Known for having the tallest building in Canada, and being the home to both the Blue Jays baseball team and actor turned rapper Drake, Toronto is one of the most popular cities to visit in Canada. There’s plenty to do and see in this busy metropolis but even if you only have time for a short visit, you can still see and a do a lot in two days.
Getting In
There are four main ways to get into Toronto: flight, train, and of course bus or drive. Most people avoid driving in Toronto- the traffic is legendary, and travellers from out of town will stick to using public transportation instead. By Plane Toronto has two airports. Pearson International Airport is located in Mississauga, about an hour from the city centre depending on traffic. From Pearson Airport visitors can take a car. Taxis in Toronto are pretty dirty and charge by time or kilometre. Another option is to take a Limo- a nicer, clean car with a flat rate. Depending on what time you arrive, a limo may end up even being cheaper. There is also a bus, and a train to Union Station from Pearson International Airport. Toronto’s second airport is Billy Bishop, also known as the Island Airport. Only two airlines have service here: Porter and a couple of Air Canada flights. It’s located right downtown and is significantly smaller (and less busy) than Pearson. By Train Toronto’s train station, Union Station, is also right downtown; just minutes from the CN Tower. It’s connected to the subway line making it easy for travellers to continue their journey into the city, or of course you can grab a taxi outside. There are plenty of hotels close to Union Station as well for those wanting to stay nearby. By Bus Visitors from Canada and the United States can also travel to Toronto via bus. Greyhound is the most popular long distance bus service and services Toronto from many other major cities including Montreal and Ottawa. Busses arrive and depart Toronto at the Toronto Coach Terminal located on Bay Street in the downtown core. There is a pedestrian PATH network from the bus station to the closest subway station. Getting Around
Getting around Toronto downtown is pretty easy. There are two subway lines that run North-South, East-West as well as city busses and street cars. Tickets to the subway cost $3 per person per ride. You can also get a day pass, which on weekends will cover the fee for two adults. Toronto is a large city, so although you definitely can do some walking, don’t expect to be able to walk to everything.
Where to Stay Toronto is divided into a number of different neighbourhoods and areas so it’s best to decide where you want to stay based on your interests. The Entertainment District home to many of Toronto’s bars and clubs. Hotels in this area are very popular with bachelor/bachelorette parties. Another popular area to stay or those who like shopping is in the fashionable Yorkville area. As mentioned above, it’s easy to get around using public transportation so if you stay somewhere near a subway stop you are well connected. What to See and Do As mentioned earlier, Toronto is a massive city with lots of interesting things. Two days won’t be enough to see it all, but you can narrow things down based on your interests. Here are some of the highlights of Toronto that you should definitely consider: The CN Tower At one time the CN (Canadian National) Tower was the tallest building in the world. Today it’s been overshadowed by several other structures, but still remains the tallest building in Canada. Visitors can ascent 346m high by elevator to the viewing platform, and should they choose, pay a little extra ($12CDN) to go up another 33 levels to the highest viewing platform where, on a clear day, you can see all the way to Niagara Falls and New York State. The CN tower also has a revolving restaurant (though reservations to need to be paid in advance) and a smaller bar-style restaurant. For those adventurists looking for a thrill, the is the CN Tower Edgewalk. Although this activity is weather dependent and should also be booked in advance. The CN tower is open till 10:30pm at night, so if you have a lot you want to see and do it might be a good idea to come in the evening to see the city lit up at night. Estimated time needed here: 1-2 hours Ripleys Aquarium A recent addition to Toronto, Ripley’s Aquarium has quickly become one of it’s biggest attractions. From typical Canadian sea life to tropical creatures, there’s plenty of weird and wonderful fish and sea creatures to be seen here. The highlight for me was the Dangerous Lagoon where you walk through a tunnel under the tanks and watch sharks and rays swim over you. Of course, being an aquarium, there is some controversy about visiting. From my visit I was pleased to learn that a lot of the aquarium is somewhat self-sustaining (i.e. breeding some species and culturing their own food for the smaller species.) however I was shocked to find that there were no hand wash stations before the touch tanks- something that was absolutely mandatory when I visited the famous aquarium in Monte Carlo. As a scuba diver and eco-friendly enthusiast, I’ll admit I was a bit wary of the touch tanks, hand washing station or not, as touching sea life is one of the major don’ts in the scuba diving world. Like the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium is open till later in the evening, so depending on what else you want to see and do it might be a good activity to leave till later. Estimated time needed here: 1.5 hours Yorkville Shopaholics should skip the many Toronto Malls and head instead to the high-end shops of Yorkville. Even if it’s just to window shop, this area is akin to NYC’s Fifth Avenue or Paris’ Champs-Élysées. Designer stores to be found here include Holt Renfrew, Kate Spade, Dolce and Gabanna, Gucci, Hermes and more. Kensington Market If you like to shop but don’t have the bank account to match the Yorkville price tags, head to Kensington Market instead. Known for it’s antique, vintage, and more creative shops it’s a fun place to check out.There’s also plenty of pubs, restaurants, and cafes in the area perfect for grabbing lunch or an afternoon drink. It’s a fun and multicultural neighbourhood so you can find a little bit of everything here. Try a walking tour of Toronto’s Kensington Market and China Town Casa Loma Toronto’s version of a castle may not be quite on par with those of Europe, however for castle and history lovers it’s a beautiful spot to visit. Once the home of a wealthy Canadian business man, Sir Henry Pellatt, today Casa Loma is a historical museum and popular wedding venue. It has also been the set for many movies including X-Men, Chicago, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Estimated time needed here: 1-1.5 hours. The Royal Ontario Museum One of the largest museums in North America, and the largest museum in Canada, the Royal Ontario Museum has five floors of galleries and exhibits to explore. From dinosaurs to textiles, an ancient Egytian mummy to Chinese Architecture there is a little bit of everything from around the world to be found here. A visit here is a good bet for a rainy day or a die-hard museum lover as you can spend all day exploring everything the ROM has to offer. The Toronto Zoo While the Toronto Zoo is quite a bit outside of the city centre, it’s definitely worth considering a visit right now as it is the current home (until 2018) of two adorable giant panda cubs. Giant pandas were loaned to the Toronto Zoo in 2013 on a five year term. The support team managed to successfully breed them and in the fall of 2015 two cubs were born: Jia PanPan (male) and Jia YueYue (female). Watching these two play is a definite highlight and a once in a lifetime opportunity for many. Of course the zoo is home to many other amazing animals as well, and right now has a bunch of other babies including four lion cubs, a baby rhino, and a playful polar bear cub named Juno. From Canada to Africa, South America to Australia- there are animals from every corner of the world here and visitors could easily spend the whole day exploring the zoo. The Hockey Hall of Fame When in Canada- there’s always something hockey related! The Hockey Hall of Fame holds the largest collection of hockey memorabilia in the world and serves as both a museum and an entertainment destination. The highlight here? The Hockey Fall of Fame is home to the one and only Stanley Cup. Estimated time needed for visit: about 2 hours. Other Ideas Toronto is packed with things to do so depending on your travel interests and the weather you may also want to consider: hitting up a Blue Jays baseball game, checking out Toronto Islands and beaches, Visiting the Art Gallery of Ontario, exploring the Distillery District, nerding out at the Ontario Science Centre, or catching a broadway show at one of the many theatres. This article " The Best of Toronto in 2 Days " was originally seen onEat Sleep Breathe Travel by Hannah Logan
Naturopath Toronto - Dr. Amauri Caversan
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