10 Only-in-Toronto Summer Experiences

Make the most of your Toronto getaway with unique events and activities you can only find here!

It’s time to hit the play button! #summer2024 is here, so jam-pack as much fun as you can with these seasonal experiences you’ll only find in Toronto.

Go wild at Toronto Zoo’s Serengeti Bush Camp

Live your best Lion King life at the Toronto Zoo’s Serengeti Bush Camp. Peep wildlife like giraffes, zebras and, of course, lions behind the scenes in the African Savanna area, plus lemurs, gorillas and crocs in the Rainforest Pavilion, on a guided, interactive walk.

Finally, make s’mores by the campfire before sleeping outdoors in safari tents, for a night your family will never forget. (Or skip family night for an adults-only camp experience that’s available select nights in July and August.)

Get styled at Holt Renfrew

Shop till you drop? How about shopping like Toronto’s glitterati instead, with the help of a personal stylist at Canada’s luxury department chain, Holt Renfrew. Whether your vibe leans toward the regal elegance of Chanel or Canadian brand Sentaler (a royal fave worn by the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex), every fashionphile can be dressed to impress here.

Light up the night on a Sunset Safari SUP tour

What happens when you rig stand-up paddleboards with bright nightlights? Find out when you paddle the lagoons of the Toronto Islands at dusk as you light up the lake with your illuminated SUP board. With a little luck, you’ll spot the city’s infamous Baltic Belle shipwreck right under your feet on Toronto Island SUP’s Sunset Safari adventure.
 

Push your limits off the beaten track

Run the Gardiner Expressway with the city skyline spurring you on at the third annual  10KTO (July 14, 2024) running race, part of Toronto’s marquee multisport event, the Toronto Triathlon Festival (July 14, 2024). 

From swimming the Ontario Place Channel and cycling the Don Valley Parkway, to running the Gardiner in the shadow of the CN Tower, elites and first-timers alike can throw down with exclusive access to these iconic—and normally car or boat-filled—urban thoroughfares.

Settle in for a paddle-in movie under the stars

You’ve never had a big-screen experience like this before: pass the popcorn and catch a flick, all while gently bobbing in your canoe or kayak on the Humber River in Toronto’s west end. Jaws (July 19, 2024) and Finding Nemo (August 30, 2024) will be shown this summer with Toronto Adventures’ Movies on the River series. 
 

Jump up at Toronto Caribbean Carnival

Whine your waist and get ready to jump up at Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Festival Weekend runs August 1–5, 2024). If you’re jonesing for the electricity of monster-size street festivals with booming music, dancing and vibing, join the fun. Drawing two million people to the city (and over one million to the Sunday parade), this festival is informally known as Caribana, its historic name. It’s the largest Caribbean festival in North America— and it’s only in the 6ix!