Toronto’s a great city, isn’t it? There’s a ton of things to do in Toronto and we’ve got every kind of restaurant you could possibly think of. There’s lots of green spaces intermixed within the city and you could explore a new neighborhood every weekend without running out for a long time. All that being said, sometimes you just want to escape the city for a day and I’ve got plenty of options to chose from since there are really what feels like an unlimited amount of day trips from Toronto you can take. I have broken them down into seasonal day trips versus year around day trips from Toronto.
You may be wondering why some day trips are seasonal but I think the logic behind them does make sense. I think small towns have their own charm year round and in general wouldn’t consider them seasonal trips but you for example cannot tour frozen waterfalls in the summer. I’ve also taken some liberties with the summer category but you’ll see what I mean under the individual heading.
If you’re specifically looking for a day trip to a provincial park then you’ve got plenty of options for provincial parks near Toronto but individual parks won’t be a part of the list. They are included when done in combination with a nearby town (i.e. Sandbanks and Prince Edward County). The linked post for the provincial parks near Toronto lists them in order of distance from the city so should hopefully be helpful for planning purposes.
Going to preface this by saying, I hate blog posts and websites that tell you to go to Scarborough Bluffs for a day trip from Toronto. Scarborough is a huge part of Toronto and visiting it doesn’t really qualify as leaving the city even if you happen to live in the downtown core. I personally think a day trip has to mean leaving the city and driving out. Whether that’s 30 minutes or 2 hours doesn’t really matter as long as you’re leaving the city and so that’s how I have qualified these choices for day trips. This is by no means an exhaustive list but some of the highlights available as day trips from Toronto. I do dozens of day trips every year and will come back and update when I find new favourites.
If you’re coming from Toronto you know we live at the mercy of the traffic so take the below estimated times as best case scenarios and the earlier you head out the better!
Table of Contents
Year-Round Day Trips from Toronto
Hamilton
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 68 km
Hamilton is probably one of the easiest day trips from Toronto. It’s located just an hour to the west of the city and there’s a huge amount of things to do in Hamilton. It’s definitely one of the ones on this list you have to keep coming back to because it can’t all be fit into a day.
The city is obviously known for the huge amount of waterfalls and with over 100 waterfalls to choose from, you can keep coming back for more. One of the more accessible ones, and one of my favorites is Tiffany Falls. Albion Falls is another really pretty one but there’s no access to the bottom for this one but the viewing platform does provide a great view.
In addition to chasing waterfalls, you can explore Dundas Peak (best in the fall in my opinion), Dundurn Castle, the McMaster campus, the downtown area, the HMCS Haida and so much more. There’s also a ton of restaurants in the city so you can easily have your pick of food while exploring the city. Don’t forget to check out the first Tim Horton’s as well as enjoy the waterfront.
Port Perry
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, 80 km
Port Perry is small town located north of Oshawa on the shores of Lake Scugog. It’s got a really nice downtown with a ton of cute shops along Queen Street. There’s plenty to see for a few hours and if you end up renting a canoe or something for the lake it could take the better part of the day. Our highlights included the public library that had an art gallery with a display of pieces from students, the used bookshop (Willow Store) and all the candy at The Chocolate Nuttier. Would highly recommend a pastry from Hank’s Pastries and if you’re doing a sit-down meal you can’t go wrong with Marwan’s.
While in Port Perry, you should also check out Crow’s Pass Conservation Area. There is free parking along the street by the very small trail entrance. It’s so small you may feel like it isn’t the trail but it is! Once you cross a portion of a golf course, you’ll know you’re on the right trail. It’s about a 5 minute walk from the side street parking into the official sign for the start of the conservation area. There’s 3km of the trail but it is in and out and not a loop.
Screaming Heads
Distance/Travel Time: 3 hours, 284 km
This one is an exception on this list because I typically don’t think 6 hours in the car in a day is super enjoyable but because this is a specific destination (as opposed to a town with several spots), this one makes sense as a day trip because you can make some stops along the time.
Located about 3 hours north of Toronto you’ll find Burk’s Falls which is most known for the Screaming Heads art installation created by Peter Camini. It’s a series of art installations installed across a massive 310 acre site. There’s plenty to see and you could easily spend hours exploring. Do bring bug spray if visiting in the summer! We were viscously attacked on our visit a few summers ago.
We’ve only visited in the summer but the pictures in the winter do look stunning. I would imagine depending on the amount of snowfall though, traipsing on the trails may be a little more strenuous.
Paris
Distance/Travel Time: 1.5 hours, 111 km
Paris is often called the prettiest town in Ontario. It’s a small town filled with cobble stoned streets and pretty buildings and offers a great view of the river. The Paris Wincy Mills Co. is a 3-story building filled with little shops to explore and is a must do when in town. We had a great time wandering around inside and seeing the little trinkets for sale and tried some of the perogies for sale as well.
