akrobat

From reading prior posts, I know the Westin Harbour Castle isn't the best located hotel in Toronto. Unfortunately, during an upcoming trip I have to stay there (conference). I plan on exploring the city and would prefer to do as much walking as possible. Is it feasible to walk from the hotel to, say, Brookfield Place or Eaton Centre? In other words, is walking under the highway and then down Younge Street pedestrian friendly enough? I appreciate any insight you all might have.

goddesstogo

It's fine, ackrobat. Walking under the highway is just boring but it's only a few minutes. I have a friend who lives in a condo across the road from your hotel and she walks to her office at Front and University every day. I've never heard of Brookfield Place but yes you can easily walk up Yonge to the Eaton Centre.

I think the Harbour Castle also offers shuttle bus services to various locations.

QueScaisJe

If the weather is poor, there is also an extensive underground pedestrian system called PATH. Lined with shops, it runs through the downtown core up to about the Eaton Centre. It's heavily used by commuters, as you'll discover if you're travelling against the flow at rush hour.

http://www.toronto.ca/path/

QueScaisJe

Oh goddess, Brookfield Place is the new name for BCE Place.

goddesstogo

Geez, I didn't know that. It sounds like a soap opera.

akrobat, if BCE (Brookfield) place is your destination, it's a gorgeous building!

akrobat

Thanks so much to both of you for your responses. I'm so happy to hear that I have both above ground and underground walking options (thanks for the link) as well as a shuttle if necessary.

I'm looking forward to seeing the BCE/Brookfield Place esp. if it is so gorgeous. I can't wait to visit Toronto, it's been on my "must travel to" list for a long time.

Thanks again!

goddesstogo

akrobat,
if you tell us when you're coming and for how long, what you like to do, eat, etc., we can give you a few more ideas. Will you have time to visit before or after your conference? There are some wonderful neighbourhoods to explore.

Michel_Paris

Don't forget to walk around the Harbourfront area, since you are right there. Also, very near you are the ferries to the Islands, which can be very nice in the summer.

akrobat

Goddess,

Thank you so much for the offer - I'd love to get some tips. I don't have a lot of time in the city and want to make the most of it. I will be there in mid-April for 4 days. I won't be there during a weekend but will have every afternoon off starting around 4pm. My To Do list so far is very short - visit the hockey hall of fame. I'd also like to explore some of the quaint neighborhoods and eat ethnic foods that I enjoy but don't get to eat often (Russian and other eastern European and turkish but I'm open to all suggestions).

As for what I like to do - I really enjoy seeing beautiful old neighborhoods, people watching, shopping in fun boutiques and exploring the outdoors. I'm not much of a museum person but if there are some that come highly recommended, I'm all ears.

The only other thing I would like to do but don't think I'll be able to (due to how far away it is from the harbor) is visit De Grassi street. Silly, I know, but I grew up on the old 80s series and always wanted to visit!

Anyway, thanks for any and all advice. You all have been so helpful!

goddesstogo

Hi akrobat,
I'll give you three or four neighbourhoods and I hope others will chime in here with their suggestions too.

Funny, I used to drive by DeGrassi Street regularly when I was in another job. And an actor friend of mine played Wheels dad on the episode where the parents were killed in a traffic accident -- a short gig, as you might imagine! I really wouldn't go out of my way to see DeGrassi Street if I were you.

OK, neighbourhoods. I'll give you a handful (hope you've got a map handy):

1) The Annex
If you want eastern European food in a funky neighbourhood, I'd suggest the Annex. It's an old part of Toronto (my growing-up neighbourhood!) with some tiny row houses (south of Bloor) and big old houses (north of Bloor). It's also the University of Toronto neighbourhood. Walk along Bloor Street between Bathurst and Spadina. There are interesting shops and restaurants on both sides of the street. A great old Hungarian restaurant is The Country Style -- goulash soup, schnitzel, schpatzel, palacinta, etc. Also interesting is the Future Cafe and the By the Way Cafe, across the street from each other. There are also a number of Japanese restaurants there. Don't miss Honest Ed's, the big, gaudy bargain house at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. Plus, just at the west end of it is Mirvish Village -- a short street of shops, restaurants and artist studios. The recently late Ed Mirvish, of Honest Ed's fame, was a tremendous patron of the arts and rented studios to artists at very low rates so they'd have places to work. He also renovated and built theatres in Toronto and essentially started Toronto's theatre scene. He also bought and revovated The Old Vic in London.

