Family Vacations in Toronto Archives - Page 2 of 13 - Delsuites' Blog
Browsing Category

Family Vacations in Toronto

Downtown Toronto Condos, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Entertainment, toronto toursim

Toronto in Film: Toronto’s Film Festivals

July 20, 2022
Toronto film festival photo by Martin Lopez on Pexels.

The film industry is big in Toronto. Everything from major Hollywood movies to Emmy-winning TV series like Schitt’s Creek and Orphan Black have been shot here. We’ve hosted superhero battles, futuristic space cities, and an endless stream of prop New York taxicabs.

Toronto’s known for an expert local talent pool, great locations, and thriving studios like Pinewood and Revival. But it also has a sophisticated, international audience of local moviegoers to show your finished product.

Whether it’s audio, video, documentaries, or short films: here’s a tour of the Toronto film landscape for both film lovers and filmmakers.

Toronto International Film Festival

When it comes to Toronto film events, the granddaddy of them all is TIFF: an 11-day extravaganza of gala premieres, industry sessions, awards, and networking opportunities.

Founded in 1976, it’s one of the biggest public-accessible film festivals in the world. It’s big enough to have grown its own dedicated five-story film centre: home to a film reference library, learning studios, event spaces, galleries, and vibrant year-round international programming.

With dedicated tracks for national cinemas, pulp, and documentaries, TIFF has nurtured an incredible range of film cultures in Toronto and abroad.

The 2022 edition of TIFF runs from September 8-18.

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Festival

All things Indigenous media—and we mean all of them—make it to imagineNATIVE. The world’s largest Indigenous media and film festival, imagineNATIVE puts on a blizzard of screenings, concerts, industry events, and interactive showcases—all from the vibrant world of Indigenous arts.

Running as a festival since 2000, it’s made a significant mark: early winners of its Best Dramatic Feature award have included Taika Waititi and Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo. Films produced as part of its Embargo Collective commissions have screened at TIFF and Sundance.

Today, that initial concept has bloomed into partnerships with the Canadian National Film Board and the Berlinale, a film producer mini-lab, tours, and community screening series.

ImagineNATIVE 2022 takes place from October 18-30, both physically and virtually through their digital platform.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival

Can’t get enough horror, science fiction, or action movies? Toronto After Dark Film Festival is all about the pulp, the cult, and the straight-up fun.

With over 10,000 eager viewers each year, Toronto After Dark hits both the highbrow and low, with enough room for moody Scandinavian horror, Troma films, Hollywood hits, and homegrown creations. It boasts a thrillingly international lineup, having showcased films from Israel, Thailand, Mexico, Iran, and Korea.

Hosted at Toronto’s downtown Scotiabank Theatre, the 16th edition of Toronto After Dark takes place from October 19-23, 2022.

Inside Out Film and Video Festival

Canada’s largest and most prestigious LGBTQIA+ film festival had a grassroots beginning in 1991 at Toronto’s Euclid Theatre. Since then, Inside Out has grown into an entertainment juggernaut, with funding and training programs, a school distribution program for new artists, grants, scholarships, and funding forums.

Now hosted at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and co-screens selected films with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Netflix, and Crave. Its own permanent distribution platform operates year-round, and its awards have recognized films from Canada, China, Australia, Argentina, and everywhere between.

Inside Out’s next edition takes place in May 2023.

Hot Docs

Toronto’s all-documentary film festival, Hot Docs, screens over 200 films from around the world every year—and adds on professional development programs, a full industry conference, and a developed schools program.

An annual festival since 1993, Hot Docs expanded to its own dedicated theatre—the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, formerly the Bloor Cinema—in 2012. It also recently launched a podcast festival, complete with a dedicated creators’ and industry forum devoted to the art of audio drama.

Hot Docs is set for an April 2023 return, and the Hot Docs Podcast Festival goes live in January 2023.

A city for movie-lovers and movie-makers

Whether you’re enjoying hot new films, making them, writing about or selling them, DelSuites can be your home base during Toronto’s film festival season. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can offer you a comfortable, fully-featured furnished rental—and help you reach the stars.

Entertainment, Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim, Vacation Travel

Discover Toronto in Six Summer Festivals

July 5, 2022
Toronto summer festivals photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Pexels.

After two years on hold, Toronto summer festivals are back in action.

