Toronto is back and the welcome mat is out for all! All COVID border restrictions are long gone. Thanks to a most favorable exchange rate for American visitors, a weekend in this world class city is very doable.
There are new family-friendly attractions, as well as the old favorites, that beckon all ages. If there are hockey, Disney, Harry Potter or sea creature fans, there are not-to-be missed attractions designed for their interests.
Stepping out of the majestic Union Station I found myself looking up for a glimpse of the iconic CN Tower — my first close-up sighting in more than three years. It had been the longest absence from Toronto in my adult life and I was so happy to be back.
Since its completion in 1975 and its public opening on June 26, 1976, the CN Tower has defined Toronto’s skyline. The telecommunications tower is Canada’s most recognizable and celebrated icon at 1,815 feet, five inches. It is impossible to miss and, if the weather is reasonably clear, a trip to the top is a must-see adventure. Though it is no longer the world’s tallest freestanding structure, it remains the tallest in North America.
Our 58-second ride in the glass-floor-paneled elevator was quite exciting. The destination was the Glass Floor with a view 1,122 feet straight down. Visitors are invited to walk, jump, or crawl on the floor that is designed to hold the weight of 35 moose or more than three orcas. Step outside to the Outdoor Sky Terrace.
Armed with a separate ticket, there is a different elevator that takes visitors 33 stories higher to the SkyPod. Learn about what happens when the tower is struck by lightning and see how the tower moves in the wind. It gets struck by lightning an average of 75 times per year. Under ideal conditions, the mist of Niagara Falls, 100 miles away, can be seen.
Hungry? The tower offers good choices: Le Café on the ground floor with baked goods and sandwiches and pizza; Vue Bistros on the Main Observation Level offers Canadian food and drinks including poutine; and the 360 Restaurant offers fine dining, admission to the tower viewing levels, and a full revolution every 72 minutes. A children’s menu is available.
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Back on ground level a visit to neighboring Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada has become a favorite stop.
Ripley’s is Canada’s largest indoor aquarium. It showcases more than 20,000 marine animals and features the biggest shark collection in North America, one of the world’s most extensive jelly fish exhibits, 75-year-old giant lobsters, sting ray and bamboo shark touch pools, and daily live dive shows.
The regular dive shows demonstrate rays eating from the hands of a diver as an aquarium staffer provides background and tips about the life and habits of the creatures. Up on the surface, there is a ray touch pool.
Learn about the ecosystems of the Great Lakes and surrounding seas at Canadian Waters. Begin your journey through the aquarium by learning what life is like for the underwater creatures living in Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes.
The Dangerous Lagoon is a popular and awe-inspiring exhibit for family visitors. Basically, there is a football-length glass-viewing tunnel with a moving glide path through sharks, green sea turtles, sawfish, and moray eels. Overhead there are sharks; look left, more sharks; and to the right sharks again, as well as turtles, fish, and moray eels.
There is even a Shark Reef crawl tunnel where kids can crawl into the reef and experience the sensation of being in the middle of a gigantic fish and shark tank. Once inside the tunnel, few crawlers wanted to come out. This is the place to take a shark selfie.
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Toronto is very much a city of neighborhoods. The centerpiece of nearby Old Town is the St. Lawrence Market, about six blocks from Union Station on Front Street. Ontario farmers have been selling produce at this spot since 1803. Today’s version was named the world’s top food market by National Geographic.
Cheeses, meats, fish, baked goods, spices, delis, flowers, and boutiques fill the expansive market. Often musicians entertain visitors. It is a good place for an inexpensive breakfast or lunch or to pick up supplies for a picnic. A longtime market favorite is the peameal bacon sandwich from Carousel Bakery that drew rave reviews from the late culinary celebrity Anthony Bourdain.
Mustard lovers make sure to stop at Kozlik’s Mustard stand — samples are available. The family has been hand making the mustard since 1948 and it is recognized as one of the world’s best. Did you know Canada grows 90% of the world’s mustard? It is also home to the world’s oldest and biggest mustard mill.
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Across from Union Station is the Hockey Hall of Fame on Front Street. It is housed in the majestic 1885 Bank of Montreal building. This is a Mecca for hockey lovers everywhere. You can attempt to stop Wayne Gretzky’s winning shot in virtual reality or have your photo taken with hockey’s biggest prize — the Stanley Cup. The sport’s original Stanley Cup is housed in one of the bank vaults.
