OT: Toronto, ON, Canada questions. Disney Dad Canada?

[topolino]

Or anyone else that may know.

We would like to attend an event in Toronto this summer, at Exhibition Place. I'm not even sure where that is, but I found a couple hotels nearby. One is a Howard Johnsons for $77 a night (I can only imagine what this place must be like) on Ronsesvalles Ave. It's supposedly only a couple km from Exhibition Place. Is this a good area? There is also a Hilton on Richmond St. W.

Is there ample parking near Exhibition Place? Is traffic bad from there to downtown?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

What event is it? There are a number of large events in Toronto, and depending on what you're going for, a lot of the hotels may already be booked.

Personally, I'd stay in a more downtown hotel and then take transit to the event. The exhibition is in, how should I say it politely, a "colourful" area of the city. There are parts that are renovated which are quite nice (like The Drake hotel), but half a block away there are lots of "recreational pharmacists".

Please let me know what you'll be attending, and how many people (kids/no kids) and I'll be happy to suggest some places and other things to do.

 

[YukiPhnx]

The EX is pretty much in downtown Toronto, so getting there won't be hard at all. They have a streetcar that takes you there from Union Station.

If you're expecting to find a nice but inexpensive hotel....I wouldn't bank on it. It's like trying to find a nice but under $100/night hotel in New York in the summer...it's just not very likely.

I would suggest you stay in a hotel you like somewhere downtown, then taking the transit to The EX. What's this event?

 

[topolino]

Thanks to both of you for your responses so far.

The event we'd like to attend is the Chin Picnic. As you probably know, CHIN FM 100.7 is a multi cultural radio station in Toronto that broadcasts music, news, etc., in many different languages. Here in Buffalo I can pick it up, and I tune into their Italian show (noon-7PM) almost every day.

Anyway, every July they have a festival, called the Chin Picnic, at Exhibition Place which features games, concessions, entertainment, and most importantly for us, international recording artists. This year we are excited to see Italian artist Valerio Scanu.

In Toronto, we've done the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Italian district known as Corso d'Italia, and basically that's it. Any suggestions of other interesting sites in Toronto would be welcomed!! It's just my wife and I (early 30s and late 30s) and no kids.

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

The CHIN picnic is quite the party. Bikini contest.

http://www.scotiabankchinpicnic.com/pagedisplay.aspx?i=292

Since its just the two of you, if you would like to be close to The Ex, I would highly suggest the Drake. It's not cheap, but extremely nice. A very trendy hotel with a fantastic restaurant.

http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/

For downtown, there's the Hilton, the Sheraton, the Westin Harbour Castle and the Royal York. All are great and just a ten minute streetcar ride to The Ex.

I did a quick search on priceline.com and found rooms for that weekend for around $130/night.

I would definitely NOT drive down to CHIN picnic. It's crazy busy.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Another nice hotel is the Delta Chelsea at Bay and Gerrard. It's directly across the street from the College Park subway station and a few minutes walk to the Eaton Centre.

You are probably better off taking transit to the Chin Picnic like everybody says but I actually drive to CNE and to other events on the Exhibition grounds every year so I'm a little crazy that way. If you do drive, be prepared to pay between $15-20 to park.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Sounds like a cool event!

If you or your wife like to shop, you should definitely go to the Eaton Centre. It's a huge shopping mall right in the heart of the city.

If you're at the festival on the evening of July 1st, you might even be able to catch the fireworks from the adjacent Ontario Place. It's Canada Day!

The Harbourfront Centre is also a very nice place to visit. There's always something going on.

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/summer/

 

[topolino]

The CHIN picnic is quite the party. Bikini contest.

Yes, like I said, they have all kinds of cultural events.

The Drake looks cool, but it does look like you're paying for the "trendy" factor. They have a 150 sq. ft. room called the crash pad that may do the trick for a weekend like this one.

I looked on hotels.com and found some decent deals on other hotels, including a couple that you mentioned.

 

[topolino]

Another nice hotel is the Delta Chelsea at Bay and Gerrard. It's directly across the street from the College Park subway station and a few minutes walk to the Eaton Centre.

You are probably better off taking transit to the Chin Picnic like everybody says but I actually drive to CNE and to other events on the Exhibition grounds every year so I'm a little crazy that way. If you do drive, be prepared to pay between $15-20 to park.

Is it easy to take transit to the CHIN picnic? Is there a stop right on the grounds? I'm assuming I can get some kind of weekend pass, or at least load up a few fares onto a card, is this correct?

 

[topolino]

Sounds like a cool event!

If you or your wife like to shop, you should definitely go to the Eaton Centre. It's a huge shopping mall right in the heart of the city.

If you're at the festival on the evening of July 1st, you might even be able to catch the fireworks from the adjacent Ontario Place. It's Canada Day!

The Harbourfront Centre is also a very nice place to visit. There's always something going on.

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/summer/

Sounds cool. Maybe we'll get there for Canada Day, and stay right through, missing American Independence Day!

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Is it easy to take transit to the CHIN picnic? Is there a stop right on the grounds? I'm assuming I can get some kind of weekend pass, or at least load up a few fares onto a card, is this correct?

Yes, you can buy a weekend pass. Its extremely easy to find. Staying downtown there are several streetcars that go there.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Disney Dad, the TTC doesn't have a weekend pass.

What it DOES have is the Day Pass that can be used for unlimited travel by 2 adults on Weekends and holidays, which will be all 3 days of the picnic, Andrew!

http://www3.ttc.ca/Fares_and_passes/Passes/Day_Pass/index.jsp

If you plan to stay the next week, there is also the Weekly Pass. This can only be used by one person from Monday to Sunday. This is only worth it if you'll be there the whole week after your picnic from Monday to Sunday...

http://www3.ttc.ca/Fares_and_passes/Passes/Weekly_pass.jsp

Unfortunately, we don't have a weekend pass, but we really should! Or a 7-day pass instead of the mon-sun pass we have now...