It's possible that you love them so much you just really want them to have a great experience or you might secretly hate them and want to rub it in their face how great you have it since leaving the backlots of rural Ontario. Either way, we have a few great suggestions of things to do with your tourist friend that do not include going to The Ripley's Aquarium (although we do think the aquarium is super cool, because #Sharknado.)
Click here for 13 Fun Toronto Spots To Impress Your Friends With When They're Visiting >
Guu Izakaya
389 Church St
If you want your friends to love you, take them to Guu on church and order them the deep fried brie cheese and the Green Tea cheesecake. If you want them to really love you, take them on their birthday. Guu Izakaya, located on Church, is pretty well hidden, it looks like an inhabited home off of Granby street and be prepared to get scared while you wait outside to be seated, because of all the loud noises you will hear. When you walk in you are brilliantly surprised by the greetings of the whole staff. It is so much fun and it is so delicious. One evening here and your friends will want to move in.
Check out the menu on their website
Snakes & Lattes/Snakes & Lagers
600 Bloor St W/489 College St
What is more fun than a beer or a nutella latte with a side of kerplunk? Nothing! Snakes & Lattes and its most recent addition, Snakes & Lagers, are the perfect evening hang idea! You can spend hours playing Cards Against Humanity while drinking and snacking to your hearts desire. It is a great place to catch up with your visitors and show off how fun Torontonians can have with just some vintage board games and a little alcohol.
Check out their website
Queen West
Queen West was rated the second coolest neighbourhood in the world by incredibly established fashion magazine Vogue in September and we could not agree more. Nothing screams 'How effing cool is the place I live?' than shoving that Vogue mention down their throats. Some of the best spots on Queen West to showcase to your visiting friends include, The Rivoli for dinner, drinks and a live show and the lovely Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and Graffiti Alley, which is essentially a strip of city block where graffiti is not only legal but encouraged!
High Park
1873 Bloor Street W
High park is a stunning escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. In the summer you can take your friends to the pool, in the fall enjoy one of the many hiking trails, in the winter lace up your skates and hit the outdoor ice rink and if you have visitors during the early spring you must bring them to check out the famous cherry tree blooming.
SPiN Toronto
461 King St W
Nothing gets people more competitive than a good old game of Ping Pong. Combining the competition with a little liquor guarantees one hell of a great night and at Toronto's only ping pong bar you cannot go wrong. In a lot of ways the atmosphere at SPiN sums up life in Toronto; serious competition, clean, spacious, loud and interesting people. It is a must do activity when your friends are in town.
Check out their website
Edgewalk
301 Front St W
Now normally we would suggest staying away from the main tourist attractions, just because you want to give your visitors a taste of what your life is really like living in Toronto but how many opportunities do you get to climb one of the tallest towers in the world? Probably not many. Now, edgewalk is a bit expensive, around $175, which is why we suggest saving it for when someone you really like is visiting you. It's a great bonding experience or a great way to scare the shit out of your long distance boyfriend or bro whose special talent is being an I'm-not-afraid-of-anything macho man. It will be so fun to see him sweat and cry simultaneously, trust us.
Check out their website
Toronto Breweries
Toronto is really lucky to have access to some incredible craft beer and so many nearby breweries and since you really need to show off to your friends just how lucky you are to live in Toronto you must take them to one of the city's breweries. Do the tours at steam whistle, visit the Amsterdam BrewHouse or show off the Mill Street Brewery, take your pick or do one a day and get them real fired up with jealousy.
Real Sports Bar & Grill
15 York St
For any sports fans that may come visit, Real Sports is a must! First of all, it's located in Maple Leaf Square so that alone will impress them, even if they aren't a leafs fan. Secondly, there are like 18274891 television screens across the place including a massive 39 foot HD screen. Thirdly, order the beer battered onion rings, you're welcome!
Check out their website
The Drake
1150 Queen St W
The Drake is seriously one of the coolest spots in the city for a weekend hang. Grab drinks at the bar or catch a performance at The Drake Underground to really wow your friends with this trendy spot in Queen West. If you're rich have a couple extra bucks and really want to impress them book out one of the 19 cool rooms that they have (The Drake is actually a hotel) and they will probably never want to leave Toronto, ever.
Check out their event listings
City Comedy Clubs
Comedy clubs across Toronto are pieces of canadian comedy history and if your friends like to laugh (which they obviously do or else why are you friends with such assholes?) you need to bring them to a comedy show. You can usually get away with paying pretty cheap for a great show and if your friend has been a shitty houseguest you can sit them in the front of the venue so that they get made fun of, win-win situation. Hit up Yuk Yuks, Second City, The Lot or The Rivoli to show your friends how funny Toronto is.
Centre Island
It's pretty hard to truly show off the beauty that is the Toronto city sky line without taking your visitors to the Toronto island. Hop the ferry before it gets too cold and pose for the umpteen amount of obligatory 'my friends are visiting me' Instagram photos in front of the picturesque skyline.
For more information, visit the city of Toronto's website
Kensington Market
Kensington Ave
Kensington market the heart of this city so if you do not bring your visiting friends here you should be ashamed of yourself. Start by stuffing your faces with some of the fresh fruits, some tacos, or some heavenly grilled cheese. Once you are pleasantly plump grab drinks at Cold Tea or Graffiti's. Seriously all you have to do is wander around Kensington and you are bound to run into many, many, maaany things to impress your visitors, promise.
Check out their website
The Distillery District
Parliament & Mill Street area
Regardless of the time of year that your friends come to visit you must take them to The Distillery District, now hold the eye rolling please and hear us out. While The Distillery District may be a bit soggy for Toronto natives it is the perfect mix of beauty and history to show off to your friends. It has incredible eats and superb shopping not to mention you can wow them with some pretty cool information about movies shot in the Distillery.
Check out their website
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