Toronto Things to Do Tips by coolpanda87

When you are short of time & want to see the best of T.O., visit the following MUST SEE places:

a) CN Tower (if you love heights)
b) Eaton Centre or Yorkville (shopping!)
c) Centre Island (parks & view)
d) Restaurants (pick your favourite cuisines)
e) financial district skyscrapers (if you have not been to NYC, Hong Kong before)

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Phone: 1-800-499-2514
Address: Province of Ontario
Website: http://www.torontotourism.com/

Standing at 553 m tall, CN tower still claims the distinction as the world's tallest free standing structure. It also holds records like World's Longest Metal Staircase and World's Highest Wine Cellar. In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The original construction cost of the tower was $63 million dollars, and has become an important transmission tower for the GTA. The original intent of the tower was to let signals soar freely above the mammoth skyscrapers that were built in Toronto in the 60s and 70s.

My favourite parts of the CN tower include the Skypod ( the highest observation deck on the CN tower) & the glass floor. The glass floor is really cool experience, for on one hand you know you are safe & on the other hand, you are standing over 70 floors above the ground with nothing but glass to support you. From the skypod, it is actually possible for you to see Niagara falls, though it requires a really clear day.

You also enjoy movies & simulator rides at the CN Tower.

Please click here to check the latest admission prices at the CN Tower.

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Phone: (416) 868-6937
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/

As one of Toronto's premier tourist attractions, the Eaton Centre would definitely amaze some and dissapoint others. Indeed, it is one of the largest downtown malls in North America, but the store selection & variety of stuff the Eaton Centre sells is typical of any North American megamall.

The Eaton Centre comprises of 5/6 floors with office space above & a flagship Sears store (bought Eatons in 1999) located in the middle of the shopping centre.

The most interesting attraction to see within the Eaton Centre is the artwork that is displayed hanging from the ceiling. Though the flocks of Canada Geese are cool, I still prefere the beautiful decorations for Christmas.

At the Eaton Centre, you can find North American Brand Names like Old Navy, the Gap, Sony, American Eagle Outfitters, Pottery Barn, Esprit & Roots.

The Eaton Centre is typically not crowded except during holidays(especially during boxing week - Dec. 26), where bargain shoppers rush in to reap the savings.

Many say that the Eaton Centre is horribly overpriced, but I have found that for some reason Eaton Centre has the most SALES DISCOUNT periods. My guess is that downtown styles change much faster, and therefore there are more clearences. I confess that I prefer shopping at the Eaton Centre & not at the less lively suburban malls scattered @ the fringes of the GTA. Clearly, downtown stores are better stocked & their styles are usually ahead of the pack : )

Usually outside the Eaton Centre (especially across from the newly created Dundas Square) is live entertainment from Toronto's artistic & entertainment community. There's always a new & unique act to entertain the large crowds that gather around them.

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Phone: 416-598-8700
Address: 220 Yonge Street , CBD
Directions: Dundas & Queen Subway stations
Website: http://www.torontoeatoncentre.com/

Currently undergoing a restoration designed by world renowned architect David Libeskind, the ROM is following an ambitious plan to rejuvenate energy into Canada's largest museum. Looking like a "burst of crystals", Libeskind's design will serve as a landmark in Toronto & give the ROM a dynamic entrance.

The ROM, formerly a part of the University of Toronto, holds over five million artifacts. Though it may not be able to compare to world class museums like the MET or the Louvre, the ROM does offer an interesting collection to enjoy. From galleries of art, to archaeology and science, the ROM should have an area or areas of interest for everyone to enjoy. My favourites are the ancient Eygptian & Chinese collections.

On Friday nights, from 4:30 - 9:30 pm, the ROM offers free admission into the museum's exhibits except the specially ticketed ones.

For latest admission information & museum hours, please click here.

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Phone: (416) 586-5549
Address: 100 Queen's Park
Directions: By TTC: Museum Subway Station.

