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jack and beverley's guide to toronto
Like us, we know that many of you will be traveling in from out of town. For newcomers to Toronto we thought we would put together a few things that might make your trip more fun.
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We are excited to have our family and friends gather together for our wedding and we look forward to seeing everyone in Toronto this October.
Toronto - Canada's business capital and largest city - is a clean, safe and vibrant metropolis -- with a population of more than 4.5 million. A center for Anglo-Canadian culture, it's also one of the great ethnic melting pots of the world, where the traveler has the world for the cost of a subway token and the most authentic cuisine dangling from the edge of every fork.
Our wedding and reception is in Yorkville, a neighborhood just north of Toronto's financial district. Once Toronto's smaller version of Greenwich Village or Haight-Ashbury, the old counterculture bastion of Yorkville has become the city's trés chic shopping and gallery district. Hip restaurants, nightspots and outdoor cafes feature, with a passing parade of Jaguars, Bentleys and classic convertibles to lift the general tone of things. The busiest streets are Yorkville Ave, Cumberland St and Hazelton Ave.
We will be posting detailed maps and directions in the near future once we finalize our venues and timing. For now, have a look at this map of Yorkville, the Toronto neighborhood where we will be tying the knot and also the current weather in Toronto. Also, lick this link for the current US Dollar to CDN Dollar exchange rate.
For those of you who are flying into Toronto's Pearson International Airport (Airport Code: YYZ) check out hotwire.com or orbitz.com for low priced flights to Toronto. We recommend that you don't get a rental car as the subway system -- the Toronto Transit System (TTC) at $2 CDN a ride, or $7 CDN for an all-day pass is cheap and extensive. Taxis are also widely available. Taxis from the airport to the hotel are fixed at $40 CDN. Cheaper transfer options are also available such as Airport Express.
If you are driving in, check out our Recommended Hotels page for more details on parking and directions to the hotel.
Here are a few ideas to get your trip planning started...
Sightseeing
The CN Tower - at 533m (1748ft) is the tallest building in the world - and has become a symbol and landmark of Toronto. There is an observation deck on the tower with commanding views of Toronto and its environs.
Toronto Zoo - 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
Eaton Centre - Even if you have no desire to shop, you may want to have a look around this six million square foot glass-roofed arcade. Located between Dundas and Queen on Yonge Street, it is as exquisite as it is vast. With five levels and over 320 stores and restaurants, you will need some time to fully make your way through this monument to consumerism.
Hockey Hall of Fame - for the hockey fans in the group, you know you are...(Ian) The Hall of Fame features a multitude of interactive displays, like the Impact Zone where you can suit up and play goalie against video images of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. Purists, however, will want to ascend to the Great Hall on the second level, where players from Dan Bain (inducted 1945) to Wayne Gretzky (1999) are enshrined. You can even have your picture taken with your arms wrapped around the magnificent Stanley Cup. 'Leafer fans should check out this link.
Museums
There are several museums in Yorkville that are worth a visit. The Royal Ontario Museum (a.k.a. the ROM) is Canada's largest museum having amassed more than 6 million items. What makes the ROM unique is that science, art, and archaeology exhibits are all under one roof. Its Chinese temple sculptures and Gallery of Korean Art are some of the best in the world. For quirky pop culture value, try the Bata Shoe Museum - shaped to resemble a stylized lidded shoebox - on for size. Among the 10,000 "sole"-stirring exhibits are 19th-century chestnut-crushing clogs from France, four-million-year-old footprints and the offcasts of such luminaries as Elton John, Indira Gandhi and Pablo Picasso. You can also check out the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art for its excellent history of ceramics.
Outside of Yorkville, you may want to have a look at the Art Gallery of Toronto. The AGO (as it's known) is among North America's top 10 art museums. It has the largest public collection of Henry Moore sculpture in the world, major works by Canadian artists, and works by Rembrandt, Hals, Van Dyck, Hogarth, Reynolds, Chardin, Renoir, Degas, Rodin, Matisse, Picasso, de Kooning, Rothko, Oldenburg, and others.
Performance Art
Toronto is also the second-largest live-theater venue on the continent (after New York) and has a vibrant arts scene -- check out Toronto Life's arts calendar for upcoming events.
For fellow opera buffs, the Canadian Opera Company will be staging a performance of our favorite Puccini opera, Tosca, at 7pm on Thursday and 2pm on Sunday. Scarpia's aria in the second act is not to be missed...
Shopping
Yorkville is a shopper's nirvana with lots of boutiques -- the good retail streets include W. Bloor St., and Yorkville St.. For our guests from the States, be sure to save your receipts so you can get a refund of the Canadian sales tax on your return home. In addition, US residents get a duty free exemption of $800 per person.
Spas (Beverley's section...)
A couple of Spa's in Yorkville that may be of interest include, the Stillwater Spa at the Park Hyatt and the Spa at the Windsor Arms.
We hope to post some favorites here soon. In the meantime, Check out Zagat's or Chowhound.com for restaurant tips.
Here are a bunch of interesting sites that may be helpful in planning your trip:
For those of you planning a long weekend in Toronto check out United Airlines' Three Perfect Days in Toronto or Fodor's Best in 3 Days Itinerary for more ideas.
Doring Kindersley, our favorite publisher of travel guidebooks has good coverage of Toronto in its Eyewitness Guide to Canada. Check it out at Amazon.com.
Toronto Life Magazine and Toronto.com both excellent coverage of restaurants, activities and events.
Culturefinder.comoffers extensive links to Toronto arts groups for those who would like to squeeze in a play or a concert.
Finally, other online guidebooks such as Fodors, Lonely Planet, and Yahoo! Travel offer even more travel tips.