There’s plenty of restaurants in town to choose from so enjoy a leisurely lunch before strolling along the buildings and exploring the historical downtown. Once you’ve finished, head over the bridges and start exploring any of the areas along the river.
Stratford
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes, 149 km
Stratford, like it’s namesake in England, is closely related to William Shakespeare and the Stratford Festival is probably the thing the town is most known for. Well to be fair, many people may also know it as the birth place of Justin Bieber but that’s not, in my opinion, a main reason to visit so we move on.
The festival runs from mid-April to the end of October so you have plenty of opportunities to visit and take in a show or two but even if theater isn’t your thing the town is worth a visit. Like some of the other small towns on this list, Stratford has a really nice historical downtown filled with cute shops and restaurants that you can stroll through and enjoy a day exploring. Make sure you take a stroll through the Shakespearean Gardens as well.
Port Hope & Cobourg
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour and 13 min, 109 km (Port Hope)/1 hour and 18 min, 113 km (Cobourg)
Port Hope and Cobourg are both two small towns located on the east of Toronto and because they’re only 15 minutes apart we tend to always combine them as one day trip and have done this multiple times.
Port Hope has a beautiful downtown core with lots of little shops to stroll through. It’s an easy walk from there along the river down towards the waterfront trail. Cobourg has a beautiful, and very popular, beach that fills up very quickly. There’s a really nice harbour to walk around and a great ice cream place right by the beach you can grab a sweet treat from before strolling around town.
Port Hope is also known for the salmon run that takes place in late summer to early fall. Thousands of salmon make the journey up the Ganaraska River and there are plenty of different spots to watch it happen. Thousands of people come out for it every weekend so do expect it to get quite busy.
Niagara Falls
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, 128 km
If you live in southern Ontario then Niagara Falls probably isn’t as awe-inspiring to you as it is to an international visitor but Niagara Falls has so many unbelievable things to do that it’s hard to go wrong with a day trip there. Between the actual falls (Canadian side superiority!) and all the attractions on Clifton Hill/Lundy’s Lane you can easily spend a week trying out different things and you’ll have no issues filling up a day for sure. Personal favorites include the Butterfly Conservatory, the Journey Behind the Falls, White Water Walk and the SkyWheel.
If you’re into shopping there’s some fun stores like the Coca Cola Store and the Hershey Factory that you won’t find in Toronto and you’ll have no issues emptying your wallet at either.
Blue Mountains
Distance/Travel Time: 2.5 hours, 173 km
The Blue Mountains is most famous as a ski town but there’s actually plenty to do year round. The town is exactly what you would picture when picturing a ski resort town. There’s adorable little shops, pretty restaurants and nicely decorated laneways. Make sure to walk down to the pond for views towards the village! It’s especially pretty at night when the whole town is lit up. There’s an open air Gondola lift you can use (when weather permitting) as well as the ridge runner mountain coaster which is a rides along a 1km trail (open year round). There’s lots of trails in the area to explore and the adventure park (open in summer) has many activities to participate in as well. I would recommend going up the mountain at least once for the nice views over the town.
Uxbridge + Uxbridge Provincial Park + Goodwood
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 70.8 km
Located just an hour north of Toronto, Uxbridge is an easy day trip with lots to see in the area. The downtown core itself is not massive but there’s some really fun stores you can browse in (I really enjoyed Blue Heron Books) and some bakeries to pick up a sweet treat from (we tried Little Thief Bakery Co.). If you want to have lunch or dinner here you’ll have options as well. We enjoyed walking around the library and checked out the farmer’s market which was on when we visited. The town was known for the York-Durham Heritage Railway but unfortunately they ended their operations in spring of 2024 after 30 years of operating.
When you’re passing through, or leaving, Uxbridge I would highly recommend stopping by Goodwood as well. It’s about 13 minutes from the downtown core and if you’re coming, or going, from Toronto you will most likely pass by it. Goodwood is the real-life location of the very funny Schitt’s Creek show. Filming spots you can check out include auto shop Bob’s Garage, general store Rose Apothecary, and the diner Cafe Tropical. The garage has pictures on the outside showing the filming which is very cool. The Rosebud Motel is a a little further away in Orangeville.
1000 Islands
Distance/Travel Time: 2 hours and 44 minutes, 298 km to the Gananoque 1000 Islands Visitor Centre specifically
So this one’s probably a little bit controversial but I think it really depends on what you are visiting the 1000 Islands for. We’ve gone as a day trip several times and had an amazing time and have stayed overnight and made it a weekend trip as well and also had a great time. If you’re visiting for the first time and you’re just doing one of the cruises that last 2-3 hours then that’s totally doable in one day. If you’re going to the islands and renting a kayak or canoe and exploring for a few hours, again it’s totally doable.
