Season guide · Toronto · Canada
Toronto in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
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
Cold and snowy with wind off the lake; skating, holiday markets and indoor museums make the most of it, and hotel prices drop after New Year. Expect highs up to 2°C (36°F) and lows around -7°C (19°F), with about 34 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -7°C (19°F) to 2°C (36°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1°C (30°F) | -7°C (19°F) | 12 | 9.3 h | 2/5 |
| February | 0°C (32°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 10 | 10.4 h | 2/5 |
| December | 2°C (36°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 12 | 8.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 0°C (32°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 34 of the year's roughly 126 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Winterlicious — prix-fixe menus at hundreds of restaurants (usually from late January)
- February: Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown and the suburbs (January or February)
- February: Family Day — Ontario public holiday (third Monday of February)
- December: Distillery Winter Village (usually until late December)
- December: New Year's Eve concert and fireworks at Nathan Phillips Square
Good choices for winter
Museum · The Annex
Bata Shoe Museum
Combine it with the ROM, a short walk east along Bloor Street.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Don Mills
Aga Khan Museum
Opened in 2014, the Aga Khan Museum presents the arts of Muslim civilisations from Spain to China — manuscripts, ceramics, textiles and scientific instruments — in a white granite building by Fumihiko Maki, set in formal gardens with reflecting pools.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Garden · Garden District
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
Aquarium · Entertainment District
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
At the foot of the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium holds around 20,000 animals, with a moving walkway through the Dangerous Lagoon shark tunnel, a gallery of glowing jellyfish and touch pools of rays and horseshoe crabs.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Yorkville
Royal Ontario Museum
Start with the dinosaur gallery before school groups arrive, then pick two or three other galleries rather than trying to see everything.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Prince Edward County (About 2.5–3 hours by car) — An island-like peninsula on Lake Ontario with wineries, farm-to-table restaurants and the long freshwater dunes of Sandbanks Provincial Park.
- Algonquin Provincial Park (About 3 hours by car) — 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.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Toronto?
It is a trade-off: Cold and snowy with wind off the lake; skating, holiday markets and indoor museums make the most of it, and hotel prices drop after New Year. The best months overall are May–October.
+What is the weather like in Toronto in winter?
Highs of up to 2°C (36°F) and lows around -7°C (19°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.