Family Vacations in Toronto Archives - Page 6 of 13

Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk

Things to Do in Toronto At Christmas

December 21, 2016

Toronto at Christmas is a very merry place to be during the winter holidays.

If you are planning to spend Christmas in Toronto – you’re in luck. You’ll be surrounded by plenty of holiday cheer and there will be no shortage of joyous events and seasonal activities to get you in a festive mood. Here are some of the best things to do in Toronto at Christmas time.

The Toronto Christmas Market

Inspired by the Christmas markets in Germany in the 1400s, the Toronto Christmas Market creates the ideal festive atmosphere with craft maker stalls, mulled wine, street food, dancers, brass bands and carollers. Set within the Victorian-era cobblestone streets of the Distillery Historic District, this annual event is a great opportunity to shop for hand-made treasures and get in the Christmas spirit. Tomorrow is the last day so make sure you hurry there and visit!

Christmas at Casa Loma

Casa Loma is a unique architectural wonder. Built over three years between 1911 and 1914, it was constructed in the style of a Gothic castle, complete with battlements, secret passageways and over 98 incredibly ornate rooms. Visit between December 1^st and January 8^th to see the castle decked out in its Christmas finest, with several stunning sparkling trees throughout the castle decorated by celebrity designers. Visitors can go on a scavenger hunt through the historic castle, listen to carollers and enjoy sitting down with Santa.

Public Skating Rinks

Skating on one of the public rinks in Toronto is an essential Christmas experience, so lace up your skates and go for a spin. There are three public rinks in Toronto available for skating – the Evergreen Brick Works, The Natrel Rink at Harbourfront Centre and Nathan Phillips Square. The Nathan Phillips Square might be the most iconic rink, underneath the beautifully lit arches, but the Natrel Rink has a DJ spinning live tunes on a Saturday night.

The holiday season is one big long party in Toronto and there are so many great activities and events to enjoy. Pack a warm coat, a toque and a scarf and bundle up for a great holiday season in this lively Canadian metropolis.

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk

Visiting Toronto in Winter

November 28, 2016

Visiting Toronto in winter might send a shiver down your spine, but as long as you bundle up there are a lot of things to enjoy in this chilly city during the winter months. Plus, there will be fewer tourists, flights and accommodation will be less expensive. You may even have the opportunity to get to know the locals. Here are some of the reasons visiting Toronto in winter can be enjoyable.

There’s Always Somewhere to Skate when Visiting Toronto in Winter

Toronto has approximately 50 skating rinks run by the city, which means that no matter where you are you can always find somewhere to strap on your skates and glide gracefully across the ice (or crash awkwardly into the boards). Check out the rink at Nathan Phillips Square, the Colonel Samuel Smith Park skateway in Etobicoke or the covered rink at Greenwood Park.

You Can Feast at Winterlicious

When you have worked up an appetite with all of that skating, you can warm up inside and enjoy the fantastic culinary scene that Toronto has to offer. Winterlicious will run in the last week of January for two weeks and during this time many restaurants throughout the city offer a menu of discount fixed price dinners. Each menu showcases starters, entrees and desserts and features the specialties of the restaurant. The 2017 event will take place from January 27th to February 9th and more than 200 restaurants will be taking part.

You Can Warm Up Inside a Museum

When the weather outside is chilly, you can stay warm within some of Toronto’s fantastic museums and art galleries. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario are the big names, but there are also many others to explore including the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, the Ontario Science Centre and the Bata Shoe Museum.

You Can Do Some Underground Shopping

Want to be able to shop until you drop without having to brave the freezing temperatures? The underground PATH system has 19 miles of retail shops and restaurants, making it the largest underground shopping complex in the world. You can spend all day shopping, eating and exploring without ever having to venture outside.

Hockey Season will Be in Full Swing

Cheering along with the roaring crowd at a Toronto Maple Leafs game is an essential Canadian experience to have during your visit to this great city. Winter is the best time to do this, as you will be visiting right in the middle of the hockey season. If you want to learn more about the sport before the game, you can visit the Hockey Hall of Fame and learn the stories of the best players in the NHL.

These are just a few of the many reasons why visiting Toronto in winter is great, even during the coldest months of the year. Wear a toque, breathe the crisp cold air, stop for regular hot chocolate breaks at Tim Hortons and enjoy!

Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Furnished Apartments for Family Travel

October 12, 2016

Travelling with kids can be tricky, which is why having the right accommodation is so important. Furnished apartments are a great solution for family travel. They offer plenty of space, a separate living room, bedrooms and dining area. You can also enjoy the amenities of the buildings which is usually included in the rates such as a swimming pool, fitness centres and a billiards room.

So why are furnished apartments so great for family travel? Here are a few of the advantages that they offer.

More Room for the Kids to Play

Any family that has tried to squeeze kids into a hotel room and ended up stepping on Legos, tripping over toys and having no room to relax will really appreciate the added space of a furnished apartment. Kids will have room to have fun and be kids, without being completely underfoot as they would be in a cramped hotel room.

The Little Ones Can Go to Bed While the Parents Stay Up

If you are in a hotel room with your little ones, it’s lights out at 8:30, because everyone has to abide by the same bedtime. However, when you have a furnished apartment with a separate bedroom you can put the kids to bed and then the adults can still stay up for a while, relax with a bottle of a wine, watch a movie and enjoy some adult conversation.

You Can Cook Your Own Meals

One of the best parts of travelling can be eating out in restaurants, but when you have kids with you this can sometimes be more trouble than it is worth. Sometimes having the option to whip up a simple, easy and healthy meal in the comfort of your accommodation for your tired and hungry little ones is a life saver.