Interested in a career in sports reporting? Try out the broadcast booth where you can get a taste of reporting on a game. Young hockey fans were clearly enjoying wielding a hockey stick and hitting the puck or blocking goals. There are also a multitude of interactive multimedia exhibits and hockey memorabilia.
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If you see a bunch of princesses, mermaids and even a few Simbas walking into the nearby Toronto Star building at One Yonge Street, don’t be surprised. They are all there for Disney Animation: Immersive Experience, an innovative celebration that takes visitors inside the greatest films of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Though costumes are not required, they were very popular, especially among the younger guests.
It was a magical time. The costumed children especially were fully into the experience of stepping into Disney’s earliest features to today’s beloved movie hits. First, you will get a look at how movies and characters are brought to life. If you are inspired, you can even grab a pencil and paper and let your imagination flow. Take a photo with Frozen’s Elsa and Anna.
Then you are in a room with more than 50 projectors that work together to create the images shown on the walls and ceiling. Guests with bracelets light up in sync with the music and we are all in another world. The experience appeals to all ages — children are dancing, parents are singing along, and everyone seems to be moving. Suddenly bubbles fill the room, and the floor is interactive.
The highlight of our weekend was surely the incredible, spellbinding theater production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the more than century old CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre. Even though I am not into the world of Harry Potter, it was surely the most amazing live theater production I have ever seen. To say this is a spectacular is an understatement.
It was also the longest at three and a half hours, including intermission. It is not recommended for children under eight, but the sold-out crowd was filled with families including their very excited children.
This is the largest play ever performed in Canada with more than 35 performers along with the incredible crew. What stands out are the “out of this world” special effects. “How did they do that?” was my constant thought.
Wizards transform into other wizards in plain view. Bodies fly through the air. Non-human creatures appear. It is a truly magical performance. The cold fog and smoke actually felt cold and the scenes with fire felt warm. The show is packed with tricks, effects, and stunts that transport the audience to another world. It will dazzle your senses.
Toronto has been rated the most ethnically diverse city in the world and it is demonstrated in its food scene. We dined at the Paramount Middle Eastern Kitchen, almost next door to the theater and it was the perfect choice. The food and service were great at most reasonable prices. It lives up to its name: paramount quality, service, and dining experience.
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While Toronto has a wide array of hotels, it is hard to top the Chelsea Hotel for its many programs and attractions designed for kids and families. The fun begins at the reception desk with special check-in for children, complete with presents for young guests. There are some extra promotions, family packages, and attractions this month during Ontario Spring Break Week. Other promotions are available year-round.
A highlight of the hotel is the second floor Family Fun Zone. It features a family pool with a corkscrew waterslide that goes outside the hotel, a Kid Centre and Teen Lounge. The supervised Kid Centre offers a variety of educational and artistic activities and even some real bunnies. Children three and over who are toilet trained can be supervised for two hours for $20 per child (Canadian) — perfect if parents want to enjoy a dinner for two. On Fridays and Saturdays, the center is open until 10 pm.
The top floor features an adult only pool, hot tub and exercise machines.
Travel Tip of the Month: For information on Toronto visit destinationtoronto.com. At press time $1 U.S. equals $1.33 Canadian.
For Chelsea Hotel visit chelseatoronto.com or call 1-800-CHELSEA. The hotel is also dog friendly.
For Harry Potter and the Cursed Child visit mirvish.com. For the Disney show visit lighthouseimmersive.com.
For unlimited travel, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) offers a day pass on weekends and holidays. The cost is $11 (About $8.25 U.S.) for two adults and up to four children.
An alternative to driving to downtown Toronto and risking high traffic and high parking fees is to drive on the QEW to just over the Burlington Skyway. Get off and go to the Go Train station and parking. The parking is free and children 12 and under are free for the 50-minute trip to downtown Toronto.
Trains travel every 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at a machine in the station or online before the trip. There are also lower cost Weekend Pass tickets (online only). It was relaxing and cheaper than driving and parking in the city. Walking out of Union Station there was a line of taxis.
Deborah Williams lives in Holland, NY and is a veteran travel writer whose work has appeared in national and international publications. She is the recipient of the Society of American Travel Writers’ Lowell Thomas Gold Travel Writing Award.