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Hi, my daughter goes to college in the Buffalo, NY area (I am from a suburb of NY City). Due to various circumstances, I'm going to be visiting her for the 3 day weekend and in the middle of that (this Sunday) we are planning to go to Toronto for the day. I have been there several times (but not in the last 20 years) but my daughter has never been.
We only have that day. My plan is to leave Buffalo around 9am and hoping traffic is light at Customs and I get there by noon, maybe even by 11am. We'd spend the day there and come back towards evening (I have to spend Labor/Labour day driving home and go into work on Tuesday).
So given this, I want to know what we can see and do in a few hours. At minimum I would like to:
1) Go to the top of the CN Tower (and weather is suggesting a perfect day with a perfect view!)
2) Ride the subway, even for just 2 stops (yeah I know it's nothing special, but I'm a big transit buff and she's never ridden it before....in fact the only subways she's ever ridden is our native NYC and the one line light rail in Buffalo itself)
3) Possibly just walk around Rogers Centre (I don't know if the Jays are at home for a game that day, but I wouldn't have time for that....I'm a Yankees fan (yeah, they suck this year) but I love visiting out of town ballparks, even if just to stand next to them. I did visit it (not for a game) my last time there long ago and took a tour of it (when it was SkyDome) even further back on a visit in the mid 1990s, but again my daughter has never been.
So what I'm asking here is:
I. Would I be better off paying for a parking garage downtown, or is there a subway stop/terminus (preferably west of the city since that's where I'd be coming from) with relatively cheap parking.
II. Do I need to buy tickets for CN Tower in advance, since the time I arrive might be unpredictable? If I don't buy in advance, how long would I be waiting in line(s) on a sunny Sunday to get to the top? I noticed there are two observation decks at different levels, much like NYC's Empire State Building. Is there less of a wait to the lower one?
III. Is Rogers Centre walkable from CN Tower? If not is it easy to subway there.
IV. What do you suggest I do and see the remainder of the day, including suggestions to eat.
Thanks, this is my first time posting in the Canada forums and I am excited about possibly visiting Canada for the first time in almost 20 years! In fact if for some reason I can't get to Toronto I might still go for a quick trip over the border to Niagara Falls (I did stop there when I went to get her for the summer in May but didn't cross into the Canadian side), but you only need to answer the above about Toronto, thanks!
Hi, my daughter goes to college in the Buffalo, NY area (I am from a suburb of NY City). Due to various circumstances, I'm going to be visiting her for the 3 day weekend and in the middle of that (this Sunday) we are planning to go to Toronto for the day. I have been there several times (but not in the last 20 years) but my daughter has never been.
We only have that day. My plan is to leave Buffalo around 9am and hoping traffic is light at Customs and I get there by noon, maybe even by 11am. We'd spend the day there and come back towards evening (I have to spend Labor/Labour day driving home and go into work on Tuesday).
So given this, I want to know what we can see and do in a few hours. At minimum I would like to:
1) Go to the top of the CN Tower (and weather is suggesting a perfect day with a perfect view!)
2) Ride the subway, even for just 2 stops (yeah I know it's nothing special, but I'm a big transit buff and she's never ridden it before....in fact the only subways she's ever ridden is our native NYC and the one line light rail in Buffalo itself)
3) Possibly just walk around Rogers Centre (I don't know if the Jays are at home for a game that day, but I wouldn't have time for that....I'm a Yankees fan (yeah, they suck this year) but I love visiting out of town ballparks, even if just to stand next to them. I did visit it (not for a game) my last time there long ago and took a tour of it (when it was SkyDome) even further back on a visit in the mid 1990s, but again my daughter has never been.
So what I'm asking here is:
I. Would I be better off paying for a parking garage downtown, or is there a subway stop/terminus (preferably west of the city since that's where I'd be coming from) with relatively cheap parking.
II. Do I need to buy tickets for CN Tower in advance, since the time I arrive might be unpredictable? If I don't buy in advance, how long would I be waiting in line(s) on a sunny Sunday to get to the top? I noticed there are two observation decks at different levels, much like NYC's Empire State Building. Is there less of a wait to the lower one?
