Toronto.
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Overview

Toronto is a diverse, energetic and liveable city, home to many tourist attractions, and seemingly endless dining, shopping and entertainment possibilities. It's the most populous city in Canada, the centre of the country's financial sector, and the provincial capital of Ontario.

Toronto is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the world: more than 80 ethnic communities are represented, and over half of the city's residents were born outside Canada.

Districts

Toronto is made up of varied and unique neighbourhoods. Covering 631 km2, Toronto stretches some 32 km along the shores of Lake Ontario. The city is laid out on a very straightforward grid pattern. Streets rarely deviate from the grid, except when topography interferes, such as the curving Don River Valley, and to a lesser degree the Humber and Rouge valleys at opposite ends of the city. Some main thoroughfares intersect the grid at angles. For travel purposes, we have divided Toronto into twelve districts:

Central Toronto The dense urban core of Toronto. It includes many of the city's attractions and hotels.

These are the older suburbs that ring the downtown followed by an outer ring of post-war suburbs. There are fewer attractions here, but if you have the time, some of the neighbourhoods are well worth visiting.

Outer suburbs and Greater Toronto Area Although there are fewer attractions, there are ethnic enclaves with ethnic foods and other activities that may be of interest to a traveller in the newer, outer suburbs of Toronto. For example, Markham's population is 48% Chinese and has a lot of interesting shops, businesses, and restaurants. For travel information for the newer suburbs, see the Greater Toronto Area article.

Understand

Toronto has an estimated population of over 3.2 million people as of 2024, and is the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) which has 7.1 million people. It also anchors the Golden Horseshoe region, which wraps around Lake Ontario from Toronto to Niagara Falls, home to over 11.1 million residents, approximately a quarter of Canada's entire population. Toronto is the fourth largest city and fifth largest urban agglomeration in North America.

Distances between cities in the area can be great as it sprawls along, outward and even wraps around the western end of Lake Ontario; public transit is not always effective enough to make it a quick or seamless trip. Many suburban residents rely on private cars to get around.

Toronto is also known as "the 416" after its first area code (although now 647 and 437 area codes are also used); or since 2014, "the 6", a term coined by the rapper Drake, which represents the area code).

Outlying suburbs are also known as "the 905" after their area code, although this code is also used in the Hamilton and the Niagara Peninsula, stretching from Cobourg and Colborne in the east to the border in Niagara Falls to the southwest.

More than half of its residents were born outside of Canada, and as a result the city is fortunate to host many vibrant bustling neighbourhoods with street signs in several languages.

A popular urban myth has it that the United Nations rated Toronto as "the most multicultural city in the world". While the UN and its agencies are not in the habit of rating cities, it remains a fact that Canada is a nation of immigrants, and Toronto demonstrates this abundantly. A UN agency lists Toronto as second only to Miami as the city with the most foreign-born residents, as about half the city's residents were born outside of Canada. This has been true since the early 20th century, meaning that new waves of immigrants from diverse places have arrived. Toronto's residents represent far more cultural and language groups than Miami, which may be a better measure of multi-culturalism. Most immigrants either pass through Toronto on their way to other parts of the country or stay in Toronto permanently. Many people born abroad consider themselves Canadian as much as native-born Canadians and will be offended if treated otherwise. Within Toronto, most ethnic groups have worked their way into the fabric of Canadian society but retain their distinct ways such as language, dress (if only for special occasions), customs, and food.

Toronto is home to many ethnic festivals throughout the year, several radio stations that broadcast in various languages, and two multilingual television channels. The City of Toronto provides services in 16 different languages while its public transit helpline provides service in 70 languages. Even large department stores such as The Bay in downtown Toronto advertise service in 9 languages. The lingua franca of Toronto, however, remains English.

While older tourist promotional material may claim the Toronto means "meeting place", the city most likely takes its name from the Mohawk word Tkaronto, meaning "where there are trees standing in the water".

History Spawned out of post-glacial alluvial deposits and bluffs, the area was populated at different times by Iroquois and later Wyandot (Huron) peoples.

European settlement began in the mid-1700s when, drawn by the natural harbour formed by the Toronto Peninsula (now the Toronto Islands), the French built a seldom-occupied fort (Fort Rouillé) near today's Exhibition Place. The city then grew out of a backwoods English trading post established as York in 1793 (it was re-named "Toronto" in 1834). During the War of 1812, Fort York was an important base for the British, and was destroyed during a major battle.

For most of Canada's history, Toronto was the second city of Canada. In contrast, Montreal was Canada's most important city, mainly because it was much older and larger, and also enjoyed easier access to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Toronto overtook Montreal as the financial and economic powerhouse of Canada. There were several factors behind this. The completion of the St.

Simultaneously, Quebec underwent the Quiet Revolution in the 1960s, in which French speakers began to challenge the traditional dominance of English speakers. Quebec's turn towards the French language made it look provincial and insular, at a time when the rise of the United States as the superpower of the free world meant people everywhere were rushing to learn the English language. Many English speakers and their businesses saw no future for themselves in Quebec and they fled from Montreal to Toronto during the 1960s and 1970s.

Toronto's rise to prominence coincided with the dominance of the Brutalist movement in architecture, which led to the construction of several ugly concrete high-rise towers in the financial district during this time.

As Ontario cargo traffic boomed, the Canadian National Railway (CN) realized there was no need to run all those cargo trains through Toronto's Union Station. In 1965, CN opened the MacMillan Yard in the northern suburb of Vaughan. This freed up a vast area of valuable land near Toronto's waterfront for redevelopment, known as the Railway Lands. The first big project to open was the CN Tower, in 1976. Development of the Railway Lands stalled in the 1980s, but took off again in the 21st century. From the CN Tower, you can see how the Railway Lands along the waterfront are dominated by contemporary 21st century skyscrapers in various shades of silver or blue, while the concrete high rises to the north are not as lovely.

In 1998, the cities of Toronto, Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, and York and the Borough of East York were amalgamated to form the current City of Toronto.

Toronto's climate is on the whole on the cool side, and variable conditions can be expected.

Come prepared for winter: winters are cold (temperatures average -3.8°C (25°F) in January), mostly cloudy, at times snowy and uncomfortably windy. However, the type of extreme cold experienced further north in Canada usually lasts for no more than a couple of days at a time. Sometimes during the winter, severe storms can slow down transportation and activities in the city for a day or two. Daylight hours are short and run from 7:45AM to 4:45PM.

The city experiences warm and humid summers, but still milder than many US cities. Average daytime highs are around and for overnight lows in July/August, with many muggy evenings but rarely extreme heat. On average, the temperature exceeds only 12 days per year, but hotter air masses often arrive with moderately high humidity levels. This can raise the humidex to around 38°C or even higher (equivalent to a heat index of ); and increase overnight lows to or above on particularly sweltering days. In the summer, thunderstorms occur from time to time, most lasting less than an hour. Summer days are long, with the sun up as late as 9PM, and sunrises around 5:45AM.

Late spring/early summer and early fall are generally considered to be the best times to visit for weather and less crowds, mid-summer is the peak tourist season, but visitors will find that Toronto's vibrancy extends through the winter with outdoor skating rinks and bundled up club-goers, etc. Toronto's public buildings are nearly all air-conditioned and fully heated.

Areas closer to the downtown core are generally 1 to 1.5°C warmer in winter due to the urban heat island effect. For the rest of the year, areas close to Lake Ontario are warmer by about 1°C due to the moderating effects of the lake. This is especially prominent in March and November when the city receives rain while areas just north of the city receive snow.

