Summer is the perfect excuse for a smokin’ hot couples’ weekend in Toronto! Experience a romantic getaway packed with one-on-one time spanning sun-kissed days and sultry nights. Chill out together on a quiet beach or live it up at exciting festivals and cultural events.
The best part? Toronto is no one-size-fits-all destination. Try these summer date ideas tailored to the love language your companion is most fluent in.
Pro tip: Suss out their style with this Love Languages assessment quiz, based on Gary Chapman’s best-selling book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.
Love language: Receiving Gifts
A thoughtful gift is universally loved, but if gifts are your boo’s love language, they’re the gateway to their heart! Try these summer shopping ideas in Toronto.
• Go style hunting for uniquely Toronto souvenirs at indie shops and festival markets. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on our Black-owned and Indigenous maker and creator scenes!
• Gift something from the heart. Go together or sneak off to craft your own DIY Toronto souvenir to share later.
• Don’t compromise between souvenirs and sustainability. These amazing fashion, home and gift shops are tops for eco-friendly finds!
Love language: Acts of Service
If kind gestures fill your loved one’s cup, you’ll find many ways to bring magic to their days during a Toronto summer vacation.
• Curate the ultimate pack-and-go Toronto getaway for your partner. Take the legwork out of planning with our scintillating summer ideas for every travel interest.
• Map out the perfect gay-cation in Toronto! This 2SLGBTQ+ itinerary schedules your days and nights to maximize queer-positive arts, culture, entertainment, food and fun.
• If your lover loves live jazz, alfresco classical, summer theatre (including Shakespeare in the park), what are you waiting for? Start planning your summer Toronto arts getaway!
Love language: Quality Time
Try these unique Toronto summer experiences together to prioritize your distraction-free one-on-one time.
• Catch an alfresco summer concert. Salsa on the Beach (July 11, 12 & 13, 2025) and the Summer Music in the Garden (select dates, through August 28, 2025) are easy, breezy and free!
• Reconnect as you glide across Lake Ontario on stand-up paddle boards. Join your boo for an Indigenous-led sunset paddling tour on Lake Ontario with Oceah Oceah.
• Experience live theatre in Toronto. From The Lion King (closes August 30, 2025) to Beetlejuice (closes July 19, 2025) and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (July 15–August 24, 2025), Mirvish Productions has something for everyone.
Love language: Words of Affirmation
If kind words, whispered compliments and sweet notes are direct paths to your sweetheart’s heart, Toronto has many options for you to woo with words this summer.
• In love with a bibliophile? Plan a BookTok-inspired spree for them at one or all of Toronto’s best indie bookstores.
• Toast literary history with sweet talk over romantic cocktails at the Park Hyatt’s Writers Room Bar, a storied watering hole in luxe Yorkville.
• First getaway together? Introduce one another to your more esoteric interests at these niche art galleries and museums or geek out at these nerdy hotspots.
