Explore the beautiful, dynamic city of Toronto with an array of free things and stuff to do that will make your trip extra fun and memorable!
1. Visit Toronto’sAllen Gardens Conservatory
Get a dose of nature. Lush tropical plants from all over the world like bamboo, palm, banana and citrus trees; all kinds of cacti and stunningly beautiful flowers such as hibiscus, orchids, bromeliads, datura, cuca and more can be found inside.
2. Explore High Park
At 400 acres, it is the largest park in the city of Toronto and is a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Winner. It’s jam-packed with free amazing things like gorgeous gardens, a 35-acre pond for fishing, hiking trails, playgrounds, playing fields–even a zoo, complete with American bison, emu, llamas, wallaby and yaks to name but a few.
3. Visit Riverdale Farm
Located in the middle of the downtown Toronto community of Cabbagetown, this 7.5 acre facility is a working farm, complete with stuff like cows, horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, and vegetable gardens. If the kids are tagging along, there’s a free wading pool for them to cool off. All for free!
4. Take a Tour in The Distillery Historic District
Founded in 1832, formerly known as the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, it was once the largest distillery in the world, producing more than 2 million gallons of whisky per year. Today, it’s a pedestrian-only village and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. Here, you will find 40 buildings that represent the largest collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture, a home to one-of-a-kind boutiques, galleries, studios and restaurants. Stroll along the cobblestone streets and spend the afternoon discovering this National Historic Site. This also became the setting of awesome films like Chicago, X-Men and Cinderella Man.
5. Stroll Through the Habourfront Centre
Along the shores of Lake Ontario, you will find this 10-acre area that boasts a boardwalk along the lake, a marina, a music-themed garden designed by internationally-acclaimed cellist Yo Yo Ma and a variety of free concerts throughout the summer months.
6. Check Out the Lawrence Market
Walk the aisles and take in the sights, sounds and irresistible smells as over 120 vendors display everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, to meats, fish, cheese and scrumptious pies and breads at this TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Winner, the city’s largest market.
7. Explore Kensington Market
This kind of market was originally a British settlement. Today, it is an incredibly diverse neighbourhood made up of over 30 different cultures and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner. It is an oasis of unique shops, thrift stores, fruit stands, food spots and pubs.
8. Discover Toronto’s Chinatown Area
One of the largest Chinatown in North America, wander up and down Spadina Avenue and take everything in including restaurants displaying authentic cuisine like barbecued duck; shops showcasing medicinal herbs, clothing, books, videos and bargain sunglasses; sidewalk stalls hawking fresh vegetables and people buzzing about everywhere.
9. Visit Bata Shoe Museum
You can’t pass up this place, here you will find over 10,000 shoes. Everything from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to footwear of the famous, including: Elton John, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Terry Fox, Roger Federer, Justin Bieber and even a pair of socks worn by Napoleon. Every Thursday between 5:00 and 8:00 P.M. admission is pay-what-you-can.
10. Explore The Gardiner Museum
It is home to over 2,900 striking ceramic pieces of art collected from all over the world. Entrance is free every Friday from 4:00 to 9:00 P.M.
11. Drop by theToronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre
Check out something truly arresting stuff like old weapons, uniforms and a paddy wagon from 1914. Study your fingerprints. Test your knowledge of law and order. Get behind the wheel of a police car or hop on a Harley-Davidson police bike. It’s all yours to discover, free of charge, seven days a week, even on holidays.
12. Spend Time at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
Here, you’ll find stimulating, provocative works by both Canadian and international artists that poke and prod at challenging issues and themes of today. Admission is free.
13. Stop By the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
Billed as Canada’s foremost contemporary gallery, it is home to ambitious thematic and solo exhibitions.
14. Visit theToronto Free Gallery
Here artists from different disciplines–visual artists, architects, film-makers, and more–collaborate to create eclectic works that explore and address everyday issues.
15. Explore theArt Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
Admission is free on Wednesdays between 6:00 to 8:30 P.M. The gallery is home to over 40,000 works, including the largest collection of Canadian art like the works by The Group of Seven, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Salvador Dali, Jackson Pollock, Van Gogh and Matisse, plus be sure to visit the gallery’s thrilling Henry Moore Sculpture Collection.
16. Take a Free Tour
Free Toronto Tour hosted by the Tour Guys Company is a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. This tour is a great intro to Toronto as you will discover the downtown core and the stories behind its famous landmarks. Adventurists offers a Free Toronto Tour also. You can also embark on a self-guided Ghost Tour of the City using the free guide provided by the Toronto Ghosts & Hauntings Research Society.
17. Stroll through Graffiti Alley
Aficionados consider Toronto to be home to some of the best graffiti art in the world. It’s where Canadian comedian Rick Mercer films his ‘rants’ for his popular Canadian TV show “The Mercer Report”.
18. Enjoy a Complimentary Concert or Event
Free concerts and performances are hosted at various locations throughout the City. Yonge & Dundas Square hosts concerts by name acts, cultural celebrations,events and more. You can also catch free concerts at the Canadian Opera Company, Harbourfront, and Mel Lastman Square.
19. Watch Free Films
Grab a blanket or a lawn chair, a bag of popcorn, a cold drink and settle in for a night watching a movie under the stars. Free outdoor film screenings take place in Toronto on Tuesday nights at Harbourfront Centre and at Yonge and Dundas Square. And on Wednesdays the Toronto International Film Festival presents free outdoor screenings too.
20. Take a Free Brewery Tour
The Amsterdam Brewery began brewing craft beer in Toronto and for many Torontonians, “The Amsterdam” has been the go to place for stouts, ales, lagers and seasonal beers ever since. Take a free tour of the Amsterdam BrewHouse to know how they crafted and made fresh daily brews. Catch a tour from Monday to Thursday at 5:00 P.M. and on Fridays at 11:00 A.M. Tours include a free tasting and are about 30 minutes.
21. Hit the Beach
If you’re visiting Toronto in the summer, a day at the beach is the perfect way to unwind and it won’t cost you a dime. Two of the city’s most popular beaches are Cherry Beach and Bluffers Park Beach, both have awesome sunsets.
