By Helen Racanelli on
Round up your crew and explore Toronto’s most unique private adventures. From chef’s tables, elite yacht charters and curated picnics, to offbeat experiences like rug tufting and pedal bike pub crawling, these exclusive activities promise indelible memories, minus the crowds.
Roll up to one of the city’s top chef’s tables with your foodie crew for an unforgettable meal like the seven-course locally sourced Chef’s Menu at eight-seat Richmond Station. It’s hyper-seasonal, with a complete menu refresh every two weeks.
Or, see what the hype’s about and book the four-seat chef’s table at MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-awarded Enoteca Sociale.
Get out the big guns—tufting guns, that is—and try your hand at the fast-paced, very viral fibre art of rug tufting.
Chillax Studio and Fuzzy Lab offer private group classes so you can weave your own custom rug masterpieces.
Speed around Lake Ontario in your own powerboat rental from Toronto Harbour Nautical Centre and let the wind whip your hair.
Or, live your best “Below Deck” life by chartering a yacht from Toronto Yachts or Gone Sailing Adventures so you can cruise around the Toronto Islands and beyond while sipping bubbly.
Throw a swish garden party in High Park with all the creature comforts: plush cushions, ’gram-worthy tablescapes and, of course, posh nibbles minus the labour.
Luxury picnic companies such as The Picnic Experience or PikNic do all the prep, so all you have to do is settle in with your squad and enjoy.
Zip around Toronto Zoo in a golf cart with your own professional tour guide at the wheel. Get up close and personal with two exclusive, customizable animal experiences that are only for your group.
Also included: a catered lunch and all-access passes to the zoo’s family-friendly rides.
Find your bearings downtown while getting a dose of York (Toronto’s former name) history with a free City of Toronto self-guided historic architecture tour.
Or, reserve a private tour from the famed Tour Guys who specialize in unstuffy tours like the Beer Makes History Better craft beer crawl.
Get ready for hair-raising thrills with Canada’s Wonderland’s Private VIP Tour experience. Your personal tour guide will whisk your entourage to the front of the line at all of the rides, including 18 roller coasters, like the Yukon Striker, the world’s tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster.
Also included: premium parking, dining and a photo pass featuring unlimited digital downloads. Splash Works water park is also included with your tickets: add on a private cabana for the ultimate day out.
Bust out of your comfort zone and make memories with a beginner-friendly private group ballet class at the National Ballet of Canada or a day of aerial silks and trapeze at Toronto School of Circus Arts.
Scones and clotted cream, tiny tea sammies (no crusts, of course!), truffles, cake and 30 loose tea blends await—all you have to do is lift your pinky when you reserve a private tea room for The Windsor Arms hotel’s afternoon high tea.
Skip the driving range and hit the links for a small-group golf lesson in the great outdoors (up to four people to one golf pro) from David Fritz Golf Academy or Richmond Hill Golf Academy.
Toronto is Canada’s pro sports hotspot, with Raptors NBA basketball, Toronto FC football club, Toronto Maple Leafs NHL hockey and Blue Jays major league baseball all offering private VIP experiences for you and your crew.
Enjoy celeb-level high-roller perks like private entrances, tony private suites, dedicated bartenders and plush lounge areas where you can cheer on top teams while you party with your friends.
You’re never too old to hop on a downtown party bike! Pedal Pub’s pedal-powered vehicle will transport your private group to three downtown bars for a pub crawl sure to be your zaniest adventure of the summer.
Your Pedal Pub pilot will blast the tunes and do the navigating, so all you have to do is spin your legs from one watering hole to the next.
A civic-minded Toronto karaoke devotee has compiled this public Google Doc of all the spots you can sing to a crowd in the city, but if a private room is more your party’s speed, sing, sip and be merry at Koreatown’s K Karaoke, the Entertainment District’s Dasha or Little Portugal’s Bar Mordecai.
Climb aboard one of Oceah Oceah’s SUPs and paddle along Lake Ontario in Scarborough in Toronto’s easternmost end.
Take epic photos with the sensational white sandstone Cathedral Bluffs as your group’s backdrop. Your private guided tour will take you on the most picturesque route, with the option to add on a SUP yoga lesson as well.
Travelling with a little (or big) aspiring paleontologist? Arrange a private guided tour of the Royal Ontario Museum’s Age of Dinosaurs exhibit for a detailed T-Rex deep dive.
You can also plan your tour around another awe-inspiring permanent display, like the First Peoples gallery or the museum’s gallery of Egyptian civilization. Or, opt for the popular “Murder and Mayhem” or “Queens, Goddesses, and Femmes Fatales” tours.