Exploring Toronto, Canada
Note: This post has been updated on February 6, 2024
Time needed in this city: A long weekend (3 nights)
Toronto is a multi-cultural city, right over the border from the U.S. While it’s primarily driven by financial institutions and the university, it’s adopted a foodie subculture as well with many Michelin-starred restaurants just blocks from each other. If you have never been, it’s a great way to spend a weekend - especially in the fall!
The below information is a complete guide of the best places to stay, the top rated places to dine and drink, and all there is to see and do. We’ve also included transportation tips, as well as a summary of the history of this melting pot of a Canadian city!
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Where to Stay
The InterContinental Toronto Centre is an expansive property in the financial district of Toronto. Per their site it's, "Just steps away from the CN Tower, Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre, and Ripley’s Aquarium."
The hotel includes many amenities, including their 8,000 sq. ft. spa, a saltwater pool and hot tub, their wonderful restaurant, and more. Our personal experience: I am a Diamond Elite Member, which meant a free upgrade to the CN Tower view (room 1821). It also meant free breakfast each morning and award points. We really enjoyed the service, the food, and the fitness center, which was two rooms of cardio and weight equipment.
other recommendations
Where to Dine & Drink
Aburi Hana
A Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in an intimate, upscale setting, offering elaborate, multi-course tasting menus.
Alo
A Michelin-starred restaurant, serving a French tasting menu, in a stylish, serene surrounding, atop a Victorian building.
Almond Butterfly Gluten Free Bake Shop & Espresso
Gluten- and soy-free treats in decadent flavours & espresso drinks in eco-chic wood & tiled space.
Antler Kitchen & Bar
Seasonal menu featuring local wild & foraged ingredients served in a petite, exposed-brick space.
Bar Avelo (Speakeasy)
Bar Avelo is a new speakeasy lounge located on the second floor of its Victorian heritage building on St. Nicholas Street. It’ll feature a plant-based tapas-style and innovative drinks menu.
Campo
Rustic restaurant serving Spanish & Italian dishes using local & seasonal ingredients.
Canoe
On the 54th floor of the TD Bank building (66 Wellington W.) sits one of Oliver and Bonacini's award-winning restaurants, Canoe. Known in Toronto for their impeccable menus and service (as well as locations), it was the restaurant I was most looking forward to experiencing, and we were not disappointed. We were given a table overlooking the CN Tower and Lake Ontario at night, which was beautifully lit and quite peaceful. The ambience definitely gave you a first class feel and the food portions were perfect.
NOTE: Since my experience 10 years ago, in 2014, unfortunately, their ratings have gone way down, due to service. If you are still inclined to go, be sure to Google Canoe and see if things have improved.
Chiado
Creative, refined Portuguese cuisine, plus a broad wine list served in an elegant dining room.
Cry Baby Gallery (Speakeasy)
This secret New York-style cocktail bar is hidden behind an art gallery, easily making it one of the coolest hidden bars in the city. The bar serves up unique drinks like kombucha-infused cocktails, paired with simple but delicious bites like olives and oysters.
Dil Se Indian Restaurant & Bar
Cosy restaurant offering traditional Punjabi dishes & vegetarian options, plus a wine bar.
Edulis
A Michelin-starred restaurant in a cozy locale, with a seasonal menu of wild & foraged foods used to create elevated Canadian dishes.
El Tenedor
Organic restaurant serving eclectic mix of Spanish/French cuisines with Canadian terroir.
FK
Airy, elegant outpost serving a changing menu of French-style dishes, with an emphasis on seafood.
House on Parliament
Busy pub with dark-wood accents that pours local & global beers, plus chic bar bites & British fare.
GEORGE
Inventive tasting menus emphasizing local ingredients in a refined space with a secluded courtyard.
Greta Solomon’s
Classic French fare & wines, with many by the glass, served in a cozy, charming dining room.
High Tea at Fairmont Royal York
If there is one experience you should do around the world (wherever it is provided), it would be high tea at a Fairmont property.
The first time I did this tea, it was in the Library Room. They have since shifted this experience to the lobby area. NOTE: The gluten-free bites seemed a little bit of a “miss” this time, but it seems it changes periodically.
Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
Elegant environs with a piano bar, plus house-aged steaks & Caesar salads prepared tableside.
Joso’s
Upscale seafood eatery with a unique, colorful interior inspired by the Dalmation coast.
