Toronto Rainy Day Activities: Indoor Plans That Work

The Toronto rainy day activities that actually hold up are the ones you can reach without getting soaked, and downtown stacks most of them within a few blocks of Union Station. Ripley’s Aquarium, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the whole PATH network sit in that cluster, and the Ontario Science Centre’s waterfront location is a streetcar ride away.

The other half of the job is knowing what is closed. A lot of this city’s indoor attractions take Mondays off, which is how people end up standing outside a locked museum in the rain.

Toronto rainy day activities at a glance

Plan	Cost	When it is open
Ripley’s Aquarium	$44 adult plus HST	Daily, usually 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Ontario Science Centre	$15 per visitor, tax in	Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hockey Hall of Fame	$29.95 adult	Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Art Gallery of Ontario	$30 adult, under 25 free	Closed Mondays, late on Wednesday and Friday
Royal Ontario Museum	Varies by date	Closed Mondays, free third Tuesday night
St. Lawrence Market	Free to walk through	Tuesday to Sunday
The PATH	Free	Varies by building

The paid indoor attractions, and what they cost

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, 288 Bremner Boulevard, is the default rainy day pick for a reason. It is open 365 days a year, hours normally run 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and it is indoors from the door onward. Timed tickets are $44 for adults 14 and up, $29 for youth 6 to 13, $12.50 for children 3 to 5 and $29 for seniors 65 and up, all plus HST. Kids 2 and under are free.

Two things worth knowing. Peak hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays, which is exactly when everyone else has the same rainy day idea. And the aquarium runs a Save $5 After 5 offer on evening entry, so a 5 p.m. arrival is cheaper and quieter.

The Ontario Science Centre reopened in 2026 at a temporary home inside Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, while the permanent Ontario Place building is built. General admission is $15 per visitor with tax included, children 2 and under are free, and it runs Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Book the timed ticket online, because slots do sell out. The Space Deck is out of service for maintenance until early November 2026.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is at Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street, which connects straight into the PATH. Admission is $29.95 for ages 14 to 64, $19.95 for youth 4 to 13, $24.95 for seniors 65 and up, and free for 3 and under. Winter, spring and fall hours are daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes on Induction Day, Monday November 9, 2026, plus Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and the Esso Great Hall has partial closures on November 7 and 8 while the Stanley Cup travels.

Pocket Planet Canada, the miniature-Canada attraction formerly called Little Canada, is on the B2 level at 10 Dundas Street East. It runs Sunday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with last entry at 8 p.m., and takes about 90 to 120 minutes. It rebranded recently and sells tickets through a third party, so check the current price on its own site before you go. Booking a timed slot ahead costs less than a walk-up ticket.

If you are planning two or three of the big-ticket places in one trip, read our Toronto CityPASS guide first. The pass includes the aquarium as a flex ticket, which suits weather you cannot predict.

Free and nearly free rainy day plans

Free museum nights. The AGO is free the first Wednesday of every month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the ROM is free the third Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Both want a timed ticket booked online in advance, and both fill up.
tpl:map. With an adult Toronto Public Library card you can reserve a free pass to more than 30 venues, the ROM, the AGO and Ripley’s Aquarium included. Passes drop the first Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m. and go fast. This one is for locals, since it needs a library card.
The Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, is free, open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. The atrium is the draw, and the TD Gallery runs free exhibits.
St. Lawrence Market, 92 to 95 Front Street East, costs nothing to walk through. 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., closed Monday. The Saturday farmers market runs 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Under 25 at the AGO. Ontarians under 25 get free unlimited admission. Past that, the $40 Annual Pass costs $10 more than one $30 adult ticket, so it pays off on the second visit.

More no-cost options, wet weather or not, are in our free things to do in Toronto guide.

How to stay dry getting between them

The PATH is the part visitors underuse. It covers more than 30 kilometres of walkway and connects over 75 buildings and six subway stations, including Union Station, the Eaton Centre, the Hockey Hall of Fame and Scotiabank Arena. The City publishes a downloadable map, which is worth having, because the PATH is easy to get turned around in.

One caveat: there is no single set of PATH hours. Individual buildings set their own, and the network is built around the office workday, so a Sunday morning walk through it will find a lot of shuttered doors. Weekdays are when it works as a route.

Above ground, the subway is the dry option and the streetcar is not, since you still wait on an open platform in the middle of the road. Fares and transfers are covered in our TTC beginner’s guide. If you are driving in instead, the flat evening rates in our downtown parking guide beat circling the block.

What to skip when it rains

The CN Tower. You are buying a view. Low cloud takes it away, and tickets are date specific. Our guide to the cheapest way up the CN Tower explains why buying close to the day beats booking ahead.
The Toronto Islands. A fine cold-weather walk, a poor wet one, with limited shelter once you are off the boat. Check the off-season times in our Toronto Islands ferry guide before committing.
A Monday museum plan. The ROM, the AGO and the Ontario Science Centre are all closed. Ripley’s Aquarium is the Monday answer.
Kensington Market in a downpour. Most of the appeal is the street itself. Save the route in our Kensington Market walking guide for a dry afternoon.

If the forecast is cold as well as wet, our Toronto winter activities guide covers the indoor and outdoor split month by month, and the Toronto visitor FAQ answers the practical questions first-timers ask. How we check prices and hours is on our about page.

Prices, dates and hours were checked in October 2026. Attractions change them, so confirm on the official site before you go.

Quick answers

What are the best things to do in Toronto on a rainy day?

Ripley's Aquarium and the Hockey Hall of Fame are the two easiest downtown picks, both a short walk from Union Station. If you want value over spectacle, the Ontario Science Centre at Harbourfront Centre is $15 a person with tax included.

What can you do in Toronto when it rains for free?

Walk the PATH, browse St. Lawrence Market, spend an afternoon at the Toronto Reference Library, or book a free museum night. The AGO is free the first Wednesday of the month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the ROM is free the third Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

What are the best rainy day activities in Toronto with kids?

The Ontario Science Centre at its Harbourfront Centre location is the best value at $15 per visitor, and kids 2 and under are free. Ripley's Aquarium charges $12.50 for ages 3 to 5 and $29 for ages 6 to 13 plus HST. Both are indoors start to finish.

Is the CN Tower worth it on a rainy day?

Usually not. You are paying for a view, and low cloud can put the observation deck inside it. Keep the tower for a clear day and buy close to the date instead of booking ahead.

Can you get around downtown Toronto without going outside?

Mostly, yes. The PATH runs more than 30 kilometres underground and connects over 75 buildings and six subway stations, including Union Station, the Eaton Centre, the Hockey Hall of Fame and Scotiabank Arena.

Are Toronto museums open on Mondays?

Often not. The ROM, the AGO, the Ontario Science Centre and the St. Lawrence Market South Market are all closed Mondays. Ripley's Aquarium is open 365 days a year, which makes it the reliable Monday option.

Sources

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.