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Cosmopolitan TorontoWet Your Feet To Solo TravelBy Alexandra GnaedigCome on ladies. You say you want to travel but have no one to do it with. What about the best person around. YOU! I have traveled independently for years and it's great. Pushing away your fears about what will everyone think of you and just do it. I have traveled to the Caribbean and Europe, all on my own and sometimes not even knowing the language. There were the obvious ups and downs, but I would never trade my free spirited time on my own for anything.
Toronto is a great place to explore on your own, with a safe atmosphere, convenient public transit and wonderful museums and shops. A weekend or a week trip to this cosmopolitan city, without the big city crime, is a great way to start independent travel One of my favorite places is the Royal Ontario Museum. Canada’s largest museum houses some fabulous Roman, Greek and Egyptian artifacts. One of the brightest spots is the Chinese sculptures and art that is truly breathtaking. If museums aren’t your feel, how does a 3 million square foot building dedicated to shopping sound. The Eaton Centre is located right off the subway line (underground, tub etc.) and has any type of shopping available. I love this mall for its urban grittiness and great selection of stores. Woman, children, home decorating and more is available here and when you need a rest from shopping there are plenty of restaurants or quick fast food outlets to choose from. The best feature whether it’s raining or sunny outside you are protected by the glass roof and air conditioning. For a different type of shopping, there’s the St. Lawrence Market. Located downtown, this urban market opens only to the public on Saturday’s and is a great place to get all kinds of great eats. The energy is high in this fast paced market, buying a quick bite and just people watching is a great time spent.
One of my favorite places to eat is located on Queen Street. Tortilla Flats offers more than adequate portions of Tex Mex. This restaurant has a very relaxed atmosphere and I feel very comfortable just hanging out on my own. The nachos are the best and sipping a frozen margarita on the outdoor patio is a great way to cool off in the extreme summer heat. After, eating all that food I usually window shop along this hip street. Its got a very Soho (New York) type of feel to it. There are a lot of interesting little independent shops for the brave at heart and for those who aren’t, the Gap has also moved in. (Much to the chagrin of some of the locals). If you’re feeling like breaking free of the downtown scene, there is Casa Loma. Built for love of old world Europe architecture , Sir Henry Pellatt created this wonderful master piece for a measly $3 million dollars only to have it taken away by those terrible tax men. The rooms are fashioned from Spanish, Austrian and Scottish castles and evoke a sense of grandeur lost in today’s modern times. I decided to get a little exercise and trekked my way up one of the towers for an impressive view of the area. Slowing down from the pace of big city life (or action packed travels) the gardens at the castle are worth the admission alone. The vibrancy of the colors present is amazing. I chatted with other tourist and locals enjoying a little nature in the city. We all thought the gardens were absolutely magnificent. Considering it was a beautiful summer day when I visited, I just sat under a tree to enjoy the weather and my book. For a little bit of humor try Yuk Yuk’s on Yonge near Eglinton. This club offers some good laughs (and not so good) .You can have dinner there or just drinks. It’s right off the subway too, and allows you to venture away from downtown life. I decided to head out there a little early to walk around some of the boutiques in the area. Right on the corner is Indigo Book store. This store is huge and offers a wide selection of books and magazine. The staff is friendly and allow you to sit and read a bit before deciding. Uptown is alive and kicking. A great place to help plan your trip is www.toronto.com , this web page offers sub sections based on activities, neighborhoods and events. Another good site is www.torontolife.com this page offers a good variety of what to do and where to do it. For accommodations what’s safer and more well known than the Holiday Inn. This 20 story structure has dedicated the first eight floors to office space and the rest to fine views of the city or lake. This is not your typical road side Holiday Inn, this is much higher scale than we’re accustomed to but the rooms are clean and the staff knowledgeable. But, another great idea for meeting other fellow adventurers is the Global Village Backpackers, located downtown (King and Spadina). This hostel offers a fresh young approach to traveling. You share your room with other intrepid movers but, the fun atmosphere can be a welcomed change. You are still off a transit route and can walk to many attractions and restaurants. A visit to Toronto can be a great way to get a fun filled experience and wet your feet for further adventures abroad. First stop Toronto, next stop anywhere we want to go. Alexandra Gnaedig |
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If you want a safe
destination with a language you can understand why not try Toronto, Canada
Eh?
A
visit to Toronto would not be complete without visiting its most famous
structure. The CN Tower is in the heart of the city and over 1800 feet
high. The views from the top are amazing with panoramas of the city or lake
front. For the brave at heart a glass floor at more than 1100 feet allows
you look down at the tiny dots that would be.