Toronto
I’ve only been to Toronto once and while it lacks the charm of Montreal or Vancouver, it’s a nice city. There’s great markets here, wonderful art museums, and delicious Asian food. Although Toronto has a higher cost of living than most other Canadian cities, there are many free and low-cost activities and sight-seeing to be done here. Toronto is a great city with friendly locals, great bars, and tons of activities. I wouldn’t spend weeks here but days? Definitely.
Buying a Travel Backpack
Finding Cheap Accommodation
Buying Travel Insurance
How to Find a Cheap Flight
Interesting Facts About Canada
Outstanding Ottawa
Daily Costs in Toronto
- Hostel Prices: Dorm rooms begin at $18 CAD and private rooms start around $40 CAD.
- Budget Hotel Prices: Low cost hotels in Toronto vary in price. Depending on what area of the city you stay in, expect to spend an average of $70 CAD a night for a single and around $90 for a double. If you book your stay in the fall and springtime, you can reduce your costs.
- Average Cost of Food: It’s best to cook here when you can considering Toronto is more expensive than other Canadian cities. If you are going to cook your own food, expect to pay between $50 to 75 CAD per week. Eating out will cost you an average of $15-18 CAD for an entree and drink, though at nicer restaurant it will be at least $25 CAD. Cheap food costs around $7 CAD. The super cheap eats are the hot dogs at hot dog stands which cost between $2.50 to $3.75 depending on your sausage preference.
- Cost of Internet: Internet costs $3 CAD per hour. Most hostels have free wi-fi. McDonalds and many coffeehouses do also.
- Transportation: There are many different means of transportation here, but consider taking the subway, bus or tram to get wherever you need to go. Cash fare is $3.00 (discounted to $2.50 if you buy 5 or 10 tokens at a time). A day pass is available for $10 CAD. A weekly pass costs $36 CAD a week. Taking the shuttle from the airport will cost you $19.75 CAD. Taxi are expensive, starting at $4.00 and increasing by .25-.50 cents every minute or so.
Things to Do in Toronto
- Visit the CN tower - This iconic 1,800 ft. tower is a fixture of the Toronto skyline. You can head up to the top to get panoramic views of the city, shopping, and 360 degree dining in its (expensive) restaurant.
- Hockey Hall of Fame – Canadians take two things seriously: hockey and hockey. Hockey is life here in Canada. Dedicated to the history of their favorite sport, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. This museum is a great place to go to learn about the sport Canadians and the hall of fame wills show you the best players.
- Spend the day at the beach- The beaches near Lake Ontario are a great way to spend the day during the summer. You can stroll along the boardwalk, eat at one of the many restaurants, or rent a boat and head out on the lake.
- The Harborfront Center – This area is a great spot to visit during the warm summer months. There is often free admission to their festivals and music concerts. It’s a great way to have a cheap day.
- Kensington Market – This free market is best to visit on Sunday mornings. It’s a great place for food and people watching. They often have free concerts too.
- Bike the Don Valley – These trails are perfect for any outdoors traveler. They aren’t far from the city. The trails range from easy to very hard.
- The Art Gallery of Ontario – Known as the AGO, it houses thousands of pieces of art worth. It’s one of the biggest museums in Canada. Admission is free on Wednesday night.
- St. Lawrence Market and Gallery – This market has endless rows of local treats to taste and buy, and go inside the building to take a look at the gallery. Admission to both is free.
- Toronto Island Park - Spend an inexpensive day at Toronto Island Park and enjoy the beach, play volleyball, and dip your feet in its wading pool. There is also the Gibraltar Lighthouse which has a museum that highlights the history and myths of the area.
- Royal Ontario Museum – This museum has thousands of artifacts, and specimens, are featured in over 20 exhibits; including Dinosaurs, Ancient China, Native Canadians, Canadian Furniture, Medieval Europe, Art Deco, Ancient Egypt, Textiles, Middle East, India, and Pacific Islanders. the world’s largest totem pole, which is over 100 years old, is also housed in a place of honor.
- Ontario Science Center – Lots of hands on science exhibits, including a rainforest, a tornado machine, sound proof tunnel, balance testing machines, and more. It also contains Ontario’s only Omnimax movie theater.
- Eat Chinese Food – Chinatown in Toronto is huge and still retains a lot of authenticity missing in a lot of Chinatowns around the world. Definitely visit here and eat a few meals. They are delicious and they super cheap. This is also the best place to get Asian fruit not normally found in local supermarkets.
- Casa Loma – This is the former estate of Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, a Toronto entrepreneur and romantic. A real life ‘medieval’ castle, touring this place is awesome. There are four levels to check out—via a self-guided multimedia tour.
- Canada’s Wonderland – Filled with rides, coasters, food, games, shops, theatres, a water park, and live shows, this summer attraction is super fun. It’s only $39 a day and there are plenty of things to do.
- Ontario Place – This is a very large entertainment complex, some of which is even built out over Lake Ontario. With an amphitheater for concerts, water park features, and the Atlantis venue, there is always something to do here.
- The Word On The Street – Every September, usually around the 24th, Queen’s Park is host to Canada’s largest annual, outdoor book and magazine festival. You can browse through hundreds of books and magazines, literacy exhibitor booths, and more.
- Winterlicious – Every year during Toronto’s WinterCity festival, several restaurants offer special menus of high-end meals at a majorly reduced price. This event is awesome, because it allows many the opportunity to try gourmet foods that are usually highly priced. Plates range from $10 to $30, and are typically multi-coursed.
Budget Tips for Toronto
- Visit Museums and Beaches. With plenty of free museums and beaches to choose from and in every part of the city, you have your pick. Don’t forget to plan an afternoon at Toronto Island Park for a relaxing day at the beach.
- Get a City Pass. Tourists can purchase a Toronto CityPASS for $67.97 USD, that includes admission to the ROM, CN Tower, Casa Loma, Ontario Science Centre, and the Toronto Zoo. If you plan to do all of these things, you’ll have a lot of money.
- Take a Free Tour. The Heritage Toronto Walks are FREE, and are offered from May-October each year. They’re a great way to learn about the city, and you don’t have to make reservations.
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Once, I waited over an hour for a bus that didn't exist because information in a guidebook was out of date. After that, I never wanted out of date travel information to exist. After traveling the world for over five years, I know exactly what type of information travelers want. I update this guide section every six months so you never have to go through what I did. 