While personally I’m a huge fan of the 1000 Islands in the late spring/summer/early fall you can of course visit anytime of the year but you’ll just be a little limited in what you can do in terms of activities. In general you can visit the 1000 Islands National Park, visit the small towns (Gananoque, Prescott, Brockville for example), take a cruise and get out on the water.
Midland
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour and 51 minutes, 147 km
Midland is a town best known for its butter tart festival which takes place in mid-June every summer.
There’s plenty to see and do outside of the festival though like walking around the Midland Harbour, the waterfront, checking out the murals in town and enjoying any of the waterfront parks. Make sure to stop by Little Lake Park for a great dose of nature.
Without a doubt one of the must do things in Midland is visiting Martyr’s Shrine. This is a Catholic Church that was built in 1925 and opened in 1926. The big appeal is definitely that it sits on top of a hill and the grounds provides great views of the surrounding area. The grounds of the church are also a great walk. Do note the church (and I assume grounds) is paid admission.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, 132 km
If you’re an international visitor then Niagara-on-the-Lake is probably not on your radar since it’s often overshadowed by its very popular nearby destination of Niagara Falls but if you’re from southern Ontario you’ve surely heard of this beautiful town.
Located close to the border NOTL, as it’s referred to, has a strong military history with multiple forts that you can visit and learn about the town’s history from. There’s also historical residences like McFarland House and the Laura Secord Homestead that’ll teach you more about the local history.
There’s a great amount of nature in the area as well with multiple water front parks and some great activities to enjoy the Niagara Gorge from like the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours (super fun!) and the Whirlpool Aero Car. Make sure to visit Queenston Heights Park as well for some great views.
The historical downtown is also a must with lots of great restaurants and fun stores to browse around in. Some of the downtown buildings get really nice floral displays in the summer, particularly the Prince of Wales Hotel, and they make for great pictures. In the winter the town is beautifully lit up with lights.
You can’t come to the Niagara region and not explore some of the local farm shops, wineries and breweries. You have dozens to choose from so finding one won’t be hard!
Haliburton Sculpture Forest
Distance/Travel Time: 3 hours, 215 km
Similar to the Screaming Heads mentioned above, I’m not a huge fan of driving 3 hours each way for a day trip but the Haliburton Sculpture Forest is also a really specific point to visit and so you can easily drive there and back and spend a few hours exploring the forest. The forest is free to visit but there’s a donation box at the entrance so if you’re able to you should consider a small donation to maintain the forest.
There’s a total of 1.4 km of trails to explore the forest with. The trails are not paved but they are wide and easy to walk on. There’s over 40 different statues so you can definitely take your time exploring and enjoying all of them! While the forest is open in the winter, not all of the trail is accessible and so if you visit in the winter you’d only be able to visit certain portions.
Elora & Fergus
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes or 103 km (Elora)/1 hour, 7 minutes or 95 km (Fergus)
Elora is one often considered one of the prettiest towns in Ontario and it’s not hard to see why. The brick buildings, pretty store fronts, public art installations and easy access to the Grand River does paint a pretty picture. There are lots of different things to do in Elora but the highlights include the Elora Gorge and Quarry. They are both open seasonally in the summer and one of the main reasons to consider visiting the town in the summer months but there’s plenty of other things to do year around as well. I’ve got a whole separate post on Elora so check out all the things to do in Elora if you’re planning a day trip there.
A lot of people combine a visit to Elora with a quick visit to Fergus. More on that in the above post.
Grimsby
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes, 84 km
Grimsby is a small town along the Lake Ontario coast that is probably most well known for the collection of Victorian cottages referred to as the Painted Ladies of Ontario. Once you see them the name is self-explanatory, but the houses are painted in very bright colours and often decorated really colourfully as well. The houses can mainly be found on Auditorium Circle and Temple Lane. There are other things to do in Grimsby like visiting the beach, Bell Park, the nearby wineries, the Grimsby Museum and so much more but make sure to see the painted houses!
A friendly reminder that people live in these houses and to be respectful when wandering through the neighborhood! Do not enter private property and only view the homes from the street!
Scenic Caves
Distance/Travel Time: 2 hours, 156 km
Scenic Caves, in Collingwood, is an outdoor adventure. It’s home to the longest suspension bridge in Southern Ontario that provides excellent views of the area. As the name suggests, the area has caves you can explore. There’s a self guided tour that you should allow at least 2 hours for. There is some climbing over rocks involved to see everything and so hiking/running shoes are mandatory. The entrance ticket includes the suspension bridge, the caves, the trails and lookout points as well as the kid’s area with the playground. You can pay additional fees to gem mine and mini-golf.
Outdoor Spa
Distance: This will depend which one you go to. Scandinave in Blue Mountains is about 2.5 hours away while Thermea in Whitby is around the 1 hour mark. Others are somewhere in between.
