Historic and architecture walking tours in Ontario

Greater Toronto Area

Toronto Society of Architects walking tours

Uncover the untold stories of Toronto as you visit well-known landmarks and hidden treasures with a local tour guide.

Peer up at Toronto’s skyscrapers, follow the evolution of Toronto’s queer spaces in the Church and Wellesley Village or learn about Toronto’s oldest neighbourhood, St. Lawrence.

Heritage Toronto tours

Learn about Toronto’s heritage on a self-guided walking tour.

Discover how the architectural development of Yonge Street shaped how people gather and experience life along Toronto’s famous street. Other fascinating tours include King Street East’s Black history and the University of Toronto’s architectural heritage.

Heritage Mississauga tours

Curated self-guided heritage tour brochures highlight historic buildings and stories from the past in Mississauga. Print copies are available for free at The Grange.

ROMWalks

Discover Toronto with ROMWalks, a collection of guided walking tours that will take your group on a unique journey of urban discovery.

Toronto self-guided tours

Discover Toronto’s hidden gems on a self-guided walking tour showcasing cultural hotspots and hip and historical neighbourhoods.

Niagara Region

Historical walking tours of Niagara-on-the-Lake

Learn about the history and architecture of Niagara-on-the-Lake on the popular guided summer walking tours. The tour guides provide a local perspective and focus on different neighbourhoods.

Walk Niagara Tours

Explore the heritage of Niagara Falls on foot as experienced tour guides share stories behind popular Niagara Falls landmarks. The all-inclusive walking tour includes admission to key attractions as well as discounts and perks. Private tours are available for groups of all sizes.

Hamilton, Halton and Brant

Hamilton Architecture Crawl

Travel like a local on a self-guided tour through downtown Hamilton.

Landmarks include the Lister Building, a brown and white terracotta retail and office complex with a decadent classical Renaissance facade and Hamilton City Hall, which appeared in Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning film The Shape of Water.

Huron, Perth, Waterloo and Wellington

Kitchener walking tours

Download a guide and map of Kitchener’s historic buildings.

Tours feature buildings from a 19th-century Italian-style bank to the modern Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work building at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Wilmot Township Walking Tours

Take a self-guided tour through a neighbourhood in Wilmot Township, just outside of Kitchener and Waterloo.

The Baden walking tour features Castle Kilbride, a grand Victorian home with rare Trompe l’oeil painted wall and ceiling murals. On the New Hamburg walking tour, you’ll pass by the Carnegie Library, built circa 1914 in the Beaux Arts/Classical Revival style.

Stratford Walking Tours

Explore the architectural wonders and delve into the fascinating history of downtown Stratford on a guided walking tour.

Various tours are offered throughout the year, including a river cruise tour, food tours and spooky Stratford and St. Marys ghost walks in October.

Self-guided tours in Stratford

Stroll down Stratford's original streets and admire the Victorian and Edwardian details of houses on display. The self-guided audio tour details when the house was built and a short history of the homeowners.

Stroll Walking Tours in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge

Uncover interesting stories and characters from the past. Expertly curated walking tours guide you to see cities and communities from a whole new perspective.

Guelph historical walking tours

The Guelph Arts Council (GAC) Historical Walking Tours are available from May to October. Various tours that showcase the beauty, history and architecture of the city.

York, Durham and Headwaters

Caledon heritage walking tours

While historic hamlets have disappeared over time, Caledon's present-day communities continue to reflect early Euro-Canadian settlement patterns. Take a self-guided tour through historic villages and see a medley of architectural styles, from Edwardian Classical to Regency.

Bruce, Grey and Simcoe

Collingwood heritage walks

With City Hall as the base, three self-guided walks in Collingwood explore the town's east, west and downtown areas.

The West Heritage Walk features Regency cottages with large gardens and Queen Anne houses that mix picturesque towers and turrets with classical windows and trimmings. Look for sunflower designs on buildings, a popular Victorian motif used by builders as a symbol of their craftsmanship.

Heritage walking tours in Barrie

Stylish homes and buildings from the nineteenth and early twentieth century survive along Barrie’s modern streetscapes. Uncover fascinating stories on several self-guided tours, some of which include an audio accompaniment.

Kawarthas and Northumberland

Port Hope heritage tours

Port Hope is a treasure trove of historic stories. Walk down Walton Street, named the best-preserved Main Street in Ontario. Admore Hotel Carlyle’s 19th-century Italianate architecture. It has been restored to retain the impressive grand pillars in the dining space and to convert the grand carriage house into a lounge.

Walk Cobourg heritage tours

Visit one of four heritage conservation districts with an interactive map.

Among the architectural wonders in Cobourg’s Commercial Core are a Gothic brick church with handsomely carved woodwork and stained-glass windows and a Palladian town hall with a massive Corinthian-columned clock tower.

Colborne Heritage walking tour

Take in Colborne’s architectural gems on a self-guided walking tour, from the grand Neoclassical Joseph A. Keeler House to the Thornton House, considered thought to be one of the oldest homes in Colborne.

Southeastern Ontario

Kingston Haunted Walks

For those drawn to local legends and remarkable history, Haunted Walks uncovers the secrets of haunted hotels, hidden burial grounds, grave robbings, hangings at the old courthouse, and Kingston’s famous haunted courtyard.

A new “Hidden Kingston” walking tour reveals charming curiosities and little-known stories from Kingston’s history, blending heritage and lighthearted fun.

Gananoque walking tours

Visit the armoury, clock tower, churches and first-ever hotel in Gananoque and learn about homes of notable figures. Immerse yourself in the historical buildings that made this culture-rich town what it is today. Walking tour brochures are available at the Gananoque Visitor Centre or Town Hall (digital versions are also available).

Algonquin Park, Muskoka and Parry Sound

Lake of Bays heritage walking tours

Step back in time on a self-guided heritage walk to explore the settlement in Muskoka’s Lake of Bays. Walking tours cover Baysville, Dorset and Dwight. Download a digital version of the map or pick up hard copies at the Municipal Office, the Dwight Tourism Booth, local businesses and resorts.

Port Carling walking tour

Join a local resident on a guided walking tour through the village of Port Carling and learn all about its colourful history.

Visit the locks, the First Nations village, the famous photo wall and other significant sites. Tours set out from the Muskoka Lakes Museum and last about an hour.

Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma

Blaq Bear walking tours of Sault Ste. Marie

Join Blaq Bear tours for a guided walk in downtown Sault Ste. Marie to explore the art, architecture and culture that has shaped the history of this northern Ontario city.

Haliburton Highlands to the Ottawa Valley

Perth Tours

Download a free walking tour app and enjoy self-guided tours of historic architecture, national historic properties, modern and historic taverns and even vintage signs in downtown Perth.

Guided tours can be booked in July and August for groups led by the Town Crier, who will share insights into Perth's history and heritage.

Ontario’s walking tours are a great way to discover the history, culture and personality of a place.