La Bartola
Fashionable restaurant dishing up moles, cactus tacos & other Mexican delicacies, plus cocktails.
Le Baratin
Modern meets rustic-chic at this spot serving locally sourced eclectic small plates & charcuterie.
Lucie
An elegant French restaurant in downtown Toronto, serving French cuisine with a contemporary twist.
NEO Coffee Bar
Java drinks, Japanese-style pastries & sandwiches served in a dramatic space with soaring ceilings.
Petros82 Restaurant
Focusing on seasonal seafood, this upscale restaurant & raw bar serves refined Mediterranean fare.
Pizzeria Libretto
Pizzeria Libretto is the real deal when it comes to Toronto-based Neapolitan pizza. Their regular crusts are fluffy, light, and just slightly charred. Surprisingly, so are their gluten-free crusts!
Quetzal
Vibrant outpost offering upscale Mexican cuisine & craft cocktails in a sleek, modern dining room.
RASA
Global-inspired snacks & entrees in a sleek, dark space from food-truck mavens The Food Dudes.
Richmond Station
Co-owned by a "Top Chef Canada" winner, this bustling spot offers a weekly menu of seasonal cuisine.
Scaramouche
Shangri-la’s The Bar
In doing a lot of research, it turns out that lobby bars CAN be amazing. You never know who you will meet - especially its famous residents who pop in for a drink.
TEN
Stylish nook serving always-changing, seafood- & veg-forward tasting menus to 10 diners at a time.
The Jean Darlene Piano Room
Sophisticated, chill, and inviting. The Jean Darlene Piano Room is accessible through a hidden door in a laneway. Though it may be hard to miss, you definitely want to check this spot out as it offers live performances and a “Piano Karaoke Weekly” event for you to enjoy while you sip on crafty cocktails.
Vela
Stylish destination with a patio & dramatic decor offering creative cuisine, plus cocktails. NOTE: The majority of the offerings can be made gluten-free, including all of their pastas!
White Lily Diner
A green Michelin-starred restaurant is a humble spot, dishing out all-day breakfasts & deli sandwiches with house-smoked meats.
XXX
Located under Toronto’s beloved Little Sister Food Bar on Portland Street, XXX is among the newest speakeasies to open in the city and has already been recognized as one of “Canada’s Best Bars.”
The intimate spot is inspired by the old bars of Amsterdam, “where you can either sit back in the corner and watch the bartender from a distance or get up close and personal,” according to the description.
TIP: For instructions on how to get in, click here,
Things to See & Do
Historical Exploration
Arthur Conan Doyle Room
Tucked away in the Toronto Reference Library is a replica of Sherlock Holmes’ apartment at. 221B Baker Street that houses Arthur Conan Doyle’s collection.
The collection includes books, stories, and essays by Arthur Conan Doyle on spiritualism, true crime, history, and current issues of the day. He also wrote in several literary genres, with his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, eclipsing his other writings. The collection includes many versions of the Sherlock Holmes series, from the original magazines the stories appeared in, to first editions and modern imprints, as well as translations to adaptions for stage and screen.
In addition, there’s a collection of fan fiction, critical, bibliographical, and biographical studies, published by university presses, commercial publishers, individuals, and the many societies devoted to Sherlock Holmes.
The collection was established in 1969 and can be viewed today, but not touched.
Casa Loma
Canadian Soldier and financier, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, earned his wealth from founding the Toronto Electric Light Company in 1883. Soon, he was the chairman of 21 companies, owned railroads, generated electricity from Niagara Falls, and was knighted for his military service.
All this success led him to using his $17 million fortune ($412 million today), in 1911, to build a personal château in the middle of Toronto. This 98-room castle, named “Casa Loma”, cost nearly 2 million man-hours and $3.5 million to build, including a whopping $50,000 a year for 40 live-in staff and $250,000 just to put the names of his horses in 18-carat gold.
It’s no surprise that this level of extravagance caused Pellatt to go bankrupt. By 1920, the Canadian electricity market was made publicly owned (destroying his main source of income), and the economy was in a slump from the end of World War I. Pellatt owed over a million dollars to the Home Bank of Canada, which prompted him to sell nearly everything… including his home.
In late 1920s, investors operated Casa Loma for a short time as a luxury hotel. During Prohibition, it became a popular nightspot for wealthy Americans. The Orange Blossoms, later known as, “Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra”, played there for eight months in 1927–1928. Shortly thereafter, they went on a tour of North America and became a major swing era dance band.
