Currently Expedia are promoting how you can Save up to 30% off the price of hotels in Toronto Click here for information and check out the prices for your next Canada Trip!

Toronto sky scrapers

We’re half way through summer, and to be fair we haven’t really had a great one weather wise – so why not look forward, no matter whether you’ve already been on your holiday this year, or looking to book for a break later this year – Have a look and see what you can save by booking your hotels at Expedia.co.uk

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We have, since we set up almost two years ago, always recommended Canadian Affair for flights, where you can get return tickets to Canada for as little as £318 including taxes.

Canadian Affair charter Thomas Cook flights, as well as Air Transat so you you have the piece of mind when you book that you can choose flights by which ever company you’re most familiar with (though Air Transat is my personal favourite). There’s two reasons for us always recommending Canadian Affair. The first being we ALWAYS book our flights to Canada with them – and have now been on 18 flights over the last 7 years, so we have huge experience with them. The second being – they are simply, the cheapest place to book flights to Canada from the UK. I know.. i search every few weeks, always looking to book my next trip!

Thomas Cook 757 at Toronto

Even if you may have heard of Canadian Affair before, there are deals that many people miss, so I’d always recommend checking out their Special Offers page before you start entering dates – so you can ensure you get the best deal before you book your tickets.

With most people, and understandably, the biggest factor is getting the cheap flights to Canada, but there’s more to Canadian Affair than simply being the cheapest flights to Canada! They strive to give you the best customer service possible, for example in the numerous times i have needed to contact them via email, they have always responded the same day – and on a couple of occasions within 30 minutes of me actually submitting my query!

They also provide you with choice. If your closest airport is Manchester and you want to get flights from Manchester to Toronto or flights from Manchester to Ottawa, you can! Likewise you also have the choice of getting your flights from Gatwick to Toronto and flying back from Toronto to Liverpool if you wanted.

Canadian Affair offer flights from the following UK airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Exeter. Their destinations include Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Edmonton, but they also do package holidays to various resorts around these locations (such as Niagara Falls) in addition to their flights.

Remember to have a look at our full review from last year on Canadian Affair, details in it are for a trip we took in 2009 but service has only got better since then: Travelling to Canada with Canadian Affair in 2010

If you want to keep up to date on the latest offers we find, and our latest articles, be one of the first to find out by following us on Twitter!

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But a Holiday isn’t all about the flight right? And different people like different types of holidays. Some relaxing – taking the kids out to some of Canada’s best attractions, Some adventuring through types of wilderness that can only be found here, Some just looking to soak up the culture – or even go shopping. But whatever you want to do while on your Canada trip, we try to find places which you will love, and tag them to the locations you’re looking to Visit!

For example, if you’re heading out to have a drive round Ontario – check out our Ontario category. Or, if you’re planning on spending your time in a particular city or destination such as Toronto, then have a look at the places we’ve reviewed and featured in our Toronto Category. We are also building up a portfolio of Provincial Parks – The one we are focusing on at the moment is Algonquin Provincial Park which is easily accessible after landing in Toronto or Ottawa and you’re guaranteed to be able to spend your entire holiday camping, or staying in a hotel just outside the park – enjoying the unspoilt wilderness – and discovering everything the parks have to offer..

So, Reviews.. Where to start! We have 200 articles on Canada Trip.co.uk, all offering advice about where to go, what to see, how to save money and where to stay.. so when asked to pick out specific reviews, its a difficult choice to make! Below are some of the articles of places you absolutely must visit if you’re in the cities they’re located in..

Toronto

Toronto Zoo
Toronto zoo is one of the must see locations on your trip if you’re in the Toronto region – though remember to give yourself a whole day to look around this amazing place – When i visited in May, it was a beautiful sunny day, we got there in the morning and still didn’t quite get to see everything in the zoo… (more..)

Canada’s Wonderland, Toronto
While you’re in Toronto – why not take a day to visit Canada’s Premiere Themed Amusement Park! Whether you have kids young or old, or even if you don’t have any – Canada’s Wonderland is guaranteed to be a day you wont forget! (more..)

