One week exploring the cities of Canada: Toronto, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec
We all know how massive Canada is and spending only a week was not enough! It has such an interesting history as a nation with a “melting pot” of cultures. Our neighbor to the north has so much to offer including amazing landscapes, diverse culture, and a mixture of languages. Additionally, Canadians are so welcoming and extremely polite, which always left a smile on my face.
Being from Detroit, It is quick and easy to hop on a train from Windsor to Toronto. After a few hours, you still feel the excitement of traveling to a new country!
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Day 1: Afternoon- Toronto, Ontario
Once our train arrived in Toronto we headed to our accommodation.
Accommodation: Since we had a fairly large group, we opted for an Airbnb located near Trinity Bellwoods Park. For me, this was the perfect location. We were still close to restaurants, bars, and cool coffee shops while being out of the busy city.
After checking in we went to lunch at a local brewery that was a few blocks from our Airbnb. The Bellwoods Brewery had awesome food, beer, and atmosphere. It definitely started our time in Toronto on a good note.
After lunch, we rented bikes through the city bike-share system and headed into the city. Our first stop was Graffiti Alley which is exactly what it sounds like… an alley filled with vibrant street art.
From there we rode our bikes through the city checking out different sights such as Nathan Phillips Square. The Square is home to the Iconic 3D Toronto Sign as well as the City Hall. We got our obligatory picture and then stopped at the local LCBO (Canadian Liquor Store) and returned to our Airbnb to get ready for a night out.
Day 1: Night-Toronto, Canada
We were lucky enough to have planned our visit to Toronto on the same weekend as their PRIDE festival. This definitely impacted our decision of where to go for the nightlife. Due to a local recommendation, we hit up the nighttime pride festivities on Church Street, which is the LGBTQ neighborhood of Toronto. There were bars on every corner, and it was very lively, colorful, and friendly. Toward the end of the night, we wandered into Loaded Pierogi, for a late-night snack. What a perfect end to a great day!
Day 2: Morning- Toronto, Ontario
I am arguably the largest Harry Potter fan ever, so when I saw a Harry Potter-themed restaurant, that also served brunch, I knew I had to visit. Not only was the food awesome but the atmosphere was so perfectly Harry Potter. The Lockhart really succeeded in bringing the Wizarding World to life. I truly loved and appreciated all the subtle details and nods at my favorite book series. Therefore, If you are a fan, you will definitely love this magical restaurant, and its themed cocktails(or potions ;)).
Day 2: Afternoon – Toronto, Ontario
We made it Downtown, on our bikes, just in time for the Pride Parade to start. For those who don’t know Toronto hosts one of the largest Pride Festivals in the World.
Consequently, the parade was outstanding. It truly warmed my heart to see sooo many people feeling so free, and completely themselves. I couldn’t help but smile.
For lunch, we went into the Chinatown area, which had so many options. We ended up picking a restaurant at random and really loved it.
**A note about the bikes: since we were in the city during a time of such high volume, and were commonly where the big crowds were, we often ran into problems finding spaces to dock the bikes, and/or finding available bikes.
Day 2: Night- Toronto, Ontario
In addition to the incredible parade, Toronto also hosted several shows on stages around the city. We ended up wandering into a FREE Brandy concert (like “That boy is Mine”, Brandy) in Yonge-Dundas Square. That was a super cool surprise!
After the show was over, a local recommended a really cool speakeasy that we decided to check out. The Mahjong Bar was the best and most discreet speakeasy I have ever been to. From the street, it simply looks like a cute little convenience store. I imagine that people walk in, buy sodas there regularly, and are none the wiser. Definitely a great experience. The Lakeview Restaurant is also nearby where you can grab some late-night Poutine on the way to bed.
Day 3: Morning – Toronto, Ontario
Our last full day in Toronto Started with coffee and a snack at a perfect little coffee shop near Trinity Bellwoods Park called 135 Ossington.
After enjoying our iced lattes we hopped on our bikes and headed to the Harbourfront. Here we walked around enjoying the sunshine and the unobstructed views of the CN tower. This is a really awesome area of Toronto. There are several park areas, trails, and a nice bike path that runs through it.
From here we took the handy bike path to St. Lawrence Market to have a look around. We were so excited to try different fresh foods from local vendors but unfortunately, the market is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Being a little disappointed we decided to continue our adventure to the Disterally District, which featured many tasty beverages.
