#toronto island ferry

[uglyandtraveling]

Urdu Vlog | Toronto Islands Tour | Ferry from Toronto Downtown to Ward's Island

The Toronto Islands are a group of 15 small islands located in Lake Ontario, just south of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They're a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike, offering a range of activities and attractions. To reach the islands, you'll need to hop on a ferry from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

Once you arrive, you can enjoy biking around the island, visiting an amusement park, relaxing on the beach, trying delicious food, capturing stunning views of the Toronto skyline, exploring beautiful gardens, and even tying the knot!

Ferries operate year-round, shuttling visitors to and from Centre Island, Hanlan's Point, and Ward's Island. The ferry ride duration is around 8-9 minutes from Toronto Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

Not CTV News tracking Taylor’s motorcade asdfghjkl

[kaaaaaaarf]

hey karf! my gf is turning 30 next month and we’re going to toronto to celebrate and see the leafs play! i’m wondering if you have any recs for the city, be it your fav food/coffee spots, nature things, things to see/do. already planning a visit to the ROM per the dino boys :)

Hi Anon!! ✨That sounds so fun!! I hope you enjoy the leafs game, and I'm so glad you're going to the ROM!! 🌿🦕

I really recommend hitting up Kensington Market. It's outdoors and there are a lot of cool vintage shops and food places! If you go, you have to go to FIKA cafe. They make these amazing cardamum lattes and cardamum buns.

People really like going to St. Lawrence Market as well—it's indoors and if you go, you need to get a peameal bacon (also known as Canadian bacon) sandwich. It's a lot more food based, but there are some retailers in there.

Museum wise, the AGO is also a great visit! It's our art museum...and if you want to get real weird with it, there's also the Bata shoe museum. Yes—shoe museum.

My favourite coffee place in town other than FIKA is Jimmy's. Their coffees have a signature yellow lid and I get one at least once a week. There are a bunch of locations all over the west end of town, including in Kensington.

If you end up on Queen Street, you should go to Black Market Underground. It's very punk, and is one of my favourite vintage shops in town. It also has a record shop inside, and an Indigenous Punk clothing retailer.

If you wanna enjoy some nature, I think you have three options. #1 is The Beaches (which you may remember as being the neighbourhood Remus lives in) There is a boardwalk and some really lovely beaches. There are also some cool shops, but I haven't been out there in ages other than to go to gigs!

Choice #2 for nature would be High Park...if you're coming next month you might actually be right in time for cherry blossom season! It's the biggest park in the city and it's rather lovely.

Option #3 is Toronto Island! Ferries run all day to and from the island. You get some really great views of the city from there, and there are all sorts of activities to do.

I have infinite more food and drink recommendations, so feel free to message me if you want more.

Have the best time!! <3

[the-hollyday]

Missing Ontario

“Island Time” becomes less of a cheeky joke and more of a spiritual state of mind.

For the past couple years now Jethro and I have been using two weeks of summer to head out to Ontario and visit family. This was a new special development in my life, firstly because the 2022 trip coincided with my very first instance of Paid Time Off from a job; I had a mullet, I didn’t own a pair of formal shoes, and I felt like I was maybe finally “earning” adulthood. Secondly because I was going to meet Jethro’s extended family. For context, despite having known each other for a decade, I did not meet Jethro’s parents until one year prior. It’s an amount of personal privacy that I am both confounded by and envious of, and either way respect immensely.

The Ontario trip always feels like a bit of dream, but I would chalk most of that up to my lack of travel experience, even on the smaller scale of around my own country. So many things are so close to what I know and yet just slightly different. The buildings, the brands, even the flora seem like close approximations of what I would see in my day to day in BC. I think I know what variety of tree I’m looking at until I get a little closer and realize I have no clue. Like a dream that you believed to take place in your own house, only to wake up and realize you have no familiarity with the location your brain chose as a substitute. There seem to be some esoteric rules around the sale of liquor in Ontario, and despite having it explained to me multiple times I could not tell you for certain whether you are allowed to buy gin and beer at the same store, or what time in the evening you are now shit out of luck. Also why am I only allowed to by singles or cases? The half-sack eluded me.

