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Things to  Do in Toronto in the Winter

Winter in Toronto is frosty, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun. Stay warm by visiting some of the city’s top attractions and hottest (or iciest) events for the 2024/2025 winter season.

To help you plan your urban explorations, here are the best things to do in Toronto in winter from a warm-blooded local’s point of view.

Toronto Winter Temperature

While the temperature in Toronto in winter can dive down to a piercing -20C (-4F) or lower, don’t worry. The average winter temp is more like -4C (25F).

Whether you’re in Toronto for one day or you live here year round, these top winter festivals and activities will help you discover the best of it.

Go Skating and Make It a Party

Due to my husband’s obsession with hockey and all things ice, we go skating. A lot.

I’m still always the worst skater on the ice, but on the plus side I get to spend time outdoors and explore different areas of Toronto as we check out different rinks.

Skating at Nathan Phillips Square – Toronto’s Answer to the Rockefeller Center

The most popular rink with leisure skaters is the rink at Nathan Phillips Square, a bustling skating venue with music and a carnival atmosphere.

It’s great for visitors to Toronto as skate rentals are available, and it has a central location right at City Hall at 100 Queen St. West.

Open Nov 23, 2024, for the Toronto winter season with skate rentals starting November 25.

The Bentway Trail – The Coolest Place to Skate

The more recently built Bentway Trail, a 1.75 km figure eight skating path under the Gardiner Expressway, is the place getting all the buzz these days, and we hesitated before checking it out.

“Who wants to skate under an expressway?” asked my husband when I badgered him into going, but this urban chic hotspot (or should I say cold spot?) is actually really fun. 

Located right by the Fort York National Historic Site, the Bentway runs east of the Fort York Visitor Centre at 250 Fort York Blvd.

Skating starts December 21, 2024. Check the website for times.

Harbourfront Rink Returns for 2024/2025

After public outcry when they closed the rink last year at Harbourfront, an iconic Toronto winter attraction, they’ve relented and we’re good for the 2024/2025 winter season.

This popular Toronto rink overlooking Lake Ontario will be opened this season. It’s projected to open the last week of November and run until mid March 2025.

So get down to the waterfront and put your dancing skates on! Yes, there is music to skate by. Check the website for details.

Location: 235 Queens Quay West.

Head to the Distillery Winter Village Christmas Market

The Distillery District is a cobblestoned collection of Victorian industrial buildings including a historic distillery and plenty of brick facades.

These days it’s a pedestrian leisure destination filled with galleries, artsy boutiques and restaurants.

It really ramps up during the winter with the Christmas Market, but even if you miss the holiday festivities, it’s still a fun place to go on a chilly day.

Toronto’s Most Popular Christmas Market

While the Distillery Winter Village is no longer officially called a Christmas Market, that’s exactly what it is. I mean, why would Santa be there otherwise?

Don’t miss the Dior-designed tree, a 55-foot silver fir tree from Drysdale Farm; along with roaming elves; festive lights; and tantalizing ‘food cabins.’ (Is that the sophisticated term for food stall?)

New this year is an indoor Santa’s Village and a North Pole post office, so start writing your wish list now.

Distillery’s Sound and Light Show at the Illuminarium

We love light shows in the winter, and an interactive journey at the Illuminarium at the Distillery is one way to get your fix. 

Whether your interactive journey takes you into a  Winterland or a World of Wonder, these larger-than-life shows are sure to entertain. You can get tickets on the Illuminarium website here.

Shopping at the Distillery

Of course holiday shopping plays a big part in a Distillery winter visit.

You’ll find an array of artisanal gifts to buy for your nearest and dearest at the market stalls (sorry, I mean cabins) as well as in the chic shops that are located at the Distillery District year round.

Is the Distillery Winter Village Free?

You can go to this popular Toronto Christmas market for free sometimes. But not very often. 

• Generally Mon, Tues and Wed are free, at least until Dec 12. From Dec 12 to Dec 31 every day requires a ticket after 4 p.m.
• On weekends after 4 p.m. Thursday to Sun you’ll need a ticket.
• After New Year’s it’s free.
• Jan 5, 2025 is the last day.

Check the schedule and buy a ticket beforehand on the Distillery Winter Village website. 

PS: ONLINE TICKETS ARE NECESSARY. No tickets at the door.

Getting to the Distillery District

While the Distillery District is not right downtown, it’s not hard to get to by public transportation.

I usually take the King Street streetcar east from downtown to Parliament, then walk south to Mill Street. Or it’s a twenty minute walk east along the Esplanade from Union Station.

Canada’s Wonderland WinterFest

Right, so it’s a smidge outside Toronto, but close enough to include in our winter things to do in Toronto list anyway.

Canada’s Wonderland – which is a hulking big amusement park in Vaughan – celebrates WinterFest from November 16, 2024 until Jan 4, 2025.

It’s a .. wait for it … winter Wonderland indeed.

