Ontario’s fall season may be the most beautiful in the whole country. With brilliant colours, golden light and often picture-perfect weather, September/October in this province can be truly breathtaking. Lucky for Torontonians, you don’t need to travel far from downtown to get a dose of autumnal beauty. Set out for a meander around any one of the following spots in the city to take in the sensory delights of the season.
Here are some of the top spots in Toronto to see fall colours.
David A. Balfour Park
It’s hard to believe this picturesque, 20.5-hectare ravine-lined park exists in the heart of the city. Near Yonge and St. Clair, David A. Balfour Park is one of the largest – and most stunning, green spaces downtown, which was recently completely revitalized and newly opened to the public. There are fountains, reflecting pools and gardens, and creekside trails that lead into the ravine and connect to the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail. It’s got everything you need to experience the beauty of the season, right downtown.
Glen Stewart Ravine
Within walking distance of busy Queen Street East and Kingston Road in the Beaches, an elevated boardwalk runs through 1.3km of a secluded, leafy forest, where red oak and maple trees blaze red and orange in the fall. The Glen Stewart Park trail may be short in length, but it includes more than a couple of sets of stairs, so if you’re looking to break a sweat as you admire the fall foliage, this is where to head.
Scarborough Bluffs
While many love the Bluffs for its sunny summer beach retreat, this remarkable landscape dressed in fall colours is maybe the most stunning it gets all year. Head to the beach at Bluffers Park for a stroll along the water, or hike the trails that line the top of the bluffs and enjoy the sweeping views of the lake below.
Trillium Park
For epic views of the Toronto skyline along with fiery fall foliage, head to Trillium Park. This 7.5-acre waterfront green space near Ontario Place offers tree-lined trails, pebble beaches, and interesting rock forms in addition to the scenic cityscape views. Come for a day on the weekend and remember why you love the city.
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Macabre? Maybe. But the peace and tranquillity here in this historic cemetery is unparalleled. Not to mention the beauty. Mount Pleasant’s abundant tree collection, which spans over 600 species, and includes some of the rarest, oldest trees in the country, makes it absolutely worth a visit in the fall.
Rouge National Urban Park
There are over 10 diverse trails to choose from in this east-end urban park, which is home to a variety of landscapes including meadows, valleys, forests, wetlands, and farmland. Get in the fall spirit and take the Orchard Trail, which is a 2 KM pathway lined with apple trees.
Toronto Botanical Garden
Head over to Toronto’s Botanical Garden to see an array of plants, flowers, and trees that are currently in-season. You’re sure to see a variety of stunning colours throughout the many gardens!
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Get your sweaters, boots, and pumpkin spice lattes ready, the coziest time of the year s officially here. And there’s truly no better way to embrace the season than by heading outside and enjoying the crisp air while enjoying the many seasonal activities taking place in and around Toronto.
Read on for our top picks for fall activities happening this year.
Fall N’ Leaves TO
Easily the most Instagramable spot in the city during fall, this outdoor pop-up experience features wood-fired food, multiple fire pits, a wine bar, and even a pumpkin patch.
Distillery District Ghost Tour
If an urban adventure is more your style when the weather starts to get cool, head to Toronto’s historic Distillery District. Here you can learn about the haunted history of the Distillery District on an eerie ghost tour.
Pumpkinfest
No fall is complete without hitting up a pumpkin patch, and there’s no better place to visit than Downey’s Farm for Pumpkinfest. Pumpkinfest is Downey’s Farm’s biggest celebration of the year and features wagon rides, farm animals, live entertainment, an 8-acre corn maze, and so much more. Pumpkinfest is on now until October 31st, from 10 am – 5 pm.
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Horror movie buffs, get excited! The Toronto After Dark film festival is back this year and runs from October 19 through 23. All-access passes will be available at the end of September, so you can get your fix of horror, sci-fi, and action movies all five days.
Oktoberfest Toronto
Take a mini trip to Europe by attending Oktoberfest Toronto. Returning after a two-year hiatus, the festival will take over Ontario Place for a weekend filled with festivities, fun, and, of course, plenty of German beer.
Legends of Horror
Toronto’s Casa Loma will once again transform into a massive haunted house this spooky season. You can walk around the grounds of the castle from the gardens to the deep tunnels under the castle. Trust us, this haunted house isn’t for the faint of heart!
Halloween Haunt
Canada’s Wonderland is turning its park back into a haunted amusement park. With thrilling rides, haunted exhibits, and scary street performers, it’s sure to be a visit you won’t forget.
Fear Farm
This fall, drive just over an hour west of Toronto and you’ll find one of our fave activities. Fear Farm is a terrifying haunt at Snyder’s Farm that’s home to a number of bone-chilling attractions and plenty of ghosts and ghouls that will definitely keep you up at night.