The CN Tower, Toronto
If you’re flying into Toronto Pearson International Airport, you may be lucky enough to be greeted to Canada with a beautiful cityscape of Toronto, set on the background of Lake Ontario – The city skyline of Toronto, no matter where you go in the world will always have a needle looking building to its centre – this is the truely world famous CN Tower Toronto. (more..)

more Toronto articles…

Ottawa

Parliament Buildings, Ottawa
Parliament Hill (colloquially The Hill, in French: Colline du Parlement) is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings — the parliament buildings — serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural elements of national symbolic importance. Parliament Hill attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year… (more..)

Canada’s Wonderland, Toronto
The museum’s collection contains a wide variety of civilian and military aircraft, representing the history of Canadian aviation from the pioneer era before the First World War up to the present day. Particularly noteworthy is the collection of vintage bushplanes from the 1920s to the 1940s. The military aircraft represent aircraft flown by Canadians in the First World War, Second World War, and the Cold War. The museum’s best known exhibit is the surviving components of the Avro Arrow interceptor from the late 1950s. (more..)

more Ottawa articles…

Vancouver

Toronto Zoo
Back now to Vancouver – and one of the city’s key attractions – The Capilano Suspension Bridge. Not a place to go if you have a fear of heights, but if you’re clear of that – you’ll find the trip out to this attraction to be something special, and something you’ll remember for a long long time. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada… (more..)

Vancouver Aquarium
Vancouver Aquarium is Canada’s largest Aquarium, and also a non-profit organisation! They dedicate their efforts to effect the conservation of aquatic life through display, interpretation, education, research, and direct action. You will experience all this and more when you go visit them! (more..)

Fort Langley National Historic Site
My personal thoughts are that if you truly want to get to know somewhere, then you should always go a little bit further to learn about how it came to be this way in the first place, hence my love for history! So, I’m shining the spot light on Fort Langly National Historic Site of Canada in Vancouver, BC… (more..)

more Vancouver articles…

Halifax

Halifax, NS
Another one of the cornerstones of places to visit in Canada would certainly be Halifax. Halifax was the site of the first British town in Canada, founded in 1749. Since then, the area has evolved to be home for a diverse mix of people. Charming fishing villages, farming communities and Atlantic Canada’s largest city are just some of the things which Halifax has to offer. (more..)

Halifax Citadel
Located within the centre of Halifax, this fort is easy to get to from wherever you may be staying in the city. Though a little word of warning – each day at noon a cannon is fired as a symbol of Halifax’s military history.. This often comes as a great shock, being so loud, to unsuspecting tourists – so now you wont be one of them! (more..)

York Redoubt, Halifax
York Redoubt as a place to visit is both an interesting historic site, as well as a fantastic spot to take pictures of the surrounding landscape, and not only that it’s only a very short drive from the city its self… (more..)

more Halifax articles…

Quebec / Montreal

The Citadelle, Quebec City
And I’m once again going to delve into the history of Canada. Anyone who happens to be a member of English Heritage or National Trust in the UK may be interested in Castles, and simply for its imposing position, significance and importance – The Citadelle in Quebec City I would probably most likely compare to Dover Castle, as far as visitor experience is concerned. (more..)

Montreal Biodome, Montreal
If you or your kids ever wanted to be able to visit a number of different places around the world within a few hours, the Montreal Biodome is the place you’ll want to take your family!… (more..)

Canadian Railway Museum
f you have kids, love history and or trains – this is one place that if you’re in Montreal in Quebec, you will not want to miss out of your trip! (more..)

more Quebec / Montreal articles…

Calgary / Edmonton

Calgary, Alberta
Nestled in the foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, Calgary, Heart of the New West is a place where visitors come to explore the heritage of the Canadian West. This safe, clean and vibrant city offers the best of all worlds: a cosmopolitan city of over 1 million people and breathtaking outdoor adventure in pristine wilderness. Not only does it offer amazing wilderness, it has an immense number of activities for you and your family to head off to! (more..)

Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta and is well known for its scenic river valley and a thriving music and art community. Located 294 km (183 mi) north of Calgary, Edmonton is home to North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex, West Edmonton Mall. More than just a shopping centre, West Edmonton Mall also has a giant water park, a man-made lake, a skating rink, two mini-golf courses, 21 movie theatres, a Vegas-style casino and an amusement park with 25 rides and attractions. (more..)

The Calgary Tower
Officially opened June 30th 1968, the ‘Tower’ has become the City of Calgary’s most famous and identifiable physical landmark. One of the first Towers of its kind, the Calgary Tower offers the best view in Calgary and is a must-see on any tourist’s itinerary… (more..)

more Calgary / Edmonton articles…

Remember, you can check any of the categories on the left to specify if you’re looking for anywhere that isn’t listed here. For the latest articles, feel free to head back to the home page and have a look around!

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If you’ve been following me by Twitter you will probably have spotted a retweet about this offer yesterday! The offer is $129 for a one night short break in Niagara Falls. It treats you to a Deluxe Cityview Two-Bedroom Jacuzzi Suite with a fireplace and includes a $40 dining voucher for Romano’s Macaroni Grill for your dinner at the hotel, Full buffet breakfast for two, valued also at $40, and Two passes for a winery tour and tasting at Peller Estates, also valued at $40!

The offer is being run through TravelZoo.com and to have a look at full details of the offer click the following link: http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/hotels/ontario/1021136/

These rooms are available now through until June 15th, but you must book by the 10th May and these rooms are likely to sell out quickly, so the sooner you book the better! If you are flying to Toronto to stay there or near and around Niagara Falls – planning a trip there, this is not an offer you should miss! If your journey is particularly long and don’t fancy driving back at night – stopping at a hotel is very much recommended. Not only do you get to avoid a night time drive, you get to enjoy the atmosphere and the vibrancy of the colourful Falls when they’re lit up at dusk – and at all time you have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ve got an incredibly comfy and cosy suite to head back to for a good night’s sleep.

Treating yourself has just got a lot more affordable!

If you want more updates about the Hilton Niagara Falls Hotel, you can follow them on twitter here: @Hilton_Niagara

And remember you can always follow me on Twitter here:@canadatrip

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Colborne Lodge is a historical museum located in an 1836s home in Toronto’s High Park. John George Howard, an architect, engineer, and prominent Toronto citizen built this house, which became the property of the city following his death in 1890.

Built in 1836 by City Surveyor John George Howard to house himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle, it is perched on the top of a hill overlooking Lake Ontario. When built, the area was considerably to the west of the city. The house is a classic example of the Regency cottage style, and one of the first such buildings in the city. The small house tries to blend in with the landscape around it, in sharp contrast to the rigid formalism of Georgian architecture that was then the standard Toronto style. It was originally one storey, but Howard later expanded it by adding the upper level. The house was named after Sir John Colborne, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada from 1828 to 1836 and first Canadian patron of Howard’s architecture.

The cottage sat on 165 acres (0.67 km2) of land owned by Howard. His original intent was to start a farm on the property. Later, he attempted to subdivide his holdings and sell off small lots to create a new neighbourhood. At the time the area was still a considerable distance west of the city, and a difficult commute to town. Howard himself maintained a second home in the city. The landscape of the property with its steep hills, wetlands and sandy soils would have been difficult to develop in any event.

Howard and Jemima had no children and thus deeded the park to city in 1873, in exchange for a permanent pension. He continued to live in his home until his death in 1890. John Howard and his wife are buried in the Howard Tomb, a stone monument which overlooks Grenadier Pond. The cairn was designed by Howard, and the fence gate for the cairn is originally from St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and was originally designed by the famous architect Christopher Wren. Additional land was purchased by the city in 1873 and 1930, thereby expanding the park to the current 399 acres (1.61 km2). Next to the home are the Colborne Lodge Gardens, first created by the Howards.
Colborne Lodge, High Park, Toronto

The home is now a museum run by the City of Toronto. The museum displays the house and furnishings of the 1800s, using much of the Howard’s own furnishings and Howard art works. The museum holds an annual Harvest Festival, plus summer and march break camps for children. Annually at Hallowe’en, guides put on a “Haunted Walk” discussing legends of ghost appearances at the Lodge.