From music to theatre, cultural celebrations, and family-oriented fun, they’re a perfect way to enjoy something new, discover a neighbourhood, or spend some much-needed time together.

Here are some of the shows, events, and festivals—indoors and outdoors—that you’ll want to see this summer.

Beaches International Jazz Festival

Big Band, Dixieland—the Beaches have it all. This year’s Jazz Festival is already on, but you’ve got all month to catch it at a string of locations in Toronto’s East End Beaches and Leslieville neighbourhoods.

The main stage shows are the prime attraction, but this year’s jazz festival brings a double handful of fun interactive activities. Learn to swing dance at Jimmie Simpson Park on July 8-9, or see Streetfest transform Queen Street East into a massive, blocks-long concert on the weekend of July 21-23.

The jazz festival runs from July 2-24, with most events public and free of charge. https://www.beachesjazz.com/

Toronto Fringe Festival

It’s the festival that launched Kim’s Convenience, Broadway’s The Drowsy Chaperone, and the team behind Come From Away. And it’s the most fun way to see what might be next.

Toronto’s 34th annual Fringe Festival takes over eleven downtown venues this month with theatre, comedy, storytelling, dance, and musicals, as well as a full kids’ program. With over 1,200 independent, grassroots artists, Fringe is the perfect afternoon for anyone who loves new, fun, experimental, and offbeat shows—and it costs less than a good restaurant lunch.

This year’s Toronto Fringe runs from July 6-17, 2022. Single or multi-show passes are available now, with discounts for kids and teens. https://fringetoronto.com/

Toronto Caribbean Carnival

Toronto has Caribbean roots—and every year, we like to show it.

Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival—or Caribana, for us locals—is the largest Carnival celebration in North America. While the major festivities kick off July 28th, Caribana is a month-long ode to everything Caribbean: from calypso showcases to kids’ events to crown junior kings and queens.

It’s all a buildup to the massive Grand Parade, a whole day of music, dancing, and some of the most incredible costume work anywhere. It’s accompanied by steel pan performances and Carnival Flavours, a showcase for Caribbean food and drink from across the islands.

The party runs from July 7-30, with tickets and event information available at https://www.torontocarnival.ca/.

The Canadian National Exhibition

How about an old-school county fair—but in the city? It’s a Toronto kid’s most beloved cheesy summertime destination—with plenty of room for all ages.

This year’s Ex brings back the traditional mix of fairground rides, a late-night midway, a Biggest Vegetable competition, kids’ sports tournaments, and everyone’s annual dip into weird food that is bad for you (deep-fried butter, anyone?). There’s also a few steps into the future: a dedicated Gaming Garage, complete with esports and FIRST Robotics tournaments.

For music fans, the Ex is also the place for shockingly cheap live shows. This year’s mix at the Bandshell runs from indie rockers Hawksley Workman and JJ Wilde to familiar Canadian musicians like Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn, and The Spoons.

This year’s Ex runs from August 19-September 5, with all-day passes available. https://www.theex.com/

Toronto International Film Festival

Some events put a city on the map. The Toronto International Film Festival does it with a great big star.

2022 marks the 47th year of this internationally-renowned film festival—one that draws stars, media, and major industry movers and shakers alike to Toronto. It’s a marquee event for film fans—a chance to meet creators, attend Q&As, and see premieres from around the world—and a vital industry conference, wrapped into one. And with programming tracks like quirky cult favourite Midnight Madness or national showcases, it’s a chance for any kind of movie lover to see something sweet, gory, action-packed, incisive, or just plain awesome.

This year’s TIFF runs from September 8-18, and ticket packages are on sale now, with final schedules due at the end of August. https://tiff.net/

International Festival of Authors

Toronto’s most prestigious literary festival is back at the Harbourfront Centre for the Arts this September.

With a hybrid in-person/online format for its 43rd edition, IFOA is bringing marquee authors for readings, interviews, and panel discussions to highlight what’s important and vital about books.

The lineup’s due to be announced late summer, and the festival itself runs September 22-October 2. https://festivalofauthors.ca/

Whether you’re traveling from far away or just from around the corner, let us show you Toronto at its best. Call DelSuites at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can open the gates to discovering Toronto’s festivals.

