Any tips for a few days in Toronto?

[sir_captain]

I'm going to be in Toronto for a conference next weekend and I'll have a bunch of downtime. I'm staying downtown, near city hall, and am planning on just kind of wandering around. Anyone have any (inexpensive) suggestions? Places to eat? Things to see?

[hyphenate]

1. Well, it goes without saying

that you need to go to CN Tower. Right next door to the CN Tower is the SkyDome.

You can trek over to the Islands if you want--catch the ferry down near the Harbor Castle Hotel.

If you have time, check out both the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) and the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and Casa Loma (the mansion). The Spadina House is just a few doors away from Casa Loma as well. If you are driving, you might want to check out the Science Museum as well.

There are lots of places to walk, and downtown Toronto is pretty safe. Check out Chinatown, and City Hall (It's the one with the two curved buildings in pictures), Eaton Center, and Harborfront.

And if you're really tired, there is a great spa called Elmwood Spa that I made my second home there!

[sir_captain]

7. Thanks for the ideas

I definitely want to check out Chinatown--haven't had any good Chinese food since I moved from NY.

[deucemagnet]

2. Here are my usual stops in Toronto:

Scotland Yard, The Jersey Giant, Dirk Gently's, Lord Baltimore's, The Red Lion Pub, Las Iguana's, The Jack Russell, The Bull and Firkin, The Fox and Firkin, The Spotted Dick, and others that I will post as they come to mind. :toast:

[achtung_circus]

3. Cruise Yonge St. south of Bloor.

[sir_captain]

5. Anything there in particular?

[rockymountaindem]

15. The greasiest place in the city

Proclaimed by many to be a national embarassment. Only go there if you're unpretentious :)

If you want my advice, take a tour of the University of Toronto, my school. I'll be studying for exams but they have tours all the time. It's really a nice place to be, even though I'm a bit biased.

[sir_captain]

16. I'm actually staying in a hotel

right by the university off of Yonge. I was thinking about walking down it to get to the hockey hall of fame--that's a safe walk? I don't know anything about Toronto. I just moved to Philadelphia a year ago, and I've gotten used to being almost mugged constantly. ;-)

I'll look into a tour of your school--sounds like a great idea!

[rockymountaindem]

20. No, it's safe

Actually once you get south of Dundas, about halfway to the lake, it turns into a financial district, so there's little to worry about. Crime isn't a major issue here.

[sir_captain]

21. Cool...thanks

[achtung_circus]

18. The people, mostly.

and pretntious is as pretentious does.

U of T is OK, but it's mostly stone buildings, oh look, another stone building. I can say that, I'm an alumnus.

Kensington Market is close, and interesting, check out St. Lawrence Market.

[prolesunited]

4. Take a ferry to the Island and rent a bike

http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/index.htm#iperm

[terrya]

19. Great idea

That is, particularly this time of the year, a great way to spend an afternoon. :-)

[RandomKoolzip]

6. Don't buy any acid. Don't look directly at the sun, either.

[sir_captain]

8. Very sage advice...

[grannylib]

9. I was there just for a day when I was working in Chatham-Kent (just drove

up on a Saturday)and I can't remember much specific as to names of places, sorry...but there was a really nifty old building with an international market that was very cool, and it was just so fun to people-watch! Very diverse city, we had a good time, hope you do too!

[u4ic]

11. Kensington Market

:hi:

[grannylib]

22. That's it! Thanks! I could not remember what it was called, but we really had

fun there.
:-)

[u4ic]

23. I miss Toronto

Of course, there are some things I don't miss, like the traffic, but it is such an interesting city. Far cry from where I am now. x(


:hi:

[grannylib]

24. I thought it was really beautiful; lots of interesting architecture and lots of

fun little neighborhoods each with its own character...
I'd love to go back and spend more time.

[LynneSin]

10. I forget the name of the place but I'll see if I can find it - great Sushi

It was an 'all-you-can' eat Sushi restaurant but it was NOT a buffet. For $20 you could order just about anything and everything off of the menu and hang out for as long as you wanted. They made their Sushi to order and there was plenty of appetizers and non-sushi stuff available too. Only condition was they would charge you if you wasted any serious amount of food so it's best to order a few things at a time, finish them and then move on to the next.

Also - if you can rent a car - drive down the Queen Anne's Expressway and go through wine country. Niagara Pennisula has some great wines and Niagara falls is only 3 hours away

[u4ic]

12. That's the Queen Elizabeth Way - or Queen E

Niagara Falls is much closer than that...perhaps 1.5 hrs at the most from d/t Toronto. :hi:

The Niagara area is beautiful. Niagara on the Lake is another must see. :)

[deucemagnet]

14. Niagara on the Lake is beautiful.

If weather permits, there's a jet boat there that takes you through the gorge. The raincoats they give you do nothing. Expect to get wet, bring a change of clothes, and expect to have the kind of good time that leaves your belly sore from laughing. :)

[achtung_circus]

17. QEW

Queen Elizabeth Way. And it's a nice drive. Niagara-On-The-Lake is nice.

[anti-everything]

13. Beer!

As much as you can drink. I recommend Molson XXX.

[barb162]

25. wear warm clothes

[rockymountaindem]

26. Not now!

It's plenty warm these days. Bring an umbrella if anything.

[barb162]

27. Yeah but it's a forecast of 43 F high for next weekend

and that's when the poster is going

[sir_captain]

28. I was going to check the forecast

definitely good info!

[rockymountaindem]

29. That's plenty warm

Try living here in January... that'll seperate the wheat from the (frozen) chaff. I personally love it; there's something about the cold that makes me feel alive.

[u4ic]

30. Toronto in January isn't cold!

:rofl: