When it’s raining outside, you may be thinking about ways to stay dry and still be entertained. From experiences that are inside to attractions and excitement with covered seating, we’ll be doing our best to get your mind spinning with all the ideas!
The Best Tip
Know ahead of time that full days of rain are rare in Toronto, so having activities available for a couple hours will definitely be helpful.
You’ll also want to pack a cheap umbrella in your bag. Don’t bring something huge with you, as the Weather Network is wrong just as often as they’re right. If you have to run under an awning or into a store, it’s not the worst thing!
Malls
The first thing that came to mind was spending time at the mall. Ample food options, entertainment, shopping and the ability to escape the elements…it’s all there!
Toronto has a number of malls that could be an option for your day, depending on where in the city you’re planning on being.
- Toronto Eaton Centre (Downtown)
- Yorkdale (North York)
- Vaughan Mills (Vaughan)
Sporting Events
This is a tough one to predict, as baseball has a different season than hockey and basketball. We’ve had great luck with daytime Blue Jays games during the summer because of the Skydome’s enclosed stadium (okay, Rogers Centre).
Certain sports are all outdoors, so you may want to google search before purchasing your tickets.
Attractions
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is a great option, as you’re able to spend hours watching the fish and sea creatures get wet…without you having to dry off!
Skip the CN Tower, as most of the experience is the view! When it’s raining or cloudy, you’re really not going to see anything outside of the downtown core.
Museums
We’re counting museums in a different category than attractions, because they give you something unique – a day that you can control. Depending on the level of interest in your party, you can spend hours wandering around!
Hockey Hall of Fame is perfect for a sports fan. From interactive games to historically significant artifacts AND THE STANLEY CUP! You’ll want to check out our article about the HHOF for tips, as I’ve not only been dozens of times…I actually crossed off a bucket list goal and worked for them.
Art Gallery of Ontario, or the AGO, can capture the minds of folks willing to give it a chance. You’ll want to do research prior to the day, as there are so many individual galleries and pieces to discover that it is actually overwhelming.
Royal Ontario Museum, or the ROM, is our go-to indoor activity on a rainy day. It’s great! They’ve got Dinosaurs…that’s really all you need, right?
Indoor Stuff
There are a couple things that can be difficult to really plan a day around, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t find a spot on your itinerary during a “blah” day.
The Toronto Reference Library is just north of Bloor on Yonge. Thousands of books, rare artifacts and free wifi…plus they’ve got a comic book store on the main floor called “Page & Panels”
The PATH is a network of underground pedestrian tunnels, elevated walkways, and at-grade walkways connecting the office towers of Downtown Toronto. It connects more than 70 buildings via 30 kilometres of tunnels, walkways, and shopping areas.
Honorable Mentions
- The Rec Room
- Day trip to Niagara Falls
- Walking Tour of the St Lawrence Market with Bruce Bell
Is there anything else that we should add to the list? Let us know!
