Looking for some friend group date ideas in Toronto? Toronto has so much on offer from cool restaurants where you can catch up with friends over unique cuisines to adrenaline pumping arcade games so we’re here to help you choose the best date night in Toronto for your next friend group hang session!
Fun Group Date Ideas to try in Toronto With Friends
If your friend group is like mine, you have different moods and are often looking for fun things to do in Toronto as a group. So what does the city have to offer beyond your traditional dinner and drinks? Luckily for us Toronto has plenty of unique hangout options that span from themed restaurants and bars to adrenaline pumping activities.
Enjoy Drinks in Themed Toronto Bars
Catching up over a few drinks is definitely a go to option for many of us but we need something more than a regular bar or restaurant. It’s no surprise that we have some spectacular craft cocktail bars, innovative breweries and chefs creating tantalizing menus in the city but where can we go that’s a bit different? During the Christmas holidays we hit up the Christmas bars in Toronto (Java Jingle, Miracle, Thirsty Elf, Project Gigglewater, Mistletoe & Margaritas, Boothy etc). If you like geek bars, get your friends to Storm Crow Manor or OffWorld and if you prefer speak easy vibes then A Toi, Bar Prequel and giftshop get my vote. I’m always partial to a Toronto Tikibar and Shameful Tiki is always a winner for me. If y’all like staying cozy then check out the Yurts at Stackt Markt and The Well!
Experience a Musical
We are so lucky to have a constant rotation of great musicals and theatre productions visiting our city! Check out the line up at Mirvish to see what might be appropriate for your friend group date in Toronto. Last year I attended SiX The Musical with friends and it was a blast. I loved the energy, set design, costumes and lyrics as we listened to 500 years of history and heartbreak remixed from the perspective of Henry VIII’s six wives. This year there’s Come From Away and Inside American Pie if you’re looking for a Toronto show to attend with your friends. A Toi and Mascot Brewery are nearby if you would like to continue the night!
Last year I’ve also experienced InDreams – A Roy Orbinson Musical ( I absolutely LOVED this one) and Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations. Both of these had us toe tapping and clapping our way through the performances with a few tears rolling down our faces for good measure. You can check out Now Playing Toronto for more arts and culture happenings in the city.
Attempt an Escape Room
What better way to bond that see who can solve things quickly to get your group out of a bind? Toronto has many escape rooms and the ones at Casa Loma is certainly one of the tougher ones out there. You have a variety of options to choose from that will have you acting as spies, bootleggers or detectives as your group attempts to escape the castle. If you prefer to imbibe and escape under one roof then Dream Escapes and Escape Manor will be the best bets for your Toronto friend group. For more escape room options check out this article.
Beat The Clock at Activate Games
If you’re looking for something that will get a variety of skill sets churning, then Activate Games is a fun spot for all ages. We recently gathered a group of friends and the 9 of us divided into two teams as we tackled the various rooms at Activate for over an hour. There are various rooms your group can go in and out of and each room has different challenges that are all interactive and loads of fun. From mazes and puzzles to wordsmithing and hoops- everyone can play no matter their dexterity when it comes to physical movements.
Since our group is over 40 years old they were concerned about having to do strenuous physical obstacle courses but because you get to pick and choose which rooms you go into, you have full flexibility. Each group can have a max of 5 people but I think 4 people per group is ideal. With each game you play, you rack up points individually and those “coins” can be exchanged for things like keychains, basketballs and other prizes. There’s free lockers to store your belongings at and during the winter you need to bring clean indoor shoes! I recommend bringing a reusable water bottle because you will get thirsty and there’s a water fountain on-site. We visited the Stockyards location but they have locations throughout the country and around the world. The newest one in Toronto will be the soon-to-open Pickering location.
Fight It Out in VR
If your group loves online gaming then why not head to Level Up Reality where your group can have a shared virtual reality experience in downtown Toronto? They have a variety of gaming options and their staff will help guide you towards the best options for your group. There’s a pub downstairs so you can always celebrate your wins or drown your losses after the session!
Throw and Break Things
Sometimes you need to get together with friends to blow off some steam. Whether it’s a breakup, a loss or just a crappy week, if you need to commiserate as a group we have some ideas. Maybe axe throwing at Batl Grounds would be the best way to get that frustration out. Or your group date can end up smashing electronics and bottles at Go Smash (sadly Rage Room in Toronto has closed so you’ll have to head to Scarborough for this one).
My group of friends have also attempted curling at a Toronto Bonspiel, tried our best to be quiet at salt cave and had summer fun golfing at iRange. I will keep this article updated so you can keep checking back for group date in Toronto ideas all year long!