Where else can you skate on Snow Flake Lake, cruise International Street to watch the two 50-foot Christmas trees get lit up (5:30 pm daily), and you know, go on rides and stuff?

Bonus: Even after WinterFest is over, you can still go on rides and stuff.

 

Visit a Chocolate Factory for a Spicy Hot Chocolate

Not all of the top things to do in Toronto in winter take place outside. In a sub zero city like ours, hot chocolate has been elevated to an art, and there are some great places to try it.

Soma Chocolate

Local favourite Soma has opened up a new spot for chocolate tastings called Cacao Bean Lab at 77 Brock Ave.

But don’t worry: It’s two other locations are still going strong at 443 King Street West and the Distillery District.

Time for a Mayan hot chocolate with cayenne, ginger and orange peel anyone?

 

Check Out the York Ice Trail in 2025

When: Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd February 2025, from 10:30 a.m.

Step into the heart of York, where the city’s historic streets transform into a glittering wonderland during the York Ice Trail 2025.

This year’s theme, “Origins”, invites you to uncover tales of ancient legends and York’s fascinating past by following the trail to unlock hidden secrets and compete for exciting prizes.

See breathtaking ice sculptures, watch live carving demonstrations, and take part in interactive experiences perfect for all ages.

And by the way, I had to learn how to ice carve for a TV show once, and it truly is an impossible art form – at least for me.

Stop by the Visit York Information Centre on Parliament Street for information.

Enjoy Holiday Lights in Yorkville

Year-round, the swanky area of Yorkville is a hot destination for visitors to Toronto.

It’s my ‘hood so I’m biased, but it really is a great place to hang out and people watch. You’ll find lots of la-de-dah art galleries, the high-end Hazelton Village Mall and the most urban of urban parks.

Yorkville likes to celebrate the winter season right, so expect spectacular lights and strolling Carol singers through December.

And, for something new, head to Bloor Street West between Church Street and Avenue Road where you’ll find urban benches that light up like campfires. Sounds sizzling.

See Classic Winter Landscapes at the Art Gallery of Ontario

Get a different perspective on winter in Toronto, and see how Canada’s snowy scenes have inspired artists over the years at the Art Gallery of Ontario on Dundas Street. 

The AGO is one of the top Toronto tourist attractions and their Thomson Collection is a fab collection of Canadian landscapes.

Seeing some of the AGO’s winter-themed artwork will help you (at least it helps me) see winter in a more positive light.

And I need as much positive light on winter in TO as I can get, otherwise I wouldn’t leave my apartment until spring.

Check out classics such as Paul Kane’s Scene in the Northwest – A Portrait from 1845, or one of the glacial mountainous scenes by superstar Lawren Harris.

Celebrity Alert: Lawren Harris is part of the Group of Seven, Canada’s most famous group of landscape painters. His work is a big favourite with actor Steve Martin, which puts Harris firmly on the celeb artist hot list.

 

Check Out the Dinosaurs at the Royal Ontario Museum

Ah, back before the glaciers covered the earth, tropical forests covered much of the land we now call Canada and dinosaurs roamed. 

Harken back to those warmer eons with a trip to the Royal Ontario Museum, one of the most popular Toronto points of interest.

The ROM has one of the most comprehensive collections of dinosaur skulls in the world, including a triceratops and a helmet-crested Corythosaurus.

And who doesn’t want to see a helmet-crested Corythosaurus?

If you’re looking for things to do in winter in Toronto with kids, this is your place.

The big draw, (I mean, really big), is Gordo, a massive Barosaurus skeleton, one of only three complete Barosaurus skeletons on display in the world.

Other dino highlights to give you the Jurassic shivers are duck-billed dinosaurs, a flying Quetzalcoatlus and the museum’s most famous fossil skeleton, the tube-crested Parasaurolophus walkeri.

Bonus points if you can spell any one of those.

 

Tramp Out To Some Top Toronto Nature Spots

Getting out in nature is when the beauty of a Toronto winter really shines. Here are a couple of top destinations to wander through.

Toronto Islands

While the Toronto Islands are a much-loved destination in summer, they’re great for winter excursions, too. Frozen lagoons, waterfront walks and skyline views – what more do you need? The ferries go year round.

High Park

High Park is one of my main go-to nature destinations when the temperature drops.

Take a walk along Grenadier Pond. If the ice is frozen you can watch the skaters, or stroll the trails along the pond to marvel at the plucky duck families somehow staying warm.

Steam Up At a Spa

When the bitter winds get too much, sometimes you need to soak out the shivers. A good place for this is at one of Toronto’s top spas that has amenities such as a steam room, hot tub or pool.

If you’re going with your significant other, the co-ed lounge at the oddly-named Spa My Blend by Clarins spa at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto is a tranquil way to cozy up.

It’s as ritzy as the Ritz can get, with (segregated) amenities such as an aroma-infused hot tub, sauna and eucalyptus steam room.

There are plenty of other options for Toronto spas with jacuzzis and saunas, including the more affordable Elmwood Spa, a long running spa that’s been a fixture on Elm Street just off Yonge Street forever.

