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North America : Canada : Ontario : Golden Horseshoe : Greater Toronto Area : Toronto : Central

Toronto - Central

Central Toronto includes the downtown district of Toronto and its immediate vicinity.

Districts

  • Financial District - The downtown core is the economic centre of Canada. Bay Street is the home of the head offices of the "Big Five" Canadian banks, as well as North America's third largest stock exchange, the TSX. While full of powerful hustle during the work week, this area is generally dead at night, though safe, and never totally empty.
  • Harbourfront - Along the waterfront from west to east from Bathurst to Yonge. During the summer months, free cultural festivals happen every weekend. Well worth a visit. Future plans for development will bring even more activity.
  • Yonge Street - Ample shopping and activity along this heavily visited main district. Main hubs are along Yonge Street at Queen, Dundas, Bloor and Eglinton. The stretch between Bloor and Dundas tends to be rather fun and kitschy, and is known locally as The Yonge Street Strip. Locals are both amused and somewhat horrified by The Yonge St. Strip, as it can be a bit gaudy. Truth be told, Torontonians generally avoid it, although they love to show it off to visitors. Also known as Highway 11, Yonge St. is often cited as the longest street in the world, because Highway 11 extends North from the city, over the top of the great lakes, all the way to Rainy River on the border with Minnesota, (1,896 kilometres away). A respectable road trip could be enjoyed by simply traveling Hwy 11 from start to finish (plan 3 or 4 days if you want to take your time).
  • Bloor-Yorkville - Located along Bloor Street from Yonge to Avenue Road and North to Hazelton Lanes, and boasting some of the country's most upscale shopping, from the flagship Canadian retailer, Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen, as well as Roots, to internationally known Tiffany's, Armani, Gucci, and many others. The area also offers luxury hotels and numerous chic restaurants, very popular with visiting celebrities, particularly during the Toronto International Film Festival (every September). It's a wonderful area for strolling, particularly on the streets directly north of Bloor, popular with locals and offers casual rooftop dining and sidewalk patios in summer,with establishments such as Hemingways, Remys, Dimmis, and The Pilot. At the corner of Bloor and Avenue Rd. you will find the Royal Ontario Museum, the second largest in North America.
  • King Street East & St Lawrence Market - A mecca for interior design fanatics and small studio production, King Street east of Yonge is an attractive area ripe with window shopping opportunities. One can also access the multitude of restaurants, shops and cafes in the Distillery District from the King & Parliament St. intersection. The historic St. Lawrence area, containing some of the oldest buildings in the city and site of urban renewal in the 1980s to Corktown and the recently started West Donlands urban renewal project closer to the Don River.

Get in

See

  • The Waterfront— A massive redevelopment of the city's 46-kilometre waterfront is underway in the city, and the results are sure to be stunning. Toronto's waterfront is already quite spectacular, with galleries, walking trails and art, film and theatre complexes. An extensive plan to re-green this are will ensure that Toronto's waterfront is utilized to its full potential by residents and visitors alike.
  • Toronto Music Garden, 475 Queens Quay West (at Harbourfront Centre) [1]. Designed by cellist Yo Yo Ma and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, the garden is an interpretation of Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. Wheelchair accessible. Free admission.
  • CN Tower— One of the modern Seven Wonders of the World, the CN Tower is a communications and tourist tower standing 553.33 metres (1,815.39 ft) tall. It remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas and the signature icon of Toronto's skyline.
  • Eaton Center— Shop till you drop at this 3-million-square-foot shopping mall. Be sure to check out the graceful glass roof and the exquisite flock of fiberglass Canada geese floating in open space.

Do

  • Allan Gardens— Stroll through charming Victorian style greenhouses amongst this lush garden. Step into the conservatory onsite to escape the chilly Toronto cold or from the provides a warm and beautiful reprieve from the winter cold or from the city pace throughout the year.
  • Kensington Market— Pick up a bargain, or grab some homemade jams as a takehome souvenir at the Kensington Market.Each month, the neighborhood blocks off the narrow streets for a Sunday afternoon festival with live performances, music and great food.
  • Wednesday nights at the Art Gallery— Admire over 36,000 works of art for free ever Wednesday evening between 6 and 9PM.
  • Harbourfront Centre— Experience Toronto living at its finest down by the Harbourfront area. Enjoy live music and performances as you walk along the waterfront, which is the perfect place to unwind.

