PING: Anyone been to Toronto?

ColtCrazy · 06-05-2012, 08:55 PM

I booked my flight for London for my summer job and it looks like I have an 9 hour layover in Toronto on the way over. I'm seriously thinking about renting a car and going out for a few hours since the layover is during the day.

Niagara Falls is great, but it seems a bit daunting to do it in my time frame.

Hamilton is close and has two places I found online that might be interesting, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Air Museum. Anyone been to either? Any good?

Or are there other places that would be a fun diversion for 4-5 hours?

cartman · 06-05-2012, 08:59 PM

In the Toronto downtown area, there is the Hockey Hall of Fame and the CN Tower. Hitting up both of those would take up a big chunk of your layover time.

It has been about 10 years since I was last in Toronto, and it was for a conference, so we pretty much stayed in the downtown area.

ColtCrazy · 06-05-2012, 09:05 PM

Not one much for heights, but the hockey hall of fame would be cool. How on Earth that didn't come up in my search is beyond me. Kept getting things about a brewery...which was probably a bad idea before a long flight!

bbor · 06-05-2012, 09:14 PM

Niagara falls is out...for sure...go to the hockey hall of fame...that will kill your time plus there are some pretty good restaurants close by.

cartman · 06-05-2012, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbor

plus there are some pretty good restaurants close by.

Taco Bell isn't a good idea either before a long flight

ColtCrazy · 06-05-2012, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartman

Taco Bell isn't a good idea either before a long flight

Yeah, getting thrown off the plane in Iceland or something doesn't sound like my idea of fun!

JetsIn06 · 06-05-2012, 09:46 PM

Speaking at a conference in Toronto at the end of July. Not sure how much time I'll have to do fun stuff, but I'd also love some pointers.

BillyNYC · 06-05-2012, 10:14 PM

I enjoyed spending 60-90 mins at The Distillery District when I was in Toronto for a weekend 2 years back. Boutiquey shops, art galleries, etc in what used to be a uhhh distillery. Not far at all from center of downtown.

The Distillery Historic District

Fidatelo · 06-06-2012, 07:29 AM

Distillery district is cool. Hockey HoF is a must. If it's nice out, just walking around the shore around the CN Tower / SkyDome can be a nice way to spend an hour or two. Lots of great restaurants.

We (the rest of Canada) like to crap on The Big Smoke but, frankly, it's a pretty awesome city.

ColtCrazy · 06-06-2012, 08:55 AM

Thanks. Looks like a day at the Hockey HOF and Downtown is in order. Car rental prices are insanely low, so that looks to be a better option than cab rides in and out of town, and I prefer the freedom of having a car anyway.

johnnyshaka · 06-06-2012, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Distillery district is cool. Hockey HoF is a must. If it's nice out, just walking around the shore around the CN Tower / SkyDome can be a nice way to spend an hour or two. Lots of great restaurants.

What he said...can't go wrong with a day like that.

Here's another idea, Canada's Wonderland is about 20 minutes from the airport if you are into amusement parks.

Canada's Premier Amusement Park | Canada's Wonderland

cadmus2166 · 06-06-2012, 10:02 AM

Toronto has a pretty good Chinatown if you're into that sort of thing. Also just west of Chinatown is Kensington Market, which is a bit of a bohemian market with all sorts of food and bohemian/earthy type shopping at reasonable prices.

Logan · 06-06-2012, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Kept getting things about a brewery...which was probably a bad idea before a long flight!

That's exactly what I did before my flight to London last year.

(just substitute "airport bar watching college football" for "brewery")

Fidatelo · 06-06-2012, 12:21 PM

Another nice destination is High Park and the Bloor West Village. A friend of mine lived right by there and when I visited him I would get up early each morning and go for a run through the park and along the shoreline. Beautiful area, lots of people.

ColtCrazy · 06-06-2012, 01:46 PM

I did see some stuff on Kensington Market. It looked pretty interesting. Apparently I need to schedule more layovers in Toronto. Sadly, my return trip goes straight into O'Hare.

Apathetic Lurker · 06-06-2012, 07:18 PM

Hockey Hall of Fame followed by some Canadian Ballet......

