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Backpacking Toronto

Toronto backpacking enthusiasts gather for urban adventures

Bloor Street, Toronto. All of it. (19.6 km)

Bloor Street, Toronto. All of it. (19.6 km)

Sat, Nov 14, 5:30 PM
From Hike to Eat
4.7

**Attendance policy is enforced for this hike**. See below for details. Back by popular demand, we're doing a mega hike along Bloor Street in Toronto. We'll trace the entire Bloor subway line and beyond. See how the landscape densifies from golf courses to strip malls to parks to gentrified neighbourhoods as we approach the Don Valley. The restaurants along the way highlight the cultural diversity of Toronto from 5 continents. You need to be in decent shape and have a voracious appetite to do the entire route. However, as with other hikes, you are free to join and leave at any point. Those who complete the entire route will be eligible to buy a commemorative T-shirt (expected price \~$23). There are several restaurants to choose from at the end of the hike: Japanese ramen, Mexican tortas, Egyptian koshari, and Brazilian steaks. Further on at Chester station are even more options: Iranian, Indonesian, and Greek grilled meats. We're not making reservations, so find a group of like-minded people and grab a table. For reference, here's a [map of all our past hikes](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1_FpYriQNv5okUB-oiCODi56uiRDgPGI&usp=sharing). We've covered a large chunk of Toronto and neighbouring cities. **Highlights** Segment 1: Markland Wood 1. Markland Wood Golf Club (depart 12:30pm) 2. Mississauga-Toronto border / Start (or end) of Bloor Street 3. Bloordale United Church 4. Matt's Burger Lab 5. Highway 427 6. Stari Grad / Zayzoun / Frenchie’s Doughnuts (depart 1:45pm) Segment 2: The Kingsway 1. Bonimi 2. Kingsway Fish & Chips 3. Old Mill 4. Chebureky House / Momo Ghar / Janchenko's Bakery (depart 3:05pm) Segment 3: Bloor West Village 1. The CakeSmith 2. Former Runnymede Theatre 3. Marvelous By Fred 4. Ohana 5. Andrea's Cookies 6. Thai Nyyom 7. 9 Mile Jamaican Cuisine / Momoheart / Chito's / Ruru Baked (depart 4:25pm) Segment 4: Bloorcourt Village 1. Bakerbots Baking 2. Komi Banh Mi Bar 3. Nosso Talho 4. Szechuan Noodle Bowl 5. Ambassador Pizza 6. Filosophy / Levant Pizza 7. La Bella Managua / Lalibela / Vit Beo 8. Christie Pits Park 9. PAT Central 10. Hodo Kwaja / Dessert Fox 11. Pizzeria Fornace / JJIN Toast 12. Eva's Original Chimneys / Cong Caphe (depart 5:45pm) Segment 5: Downtown 1. Souper Hot Pot / Myeongdong Gyoza Kalguksu 2. Trinity-St. Paul's United Church 3. Woojoo Bunsik / Zaad / The Daily Dumpling Wonton Co 4. University of Toronto 5. Koerner Hall / Royal Ontario Museum 6. Eataly 7. One Bloor 8. Yuzuki 9. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company / Rogers HQ 10. Church of St. Peter and St. Simon 11. Prince Edward Viaduct 12. End (or start) of Bloor Street at Broadview Ave (arrive 6:55pm) **Neighbourhoods** Markland Wood > Bloordale Gardens > Eatonville > Islington - City Centre West > The Kingsway > Bloor West Village > High Park North > Junction Triangle > Bloordale Village > Bloorcourt Village > Christie Pits > Koreatown > The Annex > Yorkville > Upper Jarvis > St. James Town > Playter Estates **Map** [https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ESqH0dQk3idaJYpGztKGE8UVoR5wFX8&usp=sharing](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ESqH0dQk3idaJYpGztKGE8UVoR5wFX8&usp=sharing) **How it works** Hike starts punctually. Late or can't join at the beginning? Meet us at scheduled checkpoints. We'll browse many food places but won't linger long. Grab ready-made food, or see the route in advance, organize takeout, then pickup along the way. The end of the hike is the only time when we can enjoy a leisurely meal. **Attendance policy** Please check in with an organizer when you arrive. 24 hours before the hike, we'll note down who is on the confirmed list. Those that don't show up will be marked as no-show. Repeat offenders will be banned. Please change your RSVP if you can no longer attend. If you got off the waitlist less than 24 hours before the event, you won't be considered a no-show.

