Toronto's Best Free Things to Do
The best genuinely free things to do in Toronto: free museum nights, gardens, waterfront walks, markets and neighbourhoods that cost nothing.
Toronto can be an expensive city, but some of its best experiences cost nothing. These are the free things to do in Toronto that are actually worth your time.
Quick answer: the best free picks
| If you want | Go to | When |
|---|---|---|
| Art | AGO | First Wednesday night of the month, 6 to 9 PM (book ahead) |
| A museum | ROM | Third Tuesday night of the month, 4 to 8 PM (book ahead) |
| A rainy-day refuge | Allan Gardens Conservatory | Year-round, daytime |
| Nature | High Park | Any season; cherry blossoms in spring |
| Street art | Graffiti Alley | Daylight |
| Lake views | The Harbourfront | Any time |
| Neighbourhood life | Kensington Market | Pedestrian Sundays, May to October |
Free things to do in Toronto, starting with the AGO’s free night
The AGO (317 Dundas St W) is free on the first Wednesday of every month, from 6 to 9 PM. It’s one of Canada’s great art museums, with Canadian, Indigenous and European collections in a building redesigned by Frank Gehry.
- Book ahead. Free tickets are released online at 10 AM on the Monday before, and they go fast.
- Under 25? Sign up for the free AGO Annual Pass and get in free any time.
Royal Ontario Museum: free on the third Tuesday night
The ROM is free for everyone on the third Tuesday night of every month, from 4 to 8
PM. You get most of the galleries, from dinosaurs to world cultures.- Book ahead. Walk-ins aren’t available. Free tickets are released two weeks before each date.
- Special exhibitions aren’t included, so check what’s covered before you go.
- Getting there: Museum station on Line 1 is right at the door.
Allan Gardens Conservatory
A Victorian glasshouse in the middle of downtown, full of tropical palms, orchids and cacti. It’s free and open year-round (daytime hours, so check the city’s page before you go). Perfect bad-weather refuge. Give it 45 minutes.
High Park
Toronto’s biggest park covers about 400 acres of trails, ponds and gardens, and it’s completely free. The cherry blossoms in late April or early May are the headline event, but the fall colours, the High Park Zoo and Grenadier Pond are worth the trip any season. Take Line 2 to High Park station.
Graffiti Alley
The laneway running south of Queen West (roughly Portland to Spadina) is covered in building-sized murals that change constantly. Free, open any time, best in daylight. Pair it with a wander along Queen West’s independent shops.
The waterfront walk
The Harbourfront stretch along Queens Quay, from HTO Park west to the Toronto Music Garden, is one of the city’s great free walks. Skyline on one side, lake on the other. Summer brings free concerts and festivals at Harbourfront Centre. In winter, the outdoor rink is free if you bring your own skates.
Distillery District
The Victorian industrial streets of the Distillery are free to wander: cobblestones, galleries and public art. You don’t need to buy anything to enjoy it. Go on a weekday morning to have the lanes nearly to yourself.
Kensington Market
Free to explore, and half the fun is just looking. Our Kensington Market walking guide has the full route. The murals, vintage window-shopping and street life cost nothing. Time it for a Pedestrian Sunday (last Sunday of the month, May to October) when the streets close to cars and turn into a free street festival.
St. Lawrence Market (browsing)
The market is free to enter, and the South Market’s food stalls are a feast for the eyes even if you buy nothing. Saturday is the big day. On most Sundays (not the last of the month), the antique market sets up in the new North Market building. The surrounding Old Town streets are some of the prettiest in the city.
University of Toronto campus
The downtown U of T campus is an open, walkable cluster of 19th-century stone buildings and quiet quads. It’s basically a free architecture tour. Queen’s Park next door is the city’s ceremonial green. Lovely in fall.
Nathan Phillips Square
The square in front of City Hall is home to the big TORONTO sign, and it’s free to visit any time. In winter, the rink under the arches is free to skate on (rentals are available on site). In warmer months, the square hosts free concerts and events. Take Line 1 to Osgoode or Queen and walk a block.
Free things to do by season
- Spring: cherry blossoms in High Park, usually late April or early May.
- Summer: Harbourfront Centre festivals, Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington and outdoor movies in parks.
- Fall: fall colours in High Park and on the U of T campus, plus Nuit Blanche in early October.
- Winter: free skating at Nathan Phillips Square and the Harbourfront rink (bring your own skates there), and warm hours in Allan Gardens.
Free festivals and events
Toronto runs a lot of free festivals. Nuit Blanche is the big one: an all-night contemporary art event, usually on the first weekend of October. Add summer festivals at Harbourfront Centre, outdoor movies in parks and neighbourhood street festivals. Check what’s on during your dates. There’s almost always something. Visiting in October? Several of the city’s historic houses are free to walk through, and a few come with ghost stories. See our guide to Toronto’s most haunted places.
Worth the few dollars (honourable mentions)
Not free, but close: the Toronto Islands ferry ($9.57 round trip for adults) for the city’s best skyline view. Our Toronto Islands ferry guide has the details. The CN Tower area at ground level is also free to walk without a ticket.
Good to know
- “Free” at museums usually means the permanent collection. Special exhibitions may still charge.
- Many free events depend on the weather. Have a backup like Allan Gardens or the AGO.
- Free doesn’t mean empty. The popular free windows (AGO first Wednesdays, Nuit Blanche) draw crowds. Book or arrive early.
Want to see some of these before you go? Come along on our Toronto walks on YouTube.
The best Toronto days mix one paid headline attraction with a string of these. Your wallet will thank you.
Quick answers
Is the ROM free on certain days?
Yes. The Royal Ontario Museum is free on the third Tuesday night of every month, from 4 to 8:30 PM. You need a free ticket booked online, released two weeks ahead, and special exhibitions aren't included.
Is the AGO free on Wednesdays?
The AGO is free on the first Wednesday night of each month, from 6 to 9 PM. Free tickets must be booked online and are released at 10 AM on the Monday before. Visitors under 25 can get in free any time with the free AGO Annual Pass.
What are free things to do in Toronto on a rainy day?
Allan Gardens Conservatory is free and indoors, with tropical plants year-round. St. Lawrence Market is free to browse, and the AGO is free on the first Wednesday night of the month.
Is the High Park Zoo free?
Yes. The animal paddocks at High Park are free to visit, along with the rest of the park's trails, gardens and Grenadier Pond.
What are free things to do in Toronto with kids?
Try High Park and its zoo, the Harbourfront, and the free splash pads and Far Enough Farm petting farm on Centre Island. You'll pay for the ferry, but the island fun is free once you're there.
Sources
- Art Gallery of Ontario: First Wednesday Night Free (opens in new tab)
- City of Toronto: Allan Gardens Conservatory (opens in new tab)
- City of Toronto: Ferry Ticket & Passenger Information (opens in new tab)
- City of Toronto: Nuit Blanche Toronto (opens in new tab)
- Royal Ontario Museum: Third Tuesday Nights Free (opens in new tab)
- City of Toronto: Things to Do on Toronto Island (opens in new tab)
Prices, hours and schedules change. Check the official site before you go. Spot something out of date? Email info@truecitytourism.com. Some links may be affiliate links. Disclosure.