Things to do in Toronto?

Going to Toronto with our kids (aged 11 and 14) next month.

Any recommendations for things to do, day trips, etc.

The obligatory day trip to Niagra Falls is already a shoe-in.

Cheers

Shoo-in. And the Falls are a bit tacky - or at least the stuff around it is. You can stand alarmingly close to the edge though, which is always good to induce a bit of vertigo. Even better for that is the CN Tower, which, when you get to the top, has a glass floored section. It takes some nerve to step out onto it.

Toronto is a city I really like, and spent three happy summers living there - although I'm not sure what's there for young teens. They'd certainly love riding the streetcars (trams to us), and the shopping is all underground (it's cold on the winter, to put it mildly) but pretty extensive.

Agreed with above. You have to visit Niagara and the CN Tower. The Blue Jays stadium is worth a look.

I would also like to add the 'Landing Strip' is a bar that ranks as one of the best in its class and worth a visit (close to the airport). Probably best if you go there when your Mrs and kids have retired for the evening!

Toronto - a city once described by Peter Ustinov as "New York run by the Swiss."

Bata shoe museum, and you don't need a foot fetish to enjoy it.

You have to go to a baseball game at the Rogers Centre, previously known as the Skydome, and hope it rains so they put the roof over. One of the great stadium wonders of the world.

You can also get over to the islands in the lake, which are nice for a slow, relaxing family day out. Canada's Wonderland, way out in the 'burbs is a good theme park with some excellent white-knuckle rides, if that's your bag.

Eats-wise, the Old Spaghetti Factory is a great palce to take kids, and if anyone is interested in sport, Wayne Gretzky's restaurant. He was The Great One in ice hockey parlance.

Try and avoid staying overnight at Niagara Falls as the mist gets into the hotel rooms and makes everything slightly damp! The falls are great especially the maid in the mist boat trips but as has been said all around the falls is like mildly upmarket Blackpool.

Toronto is ok but rather benign, the CN tower is great, as is the BlueJays Stadium underneath. It also has the Woodbine Centre shopping mall which is where they filmed some scenes for the Police Academy films if that floats your boat. I also seem to remember some very good chinese restaurants but that might be my brain failing me.

Try and avoid staying overnight at Niagara Falls as the mist gets into the hotel rooms and makes everything slightly damp! The falls are great especially the maid in the mist boat trips but as has been said all around the falls is like mildly upmarket Blackpool.

 

Toronto is ok but rather benign, the CN tower is great, as is the BlueJays Stadium underneath. It also has the Woodbine Centre shopping mall which is where they filmed some scenes for the Police Academy films if that floats your boat. I also seem to remember some very good chinese restaurants but that might be my brain failing me.

I think Trousers will have his wife and kids with him, so he'll have to give the maid in the mist a miss.

I think Trousers will have his wife and kids with him, so he'll have to give the maid in the mist a miss.

;-)

Cheers for the insights thus far chaps

I believe that you can do a thingy now where you actually go outside whilst up high on the CN Tower.

Why anyone would want to do that is beyond me.

the indoor market has some amazing food!

For 11 and 14 yr olds I would think the Whirlpool Jet Boats at Niagara would be fun if you don't mind getting a bit wet.

The Rogers Centre for a baseball game is usually lacking in atmosphere, but can be a pleasant way to spend an evening. Rarely sells out so getting tickets on the day should not be a problem. The Ice Hockey Hall of Fame is good if you have the slightest interest in the game.

the indoor market has some amazing food!

This... for a large metropolitan city, there is a great cultural community feel to the place, with some great food and drink and crafts... you spend time here just soaking it all up. Teens may not be quite so keen, hopefully they will, but definitely go there: http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/

One of my favorite cities in the world... loads for you and the kids.

As already said above the falls and the CN tower should be on the list

Take the kids to Canada's Wonderland..... Great day out for young and old :)

Check out when the expo is this year.

Hire a car and a couple of hours out of Toronto, you are into the country. Lots of log cabins to rent etc. on lovely lakes and then find the nearest rubbish dump and go see the grizzly bears pawing through them at nights.

Try and get to some of the suburbs - Missisuga, Orange County etc.

Oh and the landing strip is definately not for the kids

Enjoy.

I went there many times in the early 1980s and took the family over for a week on my last visit so I'll ask them what they remember the best.

Here's something to be going on with: http://www.blackcreek.ca/

I'm hopefully off there next year to see my cousin who has just moved there.

Anyone able to recommend any decent national parks near-by? Don't mind driving a day or so to get there. Want to take in some of the spectacular scenery whilst there and wrestle a few bears next to a salmon filled river.

I'm hopefully off there next year to see my cousin who has just moved there.

 

Anyone able to recommend any decent national parks near-by? Don't mind driving a day or so to get there. Want to take in some of the spectacular scenery whilst there and wrestle a few bears next to a salmon filled river.

You really need to be out West for the bear wrestling. Let me know how that goes.

You can go to a certain hill outside Toronto and watch a can roll uphill. Yes thats right UPHILL!

However I'm not sure you may want to waste a couple of hours doing that.

You really need to be out West for the bear wrestling. Let me know how that goes.

How far north would I need to go before I was in Polar Bear territory?

How far north would I need to go before I was in Polar Bear territory?

A long way. Toronto is just a bit north of the American Midwest. You'd really have to go east for polar bears - and pack your swimming trunks, because there's precious little ice for you to chase them across.

Niagara Falls - has to be done even though it is really, really tacky. Like a cheap, run-down, scaled-down Vegas. Do the Maid boat. Also try to do a wine tasting while you're out that way, and get yourself some Ice wine.

CN Tower - If you can dump the kids, have dinner at the top.

Ferry across to the island.

Get lost underground.

Indoor market.

Get ****ed.

That's my 3 days in Toronto last year!

i was 12 when i spent a month in Toronto visiting family & i just remember it was bloody hot the whole time & humid. visited most of the places already suggested, although the Skydome was only half built at the time. not sure wot its like now but Toronto Zoo was good ?

not sure wot its like now but Toronto Zoo was good ?

Renamed "The landing strip"

Renamed "The landing strip"

Exactly!

10 mins walk from the Marriott

Algonquin Provincial Park is pretty special. It's 3-4 hours north of Toronto but the drive is alright. Went there a couple of years ago and stayed in a cabin by a lake. Was pretty nice.

http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/

Niagara Falls - has to be done even though it is really, really tacky. Like a cheap, run-down, scaled-down Vegas. Do the Maid boat. Also try to do a wine tasting while you're out that way, and get yourself some Ice wine.

 

CN Tower - If you can dump the kids, have dinner at the top.

 

Ferry across to the island.

 

Get lost underground.

 

Indoor market.

 

Get ****ed.

 

That's my 3 days in Toronto last year!

That ice wine was something else. I thought it'd be disgusting.

That ice wine was something else. I thought it'd be disgusting.

I'm very keen on Kokanee glacier beer.