5 Days in Toronto
Canada Travel Itinerary & Guide
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5 Days in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Our Toronto itinerary is based on a five day plan but can easily be adapted for shorter or longer stays. We based our itinerary on a budget and seeing Toronto to its fullest without breaking the bank. Our itinerary includes the CN tower, Niagara Falls, the Toronto BlueJays, Casa Loma and more!
Day 1:
Spend your first day in Toronto seeing the famous Dundas Square, shopping to your hearts content and seeing 360 degree views of Toronto from 553 metres high!
We recommend the best way of seeing Toronto to the fullest and cheapest is by purchasing the Toronto CityPass. It is CA$76 +tax and includes admission to the CN tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Toronto Zoo OR Ontario Science Centre. The great thing about CityPasses is that you don’t need to use all the admissions to make them worth your while. For example, we knew we really wanted to go to the top of CN Tower and and Ripley’s aquarium. Admission prices into the CN tower have a starting price of $36 +tax and Ripley’s aquarium is $30 +tax – this meant we essentially got admission into the other three places for an extra $10, giving us a choice of what we could do on the rainy days!
Dundas Square
Head to Dundas square to see Toronto’s version of NYC’s Time Square, gave upon the giant television screens, sit back and relax at one of the tables while watching the world go around you. There’s even some small water fountains that children can play in too.
Eaton Centre
After people watching in Dundas square head over to the Eaton centre for some lunch and shopping! This historic mall is a must see, regardless of weather your buying or window shopping, from your classics to your quirky Canadian stores!
CN Tower
Included in your Toronto CityPass is standard admission to the famous CN Tower, which gives a 360 degree view of Toronto and Toronto Islands. We recommend visiting an hour before sunset, so you can see the fantastic view by day and night. The tower has great free wifi, toilet facilities, gift shops, a small cafe and even a great restaurant if you feel like splashing out! Don’t forget to check out the glass floor – it makes for a great picture!
Day 2:
Visit Casa Loma, North America’s only landmark castle, brush up on your history at the Royal Ontario Museum and get your camera ready for Graffiti Alley! We recommend getting a day pass for the Metro, and all places are within walking distance to the stops.
Casa Loma
Casa Loma is a gothic style Revival mansion that has been converted into a historic museum in which you can explore the secret passageways and tunnels, the servant quarters and the stunning gardens. Make sure you head up to the top of the towers for great views of the Toronto skyline!
Royal Ontario Museum
Visit Canada’s largest museum to see the huge dinosaurs, the perfectly preserved mummies and so much more! Bring your own packed lunch to save some money or head to the cafeteria for delicious hot food.
Graffiti Alley
Before heading back to the hotel/airbnb make sure to check out Graffiti Alley, it is fascinating and you will not be disappointed – don’t forget to bring your camera!
Underground Shopping Mall
Can’t decide on a restaurant to choose from? Head over to Toronto’s underground shopping mall — PATH. With over 30 km of underground walkway you are bound to find a suitable restaurant for everyone!
Day 3:
What better way to spend the half way mark of your trip with a visit to Niagara Falls, no trip to Toronto is complete without a selfie of the world famous waterfall!
Niagara Falls Day Trip
We booked with getyourguide.com and our experience was fantastic, it included round transportation, a trip to a Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, the Niagara Whirlpool and of course the Falls. You can also choose between the Hornblower boat tour of the Falls or to visit the skydeck to see the Falls from above. We highly recommend taking the Hornblower boat tour of the Falls rather than going up the skydeck as the weather can greatly affect your view of the falls due to all the mist. You do get a little wet but ponchos are provided for free (which you can keep or give back to be re-used) and you quickly dry off in the sun – just be careful to keep your electronics dry!
Day 4:
See North America’s largest underwater tunnel at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, visit the iconic Toronto sign at Nathan Phillip’s square and check out a Baseball game at the Rogers Centre.
Ripley's Aquarian of Canada
See over 16,000 animals and interact with over 100 displays including touch exhibits of sharks, stingrays and horseshoe crabs. You can also see various shows including shark feeding time which isn’t to be missed!
Nathan Phillips Square
Don’t miss up on the opportunity to get a photo of the iconic Toronto sign, take a book or card game and chill out in the sun for a while.
Rogers Center
Head to the box office and pick up some last minute Baseball tickets (we got ours for CA$15 each!) for a unique experience. Even if you aren’t familiar with the rules the atmosphere is fantastic and you can easily pick up the basics!
Day 5:
Get hands on at the 600 interactive displays at the Ontario Science Centre while also exploring Toronto’s only planeterium or meet the panda cubs at Toronto Zoo, the only place in Canada where you can see giant pandas cubs!
Ontario Science Center & Toronto Zoo
Make the most of your last day and head to either Toronto Zoo or Ontario’s Science Centre, both are equally as exciting and one entrance fee is included within your CityPass!
The Lockhart
If you’re a Harry Potter fan then head over to the Lockhart for Harry Potter Inspired drinks and tapas food after a long day of exploring! Don’t forget to take a picture for Instagram to make everyone jealous!
Tips and Tricks:
We found the best way to get around the city was by Metro, a day pass is easiest as you don’t have to worry if you take the wrong train or get off at the wrong stop. On the weekend you can get ONE day pass for TWO people, but on weekdays ONE day pass is only valid for ONE person.
Uber is also a great way to get around, and UberPool is cheaper if you aren’t in a rush! We also found that quite a lot of places were within walking distance to each other which kept the cost down.
For the duration of our stay in Toronto we stayed in an Airbnb which was far cheaper than any hotel or hostel that we could find online. Our particular Airbnb was a private room in an apartment which gave us access to a 24/7 pool and gym, badminton and basketball court with a stunning view of Toronto skyline and the CN tower from our bedroom window! Staying in an Airbnb also meant we were able to keep the cost down by cooking most of our own food each night.