminal are good only that day.¹ On busy days the City warns of 30 to 60 minute waits from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. going over and 5 to 9 p.m. coming back, and suggests Ward's Island, about a 35-minute walk from Centre Island.¹ Centreville amusement park is closed until spring 2027.² TTC: Union, then the 509 streetcar to Queens Quay; the ferry docks are across the street.³

   16of 126 replies mention it
2. Tied No. 2 by local mentions · Neighbourhood to wander

   Kensington Market

   Destination Toronto describes a mix of supermarkets, street food, small boutiques and vintage clothing stores. Pedestrian Sundays, with performers, music and food stands, run on the last Sunday of each month from May to October.⁴ Several commenters paired it with a walk through Chinatown next door. TTC: Queen's Park station, then the 506 streetcar west.⁴

   13of 126 replies mention it
3. Tied No. 2 by local mentions · Museum, best rainy-day pick

   Royal Ontario Museum

   The ROM uses date-based Plan Ahead Pricing: you pick a day on its calendar to see the price, and buying earlier costs less.⁵ Its calendar listed 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for Oct. 6 to 11, 2026.⁵ Entry is free from 4 to 8:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, but you must book ahead; there is no walk-in entry.⁶ Full-time students at Canadian colleges and universities get in free on Tuesdays with student ID.⁵ TTC: St George station.³

   13of 126 replies mention it
4. Tied No. 4 by local mentions · Food market

   St. Lawrence Market

   Open Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays, including Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. The Saturday farmers market runs 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.⁷ Commenters suggested it for lunch or a food crawl. TTC: King station, then south on Yonge and east on Front Street.³

   10of 126 replies mention it
5. Tied No. 4 by local mentions · Historic district

   Distillery District

   Open 364 days a year: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.⁸ One commenter called it a hidden gem in the evening. TTC: King station, then any 504 King streetcar east to Parliament Street.³

   10of 126 replies mention it
6. Tied No. 4 by local mentions · Aquarium

   Ripley's Aquarium

   Ripley's sells timed and flex tickets, offers $5 off after 5 p.m., and listed hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the day we checked.⁹ Prices change by date, so check the official site rather than resellers. It sits beside the CN Tower. TTC: Union, then west on Front Street or along the SkyWalk.³

   10of 126 replies mention it
7. Tied No. 7 by local mentions · Observation tower

   CN Tower

   Timed general admission costs $47 for adults 14 to 64, $34 for seniors and for youth six to 13, and $18 for children three to five.¹⁰ The observation levels open 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., last entry 9 p.m.¹¹ The tower posted adjusted hours for its main observation level on Oct. 8 and 20, 2026.¹² Locals were split: some called it a must, others said it was just okay. TTC: Union, then west on Front Street or along the SkyWalk.³

   9of 126 replies mention it
8. Tied No. 7 by local mentions · Art gallery

   Art Gallery of Ontario

   Adult admission is $30. Ontarians under 25 and children nine and under get in free. Closed Mondays; open until 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.¹³ Entry is free on the first Wednesday night of each month, 6 to 9 p.m.; free tickets go online at 10 a.m. on the Monday before.¹⁴ TTC: St Patrick station, then west on Dundas Street.³

   9of 126 replies mention it
9. Tied No. 9 by local mentions · Historic castle

   Casa Loma

   Admission is $45 for adults 18 to 64, $40 for seniors and youth 14 to 17, and $30 for children four to 13, tax included. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 4:30 p.m. The Lower Gardens and Terrace are closed for the season.¹⁵ TTC: Dupont station, then north on Spadina Road.³

   4of 126 replies mention it
10. Tied No. 9 by local mentions · Park, free

    High Park

    Free. West Road and part of Colborne Lodge Drive are car-free, and the City bans visitor cars during peak cherry blossom season.¹⁶ The free High Park Animal Display is closed from Oct. 13, 2026, to spring 2027 while the City improves its main access road.¹⁷ TTC: High Park station on Line 2; the 203 High Park bus runs through the park from March to October.³

    4of 126 replies mention it

Places to visit in Toronto at a glance

Every place we checked, sorted by how many of the 126 replies mentioned it. Prices are adult general admission as of Oct. 7, 2026, before any online fees. "Free entry" means the operator lists no admission charge.

