On a recent trip to Canada, my parents and I stopped in Toronto. As a big city girl already, it felt like I was back in sweet home Chicago. With a limited timeframe to spend exploring – basically 12 hours – we squeezed in the important stuff: good food with a splash of sightseeing!

The Food – Ok, Really, the Sweets

Maman

When I was in NYC last month, I discovered Maman and fell in love. They know how to do pastries and decorating right.

Butternut Baking Co.

I’ve been following Butternut on IG since they opened in spring 2017 and was so damn jazzed that I’d get to try it…but, they’re only open 10am-6pm and it didn’t work for our schedule. Everything is gluten-free and looks amazing. If you go, please send braggadocios photos to me.

Jelly Modern

While doing our research, my dad read that Toronto is known for their fancy donuts. There are a lot of donut shops throughout the city, including Jelly Modern. The peanut butter chocolate was a basic delicious donut with a dollop of the freshest pb frosting. Mmmm.

 

Sightseeing

Casa Loma

“Phenomenal! The best thing we saw all week!” -my parents

Built by millionaire Sir Henry Pellatt, this castle is a sight to see. The grounds are beautiful, there’s an 800-foot tunnel, and the house itself is stunning. Definitely worth a visit.

 

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Tommy Thompson Park

My family and I are suckers for a good park. While I may be a city girl, my parents are definitely not city people. After spending plenty of time traipsing around the streets of Toronto, we needed a park break. A 10-minute drive outside of downtown, Tommy Thompson Park affords good views of the water and the skyline.

Toronto Island

Sadly, we didn’t make it to the Island since it had flooded before we arrived in Toronto. The five kilometer walk from end to end looks like it has great views and the roundtrip ferry is only $7.

CN Tower

Who doesn’t love a good viewpoint? I’ve heard the lines are long, but the view is worth it!

And of course, you have to go to…Niagara Falls!

It’s only an hour and a half away, and one of the most beautiful sights! It’s a must that you go on the boat. You will get wet, but it’s so fun! (This, of course, was not a part of our 12 hours in Toronto, but a separate day full day.)

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I look forward to spending more time in Toronto eating more yummy sweets and seeing more sights. If you have recommendations for what to eat and see, comment below!