Winterlicious – Eat Well For Less

When: January 31 to February 13, 2025

One of the most satisfying things to do in Toronto in winter is to eat. After all, without fat stores in our body how would we stay warm?

The solution? Winterlicious.

What is it? Winterlicious is a long-running food fest that gives hungry patrons a chance to fuel up at some of the city’s best restaurants at a reasonable price.

Meals are prix fixe, meaning you pay a set price for a set menu, and many restaurants offer both lunch and dinner.

The top restaurants fill up fast, so book as early as you can. But with some 200 restaurants participating you’re sure to find something.

Once booking opens you’ll be able to reserve your Winterlicious table here.

Cheer On the Maple Leafs At a Hockey Game

My husband says I have to include this so I am. For a truly iconic winter in Toronto experience you can check out a Maple Leafs game at the Scotiabank Arena at 40 Bay Street.

If you can’t get tickets you can stand around and freeze amidst the lively communal sports spirit at Maple Leaf Square, the outdoor public square where games are broadcast live on the 80 by 50 foot screen.

My husband says I have to include this, too: For a less-crowded more affordable experience you can check out a AHL game with the Toronto Marlies.

He started telling me about other leagues as well, but I got tired of writing about hockey.

See the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame

Okay, since we’re on a roll, here’s one more hockey-themed thing to do in Toronto.

Why not head down to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Front Street, where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about Canada’s most beloved sport, and see where the Stanley Cup lives when it’s not on tour.

See the Winter Views From the Top of the CN Tower

Sometimes I think winter is best viewed from a distance.

(My preference would be from a Bahamas-style distance but hey, this is an article about great Toronto winter activities, so let’s ignore the visions of palm trees in my head.) After all, a Toronto-sized distance can be fun, too.

Soaring up the 1,815-foot (553-metre) CN Tower, the ninth tallest building in the world, will give you a new perspective on all this cold weather.

You can ride up a glass-fronted elevator, stand on a glass floor, look out panoramic glass windows and go glassy eyed looking out over our icy Ontario landscape.

CN Tower’s 360 Restaurant

You can also dine in style. Canadian cuisine is on the menu at the revolving 360 Restaurant. The winter menu includes many of Canadian’s finest products and dishes such as Ontario Half Rack of Lamb, East Coast Poached Lobster and Arctic Char Crudo.

Get Your Chills and Thrills With the Edge Walk

If a Toronto outdoor adventure is more your style you can boost the chill factor by tackling the CN Tower’s Edge Walk, a hands-free walk on the ledge that encircles the tower at a mere 116 stories up.

The Edge Walk is one of the most adrenalin-inducing things to do in Toronto during winter I can think of. But I still really want to do it. The fear alone is guaranteed to heat up your blood.

Toronto Indoor Activities – Get Lost In the Path

I know I should be all stalwart and proud to embrace winter but I really hate being cold. This may be one of the most unsung places to visit in Toronto in winter, but when I need exercise and can’t face wind, snow or sleet, I head to the Path.

What is the Path?

The Path is a pedestrian walkway that snakes underneath downtown and the Financial District.

Covering some 30 km of underground passageways, it’s a labyrinth of shops, restaurants and connects to office buildings, hotels (the Sheraton, for one), subway stations and Maple Leaf Square.

With 125 access and exit points, you can always pop up an escalator to see where you are, which is probably nowhere near where you think.

Best Route for the Path

I usually start at Union Station subway station and amuse myself by trying to find my way to the Eaton’s Centre through the extensive underground paths that burrow under the financial district.

It took me a year to figure out how to make it successfully from Union Station to the Eaton’s Centre, a toasty warm downtown mall, but now I’ve forgotten, so I have that exciting challenge facing me again this year.

Do I know how to have fun during winter or what?

Winter in Toronto Wrap Up

This is only the tip of the city-berg. There are new restaurants, intriguing museums, and world-class events to explore.

Hopefully the popular winter activities in Toronto listed here will kickstart your enjoyment of the season and help your celebrate, rather than slog through, the snowy season.

If You Miss the Christmas Market at the Distillery

If you missed the holiday events, but it’s still a chilly winter, head for the Distillery anyway as there is a lot to do.

Where To Eat at the Distillery

If you crave some French flair (not to mention French fare), stop in at Cluny Bistro on Tank House Lane, one of my favourite Distillery restaurants, for some small plate sharing like Asparagus Fondu and Baked Brie Brûlée.

Drink

If you’re thirsting for liquid, opt for a Hot Date Latte at Arvo or a weekend sake tasting at the tasting bar for the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company at 51 Gristmill Lane. (Reservations required.)

Shop

Check out the latest contemporary photography at Jane Corkin Gallery then get crafty with a scented candle workshop at YUMMI Candles.

You can also stock up on warm winter clothing and bags at Hoi Bo – a sustainable fashion company that made the Distillery its first home.