Toronto 2020 | 2 days | Summer Guide How To Use This Guide Mobile This guide was designed to be used on mobile. It is best used with “Page-by-Page” view on the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Interactive PDF This PDF has links you can click. If you see , you can click the underlined text beside the icon.
Pinterest Click here to view the Pinterest board This guide is complemented with a Pinterest board which shows images of all the destinations mentioned. The board is meant to give you a feel of the places you may visit and give you ideas on what you can do. There is a chance that some places pinned on the Pinterest board may be closed by the time you view this guide. Make sure to check the hours of op- eration when planning your visit.
Feedback Feel free to provide feedback on how this guide could be im- proved. Contact details are on the last last page of this guide. Overview
Bathurst St onge St D
o
College St n
V a
3 l 7 l
e Dundas St
y 4
6 P
5 k w
y Front St 2 Ga 9 rdiner 1 E pwy
Pearson Billy Bishop Airport Airport Toronto Downtown 1-9 Billy Bishop Lake Ontario Airport Lake Ontario
15 min walk (1 km 0.62 mi) Subway Station N
1 CN Tower
2 St. Lawrence Market
Day 1 3 Kensington Market
4 Chinatown
6 AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario)
7 Baldwin Village Day 2 8 Toronto Islands
9 Distillery District Overview
This guide was designed for adult (18+) solo travelers or groups of two to four. With only two days to spend, the events are concentrated in the downtown core. The best time to en- joy the events in this guide is in the summer, which is from June to September. Weekend is th best time to visit.
The itinerary does not include recommendations for break- fast. If your accommodation does not come with breakfast, you can get something at a local Tim Hortons. The itinerary in this guide has recommended times for each activity. Feel free to remove or add items and make it your own.
Ontario applies a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13% for ser- vices and products sold. This applies to dining in restaurants, buying prepared foods, and retail purchases. There are excep- tions such as basic groceries and municipal public transit. Ser- vices in Ontario has an optional gratituity fee of 15%-20%. In the case of traveling, restaurants and taxi-drivers usually ex- pect a tip on top of fees with tax.
Most coffee shops and restaurants have free wi-fi and don’t require a password. Examples of coffee franchises you will see include Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Second Cup Coffee.
Try to avoid visiting Toronto during Statutory Holidays as it can get busy: New Year’s Day: January 1 Family Day: third monday in February Good Friday: friday before Easter Sunday Victoria Day: monday before May 25 Canada Day: July 1 Civic Holiday: first monday in August Labour Day: first monday in September Thanksgiving: second monday in October Christmas Day: December 25 Boxing Day: December 26 Overview Budget The costs outlined here are estimates and may change. The costs includes tax and gratituities. Costs are in Canadian Dollars.
$340 per adult for 2 days
Day 1 Day 2
Basic Meals $35 $50
Accommodation
$55 $55
Tickets/Admission
$43 $36
Transportation $13 $13 Miscellaneous $20 $20 $166 $174
Meal under. AGO is free for all ages Breakfast: $6-9 on Wednesdays between Lunch: $13-20 6PM - 9PM Dinner: $16-23 Ferry ticket: $8.19 for age 20+ Accommodation AirBnB: $55-80 per night Transportation Get around with public transit TTC (Toronto Transit Commis- Tickets sion) via streetcar or subway. CN Tower: $42.94 General The group day pass is only admission for ages 13-64 available on the weekend and statutory holidays. It is $13 AGO: $28.25 admission for per day up to two adults. age 26+. Free for 25 and Weather - Monthly Average
Temperatures 27° C / 81° F
0° C / 32° F High 18° C / 64° F Low -7° C / 19° F Summer season
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rainfall
79 mm 48 mm 3.1 in 1.9 in
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Snowfall 339.1 mm 13.4 in
0 mm/in
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Daylight
Sunset 8:58 PM 4:41 PM
15.5 hrs 9 hrs
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Itinerary - Day 1 onge St Jarvis St St Sherbourne Bathurst St Bathurst Spadina Ave niversity Ave
3 Dundas St 4
Queen St 5
King St
Front St 2 nion Station 1
Lake Ontario
15 min walk (1 km 0.62 mi) Subway Station N
1 10 AM - CN Tower See the city at 447m above ground.
2 12 PM - St. Lawrence Market See the historical market and get some lunch. Recommended: Buster’s Sea Cove.
3 2 PM - Kensington Market Check out vintage clothes, street art, and treats.
4 4 PM - Chinatown Slurp noodles or pho for dinner. Recommended: Homemade Ramen.
5 6 PM - Nathan Phillips Square See City Hall and the iconic Toronto sign. Itinerary - Day 2 Spadina Ave niversity Ave onge St Parliament St Dundas St 7
6 Queen St King St
Front St 9 nion Station Queens Quay
Lake Ontario Toronto Islands
15 min walk (1 km 0.62 mi) Subway Station N
6 10:30 AM - AGO See close to 95,000 pieces of work.
7 12:30 PM - Baldwin Village Get lunch in one of the many restaurants or cafes. Recommended: Kinton Ramen.
8 2:30 PM - Toronto Islands Enjoy some sun on the beach or bike around the island.
9 5 PM - The Distillery District Get dinner and enjoy beer that was brewed onsite. Recommended: Mill St. Brew Pub & The Beer Hall. Specific Diets 2
King St Church St Lower Jarvis St George St onge St
Wellington St a
b 2
c
The Esplanade
3 min walk ( 200 m 219 yd) N
Diet options near 2 St . Lawrence Market.
a Sukhothai 52 Wellington St E Authentic Thai food that is family-run.
b Bindia Indian Bistro 16 Market St Contemporary Indian restaurant.
c Farm’r Eatery & Catering 140A The Esplanade Casual farm-to-table restaurant.
