by Parisima Baha
Over 95 million photos and videos are shared on Instagram every day. From restaurants where you can take epic food shots, to destinations with the best city skylines, to #ootd backdrops, here are some of the most famous places in the 6 to perfect your feed. [Image credit: iStock.com/swissmediavision]
A 2016 photography trends study conducted by Canon shows that the most snapped food is ice cream, and Toronto is definitely on that bandwagon. One of the most Insta-famous frozen dessert parlours in city is Sweet Jesus, with over 67.5K followers. Bless your feed with a birthday cake or s’mores, high-stacked ice cream cone at one of their three Toronto locations. Want more epic frozen treats to drool up your ’gram? Head over to Trinity Bellwoods for an Angry Birds creation at Junked, or a Hong Kong-style waffle cone ice cream at Bang Bang. For a #BTS Insta-story or three-to-60-second video, visit Arctic Bites in Baldwin Village, where they make their Thai-inspired rolled ice cream right in front of you.
Drake named his fourth studio album “Views” for a reason: Toronto’s got a good share of scenic views that are worth bragging about. In fact, ever since the city brought out its infamous #TORONTOsign, Torontonians and tourists alike have been flocking Nathan Phillips Square to take snag a shot of the iconic 3D installation. For more Insta-famous views of the 6, visit the Toronto Islands and Tommy Thompson Park for a gorgeous view of the lakeshore and city skyline.
Despite the hustle and bustle of Toronto, there are still places that will help you escape the city noise and embrace nature’s beauty. In fact, the Muddy York has over 1,600 parks with over 8,000 hectares of land. The most captured is High Park during cherry blossom season – a popular couples photography destination. For more magical scenes of beautiful seasonal flowers and exotic plants, visit one of the 17 themed gardens at Toronto’s Botanical Gardens (Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East), or Allan Gardens Conservatory’s cast-iron, glass-domed greenhouse that was built in 1910!
Toronto has 66 per cent more artists than any other city in Canada, so suffice to say we have a knack for the creative and that goes for inventive walls you can’t help but post. Show your followers your roots with a photo of clothing store Peace Collective’s “Home is Toronto” wall. Or show off your #ootd with the perfect pink backdrop outside plant guru Crown Flora Studio. For a creative martini shot or a Sex and the City #GirlsDay, head to Cocktail Bar’s patio in DuWest for a tropical-printed brick wall. You want an action shot, you say? Shoot some hoops at David Crombie Park’s basketball court. The net is placed on a peace mural – the work of the Esplanade community – and if you move further back, you’ll get the CN Tower in the frame, too.
Each year seems to bring a new café or restaurant to the city, with not only creative concepts but where design is paramount. Beauty salon meets café Her Majesty’s Pleasure was designed to have every corner be Instagram-worthy. Find a corner that speaks to you and share your royal experience on the IG.
Not that Canadians need a reason to say sorry, but when you have Sorry Coffee Co. in Yorkville changing its cup typography every few weeks, you’re may find yourself apologizing on your feed a lot. Other notable eateries include French bistro Colette Grand Café, where every detail from the napkins to the floor is too Insta-good not to capture, and Doomie’s with its vegan Big Mac that’s got all of social media talking, and they have a #selfie room – need we say more?
