A Weekend in Toronto
Our weekend in Toronto, for first-time visitors to Toronto (and Canada!)
25 Places • 1 Save • ago
Free

Day 1: Harbourfront

Spend the first day (or whichever day has better weather) walking by the Harbourfront. Spots like St. Lawrence Market are great for food, grabbing souvenirs, and sitting down to rest. Hockey fans and train fans will love the Hockey Hall of Fame and Railway Museum respectively. Of course, the CN Tower is a must-visit for spectacular views of Toronto and Lake Ontario. Finish off the day at the Distillery District, where you can grab (more) food and try out local beers.

do
do
St. Lawrence Market
Open early! Not a lot of people before noon.
Details
eat
eat
Aloette Restaurant
One of the places to eat if you're in Toronto. Famous for their burger and lemon meringue pie, but their entire menu is incredible. Better to make a reservation a couple weeks in advance for dinner, but we were able to walk in for lunch with about a 30m wait.
Details
eat
eat
Tim Hortons
As a first-time Canada tourist, I absolutely had to make my way to Tim Horton's. Recommend the iced capp and Timbits!
Details
do
do
CN Tower
The tallest freestanding structure in the world until 2009! Try to visit on a clear day for best results.
Details
eat
eat
BeaverTails Toronto Waterfront
Famous Canadian chain for pastries (fried dough with sugar and other toppings)
Details
do
do
Hockey Hall of Fame
Just by Scotiabank Arena, check out the home of the Stanley Cup!
Details
do
do
Toronto Railway Museum
Totally open train museum, depicting an older Toronto that served as a major railway hub in Canada. They've even kept one of those train turntables outside! Right next to the CN Tower, so good chance you'll end up here.
Details
do
do
Toronto Music Garden
Walk along the Harbourfront until you reach this garden, which is not-to-miss.
Details
do
do
Distillery District
Take the bus down to the Distillery District, where you can check out local shops, eats, and brews.
Details

Day 2: Museums, Downtown

This day's better for rainier, overcast days if you run into poor weather. Museum lovers will love the selection of museums in Downtown Toronto, starting from the incredible architecture of Casa Loma to the T-Rex exhibit in the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Along the way, check out some incredible food by campus and end the day in Yonge-Dundas Square, the "Times Square" of Toronto.

do
do
Casa Loma
A CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF TORONTO!!!
Details
do
do
Royal Ontario Museum
Make your way south to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), where you can find a T-rex skeleton!!
Details
eat
eat
Zaad
stop by for lunch at this popular shawarma spot, right by the U of T campus
Details
do
do
Queen's Park
On your way down to Chinatown, walk through or around the U of T campus. This'll take you through Queen's Park.
Details
do
do
Chinatown
Continue south to Toronto's Chinatown
Details
eat
eat
Swatow Restaurant
A local staple in Chinatown (cash only) - it's been around for decades!
Details
do
do
Art Gallery of Ontario
Right by Chinatown, stop by another renowned museum / gallery in the city. Includes works from historical to contemporary eras.
Details
do
do
Yonge-Dundas Square
The Times Sq. of Toronto! (neon lights, shopping, people)
Details
shop
shop
CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Major shopping center right in the heart of Toronto.
Details
do
do
Toronto Sign
if you're in the area, you might as well check out the big Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square.
Details
eat
eat
Daldongnae Korean BBQ (Dundas)
Great KBBQ rec from one of my friends in Yonge Dundas Square! We had enough food for two, all under $30 USD.
Details
shop
shop
Kim's Convenience
A little niche, but fans of Kim's Convenience will love visiting the actual shop from the show. Upon entering, the shop owner greeted me with, "Looking for Jung?" An absolute hidden gem if you manage to make your way to this part of town.
Details

Other Spots to See

As always, there were places a little out of the way that we would've loved to visit. Here's our next-time to-visit list.

do
do
High Park
A bit west of Downtown, so we didn't get a chance to visit. 398 acres of a nature escape - I guess like the Central Park of Toronto?
Details
eat
eat
Actinolite Restaurant
highly acclaimed, contemporary canadian fare, recommend a res!
Details
do
do
Centre Island
Take a ferry to one of the islands in Lake Ontario close to mainland. I imagine you'd get sweeping views of the skyline.
Details
do
do
Scotiabank Arena
If you're here during hockey or basketball season, catch a Maple Leafs or Raptors game here!
Details

