Old Toronto 3-hour self-guided walking tour and scavenger hunt

Are you planning a visit to Toronto? Our tourist scavenger hunts will take you throughout Old Toronto from Union Station to the lakefront, through the St.Lawrence Market and the CN Tower of course!

You will have to solve challenges at every step to discover your next destination. At each step, you will learn a little history as well as interesting facts about what surrounds you.

Two versions are available. The regular scavenger hunt is shorter in length and time, while the Explorer hunt will take you further and see more sites (see the differences).

What You'll See

CN Tower
Ripley’s Aquarium du Canada
Union Station
Harbourfront
Royal Alexandra Theatre
Princess of Wales Theatre
Roy Thomson Hall
Fairmont Royal York
ScotiaBank Center
Rogers Center
Roundhouse park and rail museum
Explorer Hunt only:
- Hockey Hall of Fame
- St.Lawrence Market
- Sony Center for the Performing Arts
And much more!

One of us grew up in Toronto for 10 years. We have visited Toronto on business and pleasure many times. This scavenger hunt was tested in September 2018.

Specifications & Requirements

Place of Departure: Fairmont Royal York, 100 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5J 1E3
Regular Hunt
- Distance: 3.7 km / 2.3 mi
- Duration: 2 – 3 hours – depending on your walking speed and solving time of the puzzles.
Explorer Hunt
- Distance: 5.2 km / 3.2 mi
- Duration: 3 – 5 hours
Method: on foot
Required:
- A fully-charged smartphone with internet access (data plan, wifi is not enough).
Suggested:
- Bottle of water
- A local road map or tourist map

Ancient History

Toronto is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, one of the 5 Great Lakes of North America.

This region has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years. It comprises deep ravines, urban forests, rivers and a large plateau that slopes towards the lake.

In 1793, the British Crown bought this area from the Mississaugas, the tribe that inhabited it, and established the town of York. York became the capital of Upper Canada afterward. The United States attacked York during the War of 1812.

In 1834, the village was renamed to City of Toronto. It became the capital of the province of Ontario when the Canadian Confederation was signed in 1867.

Recent History

Toronto is by far the most populous city in the country with more than 2.7 million inhabitants in its 5 municipalities, and almost 6 million in its metropolitan area. The metro area is usually called the GTA, or Greater Toronto Area. More than 50% of its population is a “visible” minority, that is, they are not white. Immigration has played an important role in the evolution and growth of this metropolis since very early on.

There are more than 160 languages spoken in the city, although English is the main language. These people come from over 200 distinct ethnic groups. Although there is an important “Chinatown” in Toronto, there are also several other ethnic areas such as Greektown, Little Portugal, Little Italy and Corso Italia.

Old Toronto

The Old Toronto district has 3 major league sports teams, several theaters and concert halls, nightclubs and several very good restaurants.

This sector was once the Garment District because of the industries that were there. They left the neighborhood in the 1970s, leaving behind large warehouses that are gradually becoming all kinds of other reasons.

The CN Tower opened in 1976, bringing a steady stream of tourists here. In the 80s nightclubs settled there followed by concert halls and theaters.