Toronto Attractions

Dating from the 1880s and restored only a few years ago the splendid old Spadina Mansion (north-western extremity of the city center) now belongs to the Toronto Historical Society. There are guided tours daily.

The Spadina Historic House and Gardens features 19th and 20th Century funishings, Victorian gardens, and hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

The five-story red brick and glass encased Toronto Reference Library was completed in 1979, one of architect Raymond Moriyama's acknowledged masterpieces. Mounting a wide-ranging program of cultural events the library has become a popular focus for the activities of Toronto's middle class intelligentsia.

The Alexander Muir Memorial Garden in Toronto was originally planted in the 1950s. Alexander Muir wrote the song "The Maple Leaf Forever" in 1867. This is a nice area to walk in during the summer months, with flowers and herbs.

The Algonquians North American Indian Sweet Grass Gallery is owned and run by Ojibway. A variety of items are on display and for sale including moccasins, sculptures of stone and pewter, mask, pottery and more.

Allan Gardens in Toronto feature a wide variety of exotic plants. The glass Victorian greenhouse, known as the Palm House, was built in 1909.

Ardith One opened in 1971 and represents potters from Ontario, and other parts of Canada. The centre is a great place to see a variety of pottery. It has expanded and even includes a Bridal Registry.

Located in Toronto, the Armen Art Gallery collection features North American Native Art. Within the collection is Woodland, Haida works including, paintings, carvings, jewelry and more.

Art InSite provides customers with tours of Toronto galleries as well as studios within the city. Various tours are held throughout the year with different themes or highlights which range from architecture, photography, studios, museums, and more.

Ashbridge's Bay Park in Toronto was named after Sarah Ashbridge, a Quaker widow and United Empire Loyalist from Philadelphia who settled here in 1793 and obtained a Crown land grant in 1799 for a farm. Originally much larger, however much of the marsh land has been filled for industrial uses. The park covers an area of 35ha and was officially opened in 1970.

Belt Line Linear Park in Toronto runs along the old route of the Belt Line steam train which ran around the city in the 1890s. The trail is 4.5 km long and eventually links to the Don Valley.

The Beth Tzedec Museum claims to have the "fifth largest Judaic collection in North America". This little museum displays a large number of ceremonial objects and related artifacts from all over the world.

Bloor Street and the surrounding area is known for it's fashion stores, dining, and night life.

Burke Brook connects a series of ravines together. The Burke Brook itself has been heavily modified by man to accomodate sewer run off and other unwanted excess. Today the City of Toronto is trying to restore the brook to a more natural state. The south eastern end in Sherwood Park Ravine is in the most natural state.

Toronto's Campbell House once belonged to Sir William Campbell, chief justice of Upper Canada from 1825 to 1829. It was moved to its present site on the west side of University Avenue in 1972. The house is well worth a visit for its 19th C furnishings and displays on local history and a year-round gallery room with changing art exhibitions.

Each year the Canadian Opera Company puts on a number of productions, performed in Toronto. Productions range from classic opera to orchestra concerts.

The Canon Theatre (formerly the Pantages Theatre) in downtown Toronto is best known for it's production of The Phantom of the Opera which ran for over 10 years. The Canon Theatre began its life in 1920 as a combination vaudeville and motion picture theatre in the Pantages theatre circuit. The theatre itself has been restored and now seats 2,200 people.

The picnic area at Christie Pits Park is surrounded by 3 baseball diamonds, a sand volleyball court, soccer field, and even an outdoor swimming pool.

On the grounds of the park is the Bob Abate Community Centre offering an indoor pool swimming pool, weight room, meeting room and more. Next door is the Bickford Learning Centre which also has a gymnasium and swimming pool.

The Church of the Redeemer was built in 1879 and is a historical site in Toronto. Young people make up much of the congregation of the church.

The City of Toronto Archives house the historical records for the city. The records date back as far as 1834.

The City of Toronto Archives also hold exhibitions which may be viewed on your own or by guided tour.

The handcrafted items on exhibit at Collected Works in Toronto are very contemporary pieces. The gallery offers finely handcrafted art of clay, glass, wood, fiber, metal, including an eclectic selection of jewelers.

