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Canada’s Best New Attractions for Summer 2011

Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta

For travellers planning their summer trips in Canada this year, the regional editors of Where magazine have released their top picks for summer travel. The winners of Where Canada’s Best New Attractions for Summer 2011 represent the most exciting attractions – new, significantly improved, or celebrating major milestones this year. A diverse group of attractions from coast to coast, this year’s winners offer a wide range of activities and events suitable for any family, art lover, sports fanatic, nature lover or adventurer. Together, these attractions serve as the top must-see and must-dos for anyone travelling in Canada this summer. (more…)

Canadian Tourism Commission Releases Signature Experiences Collection

Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. (By Benson Kua)

Ever been asked what are must-see spots by friends visiting from abroad and drawn a blank, or thought about taking a trip to another province but not known what’s on offer besides a city stop? The Canadian Tourism Commission has released their Signature Experiences Collection. The federally funded program has released an initial list of 48 (undoable in 48 hours, so don’t get any ideas of a Guinness-worthy task) attractions to see, spanning east to west. Aimed at high-end tourists from Europe and Australia, they’re not exactly the waterfalls and whale watching your parents took you on when you were kids.

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The CN Tower opens its latest attraction, EdgeWalk, to the public today

CN Tower Edgewalk View. Photo: CN Tower EdgeWalk

The CN Tower’s latest attraction, EdgeWalk, takes thrill seekers to new heights today. The first of its kind in North America, EdgeWalk is the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk encircling the top of the CN Tower’s main pod, 356 metres, (1168 feet, 116 stories) above the ground. The half-hour experience, which includes re-admission into the CN Tower’s other attractions (Look Out, Glass Floor, Sky Pod Levels, movie and ride) costs $175.
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30 Things We Love About Toronto This June

3. The Art Gallery of Ontario, complete with Henry Moore sculptures (photo by Roger Yip)

1. The soulful voice of Aretha Franklin, who opens the TD Toronto Jazz Festival with a free concert on June 24.

2. Donning red and white to cheer on the Toronto FC.

3. Admiring the collection of Henry Moore sculptures housed at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

4. Sipping a cappuccino from White Squirrel Coffee Shop while seeking its namesake critters in adjacent Trinity-Bellwoods Park.

5. Practicing your swing at Polson Pier’s lakeside driving range.

10. Toronto's skyline

6. Receiving a boisterous greeting from servers and chefs upon entering Japanese izakaya Guu.

7. Examining industrial-landscape photographer Edward Burtynsky’s latest exhibit about the oil business at the Royal Ontario Museum.

8. Strolling the pedestrian-friendly outdoor retail complex Shops at Don Mills.

9. The fervor of the “scramble” at Yonge and Dundas, where you can cross the street in any direction.

10. Taking the ferry to the Toronto Islands and looking back at the impressive skyline.

13. The Rex

11. Perusing refined Scandinavian design at Mjölk.

12. Admiring the cavernous grandeur of Union Station (65 Front St. W.).

13. Winding down the week with the live jazz and laid-back vibe at The Rex.

14. Walking beneath architectural artist Philip Beesley’s Sargasso installation, featured in Brookfield Place during Luminato.

