<p>Hi all- this upstate NY family of 5 (3 boys; 18/16/14) is finally heading to Toronto for a 3-4 day jaunt. Any and all tips/info on where to stay and what to see most welcome!</p>
<p>stay near the Toronto University or Government buildings. Easy access to trains, buses, international district, lake.</p>
<p>There are many wonderful downtown hotels where you will be able to walk to many attractions. As with any city, your budget will determine what choice is best for you.</p>
<p>[Toronto</a> Hotels: The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto](<a href=“http://www.fairmont.com/royalyork/]Toronto”>http://www.fairmont.com/royalyork/)</p>
<p>[Novotel</a> Toronto Centre (Toronto, Ontario) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor](<a href=“http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g155019-d183075-Reviews-Novotel_Toronto_Centre-Toronto_Ontario.html]Novotel”>http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g155019-d183075-Reviews-Novotel_Toronto_Centre-Toronto_Ontario.html)</p>
<p>[Starwood</a> Hotels & Resorts](<a href=“Marriott Bonvoy Hotels | Book Directly & Get Exclusive Rates”>Marriott Bonvoy Hotels | Book Directly & Get Exclusive Rates)</p>
<p>[Toronto</a> Hotels: Sheraton Centre Toronto Reservations at sheraton.com](<a href=“Marriott Bonvoy Hotels | Book Directly & Get Exclusive Rates”>Marriott Bonvoy Hotels | Book Directly & Get Exclusive Rates)</p>
<p><a href=“http://parktoronto.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsphttp://www.metropolitan.com/toronto/http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yyzcy-courtyard-toronto-downtown/[/url]”>http://parktoronto.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsphttp://www.metropolitan.com/toronto/http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yyzcy-courtyard-toronto-downtown/</a></p>
<p>[Toronto</a> Marriott Bloor Yorkville Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada](<a href=“http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yyzmc-toronto-marriott-bloor-yorkville/]Toronto”>http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yyzmc-toronto-marriott-bloor-yorkville/)</p>
<p>Those will give you a variety of different areas in the downtown part of the city.</p>
<p>Things to do will depend on when you plan to visit.</p>
<p>A Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre:</p>
<p>[The</a> Official Site of The Toronto Blue Jays: Homepage](<a href=“http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=tor]The”>http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=tor)</p>
<p>Hockey Hall of Fame:</p>
<p>[Hockey</a> Hall of Fame Home Page](<a href=“http://www.hhof.com/]Hockey”>http://www.hhof.com/)</p>
<p>Royal Ontario Museum:</p>
<p>[Royal</a> Ontario Museum](<a href=“http://www.rom.on.ca/]Royal”>http://www.rom.on.ca/)</p>
<p>Ontario Legislature Buildings:</p>
<p>[Legislative</a> Assembly of Ontario](<a href=“http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/go2.jsp?Page=/visitor-resources/tours_events&menuItem=visitor_information_tours&locale=en]Legislative”>http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/go2.jsp?Page=/visitor-resources/tours_events&menuItem=visitor_information_tours&locale=en)</p>
<p>Theatre:</p>
<p>[TORONTO</a> THEATRE (TorontoLiveTheatre.com)](<a href=“http://www.torontolivetheatre.com/]TORONTO”>http://www.torontolivetheatre.com/)</p>
<p>Shopping:</p>
<p>[Bloor-Yorkville[/url</a>]</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“CF Toronto Eaton Centre | Home”>CF Toronto Eaton Centre | Home]Toronto</a> Eaton Centre](<a href=“http://www.bloor-yorkville.com/01shop.asp]Bloor-Yorkville[/url”>http://www.bloor-yorkville.com/01shop.asp)</p>
<p>[Home[/url</a>]</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/]St”>http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/]St</a>. Lawrence Market Home Page](<a href=“http://queensquay.sites.toronto.com/]Home[/url”>http://queensquay.sites.toronto.com/)</p>
<p>Other city attractions:</p>
<p>[City</a> of Toronto: Toronto Island Park](<a href=“Toronto Island Park – City of Toronto”>Toronto Island Park – City of Toronto)</p>
<p>[www.cntower.ca[/url</a>]</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.torontozoo.com/]Toronto”>http://www.torontozoo.com/]Toronto</a> Zoo - Home](<a href=“http://www.cntower.ca/portal/]www.cntower.ca[/url”>http://www.cntower.ca/portal/)</p>
<p>[Casa</a> Loma](<a href=“http://www.casaloma.org/Main/MainDyn.asp]Casa”>Casa Loma)</p>
<p>[Ontario</a> Science Centre](<a href=“Page Not Found | Ontario Science Centre”>http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/)</p>
<p>If I can be of any further assistance, just let me know. Would be happy to recommend some restaurants for you. Toronto is a great city with many, many things to do. Depends on your interests and the type of vacation you like, as well as your budget. The University of Toronto campus is beautiful and centrally located in the city, set between the nicest shopping district in the city (Bloor St.) and the Ontario Legislature Buildings, so a walk around there is always nice.</p>
<p>^^ Thank you, thank you!!! Can’t believe we’ve been so near Toronto for 20 years and this will be the first visit!</p>
<p>Public transportation in Toronto is wonderful. You can stay anywhere in town & get around easily. Try the Tripadvisor website to find out about hotels, then do some online searches to get a great price on a hotel that looks good to you. We have stayed at several hotels in different parts of the city & have never been disappointed. Try to get tickets to a play. We saw Mama Mia a couple years ago & it was wonderful! D saw Lion King there several years ago & liked it much better than the touring company version in our area. Go, pick up a visitor’s guide, and play it by ear! Enjoy, because it is a fantastic city.</p>
<p>I remember loving the Toronto Islands & the Toronto Zoo. Son & H loved Hockey Hall of Fame. Every restaurant we hit was terrific. This thread makes me want to go back.</p>
<p>You guys waxing poetic kind of makes me want to go back too… and I just came from there a couple of days ago! ;)</p>
<p>I don’t have much to add that hasn’t been said, other than to re-emphasize that you should definitely stay downtown - it’ll be more fun, and also, the public transportation that’s very good downtown isn’t quite as good in some other parts of the city. The Yorkville-area hotels, though not technically “downtown” would also be excellent, because Yorkville is a really fun place, very pedestrian-friendly, with lots of incredible restaurants and shopping, and they’re close to places like the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum), the legislature, and also the subway downtown.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for shopping, I’m not sure I would do the Queen’s Quay site listed, unless you’re right there already; between Yorkville, the Eaton Centre and the St. Lawrence Market, you’ll be in great shape. All 3 are very easily accessible by subway, and I especially recommend the latter for a kind of ad hoc quick lunch - one of my favourite things to do when I’m downtown is drop in for some good deli sandwiches and grab some St. Urbain bagels (they’re really, really good) for the road.</p>
<p>Any other specific questions, just ask. :)</p>
<p>One thing you should see in Toronto: on the shore of Lake Ontario there’s a park and in that park there is a small building with a plaque commemorating those brave Canadians who fell defending their country against the American invasion in the War of 1812. Gives one perspective, eh.</p>
<p>You have to do Marche Movenpick in Toronto for a great dining experience - it is a set of food stations, sort of set up like a European market or gourmet food court, you get a ticket when you arrive and it gets marked at each station you visit based on what you select - the fresh made to order fruit smoothies are to die for, and their brunch is fabulous!</p>