The city seized Casa Loma in 1924 for unpaid taxes, and for years, the building was left vacant. In the 1930s, CFRB broadcaster, Claire Wallace ,spent a night at Casa Loma to gather material for a story about ghosts and supernatural phenomena, and she later broadcast an appeal to save the building from demolition. Her broadcast was heard by the vice-president of a local Kiwanis Club, which in turn, was then leased to them in 1937.
During World War II, the stables (guarded by a “Under Repairs” sign) were used to conceal research and production of sonar, and for construction of sonar devices (known as ASDIC) for U-boat detection.
The Kiwanis managed Casa Loma for 74 years, until 2011.
Meanwhile, from 1997 until 2012, the mansion underwent a 15-year, $33-million exterior restoration, largely funded by the city, which also created a new board of trustees in 2008, including seven Kiwanis members and seven city appointees. The city's renewed management agreement included a stipulation that Kiwanis would use the mansion's net revenues ($1.5 million) to help pay for upgrades. However, the organization used the funds to cover operating shortfalls instead, and there was only $335,000 in the account by 2011. As a result, in 2011, the city temporarily resumed management of Casa Loma and began welcoming bids from the private sector in its search for a new operator.
In January 2014, the city entered a new long-term lease and operating agreement with Liberty Entertainment Group, which agreed to spend $7.4 million to continue the mansion's upgrades. The company's plans also included a fine dining facility. The restaurant, Blueblood Steakhouse, opened in summer 2017.
North Toronto Station
Constructed in 1916, the North Toronto Station primarily served as a Canadian Pacific Railway’s station for over 20 years, closing its doors in 1930. A decade later, the site was renovated and reopened as the largest liquor store in Canada.
In May 1939, the station briefly re-opened for one day to accommodate a visit from King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth, on their first visit to Toronto. The last rail passengers to transit through the station were returning soldiers from World War II.
Today, the original bronze lights, suspended from the ceiling, adorn the main hall where glimmers of the building’s former use exist only through photographs and illustrations. Portraits of workmen on the railways look out towards a well-stocked table of rosé wines. The majestic 140-foot clock tower now serves as a tasting area.
No doubt, the majority of the store’s clientele visit to purchase liquor, although you may spot a few customers marveling at the high ceilings and expensive aged bottles behind padlocked fridge doors.
St. Lawrence Market
Per their website, “Since 1803, the St. Lawrence Market has been the community’s “beating heart” and culinary focal point of the city of Toronto. It’s the living symbol and anchor of the neighbourhood and for the families who live here. It’s a place to connect, to share stories and of course, to taste and to discover great food.”
Toronto Police Museum
The Toronto Poilce Museum is 3000 sq. ft. of poilicing history, since 1834.
The experience starts at the entrance when you pass under the stone entrance arch and into the life-size recreation of a 1920s-era station (Police Station No. 7), which features a flash-light call box outside and an unhappy-looking prisoner in the green-doored cell alongside.
But, what visitors most often talk about os the Moose in uniform. The police moose, located in the museum’s lobby, wears a full uniform including a “Moose Patrol” hat around his huge antlers. This sculpture was one of more than 300 decorated moose sculptures placed around the city, in 2000, as part of a “Moose in the City” program.
Religious History
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a traditional Hindu place of worship that was built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in 2007. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is a global spiritual organization within the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism.
The mandir was built in 18 months (with 1800 workers), using building techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation by craftsmen in India. They assembled more than 95,000 sq. ft. of stone that included 2,638 tons of Turkish limestone, 2,260 tons of Carrara marble, and 1,484 tons of Indian pink sandstone. The stone was shipped to Canada in containers weighing up to 5.6 tons.
The mandir is the largest of its kind in Canada and was constructed according to guidelines outlined in ancient Hindu scriptures. The grounds spread over 18 acres and in addition to the mandir, include a haveli and the Heritage Museum. The mandir is open daily to visitors and for worship.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Visitors are welcome from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Parking and entrance is free, and visitors must abide by the rules of decorum and dress code. Shorts, short skirts, and sleeveless tops are not allowed. Visitors are required to remove shoes upon entering. Photography is not allowed, except outside the Mandir. Silence must be maintained.
The Arts & Sciences
Art Gallery of Ontario
Founded in 1900 as the “Art Museum of Toronto”, and formally incorporated in 1903, the museum was renamed the “Art Gallery of Toronto” in 1919 before it adopted its present name, the “Art Gallery of Ontario”, in 1966. The museum acquired the Grange in 1911 and later undertook several expansions to the north and west of the structure.
The first series of expansions occurred in 1918, 1924, and 1935, designed by Darling and Pearson. Since 1974, the gallery has undergone four major expansions and renovations. These expansions occurred in 1974 and 1977 by John C. Parkin, and 1993 by Barton Myers and KPMB Architects. From 2004 to 2008, the museum underwent another expansion by Frank Gehry. The museum complex saw further renovations in the 2010s by KPMB and Hariri Pontarini Architects.
The museum's permanent collection includes over 120,000 works spanning the first century to the present day. It includes a number works from Canadian, First Nations, Inuit, African, European, and Oceanic artists. In addition to exhibits for its collection, the museum has organized and hosted a number of traveling art exhibitions.
Royal Ontario Museum
Established on April 16, 1912, and opened on March 19, 1914, the museum was under the direct control and management of the University of Toronto until 1968, when it became an independent Crown agency of the Government of Ontario.
With more than 13,000,000 items and 40 galleries, the museum's diverse collections of world culture and natural history contribute to its international reputation. The museum contains a collection of dinosaurs, minerals and meteorites; Canadian and European historical artifacts; as well as African, Near Eastern, and East Asian art. It houses the world's largest collection of fossils from the Burgess Shale in British Columbia with more than 150,000 specimens. The museum also contains an extensive collection of design and fine art, including clothing, interior, and product design, especially Art Deco.
Winter Garden TheatRE
The Winter Garden Theatre is actually a pair of theatres that were originally built as the flagship of Marcus Loew's theatre chain in 1913.
Both theatres were built to show vaudeville acts and the short silent movies of the time. Each theatre was intended for a different class of patron. The gold-and-marble, domed, 'hard-top' lower theatre (originally called Loew's Yonge Street Theatre) was home to continuous vaudeville and movies. The upper-level Winter Garden is an 'atmospheric' country garden under the stars, painted with murals of plants and garden trellises, with tree trunk columns and lantern lights. The upper theatre was built for the 'Big Time' vaudeville market and had reserved seats at premium prices, catering to affluent patrons.
By 1928, feature-length silent films were popular, but sound films were just coming into their own. In 1928, the lower theatre was converted to show sound films and the upper theatre was closed. The Winter Garden remained shuttered for about 60 years. Left inside it was a large collection of vaudeville flats and scenery, now the world's largest surviving collection. In 1969, Loews sold the Elgin to Famous Players. By the 1970s, the Elgin was showing mainly B movies and soft-core pornography.
In 1981, the Ontario Heritage Foundation bought the structure from Famous Players and was then closed as a movie theatre. From March 1985 through March 1987, the musical Cats was successfully presented in the essentially unrestored Elgin, showing the viability of the theatre. The building closed in 1987 for a full restoration and reopened in 1989.
In 1991, Dr. David Griesinger and Steve Barbar of Lexicon, Inc., at the request of acousticians Neil Muncy and Robert Tanner, installed the first production LARES system, an electroacoustic enhancement system that augments architectural acoustics, in the Elgin Theatre. This initial LARES system used two microphones placed at the balcony's front edge to pick up sound from the stage. The microphone signals were digitized and processed in two mainframe computers, and the resulting signals were sent to 56 loudspeakers in the main ceiling and 60 under the balcony, for the purpose of providing additional intelligibility and ambience.
Since then, the Elgin Theatre has housed numerous stage productions, as well as live television programs.
Unique Experiences
Berczy Park Dog Fountain
Behind Toronto’s own Flat Iron Building is one of the best fountains mankind could ever see - a tribute to their best friend.
The three tiers of fountain include sculptures of 27 dog breeds, including a Great Dane puppy, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a giant Schnauzer, and a West Highland Terrier, happily “spitting” water back into the fountain as they continue to focus on the giant bone at the top of the fountain.
CN Tower
The idea for the CN Tower originated from the 1968 Canadian National Railway’s desire to build a large television and radio communication platform that would serve the Toronto area and demonstrate the strength of Canada and its industry. It surpassed the height of the Ostankino Tower while still under construction in 1975, becoming the tallest free-standing structure on land in the world for the next 31 years (1,815 ft.).