Day 3: Afternoon- Toronto, Ontario
The Historic Distillery District is my favorite part of Toronto. Within this brick warehouse area, there is a collection of art installations, boutiques, and restaurants. We chose to eat at the Mill Street Brew Beer Hall which had a really nice patio area. Here we enjoyed our beer, food, and our surroundings. We loved this area so much, that on our way back through Toronto, at the end of the trip, we stopped at another awesome restaurant within the Distillery District, El Catrin.
Day 3: Night- Toronto, Ontario
For dinner, we met some friends who live in the City, and they took us to one of their favorite spots, The Drake Hotel. This Boutique Hotel comes highly recommended by all the locals we talked to. Not only is it a hotel and restaurant, but it is also an art gallery, general store, and cultural center. Our meal and drinks were phenomenal, and it is such a cool space to explore. Be sure to give yourself some time to walk around and admire it.
From here we bought a bottle of wine and took it to Trinity Bellwoods Park. We enjoyed our wine while relaxing on a picnic blanket on a beautiful summer night. It was the perfect way to spend our final night in Toronto.
The following morning we rented a car and drove to Montreal, Quebec.
Day 4 – Montreal, Quebec
We woke up the morning of Day 4 in Toronto, where we rented a car and began our drive to Montreal. The drive took about 5 hours and, by the time we arrived and checked in to our Airbnb, it was late afternoon/evening.
Our Airbnb was located near the corner of Rue Prince Arthur and Saint Urbain Street. This was a great location and was within walking distance to the majority of sights in the city.
We arrived later than anticipated so we decided to have a few drinks and food in the neighborhood near our Airbnb. Many bars and restaurants in this neighborhood and throughout Montreal have their own charm. It was fun to explore some of these on our first night. The Big in Japan Bar is recognized as a speakeasy, and appropriately so! Its discreet door is quite difficult to find, but the cocktails are worth the hunt!
Apt. 200 is another bar that I really enjoyed. I loved the decor, and it has an excellent, relaxing vibe. Once again, this bar’s entrance is rather hard to miss, but I am so happy we stumbled upon this gem.
Within this area, all types of cuisine can be found. You can find well-executed Japanese, Galician, Mexican, Indian, and so much more. Don’t be afraid to try something new!
Day 5: Morning- Montreal, Quebec
Our first stop this morning was Tutti Frutti, a café near the Notre-Dame basilica Montreal. We walked there from our Airbnb and enjoyed some coffee and yummy crepes for breakfast.
After breakfast, we headed into the Notre Dame Basilica de Montreal. It is known for its distinctive interior, full of blues, purples, and silvers. Upon entering the exterior doors this Basilica is striking, and in my opinion, stands out amongst the great Cathedrals of Europe. No wonder Celine Dion chose to hold her wedding Ceremony here! If you are debating the entrance fee, I would highly recommend spending the 10$ to experience the magic of this place for yourself.
Day 5: Afternoon – Montreal, Quebec
We spent our afternoon strolling through Old Montreal. You can truly feel the French influence here. The majority of people were bilingual, speaking both French and English! The architecture and pedestrians dominating the streets, made you feel as if you were in France. This is my favorite part of Montreal, complete with picturesque streets, bustling plazas filled with local artists, and any type of cuisine you could imagine. I truly loved exploring the “side” streets and the shops that the area has to offer. You can also find several museums in the Old Montreal neighborhood which gives you an insight into its history and its art scene.
We continued our walk from Old Montreal to the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal. On this 2km stretch along the St. Lawrence river, you can find amusement park rides, local artists, vendors, and some wonderful views of the river. We spent an hour or so enjoying the lively port area and soaking up the Sun.
Day 5: Evening – Montreal, Quebec
Eager to dive into the culinary scene of Old Town Montreal, we started our search for my favorite French pastry, Macarons. Nearby there was the perfect bakery, Maison Christian Faure, which specialized in french confections. Let me tell you, these Macarons definitely hit the spot.
Afterward, we searched for a rooftop to enjoy a cold drink and a good view. The slightly fancy Terrasse Nelligan is where we landed. Nothing can top their up-close views of the Notre Dame Basilica while sipping on a glass of chilled rosé. We stayed for just one cocktail but their food menu looked excellent as well.
Day 5: Night- Montreal, Quebec
Continuing our food experience, and really trying to embrace the French influence of Montreal, we went out in search of a Charcuterie board. Man, did we find one! Marché De La Villette, an eclectic french style bistro, served the best Charcuterie plate I have ever eaten. I thoroughly enjoyed all the different types of meats and pâtés, not to mention the incredible freshly baked bread that accompanied the platter! This darling bistro should not be missed, while in Montreal!