15. The sense of otherworldliness in Sarah Anne Johnson’s Arctic Wonderland photos, displayed at Stephen Bulger Gallery.

19. Buca

16. Queuing for the $5.99 lunch specials at Sushi on Bloor—it’s worth the wait.

17. TV’s Rachel and Finn—a.k.a. Lea Michelle and Cory Monteith—belting it out on stage for Glee Live! In Concert!

18. Working up the courage to step onto the CN Tower’s glass floor, then looking down at the street 342 metres below.

19. Crunching on crispy pigs’ ears within Buca’s reclaimed industrial space.

20. Centering yourself at a drop-in yoga class at the Evergreen Brick Works.

24. Stillwater Spa

21. Finishing off a meal at The Gabardine with a burnt marshmallow ice cream sandwich.

22. Ordering creative cocktails and shareable snacks at Origin.

23. Admiring the elaborately designed merchandise windows at posh Holt Renfrew.

24. Getting pampered with a deep blue Tahitian massage at Stillwater Spa.

25. Picking up a new pair of flip-flops or sandals at always on-trend shoe store Get Outside.

26. The Drake General Store

26. Quirky items from the Drake General Store to bring back home to your family and friends.

27. Tucking into tacos el pastor and a bowl of guacamole at Mexican stalwart El Trompo.

28. Coveting the volume of tomes at The Cookbook Store.

29. Scouring the rows of kitchenware at Chinatown’s Tap Phong Trading Company (360 Spadina Ave., 416-977-6364).

30. A stroll through the ravines of the Don Valley—you might glimpse a white-tailed deer by the river.

The CN Tower: 35 Years of Monumental Milestones

The iconic CN Tower has stood tall for the past 35 years, but it’s hardly been at rest. Hailed as an engineering marvel even before its official 1976 opening, the soaring monolith has continuously expanded its mandate with innovations in telecommunications, entertainment and more. Where takes a look at some of the most significant steps in the Toronto landmark’s evolution—from 553-metre-high TV and radio antenna to a must-see attraction for more than 1.5 million visitors annually.

Yours to Discover: Day One

Winter’s on its way out; it’s time to get a head start on exploring. Guide yourself with our specialized itineraries, or contact one of Toronto’s many tour operators to delve deeper into this multifaceted metropolis.

Henry Moore's Two Forms sit outside the AGO

SIGHTSEEING FOR SHUTTERBUGS
These landmarks are ready for their close up.

ALLAN GARDENS Featuring a glass domed Victorian-style “palm house” and an alluring architectural symmetry throughout its 16,000 square feet, Allan Gardens Conservatory is a popular photo-op spot. Venture inside for a lovely view of numerous flowers and plants, from orchids to cacti.

ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO The arcing glass facade and titanium tower comprising this Frank Gehry-designed museum are prominent in the midst of a largely residential quarter. Directly south is another intriguing edifice: the floating “tabletop” of OCAD University’s Sharp Centre for Design.

CASA LOMA This Gothic Revival mansion in midtown keeps imposing watch over the city and is surrounded by five acres of gardens. Inside, visitors can explore nearly 100 opulently decorated rooms.

The Allen Lambert Galleria in Brookfield Place

CN TOWER One of the tallest buildings in the world, this concrete needle makes for an iconic image from the ground. Or, ascend to its observation decks and snap a sky-high panorama—on a clear day it’s possible to see for many kilometres into the distance.

CITY HALL Toronto’s seat of government is a modernist landmark—at the north end of Nathan Phillips Square sit two towers parenthetically embracing a saucer-like Council Chamber. Within its rotunda you can view a scale model of the city, plus a variety of public art works.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT Canada’s power brokers swing deals amidst this area’s superior structures, including the Santiago Calatrava–designed galleria at Brookfield Place, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s TD Centre towers, and the Renaissance Revival–style Commerce Court North.

HIGH PARK If the weather is agreeable, this hilly, 399-acre greenspace offers ample opportunity for photographic pursuits—and general enjoyment. There’s nature’s bounty, of course, but also a small zoo, historic Colborne Lodge and more. Return in late April to see the cherry trees in bloom.

The Royal Ontario Museum's Michael Lee-Chin Crystal (photo by Brian Boyle)

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME This shrine to Canada’s favourite sport is located in a heritage Beaux Arts bank building. Its cathedral-like Great Hall enshrines the National Hockey League’s coveted trophies—including the famed Stanley Cup—for all to see.

OLD TOWN The city’s original blocks date to 1793 and feature photo-friendly historic sites like the Gooderham “flatiron” Building and St. Lawrence Market. The area’s eastern end is home to the circa-1850s Distillery Historic District.

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM Arguably the most controversial site in Toronto, the ROM’s “Crystal,” conceived by architect Daniel Libeskind, is nothing if not striking. The geometric structure bursts forth from a neo-Byzantine heritage building. Set your sights on thousands of historical artifacts and natural specimens inside.

Many of these famous attractions can be spotted from the comfort of a coach or even a double-decker bus. The Toronto City Tour and Gray Line Hop-On, Hop-Off City Tour offer popular, fully narrated excursions.

View

Yours to Discover: Sightseeing for Shutterbugs in a larger map

Fun on Family Day

Ontario’s Family Day holiday falls this year on Monday, February 21, and offers an excellent opportunity to experience Toronto with your loved ones. Some of the city’s top attractions are even offering special family-oriented deals and programs!

