Toronto is a beautiful city in eastern Canada with a lot of exciting places. It is a huge city with a diverse multicultural heritage. It isn’t a city that you would want to pass through hurriedly because of the never-ending list of places to visit and things to do in Toronto. Toronto is huge but that does not mean a short stay over the weekend won’t be worth it. There is a lot you can do within 48 hours in Toronto.
In this article, we will give you a virtual tour of what you can do in Toronto in 48 Hours or less. The schedule in this article starts from the afternoon of the day of your arrival, but you can tailor it to suit your arrival time. If you’re interested in planning a trip to Toronto, checkout the extensive infographic published by Precondo on the topic ‘places not to miss in Toronto’.
Day 1: Afternoon (2pm to 6pm) – CN Tower
After checking into your hotel and getting some rest, the first place you’d want to check out is the CN Tower. It is the center of attraction in the Toronto skyline. The CN Tower was the tallest tower in the world for 30 years, but it now occupies third place. It is one of the first things you notice when you arrive in Toronto. The tower is so high that from the top you can see the entire city, and on clear days you can see as far as the United States.
The main observation deck is 346 meters high. That’s approximately 1,136 feet in the air. From up here you will get a 360 degrees view of the city. The general entry fee is about $36CAD. The sky pod above the main observation deck is 447 meters in the air. Entry fee into this section for adults is $53 CAD. If you are adventurous, you can book the edge-walk on the Tower. It costs about $225CAD. This will enable you to walk hands-free on a five-foot-wide outdoor ledge around the top of the tower.
After the thrill of viewing the entire city, if you are hungry, you can grab lunch in the 360 restaurants in the tower or you can check any of the many restaurants around the tower.
Before leaving the premises, you can stop by the Rogers Centre, which is right beside the CN Tower. This is the base of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Team. If there is no ongoing game, you can take a tour of the stadium.
Day 1 Evening (6pm – 8pm) – Toronto Waterfront
Take a Stroll to Toronto Waterfront at Lake Ontario. This waterfront park was created in the 70s. Before then, this area used to be an industrial harbor. The waterfront is a great place to be all year round, but it’s best during the summer. An evening stroll in the summer at the waterfront is divine.
A lot of festivals happen at the waterfront all year round. Asides enjoying the beautiful view, you can also go on a cruise on one of Toronto’s tour ships and get a glimpse of the city from the water or hire a powerboat or a bicycle to explore the island.
Day 2: Morning (9 am-1 pm) – Royal Ontario Museum
Take a trip to the Royal Ontario Museum. This is the largest museum in Canada (previously five different museums). It has 40 galleries and 6 million objects. The museum covers a lot of subjects ranging from archeology to arts and world cultures such as Egyptian mummies.
You may not see everything in the museum because of how big it is, so pick out a section that interests you the most. Entry fee for an adult is $23CAD.
Day 2 Afternoon (1 pm to 7 pm) – Hockey Hall Of Fame and Kensington Market
If the second day is a Saturday, you can go watch a game. Hockey is almost like a religion in Canada, and you can go to the Hockey Hall of Fame to watch a hockey match. You can take a short tour to see the kits and trophies on display and get to learn one or two new things about the game. The entry fee for adults into the hall of fame is $20CAD.
The original uploader was SimonP at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA
After the game, if you still have time, you can head to the Kensington market. Even though it is called a market, this natural historic site is a multicultural neighborhood. It has a lot of interesting record stores, boutiques and vintage shops that you can explore.
A lot of street performances also take place on the streets of the market. Go to the Kensington market on an empty stomach because there are many eateries with delicious mouth-watering dishes.
Day 3 Morning (8 am to 2 pm) – St Lawrence Market and Queen Street West
Your trip to Toronto will be incomplete if you do not visit the 200-year-old St Lawrence market. You need to go to the market early because it gets crowded easily.
Taxiarchos228 / CC BY-SA
The market has won the award of the best food market in the world given by National Geographic. The south market features artisans and restaurants with varieties of mouth-watering dishes, while the north market is a farmers market.
DXR / CC BY-SA
Conclusion
If it is your first time visiting Toronto, you may need a tour guide to take you around the city to these amazing places. We also suggest that you book a hotel in the heart of downtown Toronto. This will enable you to have easy access to many of the fun places.
No matter how short your trip to Toronto is, make the most of it, have a lot of fun, take lots of pictures and make beautiful memories.