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto in Eight Quirky Local Museums

June 29, 2022
Toronto local museums photo by Jeff Smith on Unsplash

Local museums can be the best part of a trip abroad: an afternoon of culture you can’t find anywhere else. Fun, affordable, and frequently family-friendly, they’re a great way to find the more laid-back and local side of a city.

If you’re an art-lover, history buff, doing it for the ‘Gram, or just like getting a little culture while you get your steps in, here are some of Toronto’s best lesser-known museums.

Mackenzie House

It’s not everywhere that a city’s first mayor was also its most famous—and failed—revolutionary. Tucked between hospitals, hotels, and high-rises, Mackenzie House—William Lyon Mackenzie’s original 1858 townhouse—is a downtown shrine to Victorian Toronto.

Come for practical tips on daily 1800s life, stay for the political scandals and century-old spicy opinions. Features: a working 180-year-old printing press you can try yourself. 82 Bond Street.

Market Gallery at St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Market is one of Toronto’s most famous foodie attractions. But it’s also home to a lesser-known local history museum and gallery on the second floor—a space that held Toronto’s first City Hall and was lost behind boarded-up doors until the 1970s. (Yes, you can lose an entire City Hall.)

The Market Gallery hosts rotating exhibits from the City’s fine art collection and notes on the historic architecture. Start with a little culture, end it with a sandwich. 2nd Floor, St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front Street East.

The Myseum of Toronto

One of the quirkiest museums Toronto’s got, Myseum is a year-round, city-wide project produced and hosted all around the city. The result? Something that’s part art collective, part distributed historical museum, made of crowdsourced collections and digital walking tours.

While most of their past exhibits are available online, new ones are mounted annually in locations around the city–usually starting in April.

Spadina House

The closest thing to Toronto’s version of Downton Abbey! Spadina House shows off early 1900s Toronto in a sprawling, elegant hilltop mansion—complete with servants’ quarters and evolving architectural décor.

The five-acre grounds, though, are a feature all by themselves, including gardens and a heritage apple orchard that hosts everything from events to autumn cider festivals. Features: Close enough to Casa Loma to make a day of it. 285 Spadina Road.

The Textile Museum of Canada

A favourite of costumers and fashionistas alike, The Textile Museum takes a subject that feels niche—the art and history of fabric—and makes it fascinating. Behind an anonymous side-street door lurks five floors of textile history, modern art, event space, and programs—complete with a gift shop.

With collections that start local and stretch to Peru, China, and Serbia, there’s something for everyone, even if they’re not an enthusiastic crafter. 55 Centre Avenue.

The Toronto Railway Museum

Model railroad fans unite! And—regular railroad fans too. The Toronto Railway Museum packs historical trains, a train-driving simulator, and lots of information into an indoor-outdoor exhibit space. There’s a steady collection of artifacts inside: maps, tools, dishes, and uniforms used by conductors past.

While small, it’s conveniently tucked away right beside the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and Ripley’s Aquarium on the waterfront—so there are lots of options for a full day out. Features: A mini-train ride. Because nobody says no to tiny train rides. 255 Bremner Boulevard. 

The Bata Shoe Museum

While this attraction has a little more profile than the rest, it’s not every day that a city devotes a whole museum to—shoes. Open since 1995, The Bata Shoe Museum grew from the private collection of shoe company executive Sonja Bata: a trove of rare and traditional footwear from around the world.

The result? A fascinating mix of modern couture, ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Italian artifacts, history, and celebrity kicks. And a sometimes surprising social insight into how they’re all connected. Features: Enough glitter for your fashionista friends, and enough depth for an anthropologist. 327 Bloor Street West.

Riverdale Farm

Sometimes you just need to have a cow. Or some goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and horses.

Riverdale Farm is the destination for downtowners who really just need something fluffy to pet. Part working farm, part historic Victorian site for learning about rural life, the farm dates back to 1849. Features: tobogganing hills, hiking trails, a wading pool, picnic areas, and year-round crafts. And the best part for families: admission is always free. 201 Winchester Street.

#

The authentic Toronto neighbourhood experience deserves a Toronto neighbourhood stay. Call DelSuites at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can open Toronto up for you to discover.

 

Downtown Toronto, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto: Your Summer Vacation Destination

March 15, 2022
Toronto Summer Vacation photo by Scott Webb from Pexels.

If you’re like us, after two years of COVID restrictions, you’re starving for a good summer vacation: sun, socializing, and absolutely nothing to think about but having fun. A hard winter’s making this summer’s travel plans extra sweet—and also making everyone want to make those plans memorable.