While there is a 70-second elevator ride to take you to the top, you can also take the “long way”, via 1,776 steps to reach the main deck, and 2,579 steps to reach the SkyPod level. (The stairs are not typically open to the public—they’re intended for emergency use only—but twice a year, visitors who want to scale the massive structure, have the opportunity to join charity stair-climbing events). Need a record to beat? Brendan Keenoy completed it in seven minutes and 52 seconds in 1989.
Today, the Toronto tower is the ninth tallest free-standing structure in the world, and still holds the title of tallest free-standing structure on land in the Western Hemisphere. Despite this, the CN Tower remains the signature icon of Toronto’s skyline, and a symbol of Canada.
TIP: Make reservations at 360 The Restaurant to get a rotating view of Toronto - admission to the very top is free for those dining. HOWEVER, note that it is cheaper, per person, to buy tickets for the ride to the top than it is to dine.
Leslieville Crazy Doll House
Leslieville is a quiet, former industrial town along Lake Ontario, east of Old Toronto. Most of the quaint older homes have small, well-tended gardens in front with one exception. Instead of flowers, trees, and other vegetation, think Barbies, troll dolls, superheroes and the like.
Known as the Doll House, owner Shirley Sumaiser has been collecting this unusual garden decor for over 20 years.
The Doll House is not just dolls—there are toys, stuffed animals, plaques, and signs, some hung from the fence, some mounted on wooden stakes, and some lining the porch and eaves.
The collection often is redone to suit a holiday or a set of new or seasonal additions.
Little Canada
Underground, in Dundas Square is a miniature representation of Canadian landmarks, all presented with an amazing amount of detail and a whole lot of humor.
There’s a snowmobiler who stopped too suddenly in Quebec City, three cyclists who are the real source of power for the Niagara hydroelectric station, final scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shawshank Redemption, and the hallway from The Shining. and so many more funny vignettes.
There’s also a workshop on site to learn how these figurines are made, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of the electronics that go into it as well.
Want a souvenir? “Littleization Station” lets you create figurines ofyourself in a variety of sizes. How is the done? You stand in a small chamber surrounded by cameras where they take your picture from all angles and create a 3-D rendering, which they can then sculpt in true color.
Monkey’s Paw
Stephen Fowler’s bookstore was opened in March 2006., which only sell books you couldn’t possibly find anywhere else. The unusual store, named after a horror short story by author W.W. Jacobs, has old books that range from topics as diverse as the art of predicting female character traits, according to breast shape, to Canadian Egg Laying Contests.
Fowler selects each book to fit these categories: the beautiful, the arcane, the macabre, and the absurd. Monkey’s Paw also has a custom-made Biblio-Mat, a vending machine that will dispense a randomly selected vintage volume when a token is inserted. Tokens can be purchased from the checkout for $5 a piece.
Primrose
Placed near the entrance to St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, the figure depicts a baby donkey with her front legs in pink casts. Named “Primrose,” the 12-foot-tall bronze sculpture was created in 2019 by Canadian artist, Myfanwy MacLeod. The sculpture is modeled after a baby donkey, born in 2012, at the Bind Equine Veterinary Practice in Shropshire.
The real Primrose was born prematurely and with underdeveloped front leg bones. As a result, she was unable to stand or walk. Untreated, her legs would have been permanently bowed and her kneecaps, damaged. Two attending veterinarians applied pink plaster casts to Primrose’s front legs that were designed to support her body weight, giving her body the strength and mobility while her legs had time to develop correctly.
MacLeod saw Primrose’s story and was determined to sculpt her. The artist referred to the piece as “a parody of the equestrian monument” but also noted the seriousness the sculpture lent to an otherwise light-hearted news story.
At the time of Primrose’s installation in Clover Hill Park, the artist permitted children to write messages on the Donkey’s casts. Those original words and well wishes have faded, but are often replaced by scribbled words and drawings from passersby.
Rainbow Tunnel
Whether this reminds you of Roger Rabbit or the beginning of a horror movie, the Rainbow Tunnel on Don Valley Parkway can’t be missed.
When it first appeared on the old railway tunnel in the early 1970s, the North York Parks department painted over the colorful piece. The mural was the work of B.C. Johnson, a Norwegian teenager, who painted it as a memorial to a friend who had passed away. Despite the city’s efforts, he continued to repaint the rainbow each time it was removed and soon, with the community’s help.
The Rainbow tunnel was refreshed in 2013 with an arts organization, Mural Routes.