So if you’re in the park, remember to check out this museum!
Remember to check out the museum’s latest information on opening hours at their webpage: http://www.highpark.org/colborne.htm

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The park is located to the west of downtown, north of Humber Bay. It stretches south from Bloor Street West to The Queensway, just north of Lake Ontario. It is bounded on the west by Ellis Park Road and Grenadier Pond and on the east by Parkside Drive.

In 1836, John George Howard purchased a 160-acre property in the County of York, to the west of Toronto, for a sheep farm, at the cost of $1,000. It was here that Howard designed and built Colborne Lodge, a Regency-style picturesque cottage in 1837 to complement its natural surroundings as the residence for himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle. The Howards named their property ‘High Park’ as it was situated on the highest point of land along the Humber Bay shoreline. After a successful career as architect, engineer and land surveyor to the City of Toronto, Howard retired here in 1855.

In 1873, Howard and his wife agreed to convey their country property to the City of Toronto. There were several conditions to the conveyance, including that the Howards continue to live at their residence, no alcohol ever be served in the park, and that the City hold the park “for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park”.The city council voted 13 to 2 to accept the Howard’s conditions. The two dissenters felt the park was too far away from the city to be of any use to its citizens. At the time, direct access to the Howard property was only by boat, the Great Western Railway line to the south or a toll road. Soon afterwards the “Road to High Park” was built from the Lake Road to the park lands, today’s Spring Road and Centre Road. Howard received a lifetime pension from the City in exchange for the property.
In 1876 a 120-acre portion of the Howard’s property formed the original park, along with 176 acres bought from Percival Ridout east of the Howard farm. The remaining southern 40 acres of Howard’s property, including Colborne Lodge, passed to the city after John Howard’s death in 1890. The western addition of 71.8 acres added in 1930 was purchased from the Chapman estate. 18 acres of High Park was later given to Metro Transportation when The Queensway was built in the early 1950s. This was in contravention of stipulations by original High Park owner John Howard that the lands be used for parkland only. Metro officials searched for descendants of Howard to obtain their consent.

As you will see from the map below, where as once the park was outside the city of Toronto, Toronto has since grown – and expanded around the park.

The Eastern Ravine
The eastern ravine starts at the north-east corner at Bloor and Keele Streets as a forested area around a spring-fed pond. The ravine has a small stream winding south to small ponds just north of The Queensway. South of the forested area are the grassy, developed areas for picnicking, the adventure playground, and the zoo. The ponds, which also hold back storm water, drain into pipes and into Lake Ontario.

The eastern ravine lies over a buried river. In 2003, city workers found strong evidence of the pre-glacial Laurentian River System when capping two artesian wells at the pond at the north-east corner of the Park. The wells began spewing a plume of water, sand, shale and gravel 15 metres into the air. With this discovery, geologists finally pinpointed the southern terminus of this ancient river system whose southerly flow begins near Georgian Bay. The watercourse, flowing 50 metres below the surface in pure bedrock, has remained undisturbed for thousands of years.

Central plain and savannah
The central section is a large plain encompassing most of the northern boundary, slowly narrowing to a point overlooking the lake, which is the location of Colborne Lodge. While most of the plain is developed for picnicking, gardens and sports fields, it has a stretch of open habitat called oak savannah, of which there are few other examples in Ontario. The towering black oak trees found throughout High Park are a characteristic of this habitat. The savannah is under the special care of the City and volunteer conservationists.[1] Forested areas of High Park are maintained to mimic natural conditions, with downed trees left to decay. Regular controlled burns are done to mimic forest fires and their beneficial effects for oaks. Non-native plants outside the ornamental gardens are weeded out by volunteers. There is, however, no shortage of non-native trees including Colorado Spruce, Scots Pine and Northern Catalpa.

So, what’s there to do as far as activities are concerned?
The park includes several attractions, including a set of baseball diamonds, tennis courts, several playgrounds, hillside gardens, a zoo (not a petting zoo) and Colborne Lodge historical museum. The park is also home to the High Park Nature Centre, a non-profit organization run by High Park Initiatives (the park’s charitable organization). There are 18 designated group picnic sites that can be reserved through the City of Toronto.

