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Toronto is such a great city for people who love to experience the hustle and bustle. If you’re planning a trip to Toronto any time soon, this is a great introductory itinerary that includes activities and plenty of food and drink!
Toronto – what a surprise! This sprawling metropolis turned out to be a pretty cool place to spend a few days. For being such a big city, Toronto was quite clean and very modern, with little sprinkles of culture and character throughout its different neighborhoods.
When we originally planned our trip to Toronto, it was around us wanting to see Niagara Falls. We also wanted to see a new city in Canada, but primarily to base ourselves in Toronto for Niagara. I wasn’t sure how we were going to like Toronto, but I ended up falling for it just a bit! We spent four nights in the city and I’d definitely return in the future to eat more of the food and see the sights we missed.
This post includes a breakdown of our Toronto Itinerary, wherein we spent four nights exploring the city and surrounds. I hope you can get some good ideas for your own trip here!
A Few Notes About Canada
Canadian Currency
I will be listing prices in this post for certain items; however, keep in mind that the USD to CAD exchange rate is generally favorable to those coming from the U.S. So while prices may seem high (and truly, Canada is kind of expensive), keep the current conversion in mind to get your U.S. value.
Alcohol Laws
Important details right? In Ontario, you can’t purchase hard alcohol in convenience or grocery stores. You’ve got to locate a LCBO store for that (LCBO = Liquor Control Board of Ontario – a government enterprise and liquor retailer).
Also, the drinking age in Ontario is a mere 19 years old. Each province in Canada sets its own age limit for consumption of alcohol. Most are at 19, with a few set at 18 (Quebec, Alberta & Manitoba).
Underground Walkways – The PATH
Underground walkways?! Say what? Toronto has this huge maze of underground walkways called The PATH, which is perfect for inclimate weather (like those harsh-ass Canadian winters). I’ve never seen anything like it! It is a pretty genius idea.
We wandered down there a few times to avoid street traffic and stopping at crosswalks. It is really a crazy network of pedestrian walkways, tunnels and restaurants, and honestly kind of hard to figure out at times. They do have posted maps to guide you but if you are directionally-challenged, this might not be for you.
Itinerary Summary
Alright. Now that those deets are out of the way, let’s get to the itinerary! Here’s a quick summary before I get into the day-by-day breakdown:
- Day 1: Check in to hotel; Happy Hour at Cactus Club; Poutine & Explore Yonge Dundas Square
- Day 2: Kensington Market; Blue Jays Game; Steam Whistle Brewery; Happy Hour at Bar Hops Brewco
- Day 3: Niagara Falls Day Trip; CN Tower; Late Night Japanese Eats at Kinka Izakaya
- Day 4: St. Lawrence Market; Sake & Whiskey Tasting at the Distillery Historic District; Pub Grub
- Day 5: Bao Buns; Nathan Phillips Square; Real Ontario Maple Syrup; Old City Hall
Day 1: Arrival to Toronto
Our first day in Toronto was a great intro to the city! We arrived at Toronto Pearson airport after an early a.m. flight from San Francisco, grabbed a cab to Downtown (Uber is also available), and checked in to our hotel. We headed out to enjoy happy hour grub and drinks while waiting out a torrential downpour from a passing thunderstorm.
I then had my first poutine ever-experience while being dazzled by the bustle of Yonge Dundas Square, and we did a little booze tasting at the nearby LCBO store. Not bad for an afternoon!
Hotel Check-In: Cambridge Suites
5 Richmond St E, Toronto, ON M5C 1N2, Canada
We chose Cambridge Suites as our base in Toronto for our four-night stay for a couple of reasons:
- We booked kind of last minute and options were limited in our budget (under $250 USD/night)
- The rooms here are spacious! When they say “suite,” they really mean it.
