A holiday in Toronto is a break in one of the most vibrant multicultural cities on the planet. The most heavily populated city in Canada, it hums as a cosmopolitan economic, business and cultural centre, joining together a multicultural background with urban style. Toronto has something for everyone.
On the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto boasts a busy stock exchange, museums, galleries, fine restaurants, large shopping complexes, a popular waterfront and hundreds of parks. You visit should take in highlights like Queens Park and the CN Tower. The Harbour Front is great for people watching day or night and the restaurants aren't expensive. Take a local ferry to the Toronto Islands for fantastic views back to the city; at night the skyline view is spectacular. Use the streetcar to get to the Beaches and see the scenes along the way. Allow a morning or afternoon to walk the boardwalk and browse the shops.
Toronto’s ethnic diversity has given the city an exciting energy. It’s also created a place of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its defining character and local colour. From the exotic fruits and delicacies of Chinatown, the colourful, European-style Kensington Market, the bustling streets of Little India, to the authentic restaurants of Little Italy and Greektown, Toronto is rightly described as a melting pot.
Straddling the Canadian-United States border and sited between the province of Ontario and the US state of New York, the dazzling Niagara Falls attracts about 12 million tourists a year. It makes a spectacular day’s outing from Toronto. The river plunges over a cliff to make the second largest waterfall on earth. Apart from appreciating the falls itself, perhaps from a spray-filled boat tour, there is plenty more to see and do on the Niagara peninsula, including indulging in some wine-tasting at one of the local wineries; visiting the exotic butterfly conservatory, or marvelling at the floral clock in the Niagara Parks Greenhouse.
Toronto fun facts
One quarter of Canada’s population lives within 160km of Toronto
Yonge Street is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the 'longest street in the world', stretching 1,896 km from the lakeshore in Toronto, to Rainy River, Ontario.
Toronto is the 5th-largest city in North America after Mexico City, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago
Hawaiian Holiday for a family
Friday 4th September 2009
Travel Counsellor: Simon Clancy
We recently enjoyed a family holiday to California and Hawaii. For 4 days on the way over, we stayed on the North Shore of the main island, Oahu. Away from the high-rise jungle of Waikiki, we chose to stay at a resort called Turtle Bay Resort.
We hired a car to drive from the airport so we would not be bound to the resort for 4 days. The North Shore has so much to see, and there are some great restaurants down the road in Lahaina. Driving and navigating in Hawaii is very easy. The traffic is fairly light and the roads are easy to follow.
The decor in our room was a bit dated but the room had loads of room, and all the furniture was comfortable. I believe they have started rennovations, so the resort can only get better. Besides, the location is so amazing that you won’t want to spend time in your room.
There are heaps of activities on offer, including golf, tennis, horse riding and surfing lessons. There are surf beaches, a sheltered beach and a couple of swimming pools, one even... view full story
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