Solo Travel in Toronto
🍁 The honest guide for going alone
Toronto is one of the best cities in the region for solo travellers — walkable city centre and strong solo-dining culture. Here's everything you actually need to know: safety realities, where to base yourself, solo-dining culture, and how to meet people without trying too hard.
Why Toronto works for solo travellers
- ✦Walkable city centre
- ✦Strong solo-dining culture
- ✦Plenty to do solo without feeling lonely
Is Toronto safe for solo travellers?
Toronto is generally safe for solo travellers — including solo female travellers — provided you follow the usual urban precautions. The main thing to watch out for is this:
Watch the fake "Buddhist monks" pressing bracelets on tourists near the CN Tower, then demanding donations. Otherwise just dodge downtown parking rates.
General solo safety tips that apply here: keep your phone in a zipped pocket, don't flash valuables, take Uber/Bolt/Grab over street taxis at night, and let someone know your rough plans for each day.
Where to stay solo in Toronto
For solo travellers, base yourself somewhere central enough to walk to dinner safely after dark. Avoid pure-residential areas — you want a neighbourhood with restaurants, cafés, and street life.
Eating alone (and not feeling weird about it)
Toronto has strong solo-dining culture. Counter seating at smaller restaurants is normal — chefs often chat with single diners. Toronto is the most multicultural food city on earth — dim sum on Spadina, Caribbean roti at Gandhi Roti, and the St. Lawrence Market for everything else.
How to meet people in Toronto
- ✦Walking tours on day 1 — free or cheap, and the best way to meet other solo travellers in your first 24 hours.
- ✦Group food tours or cooking classes — guaranteed conversation over food.
- ✦Co-working cafés and digital nomad meetups (Nomad List has the local Slack).
- ✦Travel apps: BumbleBFF, Travello, and Backpackr work in most cities for finding meetup buddies.
Getting around solo
Tap a credit card on TTC subways and streetcars. From Pearson airport, the UP Express train beats a C$70 taxi.
Best time to visit Toronto solo
May and June are the best months — good weather and lots of other travellers around (which means easier to meet people). If you want fewer crowds, try shoulder months: July, August (humid but festival season).