- King-sized beds are available – a very important detail, especially for those traveling with a tall spouse…
- Central location to attractions
We had a nice view of the city and had a comfortable stay in our Deluxe King Suite with private bedroom and a separate living area with a sofa and table. The bed was comfortable and we really enjoyed having lots of space!
Happy Hour at Cactus Club Café
Cactus Club | 77 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5X 1C1, Canada
Straight after checking into our hotel, we were off to do what we do best – eat and drink! We hoofed it down to Cactus Club Café at First Canadian Place. They had a good-looking menu, even though this is a Canadian chain restaurant, and it was also within a relatively short distance from our hotel.
Thankfully, we timed it perfectly as a crazy thunderstorm decided to roll in while we were enjoying our cocktails! Have no fear, we just sat and tossed back a few beers until the storm passed.
What We Ate: We wanted to keep it light, so we shared the the tuna stack with wonton crackers and the Baja fish tacos. It’s not the cheapest of places, but the food was tasty and gave us the fuel we needed to continue exploring the city for the evening.
Yonge Dundas Square & Poutine!
Our taxi driver on the way from the airport had told us about Yonge Dundas Square. He described it as a mini Times Square, which we’ve never been to, but I can see what he meant by it. There were a ton of people bustling about despite the earlier downpour.
Billboards were everywhere flashing brightly-colored digital ads. Music was blaring. Cars were beeping. It was a little mini epicenter of chaos and I loved it!
I also spotted all the food trucks congregated in the middle of the square and decided we needed to saunter over for some further eating activities.
I spotted poutine! Lots and lots of poutine options. When in Canada? I decided this was the perfect time for my first experience with poutine…like my first time EVER eating it. Micah had it once before in Canada at Granville Island Brewing in Vancouver (not the birthplace of poutine, but he still really liked it).
I scoped out all the food trucks they had at the Square and found one serving up some vegetarian poutine in all it’s gravy-cheesy-glory. It was piping hot, so the cheese curds were nice and melty, giving you that beautiful cheese pull when you scoop up your delicious bites. The fries were perfect, and the dark veggie gravy was so flavorful. I challenge you to find me a better vegetarian poutine!
We may have also done a little spirit tasting at the LCBO liquor store at Yonge Dundas Square.
Our habit is to pick up a bottle of somethin’ when we travel to save some money and have drinks in our hotel rooms. So, we always seek out a liquor store when we arrive at a new destination (what boozers we are!).
We were in luck as Nickel 9 Distillery was pouring samples of Northern Temple vodka, which is distilled from local Ontario apples. It was so tasty, we ended up buying a bottle to keep with us throughout our week-long stay in Canada! It was smooth enough to drink even without a mixer. Their Hidden Temple gin was equally as good, but it was a little pricier than the vodka.
We ended the night in our room listening to the cheers from Raptors fans outside our hotel. We just happened to be there the night they won against the Bucks in 2019, earning their first–ever trip to the NBA Championship (which they subsequently won against Golden State (Warriors fan here)).
Miles walked: 4.02
Day 2: Kensington Market & Blue Jays Game
Our second day was our first full day in the city and we made sure to jam pack it with as much as humanly possible! We started off our morning with a self-guided walking/food tour at Kensington Market before heading off to an early afternoon Blue Jays baseball game at Rogers Centre.
The rest of the afternoon/evening consisted of visiting the Steam Whistle Brewery beer garden for some beers and a pretzel, and settling in for happy hour for a couple of hours at a local beer bar.
DIY Food Tour at Kensington Market
Website | Address: Basically, it’s a whole neighborhood
Kensington Market is one of those little pockets of culture I mentioned at the outset of this post – a funky little neighborhood with tons of restaurants, stands, and shops to explore! I wrote up a separate, detailed post about our visit to Kensington Market here, but the highlights from our visit were:
- Eating a delicious cheese crepe and sipping on Bloody Caesars at Krepez Cafe
- Sampling different Portuguese egg tarts at Mashion Bakery in Chinatown
- Chowing down on Baja fish tacos at Seven Lives (so good!)