By Car: Drive on Bloor until you reach Avenue Road/Queen's Park. The Museum is on the southwest corner of Bloor Street and Queen's Park.

There ia no parking on site, but there are many nearby on Bloor Ave. & Avenue Rd.
Website: http://www.rom.on.ca/

The Toronto Islands is one of the biggest & also one of the most visited parks in the city. Why? Well, is surrounded four sides by water, the gardens are beautiful & it offers the best views of Toronto's skyline.

The park is divided into three main areas: Centre Island, Wards Island & Hanlan's Point. They are also the three destinations for the Toronto ferry.

Centre Island offers a kiddy amusement park called Centreville, which has attractions like the swan ride, the log ride & the Sky ride. There are also gardens, including a hedge maze, & one adorned by fountains. Usually Centre Island is where people start their journey on the island.

Ward's Island is on the Eastern reach of the park, one of the more quiet places at the park. Nearby is Algonqiuin Island, where a small village of people live.

Hanlan's point is on the Western end of the park, & this is where Babe Ruth hit his first professional homerun! It is also home to Toronto's first Clothing-Optional Beach, designated in 1999.

If you are planning to take a long walk or jog along Toronto Island Park, remember to stay within the inner waterfront, for views of the city is far more interesting than views of the lake!

My favourite activities at Toronto Island Park include biking, rollerblading, & even picnicing on its many green spaces. It is a lot of fun, & good excerise too! You could actually rent 1 - 3 passenger bikes at Toronto Island Park, though it can get somewhat expensive.

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Address: Across from CBD waterfront
Directions: Take ferry from harbourfront. The Toronto Ferry Docks is located at the foot of Bay Street and Queens Quay, just West of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel.
Website: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/parks/to_islands/island_index.htm
Other Contact: 416-392-8193 (ferry info)

Toronto's downtown Chinatown is one of the Eastern seaboard's biggest, comparable to New York & Washington DC. Its heart is located at Spadina Ave. & Dundas Street, and the community spreads out from there. Toronto CBD also has a Eastern Chinatown located just east of the DVP, south of Bloor.

Other Chinese shopping & entertainment areas in the Greater Toronto Area include Scarborough (Cultural Centre, restaurants), Markham (Pacific Mall, Market Village, First Markham Place & more), & Richmond Hill (concentrated at a part of Hwy. 7, 16th Ave). The new areas of Markham & Richmond Hill are highly populated with Hong Kong residents that just came to Canada right before 1997, so the restaurants there are more H.K. and international style & less Chinese.

Like Vancouver, Toronto has Chinese listed as its third most spoken language in the city. Also interesting to note is the Chinese attraction to money, for Chinese people have flocked to "Richmond" in Vancouver & "Richmond Hill" in Toronto. Coincidence?

Though Chinatown has a lot of Chinese people, there are also many other minorities including Vietnamnese and even South Asians. The Chinese @ Chinatown have also changed from mainly Cantonese & Fuken people to Mandarian people from throughout the Mainland. Now it is easier to get around knowing a couple of phrases of Mandarin like "Zhe shi shum mall ?" (translated: What is this?)

There is a huge selection of cuisine for you to pick from, & though many places are very dirty, many times it is worth it! From Thai to Shanghainese...you could never leave with an empty stomach. There are also a lot of hawkers and mini-vendors throughout Chinatown that offer bargain offers. From Chinese calligraphy to pyjamas, there is a lot for eagar shoppers to sift through!

On the newly reconstructed Spadina Ave, you could see a sculpture two red dragons wrapping around poles. The whole structure forms the Chinese word door, pronounced "moon" in Cantonese.

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Address: Spadina & Dundas Ave.
Directions: Take Spadina or Dundas streetcar.
Streetcar accessible from Union subway station, & Eaton Centre (Dundas & Queen subway station).
Website: www.torontotourism.com

As Canada's largest amusement, it is Toronto teens' favourite playground. Once the weather is warm enough, thousands flock here everyday to be a part of the excitement. In the park, there are over 60 rides & a 20 acre water park "Splashworks."

