Looking for date ideas in Toronto? Whether you’re on a first date or celebrating your 20th anniversary, this city is ripe with romantic opportunities that appeal to every interest. Museums, outdoor adventure opportunities, amusement parks, and more await. Of course, we recommend stopping by one of our shows for a mind-blowing date.
In the meantime, you'll find plenty of spectacular options to impress your beloved. Let love fill the air as you check out these romantic things to do in Toronto.
Outdoor Activities
Let your adventures bring you closer together. These outdoor activities can be as exciting or low-key as you want them to be.
1. Toronto Island Park
Catch a breath of fresh air at Toronto Island Park, where tourists and locals enjoy gazing at the public art displays and breathtaking gardens during summer. Pack a picnic with your favorite foods, and pick out one of the green spaces to call your own.
After eating, you can head to the shores, where you’ll be blessed with panoramic skyline views. To add romance to your date, we recommend sticking around for one of the best sunset views the city has to offer.
2. Evergreen Brick Works
The land on which Evergreen Brick Works sits today was once little more than a landfill. Before that, it served as a quarry. Today, it’s a stunning green space, merging urban landscape design with the natural beauty of community gardens. It’s also a phenomenal location for social events, as its robust calendar suggests.
For a casual date, stroll around the Saturday Farmers Market and consider picking up some local, seasonal ingredients to take home and cook together.
If you're not a fan of cooking, this park has a handful of restaurants and eateries where you and your date can eat breakfast or lunch and sip coffee or wine as you savor each other’s company.
The public gardens are the perfect backdrop for a serene walk as you hold hands and marvel at the carefully cultivated plant life (or each other). The Healing Gardens has several herbaceous perennials and trees that hold special significance to Indigenous peoples, including prickly pear and sunchoke.
3. Humber Bay Park East
Get outdoors to explore stunning habitats in all their natural glory for your next date. Humber Bay Park East offers unbelievable lake views, lookout points, and trails throughout its 47 acres. Across the harbor, you can also view Downtown Toronto’s skyline.
It’s connected to Humber Bay Park West by a bridge with a dramatic arch as it crosses Mimico Creek. If you hang out on the park's eastern side, you’re in for real treats. We love visiting the butterfly habitat, for the native species.
It might not look particularly impressive in the colder months, but when the summer sun awakens the native plants, the habitat comes alive with color. All sorts of species flock to the area, drawn by the blooming flowers that will bring a smile to your beloved’s face.
4. Riverdale Farm
Who says hard work can’t be romantic? A trip to Riverdale Farm thrusts you into farm life, showcasing all the effort that goes into raising livestock. The 7.5-acre farm, located in the Cabbagetown neighborhood, has cows, sheep, pigs, goats, and chickens. If you’d rather not get your hands dirty, you can still appreciate the property's rustic beauty.
Walk along trails with your date and discover numerous historic landmarks along the way, including the historic Francey Barn. It was originally erected in Markham in 1858 and relocated to the Riverdale Farm property in the ‘70s.
A little further along, you’ll discover a Gothic burial ground dating back to the 1850s, known as Toronto Necropolis. Pay your respects to important Toronto natives who left their mark on history.
5. Woodbine Beach Park
At the edge of Woodbine Avenue, you’ll discover Woodbine Beach Park, a scenic spot on the Lake Ontario shoreline. When the sun peeks out behind the clouds, it’s a stellar spot for a picnic and a quiet walk.
As the largest beach in the city, it’s incredibly popular during the summer months, but there’s still plenty of space on the sand to carve out an intimate date. If you like to live on the adventurous side, go kayaking with your beloved. You can rent equipment on the eastern edge of the beach for a whole new perspective of the lake.
You can even find festivals and live music shows here during summer. Catch the annual Beaches Jazz Festival or Toronto International BuskerFest for an extra special date that neither of you will soon forget.
Elevate your Toronto Stay!
Ready for a whimsical twist to your Toronto visit? Make the most of your day with high-flying Cirque du Soleil acts and vibrant shows!
Animal Encounters
Experience the moment when time stands still as you lock eyes with animals big and small. You'll remember these encounters for a long time to come.
6. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
One of Toronto's most popular destinations also offers memorable experiences. At Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, you can see aquatic life from a whole new perspective.
There’s something special about marveling at the fish swimming by, completely oblivious to the outside world. Hands-on experiences and animal encounters await within the aquarium’s glass walls.
Once a month, Ripley’s Aquarium undergoes a romantic transformation, becoming a jazz bar. Dance together underneath the jellyfish, gracefully drifting by as the rhythm of the music moves you. Pick up some refreshments at the cash bar and get lost in the ambiance. This date is sure to win you points with your significant other.
7. Toronto Zoo
The zoo isn’t just for kids. Adults also swoon over the wild animals that call the Toronto Zoo home. Explore vastly different habitats, from the Canadian Domain, which features native species, to the Eurasia Wilds. Tigers, snakes, and wolves are just a few animals in the sprawling park.
Would you or your beloved like to get up close and personal with the animals? That dream becomes a reality if you book a Wild Encounter. You and your date will be able to lock eyes with a lemur or meet a majestic polar bear face-to-face. Not much can top this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Amusement Park
Amusement parks have been a quintessential date idea for ages. Thrills await; you’ll be glad you’re not experiencing them alone.
8. Canada’s Wonderland
If you hear shrill screams of exhilarated fear, you’re heading toward Canada’s Wonderland — one of our favorite stops on this list. This amusement park is situated in Vaughan, just north of Toronto. It has over 200 attractions and a 20-acre aquatic park for you and your date to explore.