HOW TO GET THERE: The Rainbow Tunnel can be reached from Moccasin Trail Park, via a part of the East Don Trail. Despite its roadside location, you can walk right under the tunnel and along the Don River.
The Little House
Built in 1912 by contractor, Arthur Weeden, Toronto’s Little House is only about 7′ wide and 47′ deep, with a total of less than 300 square feet of living space inside. He lived there with his wife for nearly 20 years. When she passed away, he lived there six more years.
The home was sold for $135,000 at the beginning of 2007 to a couple who renovated it and have put it back on the market for $179,900.
The Wood Cake House
Nestled in Seaton Village is a house completely covered in thousands of coins, corks, glass beads, and small wooden pucks called “wood cakes”… and a car to match.
After suffering a career-ending spinal injury in 1994, homeowner, Albino Carreira, was looking for something to keep him occupied while he recovered. He started small by decorating his mailbox with small glass beads. When the mailbox was covered, Carreira set sight on his front porch. From there, it spiraled into the front of the house, the walkway leading to it, the front porch and garden, the sides of the house, and even the backyard and garage.
The Wood Cake House was profiled on Weird Homes in 1997. It was named the “City’s Best Eccentric Garden” in 1998, and one of Toronto’s most unusual houses in 2016.
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library is a library in the University of Toronto, constituting the largest repository of publicly accessible rare books and manuscripts in Canada (700,000 volumes). These include Cicero’s Book of Natural History (you can view an edition from 1551) , Ulysses Androvandi’s Monstroum Historiae (1642) and Palfijn’s version of Licetus’ Book of Monsters (1708). Other collections include a treasure trove of beautiful Alice in Wonderland editions, numerous historical printings of Shakespeare’s works, and a small cache of ancient papyrus writings.
Toronto christmas market
The Toronto Christmas Market (now the Distillery Winter Village) is set in the Distillery District, among boutique shops, art galleries, breweries and restaurants. There are spirits vendors, providing free samples of holiday cocktails, holiday-inspired treats, performances, Christmas ornament vendors and more!
Toronto’s Half House
This tiny row home on 54 1/2 Saint Patrick Street dates back to Toronto’s slums in the late 19th century. Built somewhere between 1890 and 1893, was a one of six identical, structurally intertwined, homes on what was then known as Dummer Street.
In the 20th century, many of the half-sized row homes were sold and torn down at a very slow pace, with 54 1/2 being the one exception.
So, how did they slice these homes off so precisely? No one knows, other than they very carefully took their time removing them with such precision that not one original facade was damaged.
As of 2013, the house was reported to be privately owned and vacant.
Toronto Neighborhood Watch Signs
Artist Andrew Lamb was tired of seeing boring, mundane neighborhood watch signs. As they began to deteriorate, he started placing them with avant-garde, rather humorous ones. Some depicted characters are more obvious fits: Power Rangers, Leon the Professional, Mulder and Scully. But others neighborhoods are being valiantly protected by the mom and dad from Little House on the Prairie, Care Bears, and the cast of Kindergarten Cop.
WHERE TO FIND: There are over 100 signs scattered along the west end of Toronto, including Queen West, Kensington Market, and College Street.
Woodpecker Column
Standing right near the CN Tower is an overlooked piece of art. If you look up, you’ll spot two eye-catching 6.5 ft. birds with their bright colors. The 98-foot-tall black steel column was created by Fastwürms, a Canadian artist collective, and installed in 1997. The piece is covered in round holes to resemble a woodpecker’s “damage”.
Walking Tours
Allan Gardens Conservatory
The gardens originated from lands donated to the Toronto Horticultural Society by George William Allan, in 1858, with the horticultural society officially opening a gardens there in 1860. In 1864, the municipal government of Toronto acquired the lands surrounding the gardens, although allowed the horticultural society to maintain it, in return for permitting its public use. By 1879, the site housed a wood, iron, and glass conservancy, which hosted galas, concerts, and flower shows. Nine years later, the conservatory was later acquired by the municipal government in 1888.
In 1902, a fire ravaged and destroyed a three story pavilion at the park however, a new conservatory building, the Palm House was later completed on the property, in 1910.
Today, they host seasonal exhibits and shows.
Distillery District
The Distillery Historic District, commonly known as the “Distillery District”, still showcases its cobblestone streets and its painstakingly restored Victorian industrial architecture. Dating to 1832 and the founding of the Gooderham & Worts distillery, this arts-and-culture hub is now home to galleries, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, as well as a new wave of distilleries and craft breweries.
