Toronto – Located in southern Ontario, Toronto, the 5th largest city in North America, is commonly referred to as the world’s most multicultural city. If you take the time to walk around downtown, and see all that it has to offer, you will see that this is most certainly true. From Little Italy to Greektown, Chinatown to Little India, the Gay Village and the Fashion district, Toronto offers everything you could possibly think of, and then some. Toronto, Huron for 'meeting place' has always been an important trading centre and still loves up to its name today. The 'Megacity' is a melting pot of culture, business and the arts. Torontonians take pride in their diverse city, and celebrate their differences by being respectful of each others cultures and through a multitude of festivals throughout the year.
Toronto Zoo - If you're bringing your family to Toronto, one of the first places you'll want to visit is the magnificent Toronto Zoo. Located in the beautiful Rouge Valley and covering 287 hectares, the Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world. Drawing approximately 1.2 million visitors each year, this world class facility houses over 5,000 animals within 460 species.
Rogers Center - Or the SkyDome is hailed as one of the world’s greatest entertainment centers. Famous worldwide for its retractable roof, the SkyDome received the Stadium of the Year Award from Billboard, Amusement Business and Performance magazine. It is one of the top three tourist attractions in Toronto.
The Historic Distillery District is Toronto's newest arts and cultural community. Founded in 1932 by William Gooderham and James Worts, the Gooderham and Worts Distillery was the largest in the British Empire. Wonderfully preserved, the Victorian buildings have been restored to immaculate condition, and are a pleasure to tour. The area itself covers 13 acres of downtown, and is home to many quaint restaurants, cafes and art galleries.
The Canadian National Exhibition was founded in 1879 and is still a strong force in Toronto. Drawing millions of visitors each year, and entertaining us all year round, the Exhibition is an eighteen day long fair that happens each August. Set in breathtaking grounds on the shore of Lake Ontario, the Ex is a fun filled adventure for young and old alike. Take in a horse show showcasing the magnificent Belgian Draft Horses, or join in the Classic Car Cruise, where all the hot rod heavyweights show off their babies for all to see.
Historic Fort York was founded in 1793 by Lt.-Governor John Graves Simcoe, Fort York has played a major role in the development of Toronto. The original log buildings quickly deteriorated, only to be replaced in the late 1790s by new barracks, 100 metres east of the original site. Later, a home was built for the lieutenant-governor on the present fort site. From the time of the first garrison, the buildings on the property were either destroyed or fell into disrepair, necessitating rebuilding.
First constructed to guard the burgeoning city, Fort York has actually only seen one battle, but what a battle it was. On April 27, 1813, 1,700 American troops invaded Toronto, attacking Fort York. Vastly outnumbered, the fort's defenders retreated, but not before blowing up the city's gunpowder supply, The Grand Magazine, destroying the fort and killing hundreds of the attackers.
The fort has not been a part of another battle since its reconstruction. Today it serves as a museum of the largest collection of War of 1812 buildings in Canada. It is open year-round to the public and seasonal guided tours are available to the public, as well as summer animation that explores the fort's role in the city's past.
The Toronto Islands were not always in fact islands but actually a series of continuously roaming sand-bars, or littoral drift deposits, originating from the Scarborough Bluffs and carried westward by Lake Ontario currents. In the early 1800s, the largest of these bars had grown nearly 9 kilometres south-west from Woodbine Avenue, through Ashbridge's Bay and the marshes of the lower Don River, forming a natural harbour between the lake and the mainland.
Visitors have cherished the secluded lakeside charm and beauty for centuries. Considered a place of leisure and relaxation to native peoples, the peninsula and surrounding sand-bars were only first surveyed in 1792 by Lieutenant Bouchette of the British Navy. The main peninsula became known to European settlers as the "Island of Hiawatha". D.W. Smith's Gazetteer recorded in 1813 that "the long beach or peninsula, which affords a most delightful ride, is considered so healthy by the Indians that they resort to it whenever indisposed".
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