Our day in Toronto began with bad weather, as the forecast had predicted. The view out the window showed low-hanging clouds, rain, and wind—not ideal conditions for exploring the city. We spontaneously changed our plans and decided to spend the day indoors.
Distillery District: A piece of history in the heart of Toronto
Despite the pouring rain, we made our way into the city. Our first stop: the Distillery District. This former industrial area was built in 1832 and converted into a cultural center by the city in 2001. This was followed by extensive restoration of the buildings and their conversion to a pedestrian zone. Since 2003, the car-free district has offered a charming mix of restaurants, music bars, and galleries. Jazz festivals are held here in the summer. Particularly worth seeing is the Mill Street Brewery, which brews beer in an old building dating back to 1879. Thankfully, the rain stopped, so we were able to enjoy the arts festival with its many small stalls from artisans. The unique local shops were definitely worth a visit.
St. Lawrence Market: A culinary paradise
After our visit to the Distillery District, we continued on to the St. Lawrence Market. The market was completely overcrowded, but the huge selection of fresh produce, from fish and meat to fruit and vegetables, was impressive. We treated ourselves to a freshly made bagel – simply delicious! However, it was so crowded that we soon left the market because our son was overwhelmed by the crowds.
Outside, the rain had picked up again. We were only able to take a quick photo of our next destination, the Gooderham Building, from a distance before we got back in the car because of the heavy rain. Since the weather wasn't improving, we decided to drive to the Toronto Premium Outlets. Unfortunately, these were also very crowded in this weather, and the prices weren't as good as in the US.
A sunny next day in downtown Toronto
The next morning, the weather looked much better, so we set off again for downtown Toronto. Our first stop was Yonge Dundas Square, Toronto's smaller but not quite as impressive counterpart to Times Square in New York. We quickly drove on to Nathan Phillips Square, where we found a parking space right behind City Hall. Especially on Sundays, parking here is free until 1 p.m.! Our son enjoyed the nearby playground while we marvelled at the two city halls – we liked the old city hall with its historic architecture much better than the modern concrete bunker of the new city hall.
Graffiti Alley: Colorful art and mixed impressions
Our last stop was Graffiti Alley. After a difficult search for a parking space, we decided to simply drive through the street. Some of the graffiti was impressive, but much of the writing looked more like a scribble. We didn't feel entirely comfortable in the area with a child, but decided to admire the colorful artwork from the comfort of our car.
The CN Tower from a distance
Having already been to tall buildings in Chicago, we decided not to go up the CN Tower. Instead, we took a few photos from a distance—the tower looks almost more impressive from below.
Despite the rainy start, our stay in Toronto was full of interesting impressions, historic sites, and delicious treats.
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