Chubby · 06-06-2012, 09:18 PM

The Kerry Fraser Walk of Fame

bbor · 06-07-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chubby

The Kerry Fraser Walk of Fame

Oh Snap...you are playin with ML's rath

Hoya1 · 06-08-2012, 09:42 AM

lol
9 hour layover in toronto might not be enough time to do a whole lot. Toronto traffic is silly and though it seems feasible to drive downtown and bounce around, it might not work.
what time and when is your layover

ColtCrazy · 06-08-2012, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoya1

lol
9 hour layover in toronto might not be enough time to do a whole lot. Toronto traffic is silly and though it seems feasible to drive downtown and bounce around, it might not work.
what time and when is your layover

It's from about 11:30 in the morning till about 9 that night.

darkenigma510 · 06-09-2012, 10:32 AM

Hamilton and Niagara would be out for sure.

Yonge Street is always vibrant during the day for shopping and attractive women

You could go up the CN Tower, shop at the Eaton Centre (don't get shot though!), check out the bar & entertainment district

06-05-2012, 08:59 PM	#2
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	In the Toronto downtown area, there is the Hockey Hall of Fame and the CN Tower. Hitting up both of those would take up a big chunk of your layover time. It has been about 10 years since I was last in Toronto, and it was for a conference, so we pretty much stayed in the downtown area. __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

06-05-2012, 09:05 PM	#3
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	Not one much for heights, but the hockey hall of fame would be cool. How on Earth that didn't come up in my search is beyond me. Kept getting things about a brewery...which was probably a bad idea before a long flight! __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-05-2012, 09:14 PM	#4
bbor Pro Starter Join Date: May 2001 Location: toronto	Niagara falls is out...for sure...go to the hockey hall of fame...that will kill your time plus there are some pretty good restaurants close by. __________________ Pumpy Tudors Now that I've cracked and made that admission, I wonder if I'm only a couple of steps away from wanting to tongue-kiss Jaromir Jagr and give Bobby Clarke a blowjob.

06-06-2012, 07:29 AM	#9
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	Distillery district is cool. Hockey HoF is a must. If it's nice out, just walking around the shore around the CN Tower / SkyDome can be a nice way to spend an hour or two. Lots of great restaurants. We (the rest of Canada) like to crap on The Big Smoke but, frankly, it's a pretty awesome city. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

06-06-2012, 08:55 AM	#10
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	Thanks. Looks like a day at the Hockey HOF and Downtown is in order. Car rental prices are insanely low, so that looks to be a better option than cab rides in and out of town, and I prefer the freedom of having a car anyway. __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-05-2012, 09:46 PM	#7
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	Speaking at a conference in Toronto at the end of July. Not sure how much time I'll have to do fun stuff, but I'd also love some pointers.

06-05-2012, 10:14 PM	#8
BillyNYC High School JV Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Berlin, Germany	I enjoyed spending 60-90 mins at The Distillery District when I was in Toronto for a weekend 2 years back. Boutiquey shops, art galleries, etc in what used to be a uhhh distillery. Not far at all from center of downtown. The Distillery Historic District

06-06-2012, 10:02 AM	#12
cadmus2166 Mascot Join Date: Mar 2012	Toronto has a pretty good Chinatown if you're into that sort of thing. Also just west of Chinatown is Kensington Market, which is a bit of a bohemian market with all sorts of food and bohemian/earthy type shopping at reasonable prices.

06-06-2012, 12:21 PM	#14
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	Another nice destination is High Park and the Bloor West Village. A friend of mine lived right by there and when I visited him I would get up early each morning and go for a run through the park and along the shoreline. Beautiful area, lots of people. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

06-06-2012, 01:46 PM	#15
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	I did see some stuff on Kensington Market. It looked pretty interesting. Apparently I need to schedule more layovers in Toronto. Sadly, my return trip goes straight into O'Hare. __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

06-06-2012, 07:18 PM	#16
Apathetic Lurker College Prospect Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo,NY	Hockey Hall of Fame followed by some Canadian Ballet......

06-06-2012, 09:18 PM	#17
Chubby Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Syracuse, NY	The Kerry Fraser Walk of Fame

06-08-2012, 09:42 AM	#19
Hoya1 High School JV Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Ontario	lol 9 hour layover in toronto might not be enough time to do a whole lot. Toronto traffic is silly and though it seems feasible to drive downtown and bounce around, it might not work. what time and when is your layover

06-09-2012, 10:32 AM	#21
darkenigma510 n00b Join Date: Jan 2007	Hamilton and Niagara would be out for sure. Yonge Street is always vibrant during the day for shopping and attractive women You could go up the CN Tower, shop at the Eaton Centre (don't get shot though!), check out the bar & entertainment district

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