Many visitors to Toronto, Canada stay in the downtown core bordered by Spadina Ave. to the west, Front St. to the south, Yonge St. to the east and Queen St. to the north. While Toronto attractions such as the CN Tower, Rogers Centre and the Hockey Hall of Fame are located in this core, there are many desirable attractions, places and neighbourhoods located a short distance from the downtown core that will give you a richer experience of Toronto than you would find staying in the tourist section.
Harbourfront and Centre Island
If you walk south along Bay Street past Front Street, you'll end up at Queen's Quay or Harbourfront. This is where not only tourists gather, but Torontonians as well to take in spectacular views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands while eating lunch at popular Harbourfront restaurants. Il Fornello, located in the Queen's Quay Terminal, is an Italian food restaurant chain with one of the best patios at Harbourfront. You'll have to get there before noon to secure a seat on their patio. The Watermark Irish Pub's patio next door also has a scenic view of the lake.
There are several one to two hour boat tours that are fairly inexpensive ($15-$25) that will take you along Lake Ontario through the Toronto Islands. If you want to cross over to Centre Island, take the ferry located at Queen's Quay and Bay Street. It's a cheap ride over (Adults $6) and you'll find an incredibly peaceful parkland where you can rent bikes to cycle around the islands or canoes and kayaks to paddle along the island lagoons. There is also an amusement park, Centreville, which is geared to chidren 12 and under, as well as a petting zoo. There are three supervised beaches.
Queen Street West
This is a must-visit street, which starts just west of University Avenue and continues for several blocks. The section between University and Spadina is more heavily trodden and is home to funky restaurants and shops, and the popular alt-rock Horseshoe Tavern although more of the chain stores have moved into the neighbourhood. If you continue west of Spadina, you'll find more eclectic restaurants such as Epicure Cafe, 5th Elementt and vegetarian favourite Fressen. The section west of Bathurst is where many Toronto designers have set up their retail operations so it's great for finding unique fashion pieces as well as more funky restaurants including Terroni, where Julia Roberts dined while in Toronto filming.
Kensington Market
This area of town is just west of Spadina Ave. and north of Dundas St. W. Kensington Market is famous for its shabby chic bargains and cool village vibe. You'll find great meals here at inexpensive prices at small restaurants such as The Bellevue and authentic Mexican food at El Trompo Restaurant.
St. Lawrence Market
Located just west of Jarvis Street on Front St. W., the St. Lawrence Market is a farmer's marketplace with fresh produce for sale. Head over for breakfast, particularly on Saturday mornings when it's bustling. If you're a fan of peameal or Canadian bacon, try Carousel Bakery's peameal sandwiches for about $6. Across the street on Wellington, you'll find Pravda Vodka Bar, a sumptuous place for cocktails, as well as five-star fine dining restaurants Trevor Kitchen & Bar and Lucien Restaurant.
Toronto, Canada is a collection of many diverse neighbourhoods that are within 20 minutes of King Street and University Avenue. Enjoy discovering Toronto's eclectic side on your next visit.
Lori Bosworth is a native Torontonian and writes about Toronto events, entertainment, concerts, shopping, restaurants, bars and recreation at http://www.torontonicity.com
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