III. Is Rogers Centre walkable from CN Tower? If not is it easy to subway there.
IV. What do you suggest I do and see the remainder of the day, including suggestions to eat.
Thanks, this is my first time posting in the Canada forums and I am excited about possibly visiting Canada for the first time in almost 20 years! In fact if for some reason I can't get to Toronto I might still go for a quick trip over the border to Niagara Falls (I did stop there when I went to get her for the summer in May but didn't cross into the Canadian side), but you only need to answer the above about Toronto, thanks!
I would recommend going to Islington Station and parking there. This will avoid travelling on the QEW through the busiest parts of the city. You can park free at Islington Subway station on Sundays. Just put islington subway parking into google maps. You'll be on Line two and you want to go eastbound. Transfer at Spadina to Line one and go southbound to Union Station. This will take about 45 mins but better than dealing with DT traffic imo plus you'll def experience the subway! You'd def blow 45 mins in traffic and trying to find WAY OVERPRICED PARKING in the DT core - when you can do the subway for 3.50 a person each way.. If you're with your daughter as the TTC agent if a day pass would be better for you. Put this way - I avoid driving dt as someone who lived in Toronto for 45 years lol and I recommend same to you. No Toronto is not as big or busy as NYC but it is by no means small and sunday on labour day weekend and it'll be very busy
Union Station is about a 6 min walk to the CN Tower. I recommend going outside on Front street and taking a look at Union Station from the outside, which is Canada's grandest train station and also the Royal York Hotel which is a magnificent châteauesque grand hotel. You really can't miss the CN tower from this area and google maps is your friend.
Good thing is the Rogers Centre is right at the base of the CN Tower so again you can't miss it. If you like Aquariums the Ripley's Aquarium is also at the base of the tower. Honestly with just a day trip between transit time, going to the CN Tower and seeing the Rogers Centre there isn't a whole lot of time left so although pricey - i'd recommend the Aquarium. If you do though it may be more cost effective to do the Toronto city pass as I believe both are part of it. Otherwise just go to the CN Tower and Ripley's sites directly. It is a long weekend and the last in the summer so i'd book in advance if I were you! If time permits and perhaps you'd actually prefer over the Aquarium- you could make way to the entertainment district. King St West north of the CN Tower would be nice walks - lots of restaurants/shops etc. You can take Simcoe or John streets to King West. This area is where the Toronto International Film Festival is - you'll just miss it as it starts on the 7th but might be stuff going on. Lots of nice old Edwardian architecture in this area too!
Toronto is a great city and so much to see and do but I'd say really stick with the above if the CN Tower is a must see at a minimum. It isn't a bad choice just that you won't get a good feel for the city because that is a touristy area and Toronto is at its best when you get lost in its nabe's..
Thanks. I think I'll try parking at Islington. Can you see the skyline in the distance from there? Is any part of the trip above ground and you can see it? I wanted to show her the feel of the skyline suddenly appearing in the distance.
I had a feeling I'd be limited to those two and maybe the aquarium given the time that would be fine. My daughter's likely to visit again with friends and since at minimum I have to be up there twice a year to bring her stuff to and from summer break for at least the next two years (she's a junior but in a special combined masters program where she's in college 5 years) I'll probably get to go again.
My only hesitation on buying in advance is if there's unexpected traffic or a customs holdup or a subway delay and I miss it. I thought given the time crunch of paying extra for the priority CN ticket, is that worth it? It seems like it only costs a little more than the regular one
I. Would I be better off paying for a parking garage downtown, or is there a subway stop/terminus (preferably west of the city since that's where I'd be coming from) with relatively cheap parking.
It sounds like you're going to limit your visit to a relatively small part of downtown. And parking there will be horrendously expensive, especially if the Blue Jays are playing.
So what you might consider is to park in, say, Oakville, and take the GO Train in. It's a commuter rail service, but I believe it runs on weekends also. No harm in checking its website. Anyway, parking is free in GO Train station lots, and the train will take you right into Union Station in Toronto, from which it is an easy walk (five minutes or so) to the CN Tower and Rogers Centre.
The GO Train option may be your best bet, though you could park at Kipling or Islington subway stations if you prefer, and take the subway in. Your destination is the Union Station subway stop
If you choose the GO Train, then as you now know, Union Station has a subway stop, so your subway ride can go from there. Depending on the amount of time you have, you might want to do a loop--Union to Bloor, change to a westbound train to St. George, change to a southbound train, which will return you to Union.
