25 Things to do in Toronto Travel Guide

Well, hello! So for today's video I'm on home turf. I am back in Toronto with Sam. So we're going to be taking you on a little tour of the city. Sam hasn't really spent a lot of time here, so we're going to try and make it really touristy but also include some of my favorite spots. So let's go! Toronto is considered Canada's melting pot. It is said that half of the people living in Toronto were born outside of the country, so that means lots of different languages, sights, and flavours, which makes the city a really fun place to explore. With only a few days in Toronto, we set out to visit a mix of neighbourhoods, top attractions, and of course, we also made time to sample plenty of food. The following travel guide will showcase 25 things to do in Toronto, so if you're planning a trip here, or you need some travel inspiration, be sure to stick around as we take you on a city tour. Not many visitors know this about Toronto, but just a short ferry ride from the city, you have a chain of islands that offer some of the best views in the whole city. The largest and most visited of them all is Centre Island, and it's a great place to be during the summer months. This was our first stop on our tour of Toronto. We are currently in Centre Island. We left the city behind and took the ferry over, which is pretty nice. Yeah, it is my first time here and I have to say it is a real nice quiet green escape from the hustle and bustle of the downtown. Yeah, it is super relaxed. We were just watching like little baby ducks and swans. Super cute. And this is where you get like the most iconic views of the city. Like those postcard perfect views. Yes. And so I've never seen this vantage point before and I'm loving it. We are getting ready to go up the CN Tower and we are showing up like 30 minutes before opening because last time the line was like 2 hours long and we were not willing to wait. Seriously guys that was around lunchtime. A 2 hour waiting time just to go up to the observation deck. So get here early. That is our number one tip. We were the first elevator up. My hands are all clammy. That was a little scary but we're here. Yeah. The CN Tower was once the world's tallest freestanding structure and the world's tallest tower for more than three decades. It can be a bit unnerving if you're not a big fan of heights, especially once you reach the glass floor, but it's one of those iconic attractions that you can't miss. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even do the edge walk, which takes you on a hands-free walk around the roof of the main pod. Ripley's Aquarium is one of Toronto's newest attractions and it draws big crowds. The aquarium is home to 450 species, but our favorite part was the Dangerous Lagoon, which is an underwater tunnel where you can see sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles swimming above your head. The aquarium is located right next to the CN Tower, so you could easily do both on the same day. If you luck out with a nice day, we'd recommend going for a walk along the harbour front. You can often find live music and various events and exhibitions taking place. Plus, it's a really nice area to enjoy a stroll. After all that sightseeing, it was time for a little snack break and we've gone for the Beaver Tail. So we needed a little sugar pick-me-up here. Yeah. And this is some kind of a decadent little snack. Take a look at here. We've got copious amounts of Nutella. Peanut butter. Peanut butter and then Reese's Pieces on top of that. Yeah, so this one is called the Triple Trip and Beaver Tails didn't originate in Toronto but they are from Ontario so you definitely have to try them. Yes, from this province. And I've now had them in Ottawa and also Quebec City so this is my third time ever having this. Oh, what a treat. Dig right in. How is that? Mmmm. That is delicious. Yeah? So good. Oh, love the Nutella. Love Reese's Pieces. Yeah. I mean this is almost like a bit of you know it almost reminds me a little bit of a churros consistency. Yeah, so it is basically fried dough and it is shaped to look like a beaver tail so no beaver in there. Don't worry. No beavers were harmed. Yeah, no beavers were consumed in this. Lots of peanut butter though. You can get it with lots of different toppings. So you can get Nutella and banana or icing sugar, cinnamon. Yeah, I think the hardest thing is when you go to order it because there is just so much selection. So many options. But I'm always going to go with peanut butter and chocolate. Formerly known as the Sky Dome, this stadium is home to the Toronto Blue Jays. Baseball fans can take tours or catch a game during the season. Here is the hat collector. It has a new one. Yes. This ever-growing collection. The ever-growing collection is getting a little higher with this latest Toronto Blue Jays hat. And the Toronto Blue Jays are Canada's only team in Major League Baseball and they're a pretty awesome team. They've won two World Series both in the 90s. They have a really strong team right now. So if you're thinking of watching a baseball game definitely go check out the Blue Jays here in Toronto. Woo Go Blue Jays! Graffiti Alley is located right between Queen Street West and Richmond Street West, just west of Spadina Avenue. The area is covered in murals and cool graffiti, and it was full of photographers and Instagrammers looking for the perfect shot when we visited. The Distillery District is one of the most distinct neighbourhoods in Toronto. It is home to over 40 heritage buildings, which were once at the heart of the whiskey export. Area has been revitalized, and you'll find lots of cafes, restaurants, galleries, and coffeehouses. This is also the setting for the Toronto Christmas Market in December. We are in Chinatown. Yes. And compared to the day before when we were out hanging around in Toronto, today is much warmer. So we're ducking into this restaurant to cool off a bit and we're getting dim sum. So the cool thing about Toronto is that you can get just about any international cuisine you want. And we were at a craving for dim sum and we're wandering around in Chinatown so we're like let's order some of our favorites. That's really good. Super aromatic and flavorful. Really nice. Like many cities around the world, Toronto has a thriving Chinatown. This can be a really fun neighbourhood to explore, with lots of shops, eateries, and outdoor markets offering a good bargain. The main intersections for Chinatown are Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West, and you can then explore the side streets from there. Okay, so now that we are