I’m a huge fan of outdoor spas that are typically in the Nordic style. We’ve been in the summer, the fall and the spring and it’s an enjoyable experience year around because you get to alternate between hot and cold treatments. You do end up typically spending minimum $100/person so bring a book and plan to utilize the facilities for at least half a day.
We’ve been to Scandinave in Blue Mountains and Thermea in Whitby and greatly enjoyed both. Other options include Vettä Nordic Spa in the Horseshoe Valley, the Elora Mill in Elora, Terra Nova in Woodstock and Ste. Anne’s in Grafton. That’s of course not an exclusive list but some great places to get started for sure.
A lot of these places are for adults only so if you’re planning a family outing I’d check with the individual spa first.
St. Jacobs
Distance/Travel Time: 1.5 hours, 121 km
The village of St. Jacobs is located west of Toronto, just outside of Waterloo. It’s most well known for the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market and its Mennonite history. The farmers’ market is the largest year-round market in Canada and it’s a super popular tourist destination. You can easily spend multiple hours just looking at all the vendors and eating your way through the stalls. I highly recommend arriving early since parking is quite limited. The market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There’s also an antique market that’s open every day of the week and an outlet mall that is open all days of the week as well. Once you’ve had your fill of the market, do head over to the downtown portion of St. Jacobs. There’s a bunch of cute stores to stroll around in, beautiful buildings and some trails to explore in addition to restaurants and a brewery.
Spring Day Trips from Toronto
The spring day trips are heavily focused on flower fields which I’m personally a huge fan of but if that’s not your thing then the below list may not be your thing.
Cherry Blossoms
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go for them
Nothing says spring has arrived quite like cherry blossoms. The window for seeing cherry blossoms is always quite short and if this is one you’re interested in doing it’s worth starting to keep an eye out towards the end of March. While there are many places to see cherry blossoms in Toronto, there’s also other great places around the province to see them.
Closest to Toronto will be Kariya Park in Mississauga, Joyce Archdekin Park in Brampton and Gairloch Gardens in Oakville. In the Niagara region you can find cherry blossoms at Pillitteri Estate Winery, Legends Estate Winery and the Foreign Affair Winery as well as at the Niagara Parks Botanical Garden, Queenston Heights Park and McFarland Park. The Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington/Hamilton has a collection of cherry blossom trees as well but one of my favorite spots for cherry blossoms is Spencer Smith Park in Burlington. It’s right by the waterfront and the trees are set up in a way where they create a tunnel and it makes for really nice pictures. Fair warning that it does get very, very crowded. Hamilton also has cherry blossoms at Bayfront Park and Gage Park.
Peony Festival
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 62 km
The Peony Festival takes place in Oshawa in early June every year at the Oshawa Valley Botanical Garden. It’s located at the back of the Children’s Arena. The year we visited there were things set up in the arena as part of the event as well. There was live music and some food vendors but the highlight is of course the peonies which come in lots of different varieties. There’s a lot of colours and it’s a fun couple of hours enjoying spring.
Tulip Season
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go for them
While the place to be for tulips is definitely the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa, this isn’t really super doable as a day trip. I have done the round trip in a day once and let’s just say it’s a very, very, very long day. I still highly recommend going and maybe making a weekend out of it since there are lots of things to do in Ottawa.
A little closer to home though you’ll have lots of options for pick-your-own tulip farms which is a great way to see big fields covered in many, many rows of multiple coloured tulips. We have done a couple of different ones in the Niagara Region and really enjoyed the TASC Tulip Farm but a lot of the farms will offer similar experiences so do a quick search on what’s available around you!
Bird Day
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go for them
While spring is a great time for birding festivals in general, a lot of them are further away from Toronto in Point Peele and other areas. The exception is on bird day which takes place in May and has multiple celebrations closer to the Greater Toronto Area. The official bird day website has a map of locations where events are being hosted so you can easily check what may be closer to you.
Warkworth & Lilac Festival
Distance/Travel Time: 2 hours, 160km
While Warkworth itself is a cute, but very small town, I wouldn’t really say there’s a ton to do that warrants a day trip unless you’re combining it with the annual Lilac festival which is absolutely worth a day trip. It takes place on the last weekend of May each year. The festival is a 2.6 km long trail filled with different lilac bushes and many local vendors. It follows the path of a small river so once you’re walking the trail you’re in for some pretty views along with the pretty flowers. The local vendors range from food options to shopping opportunities to lilac specific opportunities. We easily spent 2 hours walking the trail and then walked through the center of town and explored some of the shops. We really enjoyed the chocolates at Centre & Main Chocolate Co. and had a good time walking around the other shops.
Waterfalls
Distance/Travel Time: This will really vary based on where you go for them. Hamilton and the area is around an hour from Toronto and there’s a large number of waterfalls there which makes it an excellent choice.