Destination Toronto. Tourist information from the Toronto Convention and Visitors Association.

Get in

, in Mississauga, is 30-50 minutes by car (depending on traffic) or 25 minutes by train from downtown Toronto and is served by most major international carriers. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 hosts all Air Canada flights and a few other international (mostly Star Alliance) carriers while Terminal 3 hosts all other airlines. When travelling from Toronto International (and other major Canadian airports) to the United States, travellers will go through United States immigration and customs pre-clearance before boarding, and should leave some extra time to account for this. The airport has free WiFi internet access.

The main article describes ground transportation to and from Toronto Pearson.

Porter Airlines. This airline uses Billy Bishop as their hub. They are a short-haul carrier that operates Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop planes to many cities in eastern Canada (Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, St. John's and others) and parts of the United States (Boston, Chicago, New York/Newark, Washington Dulles and Myrtle Beach).

Air Canada. Canada's largest airline. Operates flights to Billy Bishop Airport from Montreal and Ottawa, on Bombardier Q400 turboprop planes. Toronto Pearson International Airport is a hub for this airline with far more flight options including from international destinations.

Ground transit from Billy Bishop Airport One of the main benefits of flying into Billy Bishop is its proximity to the downtown core. Upon landing, you can be downtown within ten minutes. A pedestrian tunnel under the channel takes you to the city. A free ferry service also makes the short crossing: it is just 121 metres, the world's shortest regularly-scheduled ferry route. It operates between TCCA and the mainland every 15 minutes: see full schedule. Once on the mainland, a free shuttle bus connects the terminal with the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, across the street from Union Station.

TTC streetcars are available within a short walk from the mainland ferry terminal: Route 509 Harbourfront travels east along the waterfront (Queens Quay) to Union Station. Streetcar stops are at the corner of Queens Quay & Bathurst; 4 minute walk. Route 511 Bathurst provides service north along Bathurst, to Bathurst subway station. Stops are near the corner of Fleet St & Bathurst St; 6 minute walk. Both of these routes also travel a short distance to the west, terminating at Exhibition Place. Route 510 Spadina travels north along Spadina Ave to Spadina subway station. It's a bit of a longer walk (900m; about 15 minutes along Queens Quay to Spadina Ave) but can be a good choice if your destination lies along Spadina Ave.

That said, the most convenient connection to TTC subway and GO Transit services remains the free shuttle bus to Union Station.

Other airports Hamilton International Airport, , about 80 km from downtown Toronto and Niagara Falls, is served by WestJet along with seasonal service by Air Transat and Sunwing to sun destinations. See section on John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport for ground transportation including buses to Toronto.

For frugal travellers coming from the United States, Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, , is another option. Flights to Buffalo tend to be significantly cheaper than to Pearson, but then you still have to get to Toronto. Megabus, the airline-type coach service with varying prices and required early booking, runs a daily bus that takes 3 hours, including the border crossing.

By bus Bus terminals The main bus terminal is in downtown Toronto adjacent to Union railway station:

Here is a list of minor terminals and stops in various parts of the city. Check the Wikipedia link for a list of bus routes serving each terminal.

See also Toronto Pearson International Airport, Ground Transportation, for more intercity bus routes.

FlixBus. Bus service to Toronto from Ottawa (4.75 hours), Peterborough, Kingston, Whitby, Kitchener (2-2.25 hours), Stratford, Cambridge, St. Catharines (1.5 hours), Niagara Falls (1.75 hours), Welland, Port Colborne, Hamilton, Brantford, Chatham-Kent, London (3 hours), Sarnia, Windsor (6 hours), Sudbury, North Bay, Parry Sound, Barrie, Owen Sound, Detroit (6.25-6.5 hours), and Buffalo (2.75-4 hours). Seasonal service from Port Elgin and Southampton.

GO Transit. GO Transit runs bus and rail commuter/regional transit within and near the Greater Toronto Area. GO Transit buses make connections to many nearby cities including: Oshawa, Peterborough, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Barrie, Guelph, and Kitchener.

Adirondack Trailways. Service from New York City, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara Falls (New York) and Niagara Falls (Ontario).

Intercity Bus. Service from London, Sarnia, Strathroy, Woodstock, and Kitchener.

Megabus. Operates buses to Toronto from Montreal (5.75-7 hr) or Ottawa (5.25 hr) via Kingston (3 hr); from Grimsby, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls (2 hr). Megabus offers Wi-Fi and electrical outlets on many of its buses. A service from London is offered by Megabus through Badder Bus. Service from the United States (Buffalo, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D. C.) is also available.

Ontario Northland. Operates bus routes primarily in Northern Ontario. Routes travel as far west as Winnipeg, Manitoba and as far east as Ottawa. The following routes travel to Toronto: To Toronto from North Bay including stops in Huntsville, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Washago (some trips), Orillia (stop trips), and Barrie. Travel time to Toronto from North Bay is 5.75-6 hours, from Huntsville is 3.25-4 hours, from Barrie is 1.25 hours. Connections available at North Bay from Cochrane, Kirkland Lake, Ottawa, and Timmins. To Toronto from Sudbury including stops in Parry Sound, Orillia (some trips), and Barrie. Travel time to Toronto from Sudbury is 5.5-6.5 hours, from Parry Sound is 3.5-3.75 hours, and from Barrie is 1-1.5 hours. Connections available at North Bay from Ottawa, Sault Sainte Marie, and Timmins. Travel to Toronto from Winnipeg involves timed transfers between bus routes at Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, and Sudbury. To reach Toronto from Winnipeg is 1 day 9 hours.

Onex Bus. Bus service to Toronto from Kitchener and London.

Orléans Express. Service from Ottawa and Montreal.

The following are the railway services operating out of Union Station:

Amtrak. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. Amtrak operates the Maple Leaf train service daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and New York City include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario), Niagara Falls (New York), Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers. Travel time to Toronto from Niagara Falls (Ontario) is 2 hours, from Buffalo is 4.25 hours, from Syracuse is 6.75 hours, from Albany is 9.5 hours, and from New York City is 12.5 hours. Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage. Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.

GO Transit. GO Transit operates 7 commuter rail lines radiating from Toronto serving smaller cities within and near the Greater Toronto Area. The lines have various service levels varying from all-day service to limited mid-day service to only rush-hour, peak-direction service. The following are some of the destinations.

The Barrie line serves Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury and Barrie daily. The Kitchener line serves Brampton, Georgetown, Acton, Guelph and Kitchener daily. The Lakeshore West line operates daily serving Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. The Lakeshore East line operates daily serving Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby and Oshawa. The Stouffville line operates daily serving Markham. Other GO rail destinations have only rush-hour, peak-direction service.

Union Pearson Express. Operates trains between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport. Trip time is 25 minutes. Trains operate every 15 minutes daily from early morning until the late evening.

