The historic city fort, on the territory of which buildings from the beginning of the 19th century are preserved, are witnesses of the battles between the British Empire and the colonies longing for independence. Here are military parades dedicated to the national holidays of Canada. Also, a beer festival is held annually at Fort York. The former military barracks houses a historical exposition.
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26.07.23
Tony
Visited Fort York today. Had a amazing time. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Will be back for another visit before the end of summer. Today was a speed run. Whole experience was overwhelmingly positive. There is plenty to do around that area as we.. Read more »ll. Under the bridge is a picnic area with WiFi! Plenty of green, clean, up kept pasture to sit on by yourself with friends or family. Water fountain and washrooms all in close proximity. You could easily spend many many hours there. Did I mention…its FREE!!!
18.07.23
Stef
I really enjoyed my visit. Entrance was free and there was almost nobody there so I got to explore the site and history in peace. Which is actually a really interesting glimpse in the history of Toronto. With the old buildings and walls still in tact.. Read more » or restored. All of this in the middle of the city. It takes an hour or so to fully explore. Definitely recommend!
01.07.23
Nicole
Love this place and all the green on the land. Lots to do here for festivals. Or just come and sit for a picnic.
24.06.23
Hanzhang
I recently had the opportunity to visit Fort York, located at 250 Fort York Blvd in downtown Toronto, and it was an experience I won't soon forget! I was amazed to discover that there's a heritage site right in the heart of the city.
I was.. Read more » fortunate enough to join a free tour group in the morning, and our guide provided a captivating explanation of the site's history, detailing each building with great care. It was truly fascinating to learn about the lives of the soldiers and how they managed to survive during that time period.
Fort York, spanning over 43 acres, is a preserved archeological park that holds great significance. It served as a battleground where British soldiers, First Nations warriors, and Upper Canadian militiamen joined forces to defend against the United States during the War of 1812. The infamous Battle of York that took place here marked a dark and dramatic chapter in the city's history. The site offers an immersive multimedia experience that brings the past to life. Fort York aims to include Indigenous narratives and stories, drawing from primary sources such as military records, letters, memoirs, and oral accounts. This adds a valuable perspective to our understanding of the individuals from historically deserving communities who played a pivotal role in the defence of York (Toronto) and Upper Canada during the war.
Overall, my visit to Fort York was a truly enlightening and enriching experience. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly, and the exhibits were thoughtfully curated. I highly recommend a visit to this historical gem in the heart of Toronto!
05.06.23
Dee
A beautiful historical site to visit. The entry is free and you learn a lot. A must visit!
Fort York constituted the primary defensive position in early York (Toronto). The present buildings erected between 1813 and 1815 to replace those destroyed du.. Read more »ring the
American occupations of York in 1813, are among the oldest in Toronto important surviving examples of British military
architecture. At the turn of the 20th century. the fort was threatened with demolition. The fight to save it led to one of the first victories of the Canadian heritage movement. The fort was bought by the city in 1909 and restored between 1932 and 1934 as part of Toronto's centennial celebration.
05.06.23
Adam
Pleasant, informative, well-preserved/restored. Free guided tour with a well-informed historian every hour. Free activity. From an American perspective, it presents a slightly different viewpoint of the War of 1812 and the other immigration and borde.. Read more »r conflicts btw US and Canada. For example, the museum mentions there were almost 500,000 US troops (presumably including all militia, regular troops, and I'm not sure what else operating in N. America as well as the Navy) and then maybe 10000 Canadian militia, 1000 First Nation warriors and a few thousand British regulars. Not really in context. The Museum also doesn't really present the fact that the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution included the area the British wanted to make into a First Nation homeland - which would have all come from US territory, none from Canadian/British. It also features a panel depicting the various invasions on both sides but fails to mention the Battle of New Orleans and US occupation of Florida (where we get the name Jacksonville - look it up). So, a bit lopsided presentation. The Royal Ontario Museum has basically a limited version of this. Also depicts immigration without mentioning the fact there is, according to the Washington Post, net immigration out of Canada into the US. It does mention the US Civil War and Confederate attacks originating from Canada to attack the Union while at the same time emphasizing the roll Black Canadians played in resisting US and other rebellions (i.e., Mackenzie revolt) in Canada. Little inconsistency, there right?
01.05.23
Wilhem
I recently visited Fort York and it was such an incredible experience. The historical significance of the place is truly remarkable. It was fascinating to learn about the role it played in defending Toronto during the War of 1812. The staff were so k.. Read more »nowledgeable and friendly, making the visit even more enjoyable. I highly recommend checking it out if you're ever in the area.
