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I know. Just using Oakville as an example--I've taken the GO Train from Union to Oakville and back a few times (my ex's office was out there).
Besides, I like my "loop from Union to Union" idea.
Oh there's no right or wrong answer Chevy- i also go with what i know because I lived 5 minutes from Islington - which trust me is easier to park than at Kipling. But yeah - train it in is definately an option including from Niagara as U.P suggested though dunno - seems like a long train stretch and not sure it would be faster than driving although it might. Traffic will suck most likely. The OP only has a day ideally though it would be a multi day trip. Toronto is such a hard city to do in a day.
Btw UP have you driven in Montreal lol ie aggressive drivers
Yeah, Autoroute 15 and Autoroute 40 are not fun to drive on either. Montreal's roadways are more cramped and remind me a lot more of Boston. Toronto's highways like the QEW and Highway 401 are like a cross between a Californian freeway and the Long Island Expressway.
Yeah, Autoroute 15 and Autoroute 40 are not fun to drive on either. Montreal's roadways are more cramped and remind me a lot more of Boston. Toronto's highways like the QEW and Highway 401 are like a cross between a Californian freeway and the Long Island Expressway.
Toronto atleast in the core has a more gridlike design so yeah - easier to drive. Montreal has a more oldworld setup I guess - although grids can be old world!? and yes definitely smaller more cramped roads. Boston definitely the same - I hated driving there too. Actually any of top 10 -15 cities in our two countries i'd rather just not drive in the core areas. After moving away from big city to small town i can say i really don't miss traffic much at all anymore lol
Toronto atleast in the core has a more gridlike design so yeah - easier to drive. Montreal has a more oldworld setup I guess - although grids can be old world!? and yes definitely smaller more cramped roads.
Well, yes and no. Toronto's downtown is gridded, but it also has Adelaide and Richmond streets (one-way eastbound and one-way westbound, respectively), as well as streetcar lines on Queen and King. And there are streetcars on Bathurst and College/Carlton, but my point is, that if you've never driven an automobile around streetcars before, a one-day visit may not be the time for our OP friend to start. "No Left Turn" signs everywhere. Downtown Toronto being a grid, may look easy on a map, but it's not when you're driving in it.
Fun story regarding GO Trains and the CNE: After we had moved to Alberta, my ex had to go to her office in Oakville on business from time to time. One time, I tagged along, just for fun. Hey, the CNE was on, and I'd like to go again. Our hotel was maybe a ten minute walk from Oakville GO station, so I took the train in.
Well, the CNE was as it always was: a midway, rides, buildings with food and new cars and the latest sewing machines and La-Z-Boys, and so on, and again, the midway. I know enough about carnival games to know that being able to shoot out the star, or ringing the bottle or spotting the spot or sinking the basket can be done, but the odds are stacked against the player. But then, they had Skee-Ball.
Skee-Ball. My favourite! I've played it for years, when I could.
I stepped up to a game. Within $3 of play, I had won a huge stuffed tiger toy. "You're barred from here for the rest of the day, buddy," said the operator, as he handed me my tiger.
Okay, fine. I went to the other Skee-Ball game on the midway, and promptly won a huge stuffed doggy toy. "That's it for you, pal," the operator said. "You're barred for the rest of today."
Hey, no problem. I hit a beer garden after that, and Tiger and Doggy and I enjoyed a couple of beers. Well, I did; Tiger and Doggy didn't want anything.
Anyway, I took the GO Train back to Oakville, holding both Tiger and Doggy. When my ex saw me with two huge stuffed animal toys at the station, all she could say was, "You must have played Skee-Ball, right?" Of course, she was correct.
Nice ending: Tiger and Doggy found a home in the local children's hospital. We donated them.
Last edited by ChevySpoons; 08-31-2023 at 01:33 AM..
Well, yes and no. Toronto's downtown is gridded, but it also has Adelaide and Richmond streets (one-way eastbound and one-way westbound, respectively), as well as streetcar lines on Queen and King. And there are streetcars on Bathurst and College/Carlton, but my point is, that if you've never driven an automobile around streetcars before, a one-day visit may not be the time for our OP friend to start. "No Left Turn" signs everywhere. Downtown Toronto being a grid, may look easy on a map, but it's not when you're driving in it.
