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Tours, tickets and day trips

The best things to do in Toronto

The CN Tower, Casa Loma, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Toronto Islands and a day at Niagara Falls. Here is what to book and what to skip, with honest advice on what is worth the price, what you can cancel and how to dodge the worst queues.

See our picks
The CN Tower and downtown Toronto seen across Lake Ontario on a winter day, with snow along the shore
Short answer

Start your Toronto visit at the CN Tower, then pick Casa Loma or the Royal Ontario Museum. Take the ferry to the Toronto Islands, and keep a full day for Niagara Falls. On their own sites, the CN Tower costs CA$47 per adult before tax, and the island ferry CA$9.57 return. Every ticket we list can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead. Tickets bought on cntower.ca are final sale.

Our 8 picks for Toronto

Four tickets for the big sights, three trips to Niagara Falls and a meal cruise on the harbour. All eight show free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide.

  • Casa Loma’s grey stone towers under a clear blue sky from €29 per person Our top pick

    1-day ticket 4.6 (3,549) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Casa Loma entry ticket

    The castle’s official ticket, valid for one day. It includes the Sir Henry Pellatt film, the antique car display and an optional audio guide app. There are stairs, and strollers are not allowed. Children under 3 go free with an adult.

    Best for History and photos

    Check availability: Casa Loma entry ticket on GetYourGuide
  • The top of the CN Tower, its pod lit pink and purple, against a pale sky from €34 per person

    1 h 30 min 4.8 (60) reviews on GetYourGuide

    CN Tower ticket, Main & Lower Observation Levels

    The tower’s official ticket for the Main and Lower Observation Levels, with the Glass Floor and the Outdoor Terrace. It does not include The Top. You skip the ticket line, but you still join the security line. Large bags are not allowed.

    Best for The view, on a first visit

    Check availability: CN Tower ticket, Main & Lower Observation Levels on GetYourGuide
  • A red tour boat in the mist below the Horseshoe Falls from €48 per person

    10 hours–1 day 4.7 (4,324) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Niagara Falls day tour with boat and Journey Behind the Falls

    A coach day trip with pickup from 10 points in downtown Toronto and Mississauga. You get 3 to 4 hours at the Falls, all on the Canadian side, so no passport is needed. Package 1 is the guide and the coach. The boat comes in packages 2 and 3, and Journey Behind the Falls in package 3. Lunch is not included.

    Best for Niagara without driving

    Check availability: Niagara Falls day tour with boat and Journey Behind the Falls on GetYourGuide
  • Sharks swimming over a glass underwater tunnel in an aquarium, lit bright blue from €30 per person

    4.6 (2,358) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada ticket

    The aquarium’s official ticket, good for one entry any time on the date you book. It includes the dive shows and the stingray touch pools. The listing suggests coming before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to miss the crowds. Entry from 5 p.m. costs less.

    Best for Families and rainy days

    Check availability: Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada ticket on GetYourGuide
  • A long-necked dinosaur skeleton on display in a museum hall from €17 per person

    1-day ticket 4.6 (1,582) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Royal Ontario Museum ticket

    The museum’s official admission ticket, valid for one day. Special exhibits are included only if you pick that option. Food, drinks and large bags are not allowed in the galleries.

    Best for History and culture indoors

    Check availability: Royal Ontario Museum ticket on GetYourGuide
  • A cruise boat on the harbour in front of the CN Tower and downtown Toronto at sunset from €47 per person

    2–2.5 hours 4.5 (1,593) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Harbour cruise with lunch, brunch or dinner

    A 2 to 2.5-hour cruise with a plated lunch or dinner, or a weekend brunch buffet. It leaves from 207 Queens Quay West. Boarding starts an hour before, and late arrivals cannot board. Drinks and tips are extra.

