Travel in the City of Toronto

Routes: Detailed trip itineraries in Canada (Free)

General Information

Toronto, the capital of Ontario, Canada, is the largest city in Canada. About 2.8 million residents live in the city itself, and together with the entire metropolitan area around it, there are over 6 million residents. Toronto is Canada's financial center and one of North America's most important and safest cities.
It is definitely recommended to dedicate a visit of several days to this impressive city, but if your time is short, you can make do with a trip of at least two days in this beautiful and cosmopolitan city that combines old with new, and visit its main attractions.

Taken by Gabriel Israel, a landscape and travel photographer who lives in Toronto ©

♦ Recommended Hotels in Toronto

Recommended hotels in Downtown Toronto:
♦ DoubleTree by Hilton Toronto Downtown
A 4-star hotel in the city center, heated indoor pool, restaurant, fitness center. Suites feature a refrigerator, microwave, stovetop, and kitchenware. Paid parking, free Wi-Fi.

♦ Hyatt Regency Toronto
A 4-star hotel in the city center. Outdoor pool, sauna. Parking, free Wi-Fi.

Or a more expensive hotel:
♦ The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
A 5-star hotel in the city center. Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows with views. Spa, indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and gym. 3 restaurants and a bar. On the 20th floor, there is a lounge for an extra charge with panoramic city views where breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be eaten. Parking. Free internet.

♦ Embassy Suites By Hilton Toronto Airport
A 4-star all-suite hotel, right next to the airport. Free shuttle to and from the airport. Restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. Suites feature a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and sofa. Free breakfast. Laundry and drying room for guests, covered parking, free internet.

♦ Residence Inn by Marriott Toronto Airport
A 3-star suite hotel near the airport. Features suites with a fully equipped kitchen. Indoor pool and hot tub. Free shuttle to the airport. Fitness room. Option for breakfast and dinner delivery. Paid parking. Free internet in public areas of the hotel.
♦ Hampton Inn & Suites Toronto Airport Ontario
A 3-star hotel with suites and rooms. Pool, fitness center. Free breakfast. Free internet. Paid parking.

Main Attractions in Toronto

♦ Booking recommended guided tours in Toronto from Viator:

CN Tower

Going up the CN Tower, which rises to a height of 553 meters and is considered the tallest tower in North America, is a recommended experience for visitors to Toronto. The tower gets visited by almost 2 million visitors a year. From the observation deck located at a height of 447 meters, you can see the magnificent view of the city and the entire surrounding metropolitan area. On a lower observation deck at a height of 346 meters, there is an observation deck with a transparent glass floor.

Another attraction for the daring at the tower is EdgeWalk – walking on an open-air ledge surrounding the building for about half an hour at a height of 356 meters while wearing a safety harness (closed in winter for a few months). At a height of 351 meters, there is a revolving restaurant called 360, where you can also enjoy a 360-degree view while dining.

Taken by Gabriel Israel, a landscape and travel photographer who lives in Toronto ©

♦ Experiential flight over Toronto (from Viator):

Canada's Wonderland Amusement Park

A large and successful amusement park that also includes a water park: Canada's Wonderland. It belonged to the Paramount chain and was acquired in 2006 by Cedar Fair.
The park is located about 40 km north of Downtown Toronto. The park is open from May to October. It is the largest amusement park in Canada with 17 roller coasters. Recently, the steepest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in the world opened there, starting with a 90-degree drop and reaching speeds of 130 km/h.
Besides the roller coasters, it has 13 thrill rides for the brave, 13 milder rides for the whole family, and 23 rides for young children. The park also includes a water park with slides and various shows.

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

This is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada, attracting over a million visitors a year. It is a museum of art, culture, and nature. It houses 13 million items of art, culture, and nature across 40 galleries.

Taken by Gabriel Israel, a landscape and travel photographer who lives in Toronto ©

Casa Loma Castle

A picturesque castle offering a fantastic view of the city. It is a building with unique architecture built in 1914, which was at the time the largest private residence in Canada. Today, the castle and its beautiful gardens serve as a museum for visitors. The castle has been used extensively as a location for filming movies and television shows. It is a popular wedding location. The venue can be rented in the evenings for private events after the museum closes.

Eaton Centre

A large 4-story shopping mall with a glass ceiling located in the heart of Downtown Toronto spanning two blocks, with over 230 stores.
Address: 220 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 2H1

Toronto Islands (Centre Island)

Also called Centre Island, it is a car-free recreation and relaxation area. It is reached by ferry from downtown. The ferry ride takes about 15 minutes each way. It features many parks with abundant flora and geese, a yacht club, restaurants, and interesting homes. It is recommended to rent a bike and ride around the island or explore it on foot. Several spots on the island offer beautiful views of Downtown Toronto. Beautiful views can also be enjoyed during the ferry ride.

