A nice urban sprawl city in Canada, somewhat like New York’s little brother.
This is Canada’s #1 most expensive city on the east coast, #2 in the nation behind Vancouver. Toronto is urban, dense, vibrant, hip, full of places to go, things to do, and also conveniently located near other major destinations in America and Canada.
In terms of tourism, I think it’s ok. I prefer it more as a nice place to live. You could certainly get a solid feel within 3-5 days.
Where to stay:
- Old Toronto (Downtown) – theoretically a great option, vibrant area with many shops and things…also close to major tourist stuff. But IMO is not the best area to catch a true Toronto local vibe. It just feels like any typical big city downtown with common big brand commercial establishments. BORING!
- Kensington Market – probably the recommended place for first time young tourists. It’s the classic bohemian hipster artist sprawl full of vibrant life, artistic graffiti, shops, eateries, and things to do all day long from morning till night. If you don’t know where to stay or what to do, I’d choose here! (Main drawback is nights can have loud music if your place is near a bar/club.) KM is located near Downtown and Old Toronto, so you could theoretically get something in between if you wanted.
- Midtown – the nice posh area, and centrally-located to reach all of Toronto easily. Nicer shops and restaurants, everything more high-end but can feel a little dead at night if you want to walk around.
Hostels & Hotels:
- haven’t tried any
Neighborhoods, walking areas, public squares:
- Old Toronto & Downtown – I’d recommend walk from harbor all the way up to Queen’s Park. If you’re feeling hungry, then cut over to Chinatown and then Kensington Market.
- Kensington Market – wander around. You could theoretically start here as well, then cut through Chinatown and head towards Old Toronto. But it feels backwards as I’d prefer you get the tourist stuff out of the way and then chill in Kensington Market.
Activities to do:
- Viewpoints, landmarks, sunsets, hikes:
- CN Tower
- Buildings & architecture:
- CN Tower
- Rudy Adlaf Bridge – aka “Eaton Centre Bridge” – looks cool from outside and inside. Make sure checkout both directions when you’re taking photos inside.
- Town hall
- Parks, gardens, green spaces:
- Beaches, bridges, water-points:
- Arts, museums, culture:
- Markets, shopping:
- Recreational drugs – lots of cannabis and shroom shops. 🙂
- Tours:
Restaurants & Cafes:
Bars, clubs, and nightlife:
- There many bars everywhere.
Miscellaneous tips:
Itinerary:
- DAY 1 –
Nearby towns:
- Montreal** – yeah, most definitely! Montreal is my favorite city in Canada, and among the top in the world. The French culture makes it so much cooler IMO.
- Quebec City – haven’t been but everyone tells me it’s worth a day trip!
- Thousand Islands – like a nature-getaway vacation. Look up photos and see if you’re into that.
- Niagara Falls – biggest tourist scam ever. Don’t go here!
- Mississauga –
- Hamilton – I lived here for 3 months in 2010 and don’t see the point of going here.
- New York** – if you think Toronto is cool, New York is much cooler than that. Bigger and more metropolitan. More areas to be and more things to do. More range of more stuff. Just everything MORE. And more expensive, too.
- New Jersey –
Unfiltered notes: