Trips toToronto

Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto enjoys a booming and extensive waterfront culture.

Our neighbor to the north holds great allure. Sharing the longest stretch of relatively undefended border in the world, the proximity of Canada to the United Sates fosters deep familial, cultural, and travel connections with both nations enjoying a similar standard of living. Most of that nation's southern strip stretches along the US border, which fostered early settlement. In fact, present day Toronto was a vital settlement in Canadian history, serving as a key indigenous meeting place for thousands of years before it was “founded” as the Town of York by the British in 1793. Located along Lake Ontario’s northwest shore, the City of Toronto is now the provincial capital of Ontario and is known for its dynamic nature, exciting attractions, and abundant green spaces. The cultural capital of Canada is also an exciting holiday destination and, with its close proximity to Niagara Falls, it’s easy to see why so many flock to the city for a well-deserved break. Naturally, I was always happy to head up to this dynamic global hub where I was fortunate to experience its diverse cultures, exceptional dining and iconic sights, all in a famously safe and welcoming environment.

The United Express E175 is a two-class, 76-seat jet operated for United Airlines by its partner carriers.

All United Airlines flights which departed from the Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) routinely required a change of plane in Chicago, which added considerable travel time to my itinerary, As a result, I normally flew directly from the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to the Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). These flights were conducted on Republic Airways operating as United Express using an Embraer E175 regional jet. Flying First Class on this equipment offered a fairly comfortable, intimate experience tailored for short-to-medium haul regional routes. The 12-seat premium cabin operated with a 1-2 configuration (solo 'A' seats on the left and pairs of 'C' and 'D' on the right). These seats offered 37 inches of pitch and 20 inches of width and featured a slight recline of about 5 inches. My favorite was always 2A on the port side of the aircraft from which I would typically enjoy a complimentary premium beverage served in glassware, along with selections from a snack basket like chips, nuts or sweets. Flying time to Toronto was about one and a half hours and the mid-morning departure would put us on the ground in Toronto about 2:30 in the afternoon. 

Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel is part of a landmark mixed use complex in the upscale Yorkville district. 

I always tried to book into the Four Seasons Hotel whenever business took me to Toronto. The world-famous Four Seasons brand was founded in Toronto by Isadore Sharp and this hotel serves as the global flagship, setting the standard for the entire worldwide luxury hotel chain. The deluxe, 5-Star hotel sits in the very heart of the city’s upscale shopping and dining district and occupies the first 23 floors of a gleaming, 55-story glass tower which also houses over two hundred private condominium residences. The Village of Yorkville Park is located just steps away from the hotel. This compact park, a renowned urban oasis, features tree-topped walking paths, a mist-spitting wall, and a massive, one-billion year old, 650 ton granite climbing rock. Sitting at the center of the park, the rock was salvaged from the Northern Canadian Shield and  transported to Yorkville.

Accommodations at the Four Seasons Hotel blend residential warmth, comfort and high-end luxury.

On my most recent visit, my 515 square-foot Superior King Room was located on the 20th floor, highlighted by floor-to-ceiling windows offering exceptional city skyline views. The room was bright and airy and had it all. There was a down duvet on the bed which was made with Frette Italian sheets. It included a sitting area with plush, Canadian-made furnishings, as well as a number of modern amenities like an in-room iPad to connect with hotel services and Bluetooth speakers, bedside cell phone wireless chargers and automated controls for both lighting and drapery. The spacious, spa-like granite bathroom had a deep soaking tub and separate glass shower. The Four Seasons was a wonderful “home away from home” distinguished by its highly attentive service reflected in its rigorous, service-cultured staff training and development. 

The CN Tower Edge Walk has seen it all, including a most unusual, one-of-a-kind marriage proposal.

Always sparing a few hours to savor the sights of each city I have occasion to visit, one of my favorite spots in Toronto was the CN Tower. Standing 1,815 feet high, the tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere. A high-speed, glass elevator whisks visitors to the Main Observation Level at 1,122 feet in the air. Here, I often stood on the famous thick Glass Floor and looked straight down into the city. A little further up is the 360 Restaurant, which rotates once every 72 minutes, providing panoramic views of Toronto while guests dine. It’s also home to the Guinness World Record’s highest wine cellar. Although I don’t consider myself a thrill seeker, I loved the Edge Walk. This gives visitors a hands-free, tethered walk on an external ledge 116 stories above the ground. It’s the highest full-circle hands-free walk of its kind in North America and an experience not to be missed. The tether gives one a good bit of confidence, much as I felt while enjoying the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb with my son Nicholas several years ago. 

The Dangerous Lagoon's acrylic tunnel offered an unparalleled glimpse of what undersea life is like.

A short walk from the CN Tower is Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, home to over 20,000 marine animals. This massive, 135,000 square-foot indoor facility showcases 50 live exhibits, making it one of the city’s most popular attractions. The highlight for me was the Dangerous Lagoon, North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel.This is actually a moving  sidewalk that slowly pulls visitors through an immense tank filled with sharks, green sea turtles and sawfish. Planet Jellies provided another incredible experience. It was a stunning, illuminated exhibit featuring the world's largest circular-designed aquarium that allowed us to see mesmerizing displays of Pacific sea nettle jellyfish. The Ripley Aquarium exhibits spanned various global aquatic habitats, starting in Toronto's own backyard with the Great Lakes Basin, and extending to the vibrant Rainbow Coral Reef in the South Pacific. All in all, I found the aquarium to be an incredibly engaging and well-organized attraction.

The dinosaur exhibits stand out for their interactive displays which showcase prehistoric ecosystems.

Another cornerstone of Toronto’s appeal for me was a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Canada’s largest. It holds over 18 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens across 40 galleries. The ROM uniquely integrates natural history and world cultures, functioning as both a premier public museum and a major field research institute. The museum features one of the most highly regarded and scientifically significant dinosaur collections in the world, including a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a huge Barosaurus skeleton affectionately known as Gordo. I also very much enjoyed the Dawn of Life Gallery which traced the 4.5 billion-year history of life on Earth. One could easily spend many hours at this treasured museum and still not have time to see it all.

Of course, the same is true for the city itself. Today, visitors from around the world flock to this Canadian city to enjoy its one-of-a-kind landmarks, meander its bustling streets, and explore its remarkable museums.

Until next time…safe travels.