Toronto, Canada
*All work including photos and writing on this page is my own, except the link to the Expedia video, freely available on Youtube.
Toronto is the largest city in Canada and is in the Province of Ontario, situated on Lake Ontario. It is well known for it's diversity. Canada has always been a welcoming place for immigrants and Toronto is a success story of this open culture. There are over 200 ethnic groups here. The name Toronto means 'Where trees stand in water'. It was settled by both French and British settlers, but the British took control and the French settlers moved to the Province of Quebec. English is the first language of this Canadian city.
The economy is supported by finance, arts, movies and business. The imposing CN Tower is visible from almost everywhere but for the best views go to Toronto island or to Riverdale Park or Chester Hill Lookout.
Toronto may not be the most attractive Canadian city. I prefer Vancouver, yet it must be doing something right as it has the highest number of international tourists than any other Canadian city! I think this is mainly due to it's proximity to the really awesome Niagara Falls. However lets not detract from what Toronto has to offer. This year was my second visit to Toronto and we had a great time!
Toronto is the largest city in Canada and is in the Province of Ontario, situated on Lake Ontario. It is well known for it's diversity. Canada has always been a welcoming place for immigrants and Toronto is a success story of this open culture. There are over 200 ethnic groups here. The name Toronto means 'Where trees stand in water'. It was settled by both French and British settlers, but the British took control and the French settlers moved to the Province of Quebec. English is the first language of this Canadian city.
The economy is supported by finance, arts, movies and business. The imposing CN Tower is visible from almost everywhere but for the best views go to Toronto island or to Riverdale Park or Chester Hill Lookout.
Toronto may not be the most attractive Canadian city. I prefer Vancouver, yet it must be doing something right as it has the highest number of international tourists than any other Canadian city! I think this is mainly due to it's proximity to the really awesome Niagara Falls. However lets not detract from what Toronto has to offer. This year was my second visit to Toronto and we had a great time!
The CN tower is the most famous landmark in Toronto and is an impressive 553.3 meters high. If you are really brave you can even go outside on the newest attraction the Edgewalk. (The worlds highest outdoor walk on a building!) There is also a revolving restaurant and the lift takes you to it in under a minute. If you want to visit the CN tower you can prebook tickets online.
Weather
The weather in Toronto consists of hot summers and cold winters, although not as extreme as other Canadian cities with average temperatures around 24c in the summer and just below 0c in the winter. Places to visit in Toronto
The CN Tower
The Distillery district (Photo below)
Royal Ontario Museum
Ontario Science Centre Ripley's Aquarium St Lawrence Market Toronto Islands High Park Casa Loma The Eaton Centre Shopping Mall (photo below) Just for information The drinking age in Canada is 19, unlike 21 in the U.S. We didn't have any problems entering any venue with our 20 year old son. This may be useful if you have children this age. |
Sport
Toronto is very successful at their sport, especially football, (Soccer) winning the MLS cup in 2017 against Seattle. They also have good Baseball and Ice Hockey teams. NFL, Rugby, Tennis, Indy Car, Rowing and Cricket are also played here echoing the diversity of the city. Places to visit outside Toronto
The number one attraction, just 1 1/2 hours drive from Toronto has to be Niagara Falls, a must see for any Toronto tourist!! Although it is more touristy than the last time I visited as a teenager, it is just as impressive. Don't forget to visit the parks nearby and beautiful Niagara on the Lake. You really can spend more than one day in this area. There are many vineyards here too.
Besides Niagara Falls you could also visit Canada's Wonderland theme Park or take a 5 hour drive to spend a few days in Montreal. (See my page on Montreal).
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Food
There is a wide variety of food available in Toronto, due to the diverse neighbourhoods there. One example is the huge Persian community that have created some magnificent Persian restaurants and Persian bakeries and supermarkets, well worth a visit!! The city has transformed into a gastronomic focal point in the last few years. The most famous food items here are:
-Bagels
-Baja fish tacos
-Belgium Fries (Just British style pub chips to us Brits!)
-Peameal Bacon Sandwich
-Sushi Pizza and for those that like it Hawaiian Pizza was invented here!
-Ketchup chips
-Butter tarts
-Nanaimo
-Poutine
Some of the most popular restaurants include:
Spice 505 Indian in Riverdale
Pho 90 Junction area
New Orleans Seafood and Steakhouse, York.
Sacramouche French restaurant.
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen, Downtown.
Rodney's Oyster House, Seafood in Fashion district.
Stelvio, Italian in Trinity Bellwoods
Byblos, Lebanese, Downtown
Dailo, Chinese, Little Italy
Canoe Restaurant and Bar, Canadian, Financial district
Takhte Tavoos, Persian, Brockton Village
Richmond Station, Canadian/American, Financial district
Michael's on Simcoe, Steakhouse, Financial district
-Bagels
-Baja fish tacos
-Belgium Fries (Just British style pub chips to us Brits!)
-Peameal Bacon Sandwich
-Sushi Pizza and for those that like it Hawaiian Pizza was invented here!
-Ketchup chips
-Butter tarts
-Nanaimo
-Poutine
Some of the most popular restaurants include:
Spice 505 Indian in Riverdale
Pho 90 Junction area
New Orleans Seafood and Steakhouse, York.
Sacramouche French restaurant.
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen, Downtown.
Rodney's Oyster House, Seafood in Fashion district.
Stelvio, Italian in Trinity Bellwoods
Byblos, Lebanese, Downtown
Dailo, Chinese, Little Italy
Canoe Restaurant and Bar, Canadian, Financial district
Takhte Tavoos, Persian, Brockton Village
Richmond Station, Canadian/American, Financial district
Michael's on Simcoe, Steakhouse, Financial district
Where to stay
We stayed in an Airbnb in the North York area of Toronto, near Yorkdale Mall which was a good location, but Yorkville, The Entertainment district, Osgoode subway station area, Broadview, The Habor front area are all good areas. Traffic is terrible, so use public transport where possible.
For more information contact the tourist website