When looking to spend a weekend in Toronto you might feel overwhelmed by how many amazing options are available to you! Trust me when I say that there is no wrong way to explore the city.
I have visited every province and territory in Canada other than the Northwest Territories [my last one!] and I can tell you, there is a reason Toronto is popular!
As Ontario’s capital city, Toronto is the epicenter of activity and events. Commonly known as the most popular destination for musicians and performances, it is packed with entertainment and local attractions to keep you busy!
Whether you’re looking to accomplish Toronto in 2 days or spend 3 days in Toronto, there is plenty to do and see and we have done our best to help you maximize your time and money to get the most out of this amazing Canadian city!
So sit back with your favorite warm beverage and bundle up while I walk you through the best way to spend a weekend in Toronto!
Ultimate 2-3 Day Weekend in Toronto Itinerary
Day 1 in Toronto
Stop 1 – Visit the CN Tower
One of the most iconic destinations when it comes to planning a trip in Toronto is the CN Tower. It’s the tallest free-standing tower in Toronto and a total height of 553.33 meters from the ground! It had several observation decks, a restaurant, and the chance to experience an edgewalk if you get tickets!
The lower deck of the CN tower has a glass floor and you can see all the way to the ground, the next observation level has glass windows all the way around so you can see anywhere and get a fantastic view of Toronto!
Then there’s the restaurant, with its own 360 views, and an amazing spot to spend an evening eating. Then there’s the SkyPod which is 33 storeys higher than the Main Observation deck, and rests at a standing height of 447 meters above the ground! If it’s windy, you can feel the tower moving from this level!
Ticket prices at the CN Tower range, allow you to go to different decks and see sights from all angles. It’s always a great choice to add the CN Tower to any Toronto Itinerary, especially when considering a spot to spend an early morning, or a late evening and enjoy Toronto in all its glory!
Book Here: Walking Tour with CN Tower Entry
Stop 2 – Catch a Blue Jays Game at Rogers Centre or a Maple Leafs Game at Scotiabank Arena
When planning your Toronto trip itinerary it’s always a great idea to consider the season you’re travelling in. And by season, we do mean Baseball and Hockey season! Despite popular belief, in Toronto, there are only two seasons; Baseball, March to October, and Hockey, October to May.
If you’re looking to get the proper Canadian experience, you cannot go wrong with fitting in a Toronto Maple Leafs game into your 2 days in Toronto.
They play home games at Scotiabank Arena, but for three streets outside of the rink they block off sections so you can stand outside and watch the game on massive screens and drink at local establishments!
So even if you don’t get tickets to a game, a free alternative is to register for tickets to watch the games outside! It’s standing-room only and don’t forget to dress appropriately!
And, of course, if you’re traveling during Baseball season the best way to spend Toronto in 2 days is to catch a Blue Jays game! They play home games at the Rogers Centre which is right outside Union Station, and always a fabulous option when creating your itinerary for Toronto!
Book here: Hop on Hop off Bus Tour Tickets
Stop 3 – See Marine Life at Ripley’s Aquarium
Another fabulous option when considering things to see in Toronto in 3 days, is a trip to Ripley’s Aquarium!
Containing over 5.7 million liters of water and featuring one of the world’s most extensive Jellyfish exhibits, Ripley’s Aquarium is a to-die-for experience when creating a Toronto weekend itinerary. Easily walkable between Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and CN Tower, Ripley’s is the perfect way to spend a morning waiting for doors to open for a game exploring and seeing all the amazing water mammals and marine life!
They have a moving walkway that works under a tunnel for an extremely immersive view of some of the coolest, and scariest marine life! They swim over the top of you as you get to see sharks, fish, and more! They also feature a really interesting exhibit on Canada’s unique and vast ecosystems to learn a little something while you’re there!
Definitely don’t skip Ripley’s Aquarium while adventuring on your weekend getaway in Toronto!
Stop 4 – Enjoy Toronto Skyline on a Harbour Islands Sightseeing Cruise
Just on the Harbourfront and within walking distance of all the other choices, the Harbour Islands Sightseeing Cruise departs, taking you on a cool trip to see some amazing views of Toronto’s skyline.
This one-hour tour takes you along the West side of the harbor, allowing you to see amazing buildings while also learning about the history of the Toronto Islands! The views from the water are immaculate and can be enjoyed from the deck of a boat where they have guides explaining everything you see around you!
