The Best Rainy-Day Things to Do in Toronto, Compared

When the weather turns, Toronto has plenty of indoor options, from aquariums and museums to ping pong and board games. This guide compares real options named by Destination Toronto and One King West Hotel so you can choose by group, budget and neighbourhood.

For families and animal lovers: Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

Ripley's Aquarium sits next to the CN Tower in the downtown core. One King West describes about 16,000 aquatic animals, 450 species and more than 100 interactive displays, including a chance to touch stingrays and white spotted bamboo sharks. Destination Toronto cites roughly 20,000 marine animals, so numbers vary by source. It is the easiest all-weather pick for kids, and it pairs naturally with the CN Tower nearby.

For museums and art: ROM and AGO

The Royal Ontario Museum offers hands-on exhibits and play spaces for kids, plus rotating exhibitions. The Art Gallery of Ontario focuses on Canadian and Indigenous art and has a bistro and espresso bar for a lunch break. Both are good for a half day, but check each site for current exhibitions and ticket prices, since neither source lists costs.

For groups and date nights: Games and social clubs

Snakes & Lattes, with a College Street West location, combines a cafe with a large board game library, food and cocktails. SPIN Toronto on King West is a 12,000-square-foot ping pong social club with 12 tables, two licensed bars and a full food menu. Captive Escape Room on Yonge Street north of Dundas runs 60-minute escape games. Destination Toronto also lists escape rooms generally and sports bars for game-day crowds.

For sports and movies

Scotiabank Arena hosts the Raptors and Maple Leafs, while Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays, can close its roof in rain. The Hockey Hall of Fame offers memorabilia, interactive simulations and Stanley Cup photo ops. For films, TIFF Lightbox runs year-round screenings.

For walking without getting wet

The PATH is an underground walkway connecting about 75 buildings, nine hotels, six subway stations and Union Station, according to Destination Toronto, and is the best way to cover ground downtown without an umbrella. Union Station itself is a National Historic Site with architecture, shops and food stands you can tour on your own.

For a slower afternoon

Destination Toronto also suggests food halls, afternoon tea, spas, global coffee-culture cafes and make-your-own souvenir studios, and lists live theatre, music and dance with rush tickets sometimes available.

How to choose

With kids, start with Ripley's Aquarium or the ROM. For couples or friends, pick Snakes & Lattes, SPIN or an escape room. For culture, choose the AGO or a specialty museum. If you want to stay dry between stops downtown, use the PATH. Always check opening hours and ticket prices on each venue's website before you head out.