Going to Toronto, Need Advice on What to Do

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Joey D

Joey D

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Two of my buddies and I are heading to Toronto next Thursday. We are trying to figure out what we should do and since many people here seem to be world travelers I figured I would ask.

We do not want to do the Hockey Hall of Fame or Niagara Falls as we've all been there before. We are planning on going up in the CN Tower as well. Other then that we are pretty much open to anything as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to do. I'm planning on $500CND for the weekend so I should be able to have a decent enough time.

Suggestions of awesome bars and restaurants will be appreciated too.
 
Downtown Toronto is just awesome to walk around and explore. Go to some clubs or bars and check out the amazing canadian women!
 
^ seconded.

Hockey Hall of Fame would be my first stop, but as you've already been...
The St Lawrence Market was pretty cool, and there's lots of awesome restaurants with patios about 1 block east of it that are great for lunch or supper.
Check out Ontario Place. I missed it when I was there a year ago, but it's supposed to be a good time.
Do some shopping in Eaton Place.
The CN Tower is great, so don't scratch that from your list.

I'd love to go back and take a little more time to explore the city. I didn't have enough time when I was sent on business last year.
 
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Thanks for the heads up and suggestions.

One other question I have is smoking allowed in public places in Canada? If I'm going somewhere where it's legal to obtain Cuban cigars I would like to have one.
 
Joey D
Thanks for the heads up and suggestions.

One other question I have is smoking allowed in public places in Canada? If I'm going somewhere where it's legal to obtain Cuban cigars I would like to have one.
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Unfortunately, here in Toronto there is public smoking ban, and smoking is only allowed in designated smoking rooms/areas. As for cigars, I'm not really sure. I'm sure there is some kind of smoke shop on Yonge or...something. But I don't really know, I don't smoke myself.

As for other things to do, I would give another nod to the Eaton Centre, and you already said the Eaton Centre. Yorkville is a nice upscale area, at Bloor and Yonge. Lots of nice cars for the photo comps too. Heh. ^^;

I live here and I don't know what to do.Hah. I also don't know what you like to do. There's the Science Centre, which has this cool sphere shaped theatre. I really want to go back there, just to see something on that screen again.
 
The Distillery District has a nice variety of bars and restaurants.

I'd also suggest taking the tour of the Steamwhistle Brewey. If you haven't done any brewery tour before, I'd suggest that as it is pretty cool to actually see, plus all of the beer they feed you. It's right at the foot of the CN Tower as well, so that's pretty convenient.

Kensinton Market is pretty fun to check out if the gritty hippy market appeals to you. Many cool shops and bars, as well as a great overall street vibe. It's also bordering China Town, so there's another combo event right there.

The Art Gallery of Ontario was recently rebuilt and is pretty impressive even if you're just going by. It's also down the street from China Town.
 
exigeracer
The Distillery District has a nice variety of bars and restaurants.

I'd also suggest taking the tour of the Steamwhistle Brewey. If you haven't done any brewery tour before, I'd suggest that as it is pretty cool to actually see, plus all of the beer they feed you. It's right at the foot of the CN Tower as well, so that's pretty convenient.

Kensinton Market is pretty fun to check out if the gritty hippy market appeals to you. Many cool shops and bars, as well as a great overall street vibe. It's also bordering China Town, so there's another combo event right there.

The Art Gallery of Ontario was recently rebuilt and is pretty impressive even if you're just going by. It's also down the street from China Town.
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I pretty much second all of these choices, and simultaneously kick myself for not thinking of some of them.
 
Thanks for the information.

I am going to go check out some car spotting areas, so thanks for letting me know where to go.

And I think we will take a tour of the Steam Whistle Brewery, sounds pretty neat and I've never been on a brewery tour before either. Plus for $15CND you get 6 pack of their beer.

Also the Distillery District looks pretty cool too. I'm think I should have some cool photo ops there.
 
I totally forgot to mention this. It is a must see: http://www.cstudio.net/

It is one of the largest and most valuable motorsport memorabilia collections in the world. The amount of rare, beautiful and absolutely interesting car artifacts is mind boggling. We're talking 15,000$ scale models and driving outfits that the legends wore. It's on Yorkville road, and they close at 6ish. Don't mix it up with the general car model store on the South side of the street. It's on the North side, it would be a shame if you went into the other one (can't remember the name of it) and think it's C Studio.

I don't know the exact time, but street parking is permitted towards the evening in Yorkville, and that's when all the rich businessmen take their trophy wives to the cocktail lounges. I've seen 911-R8-Carrera GT-Elise lineups on that street. The adjacent Cumberland is also frequented by the rich, who valet at the Four Seasons of Hazleton Hotel. On a nice evening you're pretty much guaranteed to see some nice machinery. Here are some of my shots just from that one block.
 
Wow that is pretty cool, I'm going to have to check it out for sure. I love vintage car posters and it looks like they have an awesome collection. Thanks for the heads up on that! I'll just have to leave my credit card at the hotel or I'll be way to tempted to buy something.

And looks like you bagged some nice cars in that area, I'll have to check it out for sure. Looking at trophy wives isn't all that bad either.
 
Go to Tim Hortons. Order a poutine (not at Tim Hortons). Go test drive a Mercedes B-class, etc etc.

Do stuff that can rarely be done in America :)
 
If you're looking for a "good" time, I have 2 words for ya...Comfort Zone. It becomes 24 hrs on saturday and plays nothing but trance for close to 48 hrs straight!

Plus it got busted for drugs 2 or 3 times in one month (the amount of drugs and arrests the first time will make your jaw drop), so you know its a good place to have fun (I once thought I got an STD from there one night, its that awesome). :lol:
 
SRV2LOW4ME
If you're looking for a "good" time, I have 2 words for ya...Comfort Zone. It becomes 24 hrs on saturday and plays nothing but trance for close to 48 hrs straight!

Plus it got busted for drugs 2 or 3 times in one month (the amount of drugs and arrests the first time will make your jaw drop), so you know its a good place to have fun (I once thought I got an STD from there one night, its that awesome). :lol:
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You know how established comics go to tiny open-mic nights to try out new jokes incognito? I feel that's how people use the Comfort Zone, but with drugs. It's all-ages on top of all that!

It is imperative that you know that SRV is joking. Don't even consider it, that place is a total cesspool.
 
Anything in Toronto is amazing!

Though it's a tourist spot and you probably want to go to other places, I'd recommend CN Tower, with the glass floor is awesome. Also, try to find out a good restaurant in Chinatown... there's a few that serve everything steamed and they just stroll the food around in these huge trays. Be prepared to shout your orders there, since they arrely speak anything other than Chinese.

Lee's Palace is a great bar with live performances, kinda rock, kinda other styles. I saw Apollo440 live there! If you're more into the electronic music, I don't know if it's still open, but I used to go to The Guvernment, though entrance fee was around $50, depending if there's some performance or not.
 
exigeracer
It is imperative that you know that SRV is joking. Don't even consider it, that place is a total cesspool.
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Cesspool doesn't even begin to describe the place. I could seriously write a novel about all the stuff thats happened to me at there. Consider it the dumpster of Toronto's night scene, its where all the garbage collects and does dirty things.

Tom Servo
I don't know if it's still open, but I used to go to The Guvernment, though entrance fee was around $50, depending if there's some performance or not
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I used to go there all the time, not sure if its still open, but who was performing when you went for the entrance fee to be $50?! The last time I went was about 6 years ago and it was only $10 at the door, which for me wasn't bad since I rarely downed more than a beer or two. $5 beers vs. $5 pills*...pills FTW! :crazy:

*Pills there were not $5, expect to pay "club" prices at any venue like that.
 
Guvernment is still open. It's this huge club complex down there, some nights they open them all up together with pretty acts, which I hear is pretty fun. Lee's Palace is a pretty common concert venue, I've never seen any shows there though.

If you want to do clubbing, I'd say go to Circa. Even people I know who hate clubbing think that place is awesome. Some big name in the club scenes from Miami or NYC or something opened it up and hired some seriously good designers to take care of the interior. It's pretty cool, not your average nnts-nnts laser light place. It's a spectacle.

Either way, to find some cool nightclub action or live music, pick up a NOW Magazine, which is a free newspaper available on any street corner. Look for the green box with red circle.
 
ND4SPD
Go to some clubs or bars and check out the amazing canadian women!
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Amazing canadian women... I miss them sometimes. But they are getting fewer and farther between. Since I have developed a terrible case of yellow-fever, when I am back in Canada, I don't tend to notice the women too much, unless they are really over the top.
 
SRV2LOW4ME
I used to go there all the time, not sure if its still open, but who was performing when you went for the entrance fee to be $50?!
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it was Underworld
 
Thanks again for the information, I'll be sure and pick up a copy of NOW Magazine when I get there to see what's happening.

Circa looks pretty cool, I'm not huge into clubbing but it might be cool to check out.

I'm meeting up with my buddies that I'm going with tomorrow afternoon for a cookout and I'm sure we'll discuss what we are planning on doing then. I might have more questions.
 
I just ran through Yorkville after work tonight. I used to go up there to shoot cars pretty regularly, but haven't been much this summer. Along one street was Aston Martin V8 Vantage, BMW Z8, Cadillac XLR-V, Ferrari 360, Ford GT, Maserati Quattroporte and Gransport, Dodge Viper, Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster and another F360 around the corner.

Enjoy!
 
Dougboy
Go to Tim Hortons. Order a poutine (not at Tim Hortons). Go test drive a Mercedes B-class, etc etc.

Do stuff that can rarely be done in America :)
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Lol, we have Tim Horton's all over the place!
 
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