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Neighborhoods

Baldwin Street

Nestled between Chinatown, the Ontario College of Art and Design, and the University of Toronto is the fine assortment of establishments that make up Baldwin Street. With so many eateries and styles of cuisine on one small street, it’s no wonder that Baldwin is so busy and popular amongst students, families, and office workers alike. But what is it that makes Baldwin so unique? The answer is quite simply: diversity.

China Town

Corner of Spadina and Dundas St. West. TTC: St. Patrick Station, then streetcar westbound. This ever-expanding area is home to ethnic Chinese from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and elsewhere. A wealth of oriental shops and fruit markets spills out onto the street, and a vast selection of authentic Chinese restaurants feature such delicacies as dim sum. Toronto's second Chinatown is located in the Broadview/Gerrard area, and three other distinctive Chinatowns are located in the suburbs.

Church Street

Area surrounding Church and Wellesley Sts. TTC: Wellesley Station, then walk east. Dubbed “The Village” by locals, this predominantly gay neighborhood in the heart of downtown is host to Canada's largest annual gay and lesbian Pride celebrations. Check out the many bars, shops and restaurants, walk the strip or simply enjoy a beverage on one of the many open-air patios.

Downsview Park

This 572-acre complex includes the Hangar, a former aircraft hangar with four professional-quality indoor soccer fields, five indoor volleyball courts, bleachers, and locker rooms. Also in the park: the Toronto Aerospace Museum and the original 1929 home of de Havilland Aircraft. The 35,000-square-foot site has an event space that seats 200 and accommodates 400 for receptions.

Exhibition Place

This city-owned, 192 acre property is west of downtown on the shores of Lake Ontario. The well-known venue is home to the annual Canadian National Exhibition and contains many historic buildings such as the Direct Energy Centre and the Better Living Centre, which are used for events and trade shows. A new conference centre is also under construction and scheduled to open in June 2009.

Harbour Front Street

Queen's Quay, between Bathurst and Jarvis St. TTC: Union Station, then streetcar southbound. High-priced condos dot the waterfront, where highlights include specialty shops at Queens Quay Terminal, art, theatre and cultural facilities at Harbourfront Centre and a terrific lakeside walking trail. Cruises of the harbour and ferry services run from here.

High Park

A third of this 399-acre park, which stretches south from Bloor Street in West Toronto, remains in its natural state. The property has numerous facilities, including the historic Colborne Lodge, and Grenadier Café and Teahouse, both of which offer event space. Also in the park: an open air Shakespearean theatre, an outdoor ice rink, wading pools, an outdoor swimming pool, and sports fields.

Kensington Market

Between Dundas and College, west of Spadina Ave. TTC: Queen's Park Station, then streetcar westbound. During the 1920s, it was known as the Jewish Market. Today, you can sense the city's rich, multicultural mix, obvious in the shops packed with goods from Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East, South America and Asia. A visit to Kensington is like a sensory trip around the world. It's also a treasure trove of vintage and second hand clothing shops, tucked in among eclectic restaurants and cafés.

Little Italy

College St. between Euclid Ave and Shaw St. TTC: Queen's Park Station, then streetcar westbound. This lively neighborhood (now more Portuguese than Italian) is the spiritual home of Toronto's Italian community, which has for the most part migrated further north. It's packed with trattorias, trendy restaurants and cafés, and a few more traditional pool halls. Like Greektown, Little Italy's sidewalks are jammed on weekends – especially in the summer, with locals and visitors alike sipping espressos on outdoor patios.

Mirvish Village

For 40 years, an enclave of art, culture and cuisine, Mirvish Village offers an out-of-the ordinary shopping and dining experience. Featured are specialty bookstores, vintage shops, art galleries, contemporary fashion and many restaurants with patios on a quiet tree-lined street. This BIA was named in recognition of Toronto's retail show biz entrepreneur Honest Ed Mirvish and is conveniently located on the subway line nestled between the Annex BIA & Korea Town BIA. Mirvish Village is anchored by Honest Ed’s, the landmark discount department store whose walls are lined with 40 years of Toronto’s theatrical history. In conjunction with Kensington Market and Baldwin Village, the MVBIA hosts Pedestrian Sunday events (car-free) throughout the summer along Markham Street featuring food, including an organic farmers’ market, live music and performance.