well fed, we are going to check out Kensington Market. This is a really artsy area with lots of graffitis, markets, and shops, so it'll be fun. Let's go have a look. From Chinatown, it's just a short walk over to Kensington Market, where you'll definitely want to wander with a camera in hand. Kensington Market offers an eclectic mix of hippie markets, vintage boutiques, record stores, hole-in-the-wall bars, little bakeries, and so much more. Next up, we have the Royal Ontario Museum and its striking exterior known as the Crystal. It is the largest museum in Canada and covers everything from dinosaurs to ancient Egypt. We're here at the Steam Whistle Brewery, which is right across from Ripley's Aquarium. That aquarium was awesome but it kind of tired me out. I haven't seen that many people for a long time in one place. So coming over here and just having a pint. And the other cool thing that you can do here is you can take a tour of the brewery itself. But we're starving so we're just going to drink beer and eat some food. Sounds good. How is it? It's really good and man it is hot outside so cold beer really tastes good on a hot summer day in Canada. Steam Whistle Brewing produces a premium pilsner lager and it has been voted one of the best micro-breweries in Toronto. Just outside Steam Whistle Brewing, you'll find the Toronto Railway Museum. They have a display of trains on site, which is quite popular with families and kids. Another area worth checking out is Queen Street West. This used to be a popular spot with university students thanks to its cheap vintage markets, tiny bars, and indie cafes. However, in recent years it has become more gentrified. You can still find traces of Queen Street's artsy side but in smaller doses. Another thing you'll want to experience while in Toronto is riding the streetcar. The city is slowly rolling out new streetcars, but if you get lucky you might be able to ride on the classic vintage ones. Okay Sam, so do you want to tell us where we are right now? Yes, so we're outside of the Hockey Hall of Fame and even if you're not a hockey fan this is an absolute must visit thing in Toronto because hockey is practically a religion in Canada. And this is the Hall of Fame. This is basically where you get to learn about all of the great players of the present and the past and just to learn more about the game. And you can also see the most iconic trophy in all of North American sports. The Stanley Cup. Oh, wow. So you've got to come here. Of course, Sam has dragged me to yet another sporting centre. Yeah, and this is the Air Canada Centre where the Toronto Maple Leafs play and the National Hockey League. And I have to say this they are my least favorite team in the NHL. So do come to a hockey game but cheer for the opposite team. Wait, wait, wait. Why don't you like the Toronto Maple Leafs? Well, they're just a perpetually bad team and they get way too much media coverage in Canada. And I'm a Blackhawks fan so that is why I don't like them. Aside from hockey, the ACC is also home to the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Best place for Korean food. So we've just arrived in Koreatown with the intention of exploring but we are starving. So our first stop is a restaurant. Let's look at what we've got here. So we found a place that specializes in stone pot rice but first up we're going to be eating our banchan which are the side dishes. And look at this. We've got some kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage. Man, that looks good. Look at that. Love the kimchi. Mmmmm. Oh yeah. Nice and sour. That is good. So we have a very happy boy today. My favorite Korean dish has arrived. Dolsot Bibimbap. It is a stone pot Korean rice with assorted vegetables, a little bit of meat and my personal favorite ingredient the red pepper paste called gochujang which I'm now going to add. And we just let that cook in there in that hot stone bowl and then you mix it all together. Oh yeah. Listen to that sizzle. Oh ho. That looks amazing. Dig right in. It is all stirred. And you know what they've brought some extra gochujang sauce. They realized that I appear to be really enjoying the mixing of it. And the spice. So let's try this now. It is like being right back in Seoul. That is a good thing. That is very authentic. Oh yeah. Loving it. Wait my tongue is on fire. And this is what I'm having. This is a spicy kimchi stew or like a soup with lots of tofu. Let's try that sundubu kimchi jjigae. Yeah. So I've already been drinking this for a while and my nose is running from the spice. Like it is intense but it is so good. Like even though it is burning you can't stop eating it. You just want more. So yeah, I love this stuff. So good. So good. Aside from delicious food, you can also find bubble tea shops, stationary stores, and noraebang if you want to sing karaoke into the night. From there we continue to Castle Loma. It may look like a castle, but this place was built as a home complete with secret passageways, stately towers, and a whopping 98 rooms. It's an unusual spot in Toronto and well worth the visit. Across from Castle Loma you'll find Spadina House. Setting foot in the house is like travelling back in time, as it is decorated in the style of the 1920s and 30s. Another thing you can do in the city is enjoy a campus walk through the University of Toronto. The campus has beautiful ivy-covered buildings and lots of green spaces to lounge around. For all you foodies out there, Toronto also boasts the St. Lawrence Market. Here you'll find food stalls and restaurants, as well as stands selling classic Canadian souvenirs such as bottles of maple syrup. If you happen to visit Toronto during the summer months, another thing to consider doing is renting a bike. Bike Share Toronto offers day passes which are great for visitors looking to explore the city on wheels. The Art Gallery of Ontario is home to the largest collection of Canadian art. It has pieces by the famed Group of Seven, and the building itself also has a rather unique design. Last but not least, head up to Yonge-Dundas Square. This is a lively intersection where you'll also find the Eaton Centre, which is a massive shopping complex. Make sure you don't miss the glass gallery with the giant Canadian geese. And that's a wrap for TO! We hope you enjoyed this city guide and that it gave you some ideas of what to see and where to go on your trip. As always, if you have any suggestions of things to do in Toronto that we may not have mentioned, feel free to share those with fellow travellers in the comments below. For more travel videos from around the world, be sure to hit subscribe!