Fall Foliage at Ontario Parks
Watching the leaves change colour from green into a colourful canopy of red and orange is one of the best things about fall. You can head north of the city to see the real show, with plenty of spectacular options for prime leaf peeping. If you’re interested in spending an afternoon tracking down the beautiful fall foliage, be sure to check out Ontario Park’s Fall Colour Report, which indicates how the leaves are changing across the province
Apple Picking
Fall is the ideal time to take advantage of activities like pick-your-own farms for a bushel of apples. There are plenty of places around Toronto to stock up on apples of all kinds including Dixie Orchards in Caledon.
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There are a ton of things to do for this long weekend in Toronto but they most likely will cost you quite a pretty penny. We were able to find a few events going on that cost absolutely nothing to attend and are located right in the city. Here are our top 6 favourites:
1. Island Soul
Come to the waterfront to catch a little bit of that island soul and experience the rich legacy of Caribbean music heard through Canada and around the world.
Location: Harbourfront Centre
Date: August 3, 2018 to August 6, 2018
2. Arts in the Parks: The Long Exposure Festival
Arts in the Parks brings free, family-friendly arts events and activities to a park near you. Think theatre performances, light shows, dance classes, workshops, movies, festivals and all things glowing right in your backyard! Donations are gratefully accepted. Rain Date: August 18/19 at 6pm.
Location: Flemington Park
Date: August 4, 2018
3. Taste of The Middle East
Experience the warmth and hospitality that are the core of Middle Eastern culture while exploring unique food and vendors that are found in the heart of the city. Appreciate the vibrant art, music and dance that will surround you as you expand your palate and taste the 1001 Flavours that the Middle Eastern culture has to offer. Proceeds will give back to the largest food rescue charity in Canada, Second Harvest.
Location: Yonge-Dundas Square
Date: August 4, 2018
4. Tommy Thompson Park Vistas by Bike
Enjoy Tommy Thompson Park’s vistas by bike, from city skyline to open lake views, you most definitely won’t be disappointed. Make sure to bring your own bike.
Location: Tommy Thompson Park
Date: August 4, 2018
5. Caribana Parade
The streets become the stage for the masqueraders and steelpan performers. It might be $10 – $20 to enter the exhibition place but most of the parade is held on Lakeshore Boulevard, which is free.
Location: Exhibition Place & Lakeshore Boulevard
Date: August 4, 2018
6. Taste of India Food Festival
Choose between over 50+ different Indian cuisines to sample at this foodie heaven. This year vendors will have sample plates of their favourite dishes for under $10. Admission is free.
Location: Nathan Philips Square
Date: August 5, 2018
Featured Image: Instagram/@epic_carnival
What other fun free activities are going on this long weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Looking for something fun and cheap to do in Toronto? I know it seems almost impossible not to spend money these days. That’s why we’ve rounded up some different but exciting activities for you to check out. The best part is, it won’t cost you more than $10 – I swear (that’s not including TTC, of course)!
1. Discover The Unique Urban Oasis Of Cloud Gardens
Step into a tropical-like cloud forest nestled between the office towers of Toronto’s busy downtown core. It’s completely free.
2. Take a Leisurely Bike Ride on The Toronto Islands
Grab your bike and take the ferry across to Centre Island for a beautiful and secluded ride with stunning views. There is also a bike rental service once you arrive.
Ferry Ticket
Adult: $7.50
Students/Seniors: $5.00
Junior: $3.65
3. Battle It Out Board Game Style At Snakes & Lattes
Grab a coffee or beer and spend the day here – AND it’s only $5 to play any board game you can possibly imagine!
4. Grab A Snack At The Historic St Lawrence Market
Bring your appetite and find the best variety of fresh food at this incredible market. Some noteworthy spots are Carousel Bakery, Buster’s Sea Cove, St. Urbain Bagel, Churrasco of St. Clair and so many others. Prices vary but you can easily spend under $10.
5. Take a Free Walking Tour Around The City
You can learn all about history, graffiti, ghosts, death, disease, and destruction in Toronto for free! Make sure to leave a tip for the wonderful guides (the average tip is around $10).
6. Wander Around The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
DID YOU KNOW: The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is the largest repository of publicly accessible rare books and manuscripts in Canada? It’s also free!
7. Get An Insta-Worthy Pic In Graffiti Alley
There’s about a kilometre’s worth of wall space of varying graffiti on Queen Street West.