In general, southern Ontario has had really hot summers the last few years and while that makes trails solid (as opposed to muddy), it does dry up waterfalls. There’s nothing as disappointing as doing an hour hike to end up at a fairly dry waterfall. This won’t be the case everywhere, sometimes the waterfalls are strong year around but sometimes they aren’t. I’m a huge fan of late spring waterfall hikes because the flow is much stronger after all the snow has melted so would highly recommend a few waterfall hikes this spring!
Summer Day Trips from Toronto
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes, 166 km to Honey Harbour
Georgian Bay Islands National Park is one of six Canadian National Parks located in Ontario. While the national park is composed of 63 islands, the island you can actually visit and enjoy is Beausoleil Island. There are hiking trails on both the south and north portion of the island and lots of options for camping. There aren’t any restaurants or shops on the island so make sure to pack yourself some snacks and drinks for when you visit.
The park is only officially open between Victoria Day and Thanksgiving weekend which is when the DayTripper runs. The DayTripper allows visitors to explore the park in 4 hour segments with pre-booked arrival and departure times. If you want to visit for the whole day then you need to arrange your own boat or water taxi. If you’re staying in a cabin or oTentik then transportation is part of your booking and you can refer to your reservation. If you’re frontcountry or backcountry camping then you need to find your own way to the island.
The DayTripper and water taxis stop operating to the island on Thanksgiving weekend because the docks are removed at the end of the season. Some visitors do take their personal vessels onto the island after that and just beach their boat but there is no staff on the island and no services available.
You can view the fees for the Georgian Bay Islands National Park here. Reservations can be made on the National Parks reservation website.
Beach Day
Distance/Travel Time: This will really vary based on where you go for them
There are so many stunning beautiful beaches all around the province that you can drive anywhere from 40 minutes to 4 hours and find something. The beaches within 1-2 hours of Toronto are going to be pretty busy on a summer weekend and are unfortunately only getting busier over the last couple of years. Some beaches have started charging admission fees and there’s been some ongoing issues with people leaving garbage etc. behind which has led to this. I’m a huge fan of the provincial park beaches like the ones at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. The beaches along Lake Eerie are also very nice.
Forest Therapy at MacGregor Point Provincial Park
Distance/Travel Time: 3 hours and 10 minutes, 232 km
This is another one of the rare ones on this list at almost 3 hours each way but because you’re going to a park and not to a town filled with lots of different things to see/do it’s a little more doable. MacGregor Point Provincial Park is open year round so you could technically enjoy this through the year but I personally enjoy tree activities in the summer (and obviously fall) so have listed this as a summer activity.
While MacGregor Point Provincial Park has a number of trails and is known for birding as well as swimming and other water activities, it’s made this list cause it’s the first official forest therapy trail. Following the Tower Trail (3.5 km long) you’ll encounters prompts to guide you into exploring a deeper connection with nature. There are all kinds of benefits to spending time outdoors and this is a great initiative from Ontario Parks.
Wutai Shan Buddhist Gardens
Distance/Travel Time: 1.5 hours, 122 km
The Wutai Shan Buddhist Gardens is a large compound with a Buddhist temple that is located east of Toronto. The project’s been in progress and under construction for many, many years and while it’s had sneak peeks for the public it has finally opened to the public and you can now visit!
It’s gotten quite popular since it opened and many people are visiting so I would plan ahead for sure. There’s now a parking fee being enforced so do pay attention to that. I’ve put together a little guide for visiting the Wutai Shan Buddhist Gardens so you can take a look at that as well. The temple is only open to the public between mid April and mid November but because of the sprawling complex, it’s a lot nicer in the summer when everything is green! If you wanted to you could of course visit in the spring or fall as well.
Cut Your Own Flowers Farms
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go
I’m a huge fan of flower fields, fresh flower bouquets and supporting local businesses and visiting a cut your own flowers farm accomplishes all of these. A quick google search will you give a dozen different options. We’ve personally visited Andrew’s Farm, Country Cut Flowers and Laura’s Farm Stand and enjoyed all 3 of the experiences. When we visited Country Cut Flowers it was a first-come, first-serve basis but it looks like they require pre-bookings now so keep that in mind. Some of the farms do start a little earlier than summer but majority will wrap up by September just due to the seasonal nature of flower fields.
Discovery Harbour & Friday Harbour
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 90 km (Friday Harbour)/1 hour and 33 minutes, 138 km (Discovery Harbour)
You could theoretically split this into two separate day trips but to me neither stop would take a full day and Friday Harbour is only a slight detour on the way back to Toronto so my recommendation is spending the morning/early afternoon at Discovery Harbour and the afternoon/evening at Friday Harbour.
Discovery Harbour is a historical site that has recreated a British naval/military base. It has historical buildings, ships and interactive experiences like blacksmithing. There are spots with games for families to enjoy and great spots to view the water from. Discovery Harbour opens daily for the season in early May. You do need to pay for admission to enter. You can find more information on hours and ticket prices here. We spent 3-4 hours here and walked the entire site (from entrance to the water and back) and took our time exploring and felt that it was more than enough time.