Gluten-free Halal Vegetarian Vegan Specific Diets 3 4
College St Bathurst St Bathurst Bellevue Ave Augusta Ave Spadina Ave
Oxford St a b Nassau St c 3 4 Baldwin St d
Dundas St
3 min walk ( 200 m 219 yd) N
Diet options in 3 Kensington Market and near 4 Chinatown.
a Bunner’s Bakeshop 244 Augusta Ave Indulge in baked goods and treats.
b Hibiscus Cafe 238 Augusta Ave Soups, salad, drinks, and desserts.
c Ozzy’s Burgers 66 Nassau St Unit 1/2 Over a dozen burgers to choose from.
d Veggie D’Light 160 Baldwin St #1 Caribbean inspired flavours and spices.
Gluten-free Halal Vegetarian Vegan Specific Diets 6 7 niversity Av Spadina Ave Beverley St McCaul St
Baldwin St 7
Dundas St b 6 St Patrick Station a
Queen St
3 min walk ( 200 m 219 yd) Subway Station N
Diet options near 6 AGO and 7 Baldwin Village.
a Karine’s 109 McCaul St Vegan and gluten-free all-day breakfast.
b Magical Taste of China 405 Dundas St W Chinese-halal cuisine from Xin Jiang.
Gluten-free Halal Vegetarian Vegan Specific Diets 9 Jarvis St St Sherbourne Parliament St
Front St
a The Esplanade Mill St b c 9
Gardiner E pwy Lake Shore Blvd
Queens Quay
7 min walk ( 500 m 546 yd) N
Diet options near and in 9 Distillery District.
a Cluck Clucks Chicken & Waffles 222 The Esplanade Vegan and gluten-free all-day breakfast.
b El Catrin Destileria 18 Tank House Lane Authentic and modern Mexican cuisine.
c Mill St. Brew Pub & The Beer Hall 21 A Tank House Lane Pub with organic beer brewed on-site.
Gluten-free Halal Vegetarian Vegan Be Informed
1 CN Tower 301 Front Street West Website Buy tickets online Holding the record as the tallest free-standing structure for 32 years, the CN Tower stands at 553.3 m (1,815.3 ft) high and broadcasts over 30 TV and radio stations. The Tower is illu- minated by 1,330 LED at night, lighting up the city’s skyline. The Tower’s latest addition, EdgeWalk, lets thrill-seekers walk along the edge at 356 m (1,168 ft) above ground.
2 St. Lawrence Market 93 Front Street East Website This public market has been around since 1803 and was named the best food market by National Geographic in 2012. The South Market is home to 120 merchants selling fresh pro- duce, meat, baked goods, dairy, prepared foods, and artisan crafts. The North Market has a Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and an antique market on Sundays.
3 Kensington Market Website Northwest of Spadina Ave and Dundas St W Developed in 1815, this area is one of the most diverse areas in the city. It is filled with restaurants, vintage shops, artisan cheese, crafts, dessert shops, baked goods, coffee shops, and bars. The streets are decorated with art and colour. Summer comes to life on Pedestrian Sundays when the streets are filled with performances and music. Be Informed
4 Chinatown Spadina Ave & Dundas St W Website Steps away from Kensington Market, you will find roast pigs and ducks lining the windows of restaurants and shops sell- ing medicinal herbs. There are a range of Asian food which in- cludes Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Japanese.
5 Nathan Philips Square 100 Queen St W Website Nathan Philips Square is the largest Canadian city square. Located outside of Toronto City Hall, this square hosts vari- ous events throughout the year such as farmer’s market, art events, and festivals. The square is home to the iconic Toronto sign that also lights up at night. During the winter, the reflec- tive pool becomes a popular spot for skaters as it converts to a skating rink.
6 AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) 317 Dundas St W Website Buy tickets online The Art Gallery of Ontario is one of the largest art museums in North America. It is home to over 90,000 works. Renown architect Frank Gehry designed the expansion of the AGO in 2008. The museum’s unique form makes it an iconic landmark in the city. Be Informed
7 Baldwin Village Baldwin St & Henry St Situated one block north of Dundas Street, it is enclosed by residential buildings. This neighbourhood was initially a Jew- ish ghetto which moved westward toward Kensington Market. Due to its proximity to Chinatown, the neighbourhood was eventually populated by Chinese-Canadians. Draft dodgers of the Vietnam War started to convert the homes into shops in the late 70’s. Today, Baldwin Village offers a range of restau- rants, cafes, and treats.
8 Toronto Islands Depart from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal Website Buy ferry tickets The Toronto Islands are a group of 15 small islands in Lake On- tario. The main island, Centre Island, has Centreville Amuse- ment Park that is open in the summer. Bikes and quadracycles can be rented at Centre Island. There are three main beaches: Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan’s Point. Note that Han- lan’s Point Beach is clothing optional.
9 The Distillery District Mill St & Trinity St Website Established in 1832, the Distillery District has the largest pre- served Victorian-era industrial architecture. This distillery once boasted the largest distillery in the world. After the eco- nomic recession in the 90’s, the District was sold and revital- ized into a hub for art, food, and fashion. A popular tradition that runs annually is the Christmas Market which transforms the space into an outdoor art exhibition. Cover photo by Francesca Saraco on Unsplash.
Data on Toronto weather summarized by Google’s weather averages.
Guide created by Jane Zhang. Instagram: janezhgw Twitter: janezhgw Website: www.janezhang.ca