OT - Toronto Canada?

[DaddyChoc]

is this a place to vacation, what is it to do there? Whats the best time of the year to visit?

where to stay, flight to take from Hartford?

 

[vtcwbuff]

Given the current exchange rate now is a very good time to visit Canada.

I recommend Quebec City instead. The old city is probably the closest you can get to a European city in North America. Lots of history (arguably the most important battle in North America was fought on the Plains of Abraham), architecture and great food.

We drive from CT though you can fly. It's about a 7 hour drive. If you go try the poutine - fries smothered in cheese curds and a rich gravy.

 

[UcMiami]

It is a lovely city with cold winters but less a tourist destination than Montreal.
Summertime there are two really exceptional theater festivals in Ontario - the Shaw Festival and the Shakespeare festival neither in Toronto, but forming an interesting triangle for a visit to the province. If you like driving it is easy to fly into Buffalo and drive across the border, with the falls and lakes as possibilities for the itinerary.

 

[TWG236]

Wife and I went to Toronto last summer. Fantastic city to visit. We drove as the countryside outside of the city along Lake Ontario is breathtaking. Also a lot of wineries and good places to eat along the lake. We went to a Blue Jays game, stadium is really nice and several nice restaurants. With the exchange rate it is a very economical place to visit. We are seriously thinking of flying from Hartford to Toronto to attend the UCONN game in December.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Given the current exchange rate now is a very good time to visit Canada.

I recommend Quebec City instead. The old city is probably the closest you can get to a European city in North America. Lots of history (arguably the most important battle in North America was fought on the Plains of Abraham), architecture and great food.

We drive from CT though you can fly. It's about a 7 hour drive. If you go try the poutine - fries smothered in cheese curds and a rich gravy.

I visit Quebec Prov for 3 reasons: Canadian double Fried fries--Meat Pies--and visit relatives, in that order.
In Quebec--in Downtown--the meat pies that I tried are terrible--but REAL Canadian meat pies in the out skirts are fantastic. The First Nation just north of Quebec, the remnants of the Algonquin tribe, is worth (to me ) the visit. The congestion of Quebec traffic isn't fun if you drive. Of course I speak as one who strolled Quebec City before the 6, 8 lines of highway traffic.
The importance of the Plains of Abraham (a small field) is apparently a personal matter. The final military actions took place nearly 2 years later. I prefer Nicolet, laToque-, Yamachiche---To me, the small towns of Eastern Canada is where the unique quaintness remains--Even small cities (Trois Rivieres) looks and feels like USA.
Toronto was a very clean city, welcoming

 

[BroadwayVa]

It is a lovely city with cold winters but less a tourist destination than Montreal.
Summertime there are two really exceptional theater festivals in Ontario - the Shaw Festival and the Shakespeare festival neither in Toronto, but forming an interesting triangle for a visit to the province. If you like driving it is easy to fly into Buffalo and drive across the border, with the falls and lakes as possibilities for the itinerary.

Even at my advanced age, I prefer driving to Toronto, Montreal or Quebec--the time in and out of airports--while not discounted in the mix--allows me to miss the pleasures of crowds, waiting, missed flights--it's a personal thing. When making those trips on business, driving was my preferred mode of traveling to those cities.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

If you're a big fan of either the Red Sox or the Yankees, you might want to
plan your visit to coincide with one of those teams being in town for a series
with the Blue Jays.

 

[vtcwbuff]

VA - Next time try Aux Anciens Canadiens for a meat pie. Better even than my grandmother used to make.

Actually, the Plains of Abraham are fairly large (my guess is 300 acres) although much of the original battlefield has been lost to development. If you include the fort it's a pretty large site. I had ancestors that fought there - on both sides. As for the significance of the battle, just ask a Canuck.

Don't most good restaurants double fry their fries? I have been making fries that way for a lot of years.

 

[FedupFred]

Lots to do in Toronto:

Ontario Place used to be cool. I saw Gordon Lightfoot perform live there. They had a great pub, too. There's an Imax theater there and a Canadian destroyer you can tour. We rented paddle boats.

