Tourism Toronto

Great Urban Adventures

Looking for a great story about the Greater Toronto Area? How about 5 million stories? Being bored is impossible here, and these 10 adventures capture Toronto’s unique buzz and flair for fun and excitement. Take a swing through our urban jungle.

		Family Fun Whether you’ve got little ones or teenagers, family fun is easy to find in the Greater Toronto Area. Spend your stay laughing, having a blast, and yes, even learning — together! Kids and kids-at-heart will love these activities. Ever watched a movie on a screen 4,500 times bigger than your TV? Been in a tornado tunnel? Played with robots? Do all this and tons more at the Ontario Science Centre. Guaranteed to expand your mind. Some kids can’t imagine life before video games, cellphones, and the Internet. The Black Creek Pioneer Village shows them how people lived and worked in 1850, way before text messaging — kids will be awed and maybe even inspired to let go of some of the technology in their life. Playdium Corporation is 40,000 square feet of high-tech fun. Get the thrill of extreme virtual games or beat your old score on a classic arcade game. ^ Back to top

		Romantic Getaway Romance abounds in Toronto. If you’re looking to spice up a long-term relationship or find the perfect spot for a first kiss, you can’t go wrong with these choices. Wining and dining never goes out of style when it comes to romance. But Panorama 51st Floor throws in a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline, plus award-winning cocktails and tapas. Of course, no one wants to be pampered and treated like royalty in a relaxing atmosphere, right? Whatever. At the Elmwood Spa, get a couple’s Swedish massage, a rejuvenating mud wrap, and enjoy a light lunch. Spend an elegant weekend with someone special at the Four Seasons Hotel. Located in the exclusive Yorkville neighbourhood, you can take pleasure in intimate dining and fabulous shopping just steps from your room. ^ Back to top

		48-hours in Toronto So what if you only have one weekend to spend in Toronto? Get a taste of what this city is all about with these suggestions. It’s sure to be one of your life’s most memorable trips! Saying that the sky’s the limit is usually stretching the truth, but the Helicopter Company Inc. lets you say it, and mean it! Take a thrilling tour of the Greater Toronto Area from above and get some great aerial pics to remember it forever. Torontonians treasure the waterfront, and you’ll see why by visiting Harbourfront centre. Open year-round, come for performances of dance, literature readings, and concerts by artists from around the world. Hip, trendy, and totally cool: that’s Toronto’s Queen Street West neighbourhood. If your style veers toward multicoloured Mohawks, high fashion, or a bit of both, this is the most eclectic shopping in the city. ^ Back to top

		Arts + Culture Toronto’s arts and culture scene is unlike any other. The city’s more than 100 cultures grant us a unique flair for the unexpected in vibrant art, theatre, architecture, music and everything in between. You can read about them, you can study them, but until you see fantastic works of art live and in person at the Art Gallery of Ontario, you never really get them. Check out the work of Canadian and international artists and feel free to use words like “renaissance” and “maquette.” Ask anyone. You can’t get much more Canadian than our beloved Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Visit the CBC Museum and learn about radio sound effects, see old-time equipment, and be a part of Canada’s heritage. You might think classical music isn’t your thing, but take in a concert at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and you’ll see that this music is for everyone. For 85 years, international virtuosos have graced the TSO’s stage and entertained millions. ^ Back to top

		A Chinese Experience - in Toronto You don’t have to fly to Asia to experience rich and fascinating Chinese culture — just come to Toronto! Visit each of our five Chinatowns (downtown, Broadview and Gerrard, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Markham, and Mississauga) and enjoy the food, entertainment, and shopping. Grab lunch at the Bright Pearl Seafood Restaurant in the historical “Hsin Kuang - Yellow Building,” a landmark in the heart of downtown Chinatown. Party in the street and celebrate an authentic Chinese New Year. The costumes, the dancing dragons, and the food make you feel you’ve travelled to another continent. Shop at Dragon City, a bustling mall where you’ll find Asian treasures and souvenirs at great prices. ^ Back to top