There are three main stops on the trip: Topsy Farms on Amherst Island, cottage country just outside of Sydenham, and Toronto. And both trips where done in the same order as well, a kind of system shock shotgunning us right into rural farmland before heading to the more manicured wilderness of high-privacy cottage properties, all packed tightly together on the lake, and then back to bustle and urbanity in the city. It felt like a forced system reset before a 10 day long relaunching process, and an absolute joy to not see my phone at all for the first 3 to 5 days of the trip.

The whole of Amherst Island is beautiful and pastoral, with gravel roads and ivy trails clinging to old buildings. On the view from the ferry the landscape is dominated by multiple wind turbines, imposing giants that made me think of huge white pins being stuck into the map of the province; remember Here. We stay with Jethro’s godmother Leah, and we fall asleep to the sheep bleating in the distance, get up late in the morning for coffee, and then spend the rest of the day walking, swimming, and socializing with Leah and whoever else happens to stop by the farmhouse. “Island Time” becomes less of a cheeky joke and more of a spiritual state of mind. Sometimes when I find myself too wound up in my everyday life I try to access the bodily feeling of being back on the island - the wind of the bluffs cools my hot skin and dries my wet hair.

Veggie dogs on offer at the bluffs kitchenette.

The slow living continues as we move to our next destination, which is Grandpa Greg and Grandma Carol’s dream eco-cottage nestled just between Birch Lake and Desert Lake.

A quick intermission:

It was at this point in writing this piece that a couple things occurred. Firstly, I spent quite a lot of time on google maps trying to find the lakes the house was on, including using google street-view to travel along Canoe Lake Road to try and get my bearings; a trip that makes me carsick more often than not in person, and also apparently virtually through the computer screen. I had to go lay down for a moment. The other thing was that in my map searching I did find that there is a “Steely Dan Island” on Canoe Lake. Imagine the rest of this piece being written with Steely Dan playing in the background.

Rikki don’t lose that map pin.

Grandpa Greg is a green engineer who has designed a beautiful home with multiple eco friendly features — low flow and composting toilets, good airflow through the house, and the larder in the basement has an ambient temperature low enough to store perishables even in the summer. And keeps whiteclaws cool too, which was important to me. Most of this portion of the trip is spent, again, sleeping in, drinking, lounging, and socializing. But with a different feeling. You can be washing your coffee mug at the kitchen sink and look up to a family of kayakers in a space of water that up until that point you had imagined to be private property belonging entirely to the Allens. But my favourite piece of the house design is that every window is a picture frame, each looking out onto a carefully selected view of the property, framed by leaves and tree branches artfully encroaching into the view. Grandpa Greg told me during the first house tour that his direct inspiration was a trip on BC ferries, and the walls of the ship lined with large rectangular windows to capture natural landscapes as art. It was a different view of a BC Ferries ship than I had ever considered — I was (and still am) certain that every aspect of those particular experience are tailored to push my specific buttons. But the implementation of the picture windows at the cottage are effective — the kayakers are unexpected, but also impersonal; a painting where the subject could only have just appeared while you weren’t looking, and will likely be gone when you look again, off on their own business.

The time spent at the cottage is the driving reason for the excursion out to Ontario in the first place. 2022 was the year Jethro’s middle brother Fionn graduated high school, and then the youngest, Calum, in 2023. I was very much a guest on a trip specifically meant to circle wagons for the last available times before all three boys were off to their respective cities and busy with all the things young adults are. We played badminton, watched movies, and spent time in Sydenham eating poutine from the chip shop in front of the Foodland. And of course playing games.

I have developed a reputation among the family for being a euchre spectator. I did not grow up with much gaming culture in my household, the extent would be Scatagories or Pictionary with extended family on a holiday visit. We favoured creative-focus left brain games, and I could not tell you who was the winner of any one of them. Often there was no winner. So suffice it to say I was a bit out of my depth with real number and strategy capital “C” card games. I struggle with quick small math in general and my main objective in a game is usually just to have something to do with my hands while we’re chatting.

The Allens have had the police called on them for fights over bridge games.