♦ Recommended guided tours on Toronto Island (Purchase from Viator):

Distillery District

A pedestrian district with ancient, unique architecture without modern buildings. Designed for art and culture lovers. There are no chain restaurants or cafes here; every shop, restaurant, and gallery is unique. Many movies were filmed here.

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)

The gallery has a huge collection of work, over 40 thousand pieces. It is considered the tenth-largest art museum in North America.

Chinatown

This is the second-largest Chinatown in North America after San Francisco's. Here you can buy unique products in clothing, jewelry, and home goods. For lovers of Asian food, it's a celebration—lots of restaurants serving authentic Chinese, as well as Vietnamese and other Asian foods.

♦ Recommended food tours in Toronto (To order from Viator):

Ripley's Aquarium

This is Canada's largest aquarium, opened in 2013 next to the CN Tower. It covers 12,500 square meters and houses 20,000 animals, including sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, jellyfish, and more.

Rogers Centre Stadium

A guided tour of the impressive SkyDome stadium with its retractable roof. The stadium changed its name in 2005 and is called Rogers Centre after the communications company that purchased it. The stadium serves as the home of Toronto's Blue Jays baseball team. It was the first stadium with a fully retractable roof, and it also features a 348-room hotel attached to it, where some rooms overlook the field. The stadium is also used for major musical performances.

Toronto City Hall

A visit to Toronto City Hall featuring a miniature model display of Toronto. The building is modern in design and resembles a spaceship. Address: 100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2. In front of the main building is Nathan Phillips Square, a public space featuring a skateboard rink. There is also a memorial to the Hiroshima tragedy represented by a bronze sculpture by Henry Moore. The square is surrounded by an elevated walkway leading to City Hall.
Nearby is the Old City Hall, which looks like an ancient castle. Today, it serves as the municipal courthouse. The building features a distinctive clock tower visible down the length of Bay Street. The building is sometimes used for filming movies and TV shows.

St. Lawrence Market

The market consists of three historical buildings in Downtown Toronto and includes an antique market, food market, Saturday farmers market, and a gallery.

Yorkville Neighborhood

A visit to the Yorkville neighborhood: Yorkville is located downtown at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor streets. Here you will find a selection of art galleries alongside museums and high-end luxury stores such as Prada and Gucci. For most of us, it is a great place for window shopping—to look and not to buy.

Trip to Niagara Falls

Toronto is relatively close to Niagara Falls, located about 130 km away, less than a two-hour drive. It is definitely recommended to combine a trip to Toronto with a trip to Niagara Falls. Toronto has a large, major international airport with the code YYZ. A regular bus route operates several times a day between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Canada, run by the Greyhound company. A train line operated by VIA Rail Canada also runs between the two cities 2–3 times a day in each direction. However, because there is so much to do and see in Niagara Falls, it is recommended to stay in the town of Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side!), ideally for 2 nights. Lots of information about the attractions of Niagara Falls can be found in my article: The Traveler's Guide to Niagara Falls.

♦ Booking a trip from Toronto to Niagara Falls from Viator:

Weather in Toronto and Best Time to Visit

Four distinct seasons can be observed in Toronto each year. Summers are warm and humid, while winters are cold and snowy. Spring is generally pleasant, and autumn also brings comfortable temperatures alongside wonderful fall colors. Significant rain can fall in any season.
Summer is the peak tourist season, but that is also when flight and hotel prices are at their highest. Better prices can be found during the shoulder seasons between summer and fall, and between spring and summer (though not during American and Canadian holidays when prices spike), depending on your schedule. Therefore, in terms of weather, tourist crowds, and hotel and flight costs, the recommended time to visit Toronto is around May to early June, or between mid-September and mid-October.

Holidays and Observances in Canada:

Pay attention to holiday dates in Canada, as these see higher tourist activity, but many places are closed, such as government offices, businesses, banks, and schools.
- New Year's Day: January 1st. If it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the date moves to Monday.
- Family Day: Occurs on the third Monday of February.
- Easter: A long weekend starting right after the full moon in early spring. Can fall between March 22nd and April 25th (usually around Passover).
- Victoria Day (May 24th): Celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25th.
- Canada Day: Canada's independence day, on July 1st.
- Labor Day: Occurs on the first Monday of September, marking the end of summer for most Canadians.
- Thanksgiving Day: Occurs on the second Monday of October. Celebrated with large family dinners, traditionally with turkey as the main course.
- Remembrance Day: Occurs on November 11th.
- Christmas Day: Occurs on December 25th. Almost all businesses are closed except for a few convenience stores, bars, and hotel restaurants.
- Boxing Day: Occurs on December 26th, the day after Christmas. Many businesses are closed on this day, but many stores remain open, and many take advantage of the day for shopping.