    Best for A meal on the water

    Check availability: Harbour cruise with lunch, brunch or dinner on GetYourGuide
  • Niagara Falls lit in pink, green and yellow at night from €54 per person

    10 hours 4.7 (782) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Niagara Falls day and evening tour

    A 10-hour tour from downtown Toronto or Mississauga that stays until the Falls are lit up. The boat is an option from about May 8 to November 30. When it is closed, you get the Power Station and Tunnel instead. It is not suitable for wheelchair users.

    Best for The Falls lit up at night

    Check availability: Niagara Falls day and evening tour on GetYourGuide
  • The Horseshoe Falls seen from high above, with a boat on the river below from €25 per person

    30 minutes–7 hours 4.0 (702) reviews on GetYourGuide

    Niagara Falls boat, Journey Behind the Falls and Skylon Tower

    For visitors already at the Falls. Pick from 8 options, from 30 minutes to 7 hours, with the boat, Journey Behind the Falls and the Skylon Tower deck. There is no pickup. You meet inside the Skylon Tower, at the coffee shop by the front desk.

    Best for Already staying at the Falls

    Check availability: Niagara Falls boat, Journey Behind the Falls and Skylon Tower on GetYourGuide

Every Toronto guide

Each guide compares the tours and tickets for one sight, activity or day trip, with official prices first.

CN Tower & city sights

Niagara Falls & day trips

Food, waterfront & planning

Toronto tours and tickets compared

Toronto tours and tickets compared
Tour or ticketFromDurationWho it suitsWhy we picked it
Casa Loma entry ticket 4.6 (3,549)€29
per person		1-day ticketHistory and photosThe castle’s own ticket, sold on GetYourGuide, so you can cancel it.
CN Tower ticket, Main & Lower Observation Levels 4.8 (60)€34
per person		1 h 30 minThe view, on a first visitYou can cancel it up to 24 hours ahead. Tickets bought on cntower.ca are final sale.
Niagara Falls day tour with boat and Journey Behind the Falls 4.7 (4,324)€48
per person		10 hours–1 dayNiagara without drivingThe most reviews of our eight picks, and you choose how much is included.
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada ticket 4.6 (2,358)€30
per person		Not statedFamilies and rainy daysIt sits next to the CN Tower, so both fit in one day.
Royal Ontario Museum ticket 4.6 (1,582)€17
per person		1-day ticketHistory and culture indoorsA full day indoors, at the lowest price of our eight picks.
Harbour cruise with lunch, brunch or dinner 4.5 (1,593)€47
per person		2–2.5 hoursA meal on the waterA relaxed way to mark a birthday or a date, with the skyline in view.
Niagara Falls day and evening tour 4.7 (782)€54
per person		10 hoursThe Falls lit up at nightThe only pick that keeps you at the Falls after dark.
Niagara Falls boat, Journey Behind the Falls and Skylon Tower 4.0 (702)€25
per person		30 minutes–7 hoursAlready staying at the FallsPick only the parts you want, from 30 minutes up.
  • None of the eight picks states a group size.
  • Only the two Niagara coach tours pick you up, from points in downtown Toronto and Mississauga. The Skylon Tower option meets inside the tower, and the tickets are used at the sight.
  • All 8 offer free cancellation.
  • Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Our top 10

Top tourist attractions in Toronto, Canada

The big sights first. Each one shows what it costs and, where it helps, the tour or ticket we would book.

Toronto visitor attractions you can see in one day

Four of these sit close together downtown. The CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium stand side by side on Bremner Boulevard, and the SkyWalk leads to them from Union Station. The Hockey Hall of Fame is at 30 Yonge Street, and St. Lawrence Market is on Front Street East.

  1. The CN Tower and the domed stadium beside it, seen across the water on a sunny day

    The CN Tower

    The tower is 553 m tall and opened in 1976. The Main Observation Level is 346 m up, with the Glass Floor one level below. It is open all year, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with last entry at 9 p.m.

