Think Toronto is just a concrete jungle? Here’s why it’s worth visiting.
I live and breathe Toronto. This is my city. When I hear people say there’s nothing to do here or it’s just a concrete jungle, or it’s “basically just New York”, it riles me up!
Toronto is a vibrant, world-class city, but it’s somewhere you need to get under the skin of to truly appreciate. So who better to guide you than a local Torontonian (me).
While there are countless reasons to love this city, I’m giving you my top 7 reasons why you’re underestimating Toronto.
Is Toronto Worth Visiting?
Absolutely. Toronto is so worth visiting we made a whole website about it! (This one).
So many people come to Toronto for two or three days, walk up and down Yonge Street, grab a Timmies (that’s Tim Horton’s coffee shop for the non-Canadians present), go up the CN Tower, and then complain that there’s nothing to do here.
There’s plenty to do here, they’re just doing it wrong!
Unlike other major cities around the world, the beauty of Toronto isn’t in the obvious tourist attractions, it’s in all the components that knit together to create the fabric of our mosaic.
As a local, I’m excited to share my favourite things about Toronto that I think are overlooked.
7 Reasons Why Toronto Is Better Than You Think
Okay, I’ve talked the talk, now it’s time to walk the walk, eh? Let’s get into it.
1. The Food, The Food, The Food
If there’s one thing Torontonians take seriously, it’s our food. From the Michelin starred restaurants and bougie steakhouses owned by hockey players, to the hole-in-the-wall patty shops and hotdog stands we affectionately call “street meat”, the standard for food is seriously high.
If a food business isn’t good, it won’t survive in Toronto.
We have restaurants galore covering everything from First Nations cuisine like Tea N Bannock where you can try bison and elk, to West African restaurants like Afrobeat for comfort food like jollof rice and mafé stew, and everything in between.
But one of my favourite things about the food scene here is that we have places that only do something very specific and do it amazingly well.
Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery on Ossington is known for incredible ice cream sandwiches made from rotating flavours of homemade ice cream and freshly baked cookies of your choice.
Black Camel in Rosedale is a tiny shop with a tiny menu of sandwiches and people will line up to nab a slow roasted beef brisket.
And Roti Mahal on Queen St W, is known for serving up incredible North Indian roti (get the Butter Chicken Roti, thank me later), just to name a few.
The food in Toronto will not disappoint so skip the well known chains and try something local.
2. We’re The Sports Capital Of Canada
Toronto is one of the biggest sports cities in the world. Most people know us for hockey, baseball, and basketball, but did you know the Leafs, Jays, and Raps are just the tip of the iceberg?
Did you know Canada has two national sports? Our national winter sport is hockey, and summer sport is lacrosse. Both sports originate from Canada and the coveted Stanley Cup lives permanently right here in Toronto, at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
We also have professional soccer, football, rugby league and lacrosse teams, as well as professional women’s teams in hockey, soccer, and our newly minted WNBA basketball team tipping off in 2026.
We have sports for every interest and budget. And in addition to our home teams we host major sporting events from the Honda Indy to the National Bank Open, the Grand Slam of Curling to the King’s Plate horseracing and even eSports, to name a few.
Not to mention we’re a host city for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
3. The Countless Events & Festivals
When people say “there’s nothing to do in Toronto” they must not be paying attention because there is never not something happening here!
In addition to being a sports town we’re home to the world’s largest Caribbean Carnival parade, the world’s second largest Pride festival, and the world famous Toronto International Film Festival.
We also have Nuit Blanche, a free all night light and art exhibit around the city, the Beaches International Jazz Festival, Christmas markets, Summerlicious and Winterlicious when you can to try the city’s best restaurants while saving with a prix fixe menu, and more!
We have festivals, events, exhibits, shows, games, and gatherings for every interest year-round.
Dance your way through Salsa on St. Clair, eat your way through Taste of the Danforth, or get in character at Comicon.
And if you want to be truly Torontonian, close out the end of summer at the nearly 150 year old National Exhibition where you can ride the rides, shop the stalls, and try kooky creations like a Kool-Aid fried chicken sandwich, tzatziki cheesecake, and wasabi ice cream.
4. Toronto Is For Music Lovers
Being the biggest city in Canada and sitting somewhat near the middle of the country, it’s easy to see how Toronto became a hotspot for talents both rising and established.
From our own homegrown major success stories of the likes of Neil Young, Drake, The Weeknd, and The Tragically Hip, to local favourites like The Beaches and Mustafa the Poet, Toronto’s love affair with music runs deep.
For major international acts, Toronto is often the only Canadian stop on a North American tour which has music fans flocking from far and wide to catch a gig.
In 2024 we played host to 6 nights of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and this year we’re the only Canadian stop for major shows like the Oasis reunion tour, Coldplay’s world tour, and K-Pop super girl group BlackPink. All three playing multiple dates at our new 39,000 seat outdoor music venue, Rogers Stadium.
