Things to do

Kensington Market

Kensington Market's a vibrant shopping area, a bit like Camden without the grime and the goths. The hippie district, if you will. Pretty much all the businesses are independent; it's a good place to get some food, drink, or souvenirs. Pedestrian Sundays are held the last Sunday of the month, though it's never car-heavy. The garden car is a classic Toronto Instagram post.

• Blue Banana has good gifts, and an eclectic range of products.
• All my sunglasses since moving to Toronto were about $7 from Kensington Market.
• Moon Bean Cafe and I Deal Coffee are good.
• Essence of Life is a classic health food shop, and bigger than you think.
• There's a lot of vintage clothing stores.

Toronto islands

Toronto was originally a natural harbour, and Toronto Islands were a peninsula. A big storm transformed them into islands in the 1850s. These days they're car-free, and basically a big park. If you get away from the crowds they're delightfully peaceful. There's not many shops on the island, so bring your snacks and drinks with you.

Three ferries run to the island, all from Jack Layton ferry terminal. The main route is to Centre Island; if you have your own bike, taking the ferry to Hanlan's Point is a quieter bet. The ferry takes about 10 minutes to cross, and you get a great view of the city skyline. There's a foot tunnel to Billy Bishop airport, but you can't access the island that way.

Centre Island has an underwhelming fairground and a small urban farm. Bikes (including tandems and pedal-carts) can be hired from the stands east of Manitou Beach. That beach is the busiest; it's worth walking to Gibraltar Point beach for a quieter sunbathe.

A little further round is Hanlan's Point beach, Toronto's clothing optional beach. It's fine. Piping plovers have nested in the north stretch of this beach in recent years; you might see some if you're lucky.

High Park zoo

High Park has a lot of different attractions: Grenadier Pond for water birds & turtles, cherry trees in spring, some wooded ravines, a historic monument and lodge, a sculpture garden, and an outdoor theatre. But the best of all is the zoo: a small collection of animals that's free to visit. Capybaras, bison, emu, wallabies, pigs, peacocks, reindeer, and more.

Open-air swimming

Toronto has many outdoor pools that open from late June to the start of September. They're free, and often open late when there's a heat warning. If you're close to the lakeshore, it can be really nice to cycle along to Gus Ryder pool in the dark, swim until midnight, and then ride home.

If you're looking for a pool on the website, make sure you filter out splash pads; they're children's play areas, and not what you're looking for.

Ice skating

Outdoor ice skating is generally an option from December through to early March. Some places have skate rinks, but there are also some skate trails too. Skate rental is normally about $10, and there's normally no other charges. If you have your own skates, you skate free.

Nathan Phillips Square and the Harbourfront normally have good rinks. The Bentway has a short skate trail that's extremely popular at weekends (you might need to queue to get in). A little way outside of the city is the Colonel Samuel Smith Skate Trail which is lovely, but they don't offer skate rentals. There are many others.

See some nature

Canada has some amazing nature, and you don't have to travel far out of Toronto to see it. I've written a whole section about your options.

Arcade bars

Toronto has a few arcade bars, where you pay a small cover charge and then the (normally retro) games are free-to-play. Tilt is now in Parkdale after its previous venue burned down; its sister venue ZED*80 is a little further out. I've never visited Freeplay but that's another option.

Downtown also has The Rec Room, which is a different beast entirely. It's cavernous and the games charge, but you can win tickets and trade them for prizes. It's overwhelming and not my thing, but if you're at the CN Tower then there's no harm in having a look.

Board game cafes

Toronto has a number of board game cafes. Snakes and Lattes is the big daddy - the chain company with big spaces. There's a $10 cover and you can play as many games as you like. There are others: A-Game Cafe is fairly central and has a $7 cover.

Toronto reference library

The reference library is the flagship library branch. It's got striking interior architecture, a small gallery, and an Arthur Conan Doyle collection. It also hosts special events, most notably The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF). There's also a Balzac's Cafe downstairs, and a used bookstore.

See a sports game

Toronto has three premier sports teams: the Maple Leafs (ice hockey), the Raptors (basketball), and the Blue Jays (baseball). They also have an MLS team (Toronto FC), but America sees football as a second-tier sport. There's also the Argonauts, who play Canadian Football.

If you're not really a sports fan, but wouldn't mind seeing a game while you're here, then you should look at the minor leagues. The Marlies play in the American Hockey League, so tickets are more affordable. There is a semi-pro baseball team also called the Maple Leafs; their games are free to attend. The Raptors 905 play just outside of Toronto.

Graffiti alley

Toronto has many alleys. Thus, Toronto has a great street art scene. As well as murals in alleys, you'll see lots of bigger works on the side of buildings throughout the city.

Graffiti alley runs from Spadina Avenue to Portland Street, parallel with Queen Street. It's a fairly dingy alley with a lot of murals. You'll probably find yourself nearby at some point, so it's an easy place to visit.

Allan Gardens conservatory

This particular pocket of the city has a somewhat scuzzy reputation, but Allan Gardens holds a small, free botanical garden. It's a nice way to spend 20 minutes, and is close to The Image Centre.

The Image Centre

Toronto doesn't have many free museums, but The Image Centre is one of them. It's a photography-themed gallery attached to Toronto Metropolitan University, close to the Eaton Centre. They generally have three galleries: a large contemporary exhibition, and a couple of smaller exhibitions often drawn from the archives. It's currently open from Wednesday to Saturday.

I also enjoy visiting the university and imagining what it would be like to be a student here. Gould Street often hosts events; the grounds of Kerr Hall are nice to sit in.

401 Richmond

401 Richmond is an arts hub with a collection of galleries, cafes, and shops. It's free to visit, and it's a nice building to wander around. There's a peaceful inner courtyard, and apparently they have a roof garden too.

The Harbourfront Centre

All of Toronto's waterfront is nice to visit. If you're there, stop by the Harbourfront Centre. It's another multi-use arts centre, a bit glossier than 401 Richmond. They host plays and concerts, but also have free galleries and a working craft studio. The square outside often hosts events, like the veg food fest, though it sounds like that won't be returning.

Watch the sunset from Riverdale Park East

If you'd like to see the sun set over the city skyline, Riverdale Park East is probably your best option. It's not a peaceful park - the DVP in front of you, Broadview Avenue behind - but it's got an elevated view that faces west.

Riverdale Park East isn't worth a trip on its own, but you can make it part of a bigger outing. Just south of it is east Chinatown. Rooster coffee house is just over the road. And The Danforth is to the north; it's a busy street of bars, restaurants, and shops.

Another popular spot for sunset-watching is Chester Hill lookout, a little further north. I've heard it can get a little dodgy after dark, though I've never visited myself.