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II. Do I need to buy tickets for CN Tower in advance, since the time I arrive might be unpredictable? If I don't buy in advance, how long would I be waiting in line(s) on a sunny Sunday to get to the top? I noticed there are two observation decks at different levels, much like NYC's Empire State Building. Is there less of a wait to the lower one?
I don't know about buying tickets for the tower, but I do know that you can only get to the upper one by going to the lower one first. There is no elevator that goes from the ground to the top deck; "ground floor" for its elevator is the lower deck.
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III. Is Rogers Centre walkable from CN Tower? If not is it easy to subway there.
Very easily walked. The two structures are next door to each other.
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IV. What do you suggest I do and see the remainder of the day, including suggestions to eat.
Regarding eating, I cannot help much here in terms of specific restaurants, I'm afraid. But I do know that if you walk north on John Street from Rogers Centre, you'll find any number of pubs and restaurants between Front Street and Queen Street.
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Thanks, this is my first time posting in the Canada forums and I am excited about possibly visiting Canada for the first time in almost 20 years! In fact if for some reason I can't get to Toronto I might still go for a quick trip over the border to Niagara Falls (I did stop there when I went to get her for the summer in May but didn't cross into the Canadian side), but you only need to answer the above about Toronto, thanks!
Hope this helps. It's been some years since I lived in Toronto, but it's my hometown, and I did live there for decades.
Thanks. I think I'll try parking at Islington. Can you see the skyline in the distance from there? Is any part of the trip above ground and you can see it? I wanted to show her the feel of the skyline suddenly appearing in the distance.
I had a feeling I'd be limited to those two and maybe the aquarium given the time that would be fine. My daughter's likely to visit again with friends and since at minimum I have to be up there twice a year to bring her stuff to and from summer break for at least the next two years (she's a junior but in a special combined masters program where she's in college 5 years) I'll probably get to go again.
My only hesitation on buying in advance is if there's unexpected traffic or a customs holdup or a subway delay and I miss it. I thought given the time crunch of paying extra for the priority CN ticket, is that worth it? It seems like it only costs a little more than the regular one
When you are driving on the QEW to get off at Islington North exit before that you can see the skyline driving but you'll be well driving. Some of the subway ride will be outside above ground so you'll get glimpses of the city. Sit on the right side of the subway and you should be able to get some distant skyline views but its mostly blocked off by immediate buildings. That said, no doubt about it driving into the city on the QEW will give you breathtaking views of the skyline. You'll pay for parking but if that is a goal than i'd say the drive in that sense would be worth it.
In terms of not wanting in advance totally understand. Worst comes to worst waiting day of you may not get in - just go and walk around the city though I suspect you'll get a ticket day of but you might be slotted in for a later time and have to go do something else in between.
Whoa, Toronto for a day ? Every time I visit, it's always 3-4 days and I still can't get enough of the city. There is just so much to see and do in Queen City. All right, as a 6 time visitor to Toronto, let me try my best to answer your question.
- Definitely ride the TTC. I am a transit buff myself and the TTC remains one of my favorite transit systems in all of North America and perhaps the world to ride in (New York's MTA is up there too!). Definitely catch a ride on both Line 1 Yonge-University and Line 2 Bloor-Danforth if you can. The newer TTC Rocket trains with open gangways run on Line 1. These are trains in which you can walk from one end of the train to the other; this model of subway train is very popular in Europe and Asia but so far, only Toronto, Montreal, and a handful of New York's new R211 trains have open gangways. Line 2 runs the older trad/classic T1 models without open gangways but if did ever ride the TTC back in the late 90's/early 2000's, you most likely would have caught these. They were new trains then and now are middle aged-on the way to getting old, kind of like myself . There are also the new Flexity light rail vehicles that replaced all of the CLRVs. These run on all the 500 series tram routes like the 509 and 510 routes, which you might find convenient to travel along the Waterfront. The most common method of fare payment nowadays is with a Presto Card (Toronto's version of the Metro Card) which you can purchase at any Shoppers Drug Mart, at Union Station or at the subway stations themselves. Yeah, the last time old fashioned tokens were sold was 2019; they no longer sell or accept tokens at subway stations.