But the atmosphere is thrilling. There’s something about sharing the space with someone who cares very deeply about what they’re doing, however small and fleeting it may be. It feels electric, and you can’t help but laugh and cheer for a hard fought victory, or even share the frustration of a difficult loss. I was much better at the off-road croquet that we paired with gigantic blue gin and tonics.

A croquet crime in progress.

It’s been hard saying goodbye at this point in the trip. We spend the majority of our time at Greg and Carol’s, and both times there’s been something final felt in the air, a moment when you realize that you’re watching your partner say goodbye to the children he remembers his younger brothers being. I hug everyone tight before we go, feeling less a stranger to them every time I experience the sadness of leaving.

And on to Toronto. And getting back to the city at this point feels right, forget a heartbreak by immersing yourself in the busyness. We stay with Jethro’s cousin Laurel and have between two and three days to visit museums, art galleries, and restaurants, often ending the nights with a glass of red wine on the porch with Laurel. Our most notable meal was in 2022 in the distillery district at El Catrin Destilleria, where Jethro and I got the drunkest we have ever been at a restaurant off of the largest and best spicy margaritas we’ve ever had. The food was amazing as well of course, I recommend the Lime Carlota icebox for dessert, but share it with a friend because it is massive.

Talking about experiencing Toronto is the part of the trip I tend to trust my perception the least in, partly because we’ve spent the least amount of time there, and also because I’m starting to feel like maybe the culture in any city is going to be more favorable than my current thoughts on Vancouver. The buildings are older, the amenities are closer together, and I watched a family walking down the street towards a public pool with the children already in their bathing suits, because they lived close enough to a community centre for that to be practical in the middle of the city. Laurel is able to walk to groceries, her daughter’s daycare, an endless amount of restaurants and coffee shops, and the beach of Lake Ontario.

On our last full day in the city Jethro and I walked down to the beach to start our day with a dip in the lake. It was cooler than it was on Amherst, but still pleasant, especially in comparison to glacier fed BC lakes. I was beginning to pine for my own bed at this point, excited for the opportunity to visit Casa Loma in the afternoon, but also growing exhausted from not ever being on totally familiar footing anywhere I went.

And then almost more quickly than I wished we were back on a plane home.

I mentioned in the previous post that we are going to Japan this year, and this is specifically in leu of Ontario. Fionn has moved out of their grandparent’s house, and is building a full adult life for himself in Toronto. He made a solo flight over to BC and stayed with us a couple days and we got to tour him around our city, and make bad choices in front of him we didn’t have the freedom to when he was a teenager. Calum is home for the summer and working at the chip shop we ate at while were visiting.

Jethro repeatedly “promised” me a 2024 trip that was about him and me, and not all about visiting his family, and we’ve had our eyes on Japan for a while. He definitely worried that he was overextending me with constantly meeting new people and bringing me all over the province. But I feel a real sense of loss not going back to Ontario this year. Last Christmas Grandpa Greg and Grandma Carol gifted us a photograph of the bluffs on Amherst Island; there’s an inherent knowing among people who have visited the spot that it’s a special place.

The point in summer we were over there in years before has past, and it seems like I’ve forgotten to do something very important.

[jackhues]

do you think that if aus girlfriend’s son becomes an f1 driver then there might be a toronto f1 race weekend due to aus being popular in toronto? like imagine past and current toronto maple leafs going to the race weekend.

okay realistically (as a toronto resident) a toronto gp in toronto would cause so much traffic and everyone would hate it (i know nascar hosts/hosted one, but there's a lot of development going on in that area now). but this is an au and we're gonna ignore all of that. i'd put the gp on the toronto islands, which wouldn't bother anyone since it's on the islands, so it's close to downtown (a ferry ride away) but not in the way of anything.

i think right before his first year of f2, there's talk of a gp in toronto, and it gets confirmed quickly and it's all ready for his first year in f1 (he spends 2 years in f2). basically there's a lot of talk about it bcz there's a toronto kid who's actually good at racing and it's his first race - and he's auston matthews' step-son. so there's a lot of hockey fans there, and not only hockey fans, but hockey players as well. there's older leafs players (including guys who played for other teams after the leafs) and p's college hockey teammates are there too (she's probably around 18, 2 years or so younger than her brother) and so a lot of people are excited for it. there's a huge turnout, and cameras on the hockey players at all time, but he gets a podium in his first home race, so everyone's insane about that. he carries a canada flag at one point during the race, and his mom's family (who disowned his mom) are fuming at that.