There are two main children’s playgrounds in High Park. There is a playground in the northwest quadrant with a wading pool, picnic areas and snack bar. In the south-east corner of the park, an ‘adventure playground’ for children was assembled by volunteers in 1999. The playground is named after Jamie Bell, a volunteer who initially pioneered the idea. In the ravine just north of Grenadier Pond is a small play area.

There is also the Grenadier Cafe, a large restaurant and outdoor patio area which is located in the centre of the park at the intersection of West Road and Colborne Lodge Road. The restaurant opened in May 1958 as a dining room and coffee shop, known as The Grenadier, seating 300. The outdoor patio area was added later. Due to the condition in the Howards’ conveyance forbidding the consumption of alcohol in the park, High Park is the last “dry” area of the City of Toronto, and the Cafe restaurant and banquet hall is not licensed to serve alcohol.

An outdoor organic produce market operates during the weekends. Twice a year, plant sales are held at the Cafe of plants native to the park to raise money for conservation activities. The plants are native to High Park and Ontario and cultivation of the plants is encouraged to preserve the species. The Cafe is also used for community meetings.

This park, truly is big – and when you are there you’d be forgiven for forgetting you’re stood in the 5th largest city in the whole of North America, but that means its a great little escape if you want to spend some time out relaxing after a busy few days while on holiday. So why not pop by and see what you think for yourself?

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The Centreville Amusement Park is a children’s amusement park located on the Toronto Islands, offshore of the city of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. Centreville Amusement Park is nestled in over 600 acres of parkland just across the harbour from the city. With over 30 rides and attractions and more than 14 food outlets. The park was built in 1967 with a 1900 turn-of-the-century theme, and includes a miniature railway and the Far Enough Farm. An 1860s cast iron planter in the centre of the park was originally located in front of St. Lawrence Market and a 1907-vintage carousel are still located in the park!

The park is perfect for younger families – teens are not likely to find too much of great interest here as the high octane rides just aren’t here. If its those kind of rides you’re looking for, you’re better going to Canada’s Wonderland – but if your kids are between 3-11 or so – they really will love Centreville. Looking around the web I’ve found plenty of comments saying the same but the following from zensuperman on Trip advisor pretty much sums it up:

Centreville is a throwback to a wonderfully simple time with a relaxed staff who obviously enjoy there job. it’s a place where you purchase a scoop of ice cream and they give you a little extra to show they appreciate your money. i did some online research and saw it’s been a family owned and run business for years and that vibe comes through. the area is a haven for ducks,swans and beautiful white geese (who we enjoyed watching display their ownership of centreville by giving someones dog a piece of their mind- too funny) . it’s criticized by others for being small(not a lot of high powered ride but the glow in the dark indoor scrambler ride now ranks very high on my list of local fav rides) but definitely geared mostly towards a pre-teen audience(we are in our mid thirties). but we have wonderland passes and can get all that stuff there. centreville is our new favorite Toronto park and no i don’t work there but i wish i did.

The park offers Carousel cafe and several other food kiosks including Pizza Pizza. You can also savour mouth-watering funnel cake, variety of ice-creams, coffee and chocolate milk. The food is a bit pricey, so you could bring your own picnic food. There are lots of picnic tables to enjoy it on!

Apart from the old-fashioned Centreville Amusement Park, there are tons of things to do and see on the Toronto Islands. You can enjoy a relaxing boat ride, walk around the island park, take a bike ride, play tennis or volleyball, picnic or simply sock up the sun at the beautiful sandy beaches. Kids can learn a lot with fun at the Franklin Children’s Garden.

The unique experience of Centreville Amusement Park along with other numerous attractions and activities make it an entertaining, family-friendly weekend gateway. Head to the Toronto Islands on a bright summer day with your family and enjoy the perfect day out with toddlers.

