Toronto is like New York, as run by the Swiss. That Toronto's star has risen is no surprise. With its colorful ethnic mix, rich history, and breathtaking architecture, weekend getaway in Toronto offers nonstop adventures.
To get a sense of how big, various, and magical Toronto is, the best place to start is the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the world. From this vantage point, you'll get a bird's-eye view of the city's striking skyline and unique geography. Within downtown are myriad neighborhoods.
Some, like Queens' Park and Old Toronto, are known for their long-standing political or financial institutions; others, like Chinatown and Little Italy, bustle with authentic ethnic markets, shops, and restaurants; and still others, like Yorkville and Queen Street West, are popular for their chic boutiques and bistros. Museums and art galleries, such as the R yal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario, are sprinkled through downtown, not sticking to any one area. Just below it all, the Underground City, an 11 km (7 mi) subterranean walkway, is lined with eateries, shops, and theaters so that the pursuit of pleasure needn't cease, no matter the weather. All these things are the main part of the weekend getaway in Toronto.
Not long ago, Toronto was considered one of North America's dullest cities. Its Sunday-closing laws were a national joke, and it was regularly compared with its chic French-speaking neighbor, Montreal, and found wanting. The city's transformation into the country's largest and most exciting metropolis is more than a little surprising.
Today, once-tame Toronto is the Manhattan of Canada-center of the country's fashion, publishing, and art worlds. It's also called "Hollywood North" because of the volume of film and television production done here. In North America, only Hollywood and New York serve as locations for more film and commercial work than Toronto. Feature films shot in Toronto include Sea of Love, Three Men and a Baby, and Moonstruck, made by Toronto resident Norman Jewison. This once-stodgy enclave of Scottish bankers and British expatriates has become a booming metropolitan area with a population of 3.5 million, including burgeoning Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Sikh, Portuguese, and Caribbean Islander communities. The weekend getaway in Toronto will be interesting to spend both for child and adult.
You don't have to drive out into the country for a weekend and plan Toronto getaway. A jaunt into a big city offers the opportunity to enjoy a more sophisticated retreat, with plenty of entertainment and restaurant choices. On weekends, when business travelers have gone home, you can often get special rates and packages at downtown hotels. Most cities also have B&Bs and small inns as well. For example, Redwood Garden Bed and Breakfast, an elegant and modern air conditioned home in heart of the old town and very suitable place for the weekend getaway in Toronto. The house derives its name from the rare and majestic Chinese Redwood tree which stands proud in the beautiful and tranquil English garden.
The house has recently been upgraded and remodeled. It now lends itself superbly to accommodate both English antiques and the clean lines of modern furniture. This has resulted in the concept of a "transitional" style, marrying old with new. The rooms look out onto the mature well cultivated private rear garden. There is a private guest entrance to the front of the house.