The Perfect Weekend in Toronto: 3 Days Toronto Itinerary!
I recently did this this 3 days Toronto itinerary totally solo and had a fantastic time despite the gloomy weather as I found the city to be easy to get around, lots to do even when it’s raining and a mystic vibe I’ve not gotten over yet but already feel like I need to return.
Follow my guide for the perfect weekend in Toronto!
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Contents: 3 Days in Toronto Canada
This is a researched that I did during the month of September and everything I can advise.
Toronto Overview
Day 1: CN Tower, Neighbourhoods, Filming Locations, Food
Day 2: Museums, Waterfront, Theatre, More Food
Day 3: Niagara Falls Day Trip and Food
Toronto Itinerary: Fast Tracked
Stay connected: Get this Airalo esim for data, calls and texts in Canada
Airport transfer: A private transfer from Toronto Pearson to the city
Where to stay in Toronto: Samesun Hostel is a social hostel in Kensington Market and is cheap, well-located and close to public transit
Top-rated tour of Toronto: This 3-hour guided bicycle tour around major areas of the city is the best rated on Viator
Toronto car hire: Use discover cars to compare prices
Planning the Toronto Weekend Trip
How to Get to Toronto
Flying to Toronto is the easy because the city has 8 airports. The main, international airport is Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and from there to the city will take 30 minutes by train and although it says 30 minutes by driving, Toronto traffic is ranked the worst in Canada so it will be far longer than this.
If you want to take one of the world’s greatest train journeys, then you could go from Vancouver to Toronto and it would only take 4 days ;). I never realised how big this country is until I moved here!
Getting Around
It’s so easy to get around Toronto because the public transport is excellent here. During my 3 day trip I used the streetcar/tram, train, bus and Uber is in Toronto. Everything is on Google and I found Apple Maps excellent for giving me the exact streetcar/bus/train to use and when.
I highly recommend getting an Airalo e-sim if you do not have a Canadian sim because it’s the best way to have data on the go and booking Ubers, using Maps, finding reservation codes, etc.
Is Toronto cheap?
No, bud. This is Canada and it’s not known for being budget-friendly.
That being said, there are a few hacks I found such as getting the train from the airport to the city, using streetcars to get around, looking for days where museums have free entry, walking wherever you can, look for discount codes online for various restaurants/shopping places.
And if you want to save money in Toronto then the CityPASS is a weekend Toronto must-have as it will grant you entry to major sights like CN Tower, Casa Loma and Royal Ontario Museum.
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Toronto
When deciding which area of Toronto to stay in, you should think about your budget, if you’re comfortable using public transport and what you want as your surroundings (waterfront, greenery or concrete jungle).
For me, location is everything so while in Toronto on my own I wanted to be somewhere that was a good area, budget-friendly, had a female-only dorm and well connected to the rest of Toronto. Samesun Hostel was the perfect option for me.
Samesun is a Canadian hostel chain with hostels in Banff, Vancouver and Toronto with a good reputation. Toronto Samesun is located in Kensington Market on Augusta and College. It has excellent transportation options including a streetcar (tram) right outside connecting to many other routes and the subway. Even so, I used Uber many times to and from the hostel and especially at night.
The room was clean, had a curtain per bunk, storage lockers, 2 USB plugs and on the same floor was a washroom. Staff were helpful and on reception 24/7, there’s storage for your stuff, free towels, free breakfast every day, lots of information boards, indoor and outdoor hang-out spaces, hostel activities including free tours.
The one thing I’d note about staying at Samesun is that you will see lots of drug-users and drug-use outside the hostel, on the street and the Kensington area. The hostel is secured with its own terrace that is only for guests, the hostel is fairly busy with people always coming and going and staff are on reception all night.
Things to Know: Itinerary Toronto
- Population: 2.9 million
- Currency: Canadian Dollar
- Language: English and French (but over 160 languages are spoken in Toronto)!
- Nicknames: Trono, The 6ix, Hogtown, Hollywood North
- Random fact: Toronto has always been its name. It was called tkaronto by the Mohawk which means ‘where there are trees standing in the water’. There are over 10 million trees in the city.
The Perfect 3 Days Toronto Itinerary
Day 1 of Weekend in Toronto
Jimmys Coffee
Although the first day of this 3 Day Toronto itinerary is packed with the cliche, must-do things in Toronto I am starting with somewhat of a Toronto gem. Locals won’t agree but unless you know, how would you know.
Canada and Tim Hortons is synonymous but when you’re in Toronto, head to Jimmy’s coffee. Jimmy’s is a Toronto institution and when you’re inside it has a chilled vibe, good coffee and pictures all over the walls of famous Jimmys: Hendrix, Falon, Dean.
There are 8 locations across the city so find the easiest one for you and enjoy the tasty caffeine that’s going to help you through this jam-packed 3 days Toronto itinerary.
CN Tower
How else would you start Toronto in 3 days than hitting the icon and landmark of the city that is the CN Tower. As soon as you’re off Union Station from the airport, you’ll see it (unless it’s gloomy like when I was there and could barely see anything – see picture below).