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100 attendees
Weston to Little Mogadishu (11.7 km)

Weston to Little Mogadishu (11.7 km)

Sat, Nov 28, 6:30 PM
From Hike to Eat
4.7

Always wanted to explore Rexdale but afraid to do so? This hike will take you around the best food spots of the Somali community there. It starts at the charming village of Weston, a surprising contrast to the suburbia around it. It was once an actual village that has since been absorbed into Toronto. Traces of its heritage lives on in murals and historic buildings. Early Somali immigrants to Toronto settled around Dixon and Kipling, drawn by cheap property and airport jobs. Today, Dixon Road is known as Little Mogadishu. To be honest, you wouldn't know it because it's a sprawling, featureless suburb. It suffers from the same urban planning mistakes as Jane and Finch. This part of the hike involves slogging through a lot of bland scenery. However, there are some notable buildings and restaurants to punctuate the trip. Speaking about food, there are some one-of-a-kind places, like Toronto's only Dutch supermarket and a Bahamian restaurant that gained fame in the last few years. We'll end the hike at one of the most established Somali restaurants in Toronto. Get your fix of suqaar (stir-fried meat) and Somali spaghetti. **Highlights** 1. Weston GO Station (depart 1:30pm) 2. Multicultural murals in Weston Village 3. El Almacen Yerba Mate Cafe / ZEAL Burgers / P&M Restaurant 4. Weston sign / UrbanArts Weston 5. Memorial Park 6. Weston Library and other historic buildings 7. Old Nassau Authentic Bahamian Cuisine 8. Cruickshank Park (depart 2:10pm) 9. Holland Store 10. Thistletown Lions Club 11. Rexdale Mall (depart 3:20pm) 12. Hamdi Restaurant / Taudo's 13. Mushkaki 14. Salaama Hut (depart 3:55pm) 15. Briarcrest Estate 16. Istar Restaurant (arrive 4:45pm) **Neighbourhoods** Weston > The Elms > Rexdale > Kingsview Village **Map** [https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1TCRXrluMVJOrouwpGwoNWHt4Y5S-4H8&usp=sharing](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1TCRXrluMVJOrouwpGwoNWHt4Y5S-4H8&usp=sharing) **How it works** Hike starts punctually. Late or can't do the whole route? Meet us at scheduled checkpoints. We'll browse many food places but won't linger long. See the route in advance, organize takeout, then pickup along the way. Not sure what to try? Join our omakase for $5, which gives a tiny sample from different restaurants. Payment on the day of event by cash or e-transfer to globaltorontoeats@gmail.com. No refunds after orders are placed. Details of sampled food will be uploaded after the hike. Limited cutlery provided. Highly recommended to bring cutlery and containers for omakase and bringing back leftovers. See our [About section](https://www.meetup.com/hike-to-eat/) for more info.

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36 attendees
Hello Scarborough Busway (10.7 km)

Hello Scarborough Busway (10.7 km)

