7 Activities for Your Toronto Summer Bucket List

This year will be the first time that I’ll be spending the summer months in Toronto instead of in my hometown, Ottawa. I’m very excited to spend my free time exploring the city in the warm temperatures and sunshine. Toronto always has lots of activities to do throughout the year, but the summertime just seems to have a few more fun opportunities. Here are seven things I plan to do this summer that I think you should also consider for your Toronto summer to-do list!

The Royal Ontario Museum (external link, opens in new window)  (ROM) is one of many museums that has its home in downtown Toronto. If you’re looking to get that museum experience while also catching some rays of sunshine and getting your steps in, I recommend taking part in some ROMWalks (external link, opens in new window) ! ROMWalks are held Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings in downtown Toronto. Each week, the walk takes place in a different location with a guide telling the history of whichever location is being highlighted during that walk. I’m looking forward to participating in some of these this summer to learn more about the history of Toronto, as well as just doing some sightseeing! I’m particularly looking forward to the ROMWalks about Queen’s Park and King Street East Newspapers & Newsmakers. One of the best parts about these walks is that no registration is required and they’re free! You just have to show up and walk.

There is something about painting that is just so relaxing and fun. That’s why I can’t wait to go do some pottery painting this summer at The Clay Room (external link, opens in new window) ! The Clay Room is only about 25 minutes away from our campus using public transit, and it’s a great place to be creative while catching up with friends. They have a number of ceramics including cookie jars, mugs and piggy banks that you can customize with your favourite colours. I definitely foresee myself exiting this establishment with a purple unicorn figurine in tow.

One thing I want to do this summer is embrace the outdoors and spend some more time in the sun. Toronto has plenty of parks to spread out a blanket, but my personal favourite is Trinity Bellwoods (external link, opens in new window) . The park is located in West Queen West (external link, opens in new window)  and is surrounded by cool restaurants and cafés if you don’t feel like packing a lunch for your picnic. This is a great opportunity to try the TikTok rainbow picnic challenge (external link, opens in new window)  with your friends or take some time to unwind by yourself with a good book (which is what I usually do!). 

One of my favourite things to do is attend concerts! I haven’t been to a proper concert for a couple of years now, and I’m really excited to get back into it. Luckily for me, it seems like Toronto has some sort of concert going on every single night. I’m looking forward to seeing some big artists this summer, but Toronto is also home to more budget-friendly live music entertainment. Chances are you can catch some free shows at the variety of festivals that take place in the city, in public places like Yonge-Dundas Square (external link, opens in new window)  and the Toronto Music Garden (external link, opens in new window) , or at coffee shops and other similar venues around the city.

I haven’t been to Toronto Island (external link, opens in new window)  since I was really young, and I’m looking forward to making some new memories there this summer. You can get to Toronto Island by taking a ferry from downtown Toronto and enjoying the views of the city skyline on the way there. Once on the island, you can hang out at the beach, try out a maze or grab a meal. This summer I hope to have a picnic there with my friends, hang out on one of the beaches and maybe convince them to take a ride in a canoe! For the Instagram pictures, of course.

The Canadian National Exhibition (external link, opens in new window)  (CNE) is a classic Toronto summertime activity that I can’t wait to attend for the first time! The Exhibition has amusement rides, food, entertainment (including concerts) and shopping — what more could you ask for! This summer, the CNE is taking place from August 19 to September 5. I’m looking forward to taking a ride on a Ferris wheel to see Toronto from up high, catching a concert and grabbing some yummy carnival eats.

Chances are, whatever you’re interested in, Toronto has a festival for that. If you like the arts (including music, theatre and visual art) there’s the Beaches International Jazz Festival (external link, opens in new window) , the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival (external link, opens in new window)  and the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (external link, opens in new window) . Cultural festivals include Taste of the Danforth (external link, opens in new window)  (featuring some delicious Greek food), the Toronto Caribbean Carnival (external link, opens in new window)  and Salsa in Toronto (external link, opens in new window) . For all the foodies out there, there is also a plethora of food-related festivals including the Toronto Food Truck Festival (external link, opens in new window) , Vegandale (external link, opens in new window)  and a number at the Street Eats market (external link, opens in new window)  in Scarborough.

I’m so looking forward to spending the summer in Toronto and trying almost everything the city has to offer. It’s my last summer before graduating university (wild!), and I look forward to taking advantage of it! Once you’ve checked off everything on this Toronto summer bucket list and are wrapping up your summer, be sure to check out our Orientation events before the school year officially starts.