As the sky was so hazy, I decided not to go to the top of the tower because I would not have seen anything and may as well have burned my money. But if you’re in town and it’s a clear day then head on up to walk along the glass floor, x, and see the wonderful city you’re about to explore for 3 days Toronto.
Alternatively, take a guided tour of Toronto that includes entrance to CN Tower.
Toronto Sign
And have you even been to a place if you haven’t seen and took a photo with the place’s sign? It’s a thing when visiting any place of note these days and of course, Toronto has its own near City Hall just a few blocks walk from CN Tower.
Kensington Market & Chinatown
From the Toronto sign, take a streetcar/subway to Kensington Market, the first neighbourhood on your Toronto itinerary.
Here is where you can explore a funky, hippie, outdoor market. You’ll find a cafe with laptop ban, vintage shops, 24/7 bars, freshly-pressed juice, delicious food and Come as You Are, a shop dedicated to sexual pleasure.
Adjacent to Kensington is Chinatown which was once the largest chinatown in Canada.
Toronto’s Chinatown has bilingual street names, record shops, festivals, the Art Gallery of Ontario (known as the AGO) and scrumptious food.
Take your time wandering around the streets, shopping, learning and eating of course! Speaking of…
Lunch
There are so many good places to eat in Kensington Market and Chinatown that it’s often known as the best foodie area in the city especially because they are directly next to one another.
It all depends on what you’re fancying…
- For authentic Jamaican food, head to Rasta Pasta and you’ll smell the jerk chicken being barbecued on the street
- August 8 is the place for all-you-can-eat sushi and dim sum
- Or delicious dumplings on the go from Mother’s Dumplings
- Something sweet? Get a cream or fruit pie from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky
Or take a street food tour of Toronto:
Toronto Filming Locations
Did you know that Toronto is known as Hollwood North? This is because there are so many films and TV shows filmed in Toronto but set in several US cities.
And you can see the places that were used for filming movies like Mean Girls, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Incredible Hulk and Chicago.
Or hit TV shows like Suits or Schitt’s Creek. I went to all the Schitt’s Creek locations in and near Toronto so you can follow my guide to find them too!
So after lunch is done, go find these places that you’ve watched on the big screen.
Book Store
Just before I headed back to change and refresh before dinner, I went to do my habitual book shopping in a city. I love visiting locally-owned bookshops and supporting them.
My Toronto choice was Flying Books at Neverland, a book shop, bar and cafe in one which had the most friendly person I met in Toronto working there who fan-girled with me over Sally Rooney (Intermazzo was being released that week).
Other notable bookshops include The Monkey’s Paw in Old Toronto and Re-Read in Danforth.
Dinner
One of the most unique foodie experiences I’ve had ever was during my solo Toronto trip.
It was surrounding food (of course) and was at a place called Yunnan Noodle Shack on Baldwin Street.
Yunnan Noodle Shack is a restaurant made for solo diners, the first of its kind in Ontario. I’ve solo dined at many places around the world but this was, hands down, the most comfortable meal I’ve experienced. Not to mention, one of the most glorious noodle dishes ever (I had the Minced Pork Chili w/Pork Crisp Soup).
The owners brought the concept of dining alone to life when they introduced this restaurant to Toronto. There are wooden dining stations separated by dividers and each ‘table’ includes a phone-holder, cutlery, condiments, QR code to order, buttons to call the server/ask for water/the bill and a draw for your belongings (adding to the simplicity and elegance).
Optional: Visit Casa Loma, an iconic castle in the middle of Toronto with grand architecture, vintage car collection and was a filming location for X-Men, Twitches, Chicago and Drake’s Wait for U music video!
2 Days in Toronto Itinerary
St Lawrence Market
This is the oldest market in Toronto and one of the oldest building so its architecture is a stark, and welcomed, contrast to the sky scrapers that seem to swallow the city.
St Lawrence Market has two floors of stalls selling everything from flowers, fruit and flags to peameal bacon, pierogis and pastries. Immerse yourself in the scents like fresh fish and brewing coffee and listen to the outdoor live music that is on the terrace.
You cannot visit here without getting a famous, Torontonian, peameal bacon sandwich from Carousel Bakery. Locals, celebrities and chefs have all sworn their allegiance to this bakery including Orange is the New Black star Samira Wiley, my nation’s sweetheart, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and of course, Chef Anthony Bourdain during The Layover in Toronto.
So get the thickly-sliced bacon on a soft bun with your sauce choice in less than 2 minutes of handing over your cash (it is cash only).
Hockey Hall of Fame
Canadians are obsessed with hockey. And in Toronto, it’s the Maple Leafs. To understand Canadian culture, you need to understand the love for Ice Hockey and Toronto has the perfect place to do just that.
Hockey Hall of Fame is a place to honour and respect the great game, players and contribution that Canada has given to hockey both nationally and internationally including Olympic Games and other tournaments.
At the museum you can learn about the game, history and notable players, see memorabilia like jerseys and the Stanley Cup, interactive exhibitions and replica dressing rooms.
