It’s hard not to fall in love with the cultural phenomenon that is Toronto, Canada’s largest city. The melting pot blends a cosmopolitan and diverse culture with acres of natural beauty. Whether it’s the art and culture, the delicious food and cuisine, the nightlife, or the great big urban outdoors, Toronto has something for everyone. Besides having plenty to offer, it might even spark some new interests! The only challenge? Figuring out how to visit the best attractions to see in the city, which is why you have the CityPass in Toronto. Between the museums, outdoor activities, landmarks, and other attractions, Toronto has potentially overwhelming options for your itinerary. The CityPass has it covered and includes admission to five of the city’s best attractions, with an option on one of them.
With Toronto being one of Canada’s most visited cities, CityPass has gained a lot of popularity with the stream of travelers visiting the city. And it’s easily one of the more affordable and value-for-money ways to see the top things to do in Toronto. To that end, here are the 6 top attractions to visit with CityPass in Toronto.
Ontario Science Center
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We begin with the Ontario Science Center, one of the best CityPass in Toronto attractions. It’s an option for those who didn’t choose the Toronto Zoo as one of the attractions. This place is fun for all ages as one learns about a wide variety of scientific subjects, ranging from outer space to the Ice Age. What’s more, the science center encompasses a whole lot of aspects under its umbrella, ranging from the planetarium to IMAX movies. Besides the above, there are both indoor and outdoor places, including the Cohon Family Nature Escape. It allows visitors to explore the city’s fascinating ravine system in an educational yet playground-like setting. With 10 exhibition halls featuring interactive learning activities, films, and live demos, the Science Centre has everything possible under the sun to keep adults and kids engaged for an entire afternoon.
Toronto Zoo
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The family favorite that is the Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world and has been a family fixture for almost 50 years. This 283-acre huge place has as many as 5,000 wild critters across 500 different species that call the seven different recreated ecosystems their home. What’s more, the zoo focuses on conserving endangered and vulnerable species from around the world. In fact, it’s seen the successful births of animals that range from giant pandas and snow leopards to Sumatran tigers to Komodo Dragons. Don’t miss the zoo’s five-acre-huge Polar Bear Exhibit called the Tundra Trek, which allows you to spy on the majestic creatures from both above and below the water. One of the most popular exhibits with adults and kids is the African Rainforest, which is home to African penguins, zebras, hippos, and even a troop of gorillas.
Casa Loma
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Talk about lifestyles of the rich and famous – and the grand Casa Loma is the only thing in Toronto that comes to mind. This CityPass in Toronto attraction was originally built in 1914 as North America’s most palatial residence. After financier and builder Sir Henry Pellatt lost his fortune, along with the castle, just a decade later, it became a roaring 20s luxe hotel before becoming a tourist attraction in 1937. Today, its Gothic Revival conservatories and halls radiate with Edwardian splendor and teem with tourists who journey back to the turn of the century. Besides learning from the exhibits and perfectly preserved rooms, you can also walk around the beautiful gardens.
Some of the permanent features include a museum dedicated to the Queen’s Own Rifles, Canada’s oldest infantry regiment, and an 800-ft tunnel devoted to photographs of Toronto’s darkest moments. Also, check out the rotating exhibits dedicated to Canadian pop culture, history, and art or even the antique car display. Wind up the trip with a delicious alfresco meal in the Casa Loma gardens.
Royal Ontario Museum
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The Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s premier international culture and natural history museum that’s home to more than 13 million works of art and artifacts in its collection. In short, it has a little something for everyone, from exhibits on fashion, textiles, and massive dinosaur skeletons to indigenous art and even Chinese architecture. Basically, the museum takes you across time and around the world, complete with a bizarre and beautiful Crystal entrance. You can easily spend more than a few hours here at all the permanent galleries, which include the Daphne Cockwell Gallery, the Gallery of Chinese Architecture, and the James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs. It’s the home of Gordo, the famous Barosaurus skeleton.
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
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One of the most exciting attractions on the CityPass in Toronto list is the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, which is the best place to learn about Ontario’s marine life. For instance, the Canadian Waters exhibit offers you a chance to learn more about the country’s endemic critters, from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean. What’s more, there are also tanks replicating the world’s aquatic ecosystems, with some 16,000 animals and 450 species on display waiting to meet you. In fact, Canada’s largest indoor aquarium boasts as many as nine massive galleries and even an interactive discovery center. Finally, it’s also home to North America’s longest-moving sidewalk that takes you through the underwater gallery that is the Dangerous Lagoon.
CN Tower
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There’s no doubt that CN Tower is one of the most exciting attractions on the CityPass in Toronto. This architectural icon is a city landmark and is the only place where you can take in the whole city all at once. What’s more, it’s home to not one but two observation decks, where you can walk around the main level and see out over Toronto in all directions. Isn’t 1,815 meters high enough for you? Take an elevator up to SkyPod, the Western Hemisphere’s highest observation platform. And the truly daring can head to the EdgeWalk, which is one of the world’s best skywalks & viewing platforms. You walk around the perimeter of a platform that sits 116 stories above Toronto, secured only by a harness!
How To Choose The Best CityPass in Toronto Attractions?
First-time visitors
- The total regular admission prices to all CityPass Toronto attractions are 139.60 USD, while it’s just 88 USD + taxes with the CityPASS.
- CityPass not only saves you money but also hours of wait time, especially at popular sites like the CN Tower and the Royal Ontario Museum. While many people purchase the CityPASS at their first Toronto attraction, this one is also offered in the form of mobile tickets. So, you can actually purchase the booklet online before your trip as they’re emailed to you. Even if you don’t want hard copies, you can simply store and use them on your smartphone for the ultimate convenience. See the Toronto CityPass website for details.
- When choosing between the Ontario Science Center and the Toronto Zoo, the latter has a higher regular admission price than the former. So, if you want to save the full 37% as advertised on the Toronto CityPass website, then Toronto Zoo should be your pick.
Free Attractions
Many of Toronto’s galleries and museums allow free visits at certain hours on specific days. For instance, the Art Gallery of Ontario has free Wednesday nights between 6 and 9 p.m. Meanwhile, the Bata Shoe Museum has “suggested donations” of USD 5 on Thursday nights between 5 and 8 p.m. Finally, the Aga Khan Museum is also free on Wednesday evenings between 4 and 8 p.m.
Is Toronto City Pass transferable?
No, CityPASS tickets are non-transferable. So, they cannot be shared with or transferred to anybody else.
Does Toronto CityPASS include parking?
While Toronto CityPASS tickets cover the entire admission cost, parking and transportation costs aren’t included.
How long is Toronto City Pass valid?
Toronto’s CityPASS tickets are valid for nine days starting from the day they’re first used to visit/see an attraction.
Some images on this article are copyrighted by CityPASS.
