When planning group activities in Toronto that everyone will enjoy, the last thing you need is to be stuck for ideas or choose something only half the group will appreciate.
We can help you there! We’ve listed 18+ fun activities in Toronto that will get you, your family, and your friends having a blast in Ontario’s capital.
Ready for the fun to begin? Let’s dive in!
Best Group Activities in Toronto
Go On A Toronto Treasure or Scavenger Hunt
Instead of staying cooped up indoors on a beautiful crisp or sunny day in Toronto, get your group together and crack some codes, follow clues and decipher riddles while exploring all the wonders of the city.
Expect head-scratching clues and fascinating pieces of trivia as you stumble across hidden grotesques, historical figures with crazy backstories and incredible city landmarks - a guaranteed way to fire your friends up and embrace their playful sides.
Find out more here.
Take A Tour of an Early 20th Century Mansion at Spadina Museum
Everyone raves about the magnificence of Casa Loma House (and rightly so!) but there’s a pretty high chance that you’ve already visited it before. Been there, done that.
In that case, it might interest you to know that just around the corner from the incredible mansion lies another, less well known mansion with plenty of early 20th century history for the taking – the Spadina Museum.
Formerly the home of the influential and affluent Austin family, Spadina Museum is now a house-sized time capsule that allows its visitors to explore the evolution of technology, design and history. Visitors are also welcome to tour the verdant gardens and imagine they’ve been invited to one of Gatsby’s parties, right in the heart of Toronto.
Find out more here.
Go To a Candle or Soap Making Workshop at Black Creek Pioneer Village
If you’re looking around for group activities in Toronto for adults that can be done during winter, stop right here.
The Black Creek Pioneer Village has long been famous for its open air museum and fascinating insight into mid to late 19th century Toronto - but did you know that it also holds frequent creative workshops as well?
This winter (2023), you’re invited to try your hand at making your own candles or soap. Learn about the history of these prized objects and pick your own custom blend of fragrances - ideal for when gift-giving season comes around toward the end of the year.
Black Creek Pioneer Village hosts a range of seasonal events so if you’re reading this, you can be sure something’s going on there that might take your fancy!
Go On An Urban Adventure Through Toronto
Think you’ve already seen everything and done everything Toronto has to offer? Think again.
Turn your friendship group, team of colleagues or your family into code-cracking detectives as you marvel at the city secrets that are hidden in plain sight. Find gateways to Toronto’s past by playing an urban adventure that takes you through the city’s enigmatic streets.
By following cryptic clues and the power of teamwork, you’ll find a bunch of reasons to fall in love with Toronto all over again.
Find out more here.
Bring Movie Night Outdoors by Watching Movies On The Humber
For group activities in Toronto that require a mixture of athletic skill and classic entertainment, you can’t go wrong.
Spice up movie night by watching a movie from the comfort of a kayak, canoe, or stand up paddle board (SUP) on the river Humber. Toronto Adventures have somehow combined your ability to balance with water-themed movies by offering you and your group the chance to go to the movie theatre like never before - by watching from your very own vessel!
You can either hire rental equipment or bring your own. Find out more here.
PSST: Obviously this activity is seasonally restricted and only operates between July and September.
Fun Group Activities in Toronto
Catch a Match at The Dog & Bear Pub
Looking for group activities in Toronto that’ll get sports fans fired up? This one’s for you.
The Dog & Bear on Queen Street prides itself on being an authentic English pub - not an easy claim to live up to - and yet it has somehow pulled the feat off marvellously.
Take, for instance, the wide array of sports shown here (MLB, NFL, NHL, EPL) and the addition of bargain nights such as half price fish tacos on Monday. Granted, the food is a blend of Mexican, Canadian and standard bar food such as wings, nachos and poutine, but food and drinks are reasonably priced and the premises is large enough to accommodate all of your friends, family or colleagues with ease.
Get Competitive with ‘Barcade’ Games at The Rec Room
Whether you’re a self-confessed Mario Kart King or Queen or your fingers and thumbs have never forgotten playing Pinball on your Windows PC back in the day, you’ve gotta get over to The Rec Room.
This venue holds multiple possibilities for group activities in Toronto, including arcade games, virtual reality games, live entertainment as well as delicious Canadian-inspired cuisine and plenty of beers (and other drinks!) on offer.
With over 40,000 square feet of space, you can be sure that your entire group will fit (and have a blast)!
Find out more here.
Grab Peameal Bacon Sammys at St Lawrence Market
Torontonians are very proud of their city’s favourite sandwich, and where better to test them for yourself than the place the locals get ‘em?
Peameal bacon sandwiches are renowned throughout Canada as “Ontario’s thing” and sampling the iconic salty sammys are a must when visiting the state’s capital.
But if bacon isn’t your thing or you’ve had your fair share of them, don’t worry: the South Market is open every day except Mondays and the Farmer’s Market operates every Saturday, serving up incredible ingredients and food on top of antique, decor and vintage clothing stalls.
Find out more here.
Enrich Your Knowledge of Shoes at Bata Shoe Museum
We’ll be the first to hold our hands up and say we take shoes for granted. They protect our feet from all kinds of weather, sharp objects, make us taller, and even express our personalities.
And while having shoes specially made for our left and right feet is a relatively new phenomenon, humans have been wearing shoes for thousands of years.
Happily, you can take in 4,500 years of footwear history by visiting the Bata Shoe Museum where 12,500 pairs of shoes and their histories are waiting for your inspection. For fun group activities in Toronto that involve a little education (and a whole lot of surprises) be sure to visit this fantastic museum!
