Toronto, Canada
Discussion
Howdy folks,
The girlfriend and I are going to Toronto for two weeks at the end of July. She has relatives who live there (right in the city centre) and so our accommodation is free, as is home-cooked food, etc. Flights aren't as expensive as I thought either.
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice about things to see and do there, or just general information about the place. We really don't know what to expect, and so we'd appreciate a heads-up before we go.
The people we're staying with are taking us to Niagara Falls for the day, and they've also said they're gonna take us into the USA for a day or two. We're also planning to visit the CN Tower, but aside from that we're a little stuck for ideas. There's a fair amount of information on the internet, but it's mostly tourist information rather than first-hand knowledge of what/what not to do!
Also, as a thank-you to our hosts, we're planning to take them out to a nice restaurant one evening - we're happy to shell out a couple of hundred £'s for the four of us. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where would be good to go?
We're taking it as red that we're gonna need plenty of money over there, but we figure it's worth it as we might never go back there again.
Any information that can be given would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Adam.
The girlfriend and I are going to Toronto for two weeks at the end of July. She has relatives who live there (right in the city centre) and so our accommodation is free, as is home-cooked food, etc. Flights aren't as expensive as I thought either.
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice about things to see and do there, or just general information about the place. We really don't know what to expect, and so we'd appreciate a heads-up before we go.
The people we're staying with are taking us to Niagara Falls for the day, and they've also said they're gonna take us into the USA for a day or two. We're also planning to visit the CN Tower, but aside from that we're a little stuck for ideas. There's a fair amount of information on the internet, but it's mostly tourist information rather than first-hand knowledge of what/what not to do!
Also, as a thank-you to our hosts, we're planning to take them out to a nice restaurant one evening - we're happy to shell out a couple of hundred £'s for the four of us. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where would be good to go?
We're taking it as red that we're gonna need plenty of money over there, but we figure it's worth it as we might never go back there again.
Any information that can be given would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Adam.
fishtek69 said:
Also, as a thank-you to our hosts, we're planning to take them out to a nice restaurant one evening - we're happy to shell out a couple of hundred £'s for the four of us. Does anyone have any recommendations as to where would be good to go?
Dinner in the revolving restaurant atop the CN tower is quite fun... kill 2 birds with 1 stone?
The revolving resteraunt is something we've thought about (we'd love it, I'm sure) but I get the impression the couple we're off to stay with have visited it lots of times before - they literally live 20 mins walk away from the tower!
It'd be our first choice though. Any idea of prices there (we were told everything at the CN Tower was very overpriced)?
It'd be our first choice though. Any idea of prices there (we were told everything at the CN Tower was very overpriced)?
fishtek69 said:
The revolving resteraunt is something we've thought about (we'd love it, I'm sure) but I get the impression the couple we're off to stay with have visited it lots of times before - they literally live 20 mins walk away from the tower!
It'd be our first choice though. Any idea of prices there (we were told everything at the CN Tower was very overpriced)?
We splashed out, can't remember what it came to but were pleasntly surprised.
Edited to remove link as it was the lunch menu
Dinner
www.cntower.ca/portal/SmartDefault.aspx?at=862
>> Edited by jmorgan on Monday 16th May 17:54
>> Edited by jmorgan on Monday 16th May 17:59
Just a tip for your friends when they take you to the US. Take plenty of ID, preferably a passport. Americans and Canadians in that part of the world are used to crossing the boarder on a daily basis just showing their blockbuster membership card, not a problem usually but stick two Brits in the car and all of a sudden they get sent to the inspection station, where their blockbuster membership card isn't good enough id.
We had this when we stayed in Detroit with some friends. popped over to Windsor for the afternoon. Got redirected for passport inspection at Canada and our host didn't have the 'correct ID' after a bit of typical immigration officer hassle they let him in, similar 20 questions on the way back to the US, our hosts couldn't believe we get that hassle every time a foreigner tries to get into the US.
We had this when we stayed in Detroit with some friends. popped over to Windsor for the afternoon. Got redirected for passport inspection at Canada and our host didn't have the 'correct ID' after a bit of typical immigration officer hassle they let him in, similar 20 questions on the way back to the US, our hosts couldn't believe we get that hassle every time a foreigner tries to get into the US.
Didn't really see as much as you might in 2 weeks as visited family friends in Missisauga and Scarborough as well as a whistle stop trip to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec.
TTC, public transport, is $2.50 a ride - get a transfer for any changes you might need to make, from bus driver or machine on subway. You don't really need it at all if in the downtown area as you can walk from the top end of downtown @ Bloor Street to CN Tower in less than 30 mins. 4 tickets is the same price as 5 but they also do a carnet type thing and oyster card thing if you are going to use it a lot. Didn't use the tram and only took one taxi ride which was the same as a 15 minute walk at 6am or earlier which cost about $10. There's also an airport bus $12.50 single that stops at 5 or so downtown hotels. Ride is about 1 hr from the beginning but much quicker if you get on at the last hotel. Traffic is not that busy/bad as i thought it might be and parking is only about $8 a day downtown. Of all the hours I spent walking about I could count the number of 'nice' cars on 1 hand.