Prices and hours: each operator's official page.^{1,5,9,10,13,15,28,20,27,26,29,22,21,23} TTC directions: the TTC's attraction guide,³ except Kensington Market (Destination Toronto)⁴ and Tommy Thompson Park (its operator, TRCA).³⁰ Local mentions: top-level r/askTO replies naming the place, our count.

What locals mention most

Number of the 126 top-level replies in 7 r/askTO threads that name each place, March to September 2026. One reply counts once per place. Green: outside Toronto. Our count.

• Toronto Islands4 of 7 threads16
• Niagara Falls (day trip)4 of 7 threads16
• Kensington Market5 of 7 threads13
• Royal Ontario Museum5 of 7 threads13
• St. Lawrence Market4 of 7 threads10
• Distillery District5 of 7 threads10
• Ripley's Aquarium4 of 7 threads10
• CN Tower5 of 7 threads9
• Art Gallery of Ontario4 of 7 threads9
• Theatre or a show3 of 7 threads7
• Chinatown6 of 7 threads7
• Blue Jays game4 of 7 threads5
• Harbourfront and waterfront4 of 7 threads5
• Casa Loma3 of 7 threads4
• High Park2 of 7 threads4
• Queen Street West / Trinity Bellwoods3 of 7 threads4

051015

Things to do in Toronto this weekend or today

We don't list dated events here, because they go stale. For what's on this weekend or today, use the two official calendars: the City of Toronto's Festivals & Events Calendar¹⁸ and Destination Toronto's events calendar, which has a "Free events" filter.¹⁹ These regular fixtures let you plan without a calendar:

• Every Saturday: St. Lawrence Market's farmers market, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.⁷ and Evergreen Brick Works' farmers market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round.³¹
• Every Sunday: free admission at the Bata Shoe Museum, noon to 5 p.m.²⁰
• Every Wednesday, 4 to 8 p.m.: free admission at the Aga Khan Museum.²⁶
• First Wednesday of the month, 6 to 9 p.m.: free at the AGO. Book the free ticket; they go online at 10 a.m. the Monday before.¹⁴
• Third Tuesday of the month, 4 to 8:30 p.m.: free at the ROM, advance booking required.⁶
• Last Sunday of the month, May to October: Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market.⁴

Free things to do in Toronto

• Riverdale Farm, Cabbagetown: free, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the year, with cows, pigs, sheep, goats and chickens. TTC: College, then the 506 streetcar east to Parliament Street.^21,3
• Allan Gardens Conservatory: free greenhouses, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, last entry 4:45 p.m.²² TTC: Sherbourne, then the 75 bus south to Gerrard Street East.³
• High Park: free, with car-free roads and the seasonal 203 bus.^16,3
• Toronto Botanical Garden and Edwards Gardens: free, dawn to dusk. Storm damage has closed parts of the ravine trails and bridges at Edwards Gardens until further notice (garden notice, Sept. 17, 2026).²³
• Evergreen Brick Works: no admission; the Don River Valley Park around it is always open. A free shuttle runs from Broadview station.^29,31
• Tommy Thompson Park, on the Leslie Street Spit: open weekday evenings 4 to 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays; closed to the public on weekdays before 4 p.m. TTC: the 83 Jones bus from Donlands station.³⁰
• Scarborough Bluffs: the City lists 11 parks along 15 km of cliffs. Bluffer's Park has a swimming beach. Stay behind the fences; the City says the edge is unstable.²⁴
• Nathan Phillips Square: the square in front of City Hall includes the Spirit Garden, a 20,650-square-foot Indigenous cultural space.³⁴ TTC: Queen or Osgoode.³
• Free museum times: AGO first Wednesday nights, ROM third Tuesday nights, Aga Khan Museum Wednesday evenings and the Bata Shoe Museum on Sundays (see the list above).
• Library passes: Toronto Public Library cardholders can book free tpl:map passes to museums and attractions. New passes come out on the first Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m.³⁵

