Top Oz Tours offers a wide range of Toronto tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
Like something straight out of The Jetsons, the futuristic CN Tower rises high above Toronto — dwarfing much of the city.
At 50 years old, the tower is no spring chicken. It lost its crown as the world’s tallest man-made structure back in 2007 (to what is now Dubai’s Burj Khalifa) but is impressive nonetheless.
‘Impressive’ is a word one can also easily use to describe Toronto — Canada’s biggest city and economic powerhouse. Situated on the western shore of stunning Lake Ontario, here Torontonians are taking care of business. And while it’s a brash, modern, and supremely confident metropolis, Toronto has a disarmingly laid-back vibe. Plan a stay of at least four or five days to do it justice.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Toronto on a first visit.
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Watch our video of ten top things to do in Eastern Canada:
10 Great Things to Do on an EASTERN CANADA ROAD TRIP | Toronto to Quebec (with Niagara Falls)
Welcome to Top Oz Tours’ YouTube Channel! In this episode of our online travel series, we bring you ten amazing things to do on a road trip through Eastern Canada from Toronto in Ontario to Quebec City in the province of Quebec.
1. Head for the top of CN Tower
As Toronto’s most recognisable landmark, the CN Tower is a good place to start your visit and get your bearings. At 553 metres straight up, the views from the observation deck of the surrounding city and water are incredible. Take things a step further on Edge Walk — the world’s highest hands-free walk, which will see you edging your way around the outside of the tower on a 1.5-metre-wide ledge. For most visitors, just inching your way across the glass floor tiles inside will be challenge enough!
2. Explore the waterfront
Feet firmly back on the ground, spend some time getting to know Toronto’s city centre. The waterfront — which languished in the shadow of the Gardiner Expressway for decades — is well and truly on the road to regeneration. Check out the Harbourfront Centre — a mixed use precinct that hosts an array of cultural attractions, cafes, and restaurants (refer to their website for free events happening during your visit).
3. Admire amazing art
Toronto has some 70 museums and galleries. If you only have time for one option, make it the esteemed Art Gallery of Ontario. It’s one of North America’s finest art collections, with more than 90,000 pieces. Canadian contemporary art is well represented with mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, film and video.
4. Step back in time in Old Town
A wealth of 19th century architecture brings the past to life in the streets of Toronto’s old centre. Visit the site of the first Parliament of Upper Canada and the St Laurence neighbourhood, which dates back to the late 1700s. Historic St James Park is a lovely spot to relax with a takeaway coffee and snack.
5. Take tea at the Royal York
A few blocks west — opposite Union railway station — stands the regal Fairmont Royal York. This was the largest hotel in the British Empire when it opened in 1929. It has undergone an extensive renovation over the past few years and remains part of the enduring legacy of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which constructed a string of these opulent railway hotels across the country. The hotel’s traditional high tea is a wonderful way to while away a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
6. Enjoy fine fare at Canoe
As you would expect, Toronto has no shortage of amazing places to eat. If you’re celebrating something special and want to push the boat out (so to speak), book a table at super chic Canoe on the 54th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centre. This restaurant has been setting the standard for fine dining for more than two decades and champions modern Canadian cuisine with an emphasis on the use of seasonal ingredients from across the country. It’s seriously impressive!
7. Visit one of Canada’s only ‘castles’
Across town, the incongruity of Casa Loma makes it an intriguing history lesson. The folly of once wealthy man-about-town Sir Henry Pellat, this mock medieval dream home was built for Lady Pellat in the early 1900s. Sir Henry later faced financial ruin and the castle was turned over to the city. Today, it’s a fascinating time capsule and well worth visiting.
8. Get a slice of local life in Kensington Market
Adventurous travellers should make a point of exploring some of the small neighbourhoods that surround the city centre. Each offers its own distinctive flavour and a unique dose of retail therapy to match. With its funky bookshops, offbeat boutiques, and colourful buskers, Kensington Market is a fun option.
9. Do a lake cruise
A sightseeing cruise on Lake Ontario provides visitors with an entirely different perspective of the Toronto skyline. City Sightseeing Toronto has cruises departing a number of times each day from the Harbourfront Centre. You’ll pass many key landmarks and the islands that form Toronto’s natural harbour. There’s a cash bar on board and informative commentary is provided along the way. This is 45 minutes well spent.
10. See Niagara Falls
You can’t come all the way to Toronto without getting up close and personal with Niagara Falls — situated roughly two hours’ drive south-east of the city. The sheer number of tourists that visit the falls is staggering — some fourteen million a year. Streamline the process and avoid parking hassles by booking a guided day tour from Toronto. One of the highlights of a visit to Niagara is the boat trip out to the thundering drop and back with Niagara City Cruises (so take the option to have your cruise ticket included in the tour price). Each boat is jam-packed with camera-clicking tourists, all wearing standard issue red rain ponchos. Trust us, they come in very handy!
For more travel inspiration, visit www.destinationtoronto.com.
Browse our range of Toronto tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the top things to do in Toronto on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours and Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
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