To get to the park you’ll need to catch the ferry as i mentioned in the Toronto Island Park article the other week. You can catch the ferry to the Toronto Islands from the ferry docks located at the Bay Street on Queens Quay, just East of Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. The ferries from the main land take you to the Centre Island, the Ward’s Island and the Hanlan’s Point. It takes roughly 10-15 minutes on each route.

The ferry schedule varies each season. During the peak summer season, the ferries are more frequent. Check the Toronto Islands Ferry schedule.

Fares for the round-trip are $6.50 for adults, $4 for students and seniors (65+), $3 for juniors (under 14) and free for children (under 2).

Since islands are all connected, you can take any of the ferries from the ferry docks as long as you don’t mind walking. Centre Island is the one which is more popular among visitors with lots of things to do and see.

You can take bikes, strollers and wagons on the ferry, however, during very busy summer season bikes are not allowed on the ferry. You can call on 416-392-8193 and make sure that bikes are allowed or not on your specific day of visit.

On weekends, go early in the morning to avoid the rush at the Ferry dock. Bring some cash, there is only one ticket window that accepts credit card.

For more information about Centreville Amusement Park – remember to have a look at their website http://www.centreisland.ca/ for opening hours, attractions and up to date information about events and admission!

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So, what is Ontario Place? Well, Ontario Place is a multiple use entertainment and seasonal amusement park in Toronto, Ontario. It’s focus is entirely on family orientated entertainment, especially for kids. The park has a seasonal operating schedule and is closed from October through until April, with the exception of the Cinesphere IMAX so remember to have a good look at their website if you’re planning on going through the autumn/winter months.

The Cinesphere is known as the world’s first permanent IMAX theatre with single large screen as big as six storey building and is a geodesic dome-shaped structure which contains the theatre. It is similar in style to ‘Spaceship Earth’ at Epcot in Orlando Florida, except the latter is a complete sphere. You can enjoy Hollywood new releases or variety of educational and documentary films on different subjects. It is really worth to watch a movie here. So I suggest you to ask about the show times when you get there to ensure that you get a seat for your preferred movie!

Ontario Place was built as a showcase for the Province of Ontario that would replace the Government of Ontario building at the CNE and take advantage of what was then an under-developed waterfront area. The original park consisted of three man-made islands connected by picturesque bridges and walkways with the Pods, or Pavilion, complex and the geodesic dome of the Cinesphere as the focal points. The gates first opened to the public on May 22, 1971.

The original park has been considerably altered since its inception. The popular outdoor concert stage, The Forum, was torn down in the mid-1990s and replaced with the Molson Amphitheatre, a much larger facility based on a bandshell design. A boat-based water ride was added to the extreme western end of the island, along with a smaller exhibition center consisting of three concrete silo-like buildings connected by overhead walkways, and a smaller domed movie theatre. A large reflecting pool nearby was drained and used to house the addition of a major “climber” structure, a smaller stage for kids shows and several other kid-oriented attractions, reducing the complete separation of areas that had been featured in the original design.

The original children’s area, which was primarily “non-powered”, has largely been removed. The large wood-and-rope climber area was replaced with a large waterpark and several small fair-ground rides were later added. The large tension structure tent that covered most of the children’s park was removed in 2009/10, leaving a large open area with a new stage. Many of the concrete bollards used to secure the various tents and structures can still be seen.

Ontario Place hosts series of spectacular events and programs throughout the summer. Some of the notable events which you can enjoy at the Ontario Place are Canada Day celebration, Festival of Fire, Caribana and CNE’s International Air Show.
Watch the Toronto skies illuminated with myriad colours on the tunes of finest music during Festival of Fire. The Festival of Fire is celebrated in the first week of July and shows start at 10.30pm.
Ontario Place is also an excellent venue to catch the breathtaking Canadian International Air Show held for 3 days during Labour Day weekend (first week of September). This is one of the most exciting air shows in the world. If you are planning to visit Toronto during Labour Day weekend, do not miss this show!
You will also get a chance to enjoy amazing sounds of calypso, various dances, authentic Caribbean food, concerts and a parade during Caribana carnival!

So in short, Ontario place is a full day’s adventure for the family – with loads of rides and attractions, mostly themed around water for the kids, and set in an amazing location which no one can fail to appreciate! Ontario Place is one of Toronto’s main tourist attractions, and to miss out on this fantastic day out while visiting the city would almost be a crime!