Things to do in Toronto by season

Spring. High Park is known for its cherry blossoms, and the City keeps visitor cars out of the park during peak bloom.^3,16 Centreville, the island amusement park, reopens in spring 2027.²

Summer. The City says ferry lines peak from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. heading over and 5 to 9 p.m. coming back, and points visitors to Ward's Island to avoid the busiest Centre Island route.¹ The seasonal 201 bus runs to Bluffer's Park beach from early May to early October.³ Kensington's Pedestrian Sundays run from May to October.⁴

Fall. The Don River Valley Park around Evergreen Brick Works is always open, and the Saturday farmers market there runs year-round.^29,31 Replies in one r/askTO thread called October a better time to visit than November.

Winter. The City's outdoor artificial rinks usually open in late November and close in March.³⁶ Riverdale Farm says the park beside it has "some of the city's best tobogganing hills."²¹ Allan Gardens' greenhouses stay open every day of the year.²²

Rainy day ideas

• Royal Ontario Museum: price varies by date; St George station.^5,3
• Art Gallery of Ontario: $30 for adults, free for Ontarians under 25; St Patrick station.^13,3
• Ripley's Aquarium and the CN Tower: both reached from Union station along the SkyWalk.³
• Hockey Hall of Fame: $29.95 for adults, $19.95 for ages four to 13, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on induction day, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. TTC: Union, Brookfield Place exit.^27,3
• Aga Khan Museum: $10 for adults, free for anyone 25 or younger; closed Mondays. TTC: Line 5 to Aga Khan Park & Museum station.^26,3
• Bata Shoe Museum: $16 for adults, $5 for ages five to 17, free on Sundays; St George station.^20,3
• St. Lawrence Market and Allan Gardens Conservatory, both indoors.^7,22

Things to do in Toronto with kids

Children 12 and under ride the TTC free.²⁵ The island ferry costs $4.51 return for ages two to 14.¹

• Riverdale Farm: free farm animals downtown, wheelchair and stroller accessible.²¹
• Toronto Zoo: weekday hours 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekends and holidays 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., last entry an hour before close. Prices vary by date; buying more than three days ahead saves 5%, and a $1 fee applies per paid ticket.²⁸ TTC: Kennedy station, then the 86A bus.³
• Centreville on Centre Island: no entry fee; all-day ride passes cost $35.18 for riders under four feet and $44.25 for taller riders, plus tax. Closed until spring 2027.²
• Museums: the AGO is free for children nine and under,¹³ the Aga Khan Museum is free for anyone 25 or younger,²⁶ and the Bata Shoe Museum sells a family ticket for $26 (one adult, up to four children) or $39 (two adults).²⁰
• Casa Loma: $30 for ages four to 13; children under three free with a paying adult.¹⁵

Neighbourhoods to walk

The most common advice in these threads was to wander neighbourhoods rather than queue for attractions. Mentions, by our count of the 126 replies:

• Kensington Market (13) and Chinatown (7), usually suggested together, for food and vintage shops.
• The Distillery District (10), restored Victorian-era industrial buildings east of downtown.³
• The waterfront and Harbourfront (5).
• Queen Street West and Trinity Bellwoods (4).
• The Beaches (3), Leslieville (2) and the Danforth (3) in the east end.
• Roncesvalles (2) and Little Portugal / Dundas West (2) in the west end.

What locals told visitors

These are anecdotes from one forum, not a survey. Commenters did not always say where they live; we quote only replies in r/askTO, a Toronto forum. Two patterns stood out besides the neighbourhood advice above.

Save your best-weather day for the islands. The islands drew the most mentions, often with a picnic, a bike or a sunset attached.

The big paid attractions split opinion. The CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium got mentions from people who would go and from people who called them ordinary.

In a separate thread about what is overrated and underrated in Toronto, which we quote but did not count, a few replies took aim at tourist staples.

