Toronto On a Rainy Day: 11 Things To Do
Rain falls throughout the year in Ontario’s capital, so there’s a huge chance it will rain while you’re on your holiday. When it starts pouring outside, you might feel discouraged to go out, and it might seem like there is nothing else to do but stay in your hotel or apartment. But don’t let a rainy day in Toronto ruin your vacation. You can still keep yourself occupied and busy even in the middle of a stormy day!
Toronto is a vibrant city bustling with exciting activities and incredible events that will entertain everyone any time of the year. Sure, you can’t walk around the park, swim at the beach, or stroll the historic streets without galoshes and an umbrella on a gloomy day. But you can discover famous indoor attractions in Old Toronto, admire stunning architecture, play arcade games, and visit museums. You can even experience the beautiful wonders of nature indoors at Centennial Park Conservatory or immerse yourself in art at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Endless indoor adventures are waiting for you in Toronto on a rainy day, no matter what type of activities interest you the most. Instead of spending an uneventful day in your hotel, explore the rainy day entertainment you might otherwise miss in the city. Did you get caught in the rain? Drop bags and backpacks at a place where you can store your bags in Toronto. A luggage storage service will keep them dry while you see the city skies open up!
Take a Cultural Tour
Spend a rainy day in Toronto visiting museums and cultural facilities. Start your tour at the Royal Ontario Museum, the country’s largest museum of natural history and cultures. Besides its striking exterior, this vast museum is filled with excellent displays that reflect Ontario’s past and Canada’s First Peoples. It also houses historical artifacts, cultural objects, artworks, and other important objects from around the world.
Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum is close to various cultural attractions in the city, including the prominent Art Gallery of Ontario. This art gallery is one of North America’s largest art museums with an outstanding collection of over 90,000 pieces, including European masterpieces, contemporary art, Canadian art, and unique works worldwide. It features permanent displays and hosts special exhibitions every now and then.
A few minutes’ drive from the art gallery is one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. The majestic Casa Loma is worth visiting on a sunny morning or a rainy day to explore its breathtaking interiors. Take your time and see its 98 elaborately decorated rooms with authentic antiques and furnishings from the Edwardian era.
Right beside the magnificent Casa Loma is another mansion in the heart of Toronto. Spadina Museum or Spadina House is a historic manor with a fascinating past dating back to the city’s early days. It gives visitors a glimpse of a bygone era and serves as a portal into Toronto’s triumphs and tribulations from the 1900s to the 1930s.
Jump Around at a Trampoline Park
If you think you can’t do any physical or heart-pumping activity on a rainy day in Toronto, think again! Visit a trampoline park and get ready to bounce and jump around with your friends. A huge indoor trampoline park you can visit is the Sky Zone Toronto, offering multiple trampolines to burn your energy and sweat indoors.
Everyone is welcome here, including kids and kids at heart. It’s a great space to play, move, and be yourself. There are also different programs and attractions, so you can pick whatever activity works for you. After dark, the whole park is transformed into a wild jumping dance club with music, lasers, and blacklight. It is open from 9 am to 9 pm from Sunday through Thursday and 9 am to 11 pm every Friday and Saturday.
Complete an Indoor Obstacle Course
A wet day doesn’t have to be a boring day if you can go out in Toronto and add an interactive obstacle challenge course to your schedule. Go to Pursuit OCR, one of the country’s best indoor obstacle courses where you can race, play, explore, and be entertained. It’s a perfect setting to test your strength, speed, and ability to climb, run, and crawl.
Whether you’re playing alone or competing with friends or a group, Pursuit is an inclusive and diverse space where you can enjoy, let loose, and bring out your inner child. There are monkey bars, a massive ball pit, a unique track, and tons of obstacle courses to explore in a 30,000 square feet facility. Wear your comfortable clothing and be ready to race.
No matter your physical skill and fitness levels, you’ll laugh, sweat, and enjoy the adventures at Pursuit OCR. It is open every day, between 12 noon to 9:30 pm from Monday to Thursday and 11 am to 10:30 pm every Friday and Saturday. Then, it closes at 8:30 pm on Sunday.
See Marine Animals at Ripley's Aquarium
Just a stone’s throw from the CN Tower is one of the newest major attractions in Toronto. The Ripley’s Aquarium is a family-friendly destination to explore with your kids. Spend a rainy afternoon watching displays of various kinds of marine animals, including sharks, turtles, stingrays, eels, and jellyfish, highlighted with creative lighting
Buy a ticket and spend hours exploring Ripley's Aquarium. It boasts a massive underwater tunnel where you can watch the fascinating ocean world go by around you. This cool attraction features touch tanks for a hands-on experience and live shows where you’ll see astounding sea creatures. It is open every day, from 10 am to 8 pm, but the last tickets are sold at 6 pm.
Head to St. Lawrence Market
In the center of old town Toronto sits one of Canada’s oldest markets. St. Lawrence Market is a city treasure with roots you can trace back to 1803. The market complex has three distinct buildings; each will give you a unique experience.
You’ll love the lively atmosphere at the South Market building, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, specialty food, and artisans. There are also cooking classes at the Market Kitchen, while the Market Gallery features different exhibits dedicated to the city’s history and culture.