But it’s not all about the big guys! We have music venues across the city, with capacities from the tiny to the thousands, both indoors and out.
Looking for some Toronto music history? Check out the iconic Horseshoe Tavern on Queen St W. This dive bar/live venue holds only a few hundred people and has seen the likes of Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, Linkin Park, and Etta James.
Finding live music in Toronto is easy any day of the week. Check out a swing night at Drom Taberna, dance salsa at Lula, enjoy jazz at Reservoir Lounge, and feel the blues at The Rex. Good music is what we do.
5. The Diverse Neighbourhoods
Where a lot of visitors go wrong when they visit Toronto is that they just hang out downtown around Yonge St and then think the city has no soul. What they don’t realize is that that area is mainly office towers, big corporations, and the Financial District.
If you want to fall in love with Toronto, you’re going to need to explore it.
Toronto is a Cultural Mosaic. This means that when people come here, they bring their culture with them. So, it’s very easy to find neighbourhoods, restaurants and shops representing people from all over the world.
And it’s this diversity that gives us the eclectic charm of the likes of Kensington Market, a local and visitor favourite neighbourhood where you can try Tibetan food, shop for vintage clothes, and visit a West Indian grocery store all within a few steps of each other.
From the distinct areas like Chinatown and Little Portugal to the diverse like West Queen West, where it’s not unusual to find a dive bar next to a trendy Italian spot next to a Japanese gelato shop, there’s so much to explore.
A friend of mine visiting the city once described walking through our neighbourhoods like walking through movie sets because each area is uniquely its own.
6. Our Local Shopping Scene
Toronto is cool and the fashion and shopping scenes reflect that attitude. It can be tempting to hit the mall but we recommend you shop local to find truly Torontonian products.
For the comfy cottage vibe check out Province of Canada in Leslieville or pick up your souvenirs at Spacing Store in the Entertainment District.
Enjoy thrifting? Don’t miss Black Market where you can shop thrifted items and overstock basics, or hit the Sunday Variety Market behind St Lawrence Market for vintage finds every Sunday.
Black Market has two locations on Queen St W. Downstairs features a more casual style and pop up shops such as CHIPPEWAR NATION indigenous made apparel. Upstairs offers more curated vintage and streetwear finds. They also operate Public Butter, a curated vintage store in Parkdale.
And speaking of markets, we have a lot of those. From Christmas Market pop-ups in winter to the litany of outdoor markets from spring to fall, these are the place to be.
Kensington Flea Market runs weekends from May to October and is a great place to check out vintage fashion and original art.
Toronto Flower Market is about all things gardening and flowers on the second Saturday of the month May to October.
And Stackt Market is a container village complete with beer hall, shops, and pop-ups markets and events year round like the Asian Night Market, Holiday Hills, and The Coffee Party, a daytime dance party where adults can drink coffee, enjoy the DJ, and skip the late night.
But this is just a sampling of the markets Toronto sees popping up all across the city. Shops, pop-ups, markets, we know good shopping.
7. Everyone Can Find Their Tribe
Nothing is weird in this city. In fact, in Toronto we have a running joke that you can spot the visitors because they look “normal”.
Love video games? We have arcade bars. More of a boardgame person? We have cafes for that.
Relax at an ASMR massage studio, sip cocktails on a floating tikibar, visit the nude beach, blast through a massive adults only indoor obstacle course, take a haunted ghost walk, visit the Sherlock Holmes room at the Reference Library.
Check out dinosaurs at the ROM, take a ceramics workshop at the Gardiner Museum, escape from the tower at Casa Loma, or take a spin around the historic Distillery District by segway.
From rollercoasters to salt caves, rooftop pools to lakefront skating rinks, donut tours to street art alleyways, in Toronto you will find something, somewhere, or someone that’s into exactly the same thing you are, no matter how niche.
FAQs
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
Is Toronto Expensive To Visit?
The most expensive aspect of visiting Toronto is the accommodation because decent budget options are few and far between. But when you’re exploring the city it’s easy to eat and shop on the cheap. Just remember we pay 13% tax on top of most purchases so factor that into your spending.
Is Vancouver Or Toronto Better?
Vancouver and Toronto could not offer more different experiences. Vancouver is set against a gorgeous background and is ideal for people who enjoy the outdoors. While Toronto is a big city with a whole lot of personality and lots to do and see. Toronto is better for live music, sports, food, shopping, and culture.
How Many Days In Toronto Is Enough?
Three days is a good amount of time to explore Toronto if you want to take in some of the main sites and get a feel for the city. Five days is ideal if you’d like to explore more of the unique neighbourhoods and include a day trip to Niagara Falls.
The Bottom Line
Toronto has more going on than you can shake a stick at. We have a world-class food scene, shopping for days, sports, music, and events for every budget and interest.
The city is electric and the neighbourhoods are alive. Don’t fall into the tourist trap of downtown Yonge Street and the CN Tower. Explore beyond the Yonge Street corridor and I promise you’ll fall in love with this city and the people who make it special.