Getting around and saving money

• TTC fares: $3.30 for adults with a PRESTO card or a tapped debit or credit card, $3.35 in cash. Cash fares get no two-hour transfer and don't count toward the monthly cap. After 47 fares in a calendar month, the rest of the month's rides are free.²⁵
• Kids ride free: children 12 and under pay nothing on the TTC.²⁵
• Ferry tickets online: buying ahead gets you the express line at peak times, and online tickets stay valid to the end of the year.¹
• Buy direct: the Toronto Zoo and the ROM both say tickets bought from unofficial websites will not be honoured or accepted.^28,5
• Toronto CityPASS: $134.96 plus HST for adults. It covers the CN Tower, Ripley's and three more attractions chosen from the ROM, Casa Loma, the Toronto Zoo, the AGO and City Cruises (April to October).^10,5 Several of those use date-based prices, so price your own list before you buy.

Common questions

How we did this

Local mentions. On Oct. 7, 2026, we searched r/askTO for "things to do," "visiting Toronto," "underrated," "first time in Toronto," "hidden gems" and "tourist recommendations," limited to the past year, and saved 12 threads. We dropped five that were about hotels, restaurants, grocery products, complaints, and one overrated/underrated thread whose replies mix praise and criticism (we quote it but did not count it). That left seven threads posted between March 24 and Sept. 25, 2026, with 126 top-level replies. For each place we counted the replies that named it, once per reply, using a list of names and common spellings (for example "Centre Island," "Ward's" and "the ferry" all count for the Toronto Islands). A mention is not always praise: a few replies named a place to say it was just okay. Replies to replies were not counted. We searched only r/askTO, not r/toronto. Our scraper loaded most but not always all replies in a thread, so the counts may run slightly low.

Official facts. Hours, prices and directions come from each operator's own website, the City of Toronto and the TTC, checked Oct. 6 and 7, 2026. Several attractions (ROM, Toronto Zoo, Ripley's) set prices by date, so we don't quote a single number for them. Prices change; check the operator before you go.

What we didn't do. We didn't visit the places ourselves, rank restaurants or list dated events.

The 8 Reddit threads we read

• Here in toronto for the first time, how can i spend the perfect 3 days as a tourist? r/askTO, May 23, 2026
• What are some hidden gems or experience one should explore in Toronto? r/askTO, May 29, 2026
• What is a must-try hidden gem in the city? r/askTO, Aug. 21, 2026
• Visiting Toronto for the first time! Suggestions? r/askTO, May 29, 2026
• Travelling first time r/askTO, Sept. 25, 2026
• Must see/do things in Toronto r/askTO, March 24, 2026
• Is late November a good time to visit Toronto? r/askTO, Sept. 2, 2026
• What's your personal Toronto overrated/underrated? (quoted, not counted) r/askTO, Sept. 1, 2026

