Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, each distinct and diverse. According to the United Nations, it is the most multi-cultural city in the world. Fortunately, for visitors, this means an exhilarating range of cultural and culinary experiences.
What To Do In Toronto
How To Spend A Weekend In Toronto
CN Tower
Start your exploration at the CN Tower. If you want a panoramic view of Toronto, this is the place to do it. Get an even better look by signing up for the CN Tower Edgewalk, a hands-free, high altitude adventure that takes you out for a walk around the outside of the tower.
Chinatown
Ride “the Rocket,” as the local transit system is called, to Spadina and Dundas – the heart of Chinatown. Lose yourself in the fresh produce stalls, stacked high with exotic fruits and vegetables and peruse the shops crammed with imported goods.
Come dinner time, take your hunger to a cheap and cheerful haunt like King’s Noodle Restaurant. Waiters squeeze between tables to deliver steaming bowls of hot ’n sour and noodle soups. Sit at a community table to net new friends quickly.
Art Gallery of Ontario
Head east along Dundas and pose in front of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s beloved Henry Moore sculpture out front. Go south down McCaul until to get to Queen Street West, an artsy, eclectic neighbourhood that bustles around the clock. Catch a local band at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern or the Rivoli Café (the food’s great there too).
Yorkville
Visit Yorkville, home to the city’s most exclusive (and expensive) shopping for a cocktail at the Panorama Lounge on the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre and check out the twinkling lights high above the city (if you can get a balcony seat, that is).
Kensington Market
Get moving through the streets of Kensington Market, chock-a-block with funky vintage stores like Courage My Love, cafes, fruit markets and cheese mongers. Its Bohemian vibe attracts hipsters and bargain hunters alike.
Entertainment District
For evening, delve into the Entertainment District along King street, home to a wealth of theatres, bars, bistros, pubs and wine bars. Do some upscale bowling at The Ballroom, see a blockbuster musical at the Royal Alexandra Theatre or Princess of Wales (check TOTix.ca for discounted tickets first), or take in a foreign festival flick at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, the city’s finest movie house.
St. Lawrence Antique Market
If you’re an early riser, you’ll have a better chance to snag a deal at the St. Lawrence Antique Market. It opens on Sundays at 5 a.m. and the first in the door have first crack at collectibles, Art Deco tea sets, primitive kitchen tools and pop-culture kitsch.
High Park
Hop on the subway to High Park, a peaceful oasis in the city that attracts runners, bikers, dog walkers, and families to its ample facilities stretched out over 161 hectares. A massive adventure playground, a mini-train and a zoo will keep the kids happy, while grown-ups will like the nature trails and the break from the city’s hustle and bustle. If it’s spring, all the better -- the cherry blossoms are in abundance, providing sweet-smelling air and endless photo ops.