10 Things to Do in Toronto in November

Toronto is a city you can't miss during your stay in Canada, it is the capital of Ontario and offers exceptional plans for the whole family. In November autumn begins to say goodbye to the city and the weather is quite cold, with temperatures ranging between 2° and 9°. There are artistic events and it is the perfect opportunity to appreciate the migration of salmon, or walk through the local streets surrounded by the world of Santa.

In this month you can take advantage of the best things to do in Toronto, as there is a wide range of entertainment. For example, you can't miss the parades and pumpkin patches to bid farewell to the Halloween season, as well as the catrina parades to honor the Day of the Dead. You can also take advantage of Black Friday deals, participate in a marathon or attend a chocolate festival.

The Pumpkin Parade, or Pumpkin Parades, is an annual event that usually takes place every November 1st, to bid farewell to the Halloween season. This activity takes place in the best parks in the city, with the main attraction being the tours of the giant pumpkin exhibits. You can also bring a candle and your own pumpkin, to participate in the organization of the parade.

Other activities include the smashing of pumpkins at the end of the day, to later leave them in compost garbage cans. In addition, prizes are awarded for the best pumpkin of the night. On the official website you can find the schedules, as well as the parks that participate each year. Without a doubt, this plan is a great option if you are looking for things to do in Toronto with kids.

Algonquin Park is another place where you can find pumpkin shows, as well as an enchanted forest. This is a wilderness area away from the hustle and bustle of the city with waterfalls, green areas, canoe rides and activities for any time of the year. Another option is to buy tickets to the Legoland Discovery Centre in Toronto, where during this day there are monster parties, Halloween-themed creations with LEGOs, trick-or-treat exchanges and more.

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition that honors the memory of loved ones who have departed this plane. The event takes place on November 1st and 2nd every year, since due to the proximity of Mexico and Canada this celebration was adopted in Toronto. There are different activities in the city to commemorate this day, some organized by Latin American communities. For example, you can't miss:

• The Catrina Parade in Toronto: it is a caravan through the city that brings together the best of Mexican culture, where people wear typical costumes, and there are even contests to choose the best catrina. The catrina is a figure of the Aztec culture Mictecacihuatl, considered the goddess of death. She is distinguished by bridal veils, Mexican hats and exotic make-up.
• The Day of the Dead Festival: takes place between October and November, in different parts of the city. It offers different activities such as Aztec dances, altars, Mexican handicraft workshops, drum circles, live traditional music and funeral processions.
• The Ghost Hunt: between October and November there are events that merge Halloween with the Day of the Dead, you can take advantage of some of the best tours around Toronto and venture on a terrifying quest, to have fun and explore the world of the afterlife.
• The Day of the Dead Marathon: is a fun run of approximately 9 kilometers, which are inspired by the nine levels of the Mictlan. It has cultural activities such as altar building, typical food and more.
• Altars: for the Day of the Dead, altars are organized, a cultural display consisting of offerings for loved ones such as food, flowers, candles and objects that were of daily use of the person. They are held throughout the city, as ancient legends say that portals open between the afterlife and that spirits roam the earth for a couple of hours.

If you enjoy feeling the wind against your face, you definitely can't miss the Hamilton Marathon Road2Hope. It is a Canadian marathon that takes place in Toronto during the first days of November. Without a doubt, it is a fun plan for the whole family, ideal if you are looking for things to do in Toronto with kids.

You can run or jog, plus there are family routes of 5 and 10 kilometers, as well as children's routes of 1 kilometer. There is also a 22k half marathon and the 23k full marathon. Some races are free, but others have an access fee. Usually the race is held near the ports, so you can get a quick glimpse of Toronto cruising and get in the spirit of the experience.

Black Friday is an iconic retail event held in the United States, Canada and other countries around the world. It is festive shopping that takes place on the last days of November, with special and limited deals. Keep in mind that some people prefer to shop online to avoid the lines at physical stores. Cyber Monday, on the other hand, takes place on the Monday after Black Friday, the main difference being that it focuses exclusively on online technology purchases.

In the United States, the dates of Black Friday and Cyber Monday are governed by Thanksgiving, that is, they take place just one day after the Thanksgiving meal. In contrast, in Canada the holiday shopping coincides with the U.S. dates, as Thanksgiving or Jour de l'Action de Grâc atypically is a celebration of thanksgiving that is part of the best things to do in Toronto in October.

In addition to holiday shopping, I recommend you take advantage of this day and go for a stroll through the streets, shopping malls and outlet stores. You can make a personalized itinerary for a tour of Toronto and get to know the main areas. For example, take a stroll down Bloor Street in Yorkville, where the most important luxury stores are located; or get lost in Eaton Centre: a Canadian shopping mall with hundreds of stores.