2) Chinatown & Kensington Market
We have a very large Chinese populations and therefore many 'Chinatowns' but this is one of the older ones. Walk down Spadina Avenue from College to a few blocks south of Dundas and also east of Spadina along Dundas (where, at Beverley, you'll find the Art Gallery of Ontario -- the AGO -- but currently closed for renovations re a new Frank Gehry design). A great and inexpensive place for lunch or dinner is King's Noodle at Spadina and Dundas (nw corner) and there's also a great Vietnamese sandwich shop on the same block.

Kensington Market is one of Toronto's oldest areas -- originally a Jewish market and now a mix of Jewish, Portuguese, Jamaican, Italian, Vietnamese -- really, just about anything you can think of. The streets are lined with shops and restaurants. Augusta Street (from Baldwin to Dundas) has some very interesting and funky shops.

3) The Danforth
Danforth Avenue (also called the Danforth -- I have no idea why) is largely a Greek area. From about Chester east to Pape you'll find lots of great Greek restaurants and bakeries, as well as other ethnicities. Nice shops. A great place for a walk. Personally, we like having dinner at the Pantheon (around 401 Danforth, if not exactly that address) and then walk a block east for dessert at the Acropolis bakery. Great honey balls and custard squares.

I'll leave it at that for now. But if you do go to Harbourfront and if you like dim sum try The Pearl upstairs in the Queen's Quay Terminal Building and ask for at table near the window overlooking the lake, or for pizza/pasta downstairs at Il Fornello and sit outside at the lakeside.

That's it for me, for now!
gtg

akrobat

Thanks so much - I've printed out your message and will be taking it with me. All of the suggestions sound great and I intend to visit them all. I really appreciate your help and am even more excited about my upcoming trip!

goddesstogo

Oh, one thing I just remembered is that if you do go to King's Noodle, they only take cash -- no credit,no debit. If you need it, there's a TD ATM kitty corner.

Have a great time and come back and let us know what you did during your visit!

SallyCanuck

Akrobat and Goddess, the area around DeGrassi Street is "hot" now...several new restaurants and bars around Broadview and Queen and further east along Queen there are even more in Leslieville.

I work across the street from it and had no idea BCE Place had changed it's name.

goddesstogo

Sally, you're absolutely right! In fact, that's a great neighbourhood to walk around. Queen from about Broadview right through the Beach area. I tend to drive by DeGrassi Street at Gerrard and that's what I was picturing.

Still, if akrobat is looking for DeGrassi show nostalgia, s/he ain't gonna find it.

SallyCanuck

You're right, Goddess, it won't be recognizable.

The school they used was in Etobicoke.

LJ

You have received great advice already. I will just add that for Eastern European food, and atmosphere, you can also head out via the Bloor/ Danforth subway, get off at Jane and walk east to Keele. This is Bloor West Village and has many deli's, cheese shops, bakeries and small casual restaurants with an Eastern European flair.And if you do decide to visit The Annex, go to Aroma for coffee; its like being in Italy today (very modern and fabulous coffee).

goddesstogo

Hi LJ
You're right -- Bloor West Village is a great neighbourhood. My SO's mom and sister live there. It's not as Ukrainian as it once was but there are still some great stores and delis. I go down there at Passover just to buy the chocolate-covered macaroons at Bread and Roses!

I was just at Aroma for lunch the other day. It's funny that you say how Italian it feels -- my BIL tells me it's an Israeli chain!

akrobat

Even though it is months late, I wanted to thank everyone for the great advice. I had a wonderful time in Toronto and found the Westin to be the perfect location from which to start exploring the city and would recommend the hotel to any visitors. I made it to the hockey hall of fame and to kensington market. Time prevented me from doing more but I will go back someday. Thanks again for all the fantastic help provided ahead of my trip.

goddesstogo

Thanks for letting us know and I'm so glad to hear you had a good time! Come back soon!