Whether you are planning a date, or need to entertain someone for a day in the city but don’t have any money to do so, there are a lot of cool things that you can do in Toronto without spending a dime! It takes quite a bit of research to find a lot of these things, so we have carefully put together a list of ways to have fun in the city for FREE. We will continue to keep this list updated and if you know anything that we missed, please leave a comment below! Here are some the best fun FREE things you can do in Toronto:
YEAR-ROUND
Free Brewery Tours – Amsterdam Brewery offers a free tour of their brewery every Saturday from 1-5pm and Steamwhistle Brewery offers free tours of their brewery if you check-in using Foursquare for the 1st time
Swimming – The city has many pools around the city where you can swim for free. There are even some indoor pools that are open year round as well as outdoor pools for the summer.
Skating – The city has many outdoor rinks that are open during the winter as well as many indoor rinks open year round!
St. Lawrence Market – Take a walk around the market and sample various items at different vendors.
Harbourfront – There is always something going on at Harbourfront. This website will show you what is happening there today!
Go For A Hike – Here is a list of hiking trails around Toronto.
Distillery District – There is usually something going on in the Distillery District on the weekends, and if not it is still a beautiful area to walk around and snap some pictures.
Free Stand-Up Comedy – Many places around the city offer free stand-up comedy shows. Click this link and find all the listings with FREE in them. For example, The Office Pub has free comedy on Monday nights.
Toronto Events & Festivals – There are lots of events and festivals going on around the city year-round that are free to attend.
Visit A Farmers Market – Free to look at, you only have to pay if you want to buy something!
High Park – There are lots of things to do at High Park. Visit their website to see what is going on.
Visit the Art Gallery – The AGO offers free entry to their permanent collection every Wednesday night from 6-8:30pm.
Riverdale Farm – Toronto’s oldest farm is open year-round and is free to attend.
Bata Shoe Museum – Every Thursday the Bata Shoe Museum offers Pay-What-You-Can nights. The suggested donation is $5, though if you are going through a tough financial time I am sure they won’t mind if you don’t put in anything.
York University Observatory – Free to attend, though donations are appreciated.
Toronto Police Museum – (Small Fee) – $3 for adults and $1 for children
Toronto Public Library – Beyond free books and internet access, the library offers several talks & lectures and classes where you can learn various new things!
Sunlife Museum + Arts Pass – You can get free family access to various museums and venues around the city with this pass. All you need is a library card!
Evergreen Brickworks – There is always lots going on at the brickworks year-round! From farmers markets to special events, the grounds are beautiful for even just walking around.
SUMMER
Go To The Beach – This link will give you information about the various beaches around Toronto.
Visit Toronto Island – (SMALL FEE) – $7 for adults, and less for children will take you on the ferry over to Toronto Island. There you can walk around, head to the beach or run through the free maze.
Soccer – There are plenty of pickup soccer games at parks around the city. Check the parks near you and ask the people playing if you can join in.
Free Outdoor Movies – For the past few years Toronto has offered free outdoor movies at various locations around the city. While there are no plans for 2013 just yet, chances are they will happen again somewhere this year.
Rollerblading / Biking – A great way to keep active and have a great time in the process. My favourite place to go for a bike ride or Rollerblade is along the waterfront where there are many trails to do so.
Play Tennis – Toronto has many tennis courts around the city. All you need is a racket and some balls.
Hang Out At A Park – Trinity Bellwoods is probably the most lively park in Toronto during the summer, but find a park near you and hang out with some friends!
Toronto Garden Tours – Several gardens around the city offer free tours of their garden’s during the summer.
Kensington Market – While you can go exploring in Kensington Market anytime of the year, during the summer months they have pedestrian Sundays where they close the streets down for people to walk around.
Polson Pier – During the summer months you can hang out on their patio and even go for a swim. They also have lots of great activities like a driving range, mini putt, volleyball and more which have costs associated.
WINTER
Tobogganing – What better way to spend a day with some kids then letting them slide down one of the hills at parks around the city during the winter.
Outdoor Skating – The city has many outdoor rinks that are open during the winter. Apparently some rinks offer a DJ on Friday nights!
Other Places To Find Free Stuff / Things To Do
– Red Flag Deals has a whole section on Freebies which occasionally contain things to do.
I am looking to continually build this list, so if there is anything else you can think of please leave a comment below. Thanks!!
Here’s an idea. Enjoy a free lunch-time performance by the Canadian Opera Company. The shows are located at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, a sunny concert hall that is perfect for a brown bag meal!