Attractions in Toronto
Queen's Park:
Queen's Park Circle, between College St. and Bloor St. W.
Many visitors consider this to be the heart and soul of Toronto. Surrounding the large oval-shape patch of land are medical facilities to the south, the University of Toronto to the west and east, and the Royal Ontario Museum to the north. To most Torontonians, Queen's Park is synonymous with politics, as the Ontario Legislative Building sits in the middle of this urban oasis.
Royal Bank Building and Plaza:
Northwest corner of Bay and Front Sts.
The exterior of this 1976 building, designed by Torontonian Boris Zerafa, is coated with 2,500 ounces of gold. The surface creates reflections of sky, clouds, and other buildings. Enter the 120-ft-high banking hall and admire the lovely hanging sculpture by Jesús Raphaél Soto. The building is stunning at sunset.
Royal Ontario Museum:
100 Queen's Park,
416/542-1492.
free Fri. after 4:30 and Sat.-Thurs. 1 hr before closing.
At other times, admission is charged.
Mon.-Sat. 10-6, Fri. 10-9:30, Sun. 11-6.
Canada's largest museum has amassed more than 6 million items. What makes the ROM unique is that science, art, and archaeology exhibits are all under one roof. The museum has marvelous Asian items, including 200 works of fine art and objects from Korea. There are also exhibits on science and biodiversity, and an extensive dinosaur collection. Other exhibits include Canadian, Chinese and Roman art and artifacts, musical instruments, ancient Egypt, and a Bat Cave with 4,000 freeze-dried and artificial bats.
George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art:
111 Queen's Park
416/586-8080
Mon. and Wed.-Fri. 10-6 Tues. 10-8; Sat 10-5; Sun. 11-5
Admission charged.
This one of a kind collection includes 17th century English Delftware, and 18th century yellow European porcelain. The pre-Colombian collection dates back to Olmec and Mayan times.
Skydome:
Tour entrance: Front and John Sts., between Gates 1 and 2, northeast corner of SkyDome,
416/341-2770 for tours; 416/341-3663 for events and shows; 416/341-1000 for Blue Jays games.
Admission charged.
Tours daily; call ahead for times.
The home of baseball's Blue Jays was the world's first stadium with a fully retractable roof. One way to see the huge 52,000-seat stadium is to buy tickets for a Blue Jays game or one of the many other events that take place here. These may include cricket matches, Wrestlemania, monster truck races, family ice shows, rock concerts, or even the opera Aïda. You can also take a one-hour guided walking tour -- except when daytime events are scheduled.
Spadina:
285 Spadina Rd.
416/392-6910
Admission charged.
Jan.-Mar., weekends noon-5; Apr.-Dec weekdays noon-4, weekends and holidays noon-5.
The 50-room house has been restored with period wallpaper, upholstery, and furniture, and crystal chandeliers burn softly with natural gas. This 1866 house is filled with arts and artifacts of the James Austin family, prominent in the natural gas, railroad, and banking businesses. Members of the family lived here from Victorian times until 1982, when it was turned over to public ownership.. Docents tend the magnificent gardens and the small orchard; they make jam in summer and bread in winter and give guided tours.
St. James Cathedral:
416/364-7865
Northeast corner of Church and King Sts
This Anglican Church with Gothic spires has the tallest steeple in Canada. Its illuminated spire clock once guided ships into the harbor. A new peal of 12 bells was recently installed. There's a concert most Sundays, a half-hour before the 11 AM service.
Toronto Islands:
These tree-lined islands include 550 acres of parkland. The boardwalk from Centre to Ward's Island is 11/2 mi. long. No cars are permitted. Consider renting a bike (walk south from the Centre Island ferry docks to Avenue of the Islands) and work your way across the islands. 416/234-2345 in winter; 416/203-0405 in summer; 416/392-8195 for island information; 416/392-8193; 416/392-8186 for ferry information. Centre Island amusement park; Ward's and Hanlan's are places to picnic, sunbathe, and read under a tree. Ferries at foot of Bay St. and Queen's Quay, 416/234-2345 in winter; 416/203-0405 in summer; 416/392-8195 for island information; 416/392-8193; 416/392-8186 for ferry information.
Toronto Zoo:
Meadowvale Rd. north of Hwy. 401
30-min drive from downtown, or take Bus 86A from Kennedy subway station,
416/392-5900
Parking free Nov.-Feb.
Hours: Summer 9-7:30; winter 9:30-4:30.
This 710-acre zoo houses mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish in their natural habitats. There are also botanical exhibits, pony and camel rides, a walking safari, and a reproduction of "big-game" country with rare animals.
Hockey Hall of Fame:
30 Yonge St. BCE Place, Toronto
(416) 360-7765
The Hockey Hall of Fame houses artifacts and multimedia exhibits honoring the sport's legends.
Art Gallery of Ontario:
317 Dundas St. W. Location: between McCaul and Beverley sts.
416/977-0414
Tues and Thurs-Fri 11am-6pm, Wed 11am-8:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5:30pm.
Grange House Tues-Sun noon-4pm, Wed noon-9pm Seasonal Info: Closed Jan 1, Dec 25 Subway: St. Patrick
Donation requested.
The exterior gives no hint of the light and openness inside this beautifully designed gallery. The space is dramatic, and the paintings imaginatively displayed. Throughout, audiovisual presentations and interactive computer presentations provide information on particular paintings or schools of painters. There is an extensive collection of Inuit art. The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre, with more than 800 pieces (original plasters, bronzes, maquettes, woodcuts, lithographs, etchings, and drawings), is the largest public collection of his works. The European collection ranges from the 14th century to the French impressionists and beyond. Behind the gallery, connected by an arcade, stands the Grange (1817), Toronto's oldest surviving brick house, which was the gallery's first permanent space. Entrance is free with admission to the art gallery.