Does Toronto need more tourist hot spots across the city? Torontonians debate online

From big-name concerts at the Rogers Centre, to packed Toronto Maple Leaf games at Scotiabank Arena, many of Toronto’s popular events often bring in herds of visitors directly to the city’s centre. 

Following the massive influx of tourists for Taylor Swift’s six-show Eras Tour in downtown Toronto, a Reddit discussion has been sparked about the opportunity to attract tourists to neighbourhoods beyond the downtown core of the city.

In the post, the user says that while Toronto is a popular tourist destination, there aren’t as many activities for visitors to do in the city compared to popular tourist cities such as NYC, Las Vegas, or L.A. 

Noting the crowded subways, the busier-than-usual Eaton Centre mall, and increased foot traffic in Toronto, the post suggests more tourist spots should be built beyond the downtown core to better spread out visitors. 

“In terms of Tourist Traps, Toronto really just has the CN Tower. Because of this, many tourists eat/play/stay in the downtown bubble around the CN Tower,” they wrote on Reddit. “It needs more kitschy places, or tourists are just gonna take up spaces that are already too small for us.”

In response to the post, one user said that tourists should visit places that offer entertainment and quality experiences.

“I think instead of building “tourist traps” we should be focusing on good, sustainable forms of entertainment, dining, transportation, art, and culture,” they wrote. “As a local, I avoid Eaton Centre and Dundas/Yonge like the plague.. why would I bring tourists there?” 

Meanwhile, another person chimed in to say that tourist mobility should be improved to make travelling around the city easier.  

“Invest in more bike lanes, more subway lines (imagine being able to take the yellow line to Wonderland). Pedestrianize areas like Kensington and Yorkville,” they wrote, adding that they would like to see the Waterfront have more lakeside patios, markets, and restaurants.” 

TOURIST SPOTS OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN CORE

In an email to Now Toronto, Destination Toronto says that Toronto uniquely has tourist spots both in the downtown core, such as Ripley’s Aquarium and the Rogers Centre, as well as other hot spots in neighbourhoods further away.   

“If visitors want to explore beyond the City Centre, they can head west and visit the Art Gallery of Ontario, the neighbouring Chinatown, Casa Loma, or see their favourite artist at Budweiser Stage,”  Vanessa Somarriba,  director of Media Relations at Destination Toronto, said. “If going east is an option, they can pop by the St. Lawrence Market, the Distillery District, visit the one-of-a-kind Aga Khan Museum, or the Toronto Zoo.”

The Aga Khan Museum, which is located in North York, features islamic art, objects and culture for visitors to observe, along with various themed events. The Toronto Zoo, which is home to over 5,000 animals, is located in Rouge Valley, in Scarborough.

Meanwhile, a potentially lesser known attraction is the Allan I. Carswell Astronomical Observatory, which is a viewing place for astronomy owned and operated by York University in North York. 

In response to the Reddit post, another user highlighted neighbourhoods beyond downtown, including Baldwin Village, a west-end area known for its tasty food options, Chinatown, and Little Italy, which is home to several Italian dining spots and quaint bars. 

Other tourist attractions scattered around the city include ,Riverdale Farm a place to see animals in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, or Pioneer Village, a heritage museum located in North York, as well as Sugar Beach which is located in Toronto’s East Bayfront.