Royal Ontario Museum incorporates a unique mix of galleries that showcase art, archaeological objects and scientific specimens. The museum, which sees more than a million visitors annually, houses a collection of over six million objects on three floors. This is the only place in Toronto where you can enjoy unravelling the mysteries of the Egyptian mummies, watch and hear an active beehive and view inspiring artwork from many different countries. When you leave, you take along memories of a unique experience.
The new and renovated Art Gallery of Ontario holds permanent collections of art in different mediums, be it paintings, sculpture or collections of historic artifacts. This museum in the Chinatown district is one of Canada's largest fine art museums. You can view exhibits, including the 19th-century Impressionists, Henry Moore and an exclusive Canadian collection of paintings by the famous Group of Seven. In all, there is a permanent collection of over 24,000 works representing 1,000 years of European, Canadian and contemporary art. Facilities include a gift shop, restaurant and a family-oriented activity center.
The Hockey Hall of Fame is the place where you can test your hockey trivia skills or goalie reflexes. The hall, located in Brookfield Place, features an interactive, hands-on account of the evolution of Canada's game. It's a trip down the sport's memory lane, fueled by displays, trophies, memorabilia, movies and video games. While you're there, you can get a souvenir photo taken of yourself beside the Stanley Cup trophy. Facilities include the Spirit of Hockey store full of collectibles.
Shaped by the elements over the course of millenia, the Scarborough Bluffs rise from the shores of Lake Ontario in East Toronto. The sheer face of the escarpment is a defining feature of the waterfront, rising to a height of 90 meters (300 feet) above the shore. Several parks span the 15-kilometer (9.3-mile) stretch of the Scarborough Bluffs as it traces the edge of the lake. While most of these are found perched atop its peaks, a few grant access to the narrow beach that lies at its base. The view from the top is notoriously astounding in beauty, although few can deny the striking quality of a more low-lying perspective with the barren rock face rising high above the tranquil water.
At a dizzying height of 553.3 meters (1,815.3 feet), the slender form of the CN Tower rises high above the city skyline. One of the world's tallest towers, unmatched by any freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere, this stunning landmark was built in 1967 by the Canadian National Railway to serve as a communications and observation facility. At that time, this man-made pinnacle was unsurpassed by any other across the world and remained as such until 2007. The Look Out Level of CN Tower grants spectacular view of the city for miles around from a height of 346 meters (1,136 feet), while the SkyPod sits an additional 33 storeys above for a unique perspective of the world. The EdgeWalk, another of the tower's attractions, is the world's highest hands-free walkway. Not for the faint hearted, walking along the open-air walkway is an experience like none other. The EdgeWalk is perched on the roof of the 360 Restaurant where dinner is served in full view of Toronto's twinkling skyline.
Ripley's Aquarium has a lot to offer its visitors, with new marine life to discover and new things to see and learn. Easily accessible as it is situated in the heart of the city, the aquarium features over 16,000 specimens of aquatic animals and other forms of sea-life. Popular exhibits include the jellyfish displays and the Touch Tanks, where guests can interact with harmless sharks and rays. If you are in the city do not miss out on an adventurous day at the aquarium with your family and experience the life underwater.
The oldest Canadian Islamic centre in Toronto, the Jami Mosque building was purchased in 1969, which was formerly housed a church. Converted into a mosque, it has a beautiful architecture, that is reminiscent of the bygone era. Located at Boustead Avenue, in the High Park neighborhood, it still conducts prayers on a routine basis. In addition to prayer services and jummah, the mosque also offers Arabic classes for Muslim women. Have a look at their website to know more.
The Christopher Cutts Gallery displays artworks of the cream of the crowd in the world of fine art, not only from Canada, but also the United States and Europe. Displaying works of acclaimed artists and emerging talent, this gallery has hosted exhibitions of the work of Murray Favro, Sherri Hay, Gordon Lebredt, Cristina Lama, Sorel Etrog and many others. In spite of this, the gallery is a bit of a hidden gem that few know about.
To know any city inside out, you need to wander through its lanes and absorb experiences. And what could be more enriching than viewing any city on a bicycle? If you are an outdoor enthusiast and love to explore new places, then the Toronto Bicycle Tours will be the right choice for your tours in the city. With locals and expert guides on board, you can hop on to your bicycle and roam around getting to know the city better. Tours are open for all ages, and private tours can also be arranged by contacting ahead.
Just one street over from this trendy strip is the Ontario College of Art and Design, Queen Street West is one of the top shopping streets in the city. When young artists graduated and were desperate for cash, they would bring their treasures here to sell. Soon small shops stuffed with unique items began popping up on Queen Street West. Today, you can still find unusual gifts from cool clothing to antique comics either in the stores or from one of the many friendly street vendors. It's also a hot spot for restaurants and bars such as the Epicure Cafe, the Rivoli and the Queen Mother Cafe.
Leslie Street Spit is a man-made wilderness that will make it hard for you to believe that you're still in the city. Located in Toronto, Ontario, this headland was built as an outer harbor for ships docking in from the Great Lakes, but it was never used. So it is now used as a recreation spot and features a beautiful hiking and biking trail lined with trees and flowers. The park also presents one with a great bird-watching opportunity as the area is the breeding ground for several species of birds such as the Black-crowned Night-heron and the Caspian tern. Throughout the trail, one can enjoy stunning views of the Toronto skyline at one side and the Lake Superior at the other.
Segway, the leading manufacturer of personal transporters, conducts tours in Ontario for locals and visitors alike. A unique way to explore the city, Segway offers a number of group and private tours, where in, you can hop on your personal transporter, and wander around the city. Some of the major tours, that remain to be famous among visitors include the Segway Distillery Spin, Segway Distillery Ghost Tour and Horseshoe Valley Segway Adventure. To know more, please have a look at their website.