Toronto is the capital of the province of Ontario and is one of the most popular Canadian cities to visit located along Lake Ontario’s beautiful northwestern shore.
If you arrive in Toronto and get a strange sense of deja vu then don’t be alarmed… thanks to its incredible skyline it has masqueraded as New York City and Chicago among others.
Toronto has lots of attractions to see and is a great city to visit if you’ve never been here before. From world famous tourist attractions to vintage shopping, quirky boutique hotels, parks and lakes to explore and you’ve got a great city break waiting to happen.
View my guide to visiting Toronto with tips for where to stay, what to do and how to save money.
Toronto Facts
• The name Toronto derives from the Huron word for ‘fishing weir’.
• There are 147,000 artefacts and a whopping 100,000,000 archaeological specimens in Toronto’s 10 city owned-museums.
• 307 km of rivers and creeks run through the city.
• There are roughly 10 million trees in Toronto.
• Half of Toronto’s population was born outside Canada.
Getting from Toronto Airport
Toronto airport is 27 km away from the city and the journey will take around 30 minutes. The cost of a cab is around $40 to the downtown area whereas a bus will cost $2.75.
Toronto Tours
If you are travelling solo, or would just like to learn more about the city and visit the highlights check out sightseeing tours on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Attractions
CN Tower
Toronto is home to the CN Tower, which may not be the tallest tower now but it is home to EdgeWalk: the world’s highest full-circle hands-free walk on a 1.5m wide ledge around the tower at 356m high (or 116 storeys!)
I recently wrote two articles about the CN Tower which you might want to check out:
• Is it worth going up the CN Tower?
• 360 CN Tower restaurant review
Other places to see include…
The Yonge-Dundas Square
A popular part of the downtown Toronto community. As well as an open public space the square is an event venue hosting a variety of activities. Concerts, community celebrations, theatrical events and more all take place here.
Colborne Lodge
Colborne Lodge is one of the few surviving regency buildings in North America. You can stroll through the landscaped gardens and take a tour of the estate. During the tour you can hear stories about the lodge’s history and picnic in the park. Visitors are also allowed to explore the historic kitchen and sample traditional recipes.
Montgomery’s Inn Farmers
This market is a draw for locals and tourists alike. A huge array of fresh produce can be bought from local farmers and food artisans including some of the must try foods in Toronto. The local honey’s and cheeses are particularly popular. The Montgomery Inn also hosts the Humber River Shakespeare Company for several dates over the summer. The performances are outdoors, you bring your own chairs and the admission is pay-what-you-can!
Nightlife
With a huge range of clubs and bars you’re sure to find something to tickle your fancy in this amazing city; from the trendy, flashy bars to the arty underground booking-only bars, there’s definitely something for everyone. If you’re looking for live music head downtown and you’ll find something any day of the week. Check out the crowd favourites Horseshoe Tavern and Lee’s Palace.
Best Places to Visit Near Toronto
From Toronto you can take a trip across to Niagara Falls. We have a great day trip that also includes some time in the wine region of Ontario.
You’ll then stop in the town of Niagara, where you can explore the shops and stop for a coffee pick me up if the wine didn’t do the job, and then head off to the main attraction of Niagara Falls.
There are options to take in the best views of the Falls by helicopter or the Maid of the Mist boat ride will take you right up to the swirling waters at the base of the Falls – get your stylish poncho out!
I really liked exploring Toronto and would recommend adding the city to any Canadian itinerary. For more advice view my Canada travel tips.