Overview
A good highlights tour introduces you to the places you wish to revisit!
Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore. It has a dynamic downtown with a core of soaring skyscrapers, all dwarfed by the iconic, free-standing CN Tower. Toronto also has many green spaces, from the beautiful oval of Queen’s Park to 400-acre High Park and its trails, sports facilities and zoo. As in most of the large Canadian metropoliitan areas, this city has been designed for the pleasure of its residents. This philosophy has made city living an art for the Torontonians and you will feel this during your tour.
Cities like Toronto were located near the waterfront and thus we begin our experience at the Harbourfront, where you will see the developed waterfront area as well as the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower, a hard-to-miss icon in the city. In the distance are the Toronto Islands, visible from Yonge Street/Queen's Quay vantage point. As you move through the city, your guide will point out one of the last industries on Queen's Quay, which is the Redpath Sugar Refinery. Waterfronts and harbors are the receiving points for so many materials used in all parts of our life style so the fact that this area has now been reduced to only one industry and the remainder have been relocated shows how important this coastline is for the citizens of Toronto.
Nearby you will make a stop at Sugar Beach, a lovely urban beach park, just part of the route to the Distillery District. The best way to see this neighborhood is on foot so a walk through the historic buildings allows you to stretch your legs and hopefully enjoy some good weather.
The St. Lawrence market, which is one of the world's top food markets, is an important stop to most of us! National Geographic has named this market as Number 1 in the World and you will certainly see a mixture of farmers and merchants, produce and merchandise, all under one very large roof. A walk through will disclose a lot about Canadian culture as well as the many types of food represented here, by demand actually of all the people who are natives as well as those who have come from afar and made Toronto their home.
Exiting the market, you will head for the Flatiron Building, one of the most photographed buildings in the city. You will definitely want to know about the triangular shape of this odd but lovely icon. But there's more to the story than its shape, as the tromp l’oeil painting on the rear of the building, by Derek Besant, has become an attraction in its own right. Yonge Street, a favorite walking and shopping area, has the Eaton Centre along with many places to sit outside in the summer months and enjoy the scene, before you stop at City Hall to see, and most likely photograph, the new TORONTO sign that has been accepted as a landmark.
More to come as you move down Queen Street where Osgoode Hall and the Four Seasons Centre serves as one anchor and Queen's Park as another. Queen's Park is the home of Ontario's government and what a deceptive name for the center of government.
Move along the University of Toronto campus, with a sighting of the BATA Shoe Museum and the old home of Mr. Gooderman, who once owned the Flatiron Building. Varsity Stadium, Koerner Hall and the Royal Conservatory of Music plus the Royal Ontario Museum are in your path as you head over to the trendy area called Yorkville. First stop here is a photo stop in front of Casa Loma, a historic mansion and museum in midtown Toronto. It is a strange sight in this location but a magnificent example of Gothic Revival.
Now follow your guide's narration as you move through Chinatown, Kensington Market, the AGO, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and OCAD, Canada's largest art and design university.
Your overview complete, you are now ready to take off on your own and revisit whatever caught your eye!
- Please dress comfortably. You will have a driver in the vehicle at all times so you may leave items in the vehicle during the tour.
- Food, beverages, and admissions are not included in this tour.
- Gratuities would be appreciated.
- This tour is available from April 1 through December 30.
- This is a sample itinerary but may be changed. That must be done before you book your tour through ShoreTrips.
- You may add extra hours to this tour. Please contact ShoreTrips before booking.
Days offered: 7 days a week
Departures:- 09:00 AM, duration: 4 hours Departure is flexible. Contact ShoreTrips before you book your tour.
- 12:00 PM, duration: 4 hours Departure is flexible. Contact ShoreTrips before you book your tour.
- 03:00 PM, duration: 4 hours Departure is flexible. Contact ShoreTrips before you book your tour.
