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Toronto Vacation Help - September 2013

DM4

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Hi, my girlfriend and I plan on visiting Toronto from Cleveland this fall. I was hoping some of you would have suggestions on what to see, where to go, etc.

What are some interesting neighborhoods to visit?

Also any suggestions on good, large, cheap, accessible pizza? Best breakfast place? etc.?

After the pizza question this will sound weird, but my girlfriend is vegan and I was wondering if you had any suggestions for good vegan places as well?

Neither of us drink so bars/nightclubs dont interest us much.

Through my own research and suggestions from others on other sites I so far have:

CN Tower
Casa Loma
St. Lawrence Market
Eaton Centre
Dundas Square
PATH
Harbourfront Centre
Distillery District
Yorkville

As for restaurants/cafes I have Mystic Muffin(For Fallafel), Hogtown Vegan, Terroni, and Danforth Pizza House(might be harder to get to).

We will be staying downtown and plan on walking and using the TTC to get around.

Any suggestions on landmarks to visit, or neighborhoods to explore? We will be staying from Friday through Monday, and I know during the weekend certain areas are less crowded(financial districts) so I would like to avoid those on those days and visit them either on Friday or Monday. Any suggestions on what places are the best to visit on Saturday and Sunday?

Thanks in advance!
 
Also think about Kensington Market, Queen West, the islands, and the beaches.

As for restaurants/cafes I have Mystic Muffin(For Fallafel), Hogtown Vegan, Terroni, and Danforth Pizza House(might be harder to get to).
Danforth isn't that difficult to get to if you're planning to use the TTC; head east on the Bloor line and get off at Chester or Pape.
 
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What are some interesting neighborhoods to visit?

Any suggestions on landmarks to visit, or neighborhoods to explore? We will be staying from Friday through Monday, and I know during the weekend certain areas are less crowded(financial districts) so I would like to avoid those on those days and visit them either on Friday or Monday. Any suggestions on what places are the best to visit on Saturday and Sunday?

Thanks in advance!

Couple of things: If you want to explore the PATH, this is one area where it helps to be doing so on a weekday before 5 or 6. A lot of the stores just aren't open over the weekends or later into the evening, and unless you just like walking through underground tunnels, you'd want to be there when things are lively.

Toronto Island is also a nice place to visit (depending on how late into fall you're going)

The new aquarium might be open by then (by the CN Tower)

A few interesting neighbourhoods: Bloor West Village, the Danforth/Greektown, the Beach (or Beaches, depending on who you talk to), Ossington, Queen St. west from Spadina, Spadina Chinatown, and Cabbagetown.
 
Labour Day is September 2nd. School starts September 3rd. Most summer attractions end on Labour Day. However, weekends remain active.

There is however September 5th to 15th, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). (Warning: hotels rooms could be scarce.)

For a start, see this link for http://www.seetorontonow.com/ for up to date information, or this link for the September calendar.

There are always theatres during the week. Try mirvish.com at this link. Try them more closer to your date. Les Misérables begins September 27th.
 
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Unless you're in town for the film festival avoid September 5th to 15th. Hotel's rates skyrocket during those dates.
 
Pizza Libretto is vegan friendly (thin crust Naples style pizza). Also you should definitely check out Kensington Market (plus you can pass through Chinatown en route to the market), Akram's does good falafel there. Kensington, Distillery, Yorkville and Queen West (Bathurst to Dufferin section) are good weekend bets. The financial district and PATH are worth checking out Monday or Friday during 9-5 hours as previously mentioned.

If you are into the arts, the AGO might be worth a visit, especially if a special exhibit is on at the time you're here.


Enjoy your trip :)

Also in terms of best of (insert food item here), check out BlogTO. While I don't always agree with the order of their rankings, they generally are on top of what's good in the city

http://www.blogto.com/toronto/
 
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Thanks everyone! Great advise.

We are traveling at the end of september so we will be missing the higher prices during the film festival!

What exactly are Kensington Market and Queen West?
 
Before zoning rules put restrictions on where one can set up a business, there was Kensington Market.

Kensington_Market_map.jpg


What should have been nowadays just residential homes, people set up businesses on their front lawns. See this link for more information.
 

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If in town in the middle weekend, September 14-15, there are the Ukrainian Festival on Bloor Street West, between Jane Subway Station and Runnymede Subway Station, see this link. And the Polish Festival on Roncesvalles Avenue, between Queen Street West and Dundas Street West, south of the Dundas West Subway Station, see this link.
 
You can do Spadina Chinatown > Kensington Market > Queen West; they're kind of linked in a continual path.

Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market, and the harbourfront are also kind of clumped together. And if you feel like it, you could walk along the harbourfront to Spadina then head north towards Chinatown/Queen West.
 
You can do Spadina Chinatown > Kensington Market > Queen West; they're kind of linked in a continual path.

Distillery District, St. Lawrence Market, and the harbourfront are also kind of clumped together. And if you feel like it, you could walk along the harbourfront to Spadina then head north towards Chinatown/Queen West.

What days would you recommend visiting those places? We will be in Toronto from Friday till Monday.
 
If you are into the arts, the AGO might be worth a visit, especially if a special exhibit is on at the time you're here.

I'd say the AGO is a 'must' but I'd avoid any special exhibits which are likely to be crowded. Why not enjoy some Canadian culture and check out the Group of Seven permanent display?
 
So far our schedule looks like this. Id love any suggestions on changing days/times, and where to fit other places in. My main goal is to do things that are best during the week(financial district, PATH) on Friday or Monday, and the best places on the weekend(St. Lawrence Market), or places that it doesn't really matter(Casa Loma) on Saturday and Sunday.

Friday
Afternoon
Walk Yonge Street
Financial District
PATH
Evening
Eaton Centre
Dundas Square

Saturday
Morning/Afternoon
Casa Loma
St. Lawrence Market
Distillery District
Harbourfront
Bloor Street/Yorkville

Sunday
Double Decker Bus Tour
Boat Tour (Free with bus tour)
Rest of day open

Monday
Whole day open

Places to Visit
Queen St West
Chinatown
Kensington Market
CN Tower at Dusk (Best weather day)
 

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