Toronto's bold leap into architectural modernity. Its twin clamshell towers and central "flying saucer" were completed in 1965 to Finnish architect Viljo Revell's award-winning design (though an irritable Frank Lloyd Wright compared it to a gravestone). Inside you can find stunning artwork by Norval Morrisseau, one of Canada's most revered Indigenous painters, while the square outside is a magnet for skaters, demonstrators, food trucks, and tourists taking selfies with the lit-up "Toronto" sign.

Easily recognized by its painted smokestack, the Power Plant gallery is just that: a former power plant transformed into Toronto's premier gallery of contemporary art. Best of all, it's free and exhibitions change regularly. Free kid-centered tours and workshops are offered throughout the month.

Inside an early-20th-century lithographer's warehouse, restored in 1994, this 18,500-sq-meter New York–style artists collective hums with the creative vibes of more than 140 contemporary galleries, exhibition spaces, studios and shops representing works in almost any medium you can think of. Speaker series and film fests are held throughout the year. Grab a snack at the ground-floor cafe and enjoy it on the expansive roof garden, a little-known oasis in summer.

On the site of the Riverdale Zoo, where from 1888 to 1974 prairie wolves howled at night and spooked the Cabbagetown kids, Riverdale Farm is a downtown rural oasis. Now a working farm and museum, it has two barns, a summer wading pool, and pens of feathered and furry friends. Kids follow the farmers around as they do their daily chores, including milking goats and collecting eggs.

Possibly the most popular place to check out street art in Toronto (and there are many), this back alley has a magnificent collection of colorful murals and street art. Spanning three blocks, the alley was popularized as the location of Rick Mercer's rants on CBC comedy program the Rick Mercer Report. Great for photo ops.

A diverse offering of fascinating historical, cultural and nature walks, as well as bus tours, led by museum experts, neighborhood historical-society members and emerging historians. Tours generally last one to three hours. Check the website for a handful of downloadable self-guided tours, too.

Canada's national opera company has been warbling its phenomenal pipes for over 50 years. For those looking for a deal, free concerts in the impressive glass-enclosed Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre are held from September through May, usually at noon. Check the website for specific days.

Famed for the transformation of its once-deteriorating heritage buildings into a prime location for all things geotourism, this dynamic, LEED-certified environmental center and park hosts interactive workshops and community festivals on the themes of ecology, technology and the environment. There's a garden market, an ice rink and lots of nature trails, which can be explored on foot or by bike (rentals are available). Check the website to see what's going on.