01.01.23
Burl
Went to Fort York with Family between xmas and NYE. We were all surprised how much fun it was - the historic buildings and displays are great for all ages - in our case, from 76 to 9. Was not crowded at all, like a surprise oasis right downtown. Fres.. Read more »h air, history, fantastic brickwork and barrels of gunpowder; a great afternoon. As an added bonus, totally free - just walked up the stairs from the Bentway and in through the fort gates (entrance right at the end of the Bentway skating path in winter). Has its own (paid) parking area under the Gardiner Expressway, near the entrance. A simple, low pressure family downtown destination. Has washrooms and a gift shop. A destination that is neither commercialized nor stuffy. Note - the paths/lawns between buildings are prone to swarming by wild geese when we were there - robust footwear recommended.
Also - we were surprised to find the historic buildings all heated, a real bonus in winter. They gave us gingerbread that had been baked on site just before we arrived, and a great impromptu chat about the historic kitchen. Most of the buildings were not staffed (just displays), but the staff we did meet were great.
03.11.22
Kat
Interesting historical site, glad they've preserved some original buildings! Be sure to visit the small visitor center as well. I spent about 2hrs here as I read most of the exhibits fully. Can't beat a museum site with free admission :)
02.08.22
Jesse
Good way to spend some time absorbing local history.
Modern museum adds nice element to the site. Lots of artifacts, there are video displays, interactive exhibits, good way to see history and get your step count in.
The fort itself is well kept, the.. Read more » buildings are pleasant to experience.
If you're interested you can spend close to 3 hours here.
01.08.22
Arif
We loved it. It's a walk through the olden days and history. Each fort houses there's something to check out for. The welcome center has the hidden gem. It has an interactive walk through of what happened when the Americans attacked the for.. Read more »t. We almost missed that part, because we started with the fort visits first instead of going to the welcome center. It was free for when we visited in summer of 2022.
30.07.22
Carole
Our visit was very pleasant and informative.
Fort York is a FREE to visit historic site near downtown Toronto.
The free guided tour about the role of the Fort in defending the fledgling city of Toronto then York, in 1813, was well done and very worth.. Read more »while. The grounds and facilities are well maintained and all the staff we met were courteous and amiable.
16.07.22
Henry
The new visitor and interpretive centre adds a lot to the historic site. As of June the museum is free and definitely worth seeing. Do check the website before going as sometimes the visitor centre is closed for events, or the outdoor fort has fest.. Read more »ivals or other events going on.
07.07.22
Col
Very interesting! Highly recommended! Great tour. Friendly staff. Easy to get to on the streetcar and a short walk under the Gardiner. Visiting Toronto on holidays? You must take a few hours to visit Fort York. And its free.
03.07.22
Darren
Didn't get to see much of the historic site, although there was a barracks open for an art gallery. Cool venue for the field trip festival and looks like there's a lot to learn about our military history. Great spot to watch a show though!
28.05.22
Laura
Well laid out and very informative. Nice little gift shop with something for everyone with varying price ranges. Best of all admission is free!
13.05.22
Su
This is a national historic site.Many written and interactive displays. There are guided tours in the premises every hour starting 11 am and last one is at 4 pm that will give you a glimpse of the York Regiment life and details on US - British war.. Read more » of 1812.
Entry fee : FREE
Parking: Available right outside the visitor centre at the site under Gardiner highway.Rate is $1 per half an hour.
13.05.22
Stephanie
A nice trip for an afternoon. The visitors centre was nice and the experiential war of 1812 exhibit was well done. Informative tour guides, plus free lemonade. Low ceilings in a lot of the historic buildings though!
12.05.22
Dylan
I went when it was free (May 2022), and for a free outing it was very fun. I am not sure if I would pay for the experience which you can go through quite quickly without a tour (only 5 or 6 buildings) but it was nice. We tagged along with a tour grou.. Read more »p at the end and the guide working at the fort was very knowledgeable and explained very thoroughly the everyday lives of the soldiers. In a nutshell the place is cabins, guns, replica uniforms, and old furniture and everyday objects the soldiers used.
08.04.22
Holly
Fascinating historical site and great tour. Tour is optional if you just want to wander around and look at the displays in the buildings
06.04.22
Vinicius
Very nice tour. The guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience much more interesting. I recommend a visit to this important historical site. With the tour guide, it will be a plus plus.
08.02.22
Michale
Gorgeous visitor centre is free to the public. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. This is a hidden gem of our nation’s history in a beautiful city. Tour was interesting and worth the price.
Gorgeous visitor centre is free to the public. Friendl.. Read more »y and knowledgeable staff. This is a hidden gem of our nation’s history in a beautiful city. Tour was interesting and worth the price.
24.12.21
Alanna
Gorgeous visitor centre is free to the public. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. This is a hidden gem of our nation’s history in a beautiful city. Tour was interesting and worth the price.
23.11.21
James
Offers a good insight into the war of 1812. Could be good fun with children. Overall I preferred my time downtown in the city, as I have seen many forts like this one in the past.
