Best Museums in Toronto

"Home to all kinds of interesting and interactive exhibits, the excellent Ontario Science Centre can be found just fifteen minutes’ drive northeast of the center. A fun, family-friendly place to visit, it has plenty of hands-on activities and experiments that shine a light on the fields of science and technology. Since being established in 1969, it has been a firm favorite with adults and children alike due to its informative yet engaging displays and live demonstrations."

"Located to the northeast of the city along the Don Valley Parkway in North York, the Science Centre is known for the featured exhibits, interactive science displays, and an IMAX theatre. They even have a rainforest area which is climate controlled to help grow different plants to discuss ecology. All in all, the Science Centre is a great way to kill a few hours or entertain the kids if you want more ideas!"

"You can opt to visit the Toronto Zoo or the Ontario Science Centre. However, I highly recommend doing a bit of research to see what is happening in the city as Toronto almost always has some kind of event or festival on."

"The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a major public gallery devoted to collecting the art of Canada. Handcrafted buildings set amid 40 hectares of conservation trails contain works by the Group of Seven, as well as by First Nations, Inuit, Métis and other acclaimed Canadian artists. It's a 34km drive from Toronto and totally worth the trip."

"Admittedly, this museum is not directly in Toronto, but rather the village of Kleinburg. Here is what justifies the drive 40 minutes north of Toronto: it is situated in a beautiful woodland setting that will rival any outdoors oriented photo. It also is filled to the brim with a magnificent collection of Canadian and native art."

"Spend your afternoon in the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) where you can see numerous collections of art from around the world and the largest Canadian art collection. There are so many things to do in Toronto so next up is Nathan Phillips Square where you can take a picture with the iconic Toronto sign and see the new city hall. The Old City Hall is just to the right, an old Romanesque building. If you’re visiting in the winter you can go skating in the square for free."

"The AGO is hard to miss: the monumental glass and titanium facade designed by Toronto native son Frank Gehry hovering over the main building…"

"This hidden treasure on Brimley Road might be one of the best insights into how early settlers lived when they arrived in Scarborough, before it became on the biggest suburbs in the 20th century. Set off a series of trails and greenery of the Thomson Memorial Park, this series of four buildings is especially beautiful in the summertime."

"This heritage park is centred around the Historic Baker House which was built in 1953 and gives visitors a glimpse of Upper Canada when it settled when Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe put lots up along Yonge Street for sale. Right next to the house is a large woodlot (Baker's Woods) where you'll often find dog walkers, hikers, and runners. In the woods you'll find an inner and outer circuit that you can take."

"Sugarbush is a beautiful and quiet place to hike right in the Thornhill Woods neighbourhood. It’s stunning all year round, but it’s especially beautiful when the trees are coated in fall colours!. LOCATION: 91 Thornhill Woods Dr, Thornhill, ON"

"Death in Venice is all about unique gelato flavours, and they produce 52 different flavours that change by the seasons. Some of their wildest flavours include Grilled Cheese & Sourdough, Pad Thai, and Corn on the Cob. Don’t worry if you’re not too experimental, though – they’ve got “normal” flavours like Turkish Coffee, Nutella & Cookies, and Peanut Butter & Croissant!"

"Owner Kaya Ogruce opened Death in Venice on Dundas Street West four years ago. The west end ice cream parlour is named after a book of the same name. Ogruce describes the Toronto ice cream shops inspiration, “I wanted to have a culinary business that was not a restaurant."

"Chemical engineer turned gelato magician, Kaya Ogruce whips up flavour combos you could only dream of. They’re often wild, but they work!"

"The majority of the population has definitely heard about “Ca phe sua da” whose origin is from Vietnam – the most reputed South-East agricultural area cultivating raw coffee beans due to the advance of tropical climate and nutritious soils. If you have any tendency to try a cup of this specialty like this, let’s go to the Rustle and Still Cafe. Rustle & Still only serves the cafe that honors the owner’s Vietnamese heritage, with natural coffee beans sourced directly from the country, along with traditional bread and desserts."

"Rustle & Still is an adorable Vietnamese café in Koreatown, and they’re known for their amazing Asian-inspired lattes and Vietnamese bites. Their special combos come with your choices of banh mi and your choice of one of their special drinks. The combos are only available through Uber Eats, and you can use my code “eats-4nci5” for $10 off your first $20 order."

"Goldie is perfectly situated in the heart of Toronto’s bustling King West Strip, nestled in an inconspicuous townhouse with over a hundred years of history. The playful cocktail club/restaurant has done an amazing job at creating a distinct and memorable signature atmosphere that separates it from the masses of Toronto’s many night clubs and is the perfect place to bring a hot date or to order bottle service and club the night away. The downstairs bar and floor feature sit down tables and booths where patrons can order delicious tapas earlier in the evening and transforms into more of a club vibe later on in the night."

"A two-story area including a downstairs bar and a floor with an upstairs area that opens at midnight. The downstairs area has a more casual vibe in the evening that includes tables and booths. Here visitors can order snacks and later enjoy the night in a traditional club."

"Standing elegantly close to the St. Lawrence Market is a building fit to put any other structure in the vicinity to shame. Such is the grandeur and immense presence of the St. Lawrence Hall. This spectacular building took shape in the mid-19th century and was the work of the renowned Anglo-Canadian architect, William Thomas."

"Gooderham isn’t the only action in the St. Lawrence Market area. Frankey points out that St. Lawrence Hall and other buildings are just as remarkable. “People don’t capture [those] because they don’t stop and look up and see the art deco or the renaissance styling on the buildings,” says Frankey."