Send A Tip
Send Claire some gratitude.
Select your tip amount
$3
$5
$10
$20
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$
A Weekend in Toronto
Our weekend in Toronto, for first-time visitors to Toronto (and Canada!)
25 Places • 1 Save • ago
Free

Day 1: Harbourfront

Spend the first day (or whichever day has better weather) walking by the Harbourfront. Spots like St. Lawrence Market are great for food, grabbing souvenirs, and sitting down to rest. Hockey fans and train fans will love the Hockey Hall of Fame and Railway Museum respectively. Of course, the CN Tower is a must-visit for spectacular views of Toronto and Lake Ontario. Finish off the day at the Distillery District, where you can grab (more) food and try out local beers.

do
do
St. Lawrence Market
Open early! Not a lot of people before noon.
Details
eat
eat
Aloette Restaurant
One of the places to eat if you're in Toronto. Famous for their burger and lemon meringue pie, but their entire menu is incredible. Better to make a reservation a couple weeks in advance for dinner, but we were able to walk in for lunch with about a 30m wait.
Details
eat
eat
Tim Hortons
As a first-time Canada tourist, I absolutely had to make my way to Tim Horton's. Recommend the iced capp and Timbits!
Details
do
do
CN Tower
The tallest freestanding structure in the world until 2009! Try to visit on a clear day for best results.
Details
eat
eat
BeaverTails Toronto Waterfront
Famous Canadian chain for pastries (fried dough with sugar and other toppings)
Details
do
do
Hockey Hall of Fame
Just by Scotiabank Arena, check out the home of the Stanley Cup!
Details
do
do
Toronto Railway Museum
Totally open train museum, depicting an older Toronto that served as a major railway hub in Canada. They've even kept one of those train turntables outside! Right next to the CN Tower, so good chance you'll end up here.
Details
do
do
Toronto Music Garden
Walk along the Harbourfront until you reach this garden, which is not-to-miss.
Details
do
do
Distillery District
Take the bus down to the Distillery District, where you can check out local shops, eats, and brews.
Details

Day 2: Museums, Downtown

This day's better for rainier, overcast days if you run into poor weather. Museum lovers will love the selection of museums in Downtown Toronto, starting from the incredible architecture of Casa Loma to the T-Rex exhibit in the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Along the way, check out some incredible food by campus and end the day in Yonge-Dundas Square, the "Times Square" of Toronto.

do
do
Casa Loma
A CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF TORONTO!!!
Details
do
do
Royal Ontario Museum
Make your way south to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), where you can find a T-rex skeleton!!
Details
eat
eat
Zaad
stop by for lunch at this popular shawarma spot, right by the U of T campus
Details
do
do
Queen's Park
On your way down to Chinatown, walk through or around the U of T campus. This'll take you through Queen's Park.
Details
do
do
Chinatown
Continue south to Toronto's Chinatown
Details
eat
eat
Swatow Restaurant
A local staple in Chinatown (cash only) - it's been around for decades!
Details
do
do
Art Gallery of Ontario
Right by Chinatown, stop by another renowned museum / gallery in the city. Includes works from historical to contemporary eras.
Details
do
do
Yonge-Dundas Square
The Times Sq. of Toronto! (neon lights, shopping, people)
Details
shop
shop
CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Major shopping center right in the heart of Toronto.
Details
do
do
Toronto Sign
if you're in the area, you might as well check out the big Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square.
Details
eat
eat
Daldongnae Korean BBQ (Dundas)
Great KBBQ rec from one of my friends in Yonge Dundas Square! We had enough food for two, all under $30 USD.
Details
shop
shop
Kim's Convenience
A little niche, but fans of Kim's Convenience will love visiting the actual shop from the show. Upon entering, the shop owner greeted me with, "Looking for Jung?" An absolute hidden gem if you manage to make your way to this part of town.
Details

Other Spots to See

As always, there were places a little out of the way that we would've loved to visit. Here's our next-time to-visit list.

do
do
High Park
A bit west of Downtown, so we didn't get a chance to visit. 398 acres of a nature escape - I guess like the Central Park of Toronto?
Details
eat
eat
Actinolite Restaurant
highly acclaimed, contemporary canadian fare, recommend a res!
Details
do
do
Centre Island
Take a ferry to one of the islands in Lake Ontario close to mainland. I imagine you'd get sweeping views of the skyline.
Details
do
do
Scotiabank Arena
If you're here during hockey or basketball season, catch a Maple Leafs or Raptors game here!
Details

Send A Tip
Send Claire some gratitude.
Select your tip amount
$3
$5
$10
$20
Or type in other amount
$