Get Your Guide has a great tour listed at 35 dollars per person, and I definitely think it’s a cool option for your trip to Toronto!
Book Now: Harbour Islands Sightseeing Cruise
Day 2 in Toronto
Stop 1 – Grab Coffee at First and Last Coffee
When going into a busy day, the first and most important stop you can make while visiting Toronto is for quality coffee and delicious pastries. First and Last Coffee is definitely a great option!
Open 7:30am to 5pm, not only does their menu feature great-priced coffee and hand-crafted drinks, they also offer breakfast burritos and sandwiches without the extremely hefty price tag. It’s also close in distance to the next stop in your day, Casa Loma, making it a fantastic stop to add to your Toronto weekend guide!
Stop 2 – Go Back in Time at Casa Loma
An ideal weekend in Toronto is always made complete with a trip to Casa Loma. I remember going here growing up with my parents, it was so magical!
Casa Loma is Toronto’s little slice of Europe. This mansion-turned-museum is straight out of any Gothic Revival that will make you think of all the classic stories.
It is also featured in the 2019 film Ready or Not, where they were able to highlight the amazing architecture and uniqueness of the castle estate mixed with some horror! That absolutely fits! During Halloween, they do turn Casa Loma into a haunted house, so if you’re there during that time, definitely consider the ticket. It’s worth it.
Designed by the architect E.J. Lennox, who also worked on other buildings in the city, it was a primary residence to a financier in 1914. Since then it has become a very prominent landmark in Toronto, hosting events as well as serving as a museum to its time. It also has a gorgeous property with gardens to explore. Definitely consider adding Casa Loma to your Toronto weekend trip!
Book Here: Toronto: Casa Loma Entry Ticket
Stop 3 – Get Lost in the Royal Ontario Museum
The next stop on your 2 days in Toronto should definitely be the Royal Ontario Museum, or more commonly known as the ROM.
Being the most-visited museum in Canada, the ROM is also one of the largest museums in North America! Featuring exhibits ranging from art, world culture, and history, the ROM is definitely a cool spot to spend a few hours while exploring things to do in Toronto in a weekend!
Whether you’re there for the dinosaur fossils, the geology exhibits, or the history of mammals, the ROM has something for everything wanting to learn a little bit while exploring Toronto in 2 days!
Don’t skip the ROM on your weekend in Toronto, CA!
Book Here: Royal Ontario Museum General Admission Voucher
Stop 4 – Explore Kensington Market & Chinatown
It wouldn’t be 2 days in Toronto if you’re not taking time to explore the different districts around downtown. Kensington Market and Chinatown are two very different but very unique spots within walking distance of each other and a great way to spend a few hours!
Filled with unique booths and shops for artisans and some of the best food in the area! Kensington Market is known for its hand-crafted goods and local artists displaying their wares and perfect for people looking to see the amazing diversity of Canada’s creative people!
Just a five-minute walk down the road is Chinatown, which is definitely a phenomenal place to stop for some amazing food. They have interesting shops, as well as fabulous local restaurants to make your mouth water!
Take some time to explore the area by adding a walking tour to your Toronto trip planner!
Book Here: 2-Hour Kensington Market Chinatown Walking Tour
Stop 5 – Take a Food Tour
We believe that any Toronto travel itinerary without a food tour is missing out on some amazing and unique dishes at some of the lesser-known locations.
Food tours vary depending on the guide and who is running them, however, they’re crafted for you and your liking and can take you anywhere around Toronto for amazing food. An evening on a food tour would be a great way to end a busy day and even one great option for fun things to do in Toronto in a weekend!
Book Here: Food Tour with Foodie, Personalized & Private
Day 3 In Toronto
Option 1:
Stop 1 – Enjoy Delicious Food at St Lawrence Market
St Lawrence Market is the perfect way to end your trip to Toronto in 3 days.
It’s an insanely spacious market filled with over one hundred vendors, bakers, butchers, and artisans. With small restaurants cooking and baking on site, and other vendors coming from out of town, St Lawrence Market is the perfect way to spend your morning getting stuffed with ridiculously delicious food!
You can explore the market on your own or sign up for a food tour and get to taste a little bit of everything while interacting with vendors on a more one-on-one experience! You can’t go wrong with either option and this is an amazing way to end a weekend in Toronto!
