Things to do in Toronto
Despite its position as one of the world's foremost cities, Toronto is not full of world-renowned attractions. Instead, the traveller looking to take in the sights and sounds of the city at a leisurely pace will be rewarded with an insight in to the vibrant multicultural and above all friendly community that makes Toronto such an enjoyable city to visit.
To this end, a walking tour of the city's distinct neighbourhoods is a must. A quick tip for the visitor is to use Yonge Street, which runs from northern Ontario down to the city's harbour and is reputedly the world's longest road, as a reference point. The road runs north to south through the centre of the city, meaning lost visitors can easily regain their bearings. To the east of Yonge Street you'll find Little India and Greektown, both of which offer wonderful lunchtime and evening meal opportunities. The new Chinatown is nearby, with the old version to the west of Yonge now having been taken over by Vietnamese immigrants. On the west side of town you'll also discover Little Italy and Koreatown.
The Canadian National Tower is the world's tallest freestanding structure, a fact that you will be sick of hearing by the time you have reached the top. Probably the city's most iconic building, an elevator ride to the top of this communications mast is a must. The views over downtown Toronto and away over to the Toronto islands are stunning and on a clear day it is possible to see 99 miles away to Niagara Falls. Very busy in summer, the CN Tower also has a restaurant and one level includes a glass floor, making for a vertigo-inducing experience.
Fort York is a fine place to go and learn some history of Toronto. The fort was built by the British in 1793 with the intention of protecting the city of York, as Toronto was then known. The fort's flaws were exposed when Americans destroyed it and ransacked the city in 1812, before being sent packing six days later. The fort has since been rebuilt.
Fun for all can be had at the large Ontario Place complex. This huge establishment offers a funfair, water park, IMAX cinema, maze, H2O Generation Station for children and an amphitheatre for evening concerts. If it's raining, however, many of the activities grind to a halt.
Those looking to get out of the city can take the short ferry ride to Toronto Island Park. This collection of sandbars offers visitors the chance to walk through gorgeous scenery and relax by any number of lakes and is a perfect way to beat the heat in the height of summer.
Tourists to Toronto are unlikely to require much encouragement to head to Niagara Falls, which is a two-hour drive to the south-west. The falls are breathtaking and it is worth paying the small charge to head over the US border to view them from an American perspective. The Maid of the Mist boat trip, which provides a close up view of the falls, and free souwesters, should also be on the itinerary. The town of Niagara itself is tacky ? populated by cheap motels and house of horrors exhibitions ? so best to make it a day trip.
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Things to do
