JoeTro

Hello,

Have about 5.5 days/6 nights in Toronto end of August/beginning of September. My interests are art museums, parks and gardens, food and drink, and some mansions/stately homes. I'm trying to be fairly efficient but would welcome some thoughts.

General questions:

Is there a transportation pass or card I should get?

Is there a multiple day long culture pass that can help with costs?

Anything major I'm missing? High Park but seems a ways away?

Specific thoughts:

Saturday - arrive 12:30 pm into Pearson from US. I know with all the short staffing and COVID testing it may take a while.

Considering lunch at airport

Transport to hotel (Sheraton Toronto Centre)

Walk to ferry to Toronto Islands (this seems perhaps sort of boring though, with not that many good choices?) Another option may be to give this a miss and go to the harbourfront and beaches and distillery for dinner? A third option is the McMichael Canadian Art Museum via Uber which is closer from the airport

Dinner on Islands (any recommendations? And what island to visit?) or distillery district

Sunday:

Toronto Sign/Nathan Phillips Square
Art Gallery of Ontario
Seven Lives Tacos for lunch
Back to Art Gallery
Holy Trinity Church
Allan Gardens and Woody's Bar
Distillery District (Pure Spirits) or elsewhere if have been Saturday already

Monday:

Full Day Big Bus tour of Niagara on the Lake, falls, and a winery
dinner late at Chase Fish

Tuesday:

Queen's Park
Parliament Tour 9 am
Royal Ontario Museum
Lunch Oxley 1:30 pm
Bata shoe museum?
Garner Museum until 6
Civil Liberties for a drink and dinner at Dreyfus or vice-versa

Wednesday:

St. Michael's Church
City Hall
Campbell House
Bold Food Hub lunch
Textile museum
Ago Khan (via Uber)from 4 pm (I think is free from 4-8 but for what time should I try to book my ticket on the day?)
Uber back to Richmond Station dinner 8 pm
Consider drink at Bar Raval or Mother? (Or a good place much closer)

Thursday:
Casa Loma
Change hotels to Delta near waterfront
Boxcar Social lunch at Harbourfront
Fort York
CN tower?
Canoe dinner at 6 pm (given this is up high is CN Tower needed?)
Drink at the Library Bar

Friday: early train to Montreal

trycke

A few answers to get you started:

Is there a transportation pass or card I should get?

The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) has a day pass that is worth it if you will ride a bus, streetcar or subway at least 4 times in one day. Information is here:
https://www.ttc.ca/Fares-and-passes
People living here get a Presto Card which has a fee when you purchase the first time and is reloadable. You would need the Presto ticket- no fee for purchase, it’s based on the numer of rides. This website explains it well:
https://www.tourbytransit.com/toront...-transit/fares

Is there a multiple day long culture pass that can help with costs?

i’ve never been a tourist here but each museum / Art Gallery is independently operated and has their own admission fee. I do see that there is such a thing as a City Pass. You seem to be only visiting 3 of the included sites so it wouldn’t really save you money: https://www.citypass.com/toronto

Covid testing
i assume you are fully vaccinated? In which case currently you can still be selected for random testing. You know about completing the ArriveCan app also, I assume. All the info is here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2022/07/government-of-canada-is-re-establishing-mandatory-random-testing-offsite-of-airports-for-air-https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2022/07/government-of-canada-is-re-establishing-mandatory-random-testing-offsite-of-airports-for-air-travellers.html

Considering lunch at airport
IMO it would be a shame to eat at the airport. But if you’re hungry, you’re hungry! Depending on the time of your flight arrival it may not be so bad going through customs. You may also be routed via the automated machines (not sure what they’re called).

Transport to hotel (Sheraton Toronto Centre)
The UP express is a good way to get within walking distance of your hotel. You would purchase a ticket to Union (downtown):
https://www.upexpress.com/#

Walk to Ferry to Toronto Islands (this seems perhaps sort of boring though, with not that many good choices?) Another option may be to give this a miss and go to the harbourfront and beaches and distillery for dinner?
You can walk from the hotel down to the Harbourfront area and along to the island ferry to Centre Island. Taking the ferry across and walking around a bit and then returning will give you great views of the skyline. https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy...rry-schedules/
Then you can head over to the Distillery to wander and have dinner (I’ve never had a good meal on the island).

A third option is the McMichael Canadian Art Museum via Uber which is closer from the airport
This will be far to get back into the city- sometimes it’s not the distance, it’s the traffic. It would be more enjoyable as a half day

You seem to have a good idea and plan on your other days. For me Toronto is all about neighbourhoods and wandering to get the different vibes- e.g., the beach area on Queen East vs Queen West near the Art Gallery; Kensington Market area and Chinatown; the Danforth area. You can essily visit these neighbourhoods walking and with public transit. You can also rent a bike and ride many of the city trails that go along the lakefront or into the Don Valley if that’s something you’re comfortable with.

Re: Canoe & CN tower: at Canoe you have a 180degree view and the CN tower is part of the skyline (and the food is awesome). The CN tower view encompasses 360 and lets you see the whole city/ lakefront and on a clear day across the lake. Both are worth it IMO.

JoeTro

Thank you. Very helpful. A few responses:

Yep, fully vaccinated, have to wait 72 hours before to do the ArriveCan.

Good idea about the islands to walk and view but not spend a ton of time. This then opens up another night for a meal and is a good "first day stretch legs" kind of activity.

Should I be booking any specific sites or museums in advance, aside from Ago Khan?

trycke

Should I be booking any specific sites or museums in advance, aside from Ago Khan?

I see that the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) allows you to pre-purchase timed tickets. I only took a cursory look at it, so double check, but the website said they can be purchased ahead of time or at the door (same for CN tower). Since you are travelling before school restarts (and if I understand correctly you’re over the labour day weekend, with Monday September 4th being a holiday) prepurchasing tickets might be a good idea.

BTW, the CN tower has a restaurant, with a 360 rotating view and last time I took guests there (10 years ago- ish) the food was pretty decent. It wasn’t Canoe quality, but good service, nicely presented and tasty. Eating at the restaurant also includes entry to the main observation deck of the tower and I believe you bypass the main line for the elevators and take the restaurant elevator (unless it’s changed). There is a minimum spend of $75 per person dining. You would need a reservation if you decided to eat there.

Just thought of a few other events possibly of interest-
​​​​​​— go to a baseball game if the Jays are playing at home while you're herehttps://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedul...?homeGame=true (if you’re into that- it’s always fun IMO)
-the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) and airshow https://www.theex.com/- not sure what it’s like in Covid times.

JoeTro

Thank you. Looking forward to my trip.

AndyWilcock

Spent two days in Toronto 5 years ago ans did the tasting menu at Canoe restaurant. Was some of the best food we've eaten!
Something I think should be a must do, especially as you have an interest in food and drink is a visit to the St Lawrence market. Amazing market where you'll quit happily spend a few hrs and even more dollars but well worth the visit!