21.11.21
Stefan
I am always amazed how in North America, with the little history (the colonial one) there is, they always make an enjoyable experience out of it. We did a guided tour and our guide, Sam, was very informative, friendly and nice. Too bad we did not kno.. Read more »w it closes at 4pm on the weekends so we did not have enough time to see it all but will definitely be back, a truly interesting piece of Canadian history and a nice info session about the history of Toronto as well!
16.11.21
J.
Very nice to see historical places like this being preserved for future generations to see. Gives you good insight as to what life was like back then.
22.10.21
Bria
Great place to host a festival! Have been for Vegandale a few years now, even in the rain it wasn't too bad (mud and dirt wise!)
15.10.21
Laura
Great festival Space in the heart of downtown!! I visit every year for Vegandale Festival and there's tons of fresh, open space! The festival boasts a stage w tons of space to dance and room for a wide variety of amazing vendors. There are no ba.. Read more »throoms on site, but stations are set up, including handwashing stations. Not to mention, the IG- worthy props and greenery throughout! Love this space!
22.08.21
Mizenoth
What a lovely place to visit. You can just walk around and enjoy the view, workout in nature, or have a picnic in the middle of the city. Not to mention that this historic site holds many stories of times gone by which can be recounted by taking a .. Read more »tour!
11.08.21
Fito
Beautiful, scenic area with good tasks for walking and cycling, proximity to Lake, green P parking under Gardner for $12 overnight.
10.08.21
Donovan
A walking tour with guide and several buildings were open. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and knew her history of the Fort and the time period. The music and musket demonstration was great!
05.08.21
RSH
Fort York is an impressive experience. The walking tour is educational, cultural and informative. Part of Canada's history is on full display with live firing drills and marching bands. You can see blockhouses, officers quarters and much more. A.. Read more » short distance away from Bathurst St & Fort York Blvd.
31.07.21
Ken
Tour was great but no buildings were open.
29.07.21
Isabella
Nice place in the middle of downtown. Historic and beautiful
08.07.21
Barry
Walking tour only with advanced booking band and musket Demonstations
06.02.21
Thicc
This is a nice National Historic Site. I went here while I was in Toronto and was satisfied with my experience. I walked into this fort and went on a tour, which was pretty good. It went through the barracks, officer’s quarters, armory, and for.. Read more »tifications. The tour guide was very detailed and informative, which was nice. The fort is also very well preserved. After I went on the tour, I left the fort, satisfied with my experience. I gave this fort five stars because it’s very well preserved and has a lot of cool historical stuff.
28.12.20
Shivkumar
Beautiful place no matter the time of the year. Lots of open space; so you can maintain social distancing in all scenarios. Right next to The Bentley. The historical site itself tells a story of its own. Definitely worth a visit.
21.10.20
Chris
Always something going on. The cannon is a little loud during the summer though
08.09.20
Ģerrit
Very cool to revisit well preserve Canadian history.
26.08.20
Ed
Haven't been here in a few years, and can't go now because of Covid and the border. But this was a well restored site, with excellent staff who provided lots of information. Well worth a visit if you are in Toronto and are at all interest.. Read more »ed in history.
24.08.20
Agatha
Beautiful venue! Super clean washrooms. This was a great spot for an outdoor movie
07.08.20
Bosmat
Nice urban spot close to the lake. Has space for picnic and a park just walking around :) the kids enjoyed also watching the train and playing some ball
30.07.20
Scott
If you love history, Toronto history, Canadian history or just a good historical - tour then check it out. This place is in amazing condition and is worth a visit. There is a ton of green space outside of the site, so make sure to bring a lunch and e.. Read more »njoy a picnic.
16.05.20
K
This is a beautiful park that was recently renovated. There’s loads of people hanging out in the green spaces. There’s a bridge with stairs and a ramp from Wellington. There’s also an access point on Strachan and Fork York Blvd so i.. Read more »t’s easy to get to. There’s bathrooms available at the Fort York museum when it’s open otherwise there’s no men nearby.
29.04.20
V
Really like this place. We frequent it quite often during the summer esp when there's something going on. I've never witnessed the firing of the canon's but friends have told me it's really cool.
The ground are big and lots of spa.. Read more »ce to walk. Being a foodie, I usually go to the old kitchen to listen to the cooks talk and demo various cooking methods and dishes.
07.01.20
Virginia
This is a great place to take kids. My son really enjoyed it. The re-enactments were fantastic, some of the best I have seen. The staff were very friendly, even to kids. It was fairly quiet when we went so we didn't feel rushed at all. The .. Read more »visitor's center was top notch. I would take any visitor that's new to the city to see it. The downtown location makes it easy to get to and there are plenty of signs.
4.8 / 111