Book Here: Canadian Food Discovery at St Lawrence Market
Stop 2 – Check out the Gooderham Building
The Gooderham Building is an architecturally interesting building in Toronto that you should definitely consider checking out!
When exploring the things to see in Toronto in 3 days, there’s plenty to do and not always a lot of time, but the Gooderham Building is a perfect option for people wanting to walk around and explore neighborhoods!
Gooderham was built in 1892 and is a classic red-brick flat-iron building that’s so thin! It’s so interesting to look at and if you want to go inside they have a British-style pub for a pint as well as a trompe l’oeil mural!
Bonus: Take a detour from St Lawrence Market and venture to Church Street. There you’ll see a Bansky graffiti piece on the wall of a building! Let us know if you spot it!
Stop 3 – Explore the Hockey Hall of Fame
Another fantastic and classic Canadian option for any Toronto 3-day itinerary is making time to explore the Hockey Hall of Fame!
It wouldn’t be a true trip to Canada if we didn’t encourage you to check out some true Canadian heritage by going through the exhibits of the origins of Hockey and some of its most prominent players, coaches, and people!
It’s located downtown, and within walking distance of several subway and bus stops so if you need to detour away from a Haunted Walking Tour it’s not too difficult! There’s also a pub inside which is another amazing way to celebrate hockey while exploring on your weekend in Toronto!
Stop 4 – Get Spooked on a Haunted Night Walking Tour
No matter what time of year, whether spooky or not, a Haunted Night Walking Tour is always a fun way to wrap up one of your 3 days in Toronto!
There are four different tours all over the city open for booking, so whether you’re wanting more historical locations, a cool district, or tales of spooky spirits there are plenty of hauntings to tour around Toronto!
We definitely recommend picking your tour based on where and what you’ll be doing during the day, but go wherever your interests take you on this awesome option to add to any Toronto 3 day Itinerary!
Book Here: Haunted Night Walking Tour
Option 2: Day Trip to Niagara
If you feel like you’ve seen enough of Toronto after two days and want to check off another destination on your Canadian bucket list, we definitely recommend taking a day trip out to Niagara Falls!
Niagara Falls might sound familiar because of its Buffalo side, but trust us when we say the Canadian side is much prettier than these cool water landmarks! Niagara region is known for its wineries and proximity to the falls so wherever you end up in the area is worth the detour to this amazing Canadian city!
If you choose to make your own tour, there’s a two-hour GoTrain that will go there and costs around 22CA, one way. Explore Clifton Hill, with a wax museum, haunted house, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and other amazing destinations as well as a Sky Wheel so you can see a different angle of the falls! Don’t forget to take a tour on the Hornblower Niagara Cruises, which explores the Canadian Falls and helps you get up close and personal with the misty waters!
A pre-made tour like the ones offered on Get Your Guide will take you around Old Historic Town, a boat tour of the falls, and exploring some of the beautiful scenic and must-stop areas in Niagara Falls without the stress.
Book Here: Falls Day Tour with Boat Cruise & Niagara-the-Lake
Book Here: Day Tour to Niagara Falls with Optional Boat Cruise
Book Here: Niagara Falls Walking Tour, Journey Behind The Falls, & Cruise
Where to Stay on your Toronto Weekend Itinerary
The Annex
The Annex is a cute, small boutique hotel right off of Bloor Street and in the perfect location for Toronto’s hectic and explorative epicenter!
It offers a free continental breakfast, but also has a restaurant and bar on site! If you’re looking for the feel and privacy of an airbnb, the socialization of a hostel, but the cleanliness and hospitality of a hotel, The Annex is the perfect spot to stay for your weekend in Toronto!
Rated 9/10 on hotels.com, it has a terrace, coffee and tea bar in their common area as well as being in a fantastic location! Don’t overlook The Annex when planning your Toronto itinerary!
Check Rates: hotels.com
Chelsea Hotel
Next is the Chelsea Hotel located next to the Toronto Eaton Centre, the biggest mall located in downtown Toronto!
Being close to the Toronto Eaton Centre it is insanely close to a very convenient subway stop that will help transport to Union and the Airport super carefree! It has on-site dining, fitness center, and two indoor pools!
It’s in a great spot! Not only being accessible to the subway, but also a 10-minute walk to the Art Gallery of Ontario and to Toronto’s entertainment district. This is perfect for people looking to experience Toronto’s nightlife!
