Toronto Things to Do Tips by hayward68

Visit the CNE

The Canadian National Exhibition has been a traditional part of Toronto for over a hundred years as it was established in 1879. It's held the last few weeks of the summer and closes on Labour Day in September. Enjoy the Midway with it's rides and games and stuff yourself in the Food Hall, my favourite part, it's filled with food from all over the world. Try the Tiny Tom donuts, little round donuts fresh out of the oil and coated with icing sugar. They are divine when still warm. There's always a lineup at this booth.
A big part of the EX (as it's known) is the annual Airshow which is held at the end of the Exhibition. Planes from all over the world attend and you can watch them do their maneuvers over Lake Ontario.
For those who love to shop there are exhibit halls with vendors from all over plying their trade. Everything from food to furniture to handbags and jewellery.
General admission tickets are $12 but you can also visit Ontario Place with this ticket during the EX, children 13 and under are $8. There's a walkover that leads you directly into Ontario Place. Tickets for rides on the Conklin Midway are extra.

Directions: The CNE grounds down on Lakeshore, the Prince's Gates are the main entrance at Strachan.

ONTARIO PLACE Ontario Place Review

Great amusement park located on Toronto's waterfront. Lots of rides and attractions, have been coming here since I was a kid and it keeps getting better!
Rides and attractions like Mega Maze, Bumper Boats, Children's Village (great fun for kids, went here a lot as a child), Water Play, Mini Greens (I kicked butt here!), Rush River Raft Ride, Waterslides, Wilderness Adventure Ride and more (very wet!).
Don't miss the IMAX films at the Cinesphere. It's a huge round building that looks like a golf ball, you can't miss it!
Take the younger kids to the Atom Blaster where they can shoot foam balls at each other through various devices, my 3 year old nephew got a kick out of that, even though he needed his mum's help to reach things.
The Molson Amphitheatre is also here and concerts of all types take place there. Some of your favourite bands play at this venue.

Play-All-Day passes are $32 for 6-64 and $17 for 4-5 year olds. Kids 3 and under are free admission. Tickets are cheaper if bought online. You can also buy a family pass for 4 people aged 6-64 for $99.
Ontario Place is closed part of the year so check the opening times before you go.

Address: 955 Lakeshore Blvd. West

Directions: By TTC take 511 Bathurst streetcar from Bathurst Station.

Website: http://www.ontarioplace.com

AIR CANADA CENTRE Air Canada Centre Review

Known as ACC or the Hanger
Home of the Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey) and the Toronto Raptors (basketball) and Toronto Rock, the local Lacrosse team. Catch a game by these teams depending on time of year. Buy team souvenirs in the Sports Centre. Have your picture taken with the moose outside, dressed as members of the teams!
It's also the venue for major concert and other events.
Tours are on the hour from 11-3pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays from September to June and daily July to September with extended hours. Admission is $12 for Adults, children 12 and under $8. Students with valid ID can get in for $10.
If you fancy a brew while visiting there's an inhouse brewery, Rickards Brewery where you can enjoy a pint of Rickard's Red, Gold or Pale which is brewed on site.

Address: 40 Bay Street

Directions: Downtown, between Union Station and Gardiner Expressway on the northwest corner of Bay St and Lakeshore Blvd (west).

Website: http://www.theaircanadacentre.com

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME Hockey Hall of Fame Review

A must see for hockey fans of all ages! It's much more than a museum, there are great interactive exhibits with which you can test your knowledge and skills. Get your picture taken with the Holy Grail, I mean the Stanley Cup. Check out the world's finest collection of hockey artifacts and memorabilia.
See the Legends Tribute, a presentation of hockey legends past and present. Try out the TSN/RDS Broadcast Zone and try imitation your favourite sportscaster or colour commentator, not always as easy as you might think.
There's one popular section called Be A Player Zone where you get the chance to try out your skills. See how well you do against a computer simulated Eddie Belfour, can you score against him? Or maybe you'd like to play opposite the Great One, Wayne Gretzky? You can play against a video image of him.
General admission is $12 for an adult, kids and seniors $8.
The main entrance is in BCE Place on the shopping concourse level.

Address: 30 Yonge St. (BCE Place) Toronto, ON M5E 1X8

Directions: Located at the corner of Yonge and Front streets-

Other Contact: info@hhof.com

Phone: 416) 360-7765

Website: http://www.hhof.com

PARAMOUNT CANADA'S WONDERLAND Canada's Wonderland Review

This is an amusement park with more than 60 excellent rides, theatre shows and a great water park. Bring along a bathing suit, there are change rooms and lockers. A change of clothes might be needed depending on how wet you get on some rides. Comfortable shoes are a must.
Some of the newest rides include the Italian Job and Tomb Raider:The Ride, pack the anti-nauseant ;-)
Check out who's playing at Kingswood Theatre while you're there, it could be a band you've always wanted to see! There are free concerts in one area of the park as well.
A regular Pay-One-Price admission ticket at the gate is $51.99 but you can buy cheaper tickets at Shoppers Drug Mart or online. Online the price for this ticket is $37.44 (I'm assuming it's the same ticket though it doesn't explicity say it's Pay-One etc) Check the website.
Parking is $7.50 per day per car/vehicle.
Bring your own food to save money. You can return to you vehicle to eat and then go back inside Wonderland.