8. Peruse Through Vintage Clothing In Kensington Market
Make sure to check out stores like Exile, Vintage Depot, Bungalow, Courage My Love and so many more amazing places. Don’t overlook what the street vendors have to offer as you might be pleasantly surprised at what you find. If you’re a vintage fanatic who’s always looking for unique pieces that will add one-of-a-kind flair to your wardrobe, then you’ll definitely want to take a stroll around Kensington Market (especially on Pedestrian Sundays).
9. Take It Back To The 90’s At Tilt Arcade Bar
Entry to Tilt Arcade Bar is ONLY $5 per person which allows access to over 50 classic arcade and pinball machines. Monday’s they offer a 2 for 1 entry, “Toonie Tuesday” entry is only $2! Not bad.
10. Test Your Trivia Knowledge At The Drake Hotel
Spice up your Wednesday evenings at The Drake Hotel where you can participate in Trivia Night. It’s only $2 to participate – the winning table gets a $50 Drake Gift Card and the runner-up gets $30. You can leave with more money than you even came with! Find out all the rules on the official Facebook page.
Somehow we are already making our way to the July long weekend. Since the warm weather hit, the time has been flying by with all the events and activities going on. Make sure you check everything off your summer bucket list before it’s too late. There are lots of fun things going on this long weekend (new and old) that you might want to check out here:
1. Visit The Bata Shoe Museum To See Manolo Blahnik: The Art Of Shoes
Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes is an intimate retrospective spanning 45 years of work by one of the most influential figures in his field; his inventiveness and superb craft has managed to cross boundaries between fashion and art.
Dates: May 16, 2018, to January 6, 2018
2. Spend The Day At The Toronto Islands
There’s no better way to make the most out of a balmy summer long weekend than to hit the Toronto Islands – Toronto’s own little escape from reality, where the only reminders of the city chaos are the peaceful and stunning views of the skyline across the water.
Dates: N/A
3. Do Yoga Or Play Volleyball At Ontario Place
Ontario Place is the perfect spot to spend the day if you’re looking for lots of activities in one spot! You can play volleyball, rent a boat, do yoga, skate outdoors, watch a movie in The Cinesphere, play games and so much more. There are also some special events going on for Canada Day!
Dates: N/A
4. Check Out The Waterfront Festival
Check out Aqua Cirque, to see H20 themed surfing hula hoop artists, contortionists, tricks, flips and acrobatics. On Friday and Saturday, you can unwind with a large glass of wine, craft beers and spirits while enjoying live music from local bands at the 10th annual Wine & Spirit Festival. Shop local at the Waterfront Artisan Market, a lively open-air market with over 50 artisans and food vendors.
Dates: June 22, 2018 to June 24, 2018
5. Spend Your Day At A Beach Outside Of Toronto
Getting out of the city every so often is necessary, especially when we have such beautiful beaches such a short drive away. Whether you prefer to lay out under the sun or take a dip in the water, there’s something for everybody.
Dates: N/A
6. Shop Local At Union Summer
The outdoor market at Union Station is coming back this summer after a year off and it all starts this weekend with an amazing list of vendors that’ll make the market a must-visit.
Dates: July 1, 2018 – August 19, 2018
7. Take Road Trip Out Of The City For A Hike
Summer weekends were made for road trips, and where better to take a scenic hike? You don’t have to drive very far to find yourself completely surrounded by nature. If you’re looking to exercise, to take photos, or walk your dog, these are all great options for a hike right outside the city.
Dates: N/A
8. Beat The Heat By A Poolside
If you haven’t heard, Toronto will be experiencing a mini-heatwave, with temperatures reaching to the mid-30s this long weekend. With that in mind, it’s imperative that you cover your bases and find the closest pool to you ASAP.
Dates: N/A
9. Dress Up For The Queen’s Plate Festival 2018
The Queen’s Plate is Canada’s oldest thoroughbred horse race and longest continuously run race in North America. Bring your fashion game forward and walk the red carpet in style at the Hats & Horseshoes Party presented by Stella Artois. Expect lawn games, style contests, cocktails and lots more!
Dates: June 29, 2018 to June 30, 2018
10. Catch The Toronto Blue Jay’s Play Against The Detroit Tigers
Spend your long weekend at the ballpark with lots of festivities going on to enjoy. On July 2nd, the first 20,000 fans to arrive at the stadium will receive a J.A. Happ Bobblehead presented by Honda.
Dates: June 29, 2018 – July 2, 2018
11. Explore Some Of The World’s Most Notorious Spiders At The ROM
With more than 400 live and preserved specimens, you will learn about new scientific discoveries, participate in cutting-edge interactive experiences, and unravel the myths about one of the most successful yet misunderstood animals on the planet.
Dates: June 16, 2018 to January 6, 2019
Featured Image: Instagram/@viktoriahricova
What activities are you doing this long weekend? Let us know in the comments!