The Craft Gallery displays fine hand made craft objects. The Craft Gallery is operated by the Ontario Crafts Council.

The Customs and Excise Building on Toronto's Front Street, right next to Union Station, was built in 1920. The building still acts as a customs building as well as being a post office.

The Designers Walk in Toronto is a central location for designers in the city to display their work. Established in the early 1980s, the showrooms within the complex house design collections from around the world.

The Designers Walk also features a resource center which offers samples, displays and catalogues for visitors to look through.

The Don Valley Brickworks is a quarry that dates to the late 19th Century. In recent years the city has worked at restoring and presrving the site.

The Don Valley Ravines are a series of natural ravines which are now protected by the city of Toronto. A wide variety of wildlife thrives along the ravines.

Dr Flea's International Flea Market is Toronto's largest indoor market. The market features over 400 vendors.

The Early Canadian Furniture Shop in Toronto specializes in custom handcrafted furniture. There are a variety of locations throughout Toronto.

This nine-block area lies between Toronto's Oriole Parkway and Chaplin Crescent on Eglinton Avenue West. Eglinton Way Business Improvement Area has approximately 300 members, made up of local shops and businesses, and puts together a variety of celebrations throughout the year.

Elmwood Spa is a full service health spa in Toronto. The spa offers a full array of services for both women and men.

This school was the first free school in Toronto and was founded by Enoch Turner in 1848. Thousands of school children each year take part in the museum's participatory programs. Through role-playing, students experience first hand what school was like in the Victorian era.

The house once owned by David Gibson, a Scottish emigrant and politician, and his family is built in a Georgian style and dates from 1851.

The Glen Stewart Ravine is 8.5ha and is protected by the City of Toronto. The ravine still has a natural stream.

Grenadier Pond is the largest pond in Toronto. Catch and release fishing is allowed on the pond.

Humber River Bike and Pedestrian Bridge in Toronto was designed to showcase the spirituality of Native Canadians. The bridge itself is an award-winning design.

The Toronto International Air Show takes place at the beginning of September. The show features flying teams and individuals from around the world.

Along the Humber River lies the 10ac James Gardens, a botanical garden featuring a variety flowers and trees as well as ponds fed by springs. There are also nature trails throughout the gardens.

Kaolin Designs is the studio and gallery of William Roddy and Patricia O'Brian. The two create ceramics and furniture from a variety of materials.

At Laser Quest visitors participate in a game of laser tag, the objective of which is to "shoot" as many of your opponents as possible without getting hit yourself. Players score points for each hit.

Customers can also schedule private games and use the facilities outside of regularly scheduled operating hours.

Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel In Toronto was opened in 1903 as the King Edward Hotel. It's owner, George Gooderham was the richest man in Toronto at the time. Famous guests of the Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel have included the Beatles and Mark Twain.

Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel is a high class luxury hotel and in 1975 was named a historical site.

The Young Peoples Theatre is a professional theatre for children and adults. A variety of shows are put on from October through May.

The theatre also runs drama classes for children.

The Marine Museum of Upper Canada in the surviving part of the old Stanley Barracks is an interesting source of information about navigation on the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence River.

Montgomery's Inn in Toronto was originally built in the early 1830s and has been restored to portray the 1847-50 period. The inn was owned by Thomas Montgomery and is now a history museum.

In 2001, Toronto organizations sponsored local artists to decorate cast fiberglass moose which then graced the streets of the city. While these mooses have been auctioned off and most have disappeared into private collections, some of these statues are to be found in unlikely places. Keep your eyes open.

Mount Pleasant Cemetery is the final resting place for many famous Canadians including Timothy Eaton, former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, and pianist Glenn Gould. The cemetery has existed since the 1870s and is filled with sculptures and artworks, as well as an arboretum.

Opened in 1999, the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art in Toronto, exhibits and promotes contemporary Canadian art and artists. The gallery only exhibits works from 1985 and beyond.

The Museum of Television in Toronto holds a unique collection of televisions and focuses on the history of the technology of TV. Visitors will see all kinds of television sets from throughout the invention's history. This is definitely one of the more unique museum's in the city.

The O'Connor Art Gallery in Toronto features works in a range of medium by national and international artists. The gallery offers ten exhibits a year in its 4,000 sq ft facility.

The Old City Hall (as it is called) in Toronto is a magnificent stone building dating from the end of the 19th C. Following the completion of the new City Hall near by, various branches of the Justice Department (including the Law-Courts) were transferred to the old building.

Osgoode Hall (1835-55), a former law-courts situated immediately west of the new City Hall in Toronto, was named after Upper Canada's first High Court Judge. Its gardens, bounded by heavy iron railings, have a special charm, especially in the spring.

Prime Gallery in Toronto features artwork by a variety of artists in a variety of media including, jewelry, metalwork, ceramics, fabrics, and glass. The gallery features exhibitions as well as rotating displays of the permanent collection.

The gallery was opened in 1979.

The RINX offers visitors an indoor ice skating and inline skating area. The RINX also features a variety of amusements including laser tag, bumper cars, video games, and billiards. The venue is available for birthday parties and other events.

Sherwood Park in Toronto is a protected area. There are remains of the old Great Lakes - St Lawrence Forest in the Sherwood Park Ravine with trees that are at least 150 years old. A wide variety of trees are present here.

Few cities have a skyline to rival Toronto's - particularly impressive given a bird's eye view and even more striking when seen from the offshore islands which encircle the harbor. The tallest skyscrapers, mostly financed through investment by banks and insurance companies, cluster together in the old city center, constantly augmented by new ultra-modern structures sheathed in aluminum, eloxal and glass. The 553 m / 1815 ft high CN Tower completed in 1976 points skywards like a gigantic antenna, with at its foot the huge arched canopy of the 1989 Skydome (the roof of which can be opened in fine weather).

The Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts (formerly the O'Keefe Center) (close to Union Station) in Toronto is a theatre with a long established reputation for the performing arts.

Spadina Avenue runs north-south along the western side of the city center.

This busy street is full of character and ethnic diversity. Most noteably are the Chinese shops and restaurants that line Spadina Avenue around the Dundas intersection.

St James Cathedral is the fourth church built on this site. The tower stands 306 feet and is a landmark in the St Lawrence neighbourhood . The current church was built after a fire destroyed the former in 1849.

The St Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts is home to the Centre Stage Company and also provides space for a variety of events.

St Michael's Cathedral in Toronto dates to the mid 19th Century. The design of the building is based on that of England's York Minster. The cathedral is also home to the St Michael's Boys Choir School.

St Paul's Basilica was originally built in 1822, making it the first and oldest Roman Catholic church in York (now Toronto). In 1999, the church underwent massive restoration. In the same year, Pope John Paul II gave the church title of Minor Basilica.

The Greater Toronto Area is serviced by subway, light rail, buses, and street cars, collectively known as the TTC.

The Textile Museum of Canada, located in Toronto, features textile work from around the world, both historical and contemporary. Historic and ethnographic textiles, and related artifacts are displayed.

The Thomson Gallery on Toronto contains works by 19th and 20th C Canadian artists, including members of the Group of Seven, Emilly Carr, and more.

Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum and Arts Centre deals with the history of the mill and the industry and also features art exhibits and performing arts. The Old Don Train Station is also on the grounds.

The Harbourfront Antique Market in Toronto features over 100 antiques dealers and is the largest antique market in Canada.

The Toronto Police Museum and Discovery Centre features exhibits on crime fighting and the history of policing in Toronto. Some exhibits even feature real evidence from crime scenes of famous cases.

The Toronto Sculpture Garden mounts two exhibits a year, one in May and the other in October. The garden has been operating since 1981.

Toronto's First Post Office on Adelaide Street was opened in 1833 and features exhibits on the British Post-Office Department. The building still functions as a post office today as well as a museum.

Trinity Bellwoods features three baseball diamonds, eight tennis courts, a swimming pool, and an ice rink. The Trinity Community Centre is on the grounds of the park and features a weight room and swimming pool.

Running north-south along the west side of the CBD parallel to Yonge Street, University Avenue passes through Toronto's university quarter and the district which houses Ontario's provincial parliament.

In addition to a great many government buildings the Avenue is also the site of several scientific institutions and clinics. North of Queen's Park are a number of important museums.

The York Museum focuses on the history of the City and Township of York. Exhibits rotate frequently and are mostly artifacts from the city itself.