TIPS: Head to Balzac’s for coffee, Spirit of York Distillery for gin and vodka tastings/tour (plus food), and to Tartistry for some amazing gluten-free sweet and savory tarts.
FUN FACT: People often witness ghost sightings.
Graffiti Alley
Located within Toronto’s Fashion District, Graffiti Alley runs parallel to the trendy stretch of Queen Street West. It encompasses three city blocks and includes the continuous alleyway of Rush Lane.
Previously a hotspot for unsanctioned graffiti art, Graffiti Alley sparked a fight for legalization by the Queen Street West Business Improvement Association. In 2011, it was designated as an area of municipal significance, and StreetARToronto, or StART, a program that provides funding and approval for public murals and graffiti art, was born.
Today, Graffiti Alley is a popular backdrop for photoshoots, as well as a place to see works by iconic artists like Duro the Third, uber5000, and ELICSER. It has served as the venue for small street festivals and a set for music videos.
Wander
Of course, nothing beats wandering around to see some beautiful art, buildings, and if you go in the fall, leaves! In late October, Toronto is bursting with fall color!
Toronto Travel Tips
Air Travel
Porter is the easiest way to get to Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ) on a direct flight, although not all U.S. airports include Porter.
YTZ has a lounge with free beverages (coffee, tea, sodas and water), free wi-fi, and a living-room like atmosphere to relax in before you are paged for your flight.
Yes, you need a passport to get in and out of Canada and their security rules follow the same rules as the U.S.
Taxis/Rideshares
Taxis are not as popular as they once were in Toronto, though they still exist.
Uber is everywhere in Toronto
A History Summary
1600 years ago: The ancestors of the Huron-Wendat were the first known groups to establish agricultural villages in the area.
17th century - The Toronto Carrying-Place Trail, along the Humber River, became a strategic site for controlling the fur trade farther north. The Seneca people established a village of about 2,000 people, known as “Teiaiagon” along the trail.
1660s - The Iroquois established two villages within what is today Toronto, Ganatsekwyagon (Bead Hill) on the banks of the Rouge River and Teiaiagon on the banks of the Humber River.
1701 - Mississaugas had displaced the Iroquois, who abandoned the Toronto area at the end of the Beaver Wars, with most returning to their homeland in present-day New York state.
1751 - The French set up trading posts in the area, including Fort Rouillé, which they abandoned as the British conquered French North America in the Seven Years' War.
1787 - In 1787, the British Lord Dorchester arranged for the Toronto Purchase with the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, thereby securing more than a quarter of a million acres of land in the Toronto area. Dorchester intended the location to be named Toronto.
1793 - Toronto was founded as the Town of York and capital of Upper Canada after the Mississaugas surrendered the land to the British in the Toronto Purchase.
1812 - 1838 - The Americans attacked the village and garrison during the War of 1812. In the decades after the war, tensions between the colony's conservative elite, the Family Compact, and the democratic Reformers, grew and culminated in the Rebellions of 1837-1838. In addition, many Irish Catholics settled in the city following the Great Irish Famine. The city was also a terminus of the Underground Railroad. Thousands of Black Americans who escaped slavery settled in Toronto before the American Civil War.
1850 - 1899 - Toronto grew into an important regional centre, linked to the rest of Ontario by a growing railway network and American and British markets by its port. It also developed a more advanced sewage system and used gas lamps for street lights.
1860s - The Gooderham and Worts Distillery operations became the world's largest whisky factory.
Late 19th century - Toronto became the largest alcohol distillation center in North America.
1891 - Horse-drawn streetcars gave way to electric streetcars, when the city granted the operation of the transit franchise to the Toronto Railway Company.
1904 - The Great Toronto Fire of 1904 destroyed a large section of downtown Toronto. The fire destroyed more than 100 buildings.
1914 - The city's financial sector, profiting from a mining boom in northern Ontario, was competing nationally with Montreal, while American corporations were increasingly choosing Toronto for branch offices.
WWI and WWII - Tens of thousands of residents volunteered to fight, as well as locally participate in a "total war" effort. After WWII, the city saw another influx of immigrants.
1951 - Toronto's population grew to more than one million.
1960s - Toronto became a destination for immigrants from all parts of the world.
1970s to today - While Toronto has seen their fair share of natural disasters and other major events, the population and economy continue to increase.
