If you’re a Canadian, this is a great time to visit the country’s biggest city and support local tourism. If you’re an American or someone else who’s not lucky enough to be a Canadian, it’s also a great time. The weather is getting warmer, and the low Canadian dollar makes the city a relative bargain. (As of today, March 15, $100 U.S. bucks will get you a tidy $143 Canadian dollars. One hundred Euros will get an even more attractive $156 Canadian dollars.)
With that out of the way, here are some great things to see and do in downtown Toronto, which is relatively compact and easy to get around. No need for a car, and you get a quick, easy ride to downtown Union Station on the UP Express transit line from Toronto Pearson Airport for just $12.35 CAD, or about $8.50 USD.
WHERE TO EAT
St. Lawrence Market. Destination Toronto Photo
Downtown Toronto is home to one of the world’s best urban markets, and the culinary scene ranges from cheap and cheerful Asian cuisine to restaurants that make international headlines. Highlights include:
- Grey Gardens, a funky and wildly tasty spot in the uber-hip Kensington Market area. It doesn’t have the highest curb appeal, but inside is a cozy, remarkable restaurant that serves inventive cuisine. Try the Mandilli pasta with crab, calabrian chili and parmesan.
- Edulis, run by a husband and wife, is known for its welcoming service. Look for multi-course menus with an emphasis on local vegetables, seafood and wild mushrooms. It’s a no-tipping restaurant, so no need to bring out your smartphone calculator.
- Queen Mother Café, a longstanding Queen Street West spot, serves a Laotian chicken dish called ping gai that some say was invented here. This is an inexpensive but very good Southeast Asian restaurant with an appealing interior (check out the old images of British royalty) and a quiet patio out back.
- National Geographic called Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market one of the top 10 food markets in the world in 2011. Dating to 1803, it’s now located in a lovely, two-level space a few blocks east of Yonge Street. Look for Montreal-style bagels, gorgeous, fresh produce and a basement spot called Carousel Bakery, which dishes out hundreds of salty, lean “back bacon” (also known as “peameal bacon”) sandwiches every day.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Edge Walk at the CN Tower. PHOTO COURTESY CN TOWER AND DESTINATION TORONTO
From sandy beaches to beautiful galleries and century-old brick buildings, Downtown Toronto offers a huge variety of things to see and do.
- The Distillery District is made up of historic, red brick buildings from the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, with cobblestone streets and fine galleries and shops, such as John Fluevog Shoes. Rest up with a restorative coffee latte at Balzac’s Coffeehouse, which has a cool loft space and serves an excellent coffee latte.
- The Toronto Islands offer a welcome touch of nature in the city, reachable by handsome ferry boats. You’ll find wide-open parks, sandy beaches, tree-lined canals and a children’s amusement park in summer. The city has ferries, but you also can ride a Tiki Taxi from the bustling Harbourfront area. Warning: Hanlan’s Point has a legal nude beach.
- The CN Tower has been a top draw in the city for decades. I think it’s best to go towards the end of your stay, so you can look down and check out areas you have visited. If you dare, try the Edge Walk, which allows you to lean back in a harness suspended 116 storeys above the city. Not for me, but knock yourself out if that’s your thing.
- Toronto is one of the top cities in North America for live theatre, with a huge variety of options. The best-known production company, Mirvish, runs four theatres, including the Princess of Wales and the Royal Alexandra. Current and coming shows include “Some Like It Hot,” “The Lion King,” “Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of)” and the Canadian classic, “Come From Away.”
- The city is home to professional basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey and football teams, and also the Professional Women’s Hockey League. All teams play downtown, so it’s easy to catch a game.
WHERE TO SLEEP
The 43rd floor club lounge at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Jim Byers Photo
Marriott has tons of options in downtown Toronto. The Toronto Marriott City Centre is inside the Rogers Centre, formerly known as the SkyDome. Some of the rooms open up onto the playing field, so it’s awesome for a Blue Jays game or other event. The Sheraton Centre Toronto has totally remade most of its public areas, making the lobby an ideal place to hang out, dine, or fire up your laptop. The 43rd floor Club Lounge is a definite home run, and there’s a huge, indoor/outdoor pool that’s great for families. Marriott recently took over management of the swanky, stylish Bisha Hotel, which has a great rooftop pool and a few rooms designed by rock star Lenny Kravitz. It’s the first Marriott Luxury Collection hotel in Canada.
The Fairmont Royal York is the granddaddy (or grandmother) or Toronto hotels, a classic property with an elegant lobby, lovely rooms, a perfect location across the road from Union Station, and one of the city’s best bars, The Library Bar. The British royal family has stayed here on many occasions, and only occasionally has had to present a ceremonial sword to Canadians to help ward off U.S. presidential advances on Canada.
The Germain hotel group operates two facilities in the city centre. Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer is a boutique hotel in the trendy entertainment district of downtown and has fabulous, European styling. Le Germain Hotel Maple Leaf Square has lovely rooms and a lively patio for outdoor dining. It’s just a few steps from the Scotiabank Arena, making it ideal for a basketball or hockey game, or a concert.
WHERE TO SHOP
Downtown Toronto features everything from cutting-edge galleries to men’s and women’s clothing stores to rare book shops.
– The Eaton Centre, an attractive, multi-level, indoor shopping centre, has been going strong for more than 50 years. Eaton’s Department Store closed years ago, but hundreds of shops that range from Apple to Zara draw shoppers all day long. The iconic art installation of 60 life-sized geese that hang from the glass roof has been recently restored.
– King Street East is known for refined shopping, including design stores, art galleries, antique shops and a fine bookstore. Kiosk Design has award-winning interior design products, while D & E Lake Ltd. sells art and rare books. Specializing in Middle Eastern arts, Botté Gallery is a lively, bright venue in the Corktown neighborhood.
– Kit and Ace is a boutique clothing store on bustling Queen Street West. You can find comfortable fashion-forward clothing for men and women. It was started by the Canadians who brought Lulu Lemon to the world, so there’s definitely a pedigree at work here.