- Checking out Pedestrian Sundays at the Market
This is definitely one of those neighborhoods in Toronto that you want to visit to get a feel for the diverse culture that exists in this city, particularly through the different foods that you can get here – tacos, French food, Jamaican food, pastries, ramen! You name it – the list is endless. There’s even a little Swedish café called Fika in there!
I loved Kensington Market and would go back time and time again just to taste all the different foods here. If you aren’t up for exploring on your own, you can certainly book a guided food tour of the area like this one or this one.
Blue Jays Baseball Game
Rogers Centre | 1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON M5V 1J1, Canada
We visited Toronto in May, so if you plan on incorporating baseball into your itinerary, be sure to check the dates for the current season! Rogers Centre was a fantastic stadium to visit. Unfortunately, the dome was closed for repairs so we didn’t get to experience it open, even though we had great weather that day.
Rogers Centre is actually the very first stadium to have a motorized retractable roof! We sat up way high, almost in the top row (we bought the cheapest tickets we could). I will say it was a bit too high for my liking (this stadium is huuuugggeee). I had to compose myself after feeling a little dizzy from the height!
There is also a Marriott hotel attached to the stadium with 70 rooms overlooking the baseball field if you want to be extra with your baseball fandom.
Of course we had to get the ultra cheesy poses in front of the stadium! One of these days, I’ll put together a post of us in front of all the MLB stadiums in North America.
Beers at Steam Whistle Brewing
Steam Whistle Brewing | 255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3M9, Canada
After the baseball game, we decided to head over to Steam Whistle Brewing, just across the street from Rogers Centre. Steam Whistle is located in The Roundhouse, which was once the steam locomotive repair facility for the Canadian Pacific Rail Company – hence the name of the brewery.
Steam Whistle Brewery is famous for their Pilsner beer. In fact, up until 2019, they ONLY brewed Pilsner beer – filtered and unfiltered (they are now in the process of brewing a Pale Ale). They also claim to be one of the only breweries left in the world to adhere to the Bavarian Purity Act of 1516, which means they “brew using only pure spring water, malted barley, hops and yeast. No corn syrup, no foam enhancers, no artificial preservatives.” [Per their website] Micah had the unfiltered version and said it was quite good for a Pilsner (not our typical beer style).
I wanted something a little refreshing in the muggy Toronto heat, so I went with the Grapefruit Radler which was the unfiltered Pilsner mixed with sparkling grapefruit juice.
Last but not least, we snacked on a delicious soft pretzel with some beer cheese and honey mustard (aka walking fuel)!
Happy Hour at Bar Hop
Bar Hop | 391 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1K1, Canada
Say the words “Dollar Oysters” and my husband will be there! My husband is always in search of affordable oysters and found Bar Hop, which was within walking distance from Rogers Centre. So, we made our way up the street for their Sunday dollar oyster special! We sat at the bar, enjoyed some really tasty sours and IPAs, and listened to the 80’s and 90’s music on play.
We decided it would be easiest to just stick around here for dinner and we are so glad we did! My husband had the Bone Marrow Poutine made with chicken gravy and Quebec cheese curds.
I had the Vegan Mac and Cheese made with butternut squash, cashew butter, bread crumbs & chives. This item is not on their current menu, so hopefully they still make it on occasion if you pop in!
The mac was piping hot and SO GOOD! Add a dash of hot sauce to each bite, and you’ll be all set for the evening. This was one of my favorite things (next to the vegetarian poutine) that I had when we were in Toronto.
Second day in Toronto: huge success!
Miles Walked: 6.75
We walked a lot in Toronto! I found these shoes to be the most trusty for the warm weather days.
book more toronto activities with get your guide!
Day 3: Trip to Niagara + CN Tower
As I mentioned earlier in this post, Niagara Falls was one of our primary reasons for visiting the Toronto area. Since we didn’t have a car, we booked a small group tour with TruExperiences via Viator (book it yourself here!).