Old York Historic District

For a glimpse into Toronto's past, visit Old York Historic District centered around the St. Lawrence Market (92 Front St E). Heritage buildings, like the 18th century St. Lawrence Hall, the iconic Flatiron building, and the cluster of cathedrals on Queen Street make this Toronto's most photogenic district.  Historical storefronts with flowerboxes holding trendy restaurants and stores line the streets, and around the corner in a beautiful urban oasis sits the Toronto Sculpture Garden (115 King St W), where contemporary artists create site-specific installations free for the public to enjoy.   Also in the compact area is James Cathedral (65 Church St).  St. James was founded in 1797, as the first Anglican Church in Toronto. Its 300-foot gothic spire make it a Toronto landmark.

Queen Street West

Queen St. West, between Yonge St. and Bathurst Ave. TTC: Queen Station, then streetcar westbound . Queen West (a.k.a. Queen West SoHo) is one the city's more popular shopping districts. It features trendy restaurants, cutting-edge fashion, galleries, antique shops and dance clubs. One of the landmarks is the City-TV building, home of MuchMusic and a television studio with many events that spill out onto the street.

Royal Botanical Gardens

Canada’s largest botanical garden is an idyllic setting with a wide range of cultivated and untamed spaces. The auditorium seats 300 and includes a dance floor, while the Garden’s Café and atrium each seat 120. The Royal Court is an outdoor private area that seats 140 around a pond.

The Distillery

Trinity and Mill Street in the Parliament and Front St. vicinity North America’s best preserved collection of Victorian industrial architecture is located in this historic enclave in downtown Toronto. Formerly the Gooderham & Worts Distillery (founded in 1832), The Distillery has been developed as a centre for arts, culture and entertainment. It is filled with galleries, artist studios and workshops, boutiques, retail stores, restaurants, bars and cafés.

Toronto Music Garden

This delightful garden—a reflection in landscape of Bach'sFirst Suite for Unaccompanied Cello—was designed by internationally renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, in collaboration with landscape architects from the City of Toronto's Parks and Recreation department.
Address: The Toronto Music Garden is located on the waterfront at 475 Queen's Quay West between Bathurst Street & Spadina Avenue. The Toronto Music Garden is open year-round and there is no admission fee.

Toronto Sculpture Garden

The Toronto Sculpture Garden has been the site of innovative contemporary sculpture installations since 1981. This small, urban park in the downtown core serves as a testing ground for artists to experiment with public space and to address issues of architectural scale, materials and context. It has given some artists their first opportunity to work out-of-doors, to experiment with the challenges of sitting work within an urban environment and it has provided them with critical experience for future public art projects. Many, including Susan Schelle, Stacey Spiegel, Brian Scott, Mark Gomes, John McKinnon, Carlo Cesta, Judith Schwarz, Stephen Cruise, Reinhard Reitzenstein, Yvonne Singer, Brian Groombridge, Lisa Neighbour and Warren Quigley, undertook their first public commissions after exhibiting in the Toronto Sculpture Garden.

Yorkville

Bounded by Bloor St. West, Avenue Rd., Davenport Rd. and Yonge St. TTC: Bay Station. This Toronto hotspot is strictly upper crust. One of Toronto's more elegant shopping and dining areas, Yorkville's designer boutiques, antique shops and galleries are absolutely first-class. The area features a gallery of small courtyards and alleyways, including a contemporary park located in the very heart of the neighborhood. (Make sure you visit the "Rock", a huge piece of granite trucked hundreds of miles from the Canadian Shield!)