[kirstielol]

Heading to Toronto for a mini holiday. Not sure where in Canada your located but was wonder if you had been? If so do you have any suggestions for sightseeing wine drinking foodies such as my guy and me?

i'm about a 45 minute drive from toronto! that's so exciting, toronto's such a fun city! i go there a lot in the summer.

there's a restaurant at the top of the cn tower, you get a 360 view of toronto and the entire restaurant spins super slowly, so as you're sitting at your table you'll get to see the entire city. the food there is great too, on the fancier side, i definitely recommend checking it out! the cn tower is fun to check out anyways if you've never been before, even if you just go to the observation point and not the restaurant.

if you're looking for something fun to check out during the day there's a big ripley's aquarium! i've been a few times now and it's always super fun to walk around and see everything there. you get to pet manta rays at the end which is my fav part lol

the science center in toronto is another awesome place to check out. i've been going there since i was a kid, super fun place to walk around and spend a few hours during the day, lots of interactive exhibits and such.

the st. lawrence market's fun to check out too, lots of awesome fresh food. could grab lunch there!

also the toronto islands! you can buy ferry tickets and head over to the islands.. it's really nice to walk around there, there's gardens and cute cafes!

[ts1989fanatic]

Just a dumb Q but why can't Canadians go to the US shows? Cause it's too far?

(Cause for example I've seen Australian people flying to the USA too, which is incredibly wild, Ik,) I'm not shaming Canadians. But I'm just wondering.

It’s not a question of distance but more of cost, I live on Vancouver Island and for my wife and I to travel to either the USA or Toronto if she does the same as she did for reputation the cost would be prohibitive.

With ferry travel flights tour tickets hotel food and anything else we might need, we would probably be looking at over $4000 all in.

We are working stiffs with a mortgage loan payments and various other bills that can’t be ignored or put off.

I am sure that there are plenty of people who wouldn’t sneeze at spending that amount of money to see Taylor Swift in concert, unfortunately for us and probably many like us that’s not an option.

[aloneisalonenotalive]

I could have stayed home last night

I could have stayed home last night, in comfortable clothes watching a familiar TV show, bored out of my mind. Instead I held a girl’s hand and felt like I was dying. Maybe a part of me was, the part that had never touched someone with purpose before, never felt the gentle roughness of another person’s hand in mine, their thumb softly circling, reminding me of their presence. If so, that part was shrieking with discomfort, burning red hot with uncertainty and anxious analysis. Should it have hurt that much? I can’t tell if it was a stabbing red flag warning me to head back to safety, or the normal pangs of change. Because change hurts, I can tell you from experience. Outgrowing the skin you’ve hidden behind your whole life can’t help but leave scars.

Two winters ago I was so bored I woke before dawn to greet the sun on an island engulfed in January snow. My roommate and I got ready in darkness, took the ferry with the fisherman, and stepped onto the quiet residential island just as the sun started rising behind the Toronto skyline. It was the kind of cold that no skin can survive uncovered, yet it was so crystalline and beautiful that we couldn’t help baring our hands to take pictures. Ice lacing latticework patterns across tree branches, waves pounding snow-blanketed shores. As the sun rose, it brought little warmth but an abundance of much needed light. Our pictures showed us, bundled up against a ferocious climate, and a winter landscape wrought in frigid clarity.

I don’t know what I was looking for on that island, and I know even less what I’m looking for when I go on dates now. There are some beautiful things you can only find through pain — throwing yourself into unfamiliar settings, baring yourself to natural elements beyond your control. That pain isn’t a mistake, it’s a sign of growth. I wish I knew if there’s beauty on the other side of this pain.

