Help needed for 1st time visit to Toronto

[TracyK]

I am flying to Orlando with Air Canada. This involves an overnight stop in Toronto. I will only have an afternoon and evening to spare as I am flying out the following morning. I am staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in Yonge Street.
Toronto looks so beautiful and has so many wonderful visitor attractions. I would like to visit the harbour front with maybe a trip on the ferry to one of the islands. I would also like to go up the CN Tower and maybe have dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe at the Sky Dome. I need help with planning my itinerary. What is the best way to get about? Can I buy a 1 day travelcard? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I only wish I had more time to spare.
Thanks

 

[linda bignell]

Dear TracyK

Toronto is a very big place. The Island is positively beautiful, but , just to see a very small prtion of it, will take you at least 3 to 4 hours. The CN Tower is nice, but that will take some time as well. If you like museums or art galleries, you can kiss off another 4 to 6 hours. Then there is the new Air Canada Centre.
If it were me, I would walk along Young Street and take in the many sights along there. Visit the Eaton Centre, and maybe hop over to City Hall. There is usually something interesting happening there at any given time.
What ever you decide to do, I hope you have a good time.

Welcome to Toronto!

Linda Bignell

 

[Jo-Anne]

TracyK, not sure what time of the year you are coming, but certainly, if there is not snow on the ground, it will be easy to get around with the subway and buses. I'm pretty sure the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) has one day passes that allow you to get on and off for one set price. The Skydome/HardRock Cafe and CN Tower are very close together, and the Harbour Front is a short walk south of these attaractions. The Ferry ride to the Island is short, but depending on time of the year, may run sporadically. If you're not coming in the summer, it's probably not worth a jaunt over to the island, IMHO. If it were me, I'd be spending my UK pounds at the Toronto Eatons Center on Yonge Street! Your Pound will go further in Canada than in US (there is a Disney Store in this Mall!)! The Eatons Center is a huge shopping Mall at Yonge and Queen/Dundas Streets. Also lots of CD/Music Stores and restaurants from the bottom of Yonge Street (HarbourFront area), right up to the Eatons Center. A personal favourite is at Yonge and King St..Marche/Movenpick. Enjoy! Jo

 

[TracyK]

Thanks for the replies. We're coming in August and we only have about 8 or 9 hours to spare. Any more suggestions would be very welcome. Much as I love the idea of shopping I will be with my DS age 11 and I want to make it fun for him.
Thanks

 

[CindyAnn]

Hi TracyK! There is an all day pass available for the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) subways and buses, which can be purchased at any subway station, and possibly elsewhere??. The cost is around $7 per person, but on Sundays it's only $7 per family (up to 6 people, I think).

I checked out their website and it LOOKS as though the hotel you'll be staying at (if it's the 475 Yonge Street location) is very close to the Dundas subway stop. That means it's a quick trip south (3 subway stops) to Union Station where you can transfer directly to a special RT to the Harbourfront area. You exit the RT right across the street from the ferry docks, in fact.

I would just warn you that the Centreville area on Centre Island has very tame midway rides (think Dumbo clones) which your son has probably outgrown. Some of our British acquaintances have been disappointed when they've seen the lakefront area in Toronto. In general they were thinking "Lake District" and it's a very different feeling - just trying to prepare you.

Union Station is also one of the two subway stations you would exit at to walk to the CN tower and Skydome, which are side by side and a good 10 minutes on foot. It sounds as if you're very well situated to see all of these attractions, but might run out of time.

If you can provide an exact date, we could check for you to see whether the Blue Jays baseball team is playing a home game that evening, which would probably make the Hard Rock Cafe fun for your son. If they aren't playing then, maybe you could give the Hard Rock Cafe a miss and have dinner in the revolving restaurant at the CN tower, which offers spectacular views of the city and a bill to match!

Here's the link to the CN tower website.

Good luck planning, Tracy. Please keep asking any questions that would help to make your short stay even better!

 

[Limmer]

Your son might also enjoy the Hockey Hall of Fame which is right by Union Station (a block or two away).

 

[SandraC]

With such a short amount of time, you might want to just pick one thing and leisurely take it in!

If the weather is nice, the CN TOWER is a very nice choice plus you can dine at the HRC.

The Island is beautiful 8 - 9 hours would do it!

 

[TracyK]

Thanks so much for all your wonderful replies.
Cindy Ann, we're coming on 14 August. You wouldn't happen to know if there is an airport shuttle that goes downtown.

 

[tori]

Just to add to the options, we have a 14 year old boy and a 10 year old girl. A day in Toronto for them would be the C.N. tower, with the ride to the top as well as the stuff within the building on the ground, and then dinner at Planet Hollywood - practically beside the C.N. tower. They prefer it over Hard Rock, which seems to be a goal for older teens. If your son is the sporty type they have tours of the dome if a game is not on. My kids would otherwise want to go to the Toronto Science Centre, which is a subway and bus ride, and would want to stay there all day. The trip to Centre Island is too much effort for little return when you have such a short time here. Somewhere in there walk up Yonge Street for the flavor of it all.

Have a great time! Tori

 

[CindyAnn]

Hi TracyK. I called the Toronto Courtyard by Marriott at 475 Yonge Street (hope this is the right one!). They don't have a shuttle running directly from the airport to their hotel, but suggested some options.

1) You can take an limo directly to the hotel for a $35 flat rate. (it should hold a group of up to 4 people)

2) You can take an Airport Express bus, which runs to several of the large downtown hotels. It doesn't go directly to the Marriott, but you can get off at the nearby Delta Chelsea and take a small shuttle from there. Since it's $17.50 per person in any case, it doesn't sound like a very convenient option.

3) I know there has always been an airport shuttle which runs to Yorkmills subway station. If you get off there, it's a straight run south to your hotel (again, if it's the one at 475 Yonge Street) along the Yonge line. You're going to have to cart more luggage around with this option, though, and I'm not sure of the cost.

On Tuesday, August 14th, the Blue Jays will be playing a home game against Oakland, beginning at 7:05 p.m. at the Sky Dome. I'm not sure if that helps with your planning or not.

I have to agree that while I love Centre Island, and my family always visits once or twice a year, it's not what I'd choose to do in an afternoon in Toronto with an 11 year old. The CN tower is probably much more popular with visitors.

Don't hesitate to ask more questions, Tracy.

 

[TracyK]

Thank you all so much. Cindy Ann, I really appreciate all the info you provided.
I have decided we'll do the CN Tower. I hope we get a clear day. We'll also go to the Sky Dome and just generally sight see around the harbour front. I only wish we had more time to spend. Thanks again.