So.. if you’re planning on visiting – What do you need to know?

First of all, Ontario Place is located at: 955 Lake Shore Blvd. West, Toronto, M6K 3B9

Their phone number is: 416-314-9900, Toll-free 1-866-ONE-4-FUN (Outside the GTA)

Their opening hours are:

May – 10am to 6pm on last two weekends
June-August – 10am to 8pm daily
September – 10am to 6pm on first two-three weekends
(subject to weather)

Best time to visit: July, August and September

Price:

Toronto Star Play All Day Pass (includes unlimited use of most rides and attractions)
Child 3 and under: Free
Child (4-5) and Seniors (65+): $16.90
General (6-64): $31.90
Family (Group of 4 people between 6 and 64): $99.05

Canadian Family Play All Summer Pass (Season pass, allows multiple entries)
Buy 1 – $56.19, Buy 2 – $52.38, Buy 3 – $47.62, Buy 4+ – $42.86

Ground Admission (does not include rides or attractions)
Child 3 and under: Free
Child (4-5) and Seniors (65+): $11.19
General (6-64): $16.90

Please note that price doesn’t include any taxes. You will be charged the 13% HST on the listed price.

Tip: Your best bet is to buy Toronto Star Play All Day Pass which includes unlimited use of most rides and attractions. This will save you money and time.

You can purchase the pass online or at the entrance gate of the Ontario Place.

Payment Method: Cash, Debit Card, Credit Card (Visa, American Express, Master Card)

Transit and Driving Directions:

TTC (busses, trams and underground):
Take the Bloor subway to Bathurst Station, then the Bathurst 511 streetcar south to Exhibition Place.
From Wilson Station or Dufferin Station take the Dufferin 29 Bus South to Exhibition Place.
From Union Station, take the Harbourfront 509 streetcar to Exhibition Place. From Exhibition Place it’s 5-10 minutes walk.

Driving Directions:
From the East – Take the Gardiner Expressway and get off at the Spadina Ave Exit, drive west along Lake Shore Blvd and follow signs to Ontario Place.
From the West – Due to bridge rehabilitation the Jameson exit of the Gardiner Expressway will be closed from May 15 through November 2010. Use the Lakeshore Blvd exit and follow Lakeshore Blvd eastbound to Ontario Place.

The prices and hours are based on last year’s information and they may change the opening times when they display their new schedual for this year! So for all the up to date information dont forget to take a look at their website for full history, list of attractions, and up and coming events for 2011!
http://www.ontarioplace.com/en/06_visitor/visitor.html

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So why am i featuring them hm? Well that’s because it makes a nice couple hours visit. If you don’t have a huge amount of time before going somewhere else later in the day – why not pop here for a short tour?

There are a variety of prices for the tour depending on what gift you wanted at the end. For $10 you can have the basic tour with a bottle opener. For $14 you get the same tour with 4 cans of pilsner. And for $15 you can have the tour and 6 bottles. All of which are excellent value.

The three founders are former employees of Upper Canada Brewing Company before it was bought by Sleeman’s. The original name for the beer was going to be “Three Fired Guys Brewing Company” since they were all fired from Upper Canada Brewing Company when it was purchased by Sleeman; however, they chose Steam Whistle Brewing to evoke an image of steam rushing from a factory’s whistle signaling the end of the work day. Embossed at the bottom of Steam Whistle bottles is “3FG” as an inside joke, referencing “Three Fired Guys”.

The brewery occupies Bays 1-14 within a building known as the John Street Roundhouse. Built in 1929, it was previously the home of a Canadian Pacific Railway steam locomotive repair facility, and operated as such until May 13, 1988. The John Street Roundhouse is designated a National Historic Site, and is owned by the City of Toronto. It is located within walking distance of the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower. A similar roundhouse, the CNR Spadina Roundhouse, was torn down to make way for the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre).

The brewery also hosts regular tours of its facility, as well as “Steam Whistle Unsigned”, a monthly concert series of local independent bands.