		Nightlife in T.O. What’s so great about Toronto’s nightlife? This city is set-up for the indecisive, commitment-phobe! If you’re not sure where you want to go, or you’re here for a limited time and want to check out lots of places, just choose your neighbourhood for the night. From there, you can quite easily hop around between venues for the maximum nightlife experience. Entertainment District: Spice it up with a visit to Dhaba Indian Excellence or begin with something un peu romantique at Marcel’s—Le Saint Tropez French restaurant before hitting any of Toronto’s nearby theatres. The Danforth: Walk the strip between Broadview and Jones Avenue to see that Greektown has far more than just (fabulous) Greek restaurants to entertain. Sit under one of two magnificent Willow trees on Allen’s stunning backyard patio while you enjoy one of this upscale pub’s famous burgers, then pop next door to the Music Hall for a show or hop around to more pubs and Greek cafés. The Village: Whether you’re gay, straight, or just plain fun, the village buzzes with the vibe of free-spirited happy-go-lucky partiers when the sun goes down over Toronto. You can visit any of the Church Street clubs, sip a latte at of the area’s cafés, or try to spot some of the locations featured on Showcase’s famed Queer as Folk. ^ Back to top

		Ladies Night Out Who needs the grumbly man at home when this city is simply crawling with men of all shapes, sizes, and differing facial-hair styles? Whether or not you like your boys dressed up or down, the men in Toronto come in a diverse collection for you and your ladies to wink at, flirt with, or simply ignore as you enjoy a vivacious night out — no guys allowed. Don’t have time for dinner before a show? Why not combine the two by checking out Mysteriously Yours…Dinner theatre in mid-town Toronto. You and the girls will laugh to your hearts content. Tired of nagging your guy to do something cultural? Ditch the downer, throw on a swanky outfit, grab your gals, and strut over to the National Ballet of Canada for an evening of snore-free sophistication. If you’re looking for a mid-twenties to mid-thirties crowd and a place to kick up your heals, try the Esplanade Bier Markt where you’ll be greeted with over 100 brands of beer from over 24 countries and a live band Thursday to Saturday nights. ^ Back to top

		Retail Therapy There’s nothing better than shopping to lift your spirits, and the guilt-free shopping that being on vacation affords you is the best! Pack your purse light, because after checking out some of Toronto’s hip shops, you’ll need room for all of your fun, new purchases. Looking for uptown chic in a relatively downtown neighbourhood? Start with Bloor Street between Yonge and Avenue Road. Affectionately known as Toronto’s “mink mile,” it’s lined with upscale stores like Holt Renfrew, William Ashley China, and Harry Rosen. The PATH is a subterranean shopping concourse that weaves its way for more than 27 km (16 miles) beneath Toronto’s downtown core. With close to 1,200 retail shops, cafés and restaurants, the underground city connects to 48 office towers, six hotels and five subway stations. If you’re looking for bohemian fashions, don’t miss Kensington Market. You’ll have a great time searching for some of the best vintage clothing stores in the city, hidden amid dozens of tiny shops and produce stands in a labyrinth of streets. ^ Back to top

		Let's Play (Sports) If you’re more the sporty type, you don’t have to spend your Toronto vacation missing out on your favourite activities. There are plenty of ways to see what this city has to offer and stay active all at the same time—even if that activity involves the hand-to-mouth motions of eating nachos while watching a live game! Can’t sit still? Looking for an active way to see the City? Try being your own form of transportation by taking a tour with Sights on Bikes and seeing the city the way the locals do. Tours also take place on Toronto Island. Broaden your horizons by stepping outside of Toronto’s core into one of the beautiful fields of green -- okay, manicured green. Pick up your clubs or rent some on the spot at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, St. Andrew’s Valley Golf Club in Aurora, or Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham. If you want to sit down but your kids still want to play, take them to the Cummer Skateboard Park. Here they can play on the 1,440 square metre grounds that are designed to reflect boarding on the street. Looking to watch some sports rather than play them? Find out what’s on at the Air Canada Centre or the Rogers Centre for the best in professional sports entertainment. ^ Back to top

		Green Adventure While there is certainly much to appreciate in the hustle and bustle of Toronto’s cosmopolitan streets, restaurants, shops, theatres, sporting events, cultural gatherings, and art galleries … sometimes, you just want a little peace and quiet. Try slowing things down with some green time by checking out the cities quieter side. Allan Gardens Conservatory: With six greenhouses, a year-round collection, and a supply of seasonal plants, this 16,000 square foot conservatory is certain to inspire beauty within as you. Music Gardens: Open year-round. Inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, these magnificent gardens are an interpretation, through nature, of each of the Suites dance movements represented in a different section of the garden: How inspiring can you get? Trinity Square Labyrinth: Wind your way to the center of things by walking the Toronto public labyrinth at Trinity Square Park. This Neolithic earthwork is open from late spring until snow season. It’s fully accessible to wheelchairs and has a Braille finger labyrinth to match. ^ Back to top

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