What To Do in Toronto For Second-time Visitors | Pan Pacific Toronto

Toronto Skyline Toronto Skyline

What To Do in Toronto For Second-time Visitors

Travelled to Toronto, Canada, once and wish to revisit ‘The 6’? What should you do (and where should you go) if you are a second-time traveller to Ontario’s busiest city?

Shimmering skyscrapers, a dreamy waterfront, and bustling streets. Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is known for its multiculturalism, beautiful skylines, and iconic CN Tower. The vibrant metropolis is so delightful that Forbes magazine ranks it among the Top Ten Best Cities to Live In in 2022. 

If you have visited Toronto before, and are considering a return visit, do check out this specially curated list of attractions by the team at Pan Pacific Toronto for your sophomore visit to the city.

 

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Where to Stay In Toronto

Premier Room Premier Room

 

Hidden from the bustle of the city, Pan Pacific Toronto is a calming oasis amid Toronto’s urban sprawl yet close to the city’s key attractions. Check into the spacious sun-drenched Premier Room, where full-length windows provide a panoramic view of the city. 

Here, you can start or end each travel day with a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool, or go for a run at the hotel’s well-appointed fitness centre. After a day of Toronto travel adventures, head to the 900 Lounge and chill with your favourite cocktail. With  Pan Pacific Toronto as your base, you are ready to hunt for hidden gems the city has to offer. 

 

Explore Unique Unionville Village

 

Step into history at Unionville Village, where buildings are frozen in time, looking just as they did in the 1800s. 12km northeast of Pan Pacific Toronto, this historic and charming village is now transformed into a quaint neighbourhood with award-winning restaurants and charming retail shops. 

Take a guided tour of Main Street with a local expert, sharing tales of the history behind this storied village. Stop for a bite and drinks at Il Postino, a delightful Italian restaurant serving a soul-warming menu of Italian classics, including homemade pasta and pizzas, using only the freshest ingredients.

 

Get directions to Unionville Village (a 16-minute drive)

 

Catch Toronto’s Iconic Skyline

Toronto skyline from Riverdale park Toronto skyline from Riverdale park

 

If you want more of the Toronto skyline, Riverdale Park is a great place to get a panoramic view. The best time to visit? Late afternoon. Then you can grab a good spot on the vast open field, and catch Toronto’s stunning sunset as the backdrop, with the city itself in the foreground. The sprawling 18-hectare park offers inviting green pastures designed for perfect picnics. 

Still hungry for the Toronto skyline? Admire it from another angle, this time at the waterfront. The Trillium Park, Ontario’s landmark waterfront park, sits on Toronto’s waterfront and offers two spectacular views—one of the Toronto City Skyline and the other of its calming waterfront. 

One of the park's best views is at the Summit, perched on a hill at the southern tip. Grab your Instagram-worthy Toronto shot here, complete with gentle, rolling hills overlooking the lake, and Toronto’s eponymous skyline in the background. If you are visiting in the morning, do spend some time on the 1.3-kilometre William G. Davis Trail, peppered with native trees, plants and flowers inspired by the vast Ontario landscape. 

 

Get directions to Riverdale Park (a 15-minute drive)

Get directions to Trillium Park (a 21-minute drive)

 

Saunter Along Sugar Beach

Sugar Beach in Toronto Sugar Beach in Toronto

 

From one Toronto waterfront, move along the coastline to another unhurried destination—the classily named Sugar Beach Park. As you approach, brightly-hued pink beach umbrellas and iconic candy-striped rock outcroppings greet you from afar. 

Inspired by the neighbouring Redpath Sugar factory, Sugar Beach is a fun waterfront destination, consisting of an urban beach, a bustling plaza space, and a tree-lined promenade running through the park. A dynamic water feature beside the beach makes this location a fun waterplay attraction for the little ones on hot days.  

 

Get directions to Sugar Beach (a 17-minute drive)

 

Immerse in Flora and Fauna at Allan Garden

Gardens and Palm House at Allan Garden Gardens and Palm House at Allan Garden

 

Looking to balance Toronto’s soaring cityscape with a spot of nature? The Allan Gardens is a lush, green respite located right in the middle of the city. You can find a wide variety of plants and flowers from around the world in this indoor botanical garden, with six greenhouses spanning 16,000 square feet. 

Do consider catching the garden’s seasonal floral shows—a kaleidoscopic spectacle which includes the Spring Hydrangea Show, Fall Chrysanthemum Show, and Winter Flower Show. 

 

Get directions to Allan Garden (a 17-minute drive)

 

Travel Around the World in Toronto

Bakery in Toronto Chinatown Bakery in Toronto Chinatown

 

Did you know that a visit to Toronto can take you to different places around the world? The city has many neighbourhoods, each with its own unique ethnic flavour. To truly appreciate the heart and soul of Toronto, you need to visit its culturally-rich precincts. 

The city's most prominent ethnic neighbourhood is Chinatown—one of the largest in North America. Bustling at all times of the day, a visit here feels like you have stepped into a colder version of Hong Kong. From fresh produce spilling from grocery shops, locals excitedly sharing stories in fluent Cantonese, to heavenly smells from roast meat restaurants—energy and excitement fill the air. The must-try snack here? Toronto Chinatown’s famed BBQ pork steamed bun. 

If you crave more Chinese cuisine, head to Markham, northeast of Downtown Toronto for regional Chinese cuisine.  Savour the different dim sum delights at Cheff 88 Elite, or slurp up the broth of your braised beef brisket noodle at Big Beef Bowl. Those looking for Chinese comfort food can find them at Sam’s Congee Delight, with fried dough sticks, warm congee and other breakfast dishes commonly found on the streets of Hong Kong. 

Next, move to another East Asian "country"—Korea. Toronto's Koreatown, or Little Korea, is home to Canada's largest population of Koreans. Here, you can find affordable Korean restaurants, gift shops, bakeries, and yes, K-Pop music stores. Bibimbap and walnut cakes are the specialities you have to try in Koreatown. 

One of the more hidden but certainly no less flavourful neighbourhoods is Little India. Home to fabulous Indian restaurants, Indian-style clothing, aromatic spice grocers and electronic stores, it is the perfect place for mouth-watering Indian curries.

 

Palmerston Boulevard Street Sign Palmerston Boulevard Street Sign

 

Next, move westwards towards the warmth of Little Italy, easily identified by the Italian flag colours of green-red-white on the street signs. The summer season is the best time to grab a gelato here and bask in the festivities of two street festivals. On regular days, the irresistible scents of freshly baked pizzas waft through the streets, joyously mingling with the cheer emanating from the neighbourhood’s martini bars as the sun sets. Try Cafe Diplomatico for its old-school Italian food and coffee. 

Rounding up your "trip" around the world in Toronto is Little Portugal, where you can grab the famous pastries de nata, or Portuguese egg tarts. The area is also known for its great selection of Brazilian restaurants. The best thing about this off-the-beaten-track neighbourhood? You do not have to jostle with swarms of camera-touting tourists! 

 

Get directions to Chinatown (a 22-minute drive)

Get directions to Korea Town (a 24-minute drive)

Get directions to Little India (an 18-minute drive)

Get directions to Little Italy (a 26-minute drive)

Get directions to Little Portugal (a 22-minute drive)

 

Still hungry for more Toronto hidden gems? Peruse our Destination Insights for recommendations, or send an enquiry to the team at Pan Pacific Toronto. We are more than happy to assist you. 

 

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