We visited Toronto over the Columbus Day weekend and thought these were the best five places we saw. They’re all available using CityPASS, which is a real money saver. The photos below are all ones I took on the trip.
CN Tower … impressive views. Go first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds. We had a two minute wait for the elevator. We did go up to the “SkyPod,” which is another 100 meters above the main observation level, which I think cost another 20 bucks? per person, but it wasn’t really worth it, you can skip that bit.
2. Ripley’s Aquarium … not the second best place to visit, but it’s right next to the CN Tower so I included it here. Again go early in the morning before the crowds get there. If it’s crowded, it’s not very pleasant.
3. Toronto Zoo … nice zoo, big enough so that even if there are a lot of people around, it doesn’t feel crowded. Has a great zip line down a gorge, which the whole family enjoyed, and I strained it to the max with my Falstaffian bulk — hit top velocity for sure. There’s a small ropes course at the end of the zip line which the kids enjoyed and their aging parents suffered through. They also have “excursions” (forgot the name) which are like short, private tours of various animals … we did the caribou — well worth the money.
4. Casa Loma … crazy mansion built by a guy named Pellatt, who, like Jesse Livermore, was called a Boy Plunger. Dad was a stockbroker and he was too, made first fortune in Northwest Land shares, reinvested in electrification of Toronto, got richer, government seized his company (the bastards), he invested in all kinds of companies, got richer, but eventually went broke (Home Bank of Canada failure), died poor and ignored by son and old “friends” … fascinating story … anyway he built this giant house along the way in 1914, which is definitely worth a visit.
5. Royal Ontario Museum … this place reminded me of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London … just chock full of stuff. My approach to museums is you should go see only one section at a time, otherwise you’ll get overwhelmed. You could spend many days exploring the different sections, one at a time. We did a whirlwind tour.
