Summer in Toronto

It is hard not to be blown away when flying into Billy Bishop Airport, which sits on an island in Toronto harbour.  On the one side there’s the idyllic Toronto Island and on the other the impressive skyline of downtown Toronto where the CN Tower sits centre stage.

We arrived in Toronto from Montreal, which for one reason or another, we felt a little let down by.  Toronto didn’t disappoint.  It is a vibrant, multi-cultural city with a real buzz about it.

We based ourselves in a fantastic Airbnb apartment near Cabbagetown, which was a little outside of downtown TO but we walked and used public transport to get around fairly easily. Whilst the area was a little questionable, we didn’t encounter any problems, and our host Jennifer was super friendly and had loads of great insider tips, which were invaluable.

It was also really close to Riverdale Community Farm, which was the perfect spot to let our toddler to explore whilst seeking shelter from the unexpected and spring heat of the city. The mercury hit 31 degrees during our visit.  We discovered this lovely city farm thanks to a friend who used to work in Toronto. It didn’t disappoint with various farm animals, plus woodlands and ponds to explore. If you do decide to check it, don’t miss the delightful Park Snacks on Winchester Street for well, snacks!  It was so quaint and there wasn’t a tourist in sight as we cooled down with scoops of Sicilian ice cream.  If you would prefer something more substantial or a cool beer, try the gastro-pub The Queen and Beaver. 

South of Cabbagetown you will find the Historic Distillery District. This area used to be the home of large whisky distilleries but now houses hip bars, restaurants and shops. It is a nice area to explore and have a bite to eat. If you can, try one of the local brews. I would recommend the Brickwords Ciders.

I hate to admit it but to see the sights, we opted for the Toronto hop on/hop off tourist bus. We wouldn’t normally do this but given we had a two year old in tow, it felt like the most time efficient way of seeing the sights.  And I have to hand it to the guides, who were clearly University students trying to make a buck or two, who managed to impart various facts about TO and make us laugh.

Using the bus, we managed to tick off most of the key sights – CN Tower; Eaton Centre and the water fountains at Yonge-Dundas Square which our daughter loved running through to cool down from the midday heat; the Gooderham Building (the Flatiron Building of Toronto); the Harbourfront; City Hall; St Lawrence Market; Chinatown and Kensington Market.  Albeit we didn’t enter some of the big ones. The heat plus jet lag meant our two year old was tired, sometimes grumpy and had a never-ending appetite  when we visited. This meant we didn’t manage to venture into all these places sadly and sought sanctuary in either parks or underground food courts (a godsend).

It also meant that I don’t have my usual array of recommendations on where to eat and drink.  However, one place we did manage to find and would recommend was Petit Dejeuner which served up a Belgian-Canadian brunch which was just the ticket. Expect queues.  Kensington Market is also a good shout for grabbing a bite to eat, a coffee or something stronger.

And don’t forget to sample some Poutine (fries, cheese and gravy), a Quebec-Canadian comfort food.  I couldn’t help but think us Scots have missed a trick on this so-called speciality.  Chippies across Scotland have been serving up chips, cheese and gravy for years.  Maybe its time for some clever marketing!

I would also recommend taking the time to visit Toronto Islands if the weather permits. It was a lovely break from the city. You get there by hoping on a ferry from the Harbourfront. The journey took around 15 mins and the ferries are pretty regular. If you are visiting with kids, check out Centreville Amusement Park. There is an antique carousel and ferris wheel, plus various other rides suitable for kids aged seven and under.  We also spent some time at one of the beaches nearby.  Be warned there is a nudist beach on the islands so choose wisely!  All in all, a great option if visiting Toronto in the warmer weather with children.

Given Toronto’s proximity to Niagara Falls, we opted to rent a car for the day to visit what our daughter referred to as the VERY noisy waterfall.  The journey itself took around 1.5 hours each way and the car rental was pretty reasonable; far more economical than doing a tour. My biggest piece of advice would be to avoid spending too much time in the City of Niagara Falls, which is a naff and over-run with tacky tourist shops and awful restaurants, and head straight for the Falls. The Falls are truly spectacular. We lucked out with the weather with clear blue skies.

Toronto had a lot to live up to. We were meant to visit in 2015 but our daughter contracted chicken-pox two days before we were due to fly, meaning we had to cancel our trip.  I’m so glad we re-booked.  It didn’t disappoint.  Helped undoubtedly by the good weather.  The people were friendly and the city itself had a real buzz about it.  Definitely one to explore once our daughter is a little older.