1st time in Toronto
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- CincodeMayo0
Sorry, never replied to i_monk or reported back.
Toronto is awesome! We stayed near Chinatown too. Definitely do the Hockey HOF with the kids. I didn't do the CN Tower. but the area near it has a lot going on. The Distillery District was really cool. Not a ton of stuff for kids, but worth walking around, getting a meal and stopping in some stores. St. Lawrence Market is worth checking out too – not too far from the Distillery District. Tons of food vendors of all different kinds.
We also did a day trip to Niagara Falls. It's only about an hour and a half away. Totally worth doing, especially with kids. There's also a nice town nearby called Niagara on the Lake. Super quaint little town, but nice to drive through or stop for lunch.
Went to some great restaurants but not sure they'd pass for kid-friendly. Yasu was great (but pricey) for intimate sushi. Momofuku was really good for fancier, trendy Asian, and kids would probably like it if they're a little older. Cluny Bistro in the Distillery was great (fine for kids). And ate at some place in Chinatown that was really good – don't remember the name but I don't think you can go wrong there. La Cubana was really good too if you like Cuban food and would be totally fine with kids.
If you're into hockey, there's a Gretzky's sports bar and restaurant that looked kinda fun. Didn't go though.
Hope that helps!
- nocomply0
I'll be there in less than 2 weeks! Bringing the entire family.
Any kid-friendly recommendations? None of us have ever been there before. We're staying near Chinatown and plan on doing a lot of walking around town with our 2.5 year old in the stroller.
On the list:
* Hockey HOF
* CN Tower
* Aquarium
* Ferry to the island spot (I think that's a thing, right?)- Which Chinatown?i_monk
- The one that looks like it's close to downtown on the map. Is there more than 1?nocomply
- kensington market is nearby and funJulesvm
- your also close to the AGO (art gallery of ontario)Julesvm
- There's one west of downtown (along Spadina), a smaller one east across the river (Gerrard), and a third at the northern edge of the city.i_monk
- family friendly italian meal https://goo.gl/maps/…Julesvm
- http://www.onthegrid…Julesvm
- Aquarium is fun. CN tower is a let down, not worth the fortune you'll pay to get up there. But if you like heights it's okGnash
- Gnash0
Definitely head down to the Harboufront Centre. due south from where you're staying (on the waterfront).
http://www.harbourfrontcentre.co…You can easily spend the day hanging out down there with the kids. Lots to see and do. Check their schedule for shows or events.
make sure to check out this art gallery down there:
http://thepowerplant.org- they have an area where you can watch glass blowers work, rent a canoe, eat some fucking beaver tails!Gnash
- Gnash0
You're walking distance from some great spots:
Kensington market is great to walk around in, have a bite, hangout etc'
http://www.blogto.com/kensington…Art Gallery of Ontario - they have some fun stuff for kids downstairs
http://www.ago.net/family-friend…Queen West (from university ave to spadina)
Lots of shops -- used to the hip spot years ago, now has Zara, GAP, etc but still nice walkingWalk further west on Queen and you end up at Trinity Bellwoods park. Great place to have a picnic with the kids. Ypou can get lunch at any mnumber of places across the street. Check out if they have movie night when you're here
http://www.trinitybellwoodsdunda…- +1 get lunch to go at Sud forno and picnic it in trinity bellwoods on a nice day
https://goo.gl/maps/…Julesvm
- +1 get lunch to go at Sud forno and picnic it in trinity bellwoods on a nice day
- transmission0
i would recommend Burger's Priest for burgers there are a few in town. check the website as they have 'secret menu' items listed there. http://www.theburgerspriest.com
Go the ROM's for Friday Night Live.
http://www.rom.on.ca/en/whats-on…Indie Ale House on Dundas in the junction for beers and probably some of the best pizza in town (there is a lot of amazing pizza places)
Check to see what the design exchange has on display it's a small museum on canadian industrial design.
Kensington Market is got cool shops and food.
Honest Ed's is an iconic bargain store that is a site to see which will be closing next year.
AGO for art
- CincodeMayo0
Oh awesome! The Nuit Blanche site made it sound like it was up for one night only. But glad to see it's on the whole time I'm there. I'll definitely check it out!
- Nuit Blanche is definitely over, might be some art still floating around the city but it is a one night eventspot13
- Been Googling and it sounds like 3 exhibits are still up; Death of the Sun, Pneuma, and Ocean. They're ongoing til the 10th.CincodeMayo
- Coolspot13
- i_monk0
Too bad it's Thanksgiving, we could have arranged another poorly attended QBN Drinks.
Adding to my list from earlier, get to City Hall and check out the Nuit Blanche installation inside, and be sure to go by again at night for the now-requisite shot of the Toronto sign by the pond.
- QBN Drinks would've been great. But enjoy the holiday. Definitely checking out Nuit Blanche. Glad it's up all weekend.CincodeMayo
- CincodeMayo0
Also any tips on cell service? I don't have to get an international plan from AT&T if I don't want to, but then it's $$$$ to call or text. But a $40 plan still makes you pay per call and for data.
Thinking just switching to airplane mode most of the time is the way to go? And using phone/text only when I really need to?
- there's free wifi everywhere, try to stick to that as much as possible_niko
- If you want, you could get a Wind Mobile plan for like $40/month with calling, text and data. Not really intended for vacationing, but it would work.nb
- A better plan is just switch your US plan to T-Mobile or Google Fi and get FREE everything in Canadanb
- spot130
If you have time, Casa Loma is worth a stop, the Design Exchange and Bata Shoe Museum can sometimes have a cool exhibits and AGO and ROM are always good for a cultural experience. I'd wrap up a day with a steak at Barbarians and if you're in town on the 12th, the Leaf's play the Sens which is true canadiana.