The Ontario Museum is top notch. Great dinosaur exhibit as well as Egyptian stuff.

The Science Center is really neat.

Canada's Wonderland is 10 miles north.

 

[JimGunther]

Been a while since I visited Toronto. A little staid - civilized - English. Young St seems to be 'kinda fun but, I'd be another vote for Quebec City. France without the French (Just kidding really)!

 

[vtcwbuff]

Been a while since I visited Toronto. A little staid - civilized - English. Young St seems to be 'kinda fun but, I'd be another vote for Quebec City. France without the French (Just kidding really)!

Jim - I would say France without the attitude.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Didn't make it, but we were thinking of passing near to Toronto on our recent trip east, were going to stay in a Canadian Holiday Inn near Niagara Falls. Our interest was lighthouses, and there are plenty of them (loosely) around the area. As I read on-line info, it sure made Toronto sound like a fun place to visit.

 

[emjay]

I live in Toronto and think it's a great place to visit! My favourite times of year are late spring (May) and early fall (September, early October). It's usually sunny and warm then, but not hot or humid. The summer is also great - there's a LOT happening in the city, all kinds of festivals and events and concerts and outdoor movie screenings etc. etc. etc. - but it can get hot and sticky. Some winter days can be beautiful (alas, usually the coldest ones, when it's also sunniest), but some can be just blech - slushy, damp, awfulness. I wouldn't recommend winter unless you love it.

There are tons of great restaurants of all types of food. Lots of patios for sunny day drinks and great parks to have a snack and a drink in (Trinity Bellwoods, High Park in the west, Withrow in the east). Lots of great little art galleries (and the big one, the AGO). The waterfront (Harbourfront) and the Toronto Islands are lovely to walk around and give you an excellent view of the city. You might have read that they're closed this summer due to high water, which isn't entirely true! You can still go over on the ferry (less than 10 minutes and about $7 or $8) and walk around - it's just that the Centre Island theme park has been closed, that's all.

Some great neighbourhoods for exploring include Kensington Market and Chinatown, West/Ossington, Dundas West (Little Portugal), Little India in the east end, Leslieville, the Beaches if you don't mind going out way east.

It's fun to catch a Jays game at the SkyDome (now called the Rogers Centre, but it'll always be the SkyDome to me!).

Yonge Street/Dundas Square are tourist traps! Kinda fun (in a busy way) to travel through en route to something else, but not a destination in themselves. Unless you like tourist traps, people acting like moving statues, people preaching about the end of the world, that kind of thing. I suppose it does offer lots of human curiosity.

 

[tomcat]

Toronto is nice enough to visit -- think of Chicago, maybe, but Montreal and Quebec City, as others have suggested, are more interesting and historical. Montreal always has stuff going on, and QC is just plain beautiful. Summer is the time to go, obviously, because winters, especially in QC, can be brutal. If in QC, be sure to drive a few miles north and see the falls at Montmorency. Not Niagara, by any means, but pretty interesting, and a short trip out of the city. In QC itself, be sure to ride the funicular -- the cable car that takes you from the lower city to the upper city. And when the weather is good, a sidewalk cafe is just the thing.

 

[thatguyed]

One dinner must be The Keg in the financial district. Not the Mansion location, that's got a completely low energy vibe. Where to stay depends on what you like. I've always stayed around the central City Hall, Eaton Center and Yonge-Dundas Square area. Plenty of options for hotels in all budget ranges. Very walkable and IMO quite safe during any normal hours. Good access to transportation.

 

[SVCBeercats]

is this a place to vacation, what is it to do there? Whats the best time of the year to visit?
where to stay, flight to take from Hartford?

Royal Alexandra Theater seats about 1,500 people. It was restored and renovate by the famous (in Toronto) Ed Mirvish. it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. It has been open since 1907 except for the one year it took Mirvesh to save it and in 2016 for a face lift. My wife and I have enjoyed going to the Royal Alex. Just go to see it in all its beauty.

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts began "life" as the O'Keefe Centre. Again it is beautiful and quite large and I guarantee not a bad seat. We have enjoyed many performances there. SONY did a great job of restoring it. The O'Keefe brewery owner's wife was into the performing arts but wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the arts. At one time the seats in the last section of the theater were sold for $1 Canadian.

JAZZ! Believe it or not Toronto is a GREAT place for the jazz aficionado. Younge Street was THE place for jazz clubs. We could sample different jazz styles in each club. We just strolled from club to club. Now it seems the jazz scene has spread throughout Toronto.

Toronto Botanical Gardens are a must for landscape admirers. It is free! Only 4 acres but it is relaxing.

Ontario Science Centre was my first encounter with an interactive museum. It is the best! Quick story: We just finished with the cloud chamber exhibit when I noticed a Mom, Dad, a teenage boy and two siblings. They all read the description of the cloud chamber and it did not register with any of them. The teenage boy began interacting with the exhibit which was a modified pinball game. The idea was to determine what was the hidden geometric solid. He shot the ball from the center to hit the hidden geometric solid and watch the deflection. He changed the hidden solid's position with a knob and shot another ball and observed the deflection. He did this a few times, muttered triangle, flipped up a plaque which said triangle, and the light went on. He reread the cloud chamber description, thought a bit, and excitedly began explaining to his family how it worked and what it was for. Mom, Dad, and the siblings saw the boy in the different light and the pride was quite evident. The boy's chest was a bit further out as well and a big smile shown brightly. This is the goal of the centre.

We lived in Cleveland once upon a time and vacationed in Toronto frequently. So yeah we liked Toronto a lot.

 

[CTyankee]

His Chockiness must get a lot of vacation... Puerto Rico in March, France last month and Toronto in July...

Or perhaps he works for the state of Connecticut!!!

 

[Waquoit]

I always love those replies that suggest you go someplace else. You're not helping.

 

[BroadwayVa]

VA - Next time try Aux Anciens Canadiens for a meat pie. Better even than my grandmother used to make.

Actually, the Plains of Abraham are fairly large (my guess is 300 acres) although much of the original battlefield has been lost to development. If you include the fort it's a pretty large site. I had ancestors that fought there - on both sides. As for the significance of the battle, just ask a Canuck.
Sorry in all my history discussion with relatives at Ecole De Polytechnique or McGill or in the back country--Abraham Plains never comes up---although Deipe does.

Don't most good restaurants double fry their fries? I have been making fries that way for a lot of years.

You learned to make fries properly.
The only place that I have run into the Double--pre-fry, sit, drain, refry--is in the Trios Rivieres area, at least those to my liking--In Maskonge--last fall I found some great ones.

I don't admit to any of the "local Militia " --the battle was lost because locals guard ing entry routes --allow easy access without scaling the heights--left their posts and allowed the British easy access to the "heights"-and Quebec City was lost.

I admit the old french building and old streets give the city the "feel" of Europe. The congestion on the highways give it a Los Angelese Look. My relatives were walking those street 132 years before that battle Grandma and Dad forefathers, one came with "the regiment".
Meat pies--I have the recipe for that--what I don't have is for Put--zin (phonetically)

 

[BroadwayVa]

VA - Next time try Aux Anciens Canadiens for a meat pie. Better even than my grandmother used to make.

Actually, the Plains of Abraham are fairly large (my guess is 300 acres) although much of the original battlefield has been lost to development. If you include the fort it's a pretty large site. I had ancestors that fought there - on both sides. As for the significance of the battle, just ask a Canuck.

Don't most good restaurants double fry their fries? I have been making fries that way for a lot of years.

Great Menu---I'll be that way just before Kia's home game in Toronto--and I'll check them out--

 

[JimGunther]

Jim - I would say France without the attitude.

All kidding aside - Love France, the French (One's I've met anyway) and Quebec. It's all good.

 

[Waquoit]

Second City was pretty funny when we were there for the International Bowl.

 

[DaddyChoc]

thanks for your response... glad that you came out of "lurker's mode" to be a part of this thread.