[clivemwilliams]

Canada 2023

31/08/23

Terrific day in Toronto started with a trip up the CN tower - 550 metres tall and simply amazing views! Not only was it a cloudless day but the Canadian Airforce Display team put on a superb performance down below us (!!) and I managed to walk on the glass floor (something I didn’t mange the last time I was here!). Even Judith was quite excited by the whole experience.

After a brief visit to a gallery of indigenous art we got the ferry to the Toronto Islands which are only 15 mins away and spent a few hours on the beach! The ferry journey itself afforded terrific views back towards Toronto with the CN tower always featuring prominently. The beach wasn’t too busy and we even managed a dip in Lake Ontario which was actually pretty warm.

Stopped off at a pub on the way back to the hotel for something to eat and reminisce about a great couple of days in Toronto.

[empty-cryptid]

🏖️🎶📚

Hello~

🏖 My favorite vacation is a road trip I took with a friend across Canada. We went from Manitoba to Quebec.

In Toronto, we found a book vending machine in a small used book shop that gave us a wrapped up book for a dollar. We couldn't find the peculiar swing in the alley way. Both of those are found in the Atlas Obscura. I have the book, but the website is neat:

We took a ferry to Wolf Island, and that was an interesting place. We walked all the way to the other end of the island, and the shale rock shore was pretty cool. When it got dark, we took pictures of churches, hoping to see a ghost in a window. We didn't, but the pictures were spooky.

Niagara Falls was alright. We took the tour behind the waterfall, but it was very crowded. The view was pretty.

We also went on a couple of wine tours. One of the places made ice wine, and the room where they let people taste it had a bar made out of an ice block. We were the only ones to not accept a parka. The rest of them were from outside of Canada. We were just happy to get out of the heat.

The butterfly sanctuary was awesome. There were so many different kinds of butterflies and chrysalis designs. (Did you know that butterflies drink sweat, tears, and blood?)

Next, we went on a gondola that got so close to the US border that I was charged for an international text. Oops. The view was wild from up there. It went over a river.

In Quebec, we met up with my friend's sister, and she took us around to some cool places. We walked the Mount Royal park loop, which is a beautiful hike. Montréal is a nice place.

It was a fun trip and I'd like to do another road trip soon.

🎶My favorite song is Piano Man by Billy Joel. I love hearing about all the different characters in the song. I also love the melody and wistful emotion in the music. Songs that tell a story and can paint a picture in my head are my favourite.

📚My favorite book(s). I love adventure stories, and Jack London does a great job writing them. The Sea Wolf and Call of the Wild are probably my favorite books, both by him.

The Sea Wolf follows the survivor of an ocean collision (Van Weyden, nicknamed Hump) who is rescued by a sea captain (Wolf Larson). Wolf takes a liking to Hump and sort of takes care of him while forcing him to be a cabin boy and learn how to defend himself from the crew. (It's been a while, I should read that one again)

The Call of the Wild follows a dog that gets taken from his home and sold as a sled dog. He has to adapt to the harsh conditions as he fights to survive.

Thanks for the ask!

[cmtuckerly]

Took a ferry and spent a day on the Toronto Islands with some film photographer friends. We had some good laughs, good conversations, and great memories. Here are some of those memories caught on super 8 film. 

[uglyandtraveling]

Toronto Harbourfront - A Scenic Walk Through One of Ontario's Most Beautiful Neighbourhoods!

In this 4K walking vlog, I take you through the stunning Toronto Harbourfront, one of the most picturesque and lively waterfront neighborhoods in Ontario, Canada.

Join me as I explore the tranquil shores of Lake Ontario, stroll along the scenic trails, and capture the breathtaking views of the CN Tower against the city skyline.

This area is known for its beautiful parks, vibrant cultural spaces like the Harbourfront Centre, and a plethora of restaurants and cafes that cater to both locals and tourists. From bustling boardwalks and ferry rides to the Toronto Islands, to the iconic street-level restaurants and cozy spots that make this neighborhood unique, there's something for everyone here.

If you’re planning a visit to Toronto, the Harbourfront should be at the top of your must-see list! The serene Harbourfront neighborhood along the shores of Lake Ontario is a haven for those seeking waterfront parks, scenic trails, and cultural experiences.