Buy

Eat

  • Bardis Steakhouse, 56 York Street Toronto, ☎ 416-366-9211. Serving only the finest cuts of certified Angus beef, Bardis does not scrimp on quality. Fresh Atlantic salmon, chicken and ribs are also available and delivered to you with exceptional personalized service. Highly recommended. 
  • Canoe Restaurant and Bar, Canoe Restaurant and Bar 66 Wellington Street West Toronto, ☎ 416-364-0054. Regarded as one of Canada's finest restaurants, perched above the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower with breathtaking view of the city, you would be inclined to agree. Chef Anthony Walsh delivers inspired regional Canadian cuisine that is complemented by the sleek and stylish decor. The menu offers fresh Canadian fish, game and produce, as well as an impressive selection of Canadian vintages.Pricey, but well deserved. 
  • Vivoli, 665 College Street Toronto, ☎ 416-536-7575. Rustic Italian fare served with Italian love. Staff are friendly and be sure to try some homemade pizza, straight out of the wood burning oven. 
  • For budget travellers, there are many student cafeterias within the University of Toronto and its colleges. The Hart House Cafeteria, 7 Hart House Circle, has a hot meal for $7.

Drink

  • West Lounge Bar, 510 King Street W. Toronto, ☎ + 1 416 361 9004. Mon - Sun 5PM - 2AM. The it spot of the moment. Go to gawk at the beautiful people and the people who want to be them. The bar staff are as gorgeous as the patrons, and drink specials keep everyone happy all night. 
  • Therapy Ultra Lounge, 203 Richmond St. W Toronto, ☎ + 1 416 977 3089. The ambience at Ultra is second to none and the clientele ranks no lower. Dance to some thumping electro music while trying to catch the cute bartenders eye. There is a rooftop patio which is sunny and self contained. 
  • Sky Bar, Government 132 Queens Quay, ☎ +1 206 416 869 0045. With a great open layout, Sky Bar gives you plenty of room to move and check out your surrondings. The openness of the patio really sets this bar apart from other clubs on the strip, as the martinis taste even better as you stare into the night sky. 

Sleep

  • Bond Place Hotel, 65 Dundas Street, Toronto. This two star hotel is in a good location only a 5 minute walk to Eaton Center. The rooms are in good condition and furnished in a soft peach decor. 
  • Best Western Primrose, 111 Carlton Street, Toronto. Good value hotel accented with a gold and bronze metallic furnishings.The hotel has two restaurants and serve lunch and dinner in an elegant atmosphere. 
  • Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto. You know that the food in this hotel will be good when its been awarded the "Top 5 Places in the City to have a Business Lunch". Enjoy a lunch, or a dinner at this award winning bistro and then retreat to your room, which are spacious and offer great panoramic views of central Toronto. Building also contains an indoor pool and gym. 
  • Soho Metropolitan Hotel, 318 Wellington Street, Toronto. This 5 star hotel is a display of luxury, with 600 square foot rooms featuring marble bathrooms. Dine at the award winning Senses, then work off your guilt at the indoor pool or gymnasium. 
  • Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown, One Blue Jays Way, ☎ 1-416-341-7100, [2]. checkin: 15:00; checkout: 12:00. The Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown is located in a major league entertainment venue. The hotel situated in Toronto's Entertainment District, minutes to the Financial District and adjacent to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and CN Tower. Rates from $159 CAD/night. 
  • Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville Hotel, 90 Bloor Street East, ☎ 1-416-961-8000, [3]. checkin: 15:00; checkout: 12:00. The Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville located in Yorkville, Toronto's downtown fashionable shopping, dining and entertainment quarter offers a Toronto hotel with direct access to the Yonge and Bloor subway and features Matisse Restaurant and Bar. Rates from $159 CAD/night. 
  • Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel, 525 Bay Street, ☎ 1-416-597-9200, [4]. checkin: 15:00; checkout: 12:00. The newly renovated Marriott Toronto Eaton Centre Downtown hotel is connected to the Eaton Centre shopping complex and near the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and the University of Toronto. Enjoy split-screen viewing with our in-room Plug-in Panel. Rates from $179 CAD/night. 
  • Intercontinental Toronto Centre, 225 Front Street West, Toronto ON M5V 2X3, Canada, ☎ ''+1'' 416-597-1400, [5]. Intercontinental Toronto Centre, adjacent to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, is a luxury landmark hotel in downtown Toronto, Canada with spacious guest rooms, meeting facilities, restaurant, lounge and day spa.
This page was last edited at 17:57, on 8 December 2008 by Padraic Ryan. Based on work by Wikitravel user(s) Mbowe875, MarinaK and Texugo and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.