Friday Harbour is a unique resort community. People do live there and people vacation there but you are able to visit for the day. There is a golf course, a marina, some trails on a nature preserve and a beach but I think the best part is the boardwalk with the shops and restaurants. It was great for a couple of hours of strolling while having a pastry and an ice-cream and enjoying the summer weather. There’s a few photo spots set up along the boardwalk so it’s great for that as well.
Wolfe Island
Distance/Travel Time: 2 hours and 46 minutes or 264 km from Toronto plus a 20 minute ferry ride from Kingston
Wolfe Island is the largest of the islands in the 1000 Islands and one that deserves its own day trip from Toronto. There’s a number of things to do on Wolfe Island but it’s most well known for the Big Sandy Bay Conservation Area. The round trip is typically much longer than I would prefer in one weekend but the ferries start early and end late and the pace of things to do on the island is on the slower side so it’s possible to see and enjoy most of the major things to do on the island quite easily in a day. The ferry from Kingston takes 20 minutes in each direction but it’s free and a nice ride. Do check out the ferry schedule and plan accordingly as they’re on a first come, first serve basis. This is where showing up early will really matter cause you could spend a large chunk of time waiting to cross over.
Visit a Lavender Field
Distance: This will vary depending on where you go for them but there are a number available within a couple of hours from Toronto.
Destination Ontario has a really comprehensive list of all the lavender fields around Ontario. It’s definitely a uniquely summer day trip and one I highly recommend. We visited the very popular Terre Bleu but that’s closed to the public now. Do take a look at the list and pick another one though and you won’t regret it! The farms typically set up really pretty shots where guests can take pictures and there’s normally a farm store where you can purchase lavender items and support the store. A lot of the farms will charge admission so be prepared for that. Depending on how close to the city you stick you should expect some crowds as well.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Distance/Travel Time: 55 minutes, 62 km
You may be wondering why this is on the list when Hamilton is already on the list but it’s because, in my opinion, the Royal Botanical Gardens are too big to be a part of a day trip to Hamilton. To get your money’s worth on the ticket you should really explore all parts that the ticket allows you to and you could easily spend half a day doing this alone and it would rush a visit to the rest of Hamilton. There are 5 different parts to explore (RBG Center, Rock Garden, Hendrie Park, Laking Garden and Arboretum) in addition to 27 km worth of trails that are spread over 3 different areas. The gardens have an admission fee and the Arboretum and trail heads have parking fees.
Berry (and other) Picking
Distance: This will really vary based on where you go for them. There are dozens of farms who offer pick your own berries services so a quick google of ‘berry picking near me’ should give you some decent options.
Berry picking, or really any other fruit and vegetable, is a great summer activity because so many berries are in season at different parts of the summer. I use this calendar frequently to look at what’s in season. There are lots of farms all around the GTA so you’ll have plenty of options of where to go. Pro-tip is to go earlier in the morning cause the heat mid-day/afternoon makes you not want to fill up the bucket you have already paid to fill up.
Sandbanks Provincial Park & Prince Edward County
Distance/Travel Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, 216 km
Prince Edward County is one of those must do summer locations. There is enough to do here to spend a whole weekend and there’s plenty of cute motel/hotels should you choose to do so. I’ve done the area as a day trip several times and if that’s all the time you’ve got you’ll have a great time.
One of the highlights to explore is Sandbanks Provincial Parks and its sand dunes. While there are hiking trails you can do here, I would recommend just heading straight to the sand, taking your shoes off and enjoying what is some of the best sand the province has to offer.
The county includes the major towns of Picton, Bloomfield, and Wellington as well as the smaller communities of Milford, Hillier, Waupoos, Consecon, Cherry Valley, and Rossmore. In the major towns you’ll find lots of shopping, restaurants, and cute areas to explore. If you enjoy wineries and ciders this is a great area to explore that in as well.
Lake on the Mountain is an elevated lake with great views over the bay and worth a stop as well!
Sunflower Field
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go
We’re blessed in Ontario to have so much land and so many farms that produce so many different kind of things because it gives us the opportunity to experience different fields and activities.
Sunflowers aren’t my go to flower but the experience of walking through a sunflower field is pretty amazing. The sunflowers grow as tall as your head (granted I’m only 5’4 but still!) and the different farms usually set up photo opportunities within the field itself. Sunflowers bloom between late July through to the end of August. Some of the sunflower fields have had really negative experiences with people not respecting their rules for visiting and parking wherever they want so do please be mindful of the individual businesses you’re visiting.
