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5 romantic things to do in Toronto for gay couples – Canada

Stefan Arestis
5 romantic things to do in Toronto for gay couples – Canada

Here are the most romantic things to do in Toronto for gay couples visiting Canada.

Toronto is an exciting city in Canada to visit. It has over 40 million visitors each year and is home to 8,100 restaurants and bars. This is one of the most diverse places on our planet, with over 180 languages and dialects spoken.

Gay couple travel book Nomadic Boys Out in the World

Toronto is also a very fun place to come as a couple. We loved discovering the many tourist sites here, especially the CN Tower and the massive aquarium. Following our visit, we've put together our 5 favorite romantic things to do in Toronto to inspire your trip.

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1. Romantic dinner at the CN Tower

The CN Tower is one of the most iconic buildings in the city. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, and when adding in the height of its antenna on top, it's the tallest freestanding structure in the western hemisphere, standing proud at 553m/1,815ft. It was built in the 1960s by the Canadian National Railway (CN) because they wanted a communications tower tall enough so that any radio or TV communications from it would not be obstructed by the many other high-rise buildings in the city.

As well as visiting the CN tower (those views!), it also has a revolving restaurant to dine at. We had one of our favorite romantic meals here at the tower's 360 The Restaurant. The food is delicious, with a mix of fresh seafood, steaks, and other local classics. Definitely one for a special occasion.

CN Tower restaurant romantic things to do in toronto
A romantic meal at the 360 restaurant of the CN Tower

2. Visit the world famous aquarium

The Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is located just round the corner from the CN Tower and is one of the best we've been to. It has more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species. We love the underwater world a lot, especially after all our scuba diving experiences in Koh Tao in Thailand, and the Komodo National Park.

Since it opened in October 2013, the aquarium has become one of the most popular attractions in the city. The marine life here has plenty of space and are treated very well, which is very satisfying to see.

Look out for the chance to touch a stingray in the “Touch Tanks” – they are carefully supervised to ensure visitors don't stress or harm the rays in any way.

aquarium one of best romantic things to do in Toronto
Stefan lost in the world of Toronto's huge aquarium

3. Ward Island for sunset views of the city

Toronto has a group of small islands just south of the mainland in the western part of Lake Ontario. Ward Island is our favourite for the best views of the city. You can come here with a public ferry from downtown Toronto, which takes around 15 minutes each way, or catch a guided cruise to learn more about all the islands while you take pretty photos!

We loved it here – we came in the afternoon with a few drinks and sat by the beach watching the sun setting over the big city. You also get the best night views of the city skyline here, with the planes crossing every few minutes as they land at the nearby Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Definitely one of our favourite romantic spots.

ward island view one of best romantic things to do in toronto
Night view of the Toronto skyline from Ward island

4. Shopping in the Distillery District

The Distillery District is one of our favourite neighbourhoods of Toronto. It is named after the large whiskey distilleries that used to be based here.

Today the area is mainly lined with restaurants, bars, outdoor markets, sculptures and stage performances, all along small cute cobblestone streets. In December, the annual Toronto Christmas Market takes over the entire area.

You can do a walking tour to get yourself oriented if it's your first time in the city. Look out for the giant heart sculpture here, which is a must for your Instagram gallery:

distillery district one of best romantic things to do in toronto
Love the giant heart sculpture in Toronto's Distillery District

5. Catch a drag show in the gay village of Toronto

Toronto has one of the best gay scenes in North America, with one of the largest gay pride festivals in the world. It's a lot of fun here, and even has its own permanent rainbow crossing installation at the intersection of Davie and Bute streets.

We loved coming here for a fun night out, especially watching the drag shows at Woody's and also at Crews & Tango bar, then dancing at Fly on a Saturday night. To read more, check out our 5 favourite gay hangouts in Toronto and also gay events happening in Toronto.

Also, watch our vlog about gay Toronto, and if you enjoyed watching, please subscribe to our YouTube channel:

 

 

Happy travels are safe travels

We recommend you always take out reputable travel insurance before your next vacation. What happens if you suffer from illness, injury, theft, or a cancellation? Many gay travelers forget about it and regret it when something happens. Better to pay a small price and have peace of mind and not worry.

Read more travel adventures like this in our book!

We've published our very own gay travel book called, ‘Out in the World'. It has all our practical safety tips, first-hand advice, and travel stories from some of our favorite destinations.

We hope it inspires you to have a fun and safe trip!

Click on the book to order:

Gay couple travel book Nomadic Boys Out in the World

For more inspiration:

check out these romantic things for gay couples to do in Toronto
Stefan Arestis

Hey everyone, I'm Stefan, the curly-haired Greek flavor behind the gay travel blog Nomadic Boys. Together with my other half, I have explored more than 90 countries across 5 continents. What I love most about traveling is discovering the local gay scene, making new friends, learning new cultures. I've written about LGBTQ travel in numerous online publications such as Gaycation Magazine, Gaycities, Gay Times and Pink News as well as for other non-gay-specific publications including Lonely Planet, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Huffington Post. Check my full bio here.

Rebecca

Wednesday 25th of November 2020

Toronto the largest city in Canada, is not only about Niagara Falls, CN Towers, giant aquarium or pastoral Toronto island but it's also the city of love. There are tons of romantic places in nearby small islands where you can sit back, relax and enjoy precious time with your partner.

Stefan Arestis

Thursday 26th of November 2020

Toronto is awesome :)

Scarlet

Sunday 20th of May 2018

We planning a road trip in Canada this summer through Ontario, Toronto, and Montreal. I love the giant heart sculpture shot. I want to do one of those too. Thanks for the idea.

Nomadic boys

Sunday 20th of May 2018

Thanks Scarlet :)