Directions: Just minutes north of Toronto off Hwy 400, 10 minutes north of Hwy 401. Exit Rutherford Rd if heading north on Hwy 400, or exit at Major Mackenzie if travelling south on Hwy 400.
Or take Wonderland GO Express buses from York Mills and Yorkdale Stations

Website: http://www.canadas-wonderland.com

METRO TORONTO ZOO Metro Toronto Zoo Review

This is a great zoo with different pavillions showing the different parts of the world. They are: Africa, Africa Savannah, Americas, Australasia, Erurasia, Indomalaya, and Canadian Domain. My favourite is the Africa pavillion with the meerkats, they're so cute!
We received the pic shown in a press kit, I didn't take the pic but was allowed to use it.

They are two baby polar bears that were orphaned, named Aurora and Nakita, however they've now moved on to different zoos. There are still other polar bears though!

There's a children's water play area that is very busy, it's called Splash Zone. There's also a waterside outdoor Theatre where you and your family called watch an animal show.

Feel like going for a camel or pony ride? This is the place to do it. It's $5 for a camel ride and $4 for a pony ride. Sure way to thrill the kids.

If you don't feel like walking all over the Zoo, and it's quite large, there is a train that will take you to various parts of the zoo though you can't take wagons or strollers onboard.

Admission is $19 (so make the most of it and spend the day there) for 13-64 year olds. Children 4-12 are $11 admission and under 3 is free.

Address: 361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough

Directions: To get by car take Hwy. 401 to Meadowvale Rd and follow the signs.
By TTC :From Kennedy Station in Scarborough, board the 86A bus to main entrance of zoo.
From Sheppard Station, board 85B or 85D t

Website: http://www.torontozoo.com

ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTER Ontario Science Centre Review

This is a great place to bring kids, though as an adult I still like it. Shows exhibits on science and technology and also has an IMAX theatre to watch some amazing movies. If you suffer from motion sickness you might want to take a pill for it before watching the movie, depending on what it is. This is a popular place for school outings, so be prepared for hundreds of rugrats running around and frenzied teachers trying to control them.
You can buy a regular admission ticket for $14 (adult) and IMAX tickets for $10 or both a combined ticket for $20. Children and youth tickets are cheaper.

Address: 770 Don Mills Rd .

Directions: South of Eglinton, take the Don Mills bus which will drop you off in front.
It's just down the road from my workplace!

Phone: 416-696-1000

Website: http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca

Go up the CN TOWER CN Tower Review

The world's tallest free-standing structure at 1,815 ft., 5 inches. There's a great view on a clear day across the Toronto Islands and of the city. Stand on the glass floor with a view way, way, way down! I still can't do it! The ride up is on a glass fronted elevator. The cheapest way to go is around $20 which will take you up to the observation deck and the skypod which is the highest you can go up.
The Tower was built in 1976 and I remember vividly my first visit was I was a child, the glass fronted elevator scared the crap out of me! lol! If you're afraid of heights stay at the back of the elevator and don't look ;-)
Feel like eating at this height? There's the 360 Restaurant up there which rotates giving diners a full view of the surrounding landscape.
There's also Horizon's Cafe, I can totally recommend the strawberry waffe, which, though pricey, is worth every penny. It's a cheaper way to eat and still have a great view though it doesn't rotate like 360 does.
There's also Marketplace Cafe but I'm not exactly sure where it is located.

Address: 301 Front St. West

Directions: Between the Rogers Centre (Skydome) and the Toronto Convention Centre, fronting onto Bremner Blvd.

Other Contact: www.cntower.ca

Phone: 416- 868-6937

Toronto Beer Festival

This annual event showcases beer from all over Canada and a few imports as well. You pay your admission, get some tickets and a glass and then head off to each booth to sample the various beers. Made a few trips to the booth from Quebec with Maudite and La Fin du Monde (yummy stuff!) There's also food being sold and a stage set up so you can sit and listen to bands as well.

Address: Held at Fort York

Live theatre Theater visit Review

We've got excellent theatres to catch some wonderful plays and musicals. I've seen a few like Phantom of the Opera (when Paul Stanley of KISS was the Phantom) and Chicago. The Lion King is still here I believe.
I saw Saturday Night Fever,s opening night when it came through town. I'm lucky, a friend of mine gets free tickets to the opening nights of a lot of shows and she brings me along sometimes. I've yet to pay to see live theatre :)

Directions: Several locations like the Canon Theatre (previous named the Pantages Theatre) and Princess of Wales Theatre. You can find all the info by using the link to toronto.com in my intro.