Toronto Things to Do Tips by RobDavis

Ontario Place was an unexpected gem of an amusement park. I had been there about 25 years ago, when all it had was a big theatre and some paddle boats. So, when my friend recommended that we take the kids there for the day, I was a little skeptical. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it had grown to a full-fledged amusement park.

But unlike other amusement parks, I found the admission price to be reasonable, the rides and attractions were fantastic for the kids, and the overall quality of the park was second to none. Possibly the biggest surprise was that it was not at all crowded. Perhaps others don't know that it's such a great place.

Please see additional tips under "Off the Beaten Path" for more Ontario Place tips.

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Address: Lake Shore Boulevard
Directions: Near CNE on the waterfront
Website: http://www.ontarioplace.com

Just like every other Toronto Must See Tip on VT, I am going to say "You Must Go Up the CN Tower".
It's not cheap. One ticket for an adult is $22 CDN. I was suckered into buying 2 Observation tickets and 2 Simulator Rides. Total damage - $50!!
The Simulator Rides are very lame. They try to be like the "Back To the Future" ride at Universal Studios, or the "Race to Atlantis" ride in Vegas, but they fail miserably. It was about as thrilling as moderate air turbulence on a small plane. Avoid the rides.
The Tower is neat. There is a spectacular view of the city and Lake Ontario, and there is a small section that has a glass floor. We couldn't get near it due to a large Asian Tour Group that was wildly excited about it, but it is cool none-the-less. Bring your camera!

If you look closely, you can see the glass floor in the tower.

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Address: Enter from Front Street, behind Convention centre
Directions: Pretty hard to miss.

The Metro Toronto Zoo is a relatively modern zoo with a whole lot of real estate and lots to see and do. In fact, it's so big that it's difficult to keep small children going long enough to see all of it. I went with friends who have made several attempts to see the whole zoo, but have still been unable to get through it all.

Ticket prices are reasonable, but once you're in, you can expect to pay for several additional rides and attractions (even though there aren't many). Considering you could easily spend an entire day here, I found I got good value for my entertainment dollar.

We spent the better part of the day just doing the African section of the zoo. There is a good variety of animals, most of which seem relatively content. I felt a little sorry for the gorillas, who seemed visibly upset by the people looking at them.

Because there is so much walking involved with this zoo you will need to rent one of the strollers or wagons available inside the front gate. It's well worth it, and the kids will be able to keep going much longer with it.

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Directions: In Scarborough, follow signs on Highway 401
Website: www.torontozoo.com

There are several big-budget plays performed in Toronto at any given time. I attended the "Lion King" at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and would recommend it to anyone.
The Theatre is impressive, and the calibre of the performance is second-to-none.
We booked our tickets on-line, and requested "Best Available" seating. We got front row, dead centre seats. I could have tickled the conductor's ear without leaning over. Tickets can range from $50 to $120 Canadian.

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Phone: (416) 872-1212
Address: 300 King Street at John Street
Directions: Theatre District
Website: http://www.onstagenow.com/OurTheatres/

New York has it's Grand Central, and Toronto has it's Union Station.

With a similar design to Grand Central, Union Station is a very impressive structure that many people probably don't take the time to really look at. The stone work and architecture are very impressive.

This is the entrance to Union Station from the Toronto Convention Centre.

I debated whether to put this as a Travel Tip or a Must See...

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