City Of Toronto

Beautiful, clean, modern example of TheCity by lake Ontario, largest in Canada but not the capital - that's Ottawa. Summary below just one perspective; hopefully, many others will add insights and impressions: Close to the US border via Buffalo/Niagara noted for it's impressive skyline featuring the CN tower which until recently was the world's tallest free-standing structure, and the Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome?) with it's retractable roof (where Toronto won the Baseball World Series in 1993. They also won in 1992 but were not at home). More info at http://www.toronto.com also apart from standard touristy stuff in Lonely Planet Toronto and similar guides a more revealing look can be found in Secret Toronto http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1550224948/103-0901407-9885459?v=glance

Speaking of touristy stuff, Ed's Warehouse is worth a visit, if it's still there. Good steaks, though not quite RuthsChris? caliber.

Waterfront nice to visit and see small planes landing at the Island airport, and sailboats in the summer. In winter, island locals (some people live there) go ice skating; can see them with binoculars). The main Island (in the summer) has nice gardens and a mini fairground. From there, a good view of the glistening buildings also good spot for the airshow in August but crowded. Pier6 coffee shop is nice to relax in at the foot of York Quay. Fireworks on holidays, also free concerts. There is a hidden music garden (Queen's Quay just west of Spadina) designed by Yo-Yo Ma, who originally planned it for Chicago. Actually, Chicago feels very similar (by a great lake, lot's of tall buildings and art deco architecture).

Quick list of places to go downtown:

Scotiabank Theatre (formerly Paramount Famous Players' Cinema)
Second City Comedy Club (spawned stars like Mike Myers (Austin Powers), Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura etc), John Candy)
Indian Motorcycle Club
Four Seasons Centre (opera house)
Roy Thompson Hall (symphony)
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
Ontario Science Centre (not downtown, and not close to it)
Free WiFi wireless currently provided by Bell at Union Station
Which, incidentally, not far from the HockeyHallOfFame?

College Street between Bathurst and Ossington has many nice eateries also Yorkville but which is more expensive (actually, there are so many nice restaurant areas it's hard to list them all - the theatre district on King Street and Danforth are two others. Hosts annual Film Festival all the stars come can be seen at those Locales. For Latin dancing, go to Babalus. There used to be a Planetarium which was great but closed down in 1995. Was re-opened temporarily to show Lord of The Ring's II costumes which was great. ROM next door being renovated by David Lebinski (same designer doing WTC in NY) to have a futuristic crystal enclosure. You can see it under construction (and a nice view in general) from the top of the Hyatt at Bloor and Avenue where an intimate dinner or drinks can also be had. 3D Imax at the ex-Paramount and Colussus (north of the City) are great to but only infrequently have new shows.

Ernest Hemingway lived in Toronto for several years working for the Star; they sent him to report overseas, which helped him become famous. Amazing when you go to Europe all the tourists want to go where he ate and wrote in Paris, Madrid, Rome, Venice but only place have found so far here that they said he used to frequent now renovated actually quite nice to eat but expensive is Oro http://www.ororestaurant.com, Toronto Murmur http://www.murmurtoronto.com is a new aural para GeoCacheing project with stories in the heart of the City. Bathurst/St. Clair just west of Yorkville has something in common with Roswell NM according to one story at http://www.nuforc.org/webreports/003/S03565.html.

UniversityOfToronto is a world class institution, along with many others such as Ryerson, YorkUniversity? etc.

A few notes from a visitor to Toronto:

Home to one of the largest overseas Chinese populations (about 350,000 persons of Chinese descent live in the Toronto area). Good Chinese food in any of the several Chinatowns and elsewhere. The South Asian community is very large and active, too, as are the West Indian and many other communities.
The Macdonald-Carter Freeway (Highway 401) is claimed to be the second-busiest in the world, with only the San Diego Freeway (I-405/I-5, in the Los Angeles area) being busier.
Fourth largest city in the US/Canada; only New York, LA, and Chicago are larger. (Largest city in North America is, I believe, Mexico City).
Home of at least one of the greatest musicians in the world (I'm thinking of GeddyLee? in this case). I would be thinking of GlennGould? (not any more of course).

WikiZens who live in Toronto (or elsewhere in Ontario):

Much of this probably belongs on WikiPedia if it isn't there already.