A Guide to Toronto: The Top 7 Attractions
If you’re looking for a cosmopolitan, prosperous, artistic, vibrant, and free-thinking city, you’ll struggle to find a better option than Toronto. The largest city in Canada—which is home to 6.3 million people—is a hub of the Western world, with half of the city’s population born outside the city.
Toronto is world-famous for its waterfront skyline, iconic CN tower, professional sports teams, museums, restaurants, arts, and business opportunities.
Due to the city’s sheer diversity—you can find any cuisine in the world. Popular districts within Toronto include Little Italy, Danforth, and Chinatown—all offering delicious cuisine and international culture.
Here are the top things to do in Toronto:
1. Visit the CN Tower
The CN tower is—without a shadow of a doubt—the most iconic building in Toronto and Canada. The CN tower stands at an impressive height of 553 meters, towering over the Toronto skyline. The CN Tower's main observation deck has sensational 360-degree views of the city. However, you can go up to the SkyPod which is 33 stories higher than the main observation deck, making it the highest observation deck in the Western hemisphere.
On a clear summer's day, you can see up to 160 km away—including New York State and Niagara Falls. Moreover, the tower sways in the wind, and you can really feel it from the SkyPod. But don’t worry; that’s normal and it won’t collapse.
Address: 290 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3L9, Canada
Website: https://www.cntower.ca/
2. Enjoy the Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is one of the top museums in North America, and it’s the most-visited museum in Canada. Top exhibitions include The Striding Line, Paul Kane’s Sketches, The Mysterious Minoan Bull Leaper, and the White Rhino.
Furthermore, the museum has a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens in 40 exhibition and gallery spaces. Ideally, you should spend an afternoon in this vast museum to take it all in.
Address: 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada
Website: https://www.rom.on.ca/en
3. Check Out Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
Situated in Downtown Toronto, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is only one minute away from the CN Tower and home to 135,000 square feet of aquatic diversity. You’ll find marine life and freshwater habitats from all over the globe. Galleries include the Rainbow Reef, the Canadian Waters, the Discovery Centre, The Gallery, Ray Ban, and Dangerous Lagoon.
The aquarium has 5.7 million liters of marine and freshwater habitats, with over 20,0000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from almost 500 species. The Dangerous Lagoon is the focal point of the center; it includes sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks, roughtail stingrays, long comb sawfish, and green sea turtles.
Address: 288 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3L9, Canada
4. Have Fun at Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s Wonderland is one of the best theme parks in Canada, offering fun to people of all ages. The theme park has 62 attractions, 17 roller coasters, and 2 water rides. Top rides include the Yukon Strike, Behemoth, Flight Deck, Vortex, Thunder Run, Leviathan, and DragonFyre.
In 2019, the theme park was one of the most visited in North America, with over 3.9 million guests attending. Only two theme parks worldwide—Poland’s Energylandia and Six Flags Magic Mountain in California—have more roller coasters than Canada’s Wonderland.
Address: 1 Canada's Wonderland Drive, Vaughan, ON L6A 1S6, Canada
Website: https://www.canadaswonderland.com/
5. Observe Animals at the Toronto Zoo
Located in Scarborough, Toronto, the Toronto Zoo is one of the most popular attractions in Toronto, especially in the summer. The zoo is open every day of the year apart from Christmas Day. With over 5,000 animals and over 460 species, this zoo offers something for everyone.
The Toronto Zoo has spread its animals into various sections—including African, Americas, Eurasia, Indo-Malaya, Australasia, and Canadian Domain sections. The zoo also includes fish and invertebrates spread over 710 acres.
Address: 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7, Canada
Website: https://www.torontozoo.com/
6. The Hockey Hall of Fame
Ice hockey is an integral part of Canadian culture, and the Hockey Hall of Fame is the ultimate showcase of the sport. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, the museum offers exhibits about teams, players, National Hockey League records, NHL trophies, and memorabilia.
First founded in Kingston, Ontario, under the leadership of James T. Sutherland in 1943, it moved to Toronto in 1958 after the NHL withdrew support for the museum. As of 2022, 294 players, 16 on-ice officials, and 113 builders have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Address: 30 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5E 1X8, Canada
Website: https://www.hhof.com/
7. Relax in High Park
Although Toronto can be chilly during the winter, it often has warm days throughout the summer. The best place to relax and enjoy the Toronto sunshine is High Park, the largest public park in Toronto. Spanning over an impressive 160 hectares, it’s an excellent mixture of natural and recreational parks.
The park is only a 15-minute drive by car or public transport from Downtown Toronto, offering countless biking trails, a zoo, a restaurant, hiking spots, hills, and places to play sports. During the winter, you can ski around the park, making it a popular spot for locals and tourists regardless of the time of year.
Address: 1873 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6R 2Z3, Canada
Website: https://www.highparktoronto.com/
Toronto: One of the World’s Best Cities
Toronto is simply one of the best cities in the world for any type of traveler. With its diversity, culture, and outdoor lifestyle, it remains one of the most popular cities in North America.
Toronto isn’t as vast as London and New York, so it’s possible to experience the best the city has to offer in 2-3 days. And that’s why it's such an incredible break for anyone looking to travel to North America.