The Harbourfront Centre hosts vibrant galleries, theaters, and literary events. Families often hop on the ferry to the Toronto Islands, home to beautiful beaches and the Centreville Children's Amusement Park, featuring its iconic 1907 carousel. The area’s sleek condo towers, popular among young professionals, are surrounded by trendy street-level restaurants, cozy cafes, and boutique shops.

Watch the full vlog to experience the beauty of Toronto Harbourfront! Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to my channel for more 4K travel vlogs from Toronto and beyond. What do you love most about the Toronto Harbourfront?

Let me know in the comments! Whether you're a local or a visitor, my vlogs offer a fresh perspective on Toronto's vibrant urban landscape. Therefore, subscribe to my channel for more exciting vlogs showcasing the best of Toronto and beyond. And again if you enjoyed watching this video, please don't forget to like and comment leave your feedback. Thanks for watching! 🌷🌆🚶‍♂️

[clbenvs3000f24]

Blog 03: Privilege and Nature

[Watching the sunset over the Long Island Sound on the ferry.]

The word “privilege” has changed meaning to me throughout my life. When I was little, I used to feel outrageously jealous of the kids I went to school with who had an in-ground pool or a finished basement. It felt unfair in middle school that all the other girls came to school with name brands, flaunting their fresh tans from their family vacation in the Bahamas. Later in high school, I dreamt of being “privileged” enough to have my own car like so many other of my peers. Despite being so naive to the advantages I had been born into and raised with, my parents never failed to remind me of them. I knew the dictionary definition of the word, but I never understood how privilege really applied to me.

These privileges refer to the unique set of advantages I have been dealt in life as a result of my upbringing and identity. In my “invisible backpack,” as described by Peggy McIntosh, you can find financial and environmental security that provided me with safe opportunities to freely access and enjoy nature.

I feel incredibly lucky to be supported and given the opportunity to move 8-10 hours away to attend University. Further, a University with such passion for the environment and our connection with nature. It's also important to acknowledge the privilege of taking classes here in Canada (as a Canadian citizen who grew up in the States) without having to really stress about finances. I have a scholarship and my parents are in a position to help financially, meanwhile, most of my friends here in the States have years left to pay off their student loans/debt.

[Block Island, RI]

After moving to Connecticut from Toronto as a toddler, I was raised in the most Gilmore Girls-coded town you could imagine; we’ve actually had a handful of recent Hallmark movies filmed here! I live right down the road from a boat launch on the Connecticut River and the tracks of our local steam train. My sister and I used to walk the tracks for miles observing and attempting to identify all the various trees, birds, and plants. We had numerous birthday parties growing up at nearby state parks where we would hike and catch frogs or a rescue farm where we got the opportunity to interact with dozens of rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, donkeys, goats, etc. I feel lucky that my parents went out of their way to allow us these hands-on experiences.

[A crab my sister and I found while walking the Moraine Nature Trail at Hammonassett State Park.]

My understanding of my own privileges started to click when I moved from the quaint New England atmosphere of my hometown to the city of Guelph. Don't get me wrong, I love all the skunks and vibrant trees this city has to offer, but it made me miss the coastline. Only after I moved back to Canada did I understand how much I missed being able to drive 15 minutes to the beach. I practically lived in the arboretum during my 2 years living on campus because I missed feeling the same connection to nature I felt back home. It opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to have parents who considered my future access to nature a priority when moving to a different country.

[My little friend at Rocky Neck State Park that visits every time I go journal on the beach.]

After engaging in the contents of this nature interpretation class, I've realized that many of the luxuries I had access to growing up were things I had never recognized as privileges. In particular, the beauty of the area I grew up in. I get to spend most of my summer days exploring Hammonasett and Rocky Neck State Park, or taking a short ferry over to either Block Island or Long Island, NY. Personally, I love the coastal ecosystem of New England and I am so incredibly grateful to have grown up so close to the ocean.

[isfeed]

Toronto Island ferry suffers mechanical issue, prompting crews to perform emergency stop

A Toronto Island ferry suffered a mechanical issue on Thursday that led crews to perform an emergency stop at Jack Layton Terminal, the city said. Source: CP24 Toronto Island ferry suffers mechanical issue, prompting crews to perform emergency stop

[vlkphoto]

Life vests overhead

Flotation aids on the Toronto Islands ferry. Toronto, ON.

