Outdoors · Toronto · Canada
6 best outdoor things to do in Toronto
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Geo Swan stitched by Marku1988 This image was created with Hugin ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Toronto Islands, High Park and Evergreen Brick Works. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 16–21 hours across 6 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 16–21 hours
- Areas
- Toronto Harbour, High Park and Don Valley
Outdoors in Toronto
Island · Toronto Harbour
1.Toronto Islands
Take the ferry to Ward's Island in the morning, walk or cycle west along the boardwalk, and return from Centre Island or Hanlan's Point at sunset for skyline photos.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
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Park · High Park
2.High Park
Take Line 2 to High Park station and walk south through the park to Grenadier Pond and the zoo.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Couples
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Park · Don Valley
3.Evergreen Brick Works
Come on a Saturday morning for the market, then walk the valley trails up to the lookout.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Food
- Off the beaten path
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Nature · Scarborough
4.Scarborough Bluffs
Admire the cliffs from below at Bluffer's Park; never climb the eroding cliff faces, which are unstable.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Views
- Photo spot
Garden · Garden District
5.Allan Gardens Conservatory
Visit during the winter or spring flower shows, when the greenhouses are at their most colourful.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · Rouge Valley
6.Toronto Zoo
Plan a full day, wear comfortable shoes and use the seasonal Zoomobile if young children tire.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto Harbour | Toronto Islands | Half a day to a full day |
| High Park | High Park | 2–3 hours |
| Don Valley | Evergreen Brick Works | 2 hours |
| Scarborough | Scarborough Bluffs | 2–3 hours |
| Garden District | Allan Gardens Conservatory | 45 minutes |
| Rouge Valley | Toronto Zoo | Full day |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 4 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Toronto Islands. The longest visit is Toronto Zoo; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Toronto Islands: On summer weekends buy ferry tickets online to skip the ticket-office queue.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Toronto Harbour): Toronto Islands, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (High Park and Don Valley): High Park → Evergreen Brick Works, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Scarborough and Garden District): Scarborough Bluffs → Allan Gardens Conservatory, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Rouge Valley): Toronto Zoo, at least 6 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm days and cooler nights, with peak hotel prices during the film festival in the first half of the month.
- June: highs of 24°C (75°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm, long days and a packed festival calendar make this one of the best months to visit.
- August: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 9 rainy days, very busy crowds. Summer continues; the Caribbean Carnival parade and the CNE fair draw huge crowds.
More of Toronto
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Toronto?
Toronto Islands. A short ferry ride across the harbour, the car-free Toronto Islands have lake beaches, picnic lawns, bike paths, the 1808 Gibraltar Point lighthouse and the Centreville amusement park for young children.
+Which of these are free in Toronto?
High Park, Evergreen Brick Works, Scarborough Bluffs and Allan Gardens Conservatory.