VIA Rail Canada. Operates many intercity trains across Canada. See Rail travel in Canada for more details. Train routes operating to Toronto: Between Montreal and Toronto including stops in Dorval, Cornwall, Brockville, Kingston, Belleville, Cobourg, and Oshawa. Travel time to Toronto from Montreal is 5.25-5.5 hours and from Kingston is 2.5-2.75 hours. Between Ottawa and Toronto including stops in Smiths Falls, Brockville, Gananoque, Kingston, Napanee, Belleville, Trenton, Cobourg, Port Hope, and Oshawa. Travel time to Toronto from Ottawa is 4.25-4.75 hours and from Kingston is 2.5-2.75 hours. Between Sarnia and Toronto including stops in London, St. Marys, Stratford, Kitchener, Guelph, Georgetown, Brampton, and Mississauga. Travel time to Toronto from Sarnia is 5 hours, from London is 3.75 hours, and from Kitchener is 1.5 hours. Between Vancouver and Toronto on The Canadian, which operates several trips per week. Travel time to Toronto from Vancouver is 3 days 20.5 hours, from Kamloops is 3 days 10.25 hours, from Jasper is 3 days, from Edmonton is 2 days 16.75 hours, from Saskatoon is 2 days 5.5 hours, from Winnipeg is 1 day 14 hours, and from Sudbury is 9.75 hours. Stops between Sudbury and Toronto include Parry Sound (5.75 hours from Toronto) and Washago. Between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Travel time to Toronto from Windsor is 4.25-4.5 hours, from London is 3.25-3.5 hours, and from Brantford is 1.25 hours. There are no direct trains from Chicago, but you can catch Amtrak's Wolverine service from Chicago to Detroit, then transfer onto one of VIA Rail's trains after crossing the border into Windsor by public transport.

By car Controlled-access highways leading into Toronto include the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), the 404, the 401, the 400, and the 427. Toronto is the largest city in Canada, so directional signs with Toronto as the destination are common. Traffic on incoming highways can be extremely heavy especially during rush hours. In the downtown core there are many turn restrictions, particularly from main thoroughfares to other main thoroughfares (e.g. Yonge to Dundas Streets).

The main streets in Toronto are laid out in a grid pattern that makes it one of the easiest cities to get around in by car. Getting from point to point anywhere in the city can be achieved with only a few turns. Parking in the downtown core can be expensive and hard to find, but tends to be plentiful and inexpensive or free in the outer districts of Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough. Although there is an extensive grid of local bus routes, travel by automobile may be faster and more convenient in the outer districts.

Transit bylaws Toronto follows some bylaws related to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) system, especially streetcars, that often confuse or surprise visiting drivers:

Yield to public transit buses signalling to merge left into traffic from a bus stop. Stay out of reserved public transit lanes during the rush hours, except to make a right-hand turn at the next cross street. A few transit lanes have restrictions from 7AM—7PM. While the restrictions are in effect, only transit vehicles, taxis and bicycles may use these lanes. Newer bus only lanes are painted red and may only be used by TTC vehicles or bicycles 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except when making a right turn). Avoid King Street between Jarvis and Bathurst streets as no through automobile traffic is allowed; such traffic must turn right after travelling a few blocks as per signage. Through traffic in this zone is allowed only for streetcars (trams) and bicycles. If you are driving on a street, a moving streetcar is ahead of you (either in your lane or an adjacent lane), and you see it slow to a stop and small lights start to flash around its doors, that means its doors are about to open. You must stop behind the streetcar, even if your own traffic lane is clear. Large bumper stickers on streetcars remind drivers: "We stop. You stop." Also, you should yield to people entering the street to board an approaching streetcar or people exiting a streetcar which has just stopped. If your vehicle is already stopped in traffic and a streetcar opens its doors next to you, do not move. Continue only after the streetcar doors close. Never pass a streetcar running in your direction that is stopped in the middle of the street with its doors open. Passing is illegal and dangerous for passengers boarding or leaving the streetcar. There is one big exception: You may pass a streetcar where there is a boarding platform between the streetcar and traffic lane, but watch out for pedestrians walking between the platform and the sidewalk. Give a wide berth to streetcars turning at a street intersection; streetcars have a wide overhang on curves, which is indicated on the road by dashed white lines. If your car is stopped too close to a streetcar curve, you may be forced to back up or squeeze more to the right.

Get around

Toronto is huge, and most roads run for very long distances. Streetcar rail, subway rail, and intercity rail services are clean and efficient, and it's entirely possible to get around Toronto without a car, especially downtown. You may find it quicker and easier to drive, but the highways regularly back up during rush hour (7—10AM and 4—7PM). Toronto has plentiful parking garages downtown, but they are very expensive.

Many in Toronto travel by bicycle (especially in the warmer months) and this mode is very convenient for getting around the downtown district. Not all motorists will give way to cyclists, and not all cyclists comply with the rules of the road; caution is recommended.

Getting around by car is the easiest method to get around outside of the downtown area. Roads are wide, have many lanes, and parking is free and plentiful. Arterial roads are generally laid out 2 km apart, although they are closer in the west and east ends of the city.

Large-scale multi-car pileups frequently block traffic for several hours. Always check traffic conditions before you depart. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation provides an official traffic information website, which has a page with details about current incidents, including images from traffic cameras if available. On the freeways, overhead electronic signs provide estimated driving times and warn drivers of accidents ahead.

There are several freeways within and around Toronto: Highway 401 (locally, the four-oh-one) is the primary east-west route along the northern edge of the city and is extremely busy. Highway 401 has a collector-express lane system. The inner or "express" lanes of the highway have direct ramps to and from only a handful of exits, while the outer or "collector" lanes generally have ramps to and from all the exits. After every three or four exits, there is an interchange between the collector and express lanes, so motorists who need to exit can move over to the collector lanes, and those who plan to drive for a long distance can move over to the express lanes. It is often possible for the collector lanes to be jammed, but not the express lanes, and vice versa. When studying traffic conditions on the 401, always pay attention to whether an accident is blocking the collector or express lanes. Since exits are so far apart on the express lanes, it is especially important to take the last exit before a traffic jam begins in those lanes, or you may be stuck for several hours. Highway 427 is the primary north-south route along the western edge of the city. It begins at the QEW/Gardiner Expressway interchange and ends in Vaughan. It also has a collector-express lane system near the airport. Follow the signs carefully in order to get where you need to go. Highway 400 is the main north-south route linking Toronto to Barrie and beyond that, Northern Ontario. It has only a short stub in Toronto beyond Highway 401, and then becomes a four-lane arterial road, Black Creek Drive. Allen Road is a short north-south freeway that was supposed to be part of a longer Spadina Expressway, but the rest of that route was cancelled by a freeway revolt. Allen Road begins just north of Highway 401 as Dufferin Street, then ends suddenly at a signalized T-intersection with Eglinton Avenue. Traffic going south usually backs up at that intersection, as does east-west traffic on Eglinton trying to take Allen to reach the 401. Highway 404 is a north-south freeway which links Toronto to its northern suburbs, such as Aurora and Newmarket. At an interchange with the 401, Highway 404 becomes the Don Valley Parkway. The Don Valley Parkway (DVP) is a north-south freeway that links downtown Toronto to the north via Highway 404. It passes through the steep terrain of the Don River valley. Exits on the DVP have short ramps and tight curves, due to the nature of the terrain. The Gardiner Expressway is the primary east-west freeway serving downtown Toronto. It begins at the QEW/Highway 427 interchange, crosses straight through downtown Toronto, and ends at an interchange with the Don Valley Parkway. Half of the route is elevated, making for great views of the city. \ Highway 409 is a short east-west freeway designed to link the eastern portion of Highway 401 and nearby surface streets directly to Toronto Pearson International Airport. It begins at Highway 401, runs through an interchange with Highway 427, and ends at the airport.

Getting around in downtown Toronto by car is much harder, however, and taking transit is often the better option. Parking is scarce and often expensive, depending on where you park and whether you park on the street or in private lots or garages. Driving on downtown streets also takes a lot more patience as speeds are slower, and hazards are more numerous. In addition to heavy vehicular traffic (cars, trucks, buses, streetcars), you will also have to frequently yield for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Toronto Transit Commission. Toronto's main transit system. TTC consists of buses, streetcars (trams) and subway lines. The TTC provides free printed maps of the system at the information booth of most subway stations.

Presto card holders are entitled to discounts or offers for certain attractions in the Greater Toronto Area.

Presto tickets are single-use, paper-disposable electronic tickets with no stored balance which must be used within 90 days of purchase (unused tickets can be exchanged for up to one year past expiration by mailing them in to TTC). They can only be used for TTC services, (they are accepted at all TTC stations regardless of whether they are located in Toronto or York Region, and on surface routes/vehicles within the City of Toronto limits and for TTC buses going to and from Pearson Airport). They are sold from Presto vending machines at all TTC stations at most Shoppers Drug Mart and select Loblaws locations across Toronto and come in three varieties: one-ride, two-ride and day pass. The TTC Presto day pass allows one person unlimited travel on the day of use from first tap until 3AM the next morning.

To avoid accidental double charging, keep any unused credit and debit cards away from the Presto reader, and always tap the same card or ticket during your trip. If travelling as a group, each rider must use a separate card or ticket.

For riders paying by credit, debit or Presto card, free or discounted transfers are available between the TTC and the following transit operators: GO Transit, Hamilton Street Railway, Burlington Transit, Oakville Transit, MiWay (Mississauga), Brampton Transit, York Region Transit and Durham Region Transit. Such trips must be completed within two hours, or three hours if using GO Transit. This free or discounted transfer is not available to riders paying by cash, Presto ticket or using UP Express trains operating between Union Station and Pearson Airport.

Paying by cash If you pay by cash, exact cash (no change provided) is required. You must request for paper transfer (also called a POP ticket) to serve as proof of payment and to transfer to another TTC vehicle at designated transfer locations. Paper transfers are valid for a one-way continuous trip and stopovers and return trips are not permitted (unlike paying by credit, debit or Presto card).

On streetcars, there are cash payment machines near the second and third doors of the vehicle. At on-street stops, there is a cash payment machine on the platform where you deposit exact cash into the vending machine and obtain a paper POP/transfer.

Subway and light rail Trains operate M-Sa roughly 6AM-1:30AM, and Su 8AM-1:30AM.

As of Feb 2026, the subway and light rail system has five lines: Line Yonge-University runs in a 'U' shape, travelling from North York south along Yonge Street, through the downtown area to Union Station, then travelling north through North York to Vaughan. Line Bloor-Danforth runs east-west along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue. Line Sheppard runs east from Line 1 along Sheppard Avenue to Fairview Mall at Don Mills Station. Line Eglinton runs east along Eglinton Avenue between Mount Dennis and Kennedy Stations. Line Finch West runs west from Line 1 at Finch West Station along Finch Avenue West to Humber College.

Much of Lines 5 and 6 run on the surface in the middle of a street. A number of underground stations on Line 5 are several levels deep with elevators and escalators only at the main entrance; to avoid an exhausting climb, do not use the secondary entrances.

Line Scarborough is no longer in service, and has been replaced by the Scarborough Busway which allows bus routes 38, 129, 131,133,154, 903, 904, 938 and 939AB to travel between Kennedy station and Scarborough Centre station (at Scarborough Town Centre) within 15 minutes. At Kennedy station, board these bus routes from Platform B.

Sections of the subway and light rail system often close on weekends or late evening for maintenance, with buses replacing each closed section. The TTC gives notice of such closures a few days in advance. Expect a longer travel time during such closures; staff will be on hand to direct passengers.

Streetcars TTC Subway, Light Rail and Streetcar Map, omitting most streetcar diversions Toronto is one of the few cities in North America (and the only city in Canada) to have kept any of its streetcar routes, and today has the largest surviving streetcar network in North America. Most streetcar lines serve the south, central part of the city. Streetcar routes are numbered 501-514 and 301-314 at night (except for 307 which is a night bus route). Note the following: The TTC often diverts streetcars around construction projects potentially resulting in a substantially changed route for several months. Maps posted on the TTC website, in stations and in waiting shelters generally do not reflect such diversions. Ideally, riders should check the TTC webpage: Services Changes for diversions to avoid ending up in the wrong place. Buses replacing all or part of a streetcar route will bear the streetcar route number and route name. When getting on and off streetcars, make sure that the traffic is stopped in the lane next to the streetcar. Also, be aware of pickpockets in crowded rush hour situations.

Other services From roughly 1:30AM to 6AM (8AM on Sundays), the subway system and all day-time streetcar and bus routes are replaced by the Blue Night Network. Night route 320 Yonge replaces the subway line 1 and offers frequent service. Most other night routes have 30-minute frequency.

Express bus routes (numbered in the 900 series) often follow local bus routes but with fewer stops, stopping mainly at transfer points. The 900 Airport Express goes to Toronto Pearson Airport. Some express routes operate all day, every day; others may run only during rush hours.

Taxis are plentiful and safe, but not cheap. As with most big cities, driving a car downtown can be annoying; parking is often hard to find and expensive, and traffic along certain streets can make vehicle travel slower than mass transit. However, traveling longer distances, when not close to subway lines is often significantly faster by car or taxi.

Toronto is trying very hard to become a bike-friendly city, with dedicated bike lanes being added all the time. There are many casual cyclists out all the time. And it is fast: door to door, in all of downtown Toronto, a bike beats a car or transit nearly every time.

There can be hostility between automobiles and cyclists. Generally speaking, if you are on the road, you are expected to obey the same laws as cars, and you are not allowed to ride on the sidewalk.

The city is predominantly flat, aside from a general climb away from Lake Ontario and the deeply indented, forested Don Valley and Humber River Valley. Post-and-ring locking posts are present throughout the city. There are many bike-only lanes on major roads and threading through various neighbourhoods and parks. The city publishes a cycling map, available on the city website.

Bike Share Toronto provides a public bike system with over 10,000 bikes available at 1,000 stations throughout the city. It operates 24 hours a day, all year long (but see the warning below about winter biking). Several businesses also offer bicycle rentals.

It is a provincial law that cyclists under 18 must wear a helmet, and all riders must have a bike with reflectors and a bell. This tends to only be enforced when the police go on their annual "cycling blitz".

Beware of parked cars - often accidents are not caused by moving cars, but rather by careless drivers or passengers who unexpectedly open their driver's side door. Be cautious of streetcar tracks as bike wheels can be easily caught and cause a spill. Although you will certainly see many locals riding the streets year-round, biking in the winter months is enjoyable only with proper equipment and reasonable skills; winter weather is cold, it can be quite windy, and snow removal is often imperfect.

By far one of the most popular bike paths is the Martin Goodman Trail, the east-west route that hugs Lake Ontario, spanning the city from Etobicoke to the eastern ends of the city. This path is also often used by pedestrians and rollerbladers. The Don River trail system begins at the lake (near Queen and Broadview) and travels very far north and east. During or after heavy rains, avoid lower sections of the trails. A special treat for bikers of all levels is a tour through Tommy Thompson Park (Leslie St Spit) to the lighthouse and bird sanctuaries (no cars!), which is open on weekends only. Start at Queen and Leslie and head south. A visit to Toronto Islands from the ferry docks at the southern end of Bay Street is a great way to spend a bike-friendly, relaxed afternoon by bike. There are no private cars on the Toronto Islands.

The trip to the Toronto Islands from the downtown core (Bay St and Queens Quay) is a pleasant 15-minute ferry ride, with frequent summer service and the best views of the Toronto skyline.

There are also guided sailing vessels that take tours of the inner and outer harbours, and circumnavigate Toronto Islands. Ticket booths are found behind Harbourfront Centre in the Harbourfront district.

See

Art Gallery of Ontario. The largest art gallery in Canada. It has a great Canadian paintings exhibit and the world's largest collection of Henry Moore sculptures. The European paintings exhibit has a few excellent pieces including Ruben's The Massacre of the Innocents. Bata Shoe Museum. This offbeat museum is devoted to shoes and footwear from cultures all over the world. Black Creek Pioneer Village is a recreation of life in 19th-century Ontario and consists of over 40 historic buildings, decorated in the style of the 1860s with period furnishings and actors portraying villagers. Casa Loma is a step back in time to a period of European elegance and splendour. The museum has decorated suites, secret passages, a 250-m-long tunnel, towers, stables and beautiful 5-acre estate gardens. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. Dedicated to ceramics in an exquisite contemporary building. Hockey Hall of Fame is both a museum and a hall of fame dedicated to the history of ice hockey. Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of art, world culture and natural history. It is one of the largest museums in North America, and the largest in Canada. Spadina House Museum is in a historic mansion dating from the 1860s. The grounds contain a beautiful garden. Textile Museum of Canada. Shows drawn from a 13,000-piece collection of textiles from around the world and from other collections.

Landmarks CN Tower. At 533 metres tall, the CN Tower is the third tallest free-standing structure in the world, and the tallest in North America. Rogers Centre is a large multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof. It is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Toronto City Hall. Two buildings forming a semi-circle overlooking Nathan Phillips Square. Architecturally stunning, and next door to Old City Hall (now a court house) which has a more classical architecture.

Parks Toronto Zoo is Canada's premier zoo showcasing over 3,000 animals and over 300 species.

Do

Outdoors Toronto is "the city within a park", with miles and miles of parkland following the streams and rivers that flow through the city. Edwards Gardens and the Toronto Botanical Gardens in the neighbourhood of North York might just be the place to start exploring this natural environment. The City of Toronto has designated various Discovery Walks which highlight the natural and human history of the region. These can be found with brown circular signs along the route and highlight other regions such as the Belt Line, Garrison Creek and the Humber River as well as the downtown core. Beaches. Toronto has three main sections of beach along Lake Ontario. The most popular of these is in the aptly-named Beaches neighbourhood. A less popular alternative is the beaches in the western end of the city in the Parkdale neighbourhood; this was once Toronto's Coney Island, with an amusement park and numerous beach-style attractions; however in the 1950s the city built the Gardiner Expressway along the lakeshore, effectively separating the beaches from the city and causing the demolition of the amusement park; over the years attempts have been made to re-energize this area, but the Gardiner remains a major barrier, as well as a source of noise and pollution to keep away would-be beach-goers. On the plus side, the beaches are largely empty most of the time, providing solitude for those who seek it. The third major beach area in the city runs along the south shore of the Toronto Islands. This area is pleasantly secluded, with most of the islands covered with parkland and a small amusement park. Hanlan's Point Beach on the western shore of the islands is the City of Toronto's only officially recognized clothing optional beach, and a popular gay hangout. Despite these options, many Torontonians prefer to leave the city for beach trips; the most popular beaches are those in the Georgian Bay area north of Toronto, Wasaga Beach in particular is very popular during the summer.

Arts & entertainment Comedy. World-renowned Second City comedy/improv theatre has a location in Toronto. See great improv and situation comedy performed live with audience participation over dinner and drinks in the heart of the club district of downtown Toronto. Theatre. Toronto has a great theatre scene for every taste and budget. Check out the big theatres on Yonge Street for the big splashy shows. Small theatres in the Annex and elsewhere offer smaller productions that range from original Canadian works, avant-garde, experimental theatre, small budget musicals to British murder mysteries. A variety of theatre festivals such as the New Ideas, Rhubarb and Fringe festivals are the seed for many commercial success such as The Drowsy Chaperone. Also try to check out the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the home of the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. The Toronto Symphony plays in the acoustically renovated Roy Thomson Hall.

Canadian National Exhibition. The Ex is an annual fair offering an amusement park (the Midway), a casino, live entertainment, an international market, agricultural exhibits including livestock and a variety of other exhibits. It is Canada's largest fair and the fifth largest in North America, with an average annual attendance of 1.3 million.

Doors Open. This event, held the last weekend of May, offers residents and visitors an opportunity to take a peek behind the doors of more than 100 architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across the city. Many of these buildings are normally not open to the public. A number of the city's museums offer free admission on the Doors Open weekend.

Fan Expo Canada. Canada's answer to the San Diego and New York Comic-Cons, Fan Expo Canada draws over 150,000 attendees each year to celebrate superheroes, science fiction, fantasy, and other popular franchises. It's the largest such event in Canada and one of the biggest in the world, now taking up both the north and south buildings of the Convention Centre. It usually takes place over four days at the end of August.

Pride Toronto. Pride Toronto is the annual LGBT festival which includes the very popular Pride Parade which draws crowds of straight people to discover how LGBT people have fun. See also LGBT Toronto.

Toronto Black Film Festival. TBFF showcases the noteworthy black films and provides a forum to debate major cultural, social and socio-economic issues.

Toronto International Film Festival. This publicly attended festival of international film takes place in various theatres and draws many celebrities and celebrity spotters.

Inside Out LGBT Film & Video Festival. 180 Canadian ind international films and videos over ten days, produced by and about LGBT people.

Toronto International Festival of Authors. One of the largest literary festivals in the world. The annual festival attracts many well-known and up-and-coming authors, with a focus on Canadian and Indigenous authors. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 festival was held online. Events included author readings and discussions, writing workshops, book club meetings, events for children and families, and audio walking tours of Toronto neighbourhoods that inspired stories about the city. The festival's Instagram page @festofauthors sometimes hosts live online events and announces updates throughout the year.

Toronto has so many eclectic neighbourhoods that a random walk is fascinating in its own right. You might start in the Downtown area and then try other neighbourhoods around the city. Here are a few suggestions of neighbourhoods to visit. More details and more examples are found in the district articles. Distillery District. The former Gooderham & Worts distillery lands have been rejuvenated into a pedestrian-only village dedicated to the arts and entertainment. It has fantastic restaurants, festivals, and art galleries housed in its 19th-century distillery buildings. Harbourfront, Toronto's former industrial port, is today largely parkland with biking and walking trails and excellent views of the harbour. Harbourfront Centre is situated right by the lake, and is home to numerous cultural events of which most are free or relatively inexpensive. Take in some of the world's most critically acclaimed performing arts productions, or enjoy one of the many world festivals that take place every weekend. Toronto Islands. A short inexpensive ferry ride from the foot of Bay Street and you leave the bustle of the city behind. Visually, the views of the skyline from the islands are stunning, and for cycling, walking, picnics or just relaxing, the Toronto Islands are hard to beat. There is even a small amusement park for kids, Centreville. On hot summer days, temperatures here will often be about 2-3C lower than the mainland providing relief. By mid-summer the water is warm enough to swim at Hanlan's Point or for the more adventurous, a nude beach is nearby. Little Italy is the spot to get a sense of the Western Mediterranean. Sit at one of the many coffee shops and watch the world go by on the weekends. A great time to visit is during the men's FIFA World Cup competition (in football/soccer), regardless of where in the world it is actually being held as local communities face off and rivalries reach a fever pitch. Support can be passionate and even in adjacent communities and it is not unusual to see them draped in a mind-numbing variety of flags once every four years. Toronto's Chinatown is a great way to sample a tiny bit of cities like Hong Kong, without spending the airfare. Vast crowds crush the sidewalks as vendors sell authentic Chinese and Vietnamese food, and not-so-authentic knock-offs. It is one of North America's largest Chinatowns, and with many shops aimed at tourists, it is a good place to pick up some unusual and inexpensive souvenirs. The area is also home to a growing number of Korean and Vietnamese shops and restaurants. Toronto's multicultural mosaic never stops evolving. For a complete tour, travel along Spadina (north/south) starting at College Street in the north or Queen Street in the south. However, while still fairly vibrant unlike its counterpart in Vancouver, it has been far eclipsed by the suburbs of Markham and Richmond Hill as the main centre of Chinese life in the Toronto area. Kensington Market was once a centre of Jewish life that has morphed into the centre of Toronto's bohemian scene. Visitors will be assaulted by sounds and smells unlike anywhere else in the city, as narrow streets bustle with immigrants, punks, and yuppies alike. Stores include surplus shops, coffee houses, small restaurants (including vegetarian), clothing vendors, and record stores. Fish and fruit markets are also present in great numbers, and the area is experiencing a boom of South American food stalls of late. Koreatown has many Korean retail businesses and restaurants where Korean is as prominent as English in the signage. (There is also another Koreatown in North York. Gerrard India Bazaar (Little India) If you want to get a sense of Toronto's vibrant South Asian community, this is where you want to be; not only is Indian culture represented - visible Pakistani and Afghan communities are also alive along the street. The 501 Queen streetcar has been recognized in National Geographic magazine for being the longest streetcar route in North America (one of the longest in the world). The journey from one end to the other takes a couple of hours and passes through a wide range of ethnic and cultural neighbourhoods.

Toronto has several major league and minor league sports teams:

Toronto Argonauts - Canadian Football League, playing at BMO Field on the Exhibition Place grounds. Toronto Blue Jays – Major League Baseball, playing at the Rogers Centre (formerly known as SkyDome, and still generally called such by locals). Toronto Maple Leafs – National Hockey League, playing at the Scotiabank Arena (formerly known as Air Canada Centre). Toronto Raptors – National Basketball Association, playing at the Scotiabank Arena. Toronto Rock – National Lacrosse League, playing at the Scotiabank Arena. Toronto Football Club (also known as Toronto FC or TFC) – Major League Soccer, playing at BMO Field. Toronto Sceptres – Professional Women's Hockey League, playing at the Coca-Cola Coliseum (formerly the Ricoh Coliseum). Toronto Marlies – American Hockey League (Toronto Maple Leafs farm team), also playing at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. York United FC – Pro soccer team in the Canadian Premier League. They play home games at York Lions Stadium on the campus of York University in North York, but have long-term plans to build their own stadium in the York Region. Toronto FC II – MLS Next Pro (Toronto FC reserve team); as of 2024, TFC II shares York Lions Stadium with York United. A couple of home games are played at BMO Field as part of a doubleheader with the parent club. Toronto Wolfpack – Rugby league team playing in Super League, the top level of England's rugby league pyramid, which also includes 10 teams from England and one from France. The Wolfpack play at Lamport Stadium in the Liberty Village neighbourhood. In 2026, Coca-Cola Coliseum will also become home to the Toronto Tempo, a WNBA team.

The Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. It was called the Air Canada Centre (or "the Hangar") until 2018.

The Rogers Centre , 1 Blue Jays Way. Most often referred to by its original "SkyDome" name.

The Maple Leaf Gardens, 60 Carlton Street. Historic arena in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District; now converted into a Loblaws supermarket and an athletic centre for Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens.

The Sobey's Stadium (formerly Aviva Centre), 1 Shoreham Drive. A tennis complex that serves mainly as a training facility, but also includes a main stadium court that frequently hosts seasonal concerts. The most notable use of the complex is for the annual Canadian Open (sponsored as the National Bank Open formerly Rogers Cup), a high-profile event on both the men's ATP Tour and women's WTA Tour. The Aviva Centre hosts the ATP event in even-numbered years and the WTA event in odd-numbered years, alternating with Montreal in both cases.

Buy

Toronto has ample opportunities for shopping, and nearly any section of the city has unique places to shop:

Toronto Eaton Centre – At Yonge-Dundas Square. Over 285 shops and services, including most of North America's most popular brands, and two food courts catering for every taste.

The 'PATH' System. Linking 1,200 stores and 50 buildings, The PATH is an underground shopping mall has been created for all the commuters to get from Union Station to their offices and back without ever going outside. In a city of Toronto's summer heat and winter cold, this is essential.

Mink Mile. If you head west from the corner of Yonge and Bloor, you are in the most upscale of Toronto's shopping districts, easily accessible from the Bloor-Yonge or Bay subway station. Bloor Street between Yonge and Avenue is regarded as Toronto's version of Fifth Avenue, with upscale names such as Hermes and Louis Vuitton, and the flagship Holt Renfrew department store. Yorkville. This high-end shopping district just north of Bloor Street and west of Bay Street is home to many designer boutiques. It also has many galleries selling art. Kensington Market provides a bohemian shopping experience especially along the southern end of Kensington Avenue. The houses lining both sides of the street have been turned into shops with racks of clothes displayed in the front yard. There are many local, neighbourhood shopping districts in the inner city. These are mostly along major thoroughfares lined on one or both sides with shops in low-rise buildings. A few examples are Queen Street West (especially east of Spadina Avenue and extending westward into the West End), Uptown Yonge north of Eglinton Avenue on Yonge Street, and Roncesvalles Village. There are many more areas with store-lined streets within the inner city but few in suburban districts such as Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough which tend to prefer malls. Consult the district articles.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre. A shopping centre in the north of the city, accessible from Yorkdale subway station. This is a full-service, upscale mall with hundreds of stores, but which is also rife with packs of roving teenagers who use the facilities as a social scene. Make use of the subway if possible on weekends, as locals pack the parking areas to capacity.

Money Changing money at a recognized bank or financial institution is best; there are a few specialized bureaux de change in Toronto's financial district and in Mississauga in the airport terminals. US coins are often mixed in with Canadian coins at stores since they are similar in appearance.

American Express branches in Toronto only function as travel agencies and don't handle financial transactions.

Eat

Toronto is generally considered to be one of North America's top food cities. It has the same variety as New York or San Francisco and the compact and safe downtown keeps them closer together. As one of the most (if not the most) multicultural cities in the world, Toronto has authentic ethnic cuisine like no other city in North America. It is easy to eat out in Toronto and have a superb meal for cheap.

Peameal bacon sandwich The closest thing to a classic local dish that Toronto has, this is a simple dish comprising slices of cured, unsmoked pork loin in a Kaiser roll, typically adorned with some mustard. The classic location to try this dish is in St Lawrence Market, with Carousel Bakery and Paddington's Pump its most famous purveyors.

