Toronto… what a unique, multicultural, old, new, beautiful city! We expected to like Toronto, but we were really impressed by it. The city is huge but feels manageable. It has an excellent transportation system, and on a sunny day it shines bright and inviting. We imagined that visiting Toronto during any season would have its charm, but in the fall it seemed particularly beautiful, bathed in sunlight and color.
Getting to Toronto is easy, as it is served by a major airport with flights from all major North American and international cities. Something to keep in mind is that the airport is a bit far from town. It could take over an hour to get to the center of Toronto, if driving, as there is often a bit of traffic (even on the weekends).
Where to stay in Toronto
Toronto has any type of lodging you can imagine, from great hotels to excellent airbnbs. The trickier part is choosing where to stay. In terms of location, our recommendation is to stay in and around Yorkville. It is centrally located, well connected to the rest of the city, and has many excellent restaurants, bars, museums and parks. Another area with excellent location, hotels, and plenty to do is near Old Toronto.
Not surprisingly, we chose to stay at the Park Hyatt Toronto – another beautiful Hyatt property, which was renovated in 2021.
We loved its location, beautiful interior design, excellent restaurant, spa and roof top bar. We could not have wanted for more.
The hotel houses a unique collection of Indigenous artists’ work from across Canada. The artworks are beautifully integrated into the hotel’s interior design. You can read more about the artists and specific works here.
As is true for any large metropolitan city, there is a lot see and do in Toronto. A little planning is required to make sure that you end up visiting what is of interest to you.
Here are our suggestions for spending two days in Toronto, with a focus on getting a feel for local life and nature, visiting world famous landmarks, and exploring the vast food scene.
Day 1 in Toronto
Spend time in Yorkville
Take a stroll through the beautiful Yorkville. This unique neighborhood is home to museums, luxury shops, excellent restaurants, and wonderful in city parks. It is particularly beautiful in the fall as its many trees change color.
- Visit the Royal Ontario Museum – its unique architecture is enough to capture your attention, but it is also Canada’s largest museum with art, natural history, and cultural exhibits. You can buy tickets online at the museum’s website.
- Stroll through Philosopher’s walk – located in the St. George campus of the University of Toronto, this walk weaves through a park setting and is open 24 hours a day. It is particularly beautiful in the fall.
- Shop or window shop the Yorkville Mink Mile. Tom Ford, Channel, Christian Louboutin and more luxury stores are located here. You can also see many murals and admire public artworks.
- Take a break and enjoy Italian coffee at Eataly Toronto or enjoy some Canadian ice cream (maple syrup flavor anyone😋?) at a local creamery – try Summer’s Ice Cream – a true local favorite.
Additionally, stop by and try any of the local restaurants and bars. Each has a unique atmosphere and decor, and you are sure to find one you like. See our Where to drink and eat in Toronto section for specific recommendations.
Visit the Distillery District
Make your way to Old Town Toronto. The pedestrian only Distillery District is a favorite of tourists and locals alike. Whiskey distillery buildings built in the 19th century house art galleries, shops, bars, and many unique restaurants. On the weekend, you might even catch a local farmer’s market set up in the main square. And in the wintertime, you can visit the Christmas market.
- Stop by the Spirit of York distillery, the only working distillery left in the district, for some unique local drinks. You can sample their production or ask for a specialty cocktail at the bar. Be sure to try the Hawthorne Berry Gin – unique, interesting, flavorful. Sample some of the local Genever – this Dutch gin-like drink is not found very often. A super enjoyable experience, complemented by the ever-helpful staff.
- If you are in a mood for a special treat, stop by the SOMA Chocolatemaker – yum 😋! Unique and so very tasty, you can watch and smell how their treats are made. Drink a cup of hot chocolate. A must stop if you are a chocolate lover.
- Visit the Yummi Candles store for some unique soy candles and bring a souvenir home.
There are too many interesting places to explore. Just wander around and enjoy the Distillery District.
Day 2 in Toronto
Visit the CN Tower
The CN (Canada National) Tower is the icon of the Toronto skyline. Still considered the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, it rises 553.3 meters (1,815.3 ft) high above the city of Toronto. It houses two observation decks and a revolving restaurant.
It is estimated that the CN Tower attracts over 2 million international visitors a year.
