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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, Entertainment, Toronto Entertainment, toronto toursim, Vacation Travel

DelSuites Gets You In the Action for Toronto Pride Month

May 24, 2022

Toronto Pride hotel photo by Rosemary Ketchum on Pexels.

Toronto Pride is back! After two years of distanced activities and shifting online, festivals are back on in the City of Toronto, and Pride 2022 is going to be bigger, better, and more glamorous than ever.

Toronto is home to one of the biggest Pride Months in North America—and one of the most diverse. There are events, parties, and celebrations of all things queer from the flag-raising on June 1^st to the full festival weekend on June 24-26.

If you’re gearing up to get the most out of Pride Month, here’s how DelSuites helps you really enjoy the party.

Stay as close to the action as you want

Some people like to be right in the centre of things. And some—don’t. Staying with DelSuites gives you the choice to get as much quiet—or as much excitement—as you want. With locations scattered through downtown Toronto, you can stay a heartbeat from the party—or a dozen walkable blocks away, for quieter nights.

While the main festival’s one weekend, our theatre district buildings put you in a prime location for major Pride Month events, like Cabana Pool Bar’s massive drag pool party and a full-day party on the Toronto Islands.

And since a DelSuites furnished rental has a minimum of 30 nights, it’s the ideal home base to take in both Pride events and enjoy Toronto’s lakefront neighbourhoods, great food, good vibes, and summer fun.

Go big for Toronto Pride

One thing a DelSuites Pride Month rental gives you is room to spread your wings. Our private, fully-furnished rental suites include everything—and we mean everything—you need to set up for Pride Month.

Your space comes with a full ensuite laundry, multiple bathrooms, and a fully stocked kitchen with pots, pans, dishes, cutlery, and more. Our regular housekeeping service and our linens and towels service keep your space smelling flower fresh. Wide, sunny balconies let you soak up some sun—or have romantic evening drinks.

Your suite lets you access all of our buildings’ common amenities: you can keep up your workout routine, have a swim, or host a big rooftop brunch for all your friends.

If you’re driving to Pride, our units have secure, assigned indoor parking spaces so you can park stress-free—and explore beyond Toronto city limits.

And if you’re putting in remote hours at work, we’ve got reliable wifi internet and North American long-distance calling included. Luxurious living rooms and full cable packages let you get comfortable with a movie when it’s time for a night in.

Stay together and save

Pride’s better when we do it together—and more people can make it to the party when your stay costs less.

Our two- and three-bedroom suites open Pride Month up for everyone who wants to be there. Multiple spacious bedrooms and bathrooms help you split space with friends—and keep enough privacy to stay friends afterwards.

If you are on a budget, our full kitchens give you the option of eating in, not just in restaurants—or treating each other to a home-cooked breakfast.

And with many of our units featuring pullout couches, you’ve got a safe space for someone to spend the night if it’s too late to get home.

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However your Pride looks, we want to make it a month to remember. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can host you for Toronto Pride.

Downtown Toronto Condos, Toronto Entertainment, toronto toursim, Vacation Travel

Take the Front Seat for Toronto Sports

April 12, 2022

Toronto sports photo by Tim Gouw from Pexels.

Play ball! Sports have come back to Toronto after two years of pandemic limits, and fans are itching to get into the seats. With most major Toronto sports venues just blocks from DelSuites locations, you’re in a winning spot to catch a game.

So if you’re a sports fan visiting Toronto, here are the best games you can catch this spring and summer: both major-league and underground.

Baseball: The Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays haven’t played at home since the COVID-19 pandemic started, so excitement for the 2022 season is high. With a homegrown lineup full of 2021 All-Stars—and a pitching staff that’s finally got itself right—a day at the ballpark is going to crackle this year.

The Rogers Centre is literal steps from Element and Icon—three minutes’ walk down the block!—and a short walk from 10 York and 300 Front Street West. Tickets can range from $20 a seat in the nosebleeds to significantly more at the luxurious, reservations-only TD Clubhouse behind home plate: complete with buffet, padded seats, and concierge service.

Toronto’s ballpark food can be much more interesting than the usual hot dogs and fries—although the traditional eats are all there. There’s lots of local beer and cider available, and you can bring your own snacks as long as they’re wrapped well.

Opening day is April 8^th, and games stretch into October.

Basketball: The Toronto Raptors

In 2019 the Raptors took the NBA championship, and nobody in Toronto will ever let you forget it. It’s a great reason to check out Canada’s only NBA team: the vibe is fun, competitive, and fierce.

The Raptors play out of Scotiabank Arena, just around the corner from 10 York and a short walk from Qwest, Element, Icon, and 300 Front Street West. It’s also connected to Toronto’s underground PATH Network, so it’s easy to get to the arena and stay dry on a rainy day.

Raptors tickets are in demand, and even modest seats will put you back about $90 after fees, but you’re getting an experience, not just a game. There’s a huge variety of concessions at Scotiabank Arena: sandwiches, hot dogs, poutine, and drinks feature. But you can also get sushi, premium rum and vodka, and high-end restaurant dining while you watch the shot clock.

The regular season goes into April, and tickets are still available.

Hockey: The Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Marlies, and the Toronto Six

NHL tickets are a splurge for most people, but a night at the Scotiabank Arena watching the Leafs is well worth the price. And with the regular season running into April, there’s still time to catch pro league hockey.

But for hockey fans who need something a little more affordable—or like a different challenge—there’s the AHL Toronto Marlies. The Leafs’ AHL development team plays out of Exhibition Place’s Coca-Cola Coliseum, a 10-minute trip by car or transit from our Qwest and 10 York locations.

A night out at the Marlies is its own kind of excitement. Not all the passes connect, and not all the shots get blocked—which makes the game a different kind of exciting. The season also stretches from October to April, and you can snag tickets for as little as $25.

