Johanna

Too much to see/do...we're there only for 2.5 days. Best shopping/best people watching? Best touristy thing to do? Best non touristy thing to do? I'd like to see what the natives love about their city...

Kathy

Toronto Island is a pleasant getaway for locals. It's a short ferry ride across the harbour into Lake Ontario. The island has a place to rent bikes, there's a small amusement park, and lots of wide open spaces. <BR>Among the touristy spots are, of course, the CN Tower (for those not afraid of heights!), the Eaton's Centre shopping mall and the Hockey Hall of Fame -- all near the downtown. You can tour Casa Loma, a lovely mansion and a testament to a wealthy man's love. Kensington Market is an intriguing multi-culturual market/neighbourhood. <BR>There's lots of theatre and concert halls in the downtown area, including the stunning restored venue, Wintergarden Theatre. <BR>If you have children, the Ontario Science Centre has lots of hands-on exhibits and the Royal Ontario Museum had incredible displays.

Susan

We like the neighbourhoods in Toronto - Beaches (east on Queen Street), Danforth (Greek area), also College Street (Little Italy). The boardwalk in the Beaches is nice to walk. Lots of good restaurants in the latter 2 areas, some good ones also in the Beaches. Danforth is lively on a summer evening - good patios for people watching. Yorkville and Bloor Street are expensive shopping areas - cafes, etc. so also good for people shopping. <BR>

gpepper

I'm a Southern Illinois but I've visited Toronto twice and second the above post about the neighborhoods. Great! My favorite was Greek Town on Danforth (and side streets). Street signs are in Greek also. I believe the main reason was the restaurants.<BR><BR>Also loved Chinatown - huge! (and lots more to eat.)<BR><BR>Don't know where you're from but you can feel as safe in Toronto as in any large city. Walking is fine, subways easy to navigate.<BR><BR>I wasn't impressed by the ball park. We saw a Blue Jays game. The stadium is awsome but you just don't get the feel of being at a baseball game in Chicago or St. Louis.<BR><BR>gep <BR><BR>

j

If you want to avoid 'touristy' things, and you only have a short time, I'd skip CasaLoma. While the story of it is romantic, the interior is a darkish, empty castle/mansion, that is better left to folks who have more time to spend and have done everything else. <BR><BR>I second Kensington Market, Chinatown, (both in the same area), Centre Island for the Ferry ride and views of Toronto skyline.

Larry

Ok, Try Queen Street West ( bettween University and Spadina ) .. some nice patios to sit and people watch ..hop on a streetcar and go up to Bloor St .. just a few blocks west of Spadina .and before Bathurst is a nice walk ( I lived there for 8 years ) ..and the Future Bakery Cafe is a great Patio to sit and do more people watching....an extra view can be had at Canoe it's a restauraunt on the 54th floor of the TD Tower ( the tallest of the four large Black towers downtown ) just take the elevator up to the top and go in just for a drink .. bettween lunch and the after work crowd would be a godd time to nab the window seats .. Have fun and enjoy my city ..<BR>

Jo

Thanks everyone for your input, I can't wait to try to fit it all in!

tom

I enjoy walking around Yorkville. Pretty area, nice mix of commercial and residential.

xxx

Whatever you do, avoid eating in Chinatown. The Chinese food is generally aweful. The There isn't a decent Chinese restaurant in Toroonto south of the 401 anymore. The Vietnamese places in Chinatown are at least decent.<BR><BR>Apart from, that there's little to say. Toronto has no character, history or culture and the setting is nothing special. It is very "white bread" city. I have laugh at the suggestions that you are getting, as they are hardly worth the time. The island is just another park. The Eaton Centre is just another shopping mall. The Danforth (I've never heard anyone in Toronto actually call it Greektown) is just a street with a bunch of restaurants. The harbor front has almost nothing to see except hi-rise condos. <BR><BR>I've been to every big city in North America and Toronto is about the last place that I've go for a vacation. (OK it's not quite the last - there's always Houston to occupy the bottom.) It's just so numbingly bland and characterless.