Check Rates: booking.com
One King Hotel and Residence
Another fabulous option for hotels to look at for your weekend in Toronto is One King Hotel and Residence!
Located just a ten-minute walk away from both St Lawrence Market and the Hockey Hall of Fame, One King Hotel and Residence is a delightfully unique historical building perfect for those looking for an eclectic hotel for their weekend getaway to Toronto!
With an 8.5 out of 10 rating on booking.com, One King Hotel has a bar, two restaurants, a fitness center and room service for their patrons. As well as boasting classic historic charm and modern elegance perfect for all travelers!
Check Rates: booking.com
Where to Eat During Your Weekend in Toronto
Bar Banane
Bar Banane is a fantastic option for couples spending the weekend in Toronto and looking for a romantic night out!
With a high-quality and delicious menu featuring unique seafood dishes, Bar Banane looks to elevate every kind of meal, making this the ideal romantic dinner destination! Their seafood dishes boast a wide range of flavour combinations meaning that you’ll always be surprised with their menu! Don’t skip getting a cocktail at this location, they have delightful options!
They do get fairly busy so please consider making a reservation! While they save space for walk-in’s, if you’re looking forward to it, it’s better to be safe than disappointed!
Little Sister Dutch Indonesian
Little Sister Dutch Indonesian is a delicious family-style Indonesian restaurant and the perfect addition to anyone’s Toronto itinerary!
It’s located in a stylish, 2 storey building with a patio and an amazing view of the city! It’s reasonably priced for their unique dishes and lovely shareable’s perfect for a group or a couple! They have a unique cocktail menu in their main restaurant as well as a Dutch speakeasy!
Located in the heart of TO, the speakeasy is a breath from the restaurant side keeping it small, and intimate and perfect to enjoy their delicious, hand-crafted cocktails!
Don’t miss out on this delicious and unique destination on your weekend in Toronto, CA!
Bellwoods Brewery
Bellwoods Brewery is the perfect spot if you’re looking for a local brewhouse with delicious food and good, creative beer!
They are in a tiny little spot with an outdoor patio for lovely summer afternoons, as well as a second floor mezzanine that allows you to look out over the brewery’s brews in the making! Their menu rotates based on what’s fresh and in season so you’ll find delicious seasonal dishes to match their crafts!
Bellwoods Brewery offers tasting sessions led by staff as well as a bottle shop! So if you like what you’ve tasted and you enjoyed their offerings you have a chance to take it home as a keepsake, or for later in the hotel!
Getting To and Around Toronto
Getting to and around Toronto might seem daunting but it is really easy and safe! You can drive, fly or train into Toronto for your weekend getaway and when you’re there travel is so easy! City itself is accessible by subway, bus, streetcar, cabs and Ubers.
Every Canadian will tell you that, much like New York City, the car traffic is a nightmare and should be avoided at all costs. While it definitely is a safe and secure way for those who have sensory sensitivities and don’t want to worry about their travel in. However, it will definitely be the more expensive option so keep that in mind!
The main station in the city is Union, which is just shy of downtown Toronto, and has both train station towards other cities in Canada as well as the GoTrain stops. If you get lost or are looking to spend your day closest to the CN Tower, Union Station will always be the stop for you as it has direct entrance from the inside to Scotiabank Arena as well as the Rogers Centre! Tickets for the GoTrain range but these will also take you out of the city.
The subway has multiple points of entry and stops around the city and is a great option for effective travel while your Toronto weekend trip! For individual costs it’s 3.35CA (approx. 2.60US), and you can purchase day passes for 13.50CA (approx. 11US). You could also get a Presto card, which is similar to an Oyster Card in London, England, and is usable for bus, streetcar, subway, and GoTrain! It’s a reloadable card that you can use during your stay!
When it comes to traveling in Canada, please take into account the time of year you’re visiting. It can and will get cold when you least expect it, I always make sure to travel with layers and to bundle up when I’m out exploring!
Toronto is an amazing Canadian destination to explore and enjoy no matter the time of year! We know that accomplishing the big city of Toronto in 3 days seems impossible, but if you know where and what you’ll be doing there’s definitely plenty of time for you to accomplish all the cool things in the area!
Now that you’ve seen all the amazing stops and activities that the beautiful city of Toronto has to offer, where will you explore first?
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