I wrote a whole post outlining all the details of our day trip here. Below is a little summary of what we did on our small group tour:
- Transported to Niagara Falls via Mercedes sprinter van (no big buses!!!)
- Cruised into the mist of Horseshoe Falls on Hornblower Cruises
- Had lunch with a view of the falls at the Falls View Buffet at the Sheraton
- Made several stops at scenic points of the falls and The Whirlpool
- Enjoyed free time at Niagara-on-the-Lake (including indulging in ice cream & wine tasting!)
Niagara Falls is simply one of those “Bucket List” items that you have to do once in your life. Also, you MUST do the boat tour into the mist to really get that amazing perspective of the falls. It was such an unreal experience to see literal tons of water pouring over Horseshoe Falls! If you haven’t been, I highly suggest putting this day trip on your Toronto itinerary.
CN Tower at Night
CN Tower | 301 Front St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2T6, Canada
We had actually attempted the CN Tower after our baseball game the day prior, but it was an hour wait in the heat! No thanks. We had an open ticket, so we decided to come back another day (love to have that flexibility). I booked our tickets ahead of time via their website.
Here’s a good tip for you: 8 p.m. on a weekday is a perfect time to head up the tower! There will be minimal to no wait (we walked right in with no wait). Or, you can get going early in the morning and beat the crowds if you’re visiting on a weekend day.
If you’re lucky with the weather, going up in the evening means you can catch the sunset in the warmer months and then stick around for a bit to see the city lit up at night. I found Toronto to be most beautiful with all the city lights after dark!
Late Night Japanese Eats
Kinka Izakaya | 398 Church St, Toronto, ON M5B 2A2, Canada
“Irasshaimase!” – the staff loudly yells in unison as we walk in the door. We took an Uber from the CN Tower up to Kinka Izakaya (the original location on Church Street) for some late night Japanese food and 100% loved the vibe! We have never been to an izakaya-style restaurant before, so I had no idea what to expect.
- Atmosphere: loud music, with an exuberant staff that greets each guest loudly and says goodbye with equal enthusiasm.
- The food: fantastic small plates (like Japanese tapas) loaded with flavor.
- Specials: On Mondays, they serve cheap pints of Sapporo. I love Asian beer. It’s refreshing and easy to drink, which is perfect when you are stuffing your face full of food.
My favorite thing we had at Kinka was the Mentai Kimchi Udon. This consisted of brothless udon noodles w/ spicy cod roe, kimchi & scallions. YES! I’ve never had a cold udon dish before, but this was really good and allowed you to experience the full flavor of the cod roe.
Below is the maguro tataki (seared albacore tuna) w/ ponzu, garlic chips & scallions. Also, the veggie gyoza, which were so good, we ended up getting two orders!
We also had the spicy maguro (albacore tuna tartare topped w/ scallions, and served w/ nori & wasabi) and the Buta Kakuni (simmered pork belly in sweet soy sauce w/ boiled egg and shredded ginger). Husband of course loved his pork belly!
Damn…I love Japanese food so much!
What I didn’t like: I had to ask for the bill three times. 20 minutes later, they finally brought the machine around (because in Canada, it’s a little mobile payment machine – and yes, they are used everywhere in restaurants). Otherwise, the food was great, the atmosphere was fun, and everything was relatively affordable!
End of Day 3 = Happy and full bellies after a long day at Niagara.
Miles walked: 6.38
Day 4: St. Lawrence Market & Distillery Historic District
Looking for the perfect rainy day activity to put onto your Toronto itinerary? Wandering around St. Lawrence Market is the solution! I didn’t plan it this way, but it turned out to be raining on the day we visited St. Lawrence Market. Never a better day for us to do a full DIY food tour!
If you want to read more details about our time at St. Lawrence, I wrote up a whole post on our self-guided tour at the market here (video included!).
Here’s a summary of what we ate:
- Peameal bacon sandwich from Carousel Bakery
- Montreal-style onion bagel & cream cheese and onion/potato knish
- Hot mustards at Kozlik’s
- Eggplant parmigiana sandwich/veal sandwiches at Uno Mustachio
- No Boats on Sunday ciders from Wine Country Merchants
Can you say carb overload?! Make sure you come to St. Lawrence Market on an empty stomach – you’re going to want to sample all the delicious goodies!
If you aren’t into wandering around on your own, there are guided tours you can book like this one. That way, you don’t have to make the hard decision of what to eat on your visit.
Sake & Spirits in the Distillery Historic District
After our time at St. Lawrence Market, it was time for some booze tasting and browsing the Distillery Historic District!
The Distillery Historic District is a pedestrian-only collection of buildings and cobblestone streets. It’s an area filled with an array of restaurants, cafes, shops, and a few places to get your booze on!
Among the many different shops to peruse at the Distillery Historic District, you’ll also find an array of art installations. Some are very interesting…
Ontario spring water sake
Ontario Spring Water Sake | 51 Gristmill Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4, Canada
We love sake so I thought it would be cool to check out the local sake brewery in the area. We paid $10 CAD for a sake tasting at Ontario Spring Water Sake which included a flight of three sakes. We decided to split one tasting to save a little money.
In the flight of three, you’ll taste the Genshu, Teion Sakura, and Nama Nama. Our favorites were the Genshu and Nama Nama. Had we had more room in our luggage, I would have definitely bought a couple of bottles to bring back home with us!
Spirit of york
Spirit of York Distillery | 12 Trinity St, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4, Canada
After sake tasting, we hopped over to the Spirit of York Distillery which had an absolutely gorgeous tasting room! It was enormous and beautifully decorated with plants and lights in hues of purples, and chandeliers dangling overhead made with their spirit bottles.
We shared a sampler flight for $10 CAD that included vodka, gin and whiskey, and each got our own cocktail with one of their crafted spirits (dirty martini for him and an elderflower gin and tonic for me).
On our way back to the hotel from the Distillery District, we stopped in at an LCBO liquor store and picked up some local Ontario beers. Ontario beers are pretty damn good and I highly recommend trying some out!
I also couldn’t resist a stop at Rexall to pick up some Canadian candies. I’ve actually made it a habit to try local candy when we are traveling. I find that the quality in other countries is just so much better than the U.S.! My favorite was the Crunchie – lots of sugar, but I loved that crunchy nougat filling.
Dinner at a Local English Pub
Batch was an easy dinner for us as it was just across the street from our hotel (Cambridge Suites). Most importantly, they had cheap oysters on late-night happy hour, which of course attracted my husband to it like bugs to light bulbs.
I had the Welsh rarebit grilled cheese which was surprisingly very tasty (however, did not photograph well in low light). It came stuffed with smoked cheddar, Fernet & cola jam, and a Welsh cheese sauce. The jam and the melty cheese combo made a delightful savory + sweet combo.
Micah had the fish and chips with battered Haddock, and we also shared the fried pickles – which were delicious but a little salty. The fish and chips certainly did not match up to our favorites in England, but it was a decent dinner spot and we didn’t have to venture too far to get there.
Note: Unfortunately, Batch has permanently closed since our visit to Toronto so you’ll need to find an alternative option for dinner this night!
Miles Walked: 4.04
Day 5: Lunch, Toronto Sign & Maple Syrup
On our last morning/afternoon in Toronto, we decided to head up to Yonge Dundas Square for lunch.
Steamed Bao Buns & Churros
Banh Mi Boys | 399 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1S9, Canada
Steamed bao buns for brunch? Why not. At the Banh Mi Boys, we ordered several baos to start, including the crispy panko tofu with pickled veggies and pork belly, along with an order of kimchi fries with pulled pork.