    Our pick: CN Tower ticket, Main & Lower Observation Levels, from €34 per person

  2. Jellyfish lit pink and purple in a dark aquarium tank

    Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

    The aquarium stands next to the CN Tower, at 288 Bremner Boulevard. Timed tickets give you a one-hour entry window. Ripley’s suggests at least two to three hours inside.

    Our pick: Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada ticket, from €30 per person

  3. The front of Casa Loma, a grey stone castle with a tall tower and arched windows, under a blue sky

    Casa Loma

    Sir Henry Pellatt began his castle home in 1911, and it took three years to build. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30. Adults pay CA$45 before HST on its own site.

    Our pick: Casa Loma entry ticket, from €29 per person

  4. A corner of the Royal Ontario Museum's angular crystal-shaped wing, with metal panels and glass strips against a blue sky

    The Royal Ontario Museum

    The ROM opens 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closes on some Mondays, so check its calendar. It is free for everyone from 4 to 8:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. St. George is the closest subway stop.

    Our pick: Royal Ontario Museum ticket, from €17 per person

  5. Downtown Toronto and the CN Tower across the harbour, seen from a shore with bare willow trees

    The Toronto Islands

    City ferries run all year from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, 9 Queens Quay West. An adult return costs CA$9.57. No public cars are allowed on the islands, so you walk or cycle.

    No tour needed: the city ferry is CA$9.57 return.

  6. Cartons of raspberries and blueberries on a market stall

    St. Lawrence Market

    The South Market is open Tuesday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Upstairs, Carousel Bakery calls its peameal bacon sandwich world-famous.

    No tour needed. Closed on Mondays.

  7. A cobbled street between red-brick buildings in the Distillery District

    The Distillery District

    A 13-acre walking district of cobblestone streets at 55 Mill Street. It began in 1832 as the Gooderham & Worts distillery. It is open 364 days a year.

    No tour needed.

  8. A large street-art mural of a panda face and an alligator on a Toronto wall

    Kensington Market

    A National Historic Site of Canada: about 27 hectares of narrow streets just west of Spadina Avenue. Small shops sell food, spices and clothes from many cultures.

    No tour needed.

  9. People playing hockey on a frozen lake below a snowy mountain

    The Hockey Hall of Fame

    The Hall is at 30 Yonge Street, in Brookfield Place. It calls itself the Stanley Cup’s permanent home. General admission is CA$29.95 plus tax.

    No tour needed.

  10. Green water pouring over the edge of the Horseshoe Falls

    A day at Niagara Falls

    The Falls are about 130 km from Toronto, about 1.5 hours by car. Traffic can double that at rush hour. The boat to the foot of the Falls runs from April to November.

    Our pick: Niagara Falls day tour with boat and Journey Behind the Falls, from €48 per person

Toronto tour attractions: what is better with a guide

Niagara Falls is the trip where a tour helps most. You skip the drive, and a day tour gives you 3 to 4 hours at the Falls.

The coach tours we list stay on the Canadian side, so you don’t need a passport. Lunch is not included.

On your own, the drive takes about 1.5 hours each way. It can take twice as long at rush hour or on weekends.

A harbour cruise with a meal suits a special day. It lasts 2 to 2.5 hours from 207 Queens Quay West, and drinks are extra.

Most city sights need no guide. The CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and the Royal Ontario Museum are tickets, not tours.

Fun things to do in Toronto

For fun, stand on the CN Tower’s Glass Floor, take the ferry to the islands or see the sharks at Ripley’s after 5 p.m.

The Glass Floor is on the Lower Observation Level, 342 m up.

The island ferry costs CA$9.57 return for adults. No public cars are allowed on the islands.

Ripley’s takes CA$5 off tickets for visits that start from 5 p.m.

In summer, Centreville Amusement Park on the islands has over 30 rides. The park’s FAQ says it opens May to September, weather permitting. Entry is free, and you pay for the rides.

