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Traveling to Toronto is an intensely curious and urban experience unlike any other. It is a city of diversity and multiculturalism, blending the high and the low, the chic and the accessible into a distinct blend. If there is a food you’ve been dying to try, chances are Toronto has a street vendor, fine dining, artisanal bistro, and a 3-day festival dedicated to that cuisine.
Or maybe you have a hankering for entertainment -- in which case, Toronto does not disappoint. It leaves no stone unturned with the bright lights of Massey Hall, the Toronto Opera House, the Canadian National Ballet, and the end-of-summer carnival and the CNE. Love to go star gazing? This eclectic city takes center stage on an international platform with TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival.
If you’re missing the great outdoors within the city, take a walk along the boardwalk of Ash Bridge’s Bay, stroll along the vast lakefront of Lake Ontario and trek through the rich, wooded areas of High Park. There is so much to see and do! You may come for a few days and end up falling in love serendipitously.
Like any of the most happening urban jungles, Toronto’s food experience is unparalleled. Here, you’ll find high-end cuisine from heavy-hitter celebrity chefs like David Chang’s Momofuku and the ever-popular Terroni’s. You will also be able to dig into more eclectic finds like Mother’s Dumplings on Spadina and The Grand Electric for delicious fish tacos.
There are popular music spaces in Toronto like the Danforth Music Hall and Soundclub Academy. These venues host a ton of popular artists and bands like U2, and Norah Jones. But Toronto is well-known for its indie music scene. Themed and moody spaces like The Rex, a Jazz and Blues Club on Queen St., the Mod Club, and The Drake host local and lesser known bands all year long.
The Royal Alexandra, the Ed Mirvish Theatre, and TIFF BellLightbox are just a few of the glittering venues where you can catch the latest independent flicks, international musicals, and world-famous plays. If independent and experimental theater is more your thing, check out Theatre Passe Muraille.
Toronto’s pride and joy, its lakefront, is an incredible hub for outdoor and social activities. Here, teams join in the morning to dragon boat race, solo kayak, enjoy a friendly game of volleyball or take a yacht out into the harbor. During Canada Day, it’s a prime location for fireworks.
Toronto would not be the unique urban landscape it is without a reverence for nature built into actual activities you can take advantage of. Besides the rich farmers’ markets, travelers and residents alike enjoy biking along the lush Don Valley River. You can also capture the cherry blossoms in the spring and a “Shakespeare in the Park” show at High Park for C$25 during the summer.
Toronto’s transit system is known as the TTC and is well-connected both internally as well as to external public transportation. Single tokens are C$3.25 and are good for one ride. For visitors looking to get around, you can purchase a day token for C$12 that also has unlimited use on the weekends. Or, you can opt to grab a week pass for C$42.25. GO Transit accepts an easy-load “PRESTO” card, which means that ticket prices are calculated based on a "tap-in-tap-out" from the point of origin to the point of arrival. Many of the subway stations now feature payment by debit so you don’t always have to have cash on hand for tokens and passes.
Getting around Toronto by taxi is convenient when you’re in the core but can get pricey if you choose to travel farther out, whether west, east, or north of the city’s center. Within the city, fares start at a base rate of C$4.50 and go up by distance and time from there. A ride to the international airport from downtown is about C$30-C$50, depending on the taxi company.
Rental cars are readily available within the city from the regular vendors. Parking is usually metered on the street and will cost you around C$5 for an hour's worth of parking. There are plenty of paid lots that will charge you about C$15 for a whole day's parking. The easiest way to find parking in the city is to look for the signature “Green P” which denotes a parking lot. Watch out for signs that have zoned parking during specific times and restrictions on length of time. The city also has a car-share program, ZipCar, which makes it easy to rent, drop off and pick up a car from the city center. This car-share service can run anywhere from C$9.25 to C$79 per day and also has monthly membership options.
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