Sources

Show all 36 sourcesHide sources

1. City of Toronto. "Ferry Ticket & Passenger Information." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/toronto-island-ferries/ferry-ticket-passenger-information
2. Centreville Amusement Park. "Tickets." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. centreisland.ca/tickets
3. Toronto Transit Commission. "Explore Toronto: directions to attractions." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Explore-Toronto
4. Destination Toronto. "Kensington Market." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. destinationtoronto.com/neighbourhoods/westside/kensington-market
5. Royal Ontario Museum. "Visitor information." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. rom.on.ca/visit/visitor-information
6. Royal Ontario Museum. "Third Tuesday Nights Free." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. rom.on.ca/whats-on/special-programs/third-tuesday-nights-free
7. St. Lawrence Market. "Hours & parking." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. stlawrencemarket.com/pages/hours_parking
8. The Distillery Historic District. "Hours of operation." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. thedistillerydistrict.com
9. Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. "Ripley's Aquarium of Canada: hours and tickets." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. ripleys.com/attractions/ripleys-aquarium-of-canada
10. CN Tower. "Tickets: prices at a glance." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. cntower.ca/plan-your-visit/tickets-and-hours/tickets
11. CN Tower. "Hours." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. cntower.ca/plan-your-visit/tickets-and-hours/hours
12. CN Tower. "Getting here." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. cntower.ca/plan-your-visit/getting-here
13. Art Gallery of Ontario. "Hours, location and admission." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. ago.ca/visit
14. Art Gallery of Ontario. "First Wednesday Night Free." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. ago.ca/visit/free-wednesday-nights
15. Casa Loma. "Plan your visit: prices and hours." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. casaloma.ca/plan-your-visit-2
16. City of Toronto. "High Park." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/high-park
17. City of Toronto. "High Park Animal Display." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/zoos-farms/high-park-animal-display
18. City of Toronto. "Festivals & Events Calendar." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/festivals-events-calendar
19. Destination Toronto. "Toronto Events Calendar." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. destinationtoronto.com/events
20. Bata Shoe Museum. "Visit us." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. batashoemuseum.ca/visit-us
21. Riverdale Farm. "Plan your visit to the farm." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. riverdalefarmtoronto.ca
22. City of Toronto. "Allan Gardens Conservatory." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/gardens-and-horticulture/conservatories/allan-gardens-conservatory
23. Toronto Botanical Garden. "Plan your visit." Notice updated Sept. 17, 2026. torontobotanicalgarden.ca/plan-your-visit/plan-your-visit-3
24. City of Toronto. "Scarborough Bluffs." Modified June 9, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/scarborough-bluffs
25. Toronto Transit Commission. "Fares and passes." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. ttc.ca/en/Fares-and-passes
26. Aga Khan Museum. "Plan your visit." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. agakhanmuseum.org/plan-your-visit
27. Hockey Hall of Fame. "Tickets & hours." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. hhof.com/visit/ticketsandhours.html
28. Toronto Zoo. "Admission tickets." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. torontozoo.com/tickets/admission
29. Evergreen. "Evergreen Brick Works: FAQ." Accessed Oct. 7, 2026. evergreen.ca/evergreen-brick-works/visitor-info/faq
30. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. "Tommy Thompson Park: visitor information." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. tommythompsonpark.ca/visitor-information
31. Evergreen. "Evergreen Brick Works: visitor info." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. evergreen.ca/evergreen-brick-works/visitor-info
32. Harbourfront Centre. "Planned building closure, October 5 to 18." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. harbourfrontcentre.com
33. City of Toronto. "Toronto Island & Ferries." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/places-spaces/beaches-gardens-attractions/toronto-island-park
34. City of Toronto. "Features of Nathan Phillips Square." Modified March 9, 2026. toronto.ca/services-payments/venues-facilities-bookings/booking-city-facilities/city-squares/nathan-phillips-square/whats-there-at-nathan-phillips-square
35. Toronto Public Library. "tpl:map (Museum + Arts Pass)." Accessed Oct. 6, 2026. tpl.ca/using-the-library/services/map
36. City of Toronto. "Drop-in Skating." Modified Sept. 16, 2026. toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-recreation/program-activities/ice-snow-activities/public-leisure-skating

Update log

• Oct. 7, 2026First published.

Related guides

• Things to do in Vancouver, 2026Things to do in Vancouver, checked Oct. 7, 2026: prices, hours and transit from official pages, plus how often locals name each place in 12 r/askvan threads.
• Things to do in Montreal, 2026Montreal places ranked by how often r/montreal locals suggest them, with official hours, Oct. 2026 prices, nearest metro stations, free days and calendars.
• Things to do in Calgary, 2026Calgary places ranked by how often r/Calgary locals suggest them, with official hours, Oct. 2026 prices, CTrain access, free options and events calendars.
• Things to do in Ottawa, 2026Ottawa places ranked by how often r/ottawa locals suggest them, with official Oct. 2026 prices, free museum hours, O-Train stops and this weekend's calendars.
• Best car insurance in Ontario, 2026Ontario car insurers compared on 2026 FSRA rate approvals, the latest customer survey, financial strength ratings and what drivers report after a claim.
• Car insurance in Toronto, 2026Car insurance in Toronto: the GTA average is $2,810 a year, about $234 a month. Why postal codes and car theft push prices up, and how to find a cheaper quote.