We left the southern shores of Georgian Bay and I already missed the area. It turned out great even if I knew next to nothing about it before I researched the trip. However, all things come to an end and now I had a better-known part of Ontario to explore. I hadn’t spent any time in Toronto since I was a kid and I knew it had plenty to keep me busy.
So we drove down to Toronto Pearson Airport and ditched our rental car. We wouldn’t need it anymore. Dealing with a vehicle in downtown Toronto is a liability, and who really needs the headache? Public transportation is cheap, easy, and plentiful.
We hopped on the Union Pearson Express at Terminal 1 and arrived in Toronto about a half-hour later. Trains run every fifteen minutes with only two brief intermediary stops before Union Station where it terminates. Our hotel was a short walk from there and it had rooms available for early check-in, so we dumped our stuff and wandered into the city. Really, the whole process couldn’t have been simpler.
I thought I took a photo of the UP Express but you’ll have to settle for this image I took from the train window near the platforms at Union Station. It’s a pretty impressive passenger rail yard which seems logical, since Toronto is by far the largest city in Canada.
Brewery #10: 3 Brasseurs MicroBrewery
By then it was time for lunch and of course I found the closest brewpub (observing the usual disclaimer). It’s getting harder to find actual brewing restaurants in large city downtowns anymore. Brewing equipment takes up room that paying customers would occupy otherwise, and it’s hard to turn a profit with sky-high rents. Many of them moved to warehouse districts or the suburbs, or closed over the last few years. Fortunately, Toronto seemed to have several options nearby and that made me happy.
The weather was particularly nice so we didn’t mind strolling a few blocks to 3 Brasseurs (3 Brewers) MicroBrewery on Yonge Street. It had large open windows facing the street to let in fresh air, except when it let in the stench of weed from smokers strolling along the sidewalk. Unfortunately that was an all too common smell in Toronto, and sadly much like other large cities in North American where this is legal.
Royal Ontario Museum
We spent our first afternoon in the city at the Royal Ontario Museum, north of downtown near the University of Toronto (map). This is a huge place filled with a complete range of exhibits, the largest in Canada. Of course the kids wanted to see the dinosaurs and we made it a priority. Canada has long been a hot spot for fossils. Regrettably, the main dino gallery was in the midst of a renovation but there were other specimens available.
No worries, the ROM had plenty more to see and do. It reminded me of my hometown Smithsonian, except that everything was packed within a single massive building. We wandered for hours and I think we still missed a couple parts. Someone could easily fill an entire day here.
Toronto Subway
We got pretty skilled at using the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway. Similar to London and New York, passengers can use a phone and Apple Pay for fares, just tap and go. That made it so much more convenient to get around, with no need to find a kiosk to purchase cards. I’m so thankful that cities continue to adopt this feature, certainly one of the better travel trends.
The museum station serving the ROM may have been my favorite. Notice the statues that adorned the subway platform.
Brewery #11: Mascot Brewery
We ate dinner and then stopped at Mascot Brewery on King Street afterwards for a nightcap. They had an outdoor biergarten on a back patio with the Toronto skyline as a backdrop. That was a nice way to finish the day, and prepare ourselves mentally for a full-on tourist blast the following morning.
Articles in the Ontario Series
- Choices
- Downtime
- Lake and Mountain
- Penetanguishene and Beyond
- Lake and Caves
- Owen Sound
- Toronto Orientation
- Toronto Tourist
- Bonus Days
See Also: The Complete Photo Album on Flickr.
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