As the biggest city in Canada, Toronto has a wealth of culture and arts to offer, as well as a large and active LGBT community. Summers in Toronto are a no-brainer for travel because the city’s Pride draws somewhere in the neighborhood of a million tourists, and people are so happy that the weather is nice that activities and attractions abound. But we suggest you not wait until the warm weather and visit the city during the winter months, as there is a lot to experience during the brisk season that makes Toronto a premiere destination.
Where to stay
The Delta Chelsea, 33 Gerrard St. West, is Canada’s largest hotel, located in the heart of Toronto’s downtown. That puts it within walking distance of shopping districts like the Toronto Eaton Centre and Bloor Street, as well as the theater district and Toronto’s gay village, located around the intersection of Church and Wellesley streets.
The hotel is family-friendly and offers a lot of activities and facilities, including a Kid Center aimed at keeping the young ones entertained as well as a teen lounge, a family pool and an indoor waterslide.
There are four restaurants on site, including the excellent Bb33 Bistro, where you should try to have breakfast in at least once during your trip. For more information, visit www.deltahotels.ca/en/hotels/ontario/delta-chelsea.
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, may be a bit to the west of the heart of downtown, but it is at the heart of the city’s arts and design district. Each room is unique, as the hotel had a different designer or artist decorate each space, so that they range in look and theme from lavishly ornate to ultra-modern and austere. Check out the teen-idol room if you want to live like a teenage girl circa 1978.
For something equally as arts-intensive but a little more conventional (The Gladstone can get quite spirited on the weekend, which is probably why they provide many complimentary earplugs with each room), you can stay a few blocks further east at The Drake, 1150 Queen St. West. It has fewer rooms available but is slightly more upscale than The Gladstone and features some impressive art installations. If you really want to get into the arts scene in Toronto, The Gladstone and The Drake are the places to stay. The shopping districts of downtown are amazing but, if you want to peruse the more independent-minded boutiques and galleries, this is the area you want to be in. Also, bring an extra suitcase for all the cool stuff you will want to take home.
For more information, visit www.gladstonehotel.com or www.thedrakehotel.ca.
Speaking of walking …
What to do
Wear comfortable shoes because there is a plethora of walking tours to take part in while in Toronto.
If you want to see the best of the Queen West arts district, Betty Ann Jordan of Arts InSite, a Toronto arts writer and educator, knows the ins and outs of the neighborhood — from high-end stores and art galleries to unique small businesses and alleys lined with the works for street artists. For more information, visit www.artinsite.net.
If you want to go on a fascinating tour of a historic location in Toronto, the man to see is Bruce Bell, who conducts walking, eating and exploring tours of the city. He’ll regale you with all the tidbits of Canadian and Toronto history while showing you historic sites and the city’s amazingly eclectic St. Lawrence Market. His vast knowledge of all things Toronto, along with acumen for self-promotion (he has a few plaques in his honor around town, which his tours seem to pass by often), makes for a delightfully informative morning or afternoon. For more information, visit www.brucebelltours.ca or www.stlawrencemarket.com.
If you want an education in the history of Toronto’s gay village, Rainbow High Travel, 200 and 506 Church St., is a fine place to start. Liz Devine, the company president, gave us an interesting look into the history of LGBT rights and landmarks. One of them was the Canadian Lesbian & Gay Archives, 34 Isabella St. It’s usually only open evenings but it’s worth a visit to meet with CLGA Vice President Dennis Findlay and to see the archive, which is impressive and overflowing with documents, books and items from Canada’s rich history. For more information on Rainbow High Travel and the CLGA, visit www.rainbow.travel or www.clga.ca.
Where to eat
A brisk walk to the north of the shops on Bloor Street and west of the gay village is the Yorkville area, where you will find Sassafraz, 100 Cumberland St., tucked into a picturesque square of Victorian rowhouses, restaurants and bars. The elegant décor of the restaurant is a perfect backdrop for the fine French-Canadian cuisine it serves. For more information, visit www.sassafraz.ca.
Close to the gay village is Wish Restaurant, 3 Charles St. East, which has a more artful décor and more laid-back menu of comfort food. That said, it is still a cozy place to dine and drink with friends or a date.
Also stop by the Church Street Community Center, 519 Church St., which is a lot like the William Way LGBT Community Center— except that it’s home to a restaurant. Fabarnak is an eatery that provides a training environment to help people with employment barriers gain experience under a team of professional chefs and restaurant staff. The food is pretty good too. For more information, visit www.fabarnak.com.
For more detailed information on things to do and see in Toronto, visit www.seetorontonow.com.