It’s the perfect spot for an adventure that gets both of your hearts pounding. Imagine how sweet the adrenaline rush will feel when holding your date’s hand as a roller coaster sends you upside down in loops at unfathomable speeds.
Daredevils delight on the Backlot Stunt Coaster. This ride takes you on a minute-long ride through a themed track designed to mimic the feeling of a high-speed chase seen in movies. If that’s not scary enough, hop on the Behemoth, which takes you 230 ft. into the air for spectacular views before plunging you down at a 75-degree angle.
The true thrill seekers, go to the Leviathan, the tallest ride in the park. It takes you up 306 ft. in the air before barreling down the tracks faster than the average train.
Art, Music, and Theatre
Embrace your creative side as you explore some of the best fine arts this city offers. You’ll find some of the best things to do in Toronto, from art galleries to breathtaking venues.
9. Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
If you want a date filled with evocative, intellectual stimulation, the Art Gallery of Ontario is jam-packed with conversation starters. With a range of permanent and temporary exhibits, there’s always plenty to see here. You’ll discover famous historical artists like Andy Warhol and Vincent van Gogh, as well as contemporary local artists.
But this art gallery offers more than paintings and sculptures. Past exhibits have showcased musicians and filmmakers, recognizing all forms of art are worth celebrating.
With around 95,000 pieces in its collection, you’re bound to find things you agree with. You may also find a few pieces that spark hours-long debates about why an artist chose a certain element. It’s a great way to learn how you both think.
10. Gardiner Museum
Clay is one of the greatest mediums for art. As you shape and mold it with your hands, it becomes whatever you want.
What better way to get to know your date than to explore this form of artistry together at the Gardiner Museum? Here, you'll discover the commonality of art across cultures and traditions and the individual creativity each artist brings.
Spend time exploring the indoor and outdoor exhibits, and join an adult class in the studios. You’ll learn to craft your own vases and pots or sculpt and etch by hand, depending on your chosen class.
As you express yourselves, you’ll see new sides of each other. For the ultimate romantic experience, try your hand at making matching items. That way, you'll both have a memento of your time together.
11. Princess of Wales Theatre
Going to the movies is a classic date idea. Sure, you can’t go wrong, but elevating the environment can make the experience more romantic.
At the Princess of Wales Theatre, the stunning interior was designed by architect Peter Smith. With plush red seats that match the velvet curtains and golden accents throughout, the theater exudes elegance and luxury. It's a stage that even we would be proud to call our own!
Watch as expert performers take the stage and perform all sorts of shows, from Broadway musicals to contemporary classics. The show also features improv and sketch comedy that will make you laugh until your belly hurts.
12. The Opera House
The Opera House started out as La Plaza Theatre, featuring an Edwardian vaudeville stage and seating for 900 people. Over the years, it's undergone numerous renovations, transforming it into a musical hotspot with cutting-edge technology while retaining its classic charm.
Concerts, comedy shows, performances, and more have graced its stage, including big-name performers like Rick Astley, Nirvana, and Metallica. Stop by The Opera House Grill & Patio for a tasty bite before the show. It’s the only place in the Riverside neighborhood where Greek foods, such as gyros and souvlaki, are on the menu.
Museums
If the weather outside is less than ideal, you’ll find no shortage of indoor activities in Toronto. These museums delve into niche interests that are certain to delight. Share your passions with your date, or simply try something new together.
13. Museum of Television (MZTV Museum)
Television may be part of our daily lives, but there’s a rich history behind those big, flat screens that sit above fireplace mantels. Dive into its past at the Museum of Television, the only museum in the world that focuses on the TV and the technology that made it possible to watch videos on your phone wherever you go.
According to Moses Znaimer, the museum's founder, television is “the most important cultural phenomenon of the twentieth century.” The vast collection includes thousands of devices, parts, and memorabilia related to the invention.
14. Museum of Illusions Toronto
Get ready to flip your understanding of reality on its head at the Museum of Illusions Toronto. In this space, nothing is what it seems. The optical illusions trick your mind, so items appear to float. And you'll feel like the room is spinning around you.
As you navigate the interactive exhibits together, you'll make memories that last a lifetime. At one point, you'll appear to switch noses; at another, clones will appear to materialize before your eyes. Each spellbinding exhibit is designed to twist what you perceive.
15. Hockey Hall of Fame
Are you or your date avid hockey fans? You don’t want to miss the Hockey Hall of Fame, where the most legendary athletes of all time are celebrated. You’ll even find the original Stanley Cup here, alongside artifacts that detail the sport from its origins to the present day.
It’s also updated each season. As hockey's history transforms, so does the museum. Want to make this date unforgettable? Check out the interactive exhibits, where you and your date can engage in a little friendly competition to see who comes out on top.
Take on some of the biggest names in hockey history through computer-generated simulations. You can block shots by Sidney Crosby or try to get a puck past Henrik Lundqvist. See who can rack up the highest score. Raise the stakes, and the loser can buy dinner at one of the many fancy restaurants in Toronto.
Sealing Your Toronto Date Experience With Lasting Memories
Regardless of whether you and your date are just getting to know each other or celebrating decades together, dates help keep the passion alive. They bring excitement that breaks up comfortable monotony and invites you and your loved one to learn about each other and grow as a couple.
While these romantic date ideas may be a way to mix things up, we have another suggestion. Our shows in Toronto offer the perfect break from the norm. Once you take your seats, you'll begin your journey into a fantastical setting unlike anything you've ever seen before.