Day trips from Toronto
If your Discovery Pass is burning a hole in your pocket, start making plans now to explore some of the fantastic National Parks and National Historic Sites an easy drive or transit ride away. From lazing on a sandy beach in the world’s largest freshwater archipelago to marching back in time to 1812 to learning to fire a replica musket or learning how the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock works, there’s so much to explore on your doorstep!
Get inspired with these seven suggestions.
The country’s only national urban park.
- Driving: 40 minutes
- Transit:1 hour
Rouge National Urban Park
How to get there
- Driving: A 40 minute drive from the city on HWY 401.
- Transit: Take the Go Train from Union Station and connect to the 86 bus to the Zoo to be there in an hour. Or better yet, hop on the Canada 150 Rouge Express, a free shuttle from downtown Toronto from July to October.
What to do
- Cool down with a dip in Lake Ontario, enjoy a picnic on its sandy shores.
- Paddle a canoe through marshes and wetlands packed with wildlife.
- Head out on a guided cultural and historical adventure with Parks Canada staff.
Just for newbies
New to trail walking? Join a two-hour Hike 101 walk to get you started!
The birthplace of a national hero.
- Driving: 2 hours
Bethune Memorial National Historic Site
How to get there
- Driving: Follow HWY 400 N 2 hours for a 170 km trip by car to Gravenhurst.
What to do
Join the thousands of visitors who come each year to explore this modern centre which tells the fascinating story of Norman Bethune, a man commemorated in Spain and China with monuments and statues for his war-time service and contributions to health care.
Did you know?
Private tours begin with traditional Chinese tea to honour the connection Bethune had to China.
A historic fort dating back to 1796.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
Fort George National Historic Site
How to get there
- Driving: 90 minutes’ drive via the QEW, and just 30 minutes from Niagara Falls. Combine the two for an action-packed day!
What to do
- Explore the site of some of the most important battles in the War of 1812.
- Book a ‘Hands on History’ experience and slip into a British redcoat uniform to learn to load and fire a replica ‘Brown Bess’.
- Tap your toes to the sound of the marching tunes of the 41st Regiment Fife and Drum Corp on parade.
Two-for-one
Head to nearby Queenston Heights National Historic Site to climb the 235 circular steps to the top of Brock’s Monument to snap the perfect selfie.
The world’s largest freshwater archipelago.
- Driving: 2 hours
- Transit:2.5 hours
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
How to get there
- Driving: 2 hours’ drive on the ON-400 N, head to Honey Harbour.
- Transit: If you’re planning to stay overnight, hop aboard the Parkbus from Toronto.
What to do
- Boating and paddling! Explore the 63 idyllic boat-only access islands and find your new favourite.
- Reserve a camp site or book an oTENTik or waterfront cabin to wake to the sound of birds singing.
- Hike or bike the rugged trails or relax on the sandy beach.
No boat, no problem!
Make a reservation and take the DayTripper from Honey Harbour to Beausoleil Island for a fun day exploring Cedar Spring and Chimney Bay.
The world’s last surviving Tribal Class destroyer ship.
- Driving: 1 hour
- Transit: 1.5 hours
HMCS Haida National Historic Site
How to get there
- Driving: 1 hour from the city via the QEW/ON 403W.
- Transit: Take the Hamilton Go Train from Union Station and connect to the 04 Mount Albion Loop bus to be there in 90 minutes.
What to do
- Discover Canada’s wartime naval history. Walk on the decks of ‘the most fightingest ship in the Royal Canadian Navy’.
- Get together with friends to try a rum-soaked ‘Thirsty Thursday’ tour or descend into the ‘belly of the beast’ and learn the secrets of the boiler, engine, and gear rooms.
Special events
Plan your trip to coincide with one of the many celebration and memorial days that are held onboard the HMCS Haida.
Heritage waterway engineering ingenuity.
- Driving: 2 hours
Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site
How to get there
- Driving: Head 2 hours northeast from the city and look for roadside beaver signs to direct you to the 386 km of canals and locks.
What to do
- Visit North America’s only marine railroad at Big Chute.
- Take a boat to Lock 32, the first lock built on the Waterway in 1833.
- Visit the historic lumber town of Bobcaygeon for a leisurely waterfront lunch.
Find out how it works
Indulge your ‘inner engineer’ at the Peterborough Lift Lock Visitor Centre on a self-guided tour to discover what went into building the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world!
The childhood home of Canada’s tenth Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
- Transit: under 2 hours
Woodside National Historic Site
How to get there
- Driving: A 90-minute drive from the city on the 401-W HWY.
- Transit: Take the Go Train to Bramalea then change at Kitchener to hop on a connecting bus in under two hours.
What to do
- Explore the grounds, which consist of 11.5 acres of mature woodland, year-round.
- Between October and December, take a self-guided tour around this historic family home packed with original heirlooms and reproduction period trinkets.
Seasonal fun
Make the season bright with a Victorian Thanksgiving or Christmas tour.