NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE
C
CN TOWER
anada in the dead of winter
at night with illumination of the rink’s
5. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME
doesn’t sound smart, but
arches, the city’s official Christmas tree,
Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge St.,
our family’s desire for a hol-
3D “Toronto” sign and Old City Hall in
iday getaway saw nine of us
Entertainment District
the background.
on Air Canada’s 2½-hour, nonstop flight from Omaha to Toronto last December. Though smaller than New York City, Toronto has a similar vibe with its soaring skyscrapers, hip neighborhoods, cool attractions and excellent public transportation. Our five-day itinerary concentrated on the city core. Here are our 12 favorite discoveries.
1. CN TOWER 301 Front St. West, Entertainment District Toronto smartly clusters three significant attractions in one tidy pedestrian plaza: the soaring CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and the small-but-engaging Toronto Railway Museum. We got our bearings from the top of the CN Tower, the city’s iconic symbol. The 360-degree view of the harbor and downtown was worth the $38 adult admission. For a hair-raising thrill and a fee, check out the
3. ST. LAWRENCE MARKET 93 Front St. East, Old Town Named No. 1 Food Market in the
100 Queen St. West
interactive. Go one-on-one against lifesize, animated versions of Hall of Fame goalies and shooters, view hockey flicks
butter tarts, maple candy, Montreal-style
and clips, and learn about legends of the
bagels, fresh-roasted coffee, sweet and
game and their gear. Admission: $20
savory crepes and Toronto’s signature peameal bacon sandwich. Aisle after aisle of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and poultry. The red brick emporium sits in Old Town, birthplace of Toronto. Also here: The Gooderham Flatiron Building, St. James Park with its doggie fountain, and a multicultural mash-up of restaurants, bistros, pubs and boutiques. In the vicinity: Mill Street Beer Hall in the Historic Distillery District. Victorian industrial architecture and cobblestone streets make this the perfect spot for the German-inspired Toronto Christmas Market, Nov. 14 to Dec. 22.
4. HARBOURFRONT CENTRE 235 Queens Quay West, on the waterfront
2. NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE
home of the Stanley Cup, is highly
World by National Geographic. Sample
EdgeWalk. Nearby: an “eggcellent” breakfast spot: Evviva, 25 Lower Simcoe St.
My brother’s party of seven raved about the experience. The museum,
Toronto sits on the shore of Lake Ontario, so a walk along the waterfront
Toronto’s answer to NYC’s Rockefeller
was a must. We made a delightful stop
Center. The square is a celebrated attrac-
for ice skating at Natrel Rink. I begged
tion year-round, with a reflecting pool
off, not wanting to embarrass myself,
in summer and a skating rink in winter.
but reconsidered and skated for the first
The holiday scene is especially magical
time in years — without falling down!
6. THE BATA SHOE MUSEUM 327 Bloor St. West, downtown A museum devoted to the history of footwear. Who knew? We lucked into “Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes.” Fashionistas will want (and need) more than an hour here. Steps away: BloorYorkville for upscale shopping. Nearby, giant ceramic heads by Omaha-based artist Jun Kaneko: One guards the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art; two welcome you to the posh Bisha Hotel.
7. ROL SAN 323 Spadina Ave., Chinatown Chinatown is everything you’d expect: Asian grocery stores, contemporary fusion restaurants and sidewalk vendors. We enjoyed a gargantuan meal at Rol San, a classic on the dim sum scene. The flavors were divine. A place packed with locals always is a good sign!
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