The holiday season in Toronto starts early, as Canadians like to enjoy the festivities from November through January. As such, Cavalcade of Lights or the Cavalcade of Lights is considered the official start of things to do at Christmas in Toronto. It is an annual event that lights up the city' s Christmas tree, which has been held in Nathan Phillips Square since 1967.

The square is lit up with more than half a million lights, plus there are ice skating rinks, live music, cultural performances, free skating parties every Saturday and more. If you're looking for things to do in Toronto at night, you can take advantage of a night tour of the city, to appreciate the lighting of the lights at the end of November.

If you like chocolate and gastronomic tastings, you can't miss the Toronto Chocolate Festival. A festival that stars Canadian events between October and November, because it offers some of the best gastronomic tours in Toronto, as well as:

• The Chocolate Ball: it is a luxury ball where chocolate is the protagonist, with different themes each year. The event brings together smells and flavors, with savory and sweet offerings for those who enjoy eating chocolate.
• Chocolate Making Classes, if you want to learn how to prepare the best chocolate-based dishes, you can't miss the classes with professionals. The duration and price of each class varies, and they also revolve around different types of chocolate.
• Chocolate Afternoon Tea: on weekends you can take advantage of the chocolate teaafternoons at the best hotels in Toronto.

From September to November, the salmon migration takes place in Toronto, as temperatures below 18° create ideal conditions for thousands of salmon to swim up the Ontario River. It is a beautiful natural spectacle, ideal for the whole family. From Toronto cruises, you can watch the fish travel to the same place where they were born and then lay their eggs. Some of them jump out of the water, so you can capture unforgettable pictures.

I recommend you to go to Don River, a river located twenty minutes from downtown Toronto. This is where most of the fish are concentrated, so if you plan to be in Toronto for at least 3 days you can't miss this plan. Other places where you can witness the salmon jumping in firstrow, are the Humber River, Exploits River and Knight 's Inlet. Outside of the city, you can also witness this spectacle at North York, Don Valley River or Evergreen Brickworks.

The Toronto Santa Claus Parade or Toronto Santa Claus Parade is an event that takes place in the city on the third Sunday of November. The first parade was held in 1905, being one of the oldest in the world, so it has become a Canadian tradition that brings together thousands of people to receive the Christmas spirit.

It is a route through the streets of Toronto where you can see the themed floats, local bands, the living characters of the season, such as elves, reindeer and Mrs. Claus and Santa. Without a doubt, it is the perfect way to get ready for the activities to do in Toronto in December. The parade usually goes from Christie Pits Park to St. Lawrence Market.

Other parades not to be missed in November is the Brampton Santa Claus Parade, which takes place at a location forty minutes from downtown Toronto. It features antique floats and a Christmas ritual is performed, which consists of collecting letters to Santa from children and adults.

If you enjoy art and fashion, you can't miss Fashion Art Toronto in November. This is a cultural event that has been held since 2005 and offers a multi-sensory showcase with fashion shows, art exhibitions, live music and lectures with national and international designers. There are activities during several days in November, when the fall edition is held.

The differential factor of this event is that it showcases collaborations of designers with artists from other sectors. It includes performing arts, visual arts, music and multimedia events. It is ideal for touring Toronto in search of art and culture, as more than 50 fashion shows are held in at least 25 locations. Talks and workshops are also organized for all audiences, some events are free while others require admission or an invitation.

Pumpkins are the symbol of autumn, so in November you can't miss the opportunity to visit a pumpkin patch in Toronto. This is the ideal month, as it is a great way to say goodbye to Halloween. The most interesting thing is the recreational activities that take place, which vary depending on the site you choose.

This is a North American tradition ideal for Canada. In the orchards you can find corn mazes, as well as stables with animals and wagon rides. Undoubtedly, it is one of the best things to do in Toronto and I recommend you to stop by:

• Merry Farms: if you plan to be at least 2 days in Toronto, you will be able to taste seasonal dishes at this famous farm. It also offers more than 30 activities, including corn mazes, playgrounds, roller coasters, obstacle courses, tractor rides, wagon rides and pumpkin picking.
• Cooper's CSA Farm and Maze: the perfect place if you're looking for things to do in Toronto with kids, it features corn mazes, pumpkin picking and nighttime mazes.
• Strom's Farm & Bakery: it is a peculiar orchard that has a bakery, where you can try desserts made from pumpkin. It also has a straw maze, as well as an exhibit with more than a thousand pumpkins of all sizes, flavors and colors.
• Brook Farms: is a Canadian farm, famous for its beautiful pumpkins in autumn. They have crops of other types of fruits, as well as stations where maple syrup is prepared. The approximate cost of admission is 15 euros.