Greater Toronto

To experience a community in diaspora, try Little India in the city's east end, where, for a few blocks, shiny sequined saris and tantalizing scents of spicy curries and dosas (thin pancakes stuffed with vegetables) make you forget all about the CN Tower. Greektown, along Danforth Avenue, is the place to go for souvlaki—usually served up with a healthy amount of buttery roasted potatoes, fluffy rice, and Greek salad. If you're hankering for a little Eastern European flavor, head west to Bloor West Village, a strip of delis, bakeries, and shops mere blocks from the green, leafy expanse of High Park.

Outdoor enthusiasts will want to check out High Park, almost 400 acres of green space in the city's west end, and for those with a vehicle, the Kortright Centre for Conservation is the perfect getaway. For a phenomenal display of flowers and other botanical beauties, spend a summer afternoon at Edwards Gardens in North York.

If the Art Gallery of Ontario didn't fully satisfy your thirst for Canadian art, then take a stab at the phenomenal collection of Group of Seven pieces at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, in the quaint village of Kleinburg. Black Creek Pioneer Village, a living-history museum, and Canada's Wonderland, an enormous theme park, are extremely kid-friendly. The Ontario Science Centre is just minutes from downtown, and the sprawling Toronto Zoo, set in the beautiful Rouge River Valley, makes an unforgettable day trip.