The end-of-year celebrations are an opportunity to welcome friends and family, whether they come from near or far. This holiday season, give your visitors a once-in-a-lifetime Toronto experience they won’t soon forget. With plenty of fun and unique activities in and around the city to wow your guests, we guarantee even city dwellers will have fun exploring Toronto this winter.
We love a surprise airport welcome as much as anyone, and now you can start your visit with friends and family even earlier. With our Short Meet Fare , customers traveling from Union, Bloor or Weston UP Express stations can purchase a special return ticket at a discounted rate, making it an ideal way to pick up customers upon arrival at the UP Express. Pearson International Airport for the holidays.
Looking for other places to go on the ice? Check out other free Toronto outdoor rinks for you to skate on!
If outdoor activities aren’t on your to-do list, invite your visitors to relax at one of Toronto’s many spas or treat themselves to a vacation in the heart of downtown.
The Historic Distillery District
Now that family and friends have arrived for the holidays, it’s time to get out and enjoy the Canadian winter at one of the city’s outdoor Christmas and holiday markets.
The Holiday Fair In The Square returns to Nathan Philips Square , with ice skates, unique shops from local vendors, rides, games and more for the whole family. Just steps from the UP Express Union Station , for a more grown-up experience, enjoy a festive evening with drinks at Polar Point Bar and delicious treats at this lively winter carnival.
Holiday Hills festival
Until December 31, STACKT Market’s free Holiday Hills festival brings the holiday spirit to Bathurst Street, located a 20-minute walk or short TTC streetcar ride from Union UP Express Station . With live music on Fridays, a Ferris wheel, an immersive photography experience, take advantage of the outdoor festive atmosphere for Christmas shopping, community events, workshops and family programs throughout the month.
Elsewhere in town, explore the Bloor-Yorkville Holiday Magic Festival of Lights, stroll the annual Christmas Market and Distillery District Winter Festival of Lights with a cup of hot chocolate from SOMA Chocolate , or head to the Toronto Zoo by taking the GO Transit network to admire the spectacular Terra Lumina illuminations during the winter months. North of downtown, near the Pearson UP Express station , you’ll find Christmas Glow at the Toronto Convention Center to do your Christmas shopping and find the perfect gift for that special someone – or for yourself – even !
Explore Toronto’s top attractions and events
Toronto’s iconic landmark, the CN Tower , will be high on the bucket list for first-time visitors, who will find sweeping views of the city and Lake Ontario here. Meanwhile, the young—and the young-at-heart—will delight in North America’s largest underwater viewing tunnel at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada , which is connected by the indoor Skywalk to Union Station . UP Express .
Escape the cold by spending a day at the museum! Some of Canada’s most prestigious art galleries and museums are located right here in Toronto. You and your guests can lose track of time at the Royal Ontario Museum , Art Gallery of Ontario , and Bata Shoe Museum , among others.
Massey Hall
As Canada’s music capital, there’s always something going on at one of Toronto’s many concert halls and performance spaces . Check out the lineup at Massey Hall , treat your guests to an afternoon of jazz at The Rex , or catch Handel’s Messiah by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra , all minutes from Union UP Express Station .
Also this year, the National Ballet of Canada continues its annual production of The Nutcracker, which has drawn sold-out crowds for nearly three decades and remains one of the city’s premier holiday events for families. .