The site itself is amazing and well worth a walk around. For the steam train fanatics, there are many opportunities for pictures and even if you aren’t a fanatic, then it is still a fantastic building.

The tour lasts just over and hour and about one quarter of it is dedicated to the history of the building and the remaining three quarters is about the company and the brewing process, all of which are interesting to any one who likes a good drink!

I wouldn’t really recommend this for kids but for couples and groups of adults it is well worth the trip! So why not head down for an hour or two, see some steam trains, see the brewery and relax!

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The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in the city of Toronto, Canada. They are located in Lake Ontario just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour. The islands are a popular recreational destination, and are home to a small residential community and to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. They are connected to the mainland by several ferry services.

The islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America, though some service vehicles are permitted. Recreational bicyclists are accommodated on the ferries, and bicycles, quadracycles, and canoes can be rented on the islands as well.

So, when you arrive you’ll be on Centre Island. When you’re choosing your ferry there are actually three routes, any of the ones which aren’t the airport would suit you best. The views of Toronto from these islands are amazing, but the best spot to see the views from is Algonquin Island. Check one of the maps which are available – to see which way you will need to go to get to it. It is certainly worth the walk!

If you don’t fancy walking, there is also bike hire available, so you could tour the islands in style and comfort!

The ferry from downtown runs regularly to the islands, and you can pay when you have boarded. It then only takes around 15minutes for it to cross the water to the islands, and tickets cost around $15 for a return – and as far as i know is the same for adults, children and seniors alike.

The park offers somewhere different, tranquil and pleasant to just relax – do something different.. you’d never think you were in the fourth largest city in North America! So – if you’re in Toronto, remember to get yourself to the harbour, and have a trip out to the islands for something completely different to anything else you’ll do in Toronto.. and if you’re like me – anything for a ride on a boat is always a trip worth doing!

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If you haven’t been to Canada yet, you’ll almost certainly walk into restaurants and find something on the menu called Poutine. Now, don’t be scared of its particularly unique name! Poutine is actually something that most people in the UK can relate to.. We have all (well.. most of us) gone to the chip shop and got either Chips with Gravy, OR Chips with Cheese .. Well .. although technically it wouldn’t be technically correct – if you had cheese and gravy on the same tray of chips, that is almost poutine! Now, i say almost because for it to be truly poutine, the cheese needs to be cheese curds, not just your normal cheese.

As you can see from the picture, poutine is definitely not the most elegant looking of foods, but lets face it, it beats the looks of mushy peas now doesn’t it! Besides, Canadians have always been known for their no-nonsence approach, and food in my opinion should always be about flavour, and not looks.

The dish originated in rural Quebec, Canada, in the late 1950s. Several Québécois communities claim to be the birthplace of poutine, including Drummondville (by Jean-Paul Roy in 1964), Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Victoriaville. One often-cited tale is that of Fernand Lachance, from Warwick, Quebec, which claims that poutine was invented in 1957. Lachance is said to have exclaimed ça va faire une maudite poutine (“it will make a damn mess”), hence the name. The sauce was allegedly added later, to keep the fries warm longer.

So, since in the UK fresh cheese curds are difficult to find, how do you make poutine in the UK? If you were fancying making and trying your own poutine, it’s actually not too difficult. my suggestion if curds are hard to find, use a cheese like Mozzarella (torn into small ‘curds’) or Cheshire or Lancashire cut into small cubes, then pour your sauce over them.

You can either make your own real meat gravy from your Sunday roast, or use tinned gravy granules (OXO or that nice Bovril granule mix), a touch of tomato sauce and a dash of pepper (black), or if you like a touch of oregano and garlic that is fine, depending on were you go in Quebec the poutine sauce can change.

The most important thing you should know, is the chips are supposed to be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside, and to make sure they keep their texture for as long as possible, take the chips to the table and put the gravy on immediately before eating!

So when you’re in Canada next, you’ll see it on the menus. And sometimes, someof the best places to get it are at the chip trucks you’ll see in store carparks or by the road – so why not call off and try out the genuine stuff? Comments would be welcome for places to get the best Poutine!

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