London/Toronto – Day 3 of a 5-Day Trip in Ontario
Day 3 starts with London, then a 2 hour drive to Toronto, and finally an evening in Toronto. Toronto is the Capital of Ontario. You might recognize it from shows and movies, as it is a frequent filming location (examples: Suits and Kim’s Convenience). The traffic near Toronto can be a nightmare, with a lot of angry drivers (not very Canadian), so be careful if driving! There are plenty of options for accommodation in Toronto, but I stayed at Element near the Toronto Airport for the remainder of my trip in Ontario.
Day 3
London/Toronto
After some cereal, I packed my bags and checked out of my accommodation. Prior to Toronto, I stopped by Meadowlily Woods Trail for a morning stroll. There are a variety of trails in the area. I snapped some pictures of Meadowlily Bridge. To be honest, I was short on time, so I did not venture very far past the bridge.
For lunch, I headed to the Burger Factory in Wharncliffe. I ordered the Juicy Lucy on Fire (beef patty stuffed with cheddar and topped with jalapenos) and onion rings. Burger Factory lets you select a variety of additional toppings free of charge for your burger so I added a little of everything (factory sauce, ketchup, mustard, pickle, etc.). The onion rings were good, but I still prefer A&W onion rings lol!
Next stop – Toronto! I met up with a friend in Toronto and we headed to downtown Toronto. Finding parking was extremely difficult despite it being a weekday. After at least 15 minutes of driving in circles, we finally secured a spot. Note: This was actually our last stop of the day, so it is dark out. I moved it up into the day as it would be too early for dinner. We visited the Toronto Sign at Nathan Phillips Square, the Yonge-Dundas Square, and the CN Tower while taking in the Toronto skyscrapers. I’ve also heard good reviews of Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, so it might be worth the visit. I wanted to go, but we did not have enough time. The aquarium is located at the base of the CN Tower.
(1) Toronto Sign (2) Yonge-Dundas Square (3) CN Tower (4)Toronto Skyscrapers
For the evening, we headed to the Distillery Historic District for dinner and drinks. The Distillery District is a pedestrian-only area surrounded by 19th century buildings and cobblestone pathways. The area was once a whiskey distillery, but is now the home of cool restaurants, fun bars, and hipster boutique shops. There is street parking nearby, but it is often full. We ended up parking a few blocks away.
There was an outdoor seating area which allows you to order from any of the restaurants in the area. The restaurant will then deliver directly to your table in a takeout bag. It is a creative way to experience the food from a variety of restaurants. I am not sure if this is seasonal or if this is available all year, but I think this is a great idea! We decided to sit in this outdoor area, but ended up ordering from only restaurant – Madrina Bar Y Taperia. Madrina Bar Y Taperia specializes in spanish tapas and their food was amazing. We ordered the marinated olives, iberco ham coquetas, eggplant escabeche, patatas bravas, pa amb tomaquet, shrimp paella, and croquetas de arroz con leche.
After dinner, we headed to Mill Street Brewery for a drink. Mill Street Brewery has been brewing beer since 2002 and has multiple locations. The location at the Distillery Historic District is the original.
Despite it being the evening, it was a hot summer day. What better way to beat the heat than to get ice cream! We walked to Scooped by Demetres. I got a one scoop of earl grey ice cream. Yum!
We had one last stop for the evening – Sheldon Lookout near Humber Bay Arch Bridge – to view the Toronto skyline. Despite it being late (almost 1am), there were multiple groups enjoying the summer evening. Unfortunately my phone does not have the greatest nighttime camera, so the photos do not do the skyline justice (you will just have to see it yourself!).
Complete Day 3 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
9:00am: Homemade breakfast.
10:00am: Go for a morning walk at Meadowlily Woods Trail.
11:00am: Have lunch at Burger Factory Wharncliffe (17 minute drive from Meadowlily Woods Trail).
12:00pm: Drive to Toronto (1 hour and 59 minute drive from Burger Factory Wharncliffe). Walk around downtown and visit the Toronto Sign at Nathan Phillips Square, Yonge-Dundas Square, CN Tower, and much more!
5:00pm: Head to the Distillery Historic District (7 minute drive from Downtown Toronto). Wander the boutique stores.
6:00pm: Have dinner at Madrina Bar Y Taperia (2 minute walk from Distillery Historic District).
7:00pm: Have a drink at Mill Street Brewery (3 minute walk from Madrina Bar Y Taperia).
8:00pm: Ice cream at Scooped by Demetres (2 minute walk from Mill Street Brewery).
9:00pm: Enjoy the Toronto Skyline from Sheldon Lookout near Humber Bay Arch Bridge (14 minute drive from Scooped by Demestres).
5-Day Ontario Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 5-Day Ontario Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip in Ontario (Toronto, Niagara Falls, and London Areas)!
Travels with Carolyne 