Toronto Travel Guide
Toronto Travel Guide
Toronto is a big city with tons of fun, diverse neighborhoods, but it’s also much cleaner than any US city I’ve ever been to, and it’s right on Lake Ontario, meaning the coastline is spotted with beaches and islands nearby that make you feel like you’re escaping the big city!
Keep reading for my recommendations on where to stay, what to do & safety for solo female travel!
Jump To:
- *Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Pick for Drinks With A View*
- Where to stay in Toronto
- Top things to Do in Toronto
- Safety for Solo Female Travelers in Toronto
- Getting Around Toronto
- Top Toronto Blog Posts
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
*Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Pick for Drinks With A View*
The Rooftop Bar at 1 Hotel
The Rooftop Bar at 1 Hotel Toronto has the most stunning skyline and lake views of Toronto! I recommend making a reservation, I got lucky and was a ble to grab a barstool without one, but it was packed up there and I saw larger groups without reservations get turned away. This is an amazing spot to grab a drink and view the skyline at any time of day, but sunset is a stunning time to head over there!
You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to make reservations or head to the bar! Reservations can be made here
Where to Stay in Toronto
wanted to be close to downtown Toronto and the train station to make getting to and from the airport easy. I also wanted to be near some of the major things I was hoping to see. I chose the Hyatt Regency Toronto, which is a short walk from many of the things I wanted to see, like Rogers Centre and the CN tower. They had a rooftop pool with a cool view + the rooms were clean and spacious. I would definitely stay here if I went back again, particularly because the area was so convenient!
Location: So convenient! It was located in a neighborhood surrounded by a bunch of fun restaurants and bars, as well as many of the major Toronto attractions. I also felt safe coming back to the hotel by myself later at night.
Cost: $$-$$$ $286 per night (in June)
Top things to Do in Toronto
Explore the Distillery District
The Distillery District is this cool, walking-only area of the city that used to be a large whiskey distillery. The old brick buildings have been converted into restaurants, bars and shops and the brick roads are decorated with various artworks. It’s an awesome area to explore & grab some lunch. I was hoping to make it back there at night to check out the bar scene, but didn’t get the chance to make it back!
See the CN Tower & Rogers Centre
It would be impossible to go to Toronto and not see the CN tower, just given it’s sheer size, so you don’t need to go to the top to get a view of it! But if you want you can take the elevator to the top, where there are several options. You can make reservations at the 360 Restaurant, which includes free elevator admission. Reservations are required and the restaurant has a minimum per person spend of $75.
If you don’t want to visit the restaurant there are ticket options for just going to the observation deck, plus an additional ticket option that gets you access to the second observation deck, called the Skypod. This observation deck is 33 stories higher than the main one. We did the restaurant option when I visited with my family as a kid, and everyone enjoyed the views & the experience.
If you’re more interested in just viewing the CN Tower then heading up to the top there are a few cool restaurants and breweries with outdoor patios looking up at the tower in Roundhouse Park, where the Toronto Railway museum is also located.
Right near the bottom of the CN Tower you’ll find Rogers Centre, where the Toronto Blue Jays play if you’re looking to catch a game or take a stadium tour. I didn’t have time to do either on my short trip!
Rooftop Drinks
I love finding a good rooftop bar with the best city views everywhere I travel. The rooftop at 1 Hotel Toronto has the best skyline views, It’s a little outside the downtown area, but that made the views even better since you could see the whole skyline. Usually you need a reservation, but I was able to snag a bar seat for a few drinks with a view before the concert.
Dondas Square & City Hall
Make sure to head over to City Hall (where the giant Toronto sign is) and explore that area a bit! Dondas Square, which is Toronto’s version of Times Square, is right around the corner from there. It’s a cool area to walk through and do some shopping (they have the best H&M ever – I almost needed to check a bag coming home I bought so much) there’s also a lot of cool rooftop bars you can check out in this area!
Graffiti Alley
Graffiti Alley is literally exactly what it sounds like (haha) an alley with tons of Grafitti art. It’s a good place to walk through and maybe snap some cool pics! But you definitely don’t need too much time there and if you’re on a short schedule I would suggest skipping it!
Hockey Hall of Fame
full disclosure, I’m not a huge hockey fan, so I skipped this one, but I’m sure it’s worth a visit if you’re a big hockey fan. It’s located right downtown, so it’s super accessible!
Take the Ferry to Ward’s Island
There are three islands in Lake Ontario off the coast of Toronto that can be accessed by ferry. The ferries leave from the Jack Layton ferry terminal, right near downtown Toronto, and generally run several times an hour and it takes less than 20 minutes to get there. I recommend heading to Ward’s Island; it’s a car-free island, with an amazing Toronto skyline view, a few cute bars & restaurants, a beach, a marina & tons of cute houses of people that live there that you can walk around and view on sidewalk-like streets.
Concert at Budweiser Stage
This was such a cool concert venue! It’s just about a ten minute drive from downtown Toronto, and it has a lawn section for General Admission that is right on the lake! It also has awesome skyline views. I highly recommend catching a show there if you can!
Safety for Solo Female Travelers in Toronto
4.5 out of 5
Staying in downtown Toronto I felt really safe. The area is super busy, even late at night, so walking around alone felt totally safe. I also took several Ubers at night and they were easily accessible. The immediate downtown Toronto felt totally safe for solo female travel!
Getting Around Toronto
Uber / Cab
Uber and cabs were really easy to find in Toronto – I had no problem with late night or really early morning rides
Getting From the Airport to Downtown Toronto
There is a train called Union Pearson Express that runs from Pearson Airport to Union Station in downtown Toronto. It takes 25 minutes and costs $12 one way. It generally runs every 30 minutes or so!
