Toronto, Canada

Published by Gemma – Ontario

Toronto is Canada’s largest city located on the shores of Lake Ontario. Toronto is one of the worlds most diverse cities with nearly 50% of its population born outside of Canada.

Toronto has four distinct season which is quite helpful when you are packing for your visit. Toronto is one of Canada’s warmer cities in the winter, but don’t be fooled they can still be severe. While the summers are warm and humid.

Dundas Square

 

When I first visited Dundas Square I thought that it felt Vaguely familiar and it should have as  the urbanscape was designed off the same layout as Timesquare, During our time in Toronto I would refer to it as “Mini Time Square”.  The square is flanked by huge lit up advertising billboards and is on a slight incline to give the area a “theatrical” presence.

The centerpiece of the square how ever is the water fountain installation which is made up of 600 water jets and run 24 hours a day from around mid April until the end of October.

“Underground City” 

During the winter months you can head to downtown Toronto to PATH which is an underground pedestrian walkway linking 27 kms (16 miles) of shopping and entertainment.

CN Tower

       

The CN Tower is the signature of the Toronto Skyline and lights up like a beacon in the Toronto night sky. From its completion in 1976 until 2007 the CN Tower was the worlds tallest free standing structure.

If you want unrestricted views of Toronto look no further then the CN Tower. This Tourist attraction offers 360 degree birdseye view of the city.

To get to these magnificent views you’ll be taken up in one of the six glass elevators which will take less then a minute to get you to the observation deck. If you aren’t afraid of heights step out onto the toughened glass floor and look at the streets of Toronto below your feet.

   

If you start to feel hungry while you are taking in the views  ascend a few more  floors in the elevator to the award winning rotating restaurant and watch the views of Toronto go by as you enjoy your food.

For the more adventurous souls you can opted to go on the EdgeWalk, This is definitely not one for the faint hearted as you are 116 storys high above the ground. Attached to a harness system while you walk around the outside of the main pod. The EdgeWalk is the worlds highest full circle hands-free walk.

Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey is said to be the first love of Canadians, So it should be no surprise that they have approximately 60 square feet dedicated to Celebrating the history of their beloved sport.

The HHOF is home to the iconic Stanley Cup and personally I think its the best looking trophy in all of sports.

In The Esso Great Hall you will find glassed cabinets honoring all the members that have been inducted in to the Hall of Fame.

You will also find all the major NHL trophies but most importantly you’ll find the most coveted trophy of them all the Stanley Cup. Here you will also have the chance to have a photo with the cup.

The HHOF is very family orientated and has catered to the younger hockey lover with their interactive zones.

Visitors get the chance to step into the shoes of the players, In the NHLPA be a player zone you can go one-on-one with a digital Goal Tender and take part in a shoot out or suit up as a Goal Tender and face some digital super stars shooting weighted sponge pucks at you.

Maybe you want to flex your hockey knowledge then head over to the Game Time Trivia section or try your hand at being a broadcaster and step behind the microphone a call a selection of historic games.

Old Town

Take a walk around the cobbled stone streets whilst being surrounded by historical buildings that date back to the 19th century the very beginnings of Toronto’s History.

In Old town you will find the Distillery District, The Flatiron Building, St Lawrence Markets, Front Street and King Street.

The Distillery District

Gooderham and Worts Whiskey Distillery was closed in 1990 and converted into the Distillery District. In 2003 the district was reopened to the public and is a pedestrian only Area, The district is home to many boutiques, cafes and award winning restaurants. The area is also listed as a National Historical Site of Canada.

Gooderham Building

Gooderham Building or better know as the flatiron building is a historic landmark in Toronto and can be found in the St Lawrence neighbourhood. The completion date for the building was 1892.

King Street

The King street district can be found between Church Street to Parliament Street, This is where you should venture to if you are looking for home decor and designer stores filled with furnishings for your home.

Westin Harbour Castle

If you want a hotel room with a view look no further then the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. The hotel is located by Lake Ontario, and guests are spoiled with either beautiful scenic views of the lake or incredible views of the city. If you are lucky you might even get the iconic CN tower as your very own night light and watch it change colour from your hotel bed. 

 

After his recent trip to Toronto I asked my good friend Robert (@mr_rdb) if he had any tips to share, and here are a couple of them:

Matt and Robert – Lake Ontario

China Town

Chinatown is extensive, covering about 20 city blocks. Head there for amazing, delicious (and cheap) food plus gift shopping. Chinatown in Toronto doesn’t feel like a kitschy representation of China,  rather a bustling,  busy place where lots of Chinese people live and shop.  Consequently, it feels more alive than Chinatown in other cities I have visited.

The Village

Toronto’s gay village is also really extensive. Head to Church and Wellesley to find lots of bars, clubs and restaurants catering for the community. One refreshing thing about “The Village”,  as locals call it,  is that it is out and proud and very well groomed.  It’s clear that Toronto’s civic administration know that The Village is an asset to their city and not something to be hidden away.