Tim Burton is featured at the TIFF Bell Lightbox (photo by Derek Frey)

MOVIES! Family fun is free for the whole long weekend at the Tiff Bell Lightbox. Take the kids to see some fantastic films and explore the world of Tim Burton at the venue’s huge exhibition dedicated to the famous filmmaker. You can also see stand-up/cabaret artist Shawn Hitchins for a hilarious singalong featuring hits from the latest and greatest movies.

VISTAS! View the city from new heights at the CN Tower, which offers discounted Family Day admission. Be sure to stand on the iconic needle’s glass floor hovering 1,122 feet above street level, or go even higher to the Sky Pod and gaze kilometres into the distance. The attraction also offers a “Himalamazon” motion-theatre ride and the thrilling 3D movie Ultimate Wave Tahiti.

AFRICA! Among the thousands of diverse artifacts on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, your family is certain to be captivated by its display of contemporary pieces by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui. For Family Day, the special exhibition is supplemented by musical performances, films, drumming workshops and even a scavenger hunt through the museum’s comprehensive African rooms.

FEET! Kids can be honourary detectives at the Bata Shoe Museum during its weekend of family fun. Hunt for unique shoes throughout the space to earn a Shoe Detective certificate, try on some of the museum’s craziest shoes, and paint a mini clog to take home.

Harbourfront Centre's Natrel Rink (photo by Jennifer Hart)

SKATING! Make tracks to Toronto’s waterfront for a whole day of wholesome activities, as Harbourfront Centre hosts a family skating party with live music plus special guests including superhero characters, dancers, sock monkeys and Canadian Olympic athletes Jayna Heffors and Greg Westlake. Craft workshops help kids make their own mementos to remember the day by.

FINE ART! Discover some of the world’s most wondrous visuals at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Ask for a family activity bag at the ticketing desk to make your journey through the gallery even more enjoyable. There’s even a kid-focused exhibition, Animal Tales, which offers children the opportunity to share stories and create their own creature drawings.

ANIMALS! Walk into the wild at the Toronto Zoo and discover some fun facts about animal packs and how they work as families—just like us! The zoo’s indoor pavilions feature exhibits on family trees and conservation, too.

HISTORY! Step into Casa Loma and partake in an old-fashioned scavenger hunt with Dora the Explorer. Kids can meet Dora in the library, and see other costumed characters while searching for treasure inside Toronto’s famous castle. For a more regal experience, youngsters can see what it was like to be a knight in the middle ages, courtesy of the Barrie Swordplay Association.

See how tornadoes form at the Ontario Science Centre (photo by Carsten Peter/National Geographic)

HOCKEY! Head to the Hockey Hall of Fame and receive free admission for up to four children with the purchase of one regularly priced adult. Kids will also receive a free muffin voucher from Marché—the better to keep their energy levels up! The museum features interactive activities in the NHLPA Be A Player Zone, as well as numerous artifacts, including hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.

SCIENCE! Heat up inside the Ontario Science Centre with the institution’s newest exhibition, Nature Unleashed, which demonstrates how earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tornadoes occur from the inside out. Kids of all ages can also marvel at the world’s largest mammals in the Whales/Tohora exhibit, or sit back and enjoy one of three mind-blowing Imax films.

MARILYN! The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg opens two special exhibitions in honour of the American film legend Marilyn Monroe. Guided tours, film screenings, music and other special programming is scheduled to help shine the spotlight on the shows and their superstar subject.

You Are Here: Entertainment District

Day or night, the glow of marquee lights and cheering spectators ensures Toronto’s central hot spot is full of life. From the first pitch on the ball diamond to the final curtain call, this area’s top attractions, theatres and stadiums—not to mention restaurants, bars and clubs—are the city’s crowning glory.

View You Are Here: Entertainment District in a larger map

TREAD LIGHTLY Spread across 13 blocks, Canada’s Walk of Fame is a tribute in granite to the country’s finest. More than 120 Canadians have been honoured since 1998, including actors William Shatner and Mike Myers, directors David Cronenberg and Ivan Reitman, singers Joni Mitchell and Diana Krall, and comedian Eugene Levy.