Then head to the North Market building to discover the farmers’ market, where you can find fresh meat and organic produce. You can also spend a rainy day at St. Lawrence Hall for exhibitions, concerts, and gatherings or explore the Antique Market shop for vintage items, antiques, and unique collectibles.
Admire Islamic Art at Aga Khan Museum
One of the gorgeous spots in the North York district, the Aga Khan Museum is the largest museum dedicated to Islamic culture and arts outside of an Islamic country. The gardens and lush park, exterior walls of Brazilian granite, and strikingly modern building are incredible sights to behold.
On the inside, you’ll marvel at the impressive collection of over 1,000 pieces of ceramics, glassworks, textiles, paintings, manuscripts, and other masterpieces spanning ten centuries. At the Collections Gallery on the first floor is the permanent collection of art pieces that represent over ten centuries of human history.
You’ll also find the Bellerive Room on the same floor. It will reward visitors with displays of the ceramic collection once owned by the late Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Princes Catherine Khan. Then on the second floor are special exhibitions featuring works from the museum and other masterpieces from different partner museums and installations by various contemporary artists.
If you need a break to eat, you don’t have to go too far and get soaked in the rain. The museum provides an elegant dining setting at Diwan restaurant. Besides its international cuisines, it also offers special dishes inspired by the unique culinary traditions featured in the museum exhibitions.
Bring Nature Indoors at Centennial Park Conservatory
Just because you can’t go out in the park or walk around outdoor gardens on a rainy day in Toronto doesn’t mean you can’t immerse yourself in nature. Drive to the Centennial Park Conservatory and see blooming flowers and lush greenery while listening to the pouring rain outside.
The conservatory features the main greenhouse, containing about 200 varieties of tropical plants blooming year-round. These include orchids, hibiscus, bromeliads, crotons, and palms. On the south wing, you’ll see an arid house, home to an excellent display of peculiar succulents and cacti. When you get to the north wing, a display house features a collection of local shrubs and trees and impressive displays that change every season.
Play Board Games
Another way to spend time and fight boredom on a rainy day in Toronto is to play board games. Although you can always play in your hotel room with your family members and friends, it’s more exciting to do it in a board game facility. Thankfully, Toronto has excellent places with board games, including 41 Games, Snakes & Lattes, and BoardGamesNMore.
The 41 Games has an extensive collection of board games suitable for all ages, including trading board games and tabletop games. On the other hand, BoardGameNMore provides traditional and modern games in a welcoming environment, perfect for newbies and experienced players.
But suppose you want to play over a hot latte on a cold rainy afternoon. In that case, the Snakes & Lattes is a fantastic entertainment spot to visit. It is North America’s first and largest board game bar and restaurant where you can get together with loved ones and make memorable memories. Pick from hundreds of new and classic table games and play while enjoying a quick snack or a tasty meal.
Beat an Escape Room
If you’re running out of ways to spend your rainy day in Toronto, perhaps it’s time to elevate your indoor adventure and challenge yourself in an escape room. Throughout the years, escape rooms in the city have significantly evolved to cater to the growing needs of Torontonians and visitors who have a knack for problem-solving and uncovering leads.
Race against the clock with the escape games at The Imaginarium, one of Toronto’s best escape rooms. Arrive fifteen minutes early before your scheduled mission and complete your 60-minute session.
For an immersive experience, go to Daydream Adventures and try their magical forest escape room. It’s painstakingly designed to provide an engaging story for players and high-quality puzzles. But if you want to play with your friends, head to the BreakOut Team Adventures to work with your team and collaborate to analyze, find clues, secret passageways, and solve puzzles before time runs out.
Shop Hockey Merchandise at the Hockey Hall of Fame
Your visit to Ontario’s capital city won’t be complete without a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame. See the original 1893 Stanley Cup, play hockey simulation games, and buy hockey equipment, hockey-related gifts, apparel, and merchandise at an expensive retail store.
What’s more, it hosts regular exhibits on popular teams and players and displays permanent galleries. It boasts the largest hockey collections in the world, featuring trophies, hockey memorabilia, and artifacts dating back to the origin of the game up to the present day.
Have an Out-of-this-world Experience at the Ontario Science Centre
Another attraction located in North York that science buffs should definitely visit on a rainy day in Toronto is the Ontario Science Centre. Established in 1969, the centre has been providing advanced science and technology experiences to visitors. It offers educational resources, programs, and more than fifty interactive experiences to entertain and educate students and adults.
Your visit to the science centre will be filled with adventure, exploration, and discovery. Marvel at the wonders of the galaxy, experience a journey through the universe, watch thrilling films, and immerse yourself in live science demonstrations and exhibits. Take your time to maximize your day in the science centre.
See a Toronto Art Gallery and More
Spending a rainy day in Toronto can seem like an unwelcoming idea, especially if you’ve planned your day around various outdoor activities. It can be tempting to just stay indoors and lock yourself inside your accommodation. But you shouldn’t let a wet day get to you because this lively city has plenty of thrilling activities prepared for you even in a cold, gloomy season. So layer up, keep yourself warm, and pick from an endless list of indoor fun to do in Toronto on rainy days.
Looking for even more things to do in Toronto on a rainy day? Check out these other guides:
Best Brunch In Toronto: The Definitive Guide
Everything You Need To Know About Shopping In Toronto
The Best Museums In Toronto