Restaurant prices are cheaper than here (london/south east). Chinatown prices are about half the price of here but dim sum and dinner is not quite of the same quality IMO. For dim sum try the Bright Pearl just off Spadina on the north edge of chinatown edging Kensington market. It's your typical large floor restaurant jut not as noisy and busy. For noodles there's a place called King's noodle bar or similar on the corner of Spadina and Dundas west. There's a vietnamese place on carlton st but i wouldn't go out of your way to go there and further along towards Parliament st there's a mexican called Margeritas which is ok, bit out of the downtown area though. Next door there's a place called Town var and grill or similar which looks nice with a small but ok looking menu and is appaently recommened by lots of guides and awards - same as the Bright Pearl.
Hockey Hall of fame is ok if you are a hockey fan or a sports fan but it's not all that great really. There's a few trophies and photos, an area for shooting pucks and being a keeper, a mock changing room and the rest is just random hockey kit and what it's for etc.
Casa Loma is nice if you like looking at big houses. If you go inside Buckingham Palce or other stately homes it's basically like that with little placards telling some sort of story. Don't bother going to the stables if you go there. The audio handset guide is included in the entry price of $12. Spadina house is next door which I had on the list to see but after spending 3 hrs at Casa Loma I couldn't be bothered. get the subwat to Dupont and it's 10 min walk from there.
Cabbagetown has a nice history to it but don't go there to actually see something unless you want to see residential housing.
CN Tower tbh is a waste of time unless you are really desperate to see a not that pretty Toronto skyline. Think Eiffel Tower but not as pretty of interesting when up there. Unless you want clearer photos of Toronto city then the extra money to go to the top/skypod is not worth it. There's now no buffet lunch and a la carte lunch starts at ~$30 for a main which each must at least buy 1 of. Entry to other levels is extra.
Skydome/Rogers centre is next door. If you want a tour best check opening dates/times cos it's not open all day all week.
Shopping is mainly down Yonge st with the eaton centre along here. More trendy stuff is along Queen st west, I suppose their take on Covent Garden/Camden, but it's not that 'trendy' really. Yonge and other shops all stock the usual tourist tat and in the main the usual shopppng centre/high st stuff, much like oxford st so nothing special there. Also along Yonge there is a chain Baton rouge restaurant which is basicaly a mid priced chicken/ribs/steak typoe of place. Not a reccomendation as such but I'd avoid if you do not want to be asked how your meal is at least half a dozen times by several different staff along the way. There are more trendy fashionable shops elsewhere but they are just scattered about the place with no particular area for them. They don't seem to have a Bond st equivalent. kensington market is meant to be this cool and trendy multicultural place but it just a couple of blocks of cafes and shops many of which take cool to mean selling cannabis parapernalia and t shirts. I would just walk around it after eating in chinatown.
They have a series of interlinked undergound shopping arcades called 'Path'. The way it's mentioned in Rough Guides seems to make it sound interesting but it's not - just shops and foodcourts. These and the shopping malls are always hot and stuffy with allergy inducing recycled air.
There's a few museum/galleries downtown if that interests you. Borrow a rough guides from the library and just pick a few places to see.
Niagra Falls tours are advettised everywhere. Mot seem to be about $85. We went on what was basically a coach ride, not 'tour' as such with safeway tours (operated by chinese and mainly for chinese and dominated by mandarin speakers) for $25, which included free membership to Falls view casino with $20 cash back. It's just 7 mins walk or so down the hill to the falls.
Plenty of 'attractions' to waste your money on here but as usual I think most are a waste of money. The Maid of Mist (sp?) is a 15 min boat ride to the candian/horseshoe falls. Basically you are rammed on to a boat where everybody crams on to the top open deck, sporting blue translucent rain overall type things. You ride out to the falls, get a bit wet and blown about and cannot take any good photos there anyway. If you just want to experience being 'in' the falls then this is for you but when there it's really just waterspray. The Falls themselves aren't actually as impressive as I thought they might be. Grand Canyon is much more spectacular. I thought the sound would be almost deafening and that they would be much higher. Still, I won $47 on $1.40 or so in the casino lol. Oh they also have a buffet at the casino which is decent value. Every other eatery is not really up to much quality wise just the usual fare so it's worth a punt. It's not gourmet cuisine but it's more than ok for a buffet.
edit - you need exact fare on bus or tram and don't forget to claim tax back on receipts, pick up a leaflet in Sears or at airport for info
>> Edited by edc on Tuesday 31st May 01:12
TTC, public transport, is $2.50 a ride - get a transfer for any changes you might need to make, from bus driver or machine on subway. You don't really need it at all if in the downtown area as you can walk from the top end of downtown @ Bloor Street to CN Tower in less than 30 mins. 4 tickets is the same price as 5 but they also do a carnet type thing and oyster card thing if you are going to use it a lot. Didn't use the tram and only took one taxi ride which was the same as a 15 minute walk at 6am or earlier which cost about $10. There's also an airport bus $12.50 single that stops at 5 or so downtown hotels. Ride is about 1 hr from the beginning but much quicker if you get on at the last hotel. Traffic is not that busy/bad as i thought it might be and parking is only about $8 a day downtown. Of all the hours I spent walking about I could count the number of 'nice' cars on 1 hand.
