Looking to spend one day in Toronto? This itinerary will help you see my favourite spots in my hometown.
Toronto is slowly starting to become a major player on the tourism scene. The booming city has proven it a worthy player along the likes of New York, London, Chicago, or Boston. While some cities have the advantage of a long history, Toronto is a fairly new and young city but that’s what makes it so great.
Of course, I’m biased when it comes to Toronto, having lived here for my whole life. With the incredible multiculturalism, you can find any type of food or cuisine you could possibly imagine. Toronto has also become a hub for the filming industry, having a close resemblance to New York City (but half the price to film in).
The city had undergone a major facelift in the past several years and just keeps growing. It’s almost as if everywhere you look there’s construction between the months of April – November. People joke the official bird of Toronto is the crane because there is a constant presence of the construction machines scattered throughout the city no matter the season.
With so many different neighbourhoods to explore you can easily spend a week in Toronto but if you’re looking to do Canada’s most popular Eastern City quickly, I’ve put together a full day worth of fun. Disclaimer, you can’t possibly see everything this metropolitan city has to offer in a day but a start is a start!
| Morning |
Start your day bright and early with breakfast at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village. There’s a reason this restaurant has made Toronto’s list of top brunch restaurants time and time again. You absolutely must try the scones and I’m a big fan of the Big Brunch Skillet (if you’re really hungry).
After devouring the delicious meal, leave Mildred’s full and energized for a busy day. Walk up to King until you reach Shaw street where you should then walk north until you’ve reached Queen St. West. This pocket of Toronto is inhabited mostly by millennial hipsters. Admire the artwork, the independent restaurants and of course the various unique shops.
One of my favourites to frequent is BYOB Cocktail Emporium. I’m not really one to make cocktails all the time but walking into the store makes me feel like I should be in Mad Men, or at the very least wish, I made cocktails more often than I do.
The walk along Queen St. W. will also take you right by Trinity Bellwoods. If you have the time take a walk around, you will be surprised at how big the park actually is. On any given day you’ll find all sorts of characters milling about.
One secret if you plan on resting a bit here, most of the people picnicking aren’t actually drinking Starbucks, Tim Hortons or juice, it’s alcohol. It’s illegal to drink in public in Ontario so you’ve gotta be sneaky about it. There are enough people going around collecting those empty beer cans though so you’ll quickly realize you’re not the only sneaking in a cold brew.
| Lunch |
I’m a huge fan of the Terroni restaurant on Queen if you’re going to be in the area. The restaurant has some of the best pizza I’ve tasted outside of Italy. Plus they import many of their wines from the homeland so it’s a great spot to enjoy some delicious, and rare, wine.
If Italian food isn’t your thing, I would suggest trying Lisa Marie or Rodney Oyster House on King.
| Afternoon |
After your delicious lunch, take the streetcar to the East side of the city. One of my favourite places in the city is the Distillery district. It’s as close to a historical or old town in Toronto as you’re going to get. Get off the streetcar at Parliament street and make the trek down.
I’m not going to tell you how to spend your time in the Distillery, I’ll leave that up to you! There are a few great bars to grab some cocktails as a pitstop in your afternoon. If drinking isn’t your thing, grab a coffee at one of the cute cafes. You can’t leave the area without taking a picture in front of the Love lock sign or giant heart as you walk into the area.
Grab dinner in the distillery. One of my favourites is El Catrin or Cluny Bistro.
| Evening |
Wherever you end up, your next stop is going to be the most popular attraction in Toronto, the CN Tower. The best time of day to head up and take in the sights of the city is at sunset. Walk around the top deck and get the full 360 view of the city, it’s not something you’ll want to miss.
If you’re lucky enough to be in town during a sports event, definitely check out the Leafs, Raptors, TFC or the Blue Jays. Torontonians are pretty passionate about their teams and a sports game is a great way to spend the evening.
No sports? There are tons of bars and clubs around the CN tower for you to check out. Do a Google search for the Entertainment district and pick one that sounds good to you!
There you have it, a full and exhausting itinerary for one day in Toronto!