- Was hoping to see the Leaf's play but I leave on the 10th!CincodeMayo
- CincodeMayo0
Finally heading to Toronto at the end of this week. Staying not far from the CN Tower.
Any last thoughts on things to check out, eat, or drink?
I think we're going to do a day at Niagara Falls, found a place for Omakase, we'll try poutine, drink some Canadian beers. Any other must do's?
And is the NHL Hall of Fame worth checking out?
Thanks for the recs.
- hall of fame is a must if you're a hockey fan. The best is the hall of trophies, where the holy grail herself is on display._niko
- its thanksgiving this weekend so make sure places you plan to visit aren't shut on mondaybrandelec
- The Hockey Hall of Fame is worth it if you're a fan!spot13
- Tourist attractions and most restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving (oct 10th) but beer and liquor stores are closedspot13
- For food Bar Raval www.thisisbarraval.c…... and parts and labour http://www.partsandl…
To shop and see things walk down Queen St. and up Ossington.jacobdean
- shellie0
The last time I was in Toronto, my tour bus broke down over Easter weekend and definitely overstayed my visa - luckily they didn't check on the way out. Boy oh boy it sure does shut the heck down for christian holidays. I guess it does in the midwest in America, too. But I'm used to LA and New York, just about everything stays open.
All I had to eat all weekend was poutine, which I grew a large distaste for. The upside, everyone I came across was so friggin nice. After pleading and begging, I was able to convince a mechanic to have his guys work over the holiday, on a Sunday, to help us get out of the country and he even gave me a deal.
- Holler at me next time. Theres more to this place than poutine.Al_dizzle
- Gnash0
The charming and whimsical, downtown Niagara Falls:
- lets turn this into the niagara falls threadAl_dizzle
- jesus..looks like a mini Vegassureshot
- It like the ghetto version of Vegasutopian
- that does not look like any place i would like to go.capn_ron
- Looks like a mini something but it ain't anything like Vegas. More like a mini shopping mall in he USA, but smaller and Shitty with no roofmonospaced
- thanks. i wont go there ever.Bennn
- me neither. thanks everyonesureshot
- lol at that frankensteinernexbcn
- That frankenstein makes a ton of noise, too. Niagara is a shit hole.nb
- _niko0
if you're into sports, might be worth checking out the hockey hall of fame, or catch a leaf's game and get a glimpse of future superstar and fellow yank Auston Matthews.
Might be the first time in almost 50 years that the leafs are worth watching lol.
- Ugh leaf. Lolpango
- Checked. No preseason games while I'm there. Boo!CincodeMayo
- pango0
What's that burrito place?
Tinny tinny place.- Mexican in Canada? I wonder if it's as pathetic and confused as it is in England.monospaced
- It's not franchise. I think it's pretty good. Although I don't know what authentic Mexican food tastes like.pango
- I have no idea but you should definitely find something authentic someday or else you're missing out.monospaced
- Speaking of not missing out. You should definitely try snake wine from Thailand.pango
- Centigrade1
Niagara:
If you want to do Niagara, go full tilt. Get super cheesy. And just enjoy it. You can zipline by the falls now too. Take the GO Train from Toronto all the way to Niagara (it runs until Fall I think). Don't bother to drive, since then you can drink and besides parking is a nightmare in Niagara. Casinos in Canada don't give out free booze :(CN Tower:
Great views and worth it. Here's a little trick I do when I take relatives to say a load of cash. Make a reservation for Dinner ahead of time. Then you get to skip the line-ups to get up. And you get to go up the tower for free. So you can spend the money you would have to go up on some decent grub. You can now walk around the outside of the tower too. http://www.edgewalkcntower.ca/Right beside the CN Tower is an amazing Aquarium. It's huge. And surprisingly well laid out and organized.
Thats the cheesy stuff out of the way.
Bars.... ton's of great ones once you are north of Queen West. Try find the secret bar in the Kensington Market.
Food... OK Try Tim Hortons just to be amazed you can gore on doughnuts and coffee for under $10 and still have change. Other that's out of your system there are lot's of great places. Burgers are big in Toronto. And for Burittos you can't beat Burrito Boyz. Don't go to Swiss Chalet, The Keg, Milestones, and anything that looks like a chain. Do go to St. Lawerence Market.
The Distillery District - Personally I'm not a fan. But lots of small galleries and jewelry markers etc.
The Beaches - October will be still ok to visit the beach. Toronto has great ones.
Toronto Island - Yes go here. Bring a picnic.
AND since it will be fall, I highly advise to try get out of the city and experience all the colours in the Escarpment.
- aggh lots of typos but you get the drift.Centigrade
- Tim Hortons is horrible man. Dont get coffee there.Al_dizzle
- ya forget about timmyhoepango
- monNom0
Is it still the case that you can't safely go in the water at 'the beaches'?
Try a lick's burger. Tastey burgers and they sing your order.
- Toronto's beaches are clean, and Lick's doesn't exist anymore.i_monk
- http://app.toronto.c…i_monk
- it's been a while...monNom
- i_monk0
Roncesvalles (a neighbourhood near High Park) has some good places to eat too (like Barque), and Bandit Brewery is just a block away on Dundas.