JoAnne

Well I certainly disagree with the previous post. As someone who has traveled quite a bit I was not expecting much from Toronto, but was very surprised. I loved the international flavor of the architecture, people, food, and history. The sights that I enjoyed in my very limited time were-<BR>the Royal Ontario Museum, if you are any kind of art history buff, it is THE place to go, so many of the artifacts I studied in school, it was amazing to see them in person. If you like chinese art, it is also I believe the largest collection outside of china. <BR><BR>As a real foodie, and former chef, Kensington Market astounded me with it's variety and size. I can see why they say that people who live in that area never have food in their homes, they have no need to, it's all at their doorstep. I went their several times and everyone who went with me was also amazed. We each bought different things and had several great picnic meals. Spend some serious time exploring here if you like different kinds of food, the meat market was amazing, things I had never seen, same with everything else. The ethnic diversity outdid Los Angeles here in the states. <BR><BR>Chinatown for restuarants was great fun, and wonderful late at night. We found a great restaurant open after midnight. I liked the asian markets, but it depends on where you are. Some are pretty boring, others are fascinating. Markets are open during the day of course. <BR><BR>I do agree Eaton Centre is just another mall. But there was great shopping to be had in Toronto, I just didn't have time to look that much. <BR><BR>I plan on going back someday for a longer trip, and bringing my partner, I am sure she will love Toronto as much as I did. A very metropolitan city.

Flynn

Author xxx is really negative. Toronto can be fun and offers diverse neighborhoods. It's not 'white bread' at all and has some of the energy of New York but with more parks.<BR><BR>The subway is great, fast and clean. The buses take you all over. I especially like walking and discovering the neighborhoods minus the malls. Malls generally have a bland uniformity to them but I guess they work in Canada when it's freezing outside.<BR><BR>Neighborhoods I like are The Beaches, Little Italy, Queen Street West, Church Street and Yorkville. Casa Loma is a fun visit and a short boat ride to the Islands is scenic and refreshing. Rent a bike and explore.<BR><BR>Get out your walking shoes and don't absorb any negative energy from people with limited imagination.

veraformica

xxx has no idea what he/she is talking about. he must never have opened his eyes because sprinkled troughout the glass highrises are wonderful old buildings and wonderfully restored houses on tree lined streets just outside of the finacial district. Chinatown does have a few good places. try goldstone noodle house on spadina. altough beware, right now (early july) we are in a garbage strike, so Chinatown doesn't smell the greatest. If you want to drop serious cash at boutiques go to Yorkville, just north of yonge & bloor Kensington market is good too for funky vintage clothes and cheap food. try a place called Jumbo Empenadas for a big chilean treat. Korean town west of Bathurt on Bloor has some pretty good sushi and korean, japanese eats, but food is about it. There is also Little India on Gerrard st. E. for some authentic Indian food. (recommendation Dosa Hut, clean and a little more upscale looking, but still cheap) You can also get great sari type of fabric and silk there at a good price. <BR>Don't want to do tourist things? Skip the Eaton CEntre, rent a bike from Urbane Cylce on john st. downtown and go along the waterfront trail. It goes from the beaches in the east to beyond humber bay in the west with interesting neighbourhoods not too far if you want to veer of the path. The harbourfront has stuff going on all the time. pick up EYE or NOW magazines for what the locals do. <BR>And there is a club/bar district west of university st to spadina on queen, richmond, adleaide, and king where you should find something that suits your taste for nighttime fun. <BR>You'll have a good time.

Lioness

I am going to Toronto for my first time ever 7/3-7/7. The things that I know we will do for sure is go to the Eaton Centre and ride the train (via rail) to Niagara Fall for a day. I was mainly looking for restaurants in/near downtown that serve basic meat/potatoes entress and nightlife (R&B, hip hop etc.)...any suggestions out there?