Roti Roti (never plural, and make the effort to pronounce the "T", like "row-tee") is probably the city's most iconic dish. Originating in Trinidad and Guyana, roti is essentially a curry wrapped in a roti shell, i.e., a thin paratha or dhalpuri flatbread. Typical curries found in roti include goat, chicken, lamb, beef, shrimp and a range of veggie options (channa, spinach, pumpkin, cabbage, potato). Occasionally you can find duck and oxtail options, if you're lucky. While the best roti is found in the outer suburbs of Scarborough and Brampton, a handful of shops persist in the city proper, including:

Pam's (Bloorcourt) Ali's West Indian Roti Shop (Parkdale) Island Foods (West Queen West) Paul's Roti Shop (Cabbagetown) Randy's Roti and Doubles (Bloor/Yonge)

A second variety of roti is a true Toronto original, despite the constituent ingredients being from India. Enterprising Indian cooks in the city saw the popularity of the Caribbean/West Indian-style wrap and adapted it to their own curries; the East Indian variety is now much more easily found than the West Indian original, but it must be said the quality ranges from divine to barely tolerable. Classic choices include butter chicken, matar paneer, channa and lamb korma. Your best bets for consistently excellent Indian roti:

Roti Mahal (Queen West) Matha Roti (Harbord Village) Mother India Roti (Parkdale)

Jerk chicken Toronto's home to one of the largest Jamaican populations outside of Jamaica, and with that comes a dazzling array of incredible jerk chicken options in nearly every corner of the city. This spicy-sweet-savoury chicken is usually served with rice and peas (kidney beans) and coleslaw; ask for extra oxtail gravy for the true taste. Little Jamaica, along Eglinton Ave., has about a dozen or so exceptional options; some classics closer to the core of the city include:

The Real Jerk (Gerrard East—they filmed the music video for Rihanna's "Work" ft. Drake here!) Allwyn's (Queen West) Fahmee Bakery (Little Portugal) Chubby's (King West—a more expensive but supremely delicious version) Tasty's (Chinatown) Jerk King (numerous locations including Chinatown, the Annex and Bloor/Dufferin) Mr. Jerk (Cabbagetown) Diner's Corner (Yonge/Wellesly) Albert's (St. Clair)

Patties (or "Jamaican patties" or "beef patties") Patties are a flaky-crust pastry usually filled with seasoned ground beef and can be purchased from Jamaican restaurants, convenience stores, and even a couple subway stations. Vegetable and chicken versions can be found with a little effort as well; for a huge range of fillings (shrimp curry, callaloo, goat, ackee and saltfish), head to Golden Patty in Kensington Market.

Doubles Doubles are the "little snack that fill you up big"—curried chickpeas in a fried, doughy flatbread, often with some tamarind sauce and hot sauce thrown in for good measure. Randy's and Ali's make particularly great doubles.

Italian veal sandwiches Bring your appetite for these massive sandwiches. A Toronto Italian classic, veal sandwiches usually feature two or three breaded veal cutlets in tomato sauce with cheese, onions and peppers, all served on an Italian roll. Most veal sandwich shops also offer chicken cutlets and eggplant options as well for those looking for something somewhat lighter. More easily found around the West End than anywhere else in town, put yourself in a food coma at one of these shops:

California Sandwiches (Little Italy) Bitondo's (Little Italy) San Francesco Foods (Little Italy) Tony and Nick's (Little Portugal) Papamio (Annex/Seaton Village) Uno Mustachio (St. Lawrence Market)

Portuguese tarts Toronto has one of the largest Portuguese populations of any city outside of Portugal or Brazil, which means you can find excellent pasteis de nata—flaky custard tarts—at bakeries all over the city. While gentrification of the traditionally Portuguese areas of Toronto's West End has resulted in the closures of many iconic bakeries since the 2010s, options still abound. Many bakeries will put their own spins on the tarts, with chocolate and nutella being popular options. Check out these bakeries for quality pasteis:

Nova Era (multiple locations, including Dundas, St. Clair and Dupont) Golden Wheat (Little Italy) Caldense (Little Portugal) Brockton Village Bakery (Little Portugal) Bom Dia (Parkdale) Progress Bakery (Dovercourt Village)

Street meat Like any proper North American city, Toronto has a distinct regional spin on the hot dog, albeit one that is much less fussy than you would find in Montreal, Chicago, Tucson or Detroit. "Street meat" carts are found all over downtown, with many options clustered along Front Street near the Rogers Centre as well as near Nathan Phillips Square. You dress the dogs yourself, with common toppings including ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, sauerkraut, pickles, banana peppers and bacon bits. There's no agreed-upon "standard" set of toppings; just do what feels right!

Surrounded by the extensive fertile farmlands of Southern Ontario, Toronto has an abundance of farmer's markets - one is happening, in season, almost every day. Several markets are year round, while others are seasonal, generally running from May to October. St. Lawrence Market: The larger main building has over 50 specialty vendors, with a large seafood section, a dozen butchers, several bakeries, and three very extensive cheese shops. In the basement, there is a specialty area for handcrafters, and an extensive foodcourt. The temporary building is home to a Farmer's Market, open Saturdays year round. It features fresh vegetables in season, preserves, spices and herbs, honey direct from the beekeeper or maple syrup from the people who tapped and boiled it, and quality Ontario wines. Riverdale Farm in Downtown East is a working farm with an onsite store.

Seasonal farmers' markets are held at City Hall's Nathan Phillips Square, in the Yonge-Dundas area, East York Civic Centre in the East End, Etobicoke Civic Centre in Etobicoke, North York Civic Centre at Mel Lastman Square, Scarborough Civic Centre in Scarborough, Dufferin Grove Park in the West End, and Green Barn Market in the West End

Interesting food districts Kensington Market is a historic market near Chinatown with food and drink options of all kinds. These days, Latin food (especially Mexican tacos and South American empanadas) is particularly well represented, but Caribbean, Italian, Middle Eastern and Canadian food are all found in abundance, along with coffee shops, bars, food stores and vintage stores. Cabbagetown is a designated Historic District in the eastern half of the downtown core. University District: small section of Baldwin Street (east of Spadina, north of Dundas) has many small outdoor cafes ideal for summer lunches. Chinese food can naturally be found in Chinatown, but these days many ethnic Chinese residents will tell you that the suburbs of Markham and Richmond Hill, not Chinatown, have the best Chinese food in the Toronto area. Other areas with a good selection of Chinese food include the suburbs of Scarborough and North York, as well as the neighbourhood of East Chinatown, about 4 km east of the original Chinatown. Chinatown also has many Vietnamese and Thai restaurants. Hakka food is a style of Chinese food that originated in India with the migrant Chinese of Kolkata. Also known as Indian-style Chinese food, outside of India and certain Southeast Asian countries, Toronto is the only city in the world to have such a variety of Hakka restaurants. Little Jamaica along Eglinton is home to countless jerk chicken restaurants as well as options for beef patties, ital (vegan) food and more. Little India along Gerrard Street East features a wide range of Indian and Pakistani cuisine with plenty of options for vegetarian diners. (don't skip the fish waffles!). Little Tibet in Parkdale is home to more than 20 Tibetan restaurants, one of the largest such communities outside of Tibet. Wherever you go, try the momos (dumplings with hot sauce)! Greektown along the Danforth features plenty of places for souvlaki, meze, gyros and glorious dips of all kinds. Little Portugal along Dundas West has gentrified considerably but there are a few remaining bakeries with pasteis de nata (custard tarts), bifana (pork sandwiches) and the like. King Street between University Avenue and Spadina Avenue has many restaurants appealing to theatre goers. Queen Street East between Empire and Leslie has a number of casual, trendy restaurants that match the vibe of Leslieville. College Street to the west of Bathurst has a cheaper set of eclectic restaurants popular with university students from nearby University of Toronto. Bayview Avenue south of Eglinton is the location of some of Toronto's best French pastry shops. Bloor Street to the west of Spadina in the Annex has a similar set of restaurants to College St, with a particularly heavy concentration of budget-friendly Korean and Japanese restaurants. Most restaurants tend to be very laid back. Yorkville: it's more about being seen than actually eating but there are a few hidden gems, and this area is famous for sightseeing celebrities. Restaurants often charge a premium for otherwise mediocre meals. The city's largest newspaper, the Toronto Star, once chose the Downsview Park Flea Market food court as the best in the city. Although it is open only on weekends and rather remote, it offers a variety of authentic food from Afghan to Trinidadian and lacks the chain restaurants that dominate the city's food courts. It is north of downtown, but is accessible from the Downsview subway station on the Spadina line and shares space with over 400 independent retailers.