This is especially convenient in the mornings when everyone is still tired and cranky and you want to be able to put together a few bowls of cereal without having to get dressed and leave the room. Plus, being able to cook a few of your meals will save you a lot of money on your travels.

The Extra Amenities Make Life Easier

Having your own washing machine is so much more convenient if in case your 5-year-old spills milk on himself. You can wash his shirt rather than having to rinse it out in a hotel sink and hang it to dry. High speed Wi-Fi means that you can have a Skype conversation with Grandma and Grandpa back home that doesn’t freeze every two minutes.

Having a convenient parking area makes the trip from the car with the baby carriage and all the bags so much easier. Using the gym within the building makes it very convenient to keep up your active lifestyle without having to go too far from your partner and the kids. It is all of the little amenities in your furnished apartment that add up to making it a great option for family travel. If you are visiting Toronto, be sure to check out these family fun activities!

Business Travel, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Tips to Maximize Space in Condo Rentals

August 12, 2016

Staying in a furnished condo rental offers a lot of advantages compared to staying in a hotel room – with increased space being one of the biggest perks. You’ll have a bedroom, fully equipped kitchen, dining area and living room – rather than being cramped into one room. Having these separate areas means that multiple people can relax, sleep and eat without disturbing each other.So, since you have all of this space during your stay – how can you make the most of it? Here are some tips to maximize space in condo rentals.

Unpack Properly

No matter how neatly they might have been packed, backpacks and suitcases have a tendency to “explode” all over the room. As you hunt for a particular piece of clothing, all of the items in your bag will get taken out and will start to take up floor space.

In order to give yourself more room, a tip to maximize space in condo rentals is to stay organized and make your condo look less cluttered. Its worth taking the extra time to properly unpack. Most condos will have a closet, a wardrobe or a chest of drawers which you can use to organize your clothes. Once you are unpacked, tuck away your luggage somewhere and you’ll have much more room.

Use Every Part of the Condo

It’s tempting just to eat dinner in front of the TV and leave the table unused, but it’s there so you may as well take advantage of it. Separating your actions into their appropriate spaces can have a lot of benefits. For example, if you take the time to properly set the table and sit down to your meal, you’ll focus on the food and enjoy it a lot more than you would if you ate it while distracted as you watch TV.

Don’t Forget the Balcony

If your condo has a balcony, this is a huge perk so don’t ignore it! Even just taking 10 minutes every morning to sip your coffee in the fresh air while admiring the view will start your day off on a positive note. You’ll be more likely to use the balcony if there is somewhere to sit, so if there isn’t a chair out there already you can put one out there.

Utilize the Sofa Bed

Many condos will offer you the option of a pull out sofa bed. This can be a really smart solution that will allow you to sleep extra people in your condo. For example, a couple travelling with a child can save money by renting a one-bedroom furnished apartment with a sofa bed rather than a two-bedroom condo. In the morning, simply take five minutes to fold up the bed and it becomes part of the living room space.

Your furnished condo offers you a lot of space, so make sure you use these simple tips to maximize space in condo rentals to its full potential and make the most of it!

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Family Travel, Toronto History

Toronto Art and Culture

July 29, 2016

If your idea of the perfect day is spent within the walls of a museum or an art gallery, contemplating the creative works of humanity, then you’ll love Toronto. A destination in Canada when it comes to the quality and diversity of Toronto art and culture. There’s an impressive abundance of great museums, galleries and much more – so here are some Toronto art and culture attractions to check out if you are visiting and staying in your furnished rental. Or, better yet, be a tourist in the city you live in!

The Art Gallery of Ontario

Let’s start with the main art institution in the city – the Art Gallery of Ontario aka the AGO. It is one of the biggest art museums in North America and is housed within a cutting edge building designed by architect Frank Gehry. This impressive gallery features a collection of works that totals over 80,000, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs by artists such as Richard Serra, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman and Brian Jungen.

Casa Loma

Now a museum, this Gothic Revival house and gardens in Toronto was built as a residence for the incredibly wealthy financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt in 1911. The castle-like architecture seems strangely out of place in a Canadian city and at the time it was built it was the largest private residence in Canada. Sir Henry imported several artisans from Europe to design Casa Loma, taking his inspiration from castles from across the pond. Take a tour of this fascinating building and imagine what life would be like enjoy its lavish excesses, including a pool, three bowling alleys and an oven large enough to cook an ox.

Angell Gallery

Since it opened in 1996, Angell Gallery has been known for representing cutting edge artists who take bold risks in their work. You’ll see a wide range of thought provoking work in several different mediums including painting, sculpture, video art and digital art.

Stephen Bulger Gallery

Founded in 1994, this gallery has an impressive collection of over 15,000 contemporary and historical photographs. Several international and Canadian photographers are represented, including Sunil Gupta, Pete Doherty and Jeff Thomas. Make sure that you check out the gallery bookshop, which has over 3,000 titles on photography.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

History buffs will love this historic village, carefully recreated to depict life in early Ontario in the 1800s. It’s an opportunity not just to see history, but to smell it, taste it, hear it and experience it first-hand. Within the 40 restored heritage homes you will find artisans and costumed interpreters recreating the lifestyle of the early settlers.

Daniel Faria Gallery

Located within a converted warehouse in Bloordale Village, Daniel Faria Gallery is a contemporary art space that has exhibited some of the biggest names in Canadian Art. The gallery showcases work from some superb Canadian artists including Kristine Moran, Chris Curreri and Shannon Bool.

These are just a few of the art and history attractions you can enjoy for Toronto art and culture.

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