Heading away from old town we met up with a friend and Montreal native for a sweet treat. She took us to her favorite ice cream shop, Chocolats Favoris. This is a major Chocolate shop in Canada with many locations around the country. They specialize in dipped Ice cream cones. Here you can select a soft-serve flavor then choose from tons of different candy shell coatings. You can have your ice cream dipped in anything from a cotton candy shell to a chocolate raspberry candy shell. After your cone is dipped, you can then add additional toppings to your already super sweet Ice cream cone.
With our teeth aching from the sweetness, we spent the remainder of the night walking around several of the different neighborhoods, popping in and out of some cool local bars.
Day 6: Morning- Montreal, Quebec
Our morning started with an Iced latte and snack from one of the many cafés in the Quartier Latin, Café Nocturne.
From here we utilized the super-easy public transportation system to take us to the Olympic Stadium and Botanical gardens. We took the green line from Metro Saint-Laurent to Metro Pie-IX. Once you get off, you can walk directly into the Olympic complex to look around. As a former athlete, I LOVE the Olympics and enjoy seeing pieces of Olympic history. We did not pay for a tour, we just looked around the free parts of the complex.
After exploring the Olympic stadium, we headed back toward the metro station and headed for the Botanical gardens.
Day 6: Afternoon- Montreal, Quebec
I was STOKED to go to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Most of my excitement was for this incredible shrub woman that looks like she walked out of the movie Moana (for reference). To my disappointment, she was not there and was only an exhibit in 2013. :’’’(
That being said, The Montreal Botanical Gardens are HUGE and have so much more to offer. There are many types of gardens including the Chinese, Japanese, and youth gardens. I really enjoyed the youth gardens due to the structures made of natural and unexpected materials.
My FAVORITE part of this entire complex, by far, was the Sensory garden. This garden is full of plants that have unusual scents, textures, and shapes, and is designed to engage other senses besides sight. A guide provided a blindfold and escorted us through the garden, telling us when to touch, when to smell, and what senses to pay attention to for each particular plant. From there we tried to guess what each plant was or what it looked like. After the initial pass, she then took us around to show us the plants that we observed with our other senses. This was such an impactful experience for me and would highly recommend it to everyone!!
Day 6: Afternoon- Montreal, Quebec
Hungry and eager to explore more of the acclaimed food scene, we headed back into Old Town.
The first stop was Venice MTL, a colorful Venice Beach-inspired restaurant, with really yummy Poké bowls and smoothies.
From there we went to LOV (McGill location). It has a modern aesthetic complete with exposed brick and marble tables. This restaurant has such a great atmosphere with food and drinks to match. Since in Canada we had to do as the Canadians do and indulge in some delicious (vegan) Poutine! Such a great place to enjoy some fresh cocktails and twists on Canadian culinary staples.
Day 6: Evening- Montreal, Quebec
For our last evening in Montreal, we attempted to take in the sunset from Mount Royal. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy so there wasn’t much of a sunset, but the views were great.
There are several options to get to the top of Mount Royal: you can hike all the way up, take a bus to the summit, or drive the majority of the way. We chose the latter option since we were running out of daylight. There are a couple of scenic outlooks on the Mountain, we spent most of our time at the Mount Royal Chalet. From the chalet, we took a short hike to the Croix du Mount Royal, the large Cross on top of the Mountain. It was very refreshing to see the natural side of this beautiful historical city!
Day 6: Night- Montreal, Quebec
Our final night in Canada warranted a visit to one of the most famous poutine restaurants in Montreal, La Banquise. This restaurant is open 24-hours a day and offers 30 different poutines as well as burgers and other late-night staples.
La Banquise was packed with locals, enjoying some of the best poutine around. It was worth the wait and definitely worth the hype. This was by far the best poutine I had tried in my week exploring Canadian Poutine!
Stuffed, and slowly slipping into our post-poutine food comas, we walked back to our Airbnb to pack and get a good night’s rest before our journey back to the U.S in the morning.
Day 7: Travel Home
We began the morning in Montreal, grabbed a coffee from Nous Sommes Cafe, and hit the road. We drove our rental car five hours back to Toronto.
We took a quick stop for lunch at El Catrin, in the Distillery District. It was fabulous and we definitely needed those top-notch margaritas after a long car ride. Post lunch, we turned in our rental car, headed to Toronto Union Station, and caught our train back to Windsor.
The train ride was about 4 hours. When arriving in Windsor we grabbed our car to head back over the U.S border via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
This is a lot of travel for one day, but the train portion makes it much easier than driving the full 10 hours. It gives you a fun opportunity to reflect on the wonderful trip you just took!
Explore more of North America!