PSST: The building is unmissable as it’s actually shaped like a shoebox. How cool is that!?
Stroll Around Kensington Market
Yes, it’s another market but this time, we’re heading into hipster territory.
If you’re looking for group activities in Toronto that will result in some killer Instagram posts, this is the place for you. After all, Kensington Market is the place to be and be seen for trendsetters and artists alike.
Check out the independent stores, vintage boutiques and galleries or shop for artisanal groceries, baked goods and cheeses. Finish up at a cute café and upload the picture of your latte with #noshame.
Find out more here.
Hang Out Medieval Style By Dining & Watching a Jousting Tournament
Ever wondered what life was like back in the 11th century? Find out by going to a jousting tournament and medieval themed banquet, right here in Toronto!
For fun group activities in Toronto that cater for adults and kids alike, head over to Dufferin Street where Medieval Times host regular medieval-style jousts and banquets. Your only job is to spectate, cheer on “your” knight and eat your way through a four course banquet - and what could be better than that?
Find out more here.
Get Quizzical at Snakes & Lattes
When was the last time you sat down to have some old fashioned fun with board games?
We’re betting it’s been a minute, but here’s why that needs to change.
Snakes & Lattes on Bloor Street at the edge of Korea Town is one of the best places to find fun group activities for adults and families alike. Not only does it have a huge collection of board games that will satisfy dabblers and pros alike, but it also offers a great selection of cocktails, beers, food and desserts.
Lastly, Snakes & Lattes hosts a fun (and very popular!) trivia night every Tuesday, so be sure to book in advance to ensure your group is in with a chance of winning!
Find out more here.
See The Stanley Cup In Person at The Hockey Hall of Fame
It’ll come as no surprise to anyone that the home of Canada’s national sport, ice hockey, is well and truly celebrated in the Ontario capital.
But it might still surprise you to know just how much you can see and do at the iconic Hockey Hall of Fame. From touring historic exhibits to seeing the Stanley Cup in person, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
You can even try your own hand at playing goalie, shooting and even narrating a game like a sports presenter - or just stick to drooling over the thousands of cool jerseys and memorabilia on display.
Find out more here.
Group Activities in Toronto for Adults
Go To a Comedy Show at Yuk Yuk’s
For group activities in Toronto that gets everyone laughing ‘til their stomachs hurt, we recommend going to a comedy show.
Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club in the heart of Toronto is a great place to loosen up and see the funny side of life. It’s been operating since the ‘70s and since then, many Canadian comic greats have graced its famous stage.
With regular shows (open mic nights occur every Tuesday) and a great bar with food and drinks to serve you during half time, you and your group will be set up to have a total blast.
Find out more here.
Have an Indulgent Pamper Day at Elmwood Spa
Take all of the accumulated stress of booking group activities in Toronto and transform them into a wellness session by paying a visit to Elmwood Spa.
This relaxing day resort will have you feeling a million bucks after indulging in some water therapy, including a dip in the swimming pool, floating in the whirlpool and bubbling in a jacuzzi. Massages, beauty and body treatments are also available and there are also two on-site restaurants to fill your group’s bellies after - choose from gourmet or Thai cuisine and breathe a sigh of relief.
Find out more here.
Take Your Chances at An Open Mic Night
Sprinkle some spontaneity into your social calendar and live on the wild side by letting your entertainment totally surprise you at a Toronto open mic night event.
For music lovers, we recommend heading to Supermarket on Augusta Avenue to experience jam and songwriter nights. Find out what secret musical talents lurk among your fellow Torontonians and the best part is, it’s totally free to attend (Sundays @8pm).
Another highly-recommended alternative is Free Times Café on College Street where you can get a sneak peek at the upcoming event calendar. Think trivia nights, poetry slams, cabaret and comedy shows and so much more - the choice is entirely yours.
Melt Your Winter Blues at Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre
If we could give awards for the most beautiful interiors in Toronto, the Winter Garden Theatre would be in our top five (maybe even number one!).
Fittingly for a theatre, the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto is like something straight out of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As its name suggests, the theatre has been designed with a botanical theme and no matter what the weather’s doing outside, you can be sure of verdant and vibrant leafy surroundings during your visit.
The Winter Garden Theatre is the world’s only remaining double-decker Edwardian theatre still in use, and tours of the venue are held every Monday. If you’re looking for tickets to a show, get in quick - the theatre usually holds less than 3 shows a month on average.
Find out more here.
Explore The Distillery Historic District
As the name suggests, the Distillery District is a converted whiskey distillery that now houses one of Toronto’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.
It’s a paradise for walkers as it’s pedestrian-only, and against the backdrop of gorgeous 19th century buildings and cobblestone streets, the only real giveaways that you haven’t been transported back in time is the neverending list of things to do and modern amenities.
Explore art galleries, theatres and outdoor sculptures or pay a visit to any of the trendy bars, restaurants and artisanal stores serving up numerous global cuisines. If we had to pick a favourite then it’d probably be the gelato or hot chocolate at SOMA (or why not both?!).
Summary
So there you have it! 18+ fun activities in Toronto that are sure to shake up your day-to-day routine.
Remember that no matter what you decide to do on your morning, afternoon or evening out with your grown up friends, family, or workmates, there’s nothing like teamwork to make the dream work.
That’s why we at CityDays create fun, interesting and challenging trails around the world to help you immerse yourself in a city’s culture, history and curios.
Want to find out more?
Check out all our available activities in Toronto here and embark on an adventure in the city you’ll never forget: CityDays awaits!