You can buy a ticket for a timed entry online here or at the bottom of the tower. There are two options: a timed general admission or a Skypod + timed general admission. In our experience, the general admission to the main observation level is really impressive. You will have an unbelievable view of Toronto that very much worth the price of admission 😊!
The Skypod is located 33 stories higher and is a more compact space. If you choose to go to this level, you might feel the tower sway in the wind. We didn’t think that getting up to this level added any much that you didn’t get at the main observation deck. We recommend skipping it.
Additional things to do include dining at the 360 degrees restaurant (reservations required) or participating in the Brave the EdgeWalk experience – a unique exterior walk two stories above the main observation deck. We didn’t dare 😲!
A bit unsure of what to expect, we loved the experience and highly recommend visiting the CN Tower.
There is plenty more to see around the CN Tower, depending on your interests. You can visit the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the Toronto Railway Museum, the Rogers Center (home of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team), or the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Visit the Harbourfront
Just a short walk from the CN Tower is the Toronto Harbourfront. This area is located right off beautiful Lake Ontario. You can walk the waterfront parks and trails, passing by many galleries, theaters, and art sculptures. There are also plenty of street-level restaurants and shops. On a beautiful day, you can take the ferry to the Toronto islands and beaches just across the way. A beautiful area with a superb view of the Toronto skyline.
Where to drink and eat in Toronto
Toronto is a vibrant, multicultural city and there are many options to choose from. It truly was hard to pick where to go and what to try. Here are a few of our favorites:
Restaurants
- Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie in the Distillery District – French-style restaurant, modern and very unpretentious, beautifully decorated. We had brunch at Cluny and it was oh-so-good 😋!
- Kasa Moto in Yorkville – super tasty Japanese food, beautiful setting, creative cocktails and an excellent wine selection. We recommend trying the Orange Wine from Canada’s Niagara Region. The restaurant has a nice patio. Reservations required.
- Park Hyatt Toronto Joni restaurant – we only tried Joni for breakfast but were super impressed by everything we tasted. The restaurant offers afternoon tea (next time for sure), and a tasting dinner menu. Reservations for dinner are recommended.
- Osteria Giulia in Yorkville – Wow, 😲😋 what an excellent restaurant! An intimate, one Michelin star restaurant tucked in Yorkville. Reservations must be made well in advance, as the restaurant is very popular. The food was exceptional, the service excellent; Osteria Giulia comes with our highest recommendation for a special occasion or just a super nice dinner.
- Bonimi Restaurant in the Islington area – for something different, we tried Bonimi Restaurant, which serves modern Serbian food. Very unpretentious spot with great Balkan specialties and excellent service.
Bars
- Hemingway’s Restaurant and Bar – iconic Toronto spot, New Zealand style pub with an excellent, year-round rooftop patio. Very lively. Reservations recommended.
- Bar Reyna in Yorkville – Mediterranean-inspired food and super creative cocktails. Heated patio, music, and very lively atmosphere. Reservations recommended.
- Park Hyatt Writers Room Rooftop Bar – superior location for cocktails and snacks. The skyline view of downtown Toronto is breathtaking. We visited multiple times during different times of the day and in the evening and were equally impressed. Another spot where you can sample Canadian wines. Reservations highly recommended as the bar is super popular with locals and tourists alike.
We truly struggled to pick places to eat and drink because of the variety and number of options. Two days simply were not enough to even scratch the surface of the food scene in Toronto. We definitely plan to come back and explore further.
What we loved about Toronto
- Beautiful and welcoming city and people
- A city which seamlessly blends history and modernity
- Easy city to navigate with excellent transportation system
- We felt very safe everywhere we went, even late at night, which is not always the case in many large North American cities
- Fall made the city shine – so many parks, so much color!
- Many options for things to do
What to bring in the fall
- Layers of clothing as the weather changes a lot in the fall
- Comfortable shoes; will do a lot of walking
- Stylish clothing: Toronto is a very stylish city
- Sunglasses
- An umbrella. We like this one for travel, but Amazon has many reasonably priced options.
Check out our list of travel essentials on what to take and how to maximize your packing.
In closing, we loved our time in Toronto and hope to come back, perhaps in the spring!
If you have extra time, be sure to check out our post on Niagara Falls. It is an easy day trip from Toronto that we highly recommend, especially if you have not visited before.
Stay tuned for our specific recommendations on what to wear.
[All pictures taken by the Styled Traveler]
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