One Day in Toronto Itinerary: Three Routes by TTC

The best thing about one day in Toronto is that you do not need a car, a perfect forecast or a folded map. You need a TTC trip planner and one decision: which of three routes feels like today.

The TTC’s own Explore Toronto page publishes directions to museums, parks and attractions, and the TTC route directions below come from it.

Which route fits your day?

• Route one, museums: a ROM and Bata morning, an AGO afternoon, a finish at City Hall.
• Route two, old town to the waterfront: the market, a post office, a distillery and the harbour.
• Route three, the Island: a ferry, a boardwalk and the skyline.

Each has a short-on-time swap. Union Station is the hinge that holds them together, and it is reachable through the PATH.

What does the museum route look like?

Start at St George Station. The TTC points visitors to the Royal Ontario Museum by taking Line 1 or 2 to St George and heading east on Bloor Street. The TTC describes the ROM as home to art, culture and nature from across the world.

Next, the Bata Shoe Museum, which the TTC describes as home to over 1,000 shoes and related artifacts. The museum says the nearest subway station is St. George, a one-minute walk. Plan this route for a Sunday and you are in luck: the museum says admission is free for everyone on Sundays.

Midday, ride Line 1 to St Patrick. The TTC route to the Art Gallery of Ontario is Line 1 to St Patrick Station, then west on Dundas Street. The AGO says its main entrance is on Dundas Street West, three blocks west from University Avenue. The TTC says the gallery houses a collection of art spanning centuries and cultures.

If you have energy left, the Textile Museum of Canada sits one block east of St Patrick Station. It holds more than 15,000 objects from over 200 regions of the world.

Finish at City Hall. From Queen Station, head west on Queen Street. Nathan Phillips Square is a gathering place for public events, seasonal skating and cultural celebrations.

Short on time? Swap the Textile Museum for the Gardiner Museum, which the TTC describes as Canada’s national ceramics museum. Take Line 1 to Museum Station and head north on Queen’s Park. More free and low-cost museum days are in our free museum days guide.

How do I do the old town and waterfront route?

Start at King Station. To reach St. Lawrence Market, take Line 1 to King, head south on Yonge, then east on Front Street East. The City says the South Market is open six days a week and has more than 60 specialty vendors. The North Market is primarily known for its Saturday Farmers’ Market. The whole complex has served as a City landmark for more than 200 years.

Next, a small museum with a big story. Toronto’s First Post Office is a museum, National Historic Site and working post office in the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, built in 1833. The TTC says it is Canada’s oldest surviving purpose-built post office still in operation. The TTC directions: Line 1 to King or St Andrew, then the 504 King streetcar eastbound to King Street East at Jarvis Street.

Then ride the 504 east. The TTC describes the Distillery Historic District as a pedestrian-friendly destination east of downtown. From King Station, take any 504 King streetcar eastbound to Parliament Street and head south. Parks Canada says Gooderham and Worts Distillery was designated a national historic site in 1988.

Afternoon at the harbour. Harbourfront Centre is a waterfront cultural destination, and the TTC route is Line 2 to Spadina Station, then the 510 Spadina streetcar to Queens Quay West at Rees Street. The centre says its art exhibitions are free and on view. The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery is also on the waterfront, with free admission year-round, according to the TTC. Its route is Line 1 to Union, then the 509 Harbourfront streetcar.

End on the sand. HTO Park is an urban beach on the Inner Harbour, known for its yellow umbrellas, Muskoka chairs and grassy hills.

Rain plan: go underground. The PATH is a mostly underground pedestrian walkway network that spans more than 30 kilometres. You can walk it from the waterfront to Downtown Yonge. Our PATH guide covers the route.

What does the Island route look like?

Start at Queens Quay. Take Line 1 to Union Station, then the 509 Harbourfront streetcar to Queens Quay Station, then head upstairs and across the street to the ferry docks.

Ferries to Toronto Island run year-round from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. The City lists a winter schedule from October 14 to mid-April. From mid-April to mid-October, service runs on three routes, to Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point and Ward’s Island. Check the City’s schedule page for the sailings and docks served on your day.

On the Island. Ward’s Island Beach is a five-minute walk south from the Ward’s Island ferry dock. The boardwalk adds a 1.5-kilometre walk with views of Lake Ontario, Tommy Thompson Park and the beach. The Centre Island pier shows the islands, Tommy Thompson Park and the city skyline. The City estimates the walk between the Centre Island and Ward’s Island docks at 2.9 km, or 35 minutes.

Short on time? Swap the ferry for a ravine or a park:

• Take Line 2 to High Park Station and head southwest into the park. The City says approximately two-thirds of High Park remains in a natural state.
• Take Line 1 to Davisville Station, then the 28 Bayview South bus to Evergreen Brick Works.

Can I link two routes?

Yes. Harbourfront is reachable from Line 2 by way of Spadina Station and the 510 streetcar, so a museum morning can become a waterfront afternoon. For a longer menu, see our weekend roundup and the full things to do in Toronto guide. If the forecast turns, flip to our rainy day list.

Send this to the friend who says they only have one day.