Day trips · Toronto · Canada
5 best day trips from Toronto
Where to go when you want a day away from Toronto, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Canmenwalker, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Toronto is Niagara Falls (About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus). The closest option is Niagara Falls, about 130 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Niagara Falls (130 km)
- Most popular
- Niagara Falls
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Falls | 130 km | About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus | GO Transit from Union Station, a coach, or car | First-timers, Families, Couples |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake | 130 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car or tour, often combined with Niagara Falls | Couples, Food lovers, Culture |
| Stratford | 150 km | About 2 hours by car | Car or seasonal coach | Culture, Couples, Quiet stays |
| Prince Edward County | 220 km | About 2.5–3 hours by car | Car | Food lovers, Beach, Couples, Quiet stays |
| Algonquin Provincial Park | 270 km | About 3 hours by car | Car or organised tour | Families, Quiet stays |
The day trips
130 km · About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus
1.Niagara Falls
The Horseshoe Falls drop about 50 metres across the Canada–US border, with the American Falls beside them. Boat trips sail into the spray at the base, and the Journey Behind the Falls tunnels lead to viewing portals beside the curtain of water. The nearby Clifton Hill strip is busy and commercial.
- Getting there
- GO Transit from Union Station, a coach, or car
- Best for
- First-timers, Families, Couples
130 km · About 1.5 hours by car
2.Niagara-on-the-Lake
A preserved 19th-century town of inns, gardens and shops where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, surrounded by wineries known for icewine. The Shaw Festival theatre season usually runs from spring into late autumn.
- Getting there
- Car or tour, often combined with Niagara Falls
- Best for
- Couples, Food lovers, Culture
150 km · About 2 hours by car
3.Stratford
A small town on the Avon River best known for the Stratford Festival, a major repertory season of Shakespeare and musicals that usually runs from spring to autumn. Riverside parks, swans and good restaurants fill the time between matinee and evening shows.
- Getting there
- Car or seasonal coach
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, Quiet stays
220 km · About 2.5–3 hours by car
4.Prince Edward County
An island-like peninsula on Lake Ontario with wineries, farm-to-table restaurants and the long freshwater dunes of Sandbanks Provincial Park. It is a long day from Toronto and better as an overnight stay.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Food lovers, Beach, Couples, Quiet stays
270 km · About 3 hours by car
5.Algonquin Provincial Park
Ontario's best-known wilderness park of lakes, maple forest and canoe routes is famous for autumn colour, usually peaking from late September to early October, and for moose sightings along the Highway 60 corridor. Short trails such as the Lookout Trail make a long day possible, but an overnight stay is better.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- GO Transit trains from Union Station serve the suburbs and, on some services, Niagara Falls, while VIA Rail runs to Montreal and Ottawa.
- For trips over about 300 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Toronto?
Niagara Falls. The Horseshoe Falls drop about 50 metres across the Canada–US border, with the American Falls beside them.
+How long does it take to get from Toronto to Niagara Falls?
About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus — GO Transit from Union Station, a coach, or car, about 130 km.
+How long does it take to get from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake?
About 1.5 hours by car — Car or tour, often combined with Niagara Falls, about 130 km.