Tree Top Trekking
Distance/Travel Time: This will vary depending on where you go
Tree Top Trekking is an activity where you get set up with a safety harness and move from tree to tree at varying heights. Some of the paths include zip lines, balance logs, boardwalks and so much more. Some of them will be more kid friendly than others so it’s important you do your research and pick one that works for your situation! I prefer doing this in the summer because of the nicer weather (including lack of wind) and just being surrounded by the greenery. We’ve had one booked in late summer/early fall that got cancelled cause of the rain.
Fall Day Trips from Toronto
Johnston Cranberry Marsh
Distance/Travel Time: 2.5 hours, 200km
Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery is open year round and so you could technically visit it whenever you want but I would highly recommend a visit in the fall so you can specifically visit the Johnston Cranberry Marsh and do the cranberry plunge. This activity/day trip is only available during the Cranberry harvest which typically starts 2 weeks before Canadian Thanksgiving and goes until the end of October. You can find more information on their hours and dates on their website. While they can sometimes accommodate walk-ups, weekends often sell-out and I would highly recommend you pre-book your ticket so you’re not making a long drive only to be turned away. Included in the ticket is the plunge, as well as a little wagon tour. During the week they sell tickets to just wander around the farm but not during weekends.
Cheltenham Badlands
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour, 64 km
The Cheltenham Badlands are one of the most stunning natural formations in Ontario. It’s a 91-acre site where the most well-known part is the actual badland. Badlands are essentially dry terrain that has been eroded and now displays stunning colours. I try to explain that it looks like what you think Mars would look like.
While the Cheltenham Badlands are open in the summer as well (opens late May until late November) my vote for visiting is in the fall. It’s definitely busier but it’s never more beautiful than when the background is stunning fall leaves. We’ve visited once in the summer and twice in the fall and the fall experience is unbeatable in my opinion. You can use the trail from the parking lot to the boardwalk where you view the Badlands or you can walk down the main road to access the boardwalk faster.
Because of the popularity of the Badlands over the last few years, reservations are now required. You can reserve in 90-minute slots or 3-hour slots with the longer slots being more expensive. The reservation time slots are available between 8 am and 7 pm daily and can be made 2 weeks in advance of the visit.
Belfountain Conservation Area
Distance/Travel Time: 1hour, 72 km
Belfountain Conservation Area, like Dundas Peak, is technically available to visit during the rest of the year but it is prettiest in the fall. The conservation area has 5 different trails in it but one of the highlights is definitely the bridge where I’m sure you’ll have seen lots of pictures from.
There are 5 separate trails and they’re all fairly short. It’s not the most even of grounds in all places but the entrance portion and the little bridge portion is fairly flat.
The conservation area does not allow walk-in entry and only has vehicle access. You can pre-book your vehicle fee and admission online. Currently the price is $8.50 for admission plus an $11.30 vehicle admission fee. Admission for each individual is on top of the vehicle fee. Updated fees and making a reservation can be accessed here. The conservation area is one of the more popular places for fall day trips from Toronto so depending on when you go you should expect some crowds.
Apple Picking
Distance: This will really vary based on where you go for them. There are dozens of farms who offer this so a quick google of ‘apple picking near me’ should give you some decent options.
I’m a huge fan of fall activities and apple picking is right up there for me. You can usually find a farm where you can do both apple picking and pumpkin activities. Downey’s is a super popular one in the GTA for this but be warned, it gets very packed. Other well known apple farms are Chudleigh’s Apple Farm, Pingle’s Farm Market and Pine Farm Orchards but like I said, there are so many to choose from! Some of the farms/orchards will also sell other apple related products so it’s a great way to pick up some tasty local products and spend some time walking around.
Pumpkin Farms
Distance: This will really vary based on where you go for them. There are dozens of farms who offer this so a quick google of ‘pumpkin farms near me’ should give you some decent options.
When you look through lists, you’ll always see Downey’s on there and it’s one we’ve visited and really enjoyed but it was extremely packed due to the popularity. Bonus points that you can go apple picking there as well so you can turn it into a whole day type of activity but lots of farms will allow for both activities. Other great options are Pingle’s Farm Market and Andrews Farm.
Fall Leaves Viewing
Distance/Travel Time: This will really vary based on where you go for them. You can find beautiful locations all around southern Ontario so you can travel anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours outside of Toronto.
I’m a firm believer that fall in Ontario barely lasts a month so you do have to get out and get all the things to do in Ontario in the fall done in a super short window. Luckily, viewing the stunning fall leaves doesn’t require a lot of effort and you can pick any destination to drive along. The 401 heading east provides some stunning views as does the 404 heading north. You also have the option of visiting any of the dozens of provincial parks near Toronto but fair warning, some of the popular ones get EXTREMELY busy during the fall.
