10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Toronto

CN Tower is Toronto’s most famous landmark, and those who visit the observation decks of this 553-metre-tall skyscraper after dark are rewarded with panoramic views. The sparkling lights of the city and harbour from up high is a sight to behold. CN Tower offers 3 different observation levels, with the Glass Floor and Outdoor SkyTerrace level at 342 metres, the LookOut level 1 floor above it which features its own glass floor and floor-to-ceiling windows, and the SkyPod – one of the highest observation decks in the world, at 447 metres. Entry tickets for each may be purchased in advance.

Getting up to these decks is a thrill in itself in the tower’s high-speed glass elevators that zip you up in less than a minute. Visitors can also enjoy exhibits explaining the tower’s engineering marvels and do a bit of browsing in the gift shop.

The Royal Alexandra Theatre is one of the best places to watch a show in Toronto. Not only has it hosted legendary plays and performers but it’s also an elegantly restored national historic landmark. The century-old venue is the oldest continuously operating theatre in North America, with a stage that’s seen some 3,400 productions including such West End and Broadway hits like Hamilton, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Misérables, and The Phantom of the Opera.

The “Royal Alex” as it’s known locally, is in downtown Toronto in the heart of the Entertainment District. Those looking for more plays or concerts can easily find something to watch nearby, as it’s found just minutes away from other entertainment venues including the Princess of Wales Theatre and Roy Thomson Hall.

Ossington Avenue has emerged as a trendy spot for dining, shopping and nightlife, especially among the younger crowds in Toronto. The half-kilometre strip found west of Little Italy, between Dundas Street West and Queen Street West, is a vibrant place to explore after dark, brimming with a mix of bars, breweries, live music venues, and cocktail lounges.

Night-time revellers under 30 are drawn to Ossington strip for its friendly and more budget-priced bars with a creative edge. Among the favourites is Dakota Tavern, a long-running bar known for its live acts. There’s also the somewhat infamous dive bar called Sweaty Betty’s, and Painted Lady with its burlesque shows and DJ music.

The Second City Toronto is a fun place to unwind in the evening, with its nightly comedy shows from improv to open mic, to musical improvs and stand-up comedy. Since the Second City Toronto opened in 1973 as an offshoot of the famed Second City Chicago, it’s launched the careers of many well-known comedians and actors including Martin Short, Mike Myers, Catherine O’Hara, and Eugene Levy. Shows usually run about 90 minutes and some involve audience participation, so don’t be shy!

If you’re looking for more laughs in Toronto, then check out Yuk Yuk’s, another long-running Toronto comedy club.

Revue Cinema is a century-old movie theatre and a great spot to get immersed into an old-school cinema experience. They run old Hollywood classics and have film festivals and themed series like Silent Revue, where silent-era films are accompanied by live piano music.

As Toronto’s oldest movie theatre, Revue is now a heritage site run as a community non-profit after public outcries managed to save it from closing down in the early 2000s. Coming to Revue Cinema is not only a chance to see a great film but also to meet and mingle with Toronto’s hard-core movie fans at their city’s most beloved cinema.

Sports lovers who spend any time in Toronto will probably find themselves at Scotiabank Arena for at least 1 evening, it being the home of both the Raptors and the Maple Leafs. The former is the city’s National Basketball Association team while the latter plays in the National Hockey League. If the arena’s at full capacity, the crowds of nearly 20,000 just add to the intensity and excitement of the pro sports games.

In addition to basketball and hockey games, Scotiabank Arena is a concert and event venue that’s hosted circuses, ice skating shows, trade shows, and some of the planet’s biggest musical acts, including U2, Pitbull, Bon Jovi, and Madonna.

Those in search of some extra thrills and chills in Toronto will surely want to spend an evening learning about its haunted places and spooky stories. The Haunted Walk of Toronto takes visitors on a 75-minute tour of sites with ghost sightings or paranormal activity, with a guide telling spine-tingling ghost stories and tales of mystery and murder along the way. The walking tour starts from the courtyard in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

For a deeper immersion into Toronto’s spooky side, try out the ghost tours of other locations including the Distillery District, the Black Creek Pioneer Village, and the University of Toronto’s downtown campus.

The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar has been a firm part of Toronto’s live music scene since it opened in the 1980s. Found at The Rex Hotel in downtown Toronto, the jazz bar features some 80 shows per month with a mix of local and international groups playing to the crowds. The bar’s retro-chic design gives a low-key, friendly feel to the place, which is all about relaxing and listening to the music while sipping a draught beer.

Visiting musicians might want to come on a Tuesday when the bar hosts its weekly Classic Rex Jazz Jam – in-house musicians will play a set then invite others to the stage to join them.

Toronto has a large and sprawling nightlife scene, so those new to the city could join a guided pub crawl to get an inside peek of its after-dark delights. The Toronto Bar Crawl takes pub crawlers around several local bars in the downtown area, starting from around 6 pm. Another boozy tour worth checking out is the Toronto Beer Tour by Toronto Urban Adventures, which takes you on a walking tour of notable pubs and local breweries.

Those who’d prefer a self-guided Toronto bar crawl could just pick a neighbourhood with a good nightlife scene like Ossington, Parkdale, Little Italy, or the Fashion District, then take a wander down the streets to see where the night takes them.

Snakes & Lattes is a bar and restaurant that brings together 2 leisure activities into 1 friendly spot: drinking booze and playing board games. Visitors to Snakes & Lattes can order pub grub and beer, and also browse its library of thousands of games like Uno, Jenga, and Neuroshima Hex. If you’re overwhelmed by the choices, the staff here act as game gurus of sorts, offering suggestions and some instruction on how to play.

There are 3 Snakes & Lattes locations in Toronto, including 1 on College Street in Little Italy, another at 600 Bloor Street in the Annex, and the third at 45 Eglinton Avenue in Midtown.