Toronto Things to Do Tips by Blatherwick

The best thing to do in Toronto is go to the Hockey Hall of Fame. To understand hockey is to understand Canada. The game dominates out culture like no other entity. The hall has its usual assortment of pucks, sticks, jerseys, etc. The heroes of hockey are all presented for worship; Gretzky, Lemieux, Howe, Orr, etc. The wall of goalie masks is spectacular for its artistry. Even more fun is the international section with uniforms from such great teams as the Bangkok Flying Falangs. There is an exact replica of the Montreal Canadians dressing room that you can walk through.

The holy grail of hockey, the Stanley Cup, is located here as well and you can have a picture taken with the one that is awarded. The actual cup that Lord Stanley first presented is displayed in the vault in a nearby room.

the TSN/RDS Broadcast Zone is a complete blast where you watch a replay of a great hockey moment. You then get to do your own play by play. I did the 1979 Guy Lafleur goal which was okay. I then did the 1987 Canada-Soviet Game 3 goal. Man I got right into it. Right to the point of exclaiming, "Commie bastards! You're government is going to collapse as your hockey team!" Oh well.

You can also participate in a shooting game in which you try to score on an electronic goaltender and another game where you are the goaltender. Both were lots of fun as they are surrounded by old style seats from the Montreal Forum.

Admission is $12 Cdn and kids are $8. A great feature of the admission ticket is that you have admission for the whole day. You can leave and re-enter as many times as you want.

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Phone: 416-360-7765
Address: 30 Yonge Street
Directions: There is no public access through the front doors of the historic bank building at Yonge and Front Streets. You have to go in through BCE Place.
Website: www.hhof.com

At 553.33 metres (1,815.39 feet), the Canadian National Tower is the tallest tower and freestanding structure in the world. Built in 1976 by Canadian National Railway (CN) to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry, the tower was originally designed as a radio and television transmitting antenna. There are microwave receivers for distant signals at about 305 metres, and the top of the transmission antenna is at the apex of the tower.

Metal staircases with 1,776 steps reach the Sky Pod level (447 m; 147 stories) and are the tallest metal staircases on earth. These stairs are intended for emergency use and are not open to the public, except for twice a year for charity stairclimb events: around Earth Day in the spring by the World Wildlife Fund; and in the fall by the United Way's Toronto chapter.

Admission to the Tower is $16 Cdn and an additional $7 for the Space Deck (2003). The tower is open from 9am-11pm daily

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Phone: (416) 86-TOWER
Address: 301 Front St. W.
Directions: In the heart of Downtown Toronto, right in between the SkyDome and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front Street, just north of Bremner Blvd.
Website: http://www.cntower.ca/

Ok, they're not in Toronto but who really wants to stay in Toronto anyways. People flock from all over to see the great Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls, is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River in eastern North America, on the border between the United States and Canada. Niagara Falls comprises three separate waterfalls: the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls, the American Falls, and the smaller, adjacent Bridal Veil Falls. While not exceptionally high, Niagara Falls is very wide, and is by far the most voluminous waterfall in North America.

At Niagara, Queen Victoria Park features well manicured gardens, platforms offering a spectacular view of both the American and Canadian Falls, and underground walkways leading into observation rooms which yield the illusion of being within the falling waters. Along the Niagara River, the Niagara River Recreational Trail runs the 56 km (35 miles) from Fort Erie to Fort George, and includes many historical sites from the War of 1812.

The Maid of the Mist cruises, named for an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character, have carried passengers into the whirlpools beneath the Falls since 1846. The Spanish Aerocar, built in 1916 from a design by Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres y Quevedo, is a cable car which takes passengers over the whirlpool on the Canadian side, below the Falls.

In October 1829, Sam Patch, who called himself The Yankee Leaper, jumped over the Horseshoe Falls and became the first known person to survive the plunge. This began a long tradition of daredevils trying to go over the Falls and survive. In 1901, 63-year-old Annie Taylor was the first person to go over the Falls in a barrel; she survived virtually unharmed. Since Taylor's historic ride, 14 other people have intentionally gone over the Falls in or on a device. Some have survived unharmed, but others have drowned or been severely injured. Survivors of such stunts face charges and stiff fines, as it is illegal, on both sides of the border, to attempt to go over the Falls.

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Address: Niagara Falls
Directions: Take 401 to 410 to QEW to Niagara. OR Gardiner Expressway to QEW to Niagara.
Website: www.city.niagarafalls.on.ca

Casa Loma, meaning "House on the Hill", began construction in 1911 for Sir Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. The house that looks like a castle cost $3.5 million, and took a team of 300 workers three years to build from start to finish. Upon completion in 1914, at 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in Canada. Notable amenities included an elevator, an oven large enough to cook a steer, two vertical passages for pipe organs, two secret passages in Sir Henry's ground-floor office and three bowling alleys. Many of the rooms were left unfinished, and today serve as a small museum for the Queen's Own Rifles, which Pellat supported. Admission costs about $12 Cdn and it is open daily 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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Phone: (416) 923 - 1171
Address: 1 Austin Terrace
Directions: By TTC: Dupont station (Spadina- University line) and walk north two blocks on Spadina Ave. At this point, climb the Baldwin Steps (110 steps) at Spadina Ave. and Davenport Road or walking up the hill on the west side of the castle.
Website: www.casaloma.org