[sunmarketing]

Bucket List Travel -#2 Toronto, Canada

This is Bucket List Travel, a special series within the podcast Dr. Mary Travelbest Guide.

This is Carolyn Ray, CEO and editor of JourneyWoman, a women's solo travel publication based in Toronto. I'm going to share some tips and advice about my hometown with you. I'm actually a sixth-generation Torontonian, and my daughter is a seventh-generation Torontonian.  

  So this is my hometown, and I can tell you, if you're looking for an exciting, vibrant city, Toronto is it. We are, you might be surprised, the fourth largest city in North America, and very easy to get to from just about anywhere in the world. Toronto is a great getaway for those living in Canada and a steal for women coming from other countries because of our Canadian dollar. So you'll find a lot of value coming here for your money, 

  I want to share with you a bit about how to get to Toronto, which may surprise you. Of course, you may know about Toronto Pearson Airport, our international airport, but we also have a smaller island airport called the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which is right downtown. So if you can get a flight into Toronto Island, that's much easier. 

  But if you are flying into Toronto, Pearson, we have a wonderful train called the UP Express, which will get you downtown in about 25 minutes. If you are arriving at Union Station, you can get right on our subway system, the TTC, the Toronto Transit Commission. And it's very, very easy to get around on the TTC. It's a U-shaped route that goes north, just kind of starts at Union Station, and goes up both ways. And then there's an east, west route across the city at Bloor Street, which is B, L, O, O, R, we're building some more subways. You'll notice that when you're in town, and because of that, I just want to speak to a little bit about safety on the subways. Toronto is a very large city, and I just want to encourage you to be very aware. I know everyone thinks Canadians are very nice, but I also just want to remind you to be very self-aware when you're on the subways and on public transit.

  For things to do in Toronto, my number one experience would be to go to Toronto Island. It's very easy to get there on a ferry, and you can take a ferry over for the day. You can ride a bike, enjoy the beaches, or even get on a boat.

  If you are looking for a place to stay, there are many different kinds of hotels in Toronto, but I will say one of my favorites is the Fairmont Royal York, which is right across from Union Station. But I also like some of our boutique hotels, the Gladstone, the Drake, the Broadview Hotel. These are very lovely, locally owned hotels, creative, artsy, with really great rooftop restaurants and great views.

  I'll end with some tips on places to eat that you may not know about. I really love Spanish food, so I wanted to recommend Madrina y tapas and Patria. Patria is on King West, which is a very popular place to go for bars and restaurants. The Distillery District is one of our historic areas in Toronto, it’s a wonderful place to walk around and spend the day. And Madrina y tapas is one of my favorite restaurants there. There's also Yorkville, which is on at Bloor and Yonge Street. Kasa Moto is a Japanese restaurant that I would suggest there. And a secret you may not have heard of, this one is called Scaramouche, and it's a little bit farther north, but you can get wonderful views of the entire city. It's actually in a condominium, and you can see all of Toronto at night. It's lovely. And for those of us who like vegetarian food, it's Planta. There are two Planta locations in Toronto, maybe more now, great vegetarian menu. And of course, I must mention the St Lawrence Market, which has all, you know, all of the fresh food you could ever want. But also in the basement Manotas, which is a Spanish takeaway restaurant, and then also Busters, which is at the back of the St Lawrence Market, where you can get some wonderful seafood.

  Whatever you're doing in Toronto, I hope you have a great time. There's so much to do. There's so much to see, and I look forward to seeing you there. And if there's more information need about Toronto, please visit JourneyWoman.com. We've got lots of articles about the city. 

Thank you, Carolyn Ray and Journey Woman for this excellent episode. I love that you shared about Toronto on this one! 

Connect with Dr. Travelbest

5 Steps to Solo Travel website

Dr. Mary Travelbest X

Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page

Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group

Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram

Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast

Dr. Travelbest on TikTok

Dr.Travelbest onYouTube

In the news

  Check out this Dr Travelbest episode!