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Even though we’ve made it to April, it still feels like we are mid-winter. That’s okay because we are still holding out hope for warm weather soon. Lucky for us, it’s a long weekend and no matter how much time you end up getting off, it’s necessary to get outside and embrace Spring. Here are some fun and free activities to get you outta the house:
1. Winter Stations 2018
Location: The Beaches
Date: February 18th, 2018 to April 1st, 2018
Ticket Prices: FREE
2. Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors
Location: Art Gallery of Ontario
Date: March 3, 2018 to May 27, 2018
Ticket Prices: ONLY ONLY
– Adults: $30
– Seniors: $26.50
– Post Secondary Students/ Children (ages 17 and under): $21.50
3. Les Miserables
Location: Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St West)
Date: March 16, 2018 – April 1, 2018
Ticket Prices: ONLY ONLY
– Adults: $40
– Seniors: $30
– Matinées: $25 // Previews: $20
4. Spring Flower Show
Location: Allan Gardens Park and Conservatory
Date: March 25, 2018 – April 29, 2018
Ticket Prices: FREE
5. Craft Beer Market Food Pop-Up
Location: Left Field Brewery (36 Wagstaff Drive)
Date: March 30th
Ticket Prices: FREE admission
6. One of a Kind Show
Location: Enercare Centre – Exhibition Place (100 Princess Blvd)
Date: March 28, 2018 to April 1, 2018
Ticket Prices
– Adults: $15
– Seniors/Youth (13-17): $7.50
– Children (12 & under): free
7. Easter at the Toronto Zoo
Location: Toronto Zoo
Date: March 30, 2018 to May 2, 2018
Ticket Prices:
– Members: FREE
– Adults: $23.00
– Seniors: $18.00
– Children (ages 12 and under): $14.00
8. Easter Chocolate Tour
Location: Multiple Locations
Date: March 30, 2018 to May 2, 2018
Ticket Prices:
– Adults: $49.00
– Children: $35.00
Featured Image: Instagram/@selfxplanatori
What are you going to do this long weekend? Let us know in the comments!
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The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping, and it’s just about that time of year when my vote changes from going out to staying in 100% of the time. Why stand in line to get into a bar when you could keep cozy and warm in your own apartment? Instead of binging on Netflix by yourself, get some friends together and enjoy fall nights to the fullest — and do it cost effectively, too.
Here are 7 ways to spend a night in this fall (Netflix not included).
Host a Potluck
Inviting your friends over for a potluck is one of the most fun (and delicious) things you can do on a fall night. Designate someone to bring different appetizers, different dishes for the main meal, and of course, dessert. You can make whatever you like, but this takes the pressure off the host to cook/bake everything, plus it’s fun to see what all your friends come up with! You can even throw a themed potluck (think: 5 ingredients or less, comfort food, or breakfast for dinner) to make things interesting.
Start a Book Club
Being part of a book club is great because it puts the pressure on you to actually read a book. So instead of scrolling through Instagram late at night, you can flip the pages of your latest book club pick. Choose one night each month you can get together and talk about your latest read. Switch up the host each time and have the host prepare different questions to get the conversation going.
Organize a Clothing Swap
This is something me and my group of friends are planning to do ASAP! Everyone has at least a few items of clothing they don’t really wear anymore (or never really did), so why not get everyone together to swap clothes? You know what they say, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. And any clothes that are leftover, you can donate to a local shelter.
Have a Wine and Cheese Night
Some of my favourite nights with friends are staying in and indulging in good wine and delicious cheese. You can also add other goodies into the mix like grapes, crackers, a baguette and hummus. Make it a BYOW night and each person can contribute to the cheese board with whatever they want!
Host a DIY Party
Are you and your friends crazy about DIYs? Call them over for an evening of crafting and making. You can DIY anything from a cool terrarium to jewelry bowls to bath bombs. Everyone needs more cute stuff to put in their apartment, so why not make it yourselves? It will give your space personal touch and it’s so much more cost effective!
Cook a Delicious Dinner
Whether you’re spending the night in with your BFFs or your significant other, cooking dinner together is a fun, bonding experience. You can even take a trip to the grocery store together to pick out the ingredients you need for your signature dish. Only one person really needs to know how to cook for this to work out, so even if it’s not your strong suit, you can still enjoy quality time, plus a delicious meal.
Throw a Games Night
Whether you want to keep it sober, or throw some innocent drinking into the mix, host a games night where you can play board games, card games or even do some trivia around a certain theme. Cards Against Humanity is always a crowd pleaser, and games like Settlers of Catan or Monopoly can last all night.
What’s your favourite way to spend a night in when the temperature drops?
Featured Image: www.berries.com/
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