My Sabbatical

Source: ChoudhrySaab at flickr

I would be remiss writing about all these great European destinations and completely ignore my own backyard. Toronto has some great sites – some obvious and some not so obvious. And so, without further ado, is my list of the top 9 things to see and do here.

1. CN Tower

This is Toronto’s pride and joy. Torotonians naively cling to the view that the CN Tower is one of the tallest structures in the world – and at one time it was. But with office towers in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur now pushing one kilometer high, the tallest structure in Toronto is only a paltry 533 meters. Now fair warning, the price to go up the CN Tower to the main level or the higher observation deck is a bit high by my standards – $28 per person last time I checked. But if you spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to come to Toronto from afar, shell out the $28 to see the city from the top.

2. Yorkville

Yorkville is a shopping district at the north end of the downtown region of Toronto that is known as the trendy part of town. Lots of cafes, bars and restaurants where people go to see and be seen. And most of the high end shopping is either in Yorkville or only a block or two away on Bloor St West.

3. The Toronto Zoo

There are two interesting things about the Toronto Zoo. One, it is pretty far away from downtown Toronto. I once had a tourist stop me right in the heart of downtown and ask me how to get to the zoo. I’m sure the look on my face must have been priceless, because I actually do know how to get there but there are no easy instructions to tell a tourist from where we were standing. Take this highway, then the next, then a third, go for about 45 minutes, look for the sign, and then a series of side streets.

That being said, the Zoo is a great place for kids and families. The Toronto Zoo is well maintained, and is a popular spot for local families to go. They have shuttle buses and even a train system inside the zoo to make getting around the vast space easier.

4. The Toronto Harbourfront

In recent years, the government has invested in revitalizing the Toronto downtown Waterfront. Start at Bathurst, and walk along the waterfront, stroll through the Music Gardens, dip your toes in the sand at HTO mini-beach, shop the stalls, listen to music, see the artists at work in York Quay, visit the Power Station art gallery, and finish your day shopping the high-end stores of Queens Quay Terminal.

5. Paramount Canada’s Wonderland

Just above Toronto in the town of Maple, this is the biggest amusement park around Toronto. Just like Six Flags and other amusement park centers in the US, spend the day with the family, enjoying the thrilling rides, eating the indulgent food, and end the night with a fireworks show. There are special attractions at this time of the year around Halloween events.

6. Canadian National Exhibition – CNE

The CNE is an event that happens once a year for only two weeks, so if you time your visit right you should make a point of attending. The CNE is an historic tradition in Toronto, dating back over 125 years. Because it is only open for such a short time, the attractions are more like “midway” rides, where what used to be a parking lot gets converted into a carnival atmosphere. Not too many “rides” (some), but mostly games where you can win stuffed animals.

The real attraction of the CNE is all the other things that are on display at the same time. There is a Food Building with hundreds of food vendors, horse shows, dog shows, fireworks shows, and what I personally find the best attraction, the annual Canadian Air Show. My family and friends make it a point to watch the show every year.

Source: derekp at flickr

7. Casa Loma

Casa Loma is an historic castle in almost the heart of downtown that has become a museum and tourist attraction. It was originally a residence built in 1911-1914. At that time, with 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in Canada. Unfortunately, with the start of the war and the depression that followed, the owner ran into financial difficulties and was forced out of the house less than 10 years of being there.

8. Toronto Islands

At the other side of Toronto harbour are a set of islands known as Toronto Islands. People don’t think of Toronto as having islands attached to them, but they do. You cannot get there by car, you have to take a ferry ride. There is a small amusement park there called Centerville (on Center Island). This is mainly aimed at kids, with some small rides. It is still a fun thing to do on a summer’s day. The bigger attraction is the islands themselves. You can go for a nice walk, there is a beach side of the island (facing away from Toronto). You can bike or roller blade if you prefer. Take some food and a blanket with you, and have a lovely picnic in the park. What Central Park is to New York, the Toronto Islands are to Toronto.

9. The Danforth

At the north east end of downtown is a lovely section of town known as The Danforth. It features Greek Town, which is an area of town known for Greek restaurants and stores. The restaurants of the Danforth have annual event called Taste of the Danforth, where the street is closed to traffic and the restaurants set up stalls in the street for passersby to sample. On any given Friday or Saturday night howver, the Danforth is a lively area of Toronto where you can spend a few hours having a lovely meal, go for a nice walk, and enjoy the life of the city.  To be fair, there are other neighborhoods of Toronto that come alive on weekends and have similar annual festivals celebrating their own unique culture (The Beaches, Chinatown, Bloor West all come immediately to mind), but my heart will always be with The Danforth as a place I will always come back to for a lovely meal in an alive neighborhood.

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