Originally posted on: April 4, 2023

Updated: Oct 10, 2024

Toronto winter travel offers a magical experience as the city’s streets transform into a snowy wonderland, inviting visitors to embrace the charm of winter festivities and explore iconic landmarks adorned with glistening frost. As the largest and perhaps most populated city in Canada, Toronto has a lot of things and activities to do year round. However, as this was my first full winter season in Toronto, I was a bit curious to figure out what are the best things to do in Toronto during the winter. Frankly, it was a bit challenging because I was actively not trying to go outside, but still wanted to have a good and memorable time. So, here are my recommendations of the best Christmas events in Toronto that you can enjoy during your Toronto winter travel season!

Toronto Winter Travel: The Best Christmas Events in Toronto winter

After having spent an entire winter season in Toronto as a newcomer, here is my recommendation: if you are traveling to Toronto during the winter, I highly recommend planning to be here for the Christmas season and end of year holidays, so you can enjoy the best Christmas events in Toronto! The reason is, there are a lot of holiday themed activities that you can enjoy in Toronto, both indoors and outdoors. 

If you are traveling outside of the holidays season but still within the winter season (from mid-January to March), most of the remaining activities will be targeted towards snow sports and experiences. Alternatively, you can also opt for the top tourist attractions in Toronto (which you can see all year round anyways). 

I could literally end my blog post here (because I have summed up all the information that it needs to have), but for the sake of consistency and thoroughness, let me share with you some of the key activities for your Toronto winter travel!

Toronto Winter Travel: Visiting Toronto during the Christmas holidays

This is for you if you your Toronto winter travel adventure falls within the holidays.

The Christmas season in Toronto is really all about Christmas. In fact, the first set of Christmas decorations in the city go up at the Hudson Bay, as early as November 8th! This is then followed by the Toronto Christmas Parade, which happens in mid-November.

I have created a comprehensive article on the top things to do in Toronto during the Christmas season, and I think if this is your season, you should check it out! It includes everything that I thought would be a great idea for a first time visitor, such as:

•  Toronto Christmas markets,
• The best Christmas lights displays in Toronto, 
• My favorite free activities to do in Toronto during the Christmas season
• Toronto Christmas events I recommend,
• Interesting Christmas themed restaurants to check out in Toronto,
• Immersive Christmas light experiences in Toronto that I think add some flavors to the season. 

See? Like I said, the guide is comprehensive, and will truly get you set up with ideas of things to do in Toronto during the Christmas season.

Toronto Winter Travel: Visiting Toronto after the Christmas holidays 

This is for you if you are traveling to Toronto from mid-January to March.

If your Toronto winter travel falls in January, you might still catch some of the holiday lights exhibitions, as they have different end dates. In addition, here are some ideas of things to do in Toronto during the winter, specifically after the holidays.

• Ice skating in Toronto: Toronto has a lot of free outdoor ice-skating rinks open throughout the city, from Nathan Phillip Square to Union Station. If you are into ice-skating, this would be a fun Christmas activity to do in Toronto. I definitely want to learn next year, so I can actually try ice-skating in Toronto for the first time!

• Experience the Bloor Yorkville Ice Fest: Bloor Yorkville is a very pretty, charming and inviting neighborhood in Toronto. I went there to see their Holidays Light display, and absolutely loved the vibe and feel of the entire area. Lined up with cafes and appealing restaurants, it’s a great place to go for an evening stroll, on a winter evening (I can’t even believe that I, as a summer-loving person, am saying this!) Definitely one of the best places to see amazing Christmas lights in Toronto.

• Candle Lights Concerts Series: this is an experience that I actually wanted to have, but was not able to catch this winter (hopefully, next year!) The idea is to have candle-lit concerts that pay tribute to key artists and musical genres, across different locations in the city (from concert halls to churches). Because I love music and unique sensory musical experiences, this is definitely something I would try out when visiting a new city. Added bonus: you stay warm inside, and outside. 

• For your Toronto winter travel experience, enjoy a free light exhibition at Toronto’s “Art of Light” festival:  previously called the Toronto Winter exhibition,. Art of Light is a free outdoors light exhibition that allows visitors to experience one of Toronto’s parks, in a new light. Artists decorate the park with different lights installations that are made available to the public. The exhibition is on from March to May, and is a great way to tap into the city’s arts, while doing something unique in Toronto during the winter. 

And what if you were looking to visit Toronto during another season? Search no more. Here are my recommendations of unique and amazing things to do in Toronto, regardless of the season!