The Essential Toronto Tour

[MetroMan]

The purpose of this thread is to determine what best Toronto features to show to visitors.

I have three groups of friends coming over the next few months and none of them has ever been here. Some of them are childhood friends to whom I've been hyping Toronto ever since we were kids going to school back in Spain.

One couple is going to New York first and spending only a couple of days in Toronto. I can't help but think they'll be underwhelmed after first spending a week in one of the world's great cities.

Although I want to show them the real Toronto, I want to make sure they have fun so some touristy stops are ok.

What do you suggest showing first time visitors that best leaves them with the essence of Toronto?

 

[neuhaus]

Toronto Islands:
Great relaxing time outdoors and enjoy the views of downtown.
The new Sugar Beach near the Islands Fairy terminal is also a nice spot.

Art Gallery of Ontario.
I think Gehry's addition is much nicer than Libeskind's ROM addition.

CN Tower:
360 Restaurant is overpriced and a tourist trap, but it gets you up the tower for free. Enjoy a cocktail and some appetizers and afterwards head downstairs to the observation deck with the entertaining glass floor.

Restaurants:
My favorite restaurant with outstanding consistant food, awesome views, nice atmosphere, and a great place to impress your guests is Canoe.

Other areas to check out:
Little Italy, Chinatown, the Danforth, Rogers Centre, catch an evening show, Yonge Street, take the subway and wander through the PATH.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

* A morning or afternoon at Toronto Islands which could be combined with a few hours walking west along Queens Quay finished by coffee in the St. Lawrence Market area then dinner in the Distillery District
* Window browsing/lunch/dinner/coffee or drinks in any number of our rich ethnic neighbourhoods, depending on where they may prefer to go
* Shopping at Eaton Centre then a walk up Yonge Street - be sure to try to defer their attention to the west as you pass by that building with the AMC cinemas
* Yorkville/Bloor West
* The Annex & U of T
* Toronto Zoo, Science Centre
* The AGO, Gardiner Museum, Bata Shoe Museum & ROM
* Touristy things - CN Tower, tour Skydome (sorry, Rogers Centre), I've heard those double decker buses give good tours, City Hall & the financial district, Fort York, Castle Loma, Roundhouse Park, Allen Gardens, Queens Park....

 

[MetroMan]

Great ideas

The SkyDome suggestion reminded me how big watching a Jays game will be to them. They're used to seeing baseball as part of North American culture and an afternoon @ the Dome is an essential Toronto experience.

They also won't be used to the type of architecture seen in the Annex and @ UofT (and something they won't see while in New York). I'll take them there when we visit the ROM.

Keep 'em coming...

 

[urbandreamer]

I recently met the girls from Walk TO--if your friends are into paying to tour the city on foot. I'm not, but then I'm super cheap.

Personally, I'm biased towards showing the cool neighbourhoods over cheesy tourist spots. So, a four hour daily walking tour would be ideal. For example, I'd start in Kensington Market then head to College West then south on Shaw to Dundas then west to maybe Brock then down to Queen and back east to Queen and Spadina--about a four hour walk if you stop at two or three places for coffee, lunch etc. Great for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon-evening.

The next walk would be from Lansdowne and Bloor to Yorkville, then back via Prince Arthur/Lowther/Brunswick/Barton with a stop in one of those nice Annex parks--like St Alban's Square @Albany and Barton, and Yorkville park.

Another walk--Queen East/Beach to the financial district via King East, stopping at the DD.

The Danforth at dinner hour.

Yonge Street from Lawrence to the Lake.

The Waterfront trail via bike.

Maybe BWV/the Junction/Roncevalles/Parkdale.

A tour of all the aA buildings built over the past decade.

 

[MetroMan]

It's too bad the Martin Goodman Trail isn't yet complete on Queens Quay. We could rent them some bikes and start in Etobicoke and end in the Distillery District. As an alternative, a walking tour from the Music Garden to the Distillery District (via Yonge + Esplanade because the stretch to Parliament is still a blight) is likely on the itinerary.