Cheer on the Raptors during an epic NBA fan weekend in Toronto.
The Toronto Raptors joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1995 and are the league’s only Canadian team. In 2019, they made history by winning the NBA championship to the cheers of an entire city chanting, “We the North!”
Among the team’s most fervent fans are Toronto rapper Drake, the Raptors global ambassador since 2013 and local entrepreneur Nav Bhatia, known locally as Raptors Superfan, who had a 25-year-long, pre-pandemic home game attendance streak. Both remain fixtures at the team’s Scotiabank Arena home games.
Ready to make your Raptors pilgrimage? Read on for the best things for basketball fans to do in Toronto.
Saturday: explore the city
Prepare for your thrilling Toronto Raptors weekend by ordering game tickets in advance and choosing your team gear.
Where to stay near Scotiabank Arena? Check into Delta Hotels Toronto, located mere steps from the stadium. Perfect for an active getaway, its rooms boast city or waterfront views, with a fitness centre, indoor pool and on-site dining options.
Get game-ready by ordering the hotel’s family-friendly We The North in-room amenity, which includes a Raptors plush mascot, Foam Finger souvenirs, and snacks.
Where to eat
Check out the world’s only NBA Courtside Restaurant at Toronto’s waterfront for burgers (vegan options available) and the ultimate game day pretzel with mustard.
This huge sports-inspired restaurant is decked out in NBA custom art, cool memorabilia, and decor. The dining rooms are named “Beginning,” “Court,” “League,” and “Champion” to reflect the path of a player’s journey in the NBA.
There is also a boutique store and two outdoor patios to soak up the sun.
Things to see & do
Catch up and coming women’s and men’s basketball talent at the University of Toronto. Their Varsity Blues basketball teams play out of Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Don’t forget to high-five True Blue, the official team mascot, and grab some cool fan gear as a souvenir.
Purchase a Raptors tie-dye basketball from Real Sports Apparel at Scotiabank Arena and shoot hoops at a neighbourhood basketball court to get that pre-game adrenaline going.
Choose from Underpass Park, with its vibrant street art murals and sheltered court perfect for dribbling out of the rain, or Harbourfront’s outdoor court, a popular place to play pickup with locals.
Ping pong lovers should check out Spin, a fun place to play and socialize, founded by two friends with a love of the game. He has been known to practice here when Drake is in town runnin’ through the 6 with his woes. Adults can sip draught beer or cocktails, and everyone can share in the loaded nachos.
Sunday: game day!
Get ready to watch players making it rain and be sure to dress in Raptors colours (red, black, silver, and gold).
Where to eat
Sunday brunch is a Toronto tradition and the Yorkville neighbourhood is packed with appealing options. Flo’s Diner has all-day breakfast. Café Landwer has a large menu and smoothie bar.
Miznon, a cozy Mediterranean street-food restaurant, serves some of the best homemade hummus and pita in town. Try their world famous whole roasted baby cauliflower for a healthy meal.
Or check out multiple Italian options at upscale supermarket slash eatery, Eataly Yorkville.
Things to see & do
After brunch in Yorkville, window shop (or splurge) along Bloor Street’s luxury “Mink Mile” and peek into designer stores such as Prada, Tiffany & Co., and Burberry. Indigo is nearby if you want budget-friendly candles, toys—and of course—books, including those from local authors.
The Royal Ontario Museum is steps away for a family-friendly exploration of natural history, art, and culture.
Next, stroll down the street to the Bata Shoe Museum and admire over a thousand historic and functional footwear examples. See if you can find a basketball shoe at the Art/Wear exhibit, which explores the intersections between art and fashion, particularly working with/on sneakers.
Finally, it’s game time, so grab your foam finger and head to Scotiabank Arena to cheer the Raptors. Expect jamming music, electric energy, and “Let’s go Raptors!” chants! Arrive early for selfies at Jurassic Park (hockey fans know it as Maple Leaf Square), an open-air tailgate party with jumbo screens to hype up the fans.
Celebrating a birthday? Reserve a video board greeting that will appear at the beginning of halftime.
Keep your eyes open for celebrities—they can often be seen sitting courtside with Drake. Celeb appearance or not, entertaining in-arena experiences are always on deck, including the crowd-pumping North Side Crew, a live DJ, and the Raptors Lil Ballas youth dance team.
With the Raptors regular season running October through early April, there’s plenty of time to plan ahead for a slam-dunk NBA weekend in Toronto.
