Toronto, Canada has many teacherstravelweb.com members so you would have a wonderful base to explore this amazing city.We have found for you places to walk, activities off and on the tourist beat and plenty of culture! Canada's cultural and entertainment capital sizzles with exciting things to see and do, year round. Zip to the top of the world's tallest building, or take a stroll along the world's longest street. Toronto is packed with enough unique attractions and fascinating museums to keep you occupied for weeks.

As the third largest theatre centre in the English-speaking world (after London and New York), the city is always on-stage. At any one time, there are some 40 productions playing - including fabulous Broadway musicals, classical concerts, ballet and opera, and a whole range of "leading edge" productions!

Getting about with Helen, a Toronto local, who shares her fondness for the city.

The TTC

If you're planning on taking the transit - probably a better idea than dealing with parking downtown - it may be worth your while to get a day pass from the TTC (short for Toronto Transit Commission). The pass gives you an entire day's worth of unlimited travel, without having to worry about getting transfers when going from subway to bus, or whatever. I don't remember the exact cost, but it's about $8. On Sundays and statutory holidays, one day pass allows a total of two adults and two children unlimited travel for the day. Also, make sure you pick up a free transit map of the city.

One of my favourite lazy day past times is taking a streetcar from one end to the other. It's a good way to see the city and, in the case of the longer routes, you can pass through a stunning variety of neighbourhoods.
One of my favourites: the College streetcar, which takes you through the toney High Park area, past the University of Toronto, historic Cabbagetown, public housing projects and Little India. Also recommended: King and Queen Streets, although the Queen streetcar doesn't end up at subway stations. With the day pass, you can get off the streetcar as often as you like.

Guides to the City

Now City Guide to Toronto : The Urban Adventurer's Ultimate Field Guide Reviewed by Steve from Now he says,"Forget Frommer's. Ignore Fodor's. Anyone who wants to discover the real Toronto - the one tourists take several visits to learn about. Written by Canada's #1 restaurant critic and published by NOW magazine - Canada's leading alternative weekly - the City Guide has listings for over 400 of the hippest restaurants in the city, and more for dance clubs, theatre, record stores, fashion and everything cutting edge about North America's coolest city that nobody knows about. Until NOW. And there's absolutely nothing about the CN Tower (y'know, that Space Needle thing). Witty, irreverent and definitive, the City Guide is an invaluable field manual! " Click on the book to find out more.

Some places to visit:

Yorkville

Back in the '60s, Yorkville was Toronto's hippie mecca, with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot playing in local coffeehouses. In the years since, it's been taken over by the very wealthy. It runs along Yorkville Avenue and Cumberland Avenues, just north of Bloor, between Bay street and Avenue Road. You can take the subway to Yonge and Bloor and walk from there. Also, if you can afford to shop in Yorkville, you'll probably like that stretch of Bloor as well. It's teeming with the likes of Cartier and various other stores that I never set foot in.

University of Toronto

It covers a lot of territory. Check out the beautiful Victoria College campus (which nestles just south-east of Bloor and Avenue road, across the street from the Royal Ontario Museum), plus Hart House and University College to the south-west. You'll also be right near Queen's Park, which is where the Ontario Government holds court. The local squirrels are insolent and absurdly attentive. Feed them and you'll have friends until the vittles run out.

Chinatown

Running along Spadina Avenue from College Street to Queen (where it turns into the garment district), Toronto's Chinatown is a panorama of...well, of all things Chinese. Exotic vegetable stands spill onto sidewalks, stores brim with herbs and electronics and restaurants feature foods unlike anything you'll find in the typical mainstream Chinese restaurant.

Kensington Market

Physically, an offshoot of Chinatown. Culturally, completely different. Running from Spadina to several blocks west, and from College Street to Dundas, Kensington Market is a vibrant hodge podge of different cultures.
Anarchist collectives rub elbows with hip cafes, cheese shops, and groceries from the Caribbean and Portugal, spice houses, fish markets, vintage clothing stores and much more. Back in the '50s, it was known as the Jewish market - you'll find one of Toronto's oldest synagogues there.
In the years since, wave after wave of immigrants have left their collective mark on an area which is currently threatened by gentrification. The first set of lofts has already gone up
Baldwin Street
An oasis of calm on the East side of Spadina, this short street offers numerous restaurants and plenty of charm.

Queen Street West

Toronto's answer to the Village. The cool part starts at University, just west of city hall, and continues... well, it continues for quite a ways. It starts to get seedy after a bit, but to my mind, that's where it starts to get really interesting. Plenty of bars and clubs, Goth shops (Siren) cool book stores (Pages), antiques and more. Growing increasingly gentrified over time as chain stores make it tougher for small places to compete. If you continue west, you'll eventually find yourself in Parkdale. It's a down-and-out area with great architecture, since it was never worth anyone's while to turn it into high-rises.

The Eaton's Centre

It's a mall. It's a big one. There's a flock of sculpted Canada geese hanging from the ceiling. And it's a tourist perennial. You'll find it at the corner of Yonge St. and Dundas, at Dundas Subway. At one point, Yonge and Dundas was a pedestrian hub. Over the last decade, it's faced some rough times. Right now, the city is busy building a new, ambitious public square in the hopes of rejuvenating the area.

City Hall

The winner of a design contest in the 1960s, Toronto's city hall was featured in an original episode of Star Trek, when Kirk caught a glimpse of the future through some sort of portal. In the winter, people skate in front of it. The old city hall is close by.

The Danforth

This vibrant strip of Toronto is primarily Greek, with a plethora of small shops and restaurants. From Broadview subway to Pape.

The Beaches

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Walk along the Boardwalk,bask in the sun, dodge people on roller blades and look out for the abundant dogs and children. Then, stroll along the furthest regions of
Queen Street East and enjoy the multitude of shops. Very trendy, very yuppy.

Theatre

You could go to the theatre district (King, from Bay to Spadina) and see Andrew LLoyd Webber type plays. Or, you could check out places like the Tarragon and Factory Theatres and catch some of the finest in Canadian theatre, in an intimate venue. Plus, on Sunday afternoons, they have pay what you can matinees for the suggested price of a movie.

India Bazaar

If you're out in the east end of town, this short strip, running along Gerrard Avenue west of Coxwell, offers superb Indian cuisine. You can also purchase saris, sitars and spices.

Harbourfront

Take the streetcar from either Spadina or Union subway stations, getting off at Queen's Quay. From the modern art displays at the Power Plant to the summer concerts and ongoing events, this waterfront park is always a good summer destination. In the winter it's a little more bleak. It's also right by...

The CN Tower.

If you've got to go - and the view is stunning - go early. Lineups can keep you waiting for hours.

One of my favourite things about Toronto is its remarkable mixture of neighbourhoods. Explore. Enjoy. And welcome...Helen

Away from the city a little

Eastern Canada Traveler's Companion covers Toronto, Ottawa, the ideal capital city; bilingual, fun-loving Montreal; and Quebec, the walled city and World Heritage Site. Marvel at natural wonders: the misty grandeur of Niagara Falls, the spectacular coastline of Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island, and the last untamed rapids of the St. Lawrence River. It includes eastern Canada's off-the-beaten-path treasures: Newfoundland's spring ritual of the returning humpback whales, Labrador's saw-toothed Torngat mountains, and Churchill, Manitoba, "the Polar Bear capital" of the world. The reviewer says,"My husband and I recently spent our honeymoon in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada and enjoyed very much many of the places recommended in Traveler's Eastern Canada Companion. Hotels, restaurants, points of interest: this guidebook helped to make our trip one that we will remember fondly for years. Click on the book for more information

Vaughan The 'City above Toronto' includes the communities of Kleinburg, Woodbridge,Maple, Thornhill and Concord.

Vaughan traces its historical roots to 1000AD when it was home to the Huron.

Today, the communities offer a wide variety of experiences, from the historic village of Kleinburg with a variety of quaint shops, to the rich, Italian culture and festival in Woodbridge, to the home of Paramount Canada's Wonderland a premiere theme park in Maple, to industrial Concord, to historical Thornhill, with the major shopping centre, The Promenade.

For kayaking and soft adventure there are trips on Stony Lake (1 3/4 hrs. from Toronto) amongst some of the 1,100 islands. One day package for individuals, families, and groups (C$79-89 pp). Special package during the week (includes Kayaking, accommodation & dinner C$270 per couple). Lots of nature and natural surroundings to experience in the area.

Niagara Falls is probably visited by more people than any other attraction in North America. Niagara Falls, Ontario, is the centre of a 56 km panorama of scenic beauty,parks and historical sites.Visit these exciting Niagara attractions - Journey Behind the Falls, Great Gorge Adventure - or dine at Table rock, Victoria Park, or Queenston Heights.

The city is home to approximately 2,000 butterflies that can be viewed year round in the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory.