The 5 Best Day Trips From Toronto

Overlooking Lake Ontario and peppered with pristine parks, Toronto has no shortage of outdoor spaces for reprieve from busy city life. Sometimes, however, only a day trip out of the city will suffice. Close to spectacular natural attractions like Niagara Falls, the provincial capital is within driving distance of numerous natural beauty spots. So plot your route, pack a bag and hit the road – here’s our pick of the best day trips from Toronto.

Algonquin Park

Wandering among the towering pines of Algonquin Park, you’ll feel a million miles away from the city. In reality though, this enormous provincial park is just a few hours’ drive from Toronto – making it perfect day trip territory. Capture brilliant photos of the fiery orange or deep green forest canopy, spot the country’s national animal – moose are rife in the area – or take a dip in one of the thousands of lakes to cool off after a day of hiking.

1. Algonquin Park Canoe Trip

Activities, Tours

This trip proves that you don’t have to stay overnight to experience the best of Algonquin Park. For six immersive hours, you’ll spend time canoeing, hiking and swimming throughout this six-hour adventure. Your guide will discuss the ecological and social historical significance of the space, pointing out notable flora and fauna and answering any questions you may have. Foodies will love foraging for edible goods in the forest, while daredevils can try their hand at cliff jumping into the lake.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

2. Niagara-on-the-Lake Walking Tour

Tours, Activities

On this two-hour walking tour of Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’ll discover the town’s connection to the American War of Independence, the Civil War, and the French and British conflicts. Your guide will lead you past beautiful homes and churches of the colonial period, and share stories experienced by the town’s characters over the centuries. To bring the tour to a close, you’ll visit a local wine store to taste a range of the area’s best varietals.

Niagara Falls

An exercise in stark contrasts, Niagara Falls sit just outside the eponymous town; the former an awe-inspiring piece of nature, the latter a neon-clad skyrise filled town. While at the falls themselves you can look the power of Mother Nature in the face, the town is perhaps better known for slightly cheesy honeymoons and scaled-down Las Vegas vibes.

3. Niagara Falls and Underground Railroad Tour

Tours, Activities

Travel back in time to discover the fascinating history of the Niagara region’s underground railroad on this small-group tour. Your guides will be donning period outfits, helping you to visualise what life was like during this important era. You’ll head to sites like the suspension bridge over the Niagara River, which played a key part in shuttling tens of thousands of African-American people to freedom as they sought the best crossing points into Canada. And finally, you’ll visit the falls themselves and hear about their significance to the underground railroad.

Niagara Wine Country

Although Niagara Wine Country is arguably best known for its ice wine, the region is fast becoming recognised around the world for its other varietals. Its climate and topography allow grape varietals like pinot noir, chardonnay and cabernet franc to grow in abundance. The many vineyards you’ll see across the region are shared among more than 100 wineries – leaving you spoilt for choice when it comes to sampling the smooth and fruity results.

4. Brewery, Distillery and Winery Tour

Activities, Tours

On this tour, you’ll get both an educational and literal taster of Niagara’s beverage-making culture, with visits to two local breweries, a distillery and a winery. In each location, your guide will take you through the historical and modern-day production methods used to make each drink. There’ll be ample tasting opportunities, and you’ll also get to take home a two-litre growler (a glass bottle used to transport draft beer) as a souvenir.

Thousand Islands

Once the favoured holiday destination of the 19th-century elite, Thousand Islands comprise over 1,800 islands in the St Lawrence River between the US and Canadian borders. On them you’ll find an intriguing mix of old baroque mansions and even one or two castles – no longer holiday homes but compelling tourist attractions. Today, the islands are magnets for lovers of outdoor activities such as sailing, diving, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.