Dundas Peak
Distance/Travel Time: 1 hour or 72 km
Arguably THE fall day trip from Toronto, the Dundas Peak parking lot is located just about an hour from Toronto and is part of the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area. While the conservation area is open year-round it does require reservations during fall due to the extreme popularity of it. I’ve visited Dundas Peak during other seasons and while the green leaves in the summer are also nice it’s extremely hard to beat the fall views and it’s worth dealing with the pre-booking tickets and crowds to experience the foliage from the top of Dundas Peak in my opinion at least. I’ve got a whole guide on hiking Dundas Peak that may come in handy if you’ve never been before. Make sure you check out Tews Falls as well which is part of the Dundas Peak admission ticket and on the way from the parking lot up to the peak. Reservations can be made here and it’s also the place you’ll find the most up to date costs and booking timeslots.
Winter Day Trips from Toronto
Indoor Animal Experiences
Distance/Driving Time: See below
There are a number of indoor animal experiences around southern Ontario and they are great for winter day trips since they’re indoors and sometimes you just need to escape those cold winter days. The below are a few of the options available but this isn’t an exhaustive list so you can probably find other options online as well.
Reptilia Zoo has 3 locations you can visit: Whitby (about 45 minutes or 56 km from Toronto), Vaughan (about 48 minutes or 32 km from Toronto) and London (about 2.5 hours or 200 km from Toronto). The Vaughan location is their flagship location but all 3 are comparable in size. As the name suggest, this is an indoor zoo specializing in reptiles so you’ll get to see alligators, lizards, snakes and so much more. Majority of their animals are rescues from private owners and they do have an adoption program for the smaller reptiles that can be pets.
Bird Kingdom, in Niagara, is about about 1.5 hours or 129 km from Toronto. It has two floors to explore and includes a little museum area. Birds do fly free within the areas here so be aware of that before visiting. The highlight is definitely the big room on the main floor with the giant ceiling and waterfall. The whole place is not super big but you could spend a couple of hours here and then see whether Niagara Falls has frozen over or not or you could combine it with the butterfly conservatory.
The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara, is about about 1.5 hours or 129 km from Toronto. It’s a great indoor activity and it’s one of the biggest butterfly conservatories in North America. The conservatory has over 2000 butterflies and you’re free to walk around and have them land on you or just take some up close photographs of them.
Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is about 1 hour or 100 km from Toronto. Similar to the Niagara Falls conservatory, this is a giant indoor space with butterflies. There’s also birds here as well as a large insect collection. They also host a lot of events so it’s a great place to check with kids.
Christmas Markets
Distance/Driving Time: This will vary depending on where you go
Toronto of course has the famous Distillery Christmas Market but many of the towns and cities around Ontario also host their own festivals. Some of them only run for a weekend but some of them run for multiple weeks starting in late November and run until close to Christmas. While it’s hard to pick a favourite Ontario Christmas Market, you can’t go wrong with Christkindl Market in Kitchener. It’s been named one of the best festivals in Ontario and is definitely worth a visit if you’ve never been. Some of the markets have similar vendors so even if you can only make it to one or two, it’s a great way to support local businesses and get in the holiday spirit.
Indoor Water Park
Distance/Driving Time: This will vary depending on where you go
Great Wolf Lodge is one of the largest indoor water parks in Canada but luckily there are other options. I will say that Great Wolf Lodge is on the nicer end of indoor water parks but you do need to stay onsite to access the waterpark and it’s quite pricey in my opinion. Niagara Falls itself has two other options: The Americana (open to day users as well) and Fallsview Indoor Waterpark (open to day users as well). Another option is the Plunge! Aquatic Centre in the Blue Mountains. They operate on a first come, first serve basis so first thing in the morning may be the best option.
Christmas Light Festivals
Distance/Driving Time: This will vary depending on where you go
Ontario does Christmas light festivals really well and there’s a huge number of both free and paid events you can attend. The largest of the events is the Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls. It runs from mid-November to early January. There are millions of lights highlighting the Niagara Parkway to the Dufferin Islands including the tourist attraction areas like Fallsview Boulevard and Lundy’s Lane.
Other free light festivals are hosted in Brockville, Burlington, Ottawa and so many more cities. Some of the big, paid admission ones only stick around for one season but you’ll be able to find one no problem.
Chase Frozen Waterfalls
Distance/Driving Time: 1 hour, 76 km
While not the only place with frozen waterfalls, Hamilton is a fantastic place to start. Hamilton is unofficially known as the water capital of Ontario, if not Canada with over a hundred waterfalls in the area. Not all of them are accessible or freeze well in the winter but there’s a couple that look great in the winter, in particular Tiffany Falls. Other frozen Hamilton water falls to check out include Tews Falls, Webster Falls and Felker’s Falls.
If you’re up for driving a little further, Niagara Falls looks stunning with snow surrounding it. Some of the waterfalls in the Niagara region also freeze quite prettily.
If you stuck around all the way to the end, there you have it! My epic, many years in progress, guide to some of the best day trips from Toronto. I’m always looking for new places to visit and going back to my favorites so make sure to check in from time to time to see what new ones have been added to the list.
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