I just meant the general layout of the core is grid like - at least more so than say Montreal or Boston. So in that regard the layout might be easier overall. I certainly would say it is enjoyable driving DT lol. I always just use PT when I go down there for the most part. That said, I have to drive into the city tomorrow afternoon for a Dr's appointment so we'll see how it goes lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChevySpoons
Fun story regarding GO Trains and the CNE: After we had moved to Alberta, my ex had to go to her office in Oakville on business from time to time. One time, I tagged along, just for fun. Hey, the CNE was on, and I'd like to go again. Our hotel was maybe a ten minute walk from Oakville GO station, so I took the train in.
Well, the CNE was as it always was: a midway, rides, buildings with food and new cars and the latest sewing machines and La-Z-Boys, and so on, and again, the midway. I know enough about carnival games to know that being able to shoot out the star, or ringing the bottle or spotting the spot or sinking the basket can be done, but the odds are stacked against the player. But then, they had Skee-Ball.
Skee-Ball. My favourite! I've played it for years, when I could.
I stepped up to a game. Within $3 of play, I had won a huge stuffed tiger toy. "You're barred from here for the rest of the day, buddy," said the operator, as he handed me my tiger.
Okay, fine. I went to the other Skee-Ball game on the midway, and promptly won a huge stuffed doggy toy. "That's it for you, pal," the operator said. "You're barred for the rest of today."
Hey, no problem. I hit a beer garden after that, and Tiger and Doggy and I enjoyed a couple of beers. Well, I did; Tiger and Doggy didn't want anything.
Anyway, I took the GO Train back to Oakville, holding both Tiger and Doggy. When my ex saw me with two huge stuffed animal toys at the station, all she could say was, "You must have played Skee-Ball, right?" Of course, she was correct.
Nice ending: Tiger and Doggy found a home in the local children's hospital. We donated them.
Ha nice story Chevy!! I'm sure the kids in that hospital really appreciated them. I haven't been to the ex in years but my dad used to take me when I was a kid. He had ulterior motives as he'd take me labour day weekend to see the airshow but i didn't complain - it sparked my interest in aviation and ofc i got to go on the rides, play the games and eat junk food. Good trade off lol.
1) parked at Islington station around 10am. Little traffic getting there and lot was almost empty.
2) Went to top of CN Tower and was amazed (and I've been up every NYC observation deck). Went on the glass bottom area was eerie.
3) walked around Roger's centre and Scotiabank arena. Went by the area with the statues of the hockey greats. My daughter works at a Tim Hortons on her campus so she loved seeing a statue of "her boss" LOL..
4) I forgot the name but spent some time at the park next to where you get water taxis.
5) ate and drank at Hoops sports bar. Since my daughter is 20 and the age is 19 in Ontario she had her first legal
drink.
6) Traffic was bad going back (left Toronto around 4pm).
7) it was hazy but was able to make out the skyline from the QEW just before getting off to go to Islington station, it really was Manhattan-esque! Didn't see it from the subway but was able to see some parts of Toronto I wouldn't see otherwise.
But it was a great day and first experience with Toronto. Thanks especially for the tip about parking at Islington.
Glad to hear that you had a great time. Hope that you're looking forward to returning--there are plenty of great places to explore in Toronto, and you've only just scratched the surface so far. I'm sure that a number of us can recommend things for wherever you want to go in the city.
Glad to hear that you had a great time. Hope that you're looking forward to returning--there are plenty of great places to explore in Toronto, and you've only just scratched the surface so far. I'm sure that a number of us can recommend things for wherever you want to go in the city.
Well as I said I have plenty of future trips to my daughter, the next one probably being in April to see the solar eclipse so hopefully I can squeeze some more trips to Toronto in. My daughter really enjoyed the city and plans to go back with friends.
I realized I didn't answer some other things noted here:
1) We did get to experience the "open subway cars" on line 1. I have not experienced them in NYC yet so I was pretty giddy about it. My daughter was just like "wow"
2) We got to see plenty of planes from the airshow while at the CN Tower (the priority ticket was an excellent choice, we totally avoided a LONG line, I'm surprised more don't do it given the relatively minimal price difference).
3) Near Union Station we did get to see GO Transit trains (though we didn't actually go on them). Living in Yonkers, NY I am very familiar with the Metro North division of NYC commuter rail and my daughter had asked "does Toronto have commuter trains a la NY?". She thought it cool that they were double decker.
4) Finally speaking of trains, we didn't go into the railway museum but saw all the outdoor exhibits next to it.
Again, considering how much I was squeezing it in, a very fun day! It was kind of the closest thing possible for a native NYer to experience what it must feel like being an out of towner or even foreigner visiting Manhattan.
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