I visit my cousins in Toronto every few years, but it had been more than 20 years since I had visited as a tourist.  The first time with kids in tow meant the zoo, the Science Center and a Blue Jays baseball game were on the agenda. This time, it was shopping, museums and a city tour.

My home in Ohio is about 5 hours away – so I have always driven to T O.  (That’s what the locals call Toronto.)
It’s important to remember that changes to travel regulations now require U.S. citizens crossing the Canadian border to have a passport or a passport card. 

My base of operations was the Toronto Marriott Downtown Eaton Centre located on Bay Street.  Situated between two subway stations and directly connected to the Eaton Centre shopping mall, the location of this AAA Four Diamond hotel is ideal for anyone wanting to be in the heart of the city.  

The weekend I was there it was the host hotel for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon (a qualifier for the Boston Marathon) and provided an ideal view to watch the start and finish of the race.  (The race did present some logistical challenges since many of the streets around the hotel were closed on race day.)  But typical of Marriott properties, even though the hotel was full, the staff made each guest feel important.  After checking in, I enjoyed a delightful lunch at the hotel’s Trios Bistro which features contemporary Canadian cuisine and is certified Ocean Wise (offering environmentally-friendly seafood choices). 

For years, I’ve heard people returning from Toronto rave about the shopping, particularly at the Eaton Centre mall.  It’s huge, with lots of stores, but not much different than any other shopping mall I’ve been to.  I must say, I was a little disappointed.  I was looking for a unique shopping experience, and this just didn’t fit the bill.  After an hour or so wandering about, I headed to the subway station at the corner of Dundas and Yonge streets.  (Yonge Street was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world.)
 
Dundas and Yonge Square (aka Dundas Square) reminded me a little bit of a miniature Times Square with its flashing signs and bright lights.  Not only is the subway station there, the square hosts numerous festivals, concerts and other special events throughout the year.  Before getting on the subway, I meandered through a few rows of tents filled with vendors selling jewelry, food items and clothing.
 
Driving in Toronto is challenging to say the least, so I decided to take the subway to meet my cousins in Etobicoke for dinner.  I always enjoy taking subways, no matter what city I’m in.  It’s a wonderful way to people watch and absorb a bit of the lives of commuters.  While the subway was fast and efficient, it isn’t very tourist friendly.  One day passes are available for $10 that allow for unlimited travel on busses or subways, but they expire at 5:30 a.m. no matter what time the pass is purchased. Considering the number of tourists that visit the city, a multi-day pass designed for visitors makes sense to me. 

Saturday I boarded a Toronto Step On/Step Off City Tour operated by TorontoTours LTD. These tours provide a great way to see the city.  You can step off at one of 20 stops to explore a destination in depth and step back on to continue a 12-mile loop tour through the downtown area.    The driver guides are knowledgeable and filled with interesting tidbits about the history of the city. Tickets are good for two days providing enough time to explore the city at your own pace.  Unfortunately, as of the date of this posting, the TorontoTours LTD website has not been updated to include information about this tour. You can contact them at 416-869-1372. An additional note:  there are two different tour companies with similar names and website addresses.  Toronto Tours offers similar tours, as well as additional tour options.
 
First stop was the Bata Shoe Museum. I first became aware of the Bata in the early 90s, after my former boss, Jerry Turk (now-retired editor of Ohio Motorist magazine) returned from a press trip to Toronto.   Truth be told, I thought it was a bit bizarre to have a museum dedicated to shoes – but, I must have subconsciously put it on my bucket list of places to visit – because it was the first place I sought out. 

The museum which moved into its shoe-box inspired permanent home in 1995 was more interesting than I expected. It provided a history on foot coverings and how they evolved through time.  Exhibits explaining the binding of feet in Asian cultures to the fancy beading of moccasins by First Nation cultures to shoes worn by Elton John, Elvis Presley, the Pope and other celebrities keep visitors engaged.  A special exhibit at the time of my visit was dedicated to socks.  Keeping kids entertained was an area where they could try on different types of shoes and walk around in them.  (That brought back memories of my boys wearing my high heel shoes when they were toddlers.) 

Just as I walked out the door of the museum, the TorontoTour bus arrived.  Next stop, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).  The AGO had a fascinating selection of art work from an eclectic group of artists.  Especially fascinating to me was the Thomson Collection.  Ken Thomson was a private collector who assembled what has been described as the most important private art collection in Canada, comprised of Canadian paintings, First Nation objects, European sculpture, ship models from the Napoleonic era to the 20th century and much more.  He then donated his collection to the AGO.  His collection had a little bit of everything . . . if he fancied it, he bought it. 

Next stop was the CN Tower.  In spite of the day turning gray and overcast, I didn’t want to miss this iconic attraction.  I headed to the base of the tower and then saw the line-up.  I must admit, one of my “quirks” is the aversion to standing in line.  Perhaps had the skies been clear, I may have waited.  So, when I return to Toronto, I’ll plan to make the trip up like my fellow blogger Maria did.

Dinner that night was in Richmond Hill north of the city.  Driving there we traveled on the 407, the world's first all-electronic open access toll highway, which extends 108 kilometers east-west, just north of Toronto.  This toll road has no gates or toll booths.  Residents purchase transponders (I suspect similar to EZ Pass System in the US) if they travel the 407 often.   If you don’t have a transponder, a video system records your license plate number as you enter and exit the roadway and you’re sent a bill.  (I’m still waiting for my bill to arrive.) 

Sunday’s plan was to walk to St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District, followed by a visit to the Allan Gardens.   As I began the 30-minute walk, (ironically watching marathoners racing as we went), an old injury reared its ugly head, preventing me from continuing on.  Limping back to the hotel, I decided to add those destinations onto my list of places for my next visit to Toronto.