Toronto in 2 Days on a Budget (With Daily Costs)
Two Days in Toronto: Hit the Big Stuff, Skip the Filler
Two days is enough to cover Toronto’s headline sights and one real neighbourhood without running yourself ragged. This sticks entirely to the city itself; if you’ve got more time and want the full breadth of things to do, our main Toronto guide covers it. Here’s the plan, with what things actually cost so you’re not guessing at the gate.
| Day | Focus | Rough daily cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CN Tower, the harbour, St. Lawrence Market | ~70-90 CAD |
| 2 | Kensington Market, Distillery District, dinner | ~50-70 CAD |
Book these before you go:
- CN Tower admission, especially weekend mornings: book online to skip the worst of the queue (check CN Tower tickets on GetYourGuide )
- Your hotel for these dates, since weekend rooms downtown fill fast in summer (check rates on Booking.com )
- Sushi Kaji, if you want the Day 2 tasting menu: it’s a small room and books out days ahead
Getting in from the airport: if you’re flying into Pearson (YYZ), the UP Express train to Union Station takes 28 minutes and runs every 15 minutes. It’s 9.25 CAD one-way with a PRESTO card (12.35 cash), and seniors ride for 6.20. A taxi or rideshare downtown runs somewhere in the 60-70 CAD range depending on traffic and zone, so unless you’ve got a group splitting the fare, the train wins on both price and predictability.
Where to stay: budget travellers can look at The Annex Hotel or HI Toronto Hostel. Mid-range, The Drake Hotel or Hotel X Toronto both put you close to the action. If money’s no object, the Fairmont Royal York sits right at Union Station, which matters more than it sounds like once you’re hauling luggage after a red-eye.
Getting around: a single TTC fare with PRESTO or tap-to-pay is 3.30 CAD, and a Day Pass is 13.50 for unlimited rides (on weekends it covers up to two adults plus four kids on one pass, which is a genuinely good deal for a family). Stick to the subway lines when you can. The streetcars, especially 501 Queen and 504 King, crawl in traffic and bunch up, so for anything under a 15-minute walk, just walk.
Day 1: CN Tower, the harbour, and St. Lawrence Market
Morning: start early at the CN Tower . General admission is around 45 CAD for adults, a couple bucks cheaper booked online, and it gets busy by mid-morning. Skip EdgeWalk unless you’re specifically chasing the thrill of it; the observation deck view plus the free skyline views you’ll get later from the Islands cover the same ground for a lot less money. Ripley’s Aquarium sits right next door but is ticketed separately, from about 33 CAD, so decide in advance whether both are worth it or just one.
Afternoon: walk over to St. Lawrence Market . This is a better first taste of Toronto food than most guides give it credit for, because it’s concentrated and you can do it in an hour. Grab a peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery, around 10-12 CAD, and treat it as one good option rather than “the” Toronto dish. Toronto doesn’t really have a single signature food the way Montreal has poutine; its food identity is dozens of immigrant cuisines sitting next to each other, and that’s the more honest way to experience it. Note the market’s south building is closed Mondays, so don’t plan this leg for day one if you’re arriving that day.
Evening: the Art Gallery of Ontario waives fees for the general collection if you’re an Ontario resident under 25 (free annual pass, ID required), though special exhibitions are ticketed separately, so check before you go. For dinner, Canoe offers a proper waterfront-adjacent meal if you want to treat yourselves after a full day on your feet.
Day 2: Kensington, Distillery District, and a smarter dinner
Morning: Kensington Market is where you go for vintage shops and a genuinely mixed food scene. Grab something from Seven Lives Tacos, roughly 8-12 CAD a plate, or try Rol San in nearby Chinatown for dim sum if you want a sit-down option instead.
Afternoon: the Distillery District is a free pedestrian zone of converted Victorian industrial buildings, now boutiques and cafes. It’s worth an hour or two of wandering even if you don’t buy anything. While you’re in the area, walk south of Queen West between Spadina and Portland to see Graffiti Alley properly, it’s not actually inside Kensington despite what a lot of guides claim.
Evening: Toronto’s Entertainment District has theatres and live music if you want a show. For dinner, Terroni covers reliable Italian, or book ahead for Sushi Kaji if you’re willing to spend more for a tasting menu.
Money and logistics:
- Currency is the Canadian dollar. English is the default language citywide.
- Tip 15-20% at sit-down restaurants; it’s expected, not optional.
- Watch for CN Tower-area ticket resellers pushing “skip the line” passes at a markup near the tower entrance. Buy from the official site instead.
One last tip: if you’ve got even two spare hours, skip a third paid attraction and take the ferry to the Toronto Islands instead (about 9.57 CAD round trip). The skyline view from the water beats anything you’ll get from a ticketed observation deck, and it costs a fraction of the price. Prefer it guided? Compare Toronto Islands tours on Viator .
Got more time? Stretch this into our 4-day itinerary , which adds the Islands properly, a museum day, and room for a ball game.