- You might be able to catch the second to last day of the Canadian National Exhibition that is happening in the vicinity of Rogers Centre. This is the largest annual exhibition in Canada and runs to Labo(u)r Day each year. There should be a ton of family friendly activities.
-Rogers Centre is very close to CN Tower and well within walking distance. I haven't been to CN Tower in 25 years so I don't know what the ticketing is like nowadays. If you like Empire State Building like views, then by all means try it.
- I just checked the MLB schedule and the Blue Jays are out of town this weekend. The CFL's Toronto Argonauts are also out of town and playing on Monday in Hamilton, Ontario.
-Check the TTC website for a list of parking options. I don't know whether it is better to drive or take a train from Niagara Falls. I have always driven to Toronto for convenience sakes but quite often to a far offsite location, which as a day tripper, you do not have the luxury of doing. Since you're coming from the Niagara Falls direction, the closest station is Kipling which is the west terminus of Line 2. Like any major city, spots in commuter and transit parking lots can go fast so be forewarned. Also, be forewarned that driving on the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) is not for the faint of heart but as a metro New Yorker, you're probably used to wide multilane highways full of traffic and aggressive drivers. Even trucks try to pass drivers on the right on this highway. Drivers in many other parts of Canada are very courteous but not so in Greater Toronto, whose traffic mirrors that of our cities.
- As for other things to do, how much more time do you think you will have in one day? What else are you interested in? Shopping? Dining? Museums? Toronto is unparalleled in diversity and there are plenty of ethnic options to choose from, Chinese, Korean, Greek, Jamaican, South Asian, Latin American, I mean you'll likely be able to find any cuisine you want. There's so much to do in Toronto you really will have to pick and choose hard.
- Finally as Zoisite reminded you, do not leave home without your passport (a passport card or enhanced drivers license is also accepted if travelling by land). Things have changed since the 2004 Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and passports are required to get into and out of Canada. Don't be surprised if our own American authorities are stricter about the law. They give no exceptions.
Have fun! Be sure to report back to tell how you and your family like it.
The GO Train option may be your best bet, though you could park at Kipling or Islington subway stations if you prefer, and take the subway in. Your destination is the Union Station subway stop
If you choose the GO Train, then as you now know, Union Station has a subway stop, so your subway ride can go from there. Depending on the amount of time you have, you might want to do a loop--Union to Bloor, change to a westbound train to St. George, change to a southbound train, which will return you to Union.
She wants to experience the subway system and it is much easier to park at Islington than Kipling. GO is an option yes but I'm thinking kill two birds with one stone taking the subway from Islington. Also there are closer GO stations to Union than Oakville.
For the OP - Spadina and St George are options to connect from one line to the other. No real advantage one over the other really.
yeah CNE will be an option - oh and the airshow is going on too that weekend so they'll be planes flying all around in the afternoon - but man CN Tower and CNE might be much. CNE is a full day in and of itself but hey - depends on interests. There's really so much to see and do in the city its hard to pick. I was just focussing on the minimum requirement of the CN Tower. Plus the CNE isn't exactly walkable from Roger's either - have to bus or streetcar it.
Btw UP have you driven in Montreal lol ie aggressive drivers
She wants to experience the subway system and it is much easier to park at Islington than Kipling. GO is an option yes but I'm thinking kill two birds with one stone taking the subway from Islington. Also there are closer GO stations to Union than Oakville.
I know. Just using Oakville as an example--I've taken the GO Train from Union to Oakville and back a few times (my ex's office was out there).
Besides, I like my "loop from Union to Union" idea.
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Have a nice Sunday. 
? Every time I visit, it's always 3-4 days and I still can't get enough of the city. There is just so much to see and do in Queen City. All right, as a 6 time visitor to Toronto, let me try my best to answer your question.
. There are also the new Flexity light rail vehicles that replaced all of the CLRVs. These run on all the 500 series tram routes like the 509 and 510 routes, which you might find convenient to travel along the Waterfront. The most common method of fare payment nowadays is with a Presto Card (Toronto's version of the Metro Card) which you can purchase at any Shoppers Drug Mart, at Union Station or at the subway stations themselves. Yeah, the last time old fashioned tokens were sold was 2019; they no longer sell or accept tokens at subway stations. 