Toronto fun attractions for a rainy day

These big sights are all indoors:

  • The Royal Ontario Museum: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed on some Mondays.
  • Ripley’s Aquarium: timed tickets with a one-hour entry window.
  • The Hockey Hall of Fame: open daily, from 10 a.m. most of the year.
  • Casa Loma: open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Canadian things to do in Toronto

For something truly Canadian, see the Stanley Cup, tour the hockey and basketball arena and eat a peameal bacon sandwich.

The Hockey Hall of Fame calls itself the Stanley Cup’s permanent home. General admission is CA$29.95 plus tax.

Scotiabank Arena’s Classic Tour costs CA$40 for adults. It can include the Leafs’ and Raptors’ locker rooms, but not on their home game days.

Peameal bacon is also called Canadian bacon. Carousel Bakery at St. Lawrence Market calls its sandwich world-famous.

Butter tarts are another Canadian classic, sold at many Toronto bakeries.

Near Niagara, try Icewine. It is made from grapes that freeze on the vine and are picked below −8 °C.

Two people seen from behind waving small Canadian flags, the CN Tower behind them

Tourist things to do in Toronto in November and winter

In November and winter, go up the CN Tower, walk the Distillery Winter Village and see Niagara Falls lit up at night.

Dress warm. November averages 5.2 °C, and January −3.5 °C.

The CN Tower is open all year. On some days in November and December, the Main Observation Level keeps shorter hours.

The Distillery Winter Village opens on 12 November 2026, the market’s site says. Entry is free before 4 p.m. every day. From 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, you need a ticket.

Niagara’s Winter Festival of Lights runs from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, and it is free.

Some things close for winter. The Niagara boat runs April to November, and Centreville’s rides are closed until spring. Casa Loma’s site lists its Lower Gardens as closed for the season.

Booking tips

  1. Book the CN Tower first

    Timed tickets go on sale up to 30 days ahead. Book your time slot, then plan the rest of the day around it.

  2. Check where the link goes

    The CN Tower’s own tickets are final sale. The ticket we list on GetYourGuide can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead.

  3. Beat the queues

    At the CN Tower you skip the ticket line, but not security. CityPASS suggests going before 11 a.m. or after 7 p.m. At Ripley’s, the listing suggests before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

  4. Mind the Mondays

    The Royal Ontario Museum closes on some Mondays, and St. Lawrence Market closes every Monday.

  5. Prices are before tax

    Most Toronto prices are shown before tax. Ontario’s HST adds 13% when you pay.

  6. Plan for tips

    Tip 15 to 20% at restaurants and on tours, on the bill before tax.

Questions people ask about Toronto

What are the best things to do in Toronto?
Start with the CN Tower, then Casa Loma or the Royal Ontario Museum. Add Ripley’s Aquarium, the Toronto Islands, St. Lawrence Market, the Distillery District, Kensington Market and the Hockey Hall of Fame. Keep a full day for Niagara Falls.

What are some fun things to do in Toronto?
Stand on the CN Tower’s Glass Floor, 342 m up. Take the city ferry to the islands for CA$9.57 return. Visit Ripley’s after 5 p.m. for CA$5 off. Centreville’s rides open May to September, its FAQ says.

What can I do in Toronto in November?
Go up the CN Tower, which is open all year. The Distillery Winter Village opens on 12 November 2026, and Niagara’s free Winter Festival of Lights starts on 14 November. Pack warm clothes: November averages 5.2 °C. The Niagara boat stops after November.

When is the best time to visit Toronto?
June to September, if you want warm days and every attraction open. July is the warmest month, at 22.5 °C on average, and January the coldest, at −3.5 °C. Rain or snow falls in every month. Lifeguards watch the beaches from June to September.

Where should I stay in Toronto?
For a first visit, stay downtown near the CN Tower. Old Town by St. Lawrence Market suits food lovers, and a Pearson airport hotel suits an early flight. Our guide Where to stay in Toronto compares six areas.

More Toronto tours on GetYourGuide

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Sources (35)

Written by the Best Travel Destinations editorial team.