One Day in Downtown Toronto: A Sample Itinerary Built Around Real Stops

Downtown Toronto packs markets, museums, waterfront attractions, theatre and nightlife into a compact area, which makes a single-day plan realistic if you group stops by location. This itinerary draws on the attractions listed in the Toronto For You downtown guide, with addresses and details as published there, and suggests how to choose between the options.

Morning: market and city landmarks

Start at St. Lawrence Market, which the guide lists as having over 120 vendors selling fresh produce, cheeses and baked goods, and a famous Saturday Farmers' Market. From there, head to Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square at 100 Queen Street West, known for its modernist architecture, the Toronto sign photo spot and a winter skating rink. The Hockey Hall of Fame at 30 Yonge Street is a short trip away, with Stanley Cup displays, interactive exhibits and a locker room replica.

Midday: culture or shopping

Pick one anchor. The Art Gallery of Ontario at 317 Dundas Street West is listed with more than 90,000 artworks, including Group of Seven paintings and European masterpieces. The Royal Ontario Museum at 100 Queens Park is listed with over six million artifacts, including dinosaur fossils and world cultures exhibits. If you would rather shop, the Eaton Centre at 220 Yonge Street has over 230 retailers, a glass galleria and a food court, and the PATH, billed as the world's largest underground shopping complex, offers about 30 kilometres of arcades and 1,200-plus shops, handy in bad weather.

Afternoon: waterfront and attractions

Harbourfront Centre at 235 Queens Quay West hosts waterfront events, ice skating, paddle-boarding and kayaking. Nearby, the CN Tower EdgeWalk at 290 Bremner Boulevard is billed as the world's highest full-circle, hands-free walk at 356 metres, and Ripley's Aquarium of Canada at 288 Bremner Boulevard has more than 16,000 aquatic animals and the longest underwater viewing tunnel in North America. Steam Whistle Brewery in the historic John Street Roundhouse offers a brewery tour with a tasting, and the Toronto Islands are reachable by ferry with beaches, bike rentals and Centreville Amusement Park.

Evening: theatre, music or comedy

The Theatre District is home to the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Princess of Wales Theatre and Ed Mirvish Theatre. The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar at 194 Queen Street West has live jazz and blues nightly, and The Second City at One York Street offers improv and sketch comedy. Roy Thomson Hall at 60 Simcoe Street hosts the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and King Street West has upscale restaurants and lounges.

Alternative plans

If it rains, swap the waterfront for the PATH and a museum. If you travel with kids, favour Ripley's Aquarium, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Toronto Islands. If you are visiting on a Saturday, make St. Lawrence Market the centrepiece. In the evening, Graffiti Alley in the Fashion District makes a free, self-guided wander if you want street art instead of a ticketed show.

How to choose

Do not try to do everything. Choose one museum or one shopping stop, one waterfront attraction and one evening show, and let the geography guide you: market and City Hall in the east, museums and shops in the middle, waterfront attractions and theatre in the south and west. Check opening hours, ticket prices and seasonal schedules on each venue's website before you go, since these change throughout the year.