Experience Toronto
If you’re looking for an experience in a big city, check out Toronto, Canada! With all the hustle and bustle, diversity, and sky scrapers, this city gave me a small NYC feel. Toronto has so many different neighborhoods to explore and see, so make sure you have comfortable shoes to walk around the city as much as we did! Oh, and don’t forget your passport!
I always enjoy navigating the transportation system and figuring out the subways in a new city, and the TCC (Toronto Transit Commission) made it so easy to get around to all the different neighborhoods of Toronto. I recommend getting a day pass for the days you want to use it the most. The cash fair for the subway is $3.25 CA each way regardless of how far you travel. But a day pass is $13.00 CA which allows you to use the subway, bus, and street car.
Like a lot of large cities, Toronto is broken up into many neighborhoods with many different cultures to experience. I’m a “cram it all in” kind of traveler because I want to see it all, and can’t stand the thought of missing out on any sight or experience. So in just 2 1/2 days we decided what we wanted to see most and did it all!
Distillery District
YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE DISTILLERY DISTRICT! This was such a fun and artsy area with so many restaurants and art displays that you’ll love everything you see as you’re walking down the cobblestone streets.
We found the cutest restaurant for dinner, Madrina’s Spanish Tapas, where we got to watch the chef make the tapas enjoy a beautiful evening under the lights on the patio.
We quickly learned that although our tapas were yummy, we’re not really tapa people… very small plates, at a pretty high price. It would be a great atmosphere if you’re looking to grab a drink- and I’d definitely go back with some girlfriends for a fun treat. But for dinner I’d recommend trying someplace else — like the mexican restaurant we passed with the huge open seating area.
Or the other place I’d love to check out on our next trip to the distillery district is this cute little bistro and pretend that I’m a fairy princess for the night!
Yorkville
If you like high end shopping and walking the streets of the upper class, Yorkville is the place to be! And if you’re going to go, start the morning off at Yorkville Crepes for a delicious sweet or savory crepe and hot cup of specialty tea. I fell in love with with their french country decor, and the breakfast was so yummy I didn’t want to leave.
Once you finish breakfast, you’ll be less than a block away from the shopping district! I didn’t (and probably don’t ever) plan on buying anything from these high end stores, but it sure was fun to walk around and feel fancy!
Graffiti Alley
I feel like you have to go to graffiti alley if you visit Toronto. We walked through when we exploring all the different neighborhoods. It amazes me the kind of are some people are able to make at such a large scale on the side of a building! Some of the graffiti was inspiring, some just fun, and some a little weird… but I enjoyed seeing it all and think it’s a fun little stop.
Walking Through Toronto
There is so much to experience in Toronto, and I decided it would be best to walk through all the neighborhoods to get the best experience of each one… so after our morning at Yorkville, and walk through graffiti alley, we continued on our walking tour to China Town. I wanted to show Nathan China Town because I remember liking it when I went to NYC in high school and wanted him to be able to experience it. Toronto China Town seemed much more open than NYC, and not so crowded. We didn’t purchase anything here, but I find it fascinating that there’s a whole separate culture right there in part of Toronto.
Then we made our way to Kensington Market. I knew I wanted to make it to Kensington Market to see the bohemian neighborhood and all of the artsy coffee shops and cafes. I guess it was pretty much what I expected… we didn’t eat at any of the cafes because we were in a hurry to make it everywhere on out list, we looked through one of the second hand clothing stores, and I loved all the plants!
Nathan was most excited about Little Italy, but by this time we had been exploring all day and were pretty tired. I think we just made it to Little Italy and didn’t walk very far through the neighborhood. We knew what we came for – and that was a cannoli. So we found the perfect little bake shop and relaxed with a delicious treat before we headed back to our hotel.
Lawrence St. Market
The last place we visited was Lawrence St Market, which was a lot of fun to walk through and sample all the goodies! It was fun to see all the fresh produce- we bought a fresh fig to try, and I learned I’m not much of a fan… Then we walked by the meat market and saw all of the seafood. We took in all the delightful scents from the pastries and bagels. But my favorite part was without a doubt the Fromagerie! I love cheese, and it was so fun to learn about all the different kinds, and get to try a fresh sample of my favorite Asiago cheese!
Thanks for following along! Prior to our visit to Toronto, it actually wasn’t on my list of places to see. I didn’t know anything about the city- how large it is, how diverse, or how full of adventure. Nathan suggested we check it out, and I fell in love with it! Deep down I’m more of a country girl, but I love to experience a big city and take in all it has to offer. And this gave me the feeling of being in a city like NYC, but a little closer to home (and on a bit of a smaller scale). I will leave you with a list of some great restaurant options: my favorite restaurant of all time, a few we tried and loved, and the restaurants I added to the list of places to check out the next time we visit. I hope this inspires you to visit the great city of Toronto and to experience all the culture and adventure it has to offer!
Bon Voyage!
XOXO
DIY Jojo ♡
First I have to tell you about TERRONI.
This was my favorite dinner the entire trip! I was so excited about it (and hungry) that I forgot to take a picture of the amazing pasta that is made in house. I had the Torelloni di Ricotta, and oh my gosh, it was delicious and I wish I could go back right now!
Versus Coffee
THE. BEST. AVOCADO. TOAST. This avocado toast is topped with feta cheese and paprika, and is to die for! Plus they have the cutest pergola covered patio and great lattes.
PAI
Pai was such a fun place to get some Chicken Pad Thai! I never stray from that, because I like to try it all over the place to compare! But they had many great options on the menu, a delicious Pineapple smoothie, and a great downtown atmosphere.
Petit Dejeuner
We ate breakfast here on Tuesday morning on our last day. The waffles were amazing and tasted so fresh (who know fried batter could taste fresh) but somehow it did! It was not very busy when we were there, but we heard that if you come on a weekend to go early because you could be waiting 2-3 hours! Must be a popular place!
Lena
Next time we are in Toronto this will be the first place I want to try for breakfast! It’s located right down town with huge windows to give you that big city feel, and it’s so fancy inside with teal green leather chairs and gold accents.
Dineen Coffee Co.
Dineen is another spot I noticed while walking downtown. With big windows and a beautiful patio on the side, this is another place I will be sure to visit next time I’m in Toronto.