Sun, Nov 29, 4:00 PM
From Hike to Eat
4.7

3 years ago, we did a hike to bid farewell to Scarborough RT. It's only fitting that we do another to welcome its reincarnation, the Scarborough busway. It opened on 30th September 2026 and follows the alignment of the old RT until Ellesmere Rd. We'll start at the very beginning at Kennedy station and cover its entire length. Then, we'll follow the former RT tracks eastwards, ducking into Scarborough Town Centre, another Scarborough institution. The route is approximate, as there are areas where we can't go near the train tracks. Speaking about food, the main highlights are Indian, Lebanese, and Sri Lankan. There are superb Middle Eastern pastries and fiery curries. Nothing fancy, including the restaurant at the end of the hike where we can have some Hyderabadi dum biryani. **Highlights** 1. Kennedy Station Passenger Pick-up (depart 11am) 2. Scarborough Hydro Green Space 3. Jack Goodlad Community Centre 4. Harry's Drive-In / Lone Tai Supermarket (depart 11:50pm) 5. Mr John's Real Kerala Kitchen / Aadab 6. Atiya's Fresh Farm / Karaikudi 7. Patisserie Royale / Al'deewan Manak'eesh Bakery 8. Hopper Hut 9. Foody World (depart 1:05pm) 10. Former Midland RT station 11. Culture Crust 12. Scarborough Civic Centre library / Albert Campbell Square 13. Scarborough Town Centre 14. Hyderabad Biryani Hut (arrive 2:10pm) **Neighbourhoods** Ionview > Dorset Park > Scarborough City Centre **Map** [https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1BGcqGZ7qX3ab8Zb9Sg3P0tT7iiQcwoc&usp=sharing](https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1BGcqGZ7qX3ab8Zb9Sg3P0tT7iiQcwoc&usp=sharing) **How it works** Hike starts punctually. Late or can't join at the beginning? Meet us at scheduled checkpoints. We'll browse many food places but won't linger long. See the route in advance, organize takeout, then pickup along the way. Not sure what to try? Join our omakase for $5, which gives a tiny sample from different restaurants. Payment on the day of event by cash or e-transfer to globaltorontoeats@gmail.com. No refunds after orders have been placed. Highly recommended to bring cutlery and containers for sharing and bringing back leftovers.

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33 attendees

Winter Potluck for Hiking Asylum Inmates

Sun, Dec 6, 10:30 PM
From Toronto Hiking Asylum
4.9
1 attendee
Let's go on a Hike at Erindale park 😁

Let's go on a Hike at Erindale park 😁

Sat, Nov 14, 8:00 PM
From Artists who create Meetup Group

Hey everyone just wanted to do a hike with anyone who is interested in joining me and a few of my friends. We'll meet in front of the public washrooms at Erindale park at 3pm and likely start the hike at 3:15 pm. This is a moment to connect and make new friends and where we can have interesting conversations about anything we like. A suggested them might be: What do you like most about art and the artistic process? Looking forward to seeing anyone who can make it. Cheers!

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2 attendees
 Practical Philosophy Social!

Practical Philosophy Social!

Thu, Nov 19, 12:30 AM
From These Boots Are Made for Hiking
4.8

Get to know your fellow hikers more intimately with a night of Practical Philosophy. In partnership with the Practical Philosophy Meetup I thought it would be a fun a social ! **How does it work?** We select a topic like monogomy vs pologomy and in groups of 6-8 with a moderator (so conservations are respectful) ten questions are asked and everyone has a chance to give their take on the subject. Get to know your fellow hikers on a deeper level! You may be surprised! **Opposing views are of course welcome!** Location to be determined!

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50 attendees
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Frequently asked questions

Meetup is a great place to start. Search for backpacking groups specific to Toronto and browse through a variety of options tailored for outdoor enthusiasts.

You can find everything from local group hikes to more intense backpacking trips designed for different skill levels and interests within the Toronto region.

Absolutely. Meetup allows you to join as many groups as you like, enabling you to connect with a variety of backpacking communities in Toronto.

Event descriptions typically include details on difficulty, length, and required experience, so you can choose events that match your backpacking skills and preferences.

Yes, many groups cater to beginners, offering events that are ideal for those new to backpacking, ensuring a welcoming and supportive environment.

It's recommended to bring essentials such as water, snacks, proper footwear, and sunscreen. Check event pages for specific recommendations or requirements.

Definitely. Joining Meetup backpacking groups is a great way to explore new trails and hidden gems in and around Toronto that you might not find otherwise.

Oftentimes, event organizers or members have extensive local knowledge, providing guidance and safety tips during group trips in the Toronto area.

Event routes and details are mostly provided by organizers, not directly by Meetup, so it's crucial to read the information shared by the hosts carefully.

While many events are organized by passionate individuals, Meetup cannot guarantee the organization quality. It varies by group and event leader.

Some backpacking events are family-friendly, clearly indicated in their descriptions, making them a great outing option for families.

Event frequency can vary. Some groups offer weekly hikes while others plan monthly adventures. Check specific group schedules for details.

Meetup enables meeting new people, but the success of making connections often depends on your active participation and the group’s size.

Many hosts outline safety guidelines on their event pages to ensure participant safety. It's important to review and follow these guidelines.

Some events might be free, while others could require a fee for permits or shared costs. Check each event page for any specified costs.