Lake Ontario Water  Front

Lake Ontario has cycle paths all along the waterfront (although the local automated bike hire system didn’t seem to be able to cope with foreign credit cards, so you may be better off finding a bike hire place if you want to explore on two wheels).  Worth grabbing lunch or dinner in one of the waterfront pubs or restaurants with a view across to Algonquin Island, Ward’s Island,  or Toronto Island Park. There are ferries available from Queen’s Quay to take you over to one of the islands if that floats your boat.  Apparently,  there is a “clothing optional” beach on one of the islands for those who are so inclined!!!!

Thank you Robert!

So if you are planning a trip to the Great White North make sure Toronto is on your agenda, you will find a little bit of everything on offer and you will undoubtedly find ways to be entertained.

Vancouver, Canada

Published by Gemma – British Columbia

Vancouver is classed as one of the worlds most livable cities and its easy to see why, A vibrant city with a backdrop to die for. The city is located between the Burrard Inlet and Fraser River and sits at the feet of the North shore mountain ranges.

Sight Seeing

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America, it is roughly 1000 acres in size and is made up of mostly forest land.
A great way to see Stanley Park is by bike, Which is the option we took although when traveling with four boys such activities can turn competitive quite fast, So us girls decided to leave the boys to   it and rode around at a much more enjoyable pace. Personal I think its a great way to spend a summer’s day in Vancouver. It will take you roughly around an hour to ride the 9km Seawall and about 2 hours by foot.

Fun Fact: This one is for you Hockey lovers, The park is named after Lord Stanley the very same Lord Stanley the at the NHL trophy is named in honour of.

The Seawall
Construction of the Seawall started in 1917 and was declared officially complete in 1980 with the completion of the loop around.

There are many photo opportunities along the Seawall so make sure to pack your camera and be prepared to make a few stops along the way to take it all in, From city to beach views this ride has it all.

English Bay Beach
English Bay is located on the Western half of downtown area along Beach Avenue between Gilford Street and  Bidwell Street.

English Bay is a great place to go if you want to see beautiful sunset views. There are also two eye-catching statues at English Bay the Inukskuk statue and the very unique Laughing Statues.

Brockton Point Lighthouse
You can find the lighthouse at the most easterly point of Stanley Park overlooking Coal Harbour. You also get some nice views of North Vancouver and Lion Gate Bridge from this point as well.

As you make your way around the seawall you will get the opportunity to take some photos of the Vancouver Skyline.

Vancouver’s Waterfront

Canada Place
Canada Place is at the heart of Downtown Vancouver, and can be found on the Burrard Inlet Waterfront. At night the 90 foot sails are illuminated and during the Christmas season the sails are lit up in festive colours.

Canada Place was also the Main Press Centre for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the Olympic Torch still stands as a reminder of the big event.

Vancouver Lookout Tower – Harbour Centre

If you want 360 degree views of Vancouver look no further than the Vancouver Lookout tower which sits atop of the Harbour Centre. The Harbour Center is the tallest structure in Vancouver and offers unrivaled views of the city and the breath-taking North Shore Mountain Ranges.

Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain is part of the North Shore Mountains and can be found in North Vancouver. You have a couple of options to get to North Vancouver from Mainland Vancouver, You can either drive which will take you across the Lion’s Gate Bridge or you can you use the public transit system a combination of  the Seabus and buses.

You have two options to get up the mountain, You can take the Skyride Gondola (North America’s largest aerial tram system) Which offers spectacular views of the Vancouver cityscape below and unspoiled views of the other North Shore Mountain Ranges. The gondola will have you at the alpine station within 8 minutes.

For the more adventurous type you can hike The Grouse Grind, The trail is 853 meters long at a 1.231 meter elevation, This thigh burning option will take you between 30 to 90 minutes depending on your fitness level.

During the Summer months when there is no snow on the ground Grouse Mountain put on some family friendly entrainment for visitors. you can watch lumberjacks face-off, The two Lumberjacks will entertain you with their skills and showmanship.

There is also a Wild Refuge where you’ll find two orphaned Grizzly Bears, wolves, falcons, eagles, owls and hawks.

Whistler Mountain

We decided it was best to hire a car to get to whistler but you can catch a shuttle bus if its more convenient for you.

As we set off early we decided to break up the 2 hour car trip by stopping in Squamish or as I lovingly like to refer to it as Squamton for Breakfast.

The drive along Highway 99 “Sea-to-Sky highway” is quite spectacular so if you are driving try not to get distracted by breathtaking views.

 

Whistler Air Tour

What better way to see the beautiful Whistler Mountain Ranges then by air. British Columbia has some of the most breathtakingly beautiful glaciers, valleys, rivers and lakes and Whistler Air gives you the opportunity to see these terrains that are not easily accessible and tend to go unseen by most.

PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola
The Peak 2 Peak Gondola links Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains together, the ride takes about 11 minutes from Peak to Peak. Once at the top you have access to hiking trails, Restaurants and the PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery.

Whistler Village
If you want to take it a little more easy instead you can stroll around the village looking at the reminisces of the 2010 Winter Olympics or by spending your hard-earned money in the many stores that are on offer or you can even kicking back at one of the bars with an alfresco seating area enjoying the beautiful summer weather while sipping a refreshing white wine Sangria.

City Landscapes, Rivers, Beaches and Mountains Vancouver has it all, There is a little bit of something for everyone and  you will not be left disappointed.