The default way to celebrate finishing work week is to grab a couple of your closest friends and colleagues, grab a few pitchers, and head down to the local watering hole.
But after awhile, doing the same old same old all the time turns a fun night out into a predictable boring routine. Not to mention, it’s hella expensive and probably not great for your body in the long run.
If you’re dropping $50 a week on a little something to wet your whistle, that chalks up to an annual total of $2600 – depending on where you live, that could be an extra two month’s rent.
To mix it up a little, here’s a list of things you can do right here in the 6ix that are totally alcohol-free.
Shoot Bow and Arrows in a Castle
Toronto’s Casa Loma is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. However, if fancy architecture and overflowing gardens don’t interest you, this experience might. Now you can take a hands-on workshop for $40 that’s suited towards adult beginners who want to try out some archery. You even get to practice your best knight skills as you look down at the cityscape below the castle walls.
Try Your Hand at the Bibliomat
This machine is kind of like a laundromat, but instead of clean clothes, when you put in $2, it dispenses a randomly-selected vintage book. You can find it inside Dundas Street’s The Monkey’s Paw, a shop known for its incredibly random and bizarre collection, so you should expect a similar result here.
Photo: Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star
Channel Your Inner Kid at the Drive-In
This one really only works if you know someone with a car or someone willing to rent one for a night. But if you fall into either of these categories, drive out to Polson Pier and see a movie at the drive-in surrounded by water. Stock up on snacks, bring a ton of blankets, and sit back and pretend you’re a kid again.
Pretend to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
Sewers of Toronto are a series of (you guessed it!) sewers that have been preserved, well-maintained and turned into an underground tour of the history of the city. The entrance is down an actual manhole so you can get the full experience.
Take Part in an Underground Cinematic Experience
If you’ve wondered about those posters plastered all over Toronto with headings like “Radiohead KID Dracula” and “Pink Floyd OZ Dark Side”, you’re going to want to google Regg Hart – he’s a local legend bringing a new experience to Toronto cinema in his Victorian house. Screenings of cult classics are paired with Hart’s own musical selections and it makes for a pretty unique movie-going experience.
Attend an Intimate Apartment Concert
Tired of paying the big bucks for concerts at the Rogers Centre (or being disappointed when they sell out in five minutes on StubHub)? Check out Sofar Sounds, which has just recently come to Toronto. Music lovers with cool houses host intimate concert gatherings that anyone can apply to attend or perform at for free! It’s a great way to support and learn about local artists and check out some of the coolest Toronto lofts. The likes of Hozier and Matt Corby played Sofar Sounds around the globe before they got their start so you never know who you’ll see.