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Toronto is a beautiful large city with so much diversity. Our family has spent a weekend in Toronto a few times. I finally thought it would be a good idea to share the highlights we have experienced to help you plan your weekend in Toronto.
What to know about Toronto
Toronto is the largest city in Canada from a population point of view. In 2021, approximately 2.7 million people resided directly in the city and an impressive 6.7 million in the greater Toronto area. This makes Toronto the 4th most populous city in North America.
Toronto has many distinct neighborhoods where many ethnicities and cultural backgrounds live. The primary spoken language is English, however, you will hear countless different languages and dialects while strolling the streets of Toronto.
Toronto borders the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, one of the 5 great lakes. Being in Canada, you can imagine that the city experiences all four seasons. The winters are cold and snowy while the summers are hot and humid. Depending on what you hope to do when visiting the city, plan your weekend in Toronto accordingly.
Where to stay and how to get around
When only staying in a city for a weekend, we like to stay near most of the attractions we are interested in.
If visiting Toronto for the first time, you will likely spend a disproportionate amount of time in the downtown/old Toronto district. However, several neighborhoods are adjacent to the downtown and are great lodging options.
During our most recent stay (summer of 2023) we chose to book a hotel suite in the neighborhood of Church and Wellesley. This was perfect as our main reason for being in the city was to visit the University of Toronto.
We stayed at Town Inn Suites on Church Street. Most of the apartments/suites were renovated but it seems they left off the bathrooms which really needed some work. However, the staff was great, the location was perfect for us, and we had plenty of space for the 4 of us and our doggy.
Walking to the main downtown area would have been about an hour’s walk. We mainly used ride services like UBER to get around. We found it easy and appreciated not having to drive around the busy city and pay for expensive parking. Toronto also has a great bus and subway system.
What to do during a weekend in Toronto
We have visited Toronto a few different times. Therefore, the list below includes activities we have done during different visits. I also included things that have been on our list but that we did not have time for. This should give you plenty of activities to choose from and plan your weekend in Toronto.
Iconic Toronto sign
The sign is located at Nathan Phillips Square in old Toronto. It’s an iconic photo opportunity you should add to your list, especially at night when it is lit up.
CN Tower
Located in old Toronto, the structure stands over 550 meters tall (greater than 1800 feet). The tower is definitely a key signature of Toronto’s skyline. The view from the observation deck is breathtaking.
Hockey Hall of Fame
Great visit opportunity for any hockey fans.
Rodgers Center
Beautiful venue in downtown Toronto. If you are a baseball fan, try to catch a Blue Jays game. Otherwise, the venue hosts many concerts throughout the year.
Graffiti Alley
Cool short alley full of impressive graffiti and arts created by local artists.
Kensington Market
The market is more of a street with many shops. It is a bohemian neighborhood with a lazy and artistic vibe located on the north side of Old Toronto. Great place to spend time in a trendy cafe or international restaurant.
Chinatown
Huge Chinatown neighborhood to eat authentic Asian food and shop the best Asian food markets.
Dundas Square
Dundas Square is Toronto’s Times Square equivalent. It is an open square that hosts a wide variety of events for the community throughout the year. It is lively and energetic.
Casa Loma Castle
An early 1900’s gothic revival-style mansion that is open to the public (at a fee).
Easton Center Mall
Largest indoor shopping center where you can spend countless hours visiting all the top chain stores.
University of Toronto campus
If you have a child interested in attending the University of Toronto, they offer a great guided tour that takes you all over this beautiful downtown campus.
Distillery District
This pedestrian-only neighborhood is home to tons of bars, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries.
Where to eat in Toronto
We did not have a ton of time in Toronto but I wanted to highlight where we ate nonetheless.
Our first dinner was at the delicious La Piazza restaurant on Bloor Street. This restaurant was only a 10-minute walk from our hotel. The ambiance was lively and gave us a great feel for the neighborhood.
For lunch on day 2, we ended up in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes when you plan a trip, you mess up lol. I wouldn’t recommend the place just because it is quite far from anything else we wanted to see.
Dinner that night was fabulous at The Keg Steakhouse. You might be familiar with this chain restaurant. If you like a good steak, this place never disappoints but is on the pricier side.
In conclusion
In our opinion, Toronto is a must-see city. It’s loud, busy, diverse, and beautiful. We think you can get a good feel for the city even if you only have a weekend in Toronto. We hope this article helped you in planning your visit.
Bon voyage!
Cat xx