The buns were good in terms of the filling but the steamed buns unfortunately weren’t quite as good as our little local food truck back in the Bay Area. I would also ask for extra sauce as we found them to be a little on the dry side. Our quest for the best steamed buns in the world continues!
Choco Churros | 335 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1R7, Canada
Can you find happiness in churros? Indeed! We passed a little food truck pod on our way to Banh Mi Boys and I was like Pippin from LOTR – “It comes in pints? Churros? I’m getting one.” I got the chocolate/caramel combo and they were served hot and fresh. Epic way to finish up our foodie time in Toronto.
Toronto Sign & Maple Syrup at Nathan Phillips Square
Nathan Phillips Square | 100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2, Canada
Our final order of business in Toronto was to snap a pic with the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square and get a glimpse of the Old City Hall. We took a nice little walk down from where we were at at Yonge Dundas, past the Winston Churchill statue (Winston Churchill apparently loved Toronto), and came upon Nathan Phillips Square as people were starting to set up for a little farmers market.
I got to sample some delicious and authentic Ontario maple syrup and bought a bottle for our friends as a thank you for watching our fur creatures back home. Too cliché to return to the U.S. with a bottle of maple syrup? I think not.
Across from Nathan Phillips Square (where the New City Hall is located), you’ll find the Old City Hall. Toronto’s Old City Hall was a welcome change of scenery. In such a modern city, this striking pop of old architecture was such a stark contrast against the towering glass structures surrounding it.
Completed in 1899, it took 10 years to construct and cost a whopping $2.5 million dollars (an equivalent of $53 million dollars today)! It’s definitely worth snapping a pic of, at least from the outside.
And then, we were off to Montreal for a few days via the VIA Rail train!
Miles Walked: 4.44 (This does include a tiny bit of evening walking upon arrival to Montreal, but is mostly from Toronto)
I hope you enjoyed reading through our Toronto Itinerary! Have you been to Toronto before? What were some of your favorite things to see in the city? A few things I’d like to see/do next time:
- Casa Loma Castle
- Sip Harry Potter-inspired drinks at The Lockhart bar
- Take a winery tour near Niagara
- Taste some First Nations food
- Eat some momos at Loga’s Corner
Be sure to also read:
- Niagara Falls Day Trip from Toronto
- Exploring the Food of Toronto’s Kensington Market
- St. Lawrence Self-Guided Food Tour
- VIA Rail Business Class from Toronto to Montreal
Save this for inspiration later!
Hi Moani, I live in Toronto and have a few comments. I really enjoyed your article and think you managed to do some authentic things that we are proud of.
You misused the term “Distilleries.” There is only one actual distillery, the original Gooderham and Worts building, hence the term “Distillery District.” An interesting fact is that the wooden beams inside that building became so impregnated with alcohol while it was operating, that even now, film productions, (which operate all the time in that location for Victorian period pieces) have to consult carefully about placement of hot lights to avoid igniting anything.
Secondly, the LCBO is not a Canadian Government body. As you noted, each province has its own governing body for alcohol sales. LCBO stands for Liquor Control Board of Ontario.
Thank you for your enthusiastic reports on Toronto, Niagara Falls and VIA Rail.
Catherine Basaraba
Catherine thank you so much for reading my article and I wholeheartedly appreciate the feedback. I can definitely see where I need to make a few corrections in the wording I’ve used! Toronto was such a fun visit for us, and I definitely want to make sure my reporting is accurate. Cheers!
What a wonderful read! I hadn’t thought to travel to Toronto, but your itinerary is so inspiring and sounds like a perfect getaway.
And now of course, I’m salivating for all the dishes you shared!
Thanks so much Deborah! I hadn’t thought to travel to Toronto either, if not for my husband wanting to visit Niagara Falls. I’m glad he suggested it because it gave us the chance to explore a great new place!