Toronto

Unforgettable Weekend in Toronto

Perched on the banks of the beautiful Lake Ontario, Toronto is a great city to lose yourself in for a weekend. The capital of Ontario, Toronto is a major metropolis. It is also the most populated city in Canada. This is where to come to sample a part of Canada that’s mostly filled with locals.

Toronto offers all of the delights that all large urban centers do: a great food scene, fun nightlife, and plenty of local culture. There is something for everyone to do. It’s short summer is the best time to visit, although there are plenty of great indoor activities if you happen to visit in the harsher winter months. Spend the perfect weekend here by sampling the great food scene, wandering the quirky neighborhoods, and exploring some indoor markets.

Friday Night

Start your trip with a visit to the Kensington Market neighborhood. Filled with colorful victorian homes, there is a laid-back, bohemian vibe to the restaurants, shops, and houses here. If there’s a photographer along for the trip, this is where to go for those perfect Toronto picture backdrops.

When you work up an appetite, head to Grey Gardens for a delicious sit-down meal or Emporium Latino where you can get slow, cooked to order food in this old-school Latin Grocery setup. If you’re here on the last weekend of the month, bump this activity to Saturday when the streets are shut down to cars and vendors line the sidewalks.

Saturday Day

If the weather allows, take a ferrry over to the Toronto Islands, a group of 15 islands in Lake Ontario that are connected by bridges and walkways. The islands have swimming beaches, canoe and kayak rentals, large fields perfect for picnicking, nature walks and even an amusement park. There’s enough to do to easily fill a whole day here, and bars and restaurants on site to make is possible.

As an alternative, take the subway to Casa Loma, an early 20th Century castle that overlooks the city. The beautiful grounds, intricate rooms, and 800-foot underground tunnel are a great way to spend the day.

Saturday Night

Take the ferry back to the mainland by late afternoon to catch a Toronto food tour. Because of it’s central location and hub as a modern, international city, Toronto has become a fabulous food city. Book one of the many companies offering tours to get insight into how Toronto’s food scene became what it is today. There is a walking tour that showcases the cities street food, ones that focus on the fine-dining scene, and some that explore specific food-centric neighborhoods, like Kensington Market and Chinatown. Pick whichever one is the best fit for you and spend the night eating your way through the city of Toronto.

Sunday Day

After breakfast, head over to the Distillery District for one of the cities weekend hotspots. There are events and festivals throughout the year, but the district has plenty to explore even on a normal day. Sample food from one of the great restaurants, relax over a cup of artisan coffee, or simply wander the shops to find local and handmade goods. This is a great place to mingle with locals and other visitors.

Feel free to spend the rest of your hours there or, take the short walk over to the St. Lawrence Market. Built in the 17th century, the market is filled with vendors hawking local and imported food items to both locals and tourists. Come here on an empty stomach, you’ll want to sample a lot of what’s available.



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