If you’re putting together that dream vacation now, here are four reasons to do it in Toronto.

We’re super vaccinated

Let’s get the big question out of the way, because right now, practicalities count: Toronto has one of the highest urban vaccination rates in the world. Over 90% of eligible Torontonians have rolled up their sleeves for at least one shot, and public health measures like mask-wearing generally happen without a fuss.

Whatever COVID safety means to you, knowing you’re around people who take it seriously—and cheerfully—makes having fun much easier. And a Toronto summer vacation is one where that much easier to have a genuinely good time.

A Toronto summer vacation is a simple trip

And now: getting there. No matter where you visit from, Toronto’s one of the easier travel destinations to reach.

Pearson International Airport fields flights from over 180 destinations, and the Union-Pearson Express train makes regular trips directly downtown. For more regional visitors, the smaller, downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport brings in regular flights from over 20 North American cities.

Toronto’s also reachable by train: on VIA Rail inside Canada, and Amtrak from New York State. And for an affordable, scenic trip, Megabus routes go to and from Toronto from Ontario, Quebec, New York City, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

While you’re here, it’s even simpler to get around: Toronto is one of the most walkable cities in the world. With regular pedestrians-only areas and the underground PATH network ready to help out when it’s rainy or cold, it’s an easy city to do on your own two feet.

If you’re heading a little farther afield—or just want to put your feet up—a web of streetcars, subways, buses, and LRTs connects every bit of the city, from the core to the suburbs.

And if you’d rather put those feet on pedals, the growing network of separated bike lanes—complete with BikeShare rental program—lets you speed through the city with ease.

An international vacation in one place

In a time when it’s easier to deep-dive in one place than plan multi-city tours, Toronto puts the whole world in walking distance. It’s been called the most diverse city in the world, with 117 languages regularly spoken and people from 230 countries calling the city home.

Wherever you’re from, you’ll be able to feel at home and discover something entirely new—usually in the same afternoon.

The dining scene is the most obvious place Toronto’s diversity shows—a United Nations of amazing restaurants that runs regular Lunar New Year celebrations and Eid-al-Fitr feasts. But those community roots run much deeper, to networks of bookstores, film festivals, classes, and what feels like ten national festivals every weekend.

It’s a city almost custom-built for sampling, befriending, and discovery, and a great way to see a little of the world without hours of travel—and at a fraction of the price.

That deep dive gets even easier with a DelSuites Toronto short-term rental. With year-round discounts on longer-term stays, a stay in a DelSuites furnished apartment makes discovering Toronto even more comfortable and affordable.

It is impossible to get bored

You have to work very hard to get bored in a Toronto summer. High culture, low culture, or subculture—whatever you love, there’s a way to enjoy it here.

For those looking for a touch of class, Toronto is home major galleries and museums, championship sports teams, several symphony orchestras, Canada’s national ballet, and the nation’s biggest opera company. There’s enough fine dining—award-winning or up-and-coming—to keep you full for days.

When you’re feeling cozy and local, there’s LGBTQIA+ theatre, movies outside in the park on a picnic blanket, and tiny neighbourhood zoos. Hundred-year-old diners, dumpling shops, and lunch counters stand ready to feed you for under twenty bucks.

And if it’s time to get away from it all, the parklike, green Toronto Islands are just a ten-minute ferry ride from downtown. You can spend the day on one of the city’s warm, sandy Blue Flag beaches, take a boat ride on the lake, or hike the Don Valley to get close to lush, thick nature.

A Toronto vacation is the kind you can spend changing it up, or changing your mind: hiking one day, and luxuriating in the spa tomorrow. All you have to do is start walking. There’s something out there for you: even if it’s only Sunday afternoon at the coffeeshop, petting the dogs.

Make your Toronto summer vacation memorable

After all the last year’s had to hold for us, we all deserve a vacation that’s unique. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can help you discover summer in Toronto—whether you’d like to spend it chowing down everything the town has to offer, or relaxing peacefully in the sunshine.

Downtown Toronto Condos, Family Vacations in Toronto, Fitness and Health, Food & Recipes

Travelling with Dietary Restrictions: A Quick Guide

January 4, 2022
Dietary restrictions Photo by Lubo Minar on Unsplash.