Did you know? Tim Horton was a famous Ice Hockey player!
Waterfront
You can explore the waterfront in several ways: Take a stroll down the harbour, visit the Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada or the art gallery, hang out at one of the many beaches or for unbeatable views of the city’s skyline, head to Ward’s Island Beach.
After you’ve been to St Lawrence Market/Hockey Hall of Fame, make sure you walk through Berczy Park because it’s a nice, green area which has a giant water fountain in the centre where all the water is spouted from the mouths of dog statues surrounding the fountain with a big bone on the top. It’s something fun to see on your travels through the city.
Yonge-Dundas Square
The Times Square of Toronto. Whether you’re in Toronto in 2 days or 5, you’ll likely pass this main square that is bustling with life, entertainment and food.
It’s the best place to go for free things to do in Toronto weekend or not and it’s a hub for student life.
It’s pronounced ‘young’.
Little Canada
Little Canada was, hands down, the best thing I did in Toronto.
Like Mini Europe in Brussels, you can explore some of Canada’s hotspots in miniature version at this museum. The exquisite detail that goes into these displays is impressive and you can even see and speak to the workers on one of the floors as well as take a picture and have a miniature version of yourself made.
Little Canada currently showcases East of Canada, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Quebec and Toronto. Coming in the next few years is Western Canada, The North, Montreal and Canadian Rockies. I need to go again!
Early Dinner on Toronto 2 Days
I love Thai food so much that I ate it twice while I was in Toronto because Toronto has an amazing Thai food scene with many of its Thai restaurants being Michelin Guide-Recommended. I went to two of them.
To begin with, I went to Koh Lipe on Baldwin St and had the most delicious starter and main all to myself. The portions were big but Canada is big on doggy bags so taking some with me was a no brainer. I had fish starters with a plum and peanut sauce and then pineapple fried rice with shrimp.
I loved the food so much here I genuinely would have come back but I was desperate for Khao Soi which is what Pai would definitely serve as it’s a dish very common in the Northern Thai town of Pai.
So the next night I went to Pai on Duncan St. I waited 20 minutes for a solo table (this place is perfect for the solo traveller) and it was so worth the wait. I will now forever love this place because it reminded me that Khao Soi is my favourite non-homemade meal ever. Ramen is definitely second. Or pizza. Ah, it’s too hard. But Khao Soi is first (IDST).
Theatre Show
Toronto has a thriving performing arts scene with many theatres across the city: Ed Mirvish Theatre, Royal Alexandra, Princess of Wales, Tarragon and Factory.
This is something on the Toronto travel itinerary you need to plan in advance and research what’s on while you’re in town. A tip that I preached but did not practice. Come From Away was in Toronto while I was there and the tickets completely sold out but I was lucky as Life of Pi was also running in a different theatre (another show I’d wanted to see).
So I paid around $80 for the 8pm showing of Life of Pi in Ed Mirvish Theatre. There wasn’t an empty seat in the crowd, the atmosphere was eclectic and my seat had a great view. The leading role was a particular highlight for me and if you know, you know and if you don’t, go see it! Excellent choice for a weekend getaway in Toronto.
Optional: In every city there’s a ghost story and if you’re looking for something macabre in Toronto then this guided ghost walk of Distillery District in Toronto is just the activity for you.
Day 3 of 3 Days in Toronto Itinerary
Niagara Falls
A natural wonder of North America and probably one of the most famous waterfalls in the world; Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls and is a Canada bucket-list item.
Located 131 km away from Toronto it takes about 2 hours by car or public transport (not including infamous Toronto traffic) and so it’s really a day trip from Toronto that is going to eat up most of the third day.
Most people choose to take a tour to Niagara Falls and there are numerous options:
Early Dinner
Toronto has so many amazing eateries that Toronto 3 days is absolutely too short of a time to go to all of them (boo)! But here are some that were on my list and where I’d go if I had a 5 day Toronto itinerary:
- Black & Blue
- And/Ore
- El Catrin
- Patois
- Matty’s Patties
Optional: Drinks at Bar Isabel or Sneaky Dees. I didn’t do this as I don’t go to bars at night if I’m solo travelling but that’s a personal preference.
And that’s a wrap for your Toronto 3 day itinerary.
Beyond Toronto
Have more than three days in Toronto? There are lots of places you can visit as day trips from Toronto like Montreal, New York City, Ottawa or Buffalo.
Explore More of Canada
- Montreal in Quebec: Hike or Eat
- Everything to Do in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island
- See Where The Last of Us Was Filmed in Alberta
- 1 Day Itinerary for Calgary in Alberta
- British Columbia: Snowmobiling, Goats on The Roof or Whitewater Rafting
- See Ice Bubbles in Lake Abraham, Alberta
- Banff National Park: Food, Lakes, Hiking, Cafes, Christmas
- Find The Twilight Beach in Vancouver
I hope you find this 3 day Toronto itinerary useful and enjoy the 6ix!
Weekend in Toronto: Pin Me
