Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 5: Yorkville and the University of Toronto

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto!

The last of an ongoing series of ideas for how to spend your time in the city.

Post 5: Yorkville and the University of Toronto

Part One: Yorkville
Yorkville, a neighborhood that once was the epicenter of the hippie and folk music scene in Toronto in the 60’s and a hang out of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young in their early days, has transformed into one of Toronto’s most upper crust neighbourhoods. Where there were flower children and free love are now fancy boutiques, expensive sandwiches and Toronto’s first five-star hotel.

Staring at Bloor and Yonge, walk west on Bloor towards the grand bright pink flags of Holt Renfrew, Canada’s version of Sack’s Fifth Avenue. Pop in to look at all the pretty clothes and if you do make a purchase you’ll get a super cute pink bag – great for showing off your designer lunch at work the next week!

Keep heading west and cross Bay Street, hanging a right onto Bellair Street. This will take you to Cumberland Street and Yorkville Park one of the best examples of a truly urban park in Toronto. Walk through the park and don’t miss out on climbing the piece of the Canadian Shield that was brought in as part of this installation. If you are hungry try Dimmi’s for great pizza and salad at a good price (just north across from the rock at 140 Cumberland Street) or Montreal Bagel Company (on the other, south side of the rock M-Sun 8-8) in the for a tasty (yet over priced) sandwich and coffee.

Part Two: U of T
Once you’ve had enough people watching, head back down to Bloor Street west towards the new Crystal addition (you won’t be able to miss it – huge, abstract, shinning mass of a thing) at the Royal Ontario Museum. Just west of the Crystal you’ll find a path called Philosopher’s Walk, an off the grid way to meander down into the University.

Philosopher’s walk will place you down on Hoskin Street, next to Trinity College. Hang a right and then a left towards the clock tower and open field at Hart House and walk through toward Kings College Circle. Appreciate a great view of the CN tower from here and classic architecture of the old part of the U of T campus. If you ever wanted to feel like you went to school at Hogwarts, this is the place to do it!

Find you way back north onto St. George Street and continue walking north, passing Sid Smith Hall (home of the Planning and Geography Department) and Robart’s Library –also know as Fort Book. Rest your legs and recharge with a coffee from L’ Espresso on the south east corner of Bloor and St George (at 321 Bloor Street West).

* If you are starting out early in the morning, reverse this adventure and do the U of T walk first and move on to Yorkville later in the day.

* Combine this adventure with Kensington/ Chinatown by continuing south and west to College and Spadina once you have reached Kings College Circle instead of heading back north to Bloor.