10 Reasons to Plan a Spring Weekend Getaway in Toronto

Don’t wait for summer to plan your visit to Toronto. Here are ten reasons why April, May and June are the sweet spot for your next weekend getaway to Toronto.
 

1. Perfect walking weather

An eminently walkable city, Toronto is best explored on foot. Our spring weather makes this easy-breezy. 

April kicks off the season with mild temperatures (12°C high, 4°C low). May brings warmer days (19°C high, 10°C low), while June transitions the city into summer (24°C high, 15°C low). For those who love racking up steps without working up a sweat, spring is your time to not shine!

2. Breezy bicycling conditions

Spring is also among the best times to bike and explore our waterfront, Toronto Island and downtown parks. Take in the blossoms, budding trees and urban wildlife without having to bundle up or worry about overheating. 

With Bike Share Toronto stands across the city—and ample shops offering day or weekend rentals—now’s the time to get rolling!
 

3. Shoulder season perks

Early spring, particularly April and May, is Toronto’s shoulder season. That means shorter lines and fewer crowds at top attractions like Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the CN Tower, Toronto Zoo and the kid-pleasing LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. 

It’s also easier to snag a table at one of Toronto’s 12 MICHELIN Star-awarded restaurants, 21 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand-recognized and 56 MICHELIN Recommended restaurants.

4. Cherry blossoms and spring blooms

Tokyo, Kyoto, Paris and… Toronto? Absolutely! Toronto is a Sakura seeker’s delight. Hanami (flower viewing) is a popular April activity here, and you can peep cherry blossoms at Toronto parks, including High Park, Trinity Bellwoods Park and Edwards Gardens. 

Cherry blossoms are soon followed by waves of other blooms, which you can view across the city or at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.

ALSO SEE: Photograph Peak Blooms at the Toronto Botanical Garden
 

5. Street art strolls

Spring weather is ideal for street art tours. Stroll Queen Street West to discover public art at Queen West’s western edge, including downtown’s must-visit Graffiti Alley and eclectic Parkdale.

Street art and street food go hand in hand, so grab a bite at Market 707 (a 15-minute walk from Graffiti Alley), which features over 20 vendors hawking everything from Montreal-style poutine to Ethiopian vegan platters to Syrian kababs and more.

6. Fresh artistic viewpoints

True, seasonal showers are a thing. But if it rains, you can hide out at Spring 2025’s coolest gallery exhibits and performances.

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) explores the multifaceted Black experience via the work of six contemporary Black artists in “Critical Views: Recent Acquisitions by the Department of Arts Global Africa & The Diaspora.

Opening May 2, 2025, “Recuerdo: Latin American Photography at the AGO” presents new acquisitions and unseen works dating from the 1920s to today, in a poetic photographic journey from Mexico to Argentina.

Catch up-and-coming theatre talent at Paprika 2025 (May 2025 dates TBA), Native Earth Performing Arts’s showcase for the next generation of Indigenous performers, playwrights, directors and backstage talent. Also on deck: Black Ballerina (May 22–25, 2025), a powerful exploration of race, identity and classical dance.

7. Blue Jays at the revamped Rogers Centre

The Boys of Summer return for the Blue Jays Home Opener on March 27, 2025. They take on the Baltimore Orioles at the recently renovated Rogers Centre.

Can’t make it for the opener? Plan a spring Blue Jays weekend around Victoria Day (May 17 & 18, 2025 vs Detroit Tigers).
 

8. Live music & outdoor concerts

Hundreds of bands will participate in Departure (May 6–11, 2025) events across Toronto. The following month, the North by Northeast Music Festival (June 11–15, 2025) takes over the city to celebrate live music, comedy, art and film.  

As the weather warms up, Toronto’s outdoor concert season begins. Electric Island’s 13th festival season starts May 17 and 18, 2025, with additional sessions slated for June 28 and 27, 2025 and beyond.

Of course, Budweiser Stage is the place to catch big names in the wild. Spring headliners include classic rock idol Billy Idol (May 23, 2025), Canadian indie rock faves Metric (June 6, 2025) and electro-pop star Halsey (June 10, 2025). 

9. Festival season

Locals who love film look forward to spring’s ground-breaking film festivals. 

First up is the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival (April 10–13, 2025), a unique film and music festival curated by and for youth. BONUS: free tickets for anyone under age 25!

Next is Hot Docs Festival (April 24–May 4, 2025), which screens feature-length and short documentaries from Canada and abroad. 

Inside Out, Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ film festival returns (May 23–31, 2025) with a three-decade-long mandate to screen the best queer films from Canada and internationally.
 

10. Spring shopping

Spring is the time to re-up your wardrobe. There’s no better place to shop for warm-weather essentials than Canada’s fashion capital. Find in-demand brands, flagship stores, and fashion staples at the Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, and Square One shopping centres. 

Or stroll trendy Queen Street West and Ossington for cool, indie labels. 

If you’ve got the urge to splurge, you’ll find luxury designer labels in the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood, plus high-end department store chain Holt Renfrew.

The best part: now that you’ve got the threads, you can plan your next Toronto visit in style!