Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 1: Toronto Tips

The posts in this series will present a number of ideas for how to spend your time in Toronto. They are geographically grouped by neighbourhood ( would you expect anything less from me?) and include all sorts of great info on what to see, where to stroll and where to eat!

Some basic Toronto Tips that apply to all of these adventures:


1. Take Transit!
The TTC, the Toronto Transit Commission, is the best way to easily get around downtown. The subway line is relatively minor compared to other big cities, but the compliment of streetcars which are so much more fun) and buses make taking transit easy and convenient.

To board, you’ll need cash ($2.75 exact fare), token, ticket or a pass. To get set up, go to your closest subway station where you can buy what you need. I’d recommend the Day Pass –it’s a great value for all day riding. On the weekends, this 9 dollar pass is good for 2 adults or 2 adults and up to 4 children under 19 or 1 adult and 5 children. It’s good all day long until 5.30am the next morning. Just show it to the guy in the ticket booth, streetcar or bus driver as you go to board and you are good to go!

2. Cardinal Directions

You may notice if you ask any Torontonian where something is, they are bound to give you precise cardinal directions… for example, “The closest subway station? St. George is two blocks west just north of Bloor on the west side of the street.”

Seems confusing, but as you’ll quickly find, downtown Toronto is on a very straightforward grid. See the lake or the CN Tower? You’re looking south.

Don’t worry you’ll catch on quickly.

3. Coffee

Canadian’s love coffee. If I dare say, I think they love coffee than even Americans do. The true Canadian coffee (and donut) experience can be had at one place and one place only. That’d be Tim Horton’s. Now, I’m not saying this is the best coffee in the world, it isn’t, but if you need a break from all your sightseeing, don’t be afraid to head in to Tim’s get a Tim Bit and a double double ( two milk, two sugar) and relax a while.






4. Neighbourhoods!
Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods -- and we encourage you to explore them. The following adventure posts that you'll see here reflect some of the big ticket items to see while in town, but don't discount a good walk through the neighbourhood for a relaxing way to spend the morning.

Many many people live and make their homes downtown, a fact that makes Toronto so liveable and walkable. Check out the side streets and homes around Little Italy ( College Street between Euclid and Ossington), Trinity Bellwods Park ( sandwiched Queen West to the south and Dundas West to the north from at Bellwoods to Shaw Streets) the Annex (north of Bloor Street from Avenue Road all the way over to Bathurst) or the super cute Cabbage Town (east of Parliament between Wellesley East and Gerrard Street Wast) -- they also have a farm in Cabbage Town (a kid favourite), complete with pigs, chickens and cows, see this link for Riverdale Farm for more. Take some time and have a look at some of the neighbourhoods that people call home.