Restaurant prices are cheaper than here (london/south east). Chinatown prices are about half the price of here but dim sum and dinner is not quite of the same quality IMO. For dim sum try the Bright Pearl just off Spadina on the north edge of chinatown edging Kensington market. It's your typical large floor restaurant jut not as noisy and busy. For noodles there's a place called King's noodle bar or similar on the corner of Spadina and Dundas west. There's a vietnamese place on carlton st but i wouldn't go out of your way to go there and further along towards Parliament st there's a mexican called Margeritas which is ok, bit out of the downtown area though. Next door there's a place called Town var and grill or similar which looks nice with a small but ok looking menu and is appaently recommened by lots of guides and awards - same as the Bright Pearl.
Hockey Hall of fame is ok if you are a hockey fan or a sports fan but it's not all that great really. There's a few trophies and photos, an area for shooting pucks and being a keeper, a mock changing room and the rest is just random hockey kit and what it's for etc.
Casa Loma is nice if you like looking at big houses. If you go inside Buckingham Palce or other stately homes it's basically like that with little placards telling some sort of story. Don't bother going to the stables if you go there. The audio handset guide is included in the entry price of $12. Spadina house is next door which I had on the list to see but after spending 3 hrs at Casa Loma I couldn't be bothered. get the subwat to Dupont and it's 10 min walk from there.
Cabbagetown has a nice history to it but don't go there to actually see something unless you want to see residential housing.
CN Tower tbh is a waste of time unless you are really desperate to see a not that pretty Toronto skyline. Think Eiffel Tower but not as pretty of interesting when up there. Unless you want clearer photos of Toronto city then the extra money to go to the top/skypod is not worth it. There's now no buffet lunch and a la carte lunch starts at ~$30 for a main which each must at least buy 1 of. Entry to other levels is extra.
Skydome/Rogers centre is next door. If you want a tour best check opening dates/times cos it's not open all day all week.
Shopping is mainly down Yonge st with the eaton centre along here. More trendy stuff is along Queen st west, I suppose their take on Covent Garden/Camden, but it's not that 'trendy' really. Yonge and other shops all stock the usual tourist tat and in the main the usual shopppng centre/high st stuff, much like oxford st so nothing special there. Also along Yonge there is a chain Baton rouge restaurant which is basicaly a mid priced chicken/ribs/steak typoe of place. Not a reccomendation as such but I'd avoid if you do not want to be asked how your meal is at least half a dozen times by several different staff along the way. There are more trendy fashionable shops elsewhere but they are just scattered about the place with no particular area for them. They don't seem to have a Bond st equivalent. kensington market is meant to be this cool and trendy multicultural place but it just a couple of blocks of cafes and shops many of which take cool to mean selling cannabis parapernalia and t shirts. I would just walk around it after eating in chinatown.
They have a series of interlinked undergound shopping arcades called 'Path'. The way it's mentioned in Rough Guides seems to make it sound interesting but it's not - just shops and foodcourts. These and the shopping malls are always hot and stuffy with allergy inducing recycled air.
There's a few museum/galleries downtown if that interests you. Borrow a rough guides from the library and just pick a few places to see.
Niagra Falls tours are advettised everywhere. Mot seem to be about $85. We went on what was basically a coach ride, not 'tour' as such with safeway tours (operated by chinese and mainly for chinese and dominated by mandarin speakers) for $25, which included free membership to Falls view casino with $20 cash back. It's just 7 mins walk or so down the hill to the falls.
Plenty of 'attractions' to waste your money on here but as usual I think most are a waste of money. The Maid of Mist (sp?) is a 15 min boat ride to the candian/horseshoe falls. Basically you are rammed on to a boat where everybody crams on to the top open deck, sporting blue translucent rain overall type things. You ride out to the falls, get a bit wet and blown about and cannot take any good photos there anyway. If you just want to experience being 'in' the falls then this is for you but when there it's really just waterspray. The Falls themselves aren't actually as impressive as I thought they might be. Grand Canyon is much more spectacular. I thought the sound would be almost deafening and that they would be much higher. Still, I won $47 on $1.40 or so in the casino lol. Oh they also have a buffet at the casino which is decent value. Every other eatery is not really up to much quality wise just the usual fare so it's worth a punt. It's not gourmet cuisine but it's more than ok for a buffet.
edit - you need exact fare on bus or tram and don't forget to claim tax back on receipts, pick up a leaflet in Sears or at airport for info
>> Edited by edc on Tuesday 31st May 01:12
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff