The essential guide to 48 unforgettable hours in Toronto

When it comes to food, Toronto can do fancy and exotic, but it can also do down-home and rustic, too. The Stockyards Smokehouse is a famed local joint that serves up BBQ like ribs and brisket, alongside burgers and fried chicken (including a chicken and waffles dish that will rival anything from the American South.) Get here for lunch because they frequently sell of out the BBQ and the chicken and waffles before dinner rolls around (and you need that chili maple molasses citrus glazed Belgian waffle topped with crispy, juicy buttermilk fried chicken). Or you could go with the green chile pimento cheeseburger... basically, it's all incredible.

Before heading to the famous Royal Ontario Museum, take a detour into one of the quirkier museums in town: the Bata Shoe Museum. Yep, a museum dedicated to shoes. Their collection boasts 13,000 artifacts, so you could easily spend more than an hour checking out the displays. You'll learn about footwear from across history and the globe, ranging from Chinese bound foot shoes to chestnut-crushing clogs. And, of course, you'll get to see plenty of designer footwear from famous names as well. All in all, it's a stop that will likely surprise you!

There are so many amazing restaurants in Toronto (it's a dream of mine to eat my way across the city. Sigh... Someday...) but you're missing out on one of the greatest parts of Toronto if you don't delve into the neighborhoods of immigrant communities such as Little India, Little Jamaica, Little Italy, Little Portugal, and, of course, Chinatown. A highlight of the latter is Mother's Dumplings. They make all of your favourite authentic Chinese dishes (noodles, congee, soups and stews, buns, etc.) but of course, their specialty is the dumplings. Whether pan-fried or steamed or served in soup, they're stuffed with mouthwatering homemade fillings and cooked to perfection. Mmm.

There are plenty of neighbourhoods for a great night out in Toronto... the city is huge, after all. There's King West, a former warehouse district-turned-trendy collection of restaurants and bars, there's Little Italy, which is perfect if you're looking for a cozy evening of drinking, there's artsy punk Queen West... and that's just the start. Dundas Street West is another hip spot with lots of quirky drinkeries. We love The Lockhart (yes, as in Gilderoy), a subtly Harry Potter-themed bar. There's also vintage game machines at Get Well and an outstanding jukebox (and funky vibe) at Communists Daughter.

The Ivy at Verity is a swanky boutique hotel right in the middle of the city (within walking distance of the adorable Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market, and more!) making it an ideal location to rest your head and catch some Z's. There are four rooms in the hotel, each with private balconies, deep soaking tubs, a selection of pillows, and more. The continental breakfast is a great touch, too. And did we mention that the building was once a chocolate factory in the 18th century?

Pay homage to Canada's unofficially official national pastime at the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is where you'll find the world's largest collection of hockey memorabilia, and it's also where the Stanley Cup lives. Read the names of the inducted HoF members, re-live classic moments in hockey history, experience their interactive exhibits (like the game that pits you against some of the greatest goalies and shooters of our day), and bask in the glory of the sport. Definitely don't leave without posing for a picture with the Stanley Cup; it's the most essential Canadian photo op in history.

The CN Tower is one of the most iconic buildings on Toronto's skyline. The communications tower was completed in 1976, and held the record for the world's tallest free-standing structure for 32 years, from 1975–2007, and was the world's tallest tower until 2009 being overtaken by Burj Khalifa. It remains the ninth tallest tower in the world (very respectable) and has the unique distinction of being the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere. Ride the high-speed, glass-walled elevators up to the LookOut Level, at 346 metres up. Enjoy the panoramic views from the floor-to-ceiling glass window walls, and, if you're feeling brave, step out onto the glass floor to look 342 metres straight down. If you want to take your visit to the next level, grab a ticket to ride the SkyPod all the way up to 447 meters. There's also the utterly insane EdgeWalk, which harnesses you to a safety rail so you can lean back over the edge of the building for a major adrenaline rush. It's one of Toronto's most exhilarating (and freakiest) attractions!

If the thrills at the CN Tower didn't ruin your appetite, head to The Burger's Priest. Their menu is pretty simple (burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and shakes) but everything is done super fresh and cooked to absolute perfection. Plus, even though they keep it simple, they still get a little weird; the Vatican Dog is a hot dog between two grilled cheese sandwich "buns" and the Vatican on Ice is an ice cream sandwich made with (you guessed it) grilled cheeses on either side. They also have a "secret menu" which features options like "The Religious Hypocrite" (a veggie burger with bacon), the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (two veggie burgers with two regular burger patties stacked between two grilled cheese buns), and their version of In-n-Out's Animal Style (which they called Jarge Style).