Cafés Check the district articles for independent coffee shops.

Aroma Espresso Bar. This cafe chain has locations throughout the city. Aroma might be the best of the large coffee chains for espresso coffees and rivals the quality at many independent coffee shops. The coffee is served in a cup and saucer with a metal spoon (you might not get the spoon at some other places), and you get a piece of chocolate (a nice touch).

Balzac's. Balzac's is a small chain of cafes in interesting neighbourhoods. It serves only organic, Fair Trade coffee, cocoa and sugar, and its milk is locally sourced and organic.

Some districts with vegetarian restaurants are Kensington-Chinatown, The Annex, and Chinatown East.

Drink

Historically, the majority of nightlife in Toronto has been centred on the appropriately named Clubland and in the Fashion District on Queen Street West. Nearly everywhere is packed to the brim with pubs and bars, but none so much as Adelaide and Queen Street in those districts. Clubs tend to operate on Richmond and Adelaide streets (both run east-west, 1 block apart); names change frequently, but the district keeps on going. John Street between Adelaide and Richmond is always a hub of activity, especially after Blue Jays games, and is a convenient spot for those staying downtown. Two other clubs of note outside this district: the (long-lasting) Phoenix (on Sherbourne) and Rebel (literally operating on part of Toronto's commercial port, but this place has an outstanding view of the city on warm summer nights, and boasts an extensive entertainment complex).

Some of Toronto's newest and hottest nightclubs have opened up in the King Street West/Liberty Village area.

Hip art and music oriented crowds tend to gravitate towards Parkdale (Queen West past Bellwoods Park). The hipsters hangout in the wide array of bars, galleries and clubs that dot the area, including the Rhino, Happy Wine Bar, Tammy's, Motel, Pharmacy Bar, Danu, Food & Liquor, the Grand Trunk and the Drake and its poor cousin Gladstone Hotels. The same folks also frequent the Annex, Dundas West and Kensington Market areas of the city at night for club nights, casual drinks and art and music events. One of the main "corsos" of the city is Little Italy: College Street, between Bathurst and Ossington flows over with music, sidewalk cafes and excellent food and a crowd that enjoys the summer heat and the offerings. College Street, east of Bathurst, is home to many student hangouts, including Sneaky Dee's which is famous among locals for its nachos. The legal minimum drinking age is 19.

Dundas West has emerged as the preferred stretch of bars and restaurants catering to the taste-making proclivities of West Enders.

Ossington between Dundas and Queen has cemented its status as a nightlife hotspot with more than a dozen bars, packed sidewalks and bustling restaurants. While there are certainly a few trend-chasing spots catering to 905ers and basic Millennials, there are some real gems along this stretch, including Sweaty Betty's, Reposado, Bellwoods Brewery and Painted Lady.

Bloor Street West from Christie Pits Park until Lansdowne is also home to a great stretch of bars, including Civil Liberties, Paradise Grapevine, Hurricane's, Grey Tiger, Burdock Brewing, Three Speed, Bar Neon and many, many more. These cater more to the millennial crowd than some of the younger-oriented bars further south but are where you'll find a more authentic expression of what 2020s Toronto is all about.

Toronto has over a dozen microbreweries. One popular microbrewery is Steam Whistle Brewing (south of the CN Tower in the Entertainment District) which offers tours of its brewery in a former locomotive roundhouse. About half of the brewpubs are in the West End district. Other districts having a brewpub are Harbourfront (Amsterdam BrewHouse), Distillery District (Mill St. Brew Pub), Midtown (Granite Brewery) and East End (Left Field Brewery).

As of 2023, craft breweries have consolidated in two general areas: the East End, mostly along Queen East (Eastbound, Radical Road, Avling, Rorschach, Saulter Street, Black Lab) and Gerrard (Left Field, Godspeed); and the West End, particularly near Bloordale/Junction (Steadfast, Henderson, Halo, Indie Ale House, Junction Craft, Burdock, Bandit, Woodhouse, High Park). A few other neighbourhood breweries worth exploring include Bellwoods Brewery (Ossington, near Trinity-Bellwoods), Blood Brothers (Geary Ave.), Kensington Brewing (Kensington Market) and Mascot (Downtown core). For an exceptional beer bar, visit either Bar Volo (near Bloor/Yonge) or its sister shop, Birreria Volo (College near Bathurst).

Toronto has long been a beer and whiskey town, and while it lacks a drinking identity like that of Philadelphia or Boston, asking a bartender for a blackbird shot (Montenegro and Wild Turkey) will endear to you many.

Sleep

Most Toronto hotels and hostels are situated next to or just outside of the downtown core. Apart from downtown, most other Toronto neighborhoods have few lodging options, so one must then look at outlying suburbs beyond the city limits.

Toronto has a wide variety of hotels that can suit every budget. Many are located in the Entertainment and Financial Districts and Yonge-Dundas areas.

Toronto has several youth hostels, including ones in the downtown area, such as HI-Toronto Hostel at the foot of Church Street.

Another popular alternative for overnight visitors are bed & breakfasts, of which Toronto has hundreds, many of them in the downtown core.

Learn

However, despite its status as the largest city in the country and Canada's economic centre, it is surprisingly under-served by universities. This lack of post-secondary education has led to the development of major universities in the mid-sized cities that surround Toronto: the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, the University of Guelph in Guelph, McMaster University in Hamilton, Brock University in St. Catharines and Trent University in Peterborough. The universities in Toronto remain some of the best in the country:

The University of Toronto. Canada's largest university, is spread out all over the city (including the main downtown campus, an east-end Scarborough campus, and University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) in the neighbouring city of Mississauga). This university is consistently rated among the top three in the country and is part of the "Canadian Ivy League." Due to its size, the University of Toronto's downtown campus, known as the St George campus, after the street that runs through it, has its own "sphere of influence," turning the surrounding neighbourhoods into miniature college towns, with plenty of bars, restaurants, bookshops, grocery stores and cheap take-out joints. Click the link for a guide to the U of T campus. York University. The third largest university in Canada, York University has two campuses - the Keele Campus near Keele Street and Steeles Avenue West at the northern border of the city, and the original Glendon College at Lawrence Avenue East and Bayview Avenue. York University station on subway Line 1 Yonge–University is within the Keele campus. Buses 124 and 162 connect Lawrence Station (also on Line 1 Yonge–University) to Glendon College. Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU – formerly Ryerson University). In the heart of the downtown core. It was once a polytechnic, but is now Toronto's third university. The university is particularly well known for its school of management, and for its journalism program. Its campus is centred on the Kerr Hall, which forms a square around a central quad, it fills the block bounded by Gould, Gerrard, Victoria and Church streets. TMU also has buildings throughout this section of the city, including the Ted Rogers School of Management, at Bay and Dundas streets. OCAD University. The university focuses exclusively on art and design. The campus is on Dundas Street West near Spadina. Seneca College. Canada's largest college is spread out over the city with over 16 campuses of varying sizes. George Brown College. Three campuses: St. James (downtown), Casa Loma (midtown) and Waterfront (Harbourfront). Humber College. Two campuses: Lakeshore and North.

Toronto, like other Canadian cities, also has dozens of English as a Second Language (ESL) schools. The largest association of private English and French language schools is the Canadian Association of Private Language Schools.