If you’re into women’s professional hockey, Toronto’s best-kept hockey secret is its Premier Hockey Federation Team. The two-year-old Toronto Six plays in at York Canlan Sports Arena, in the city’s northwest. Tickets top out at $30 a seat, and with a strong roster, it’s a guaranteed good time.

Soccer: Toronto FC

Toronto isn’t always known as a soccer city, but the fan base for Toronto FC—the city’s Major League Soccer team—are absolute diehards. Toronto FC’s the first—and only—Canadian MLS team, and won the MLS Cup in 2017.

Toronto FC home games are at BMO Field—in the same Exhibition Place complex as the Marlies. It’s a newer venue with a full accessibility policy and barrier-free seating available. Snacks and concessions cater to Toronto’s soccer-loving Italian and Portuguese communities, with panini and hot chicken next to more usual favourites.

Toronto FC plays February through October, making them a great outdoor choice for long summer nights. Tickets range from an easy $28 to premium seats at over $150 each.

Racing: The Honda Indy

If you’re into an entirely different kind of sports—motor sports—Toronto’s also home to a major IndyCar race.

Taking place over the weekend of July 15-17, the almost 40-year-old race is IndyCar’s second-longest street circuit. The track loops around the Exhibition Place complex, and is accessible (ironically!) by TTC and GO Transit.

Ticket prices and catering options are yet to be announced, but should be available by May.

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Enjoy the thrill of being steps away from the beating heart of the city: on game day or every day. Call DelSuites at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can open Toronto up for you to discover.

Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto in Six Local Art Galleries

March 22, 2022

Toronto art galleries photo by Donna Lay on Unsplash.

There’s a reason a day at the art gallery is such a vacation staple. It’s a fun, free afternoon out for anyone who’s into the finer things in life.

Toronto is home to the celebrated, Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario, which has some major collections and full events list. But there’s a whole universe of smaller, international, tucked-away Toronto art galleries which are following what’s new, fun, and weird in visual art.

If you’re into the chance to really soak in what new, local, and unique talents are doing—or just like having a reason to explore whole neighbourhoods—here are some of Toronto’s best smaller art galleries.

Harbourfront Centre

While it’s not a sprawling, massive gallery, Harbourfront Centre is definitely an institution: a combination cultural space that hosts dance shows, theatre, art installations, major literary festivals, and more all year round.

Throughout it all, you can watch resident Toronto artists pot, shape, weld, glassblow, paint, and work through glass windows. And there’s no shortage of family-friendly activities, like learning to skate on their rink in the wintertime.

But between the events, their smaller gallery spaces can get sold short. They’re always host to a mix of incredible new and seasoned artists, both local and international—and absolutely free to browse. Featuring painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, installation art, and craft, it’s a sure source for a smart, fun afternoon. 235 Queens Quay West.

The University of Toronto Art Centre

The University of Toronto runs its own gallery—split between the Art Centre and the smaller Justina M. Barnicke Gallery in historic student centre Hart House. And while you can find all the student art exhibitions you’d expect, it’s frequently home to some great, international exhibitions.

As a teaching and research collection, the centre heaps a great list of programs on top of its diverse collection: guided tours, artist talks, and group exhibitions that are all usually free to attend. It’s a great chance to see modern and thoughtful art in some very historical buildings. 7 Hart House Circle.

The Distillery District

The historic Distillery District‘s a haven for smaller Toronto art galleries. It’s easy to find just about anything you’re interested in, within the arms of an old Victorian distillery made new.

While there’s a huge selection of high-end boutique shops—a large Fluevog store and Ontario’s only sake brewery are special highlights—it’s almost known for its commitment to art. The Distillery is home to galleries as large the Canadian Sculpture Society and Arta Gallery, a wide-open, airy space focused on contemporary art, to spaces as small as Artscape’s warren of individual upstairs studios. It also holds some genuinely unique offerings, like Toronto’s Deaf Culture Centre, which puts on regular exhibits.

It’s an experience that’s best taken in as a neighbourhood, with plenty of opportunities for shops, snacks, and enjoying the sunshine along the way. 14 Distillery Lane.

The Ryerson Image Centre

Another university-hosted gallery, the Ryerson Image Centre—just two blocks from the Eaton Centre—is all about photography and video. Whether it’s photojournalism, video installations, documentary, or new media, they’re all mixed expertly in a 4,500-square-foot space tucked discreetly away on campus.

Ryerson Image Centre’s exhibitions mix student and historical projects with an indigenous and social focus. You’re just as likely to find a history of WWII photography as a celebration of African women’s portraits. With quiet screening spots, tucked-away specialty rooms, and a huge archive collection, it’s an everlasting source for something quiet, provocative, and interesting in the middle of the downtown core. 33 Gould Street.

The Local Gallery

The Local Gallery only opened in early 2022—and as a spinoff from a Toronto ad agency, it’s absolutely focused on what’s up-to-the-minute in contemporary and pop art.

While they’re not too shy about the sales end of things—there’s a whole selection of “collectibles”—it’s one of the few spaces that has a category for 3D-printed work. If you’re looking to update your Warhol energy, this Little Italy storefront is a definite destination. 621 College Street.

Whippersnapper Gallery

Whippersnapper may be one of the tiniest Toronto art galleries. An 130-square-foot storefront at the south end of Kensington Market, where it borders Chinatown, Whippersnapper hosts most exhibitions through simply displaying them through the shop window, one installation at a time.

Whippersnapper packs more than a single installation into a small space. It’s also an avant-garde, artist-run centre focused on emerging—or “new generation”—artists. It’s also exquisitely responsive to the neighbourhood it’s in: the heritage of surrounding Chinatown often takes centre stage. 594b Dundas Street West.

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.

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