Things to do in Toronto: solve a mystery in the streets.
A timed, competitive outdoor puzzle adventure that turns downtown Toronto into the game board. No guide, no group tour, no waiting around — just your team, your phones, and a city that is hiding something.
Most lists of things to do in Toronto send you to the same places: the tower, the aquarium, the market, a patio. City Sleuth sends you somewhere else — into the laneways, plazas and side streets of the downtown core, chasing a story that only makes sense once you are standing in the right spot.
Here is how it works. You book a game, everyone on your team opens the City Sleuth app and enters the same ticket code, and the first pin drops on your map. Walk there. When your GPS says you have arrived, a puzzle scene unlocks: a briefing video, a clue hidden in the physical world around you, a code to crack. Solve it and the next pin appears. Eight to ten stops and roughly three kilometres later, you cross the finish and your time goes on the leaderboard.
It is part scavenger hunt, part escape room, part walking tour — except nobody is leading it. The clock is running from the moment you tap GO, and the fastest teams in each Premiere event win gold, silver and bronze medals shipped to their door.
Pick your game.
Memorazin
Toronto (Downtown), ON, Canada
About Memorazin: Crack codes, hunt clues, and race the clock through real city streets to uncover the Memorazin mystery. How to play →
One of the best things to do in Toronto, if we say so ourselves.
Date night, birthday, team offsite, visiting family, a Saturday with friends who have "done everything" — the game scales from a single player to a team of six, and the puzzles reward different kinds of brains: the observer, the code-breaker, the one who reads every plaque.
Premiere events run on a fixed weekend with a start window you choose. Open Play tickets work any day for a full year — start when your team is ready, in whatever weather Toronto is serving.
The current Toronto game, Memorazin, follows a mystery beneath the city. Each stop is a scene with its own briefing and its own puzzle, and the clues build on each other, so you finish having actually solved something.
Every team is timed and ranked. Top three in a Premiere event get physical medals in the mail. Everyone else gets bragging rights and a leaderboard screenshot.
Where you will go
The Toronto route runs through the downtown core — the dense, walkable grid between the Financial District, the lake and Queen Street, where a hundred small details you have walked past before turn out to matter. Expect public squares, laneways, building lobbies you can enter, and at least one spot you did not know existed.
It is a loop of about three kilometres on foot with eight to ten stops. Most teams take two to three hours including the thinking. Everything happens on public streets and in public spaces; you never need to buy anything or enter a venue to play.
- Charge your phone. The app is your map, decoder and timer, and every player needs it on their own device.
- Wear walking shoes. Three kilometres is easy, but you will be standing and staring at things.
- Pick a start window with daylight. The puzzles are readable at night, but the city is better in the light.
- Bring one skeptic. Someone who refuses to accept the obvious answer is worth two people who agree with each other.
- It runs rain or shine. Umbrellas allowed, complaints ignored.
Reading for Toronto.
A one day in Toronto itinerary built around a single ticketed anchor and about 6 km of walking, with real distances, honest verdicts on the big attractions, food you can get without booking, and a short version for a noon arrival.
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READ MORETen specific outdoor things to do in Toronto this October, ordered early to late — starting with Nuit Blanche on 3 October — with transit, timing and an indoor bailout for each.
READ MORESeven date ideas in Toronto for couples who have already done the patio, the rooftop and the reservation. One of them involves a mystery.
READ MOREPlanning a team offsite in Toronto? Here are outdoor team-building activities that people actually enjoy, and how to run a City Sleuth race for a group.
READ MOREWhat it is actually like to play City Sleuth in Toronto: the route, the stops, the pace, the clock, and what to bring.
READ MOREQuestions people ask before booking.
Where in Toronto does the game start?
Downtown. Your exact start location is revealed in the app once you enter your ticket code — it is walkable from Union Station and any downtown streetcar line, and there is no need to drive.
Is City Sleuth good for visitors who do not know Toronto?
Yes. The game assumes nothing about local knowledge — every clue is found in the real world at the stop itself. Many players say it is the best way to actually see downtown rather than pass through it.
How does it compare to an escape room?
Same kind of puzzles, no walls. Instead of one room and sixty minutes, you get a three-kilometre route, real streets, and a clock that runs as long as you need. And you can play it as a solo detective, which escape rooms rarely allow.
Can we do it as a corporate team-building event?
Absolutely — split a larger group into teams of up to six and race each other on the same start window. Contact us if you need more than a handful of tickets and we will sort out the booking.
How long does the game take?
Most teams finish in 2–3 hours. The route covers approximately 3km through the city, with 8–10 puzzle stops along the way. Your official time starts when you tap GO at the first location and stops when you complete the final stop.
Do I need to download an app?
Yes — the City Sleuth app is required to play. It's your map, puzzle decoder, and timer all in one. Download it for free on iOS or Android before your game day. Everyone on your team needs it on their own phone.
What if it rains?
The game runs rain or shine. We recommend checking the forecast and dressing accordingly. The app and all puzzle elements are designed to work outdoors in typical weather conditions. If severe weather makes play unsafe, contact us and we'll work something out.