The FIFA World Cup is Coming to Canada: Great Things to See and Do in Toronto

The first match of the World Cup in Toronto will be held in less than a week (June 12). I’ve lived in the city for 45 years, so here are some great things to see and do if you’re in town to catch the action in person or on TV.

WHERE TO CATCH THE GAMES

If you can afford a ticket, or maybe if you’re uncle is the Prime Minister or the head of FIFA, you’ll be attending matches at what’s being called Toronto Stadium; known to most of Toronto folks as BMO Field but changed for the tournament for sponsorship purposes. The stadium is a relatively new, modern affair on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition, just a little west of downtown. It’s serviced by both the Toronto Transit Commission (streetcars and buses) and by the regional train service, known as GO Transit.

The Toronto Islands are  unique to North American cities; a series of offshore islands reached by ferry. There are tons of walking trails through pastoral parks, a small community with lovely gardens, a children’s amusement park, quiet waterways for canoeing or kayaking, sensational city skyline views and terrific beaches, including a legal nude beach. (Ahem. So much for respectable Canadians.) You can take a ferry run by the city or a more expensive private boat if the ferry is crowded or not convenient.

 

You also can visit the harbour (harbor, if you speak American) on a boat tour. The City Cruises Toronto Sightseeing Harbour Tour offers a 60-minute journey around Toronto Harbour and showcasing iconic landmarks including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Sugar Beach, HTO Park and the Toronto Islands. Guests sail aboard the Oriole or the Showboat, each featuring an open-air upper deck and a fully licensed bar serving snacks and beverages. City Cruises Toronto also offers a variety of dining cruises, including premier dinner, brunch and lunch options. These cruises include a two-hour voyage in the Toronto Harbour, a buffet or three-course plated meal, live DJ entertainment, a cash bar and optional enhancements such as window seats, pre-purchased drink tickets and menu upgrades.

Food, Shopping and Culture

The Distillery District is a former whisky distillery with fine, industrial architecture and great shops and restaurants. I particularly like El Catrin for Mexican food and Balzac’s for fabulous coffee. Look for the Toronto heart signs and other Instagram-friendly bits.

St. Lawrence Market, just a few minutes walk from Union Station, was voted the best urban market in the world by National Geographic a few years ago. There’s great produce and food stalls with everything from Montreal -style, wood-fired bagels (first dipped in honey) to Canada’s famous back bacon or peameal bacon sandwiches, plus world cheeses, Italian veal sandwiches, and more.

Yorkville is Toronto’s posh shopping district, with great summer patios for alfresco dining. Not far away is the very different Kensington Market, once home to Jewish and Irish immigrants and now with everything from vintage clothing shops to taco stands and empanada shops. It’s super casual and vibrant. Chinatown is right around the corner, offering tremendous restaurants at reasonable prices.

The museums in Toronto are excellent, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, redesigned a few years back by Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Bata Shoe Museum (surprisingly interesting) and the Gardiner Ceramic Museum. Just a few minutes from downtown, the Aga Khan Museum focuses on Muslim art and culture. If you’re more into street art, check out Graffiti Alley, which is quite close to Kensington Market.

Popular Tourist Sights

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the CN Tower, which offers tremendous views of the city and also, if you’re a little nuts, a chance to tie onto some metal buckles and lean out backwards over the city from a thousand feet in the sky. Just a few feet away is the Ripley’s Aquarium, which has a terrific, walk-through tunnel inside a shark tank. Only a block or two from there is the Hockey Hall of Fame,  a fabulous repository of sports memorabilia that’s a magnet for fans from around the world.

Where to Eat in Toronto

The city offers pretty much every type of cuisine in the world. I couldn’t begin to single out any one place, but here’s a fine list of reasonably priced restaurants from the Toronto Star.

Where to Stay in Toronto

There are tons of great hotels at every price range in the city.m One of the most-family friendly places (there’s a terrific, indoor swimming pool) is the Chelsea Hotel Toronto, in the heart of downtown. In trendy Yorkville, the Hazelton Hotel was recently granted five-diamond status by AAA. Equally elegant and close by is the Four Seasons Toronto. Closer to the financial district and entertainment district are a few other faves; the European-styled Le Germain Mercer and Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, the SoHo Hotel Toronto (lovely rooms and quite close to the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays), The historic and stylish Fairmont Royal York, and the elegant Shangri-La Hotel. The Westin Harbour Castle is a fine hotel on Lake Ontario. Hotel X is a terrific place to stay that’s just a short walk from Toronto Stadium/BMO Field, where the Toronto World Cup matches will be played. The rooftop pool is fabulous.

Fabulous Day or Overnight Trips

Great getaways including Niagara Falls (less than two hours most days), which never ceases to amaze even jaded travel writers, and super cute Niagara-on-the-Lake, which has fine shops, flower baskets the size of a Volkswagen beetle, and superb wineries. It’s also home to the Shaw Festival, which produces amazing live theatre.

 

Another nice area, a couple hours east of the city, is Prince Edward County, home to wineries and cute towns and villages, including Picton and Wellington. Look for great food, art galleries, and wonderful beaches (especially at Sandbanks Provincial Park, which has towering sand dunes several stories high).

The summer Fan Travel report from Expedia examines flights and hotel demand across the sixteen cities playing host to this summer’s soccer tournament, measuring overall demand, trending demand and prices.

It also surveys late demand among all participating nations to evaluate which countries are seeing a late surge in travel ahead of the tournament.

Some findings of particular interest to Canadians: