With efficient public transportation and accessible attractions, Toronto is widely considered one of the best cities in North America to visit. The downtown area near Union Station is especially easy to navigate, with dozens of the city’s top things to do within walking distance from the transportation hub.
Not only do you have the stellar lakefront, but some of Canada’s most important and beloved museums are situated nearby, along with the city’s most impressive building, the CN Tower. Canada’s booming cultural scene has also benefited from recent redevelopment projects around the former industrial corridor near downtown.
There’s a lot to choose from if you’re trying to sightsee near Union Station, so you’ll want to know what your options are, and you’ll want to get around easily. One way to keep things simple is to use a Toronto Union Station luggage storage service like Bounce to look after your stuff while you sightsee. Here are a few of the best things to do near Union Station in Toronto:
Soak in Toronto’s history at Fort York National Historic Site
The city of Toronto we know today is a far cry from its humble origins as a British trading outpost and fort built back in the late 1700s. While it was nearly destroyed by American troops in the War of 1812, Fort York is impeccably well preserved and can be easily visited from Union Station. You’ll find a barracks, a few cannons, and a small museum detailing the fort’s history that also sheds some light on the city’s earliest days.
Because it’s Canada: Hockey Hall of Fame
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the most heavily trafficked museum in Toronto is a mecca of hockey history. With hundreds of priceless hockey artifacts spanning centuries of frozen fun and fury, Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame is the largest museum of its kind. You’ll find memorabilia and exhibits detailing the early days of this sport all the way to the modern era. Of course, there’s plenty of Wayne Gretzky material on display, along with replicas of the Stanley Cup. Any hockey fan would enjoy this, but it’s also a great way for international visitors to get a sense of Canadian culture and how integral this sport is to daily life in Toronto.
Run by Graffiti Alley to admire some street art
Toronto is chock full of tasteful street art that certainly transcends the graffiti label, and one of the city’s best examples is a short walk from Union Station. Tucked away off the corner of Rush Lane and Portland Street, you can head straight east to find this lengthy stretch of murals and artwork. That’s all the directions you need because you’ll have a hard time missing the vibrant colors and surrealist artwork that’s been curated in Graffiti Alley. Many of the best works have been photographed, documented, published, and discussed, as Graffiti Alley’s rotating selection of work is viewed in the same light as a tastefully curated art museum.
Feast at St. Lawrence Market
Most cities have these trendy upscale food courts to satisfy yuppies and commuters looking for a tasty meal they can’t get anywhere else. Toronto’s Old York area has had the St. Lawrence Market for over 200 years, where locals come to buy produce and ingredients. In recent years, it’s been supercharged with over 100 specialty vendors and restaurants serving up high-end snacks and walking meals.
You’ll find butchers slinging inventive cuts of meat and sausages. Artisanal cheese is basically everywhere. Montreal-style bagels are on offer that basically match the quality that’s expected when giving that designation. The quality and atmosphere are so appealing that it’s been deemed the greatest food market in the world by National Geographic. Whether or not it meets that high honor is almost irrelevant because you’re absolutely going to have a great time at St. Lawrence Market, and you’ll have the Instagram snaps of doughnuts and pastrami sandwiches to prove it!
Check out CN Tower to see if it lives up to the hype
It shouldn’t be surprising that one of the most important buildings in Canada is situated right in downtown Toronto, but the iconic communications tower is just a stone’s throw from Union Station. At the very least, it’s worth running by to admire the CN Tower that’s become so emblematic of the city (thanks to mega stars like Drake). If you want a more comprehensive experience, you can ascend to the top (for a slightly pricey fee) to enjoy stellar views of the city and lake from its observation deck.
Enjoy the lake breeze at the Spadina Quay Wetlands
Situated in the Summer Music Garden along Toronto’s gorgeous lakefront, the Spadina Quay Wetlands is a protected conservation area that showcases the natural habitat for Toronto’s indigenous species of birds and other creatures. It’s a thriving ecosystem that’s been championed by the sustainability-minded Toronto population and is one of the true success stories of Toronto Harbour’s decades-long redevelopment projects. If you’re visiting during the summer, it’s absolutely worth the short walk from Union Station.
Appreciate the exotic greenery at Allan Gardens Conservatory
The Allan Gardens Conservatory is actually located in one of the country’s oldest parks, and the cast-iron and glass greenhouse of this stately conservatory dates all the way back to 1858, making it a vital part of Old Toronto’s impressively preserved history.
Inside, you’ll find a lovely collection of exotic plants imported from around the world alongside winding pathways. There are little turtle ponds and butterflies fluttering about, and the dense moisture of the air is absolutely refreshing in the winter when it’s been months since your skin felt any humidity. There are different rooms recreating the atmospheres of far-flung locales like Australia and the Mediterranean. Highlights include a cacti-filled area and a palm and vine-laden rainforest.
Catch the hipster vibes at The Distillery District
Redevelopment projects are absolutely everywhere, and Canadian cities like Toronto have been at the forefront of this movement. The brick-laden industrial district that was used as a distillery has been rehabbed into a pedestrianized neighborhood filled with local restaurants, bars, quirky independent stores, and stylish boutiques. The Victorian architecture alone is worth the visit, but the culinary offerings and all-around vibes on hand make the Distillery District a vital part of the Toronto experience.
Conclusion
With so many things to do and culture at your fingertips, you won’t want to be running around downtown Toronto with your luggage. Union Station is great for many things, but the lockers aren’t always reliable. This is why the Bounce luggage storage network has placed our top locations near Union Station.