Princess of Wales Theatre

FIT FOR ROYALTY Named in part for the late Princess Diana, the horseshoe-shaped Princess of Wales Theatre is an example of superior craftsmanship: Venetian terrazzo floors, mahogany from Africa adorning the arches and handrails, glass and tile mosaics, and more than 10,000 square feet of murals by American artist Frank Stella covering the ceiling, proscenium arch, lounges and lobbies. Over the years, Tony Award–winning productions such as The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon have played here to rousing applause. Next month the curtain rises on Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical.

A CENTURY OF SHOWS The oldest continuously operating theatre in North America, the Royal Alexandra Theatre is as known for its beaux-arts style architecture as it is for the esteemed names who have taken to its stage: Édith Piaf, Orson Welles and Martin Short have all made audiences laugh, cry and burst into thunderous applause. The venue itself is impressively appointed with Italian marble, carved walnut and cherrywood, gilded plaster and crystal chandeliers. Presently, the 1980s hair-metal love story Rock of Ages is bringing down the house.

Roy Thomson Hall

APPEALING TO THE EARS The unique, curvilinear glass exterior of Roy Thomson Hall makes it an oft-photographed site. But the home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is more than just a pretty facade. Renovations in 2002 made it one of the city’s most acoustically stellar concert halls. The TSO kicks off its 89th season with Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony no. 2 on September 23. Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, mezzo-soprano Susan Platts and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir help bring the piece to life.

SYMBOL IN THE SKY The CN Tower may have lost the title of world’s tallest free-standing structure, but it remains the pinnacle of this city’s unique skyline. At a commanding 553.33 metres tall, this communication tower—built by the Canadian National Railway in 1972—offers aerial views from several vantage points. The SkyPod presides over an unparalleled view at 447 metres, while upscale restaurant 360 dishes up a revolving panorama at 351 metres.

SPORTS CENTRAL Adjacent to the CN Tower is another iconic element of Toronto’s downtown landscape. The multi-purpose Rogers Centre is home to Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts, and was the world’s first stadium with a retractable roof. In addition to cheering sports fans, music lovers also pack the field for raucous concerts by such bands as Bon Jovi and the Jonas Brothers. Take a one-hour guided tour to see a luxury suite, press box and the Blue Jays Hall of Fame.

Hot Entertainment: 3D Adventure

A scene from Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D

It’s not enough that the CN Tower is Toronto’s tallest attraction—now it’s one of the most immersive, too. Thanks to an upgrade of its Maple Leaf Cinema, the iconic landmark now offers a state-of-the-art 3D movie-viewing experience, featuring high-definition picture and sound. Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D, the first film to be projected on to this new screen, follows two professional surfers as they ride the waves in a tropical paradise. From this technological vantage point, you’ll think you’re visiting the South Pacific. Multiple showings daily, $11 for movie only ($35 as part of the Total Tower Experience); call 416-868-6937 of click here for more information.

March Break Manual

School’s Out, springs a tease and the babes need boredom-busting adventures. Where Toronto offers a dozen ideas to keep the kids—and your entire family—happy during March Break.
By Naya Valdellon

The gang from High School Musical head back to class in a stage production (photo by Joseph Hammond)

TIPS FOR TWO HOURS

Ice Breakers
MARCH 3 TO 7 See your favourite Disney characters come to life with Disney on Ice Presents Let’s Celebrate!. The magical, action-packed skating party features a Halloween haunt with the Disney villains, a royal ball with princesses like Cinderella and Belle, and a winter wonderland with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

Monstrous Fun
OPENS MARCH 8 Youngsters—and the young at heart—can both enjoy The Monster Under the Bed, presented by Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. Penned by Kevin Dyer and directed by Nina Lee Aquino, the comedy dramatizes the fears and fantasies of a young boy named Ben who swaps lives with the scary creature hiding beneath his mattress.

Teenage Drama
MARCH 17 TO 21 Real high school, with its intrigues and cliques, is no song-and-dance number. But the Disney phenomenon High School Musical 2 makes us remember how fun it could be. A new 70-minute stage version has Troy, Gabriella, Chad and the rest of the gang landing summer jobs and singing original songs from the movie, including “You Are the Music in Me.”

Middle Ages for All Ages
ON NOW Get whisked away to the 11th century as the royal guests of King Philippe and Princess Leonore at Medieval Times. Walk through a majestic castle, feast on a four-course banquet with your bare hands and cheer for your knight in shining armor at an authentic jousting tournament.

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