4 days in Toronto

Day by day

1. Day 1: CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

   CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Royal Ontario Museum, then Nathan Phillips Square in the evening.

   1. Morning

      CN Tower

      Allow 1.5–2 hours (mid-priced). Go about an hour before sunset to see the city by day and lit up, and skip it on hazy or low-cloud days.

   2. Late morning

      Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

      At the foot of the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium holds around 20,000 animals, with a moving walkway through the Dangerous Lagoon shark tunnel, a gallery of glowing jellyfish and touch pools of rays and horseshoe crabs.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Peameal bacon sandwich

      Carousel Bakery and other counters at St. Lawrence Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Royal Ontario Museum

      Allow 3 hours (mid-priced). Start with the dinosaur gallery before school groups arrive, then pick two or three other galleries rather than trying to see everything.

   5. Evening

      Nathan Phillips Square

      Come after dark for photos of the lit sign, and bring or rent skates in winter.

2. Day 2: Art Gallery of Ontario and St. Lawrence Market

   Art Gallery of Ontario, St. Lawrence Market and Distillery District, then King Street West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Art Gallery of Ontario

      Frank Gehry, who grew up nearby, redesigned the building in 2008, adding the timber-lined Galleria Italia and a sculptural spiral staircase.

   2. Late morning

      St. Lawrence Market

      Allow 1–2 hours (low cost). Come hungry on a weekday morning or early on Saturday, before the lunchtime crowds.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Butter tart

      Bakeries across the city and at farmers' markets, including the bakeries of St. Lawrence Market.

   4. Afternoon

      Distillery District

      From mid-November to late December it hosts a winter village with stalls and lights.

   5. Evening

      King Street West

      Clubs, rooftop lounges and late restaurants in the Entertainment District, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.

3. Day 3: Toronto Islands and Kensington Market

   Toronto Islands, Kensington Market and Casa Loma, then Ossington and Dundas West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Toronto Islands

      Allow Half a day to a full day (low cost). Take the ferry to Ward's Island in the morning, walk or cycle west along the boardwalk, and return from Centre Island or Hanlan's Point at sunset for skyline photos.

   2. Late morning

      Kensington Market

      On some summer Sundays the streets close to traffic for Pedestrian Sundays.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jamaican beef patty

      Caribbean bakeries in Little Jamaica on Eglinton Avenue West, in Kensington Market and at corner stores citywide.

   4. Afternoon

      Casa Loma

      Allow 2 hours (mid-priced). Climb the towers for the view, and approach on foot up the Baldwin Steps from Spadina Avenue.

   5. Evening

      Ossington and Dundas West

      Dense strips of cocktail bars, wine bars and small music venues favoured by locals.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Niagara Falls

   About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus each way. Getting there: GO Transit from Union Station, a coach, or car.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Niagara Falls

      About 1.5–2 hours by car, train or bus (GO Transit from Union Station, a coach, or car); about 130 km.

   2. Day

      Niagara Falls

      The Horseshoe Falls drop about 50 metres across the Canada–US border, with the American Falls beside them. Boat trips sail into the spray at the base, and the Journey Behind the Falls tunnels lead to viewing portals beside the curtain of water. The nearby Clifton Hill strip is busy and commercial.

   3. Evening

      Back in Toronto

      Dinner: try Trinidadian roti.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada and Toronto Islands before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Entertainment District keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Old Town and St. Lawrence ($$$) suits first-timers, food lovers, couples and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 19–24 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Toronto
• 2 days in Toronto
• 3 days in Toronto
• 5 days in Toronto
• 7 days in Toronto

Questions travellers ask