One of my favourite vacation spots is Toronto, Canada. Coming from the city of Detroit, it is only about three and a half hours away. It’s a straight shot up 401 highway when your across the border in Detroit.
Toronto is often called New York City in Canada. I think it lives up to this comparison. But Toronto is much cleaner and safer than New York City. I have been amazed at how clean the city is for such a large population. I have never felt in danger, even while walking around past midnight.
As far as things to see and do, you will never run out. I’ve probably made about 25 trips to Toronto in my life and I have never been bored. There is always the old favourites along with new things popping up all the time.
Below is my list of the top ten things you should see and do in Toronto. These are things you should not miss on your visit.
First Take a stroll down Bloor Street. This is Park Avenue of Toronto. You will find all the chic shops on this street. Including Gucci, Prada, and the amazing Holt Renfrew department store. If you can afford $ 500 for a pair of jeans, this is the place for you. In addition to the expensive stores, it’s a nice walk and great people watching. And as always, window shopping is free.
Second Visit the quirky shops of Queen Street. This street is synonymous with the term “Funky”. You will find hip clothing stores, independent record stores and other off the wall type companies. Favourite bar to visit on this street is the legendary Horseshoe Tavern. Every major Canadian music act has played there.
3rd Stroll through China Town. Looking for dim sum? Exotic Chinese herbs? Rare tea? Toronto’s Chinatown is the place for you. Chinese restaurants shy away from the traditional “North American Chinese” menu. Instead, they serve up variety of regional dishes that feed the more than 400,000 people of Chinese background in Toronto.
4th Shop at Eaton Center. I’m not one for shopping centres. But I love the Eaton Centre. Mall itself is a six-storey glass ceiling structure modelled after Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. It has over 285 stores with a large food court on the lower level. Make sure to visit New York fries and book Poutine. A mixture of potato chips, cheese curds and gravy.
5th Take a ride on the subway. The Toronto subway is clean, safe and easy to navigate. There are two main lines, the Younge-University-Spadina and Bloor-Danforth. From the subway, you can get to all the main tourist hotspots.
6th Visit the top of the CN Tower. The world’s tallest building at 553 m (1815 ft). The view is amazing. On top of the tower is 360 restaurant. This is a world class restaurant. The floor makes a full revolution every 72 minutes. When dining, you will get to see the city below from every direction.
7th What would a visit to the great white north be without a bit of hockey? Toronto is home to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hockey has a special place in the national consciousness of Canadians. Be sure to visit Wayne Gretzky area.
8th Connoisseurs will love St. Lawrence Market. Considered in the top 25 markets in the world, it has more than 50 speciality shops suppliers. Store vegetables, fruits, meat, cheese and seafood abound. On the lower level, you can visit St. Lawrence Market Juice Bar. They specialize in freshly squeezed juices of all kinds and related products.
9th Visit the eclectic Kensington Market area. Dating back to the original settlement of Toronto in the 1790s by the British, you will now find a diverse range of shopping, representing cultures Portuguese, East Indian, Ethiopian and Caribbean.
10th Eat in Little Italy. For my money, the restaurants in Little Italy represents the best restaurants throughout Toronto. Beyond restaurants, you will find exciting nightlife in this area. This includes wonderful Italian coffee bars, gelato, music bars and even latin dance.
I hope these tips will help you enjoy your visit to Toronto.