How we eat is part of our everyday lives: what we eat, when, and where. But also what we don’t eat. And what we don’t eat shows up in whole new ways when we travel to a new place.

Travelling with dietary needs or restrictions can be difficult: Packing your own snacks, balancing medications, and hours of extra research on where you can enjoy a good meal without getting sick afterward—sometimes in another language. It’s an extra layer of work that can make it much harder to focus on your business travel, enjoy the neighbourhood, or just kick back and relax on that hard-earned vacation.

But whether it’s allergies, diabetes, food intolerances, religious and cultural diets, or just sticking with a lifestyle that makes you feel great, it’s possible to have the trip of a lifetime and still eat the way you need. When you’re visiting Toronto, DelSuites fully furnished short-term rentals is here to make travel with dietary restrictions not just possible, but the trip of your life.

The flexibility of a full condominium kitchen

When hotel rooms were a traveler’s first option, the advice for traveling with dietary needs was to find a room with a mini-fridge, pack lots of snacks, and do a lot of research.

But since flexible vacation rentals have become more common, we’re all exploring new ways to experience a destination, and the standard special diet travel advice has become much simpler: stay somewhere you have the option to cook. Even if new restaurants and nights out are the highlights of your trip, you’ll have cooking as a backup option—and can enjoy your trip without the stress of looking for your next meal.

Here’s where DelSuites fully furnished rentals step up: a chance to choose how you want to travel, eat, and play—without sacrificing comfort, convenience, or luxury.

Situated in residential buildings across Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, DelSuites short-term rentals are built for everyday living. That means all our suites have fully equipped—and full-sized—kitchens, putting modern appliances, pots, pans, cooking utensils, and a full set of dishes at your disposal. And if you have dietary needs where cross-contamination matters—celiac, kosher, halal, FODMAP, or a severe allergy—it means a private kitchen where there’s no need to stress about other travelers’ meals or a homeshare host’s preferences. You can bring in your favourites and relax with perfect confidence that you’ll be feeling great after dinner.

Eat the way you want

DelSuites’s convenient and dynamic services let you choose how you want to travel without stress—and let you change your mind once you’re here.

If you’d rather do your own cooking for one or every meal of the day, our booking concierges can help you prearrange a grocery order to be delivered on your arrival—and our buildings’ friendly staff will get it to your door. Toronto’s diverse, multicultural neighbourhoods mean you’ll have endless options to find essentials, whether it’s a favourite international snack, a holiday dish, or ingredients that are certified gluten-, dairy-, or nut-free. It’s a chance to skip border regulations about food and relax, knowing you’ll have a full fridge by suppertime.

If you’re used to carrying snacks, you’ll have the space and equipment to prep and store them for your day out—and stop relying on dry food or non-perishables. Or, with the city’s array of options, you’ll have a chance to discover new favourites.

And if you’re looking forward to trying Toronto’s dizzying array of restaurants—and leaving cooking at home for a while—our full-sized fridges will let you store extra helpings from your new favourite takeout place for those midnight leftovers snacks.

But best of all: If you change your mind and decide you’d rather eat in after all, you’ll have the flexibility to do it without fuss or consequences. And instead of thinking about meal planning, you’ll get to focus on the experience.

Enjoy one of Canada’s top dining cities—without breaking the budget

However you eat, Toronto’s an excellent city for food-lovers. It’s a multicultural, diverse, and curiosity-driven place to eat where you can find classic fine dining from top chefs on the same block as warm, generous Anishinaabe pow wow eats—and an enthusiastic lineup for both.

But everyone who eats a slightly different diet knows finding food that works can comes with a cost—paleo, keto, lactose-free, nut allergies, and celiac-safe foods can come with a serious price markup, and that cost can add up as you pile on restaurant meal after restaurant meal.

DelSuites helps you balance your travel budget by letting you save the costs on premium food and take care of easy meals on your own. With a chance to whip up a quick smoothie or omelette for breakfast, you can really savour your restaurant budget with a few high-end treats—instead of a lot of mid-range meals.

Eat, Play, Love

Most of all, everyone at DelSuites wants to make sure your experience in Toronto is a great one. Contact us at DelSuites by phone at (647) 370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com and we’ll help you set up diet-friendly accommodations—and make sure dinner’s on the table when you arrive.

 

Instagram

Instagram Slider

Instagram Slider