City Breaks - Toronto, How many days ?

I had a week in Toronto back in 2006 and if I'm honest it was slightly too long, reckon the ideal break would be 4 full days (5 nights) to give you a chance to see everything.

Not necessarily in this order but this is how i would split my days :-

1. Niagara Falls - Absolute must and its a full day trip which I've reported on elsewhere in this Blog.

2. Toronto Island -
If like me you like walking its a great place to visit, there is a foot ferry you can catch that goes to three points, each end of the island and one to the middle where there is a cafe and other facilities.

I remember catching the ferry to one end and spending the morning walking to the middle point where i had lunch. In the afternoon walked to the other end to catch a ferry back to the city.
Its beautiful park land and you get some tremendous views of the City skyline.
A few people live on the island and there is a school if I remember correctly.

























3. CN Tower and Waterfront - A visit to Toronto wouldn't be right without going up to North Americas highest observation platform for some cracking views of the city.

Obviously this isn't a full day activity so on the same day you could have a nice stroll along the waterfront.

Would also tie it in with a walk around the shops (Eaton Centre) and a visit to Yonge street.

Also nearby is Nathan Phillips Square.






















4. High Park - There is a lovely park in Toronto, not massive like Central Park in NY or Lincoln Park in Chicago or Forest Park in St Louis but it is very well kept and well worth a visit for some cracking views.

If it doesn't fill a full day maybe vist some of the more interesting neighbourhoods such as China Town.

As for nightlife I remember a cracking little pub near my hotel on Jarvis Street called The Red Lion, did go downtown to catch some live music a couple of times but nothing really that i can really remember so cant have been that good.

So thats Toronto.

My Stories - Tales from Toronto

Here are some short stories from my trip to Toronto back in 2006 :-

Story One - Watch Who you sit with
One night i had been out for a meal and on the way back decided to have a pint in a pub around the corner from my hotel. Went in and sat at that bar and got talking to another chap at the side of me, like me he was from out of town and he was friendly a genuine nice guy.

A young lady came into bar and must admit to been slightly disapointed when she sat on the stool next to the other bloke and not the empty one at the side of me.

She joined in with our conversation and we were all three just having a laugh.
After about 20 minutes the doors opened and another bloke came straight over to where we were sat and accused the other bloke of chatting up his girl friend. He was obviously drunk was shouting and the girl tried to calm him.

However he flipped and threw a punch at the other chap (no real damage) before the bouncers pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.

Police were called and he was escorted out of the premises.
Just think it could have been me she sat next to and me that got punched for my trouble.

Story Two - Beggars Belief
Toronto like many cities has its fair share of street beggars but all isn't always what it seems.

One night I had gone out looking for somewhere to eat at about 7pm, I spotted a Small Bar/Grill that looked ok so went in. I sat at the Bar as the chap next to me was just getting up, I noticed him because he didn't look right. He was wearing a oldish out of fasion jacket that was too small and his trousers were at half mast (far too short).

Anyway he paid his Bill with a credit card and actually turned to me and said goodnight, I didn't think anymore about it apart from "he was a bit scruffy".

Later that evening I was walking down Queen street near the main square and youv'e probably guessed it this man was sat on the pavement begging everyone that passed for money. I was totally disgusted he was obviously a con man.

This reminds me of a night out I had in York last year a few of us passed a young girl begging for money in a doorway outside a trendy wine bar. She was sat on a blanket and had a little puppy with her.

I remember while in the bar actually feeling sorry for this girl, I thought to myself I'll give her a couple of quid on my way out. However when we left the girl wasn't there, a young man was in her place and surprising he was on the same blanket with the same puppy. Must work shifts.

Some people will lower themselves to any level to con us out of our money, this really irritates me.

Story Three - Like finding Gold
I've always been a bit of a music fan and bac in about 1980 I often went to watch groups and saw a act called "The Photo's" who were from Evesham I believe.

Anyway I bought their album and actually really liked it, the group never made it big because they broke up but where tipped for the top and their music was likened to Blondie.

Trouble is the albm was a vinyl and as my turntable had long gone I decided if ever i saw the CD I would buy it.

After years of searching record shops (actually like doing that) I found the CD in Sams records a independant store on Yonge Streetin Toronto, came home happy i'll tell you.

Niagara Falls - Day out not to be missed

One of the most awesome sights I've seen on my travels was while I was on a City break in Toronto in 2006 and booked myself on a day trip to Niagara Falls. It wasn't the greatest start to the day though, it was one of them tours that pick up at various hotels and they give you  time when you book, my ticket said pick up at my hotel at 8.50am.

The trip started badly, I'd finished breakfast just after 8-30am so went back to my room to collect my camera and things required and got to the hotel lobby 5 mins before my pick up time.

I mentioned to the receptionist to give me a shout when the bus arrives. She looked at me in amazement and said it left 10 minutes earlier so I showed her my ticket.

The hotel phoned the tour company for me who then got hold of the driver, apparently he had arrived early counted the passengers on the bus, decided everyone was there and set off without checking names. In reality a women that was booked on a completely different tour thought it was her bus and got on so his numbers matched.

They had to come back for me and drop the lady off, the rest of the passengers looked really chuffed about it. In fact despite it not been my fault I still felt embarresed and so just kept quiet on the journey.

Eventually a nice Irish couple spoke to me and we got on well, later in the holiday they met up for a few drinks, but thats another story.

It eally turned out to be a good trip and the falls are quite amazing, especially they Canadian horshoe falls. It just demonstrates the raw power of nature. The American falls are actually eroding and quite an alarming rate.

Part of the trip was an included lunch at the penthouse restaurant in the Sheraton Hotel overlooking the falls. It was a fantastic view of the falls.

We also got to ride the "Maid of the Mist" boat right to the foot of the falls (with plastic mac provided), another great experience.

Afterwards we went to Niagara on the Lake which is a beutiful little town with buildings well over 100 years old, lots of British influence in the area which of course of interest to me.

It was a nine hour round trip but well worth the long day.

Great day out and anyone in Toronto I'd recommend this as an absolute "must do".