Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingscotsman
Thank you for the feedback, greatly appreciated.
So the general consensus means I will have to pack and repack the car
When I type in for hotels, they seem to point me to the downtown area, was wondering where is the best place to base myself in Toronto then.
Started scanning through the threads, as said plenty to do and as a marlins fan(I admitted that in public), a Blue Jays game would be great, think I should recognize 1/2 the players .
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I don't think you'll have to repack the car if you plan strategically. Just pack a day-bag with some clothes and toiletries that you can use during your time in Niagara Falls, and leave the majority of your luggage in the car until you decamp in Toronto. Trust me, you really don't need to spend more than one day in Niagara Falls.
As far as hotels, you do want to stay downtown for sure, as the majority of the city's attractions can be reached from the downtown most easily by foot, streetcar, or subway. Like I said in my previous post, make sure you browse the threads in this forum because lots of good information has been given to visitors like yourself about where to go and what to do while you're here. Toronto is the kind of city that does have certain major tourist attractions like Casa Loma and the CN Tower, where you will spend a lot of money and probably walk away feeling dissatisfied with the experience (Casa Loma is beautiful to look at, but they really have done practically nothing to make it an actual attraction. You'll find there is nothing to see once you pay the entrance fee and go inside. The gardens are the nicest thing about the place, but there are other aces you can go in the city for free for the same experience). Instead, focus on the things that are not at the top of the tourist's to-do list, and you will get a much better sense of the city, get more for your money, and have a much nicer time.
Here is a brief list of some things you should definitely see while in the city:
- A baseball game at the Dome...err, Roger's Centre is great for baseball fans. Baseball isn't huge in Toronto like it used to be, so all you have to do is look up the Jay's schedule online, see when they're playing during your vacation, and show up at the box office that day to buy tickets any time before the game starts. You can also walk to the Dome...err, Roger's Centre from most downtown hotels.
- A visit to Queen's Park and the U of T Campus, especially the eastern flank if the campus. The Royal Ontario Museum is also in the area, as well as the popular Bata Shoe Museum.
- Chinatown and Kensington Market
- St. Lawrence Market, especially on a Saturday morning. If not a Saturday morning, any morning during the week (it's busiest during the morning)
- The Don Valley Brickworks
- Little Italy (College St.)
- The Art Gallery of Ontario
- Instead of going up the CN Tower, book reservations at Canoe (
Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants - Canoe - Toronto Fine Dining Canadian Restaurant) where you can eat high-end Canadian cuisine on the top floor of the TD Bank Building (betcha didn't know that TD Bank, one of the biggest in America, stands for Toronto Dominion and is based in Toronto!). Same great views as the CN Tower, but much better value for the money.
- Bloor St. and Yorkville for high-end shopping
- To see some of Toronto's beautiful Victorian architecture, take the Carlton/College/Gerrard streetcar east to Parliament, and walk the streets of Cabbagetown. Or you could incorporate a look at Toronto's architecture with a walk of Queen St. West., one of Toronto's most happening streets. Take Queen west to Bathurst, and keep going to a street called Palmerston. Now walk north and keep walking - the houses get more beautiful the further north you go, and are at their most beautiful north of College. The Annex neighbourhood also has incredible Victorian mansions, and its adjacent to both U of T, the AGO, and Yorkville.
- The Beaches. Another great way to see Toronto is to take the Queen streetcar east to Woodbine, and the Beaches neighbourhood. Once you get off the streetcar at Woodbine, walk east to Beaches Park, then down through the park until you reach the beach, and the boardwalk.
- the Danforth and Greektown.
- Eaton Centre and Yonge-Dundas Square.
- Trinity Bellwoods Park - a busy urban park smack in the middle of a busy, happening downtown neighbourhood. Lots of great residential architecture to be seen on the nearby streets.
- Allen Gardens.
- The Toronto Islands
- The Entertainment District. Come on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night and let the good times roll. Considering taking in a show.
- I'm not sure what the schedule is this year, but Toronto has an excellent opera company if you like opera, a world-class symphony orchestra and ballet company, and tons of musical theatre, big-budget theatre and local theatre. Here's an excellent guide to Toronto's arts and culture happenings:
Events / Toronto Arts Online / Root - Toronto Arts Online
- if you like amusement parks and roller coasters, Canada's Wonderland (just north of the city) is one of the best in North America.
This should help get you started.....hope you have a great time.