If you are in it for the thrills, maybe you would want to go on the following rides(inside brackets are ratings out of five):

1) Jet Scream (4*) - it loops around @ 360 degrees, and leaves you hanging on the top! (upside down)...really makes your head go woozy...

2)Mighty Canadian Minebuster (3.5 *) - It may look really long, but this wooden rollercoaster is merely a 2 minute rush. It is fast, but the noise coming from the sharp turns & indoor tunnels can be painful for the ears(imagine stratching on the blackboard). The turns can also be a little rough & you are bumped up & down....

3) Top Gun (4.5*)- As the only roller coaster in the park that turns you in loops over & over & over again, it is definitely a lot of fun! You are dangling in your seats from the rollercoaster tracks, making it even more excruciating. It is really fast & this rollercoaster will definietely bring out the thrill & adreneline in you!

4) Vortex (4*) - You are suspended from the tracks & is pulled up to the top at a slow gruelling pace. All of a sudden, it stops...then plunges down fast! Too bad the ride is too short, for the momentum that was built up gets wasted.

5) Skyrider (3.5*) - As the only standing rollercoaster in the park, it offers a totally different experience. The only problem was that the track is kinda too simple, & overall it could have been more thrilling.

6) Wildbeast (4*) - As the best wooden rollercoaster in Wonderland, this old beauty offers the creaks, bumps, cracks of wood & fun that comes with it!

Other must rides: Cliffhanger(prepared to get wet), Sledge Hammer, Psyclone, Shockwave, Tomb Raider The Ride

Also consider ....The Bat(loops back and forth), Drop Zone, The fly, White Water Canyon, Timberwolf Falls, Xtreme Skyflyer & Thunder Run

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Phone: (905) 832-8131
Address: By Highway 400, Maple
Directions: From Highway 401, switch to Highway 400 N

For admission prices, click here.
Website: http://www.canadas-wonderland.com/

Voted as the "Best Seasonal Attraction" by City Parent Magazine, Ontario Place is truly a good place to bring the kids (young!) & have a good family day.

It is built on 96 acres of parkland on Toronto's waterfront, & features attractions, gardens & even a water park.

Soak City is downtown Toronto's biggest waterpark, & is definitely one of the best in the whole GTA region. There is a raft ride, large scale waterslides, wading pools, waterplay, & even a hydrofuge. It is especially refreshing on a hot smoggy day, for you'll forget about it right away!

Other attractions at Ontario Place include Wilderness Adventure Ride, Megamaze, Bumper boats, Mars Simulator Ride ....

There are also some attractions designed exclusively for kids, including H2O generating station, The Atom Blaster(fun with foam balls), First Flight, Free Fall, Mini Greens Golf course, Cyclone Speedway & Bob's Boat Yard. There is even a OP Driving School for kids, the only one in Canada!

The Cinesphere is a landmark of Ontario Place, & is the world's first permanent IMAX theatre ! It offers many educational & adventurous films during the day. During some weekend nights (summer), the Cinesphere shows the latest Hollywood & box office Hits!

The Molson Ampitheatre, located near the entrance, is one of Toronto's top entertainment venues, playing host to many live concerts & events!

The Atlantis Pavillions is a magnificient structure that rises on top of Lake Ontario. It offers wonderful views of Toronto, & has many restaurants & nightclubs.

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Phone: 1-866-ONE-4-FUN
Address: 955 Lakeshore Blvd. West
Directions: From Bathurst subway station, take 511 streetcar south to Exhibition Place & walk

From Union Station, take 509 streetcar to Exhibition Place

Car: Gardiner Expressway & get off at the Spadina Ave Exit, drive along Lakeshore Blvd & follow signs
Website: http://www.ontarioplace.com/en/

Probably more famous than the unusual "spaceship" shaped Toronto City Hall is its popular outdoor skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square. Many events are held at Nathan Phillips Square throughout the year, & it is a constant place of fun & excitement. In the summer, the skating rink is converted into a water fountain.

Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell, Toronto city hall stands as a contrasting post-modern building surrounded by comtemporary architecture. It was originally envisioned to be an eye with the two towers acting as eyelids. However, now it is now widely known as the UFO, the flying saucer, or the burrito.

Outside, there is the Peace Garden, which offers a green respite from the bustle of the city. The garden is home to the eternal flame lit by Pope John Paul II from an ember of the Hiroshima Memorial, as well as Henry Moore's sculpture "The Archer".

Though not all of City Hall is accessible by public, you can pop in at the lobby anytime & view any displays designated for public enjoyment. Also, during Council meetings, you could enter Toronto's Council Chamber, a public area that accomodates 300 people. From here, you can hear fierce debates & arguments as Toronto councillors plot the future course of this city. Especially those who are curious about democracy, you could see it all in action @ Toronto City Hall. Everyone here is free to speak the mind and express their opinions on any issue that concerns the city.

In the middle of the first floor rotunda is a Golden Book of Remembrance, where the names of 3500 Torontonians who died in WWII are inscribed. Along the east wall of the rotunda, just inside the front door, is artist David Partridge's Metropolis, a mural made entirely of nails. On the West side rotunda, a scale model of the area of Toronto is on view. It allows visitors to locate landmarks, historic sites & future development that is taking shape in the core of the city.

On the second floor is offices of 44 Toronto city councillors & of the Mayor of Toronto.

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Phone: (416) 338-0338
Address: 100 Queen St. W.
Directions: On intersection of Queen & Bay

From Eaton Centre (Queen subway station), exit from Indigo Mall Entrance & walk to the mass of flags.

From Osgoode subway station, walk East on Queen Street.
Website: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/city_hall_tour/index.htm

PATH, Toronto's underground city, is a labyrinth of shops & services that link parts of downtown Toronto together, specifically the financial district & Eaton Centre. Though it is still not complete, the PATH is now 27 km long & streches over an area of six to ten city blocks.

PATH was built to let Torontonians have a viable alternative to the freezing weather outside. By providing a link to major Office towers & subway stations, people could get to work in a comfortable enclosed environment. Undoubtely, retail oppurtunities were sought once the flow of pedestrians
increased.

PATH is actually in the Guiness Book of Records for largest underground shopping complex. With over 361 700 square feet of retailing space, it rivals the world's largest shopping centre, West Edmonton Mall.

Notable attractions connected to path include Roy Thomson Hall, City Hall, Toronto Convention Centre (through Skywalk), CBC broadcast building & the Hockey Hall of Fame. Air Canada Centre, the CN Tower & Skydome are also connected to PATH, though there is an outdoor walkway.

Skyscrapers connected to PATH include the Toronto-Dominion Centre, First Canadian Place, BCE place, HSBC building, Royal Trust Tower, Exchange Tower, Commerce Court, Scotia Plaza, Royal Bank Plaza, & Ernst & Young tower.

Hotels connected to PATH include Royal York Hotel, Sheraton Centre Hotel, Mariott @ Eaton Centre & the Toronto Hilton.

Each letter in PATH is a different colour, each representing a direction. The P is red and represents south. The orange A directs pedestrians to the west, while the blue T directs them to the north. The H is yellow and points to the east.

Usually, PATH is really quiet on the weekends, for most of the shops are closed & the daily commuters to work are not here. Walking from one end of PATH to the other takes around 40 minutes to a hour.

Click here for a map of Toronto's Path System (PDF file).

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Address: Downtown Toronto
Directions: Bounded by Queen St, Front St, Yonge St. and University

Subway stations connected to PATH: St. Andrew, Union, Queen, King, Dundas

Toronto Coach Terminal also connected to path
Website: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/path/