Top 10 Spots in Toronto

Canada’s CN Tower is located on the shores of Lake Ontario and is 553 m high. It is Toronto’s landmark. Take a fully transparent tourist elevator to reach the vantage point at 346 m high. It takes less than 1 minute. From the large glass windows, you will see all of Toronto and the beautiful Lake Ontario right underneath.

At this viewing level, there is a spot where the floor is made of transparent glass. Stand on top and look down; it might make your blood rush to your head. If you wish to experience something more adventurous, try the outdoor Edge Walk. You’ll walk for about 30 minutes on a path that’s only 1.5 m in width and is stationed outside the 116th floor. It’s the most adventurous and thrilling thing to do in Toronto.

Casa Loma is built in 1911 and is the private luxury home of the financer Henry Pellatt. Styled after the Medieval Times, this castle cost over $3.5 million and took 3 years to finish. From luxurious guest rooms, 800 foot long tunnels, fortress tower, horse stable and a 5 acre garden. This grand, privately owned castle has also become the site for the filming of many movies.

Toronto Island is made of many small islands. It takes about 15 minutes to get there from the Port on Toronto city side. There are no residential areas, airports or parks on the island and non-service vehicles are not allowed to run on the island, but you may rent bicycles and boats. This island surrounded by greenery is truly a paradise away from the concrete jungle.

The walking pathways and light tower, sandy beaches, paths in the woods and bike lanes, picnic grounds and children’s playground turned this island into a great place for recreation and fun. As the night falls, the area where the boats dock across the island is the best place to take photos of the Toronto skyline.

The Distillery district is an artistic area converted from an old distillery, built on top of the Gooderham & Worts old distillery. In 2003 it was re-opened as a new cultural and art area. Victorian era industrial buildings are now home to art galleries, studios, cafes, bars and designer shops. As a landmark in Toronto’s cultural and artistic scene, the retro red-stoned walls is a favourite spot for wedding photos locally. Many movies and TV shows are filmed here too.

The New City Hall is the fourth generation of City Hall in Toronto. Built in 1965 by the Finnish designer Viljo Revell, this building offers an oval-shaped line created by two buildings at different heights, on which they surround the Toronto City Council Building. Seen from above it looks like an eye, hence we call it the “eye”. The unique shape makes the City Hall a common sight in movies, the most famous of those being “Resident Evil”.

Yonge Street is Toronto’s major street and divides the city from East and West. The “longest street in the world” runs 1,896 km and apparently reaches the North Pole. On both sides of the street there are many sightseeing spots, shopping centers, restaurants, coffee shops and unique shops. This is Toronto’s cultural runway.

The Royal Ontario Museum was built in 1912 and is North America’s 5th largest museum. It is home to some 6 million relics from around the world, including dinosaur fossils, buddhist icons, Chinese ceramic and a mummy from Egypt. Don’t miss this if you are visiting Toronto.

The Norman Bethune National Memorial is located in Gravenhurst which is 160 km away from Toronto. In 1973, the Canadian government offered funding to fix up the site and listed it as a national-level spot. This place preserved Norman Bethune’s home and shows photos, details and other items from his daily life.

Since 1878, Toronto’s Chinatown has been home to Chinese migrants from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam and more. Here there are many Chinese restaurants, shops, fresh produce markets, massage centers and more. The decor and style here are very Chinese in nature.

During Chinese New Year, every year Chinatown is extremely busy. The unique lion dance shows take place with loud and bustling music and gongs. It’s very fun to watch. The Dragon Boat Race Festival that takes place on Lake Ontario in June every year has now become a must-see hot spot during Toronto’s summers.

The Toronto Zoo is Canada’s biggest zoo, with some 460 species and over 5,000 animals. The Zoo has an indoor and outdoor area. This includes an area for Penguins, a Greenhouse Rainforest area, an African safari and an American outdoor grounds area. The American black bear, penguins from the South Pole and giraffes from Africa, as well as Canada geese seen all over the place are all stars of the zoo.

There are many themed areas in the zoo and you can have a close-up experience with animals from around the world. Now pandas are here to greet you as well.