Things to Do While High in Toronto: A Local's Shortlist

The couch, the movie, the ice cream: a fine Tuesday. But Toronto is unusually well stocked with places that reward a light buzz, and treating the city as the activity is a habit worth building. The operative word is light. For everything below, the right dose is the one where you’re more curious, not less functional. One or two puffs of something sativa-leaning, or a 2.5 mg edible before you leave the house, and you’re calibrated.

1. The Art Gallery of Ontario

The AGO high is a known phenomenon. Paintings you’d normally walk past hold you for five minutes; the Henry Moore room becomes an event. Wednesday evenings are free (check current times before you go), under-25s get in free with registration, and the gallery is big enough to absorb three hours without trying. Pair with something creative-leaning; our strains for creativity list was practically written for this trip.

2. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada

The moving sidewalk through the shark tunnel was designed by someone who understood exactly what stoned people need. Downtown at the base of the CN Tower, open late most nights, and the jellyfish room alone justifies admission. This is the single most buzz-compatible attraction in the city and it isn’t close.

3. St. Lawrence Market

A food hall with a century of momentum and a peameal bacon sandwich at the centre of it. Going hungry is the point; going with the munchies is the advanced version. Saturdays are the full experience, weekday mornings the calm one.

4. Kensington Market

Vintage stores, record bins, taco windows, and a general tolerance for people moving slowly and looking at things. Kensington has been the city’s counterculture living room for decades (it’s also home to the Hotbox Cafe, a Toronto institution). Wander without a plan, buy something weird for your apartment, follow whatever smells good.

5. The Royal Ontario Museum

The dinosaur halls and the mineral gallery are the headliners, and the bat cave is a rite of passage. The ROM rewards the observant mood, so this is the trip for a clear-headed, cerebral strain rather than anything heavy. Give it a full afternoon.

Getting supplied and getting around

Every spot on this list is a straightforward TTC ride from either of our shops. High Park sits right on the Bloor-Danforth line, and King West is walking distance from the aquarium and a short hop from the rest. Stock up before you set out (consumption rules inside attractions are exactly what you’d expect, so plan your dose for before, not during), and keep a snack and water in your bag. Future you says thanks. 19+ only.