Itineraries for Your Trip to Toronto
1 Day in Toronto for First Timers
I remember my first visit to Toronto after I moved to nearby Buffalo, NY. Toronto felt more familiar to me than the US, more like the New Zealand and Australian cities I’d spent time in. Perhaps it was Toronto’s modern downtown architecture (the CN Tower bears more than a passing resemblance to Auckland’s Sky Tower), its foodie neighborhoods and craft breweries, its use of the metric system, and its fondness for naming things after long-gone British royals.
Whatever it was about Toronto that made it feel more like home to me, it’s a great place for anyone to spend a day. Here’s how.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a trip up the CN Tower to admire the views of the city and Lake Ontario.
Toronto summers are warm and pleasant, while its winter sub-zero temps and snow push people inside and even underground.
Head to the Kensington Market area for breakfast to fuel up for your day. This inner-city neighborhood is artsy and bohemian, with quirky shops, colorful street art, and tasty food. Fueled up, take a walking or biking tour of downtown Toronto to see highlights such as Yonge-Dundas Square, the Harbourfront Centre, and the landmark CN Tower.
If the weather’s good, get out onto Lake Ontario on a tall ship cruise or a kayaking tour to the Toronto Islands in the lake. You can enjoy great views of the Toronto skyline from the water. If the weather isn’t so great, check out the impressive Royal Ontario Museum, with its avant-garde crystalline exterior and huge collection of Canadian and international artworks.
With a name like the Distillery Historic District, you know that this central neighborhood is going to provide great nightlife. Head here in the evening. The district was named after the 19th-century distilleries in the area, and the original brick architecture is still on display. It’s full of great restaurants and bars to spend the evening.
