Toronto/Entertainment and Financial Districts

Financial District

The Financial District is the economic powerhouse of Toronto. Dozens of towering glass, concrete and steel monoliths are a must-see for architecture enthusiasts. The district is actually quite compact and walkable, even in inclement weather. That's because of the "PATH" - 27 km (16 miles) of interconnecting passageways under the streets that feature more than 1,200 stores and services. Street entrances to the subterranean walkway are indicated with "PATH" signage.

Fashion District

The heart of Toronto's Fashion District is along Spadina Avenue from Front Street in the south to Queen Street in the north. However, hardly any garment manufacturing is done here today as garment industry work has long since left for cheaper places. Along Spadina, you can still see many graceful, multi-storey loft buildings that used to house garment manufacturing operations; buildings of this type also appear north of Queen Street to Sullivan Street at the southern end of Chinatown.
The Fashion District overlaps the Entertainment District along the east side of Spadina Avenue. The name "Fashion District" appears on a street sign at the south-west corner of Spadina Avenue and Richmond Street West beside the Fashion Building, a warehouse-loft.

Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre, formerly known as SkyDome, is a multi-purpose stadium, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario. It opened in 1989, and is home to the American League's Toronto Blue Jays, and was also home to the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts before that team moved to BMO Field in Harbourfront in 2016. While it is primarily a sports venue, it also hosts other large-scale events such as conventions, trade fairs, concerts, funfairs, and monster truck shows. The stadium was renamed following its purchase by Rogers in 2005, but locals prefer the original "SkyDome". The venue was noted for being the first stadium to have a fully-retractable motorized roof, as well as for the 348-room hotel attached to it, with 70 rooms overlooking the field. A popular venue for large scale rock concerts, the stadium is the largest indoor concert venue in Toronto; it has hosted many international acts including Metallica, Madonna, U2, Depeche Mode, The Rolling Stones, The Three Tenors, Radiohead, Simon & Garfunkel, Garth Brooks, Backstreet Boys, Roger Waters, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Limp Bizkit, Eminem, Janet Jackson, Avril Lavigne, Jonas Brothers and Cher. The stadium was a centrepiece of the 2015 Pan American Games as the site of the opening and closing ceremonies.
Public tours of the stadium are sometimes available.

By plane

The nearest airport to Toronto's financial district is the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which is located across a narrow channel from the foot of Bathurst Street in the Harbourfront district. The main commercial airline serving the airport is Porter, operating year-round flights to New York City, Chicago, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax as well as winter flights to Mont-Tremblant. Air Canada Express also offers service to Montreal. Porter operates a free bus for its passengers between the airport and Union Station; alternately, you can take the 509 streetcar from Queen's Quay and Bathurst, a few blocks from the airport, to Union Station.

By train

Toronto's main railway station, Union Station sits at the foot of the financial district, on Front Street between York and Bay Streets. All commuter rail lines in the city run to and from Union Station and are run by Go Transit. Trains run all day on weekdays and weekends on the Lakeshore line from Hamilton in the west to Oshawa in the east, all the other lines run only at rush hour on weekdays. All intercity trains in Toronto run to Union Station and are operated by Via Rail. (Ontario Northland no longer runs Toronto-North Bay-Cochrane by rail.) For more information on intercity and commuter rail services to Toronto, see the Toronto city article.

By subway

The financial district is well served by subway line (Yonge-University-Spadina) with Queen, King, Union, St Andrew and Osgoode stations all lying in the district.

By streetcar

Many streetcar lines run through or terminate in the financial district. The 504 King line runs along King street, through the centre of the neighbourhood, The 501 Queen line runs along Queen street at the north end of the district and the 502 Downtowner and 503 Kingston Rd lines terminate in the district.
The subway, streetcar lines and buses are run by the TTC and a TTC fare includes transfers between both modes to complete a single trip.

By car

Most of the major highways passing through Toronto pass through the downtown core at some point.

• From the DVP: follow the DVP south towards Front Street - the southernmost exit brings you into downtown.
• From the Gardiner Expressway: exit at Spadina, next to the CN Tower.
• From the 401: follow the 401 until you reach the Don Valley Parkway (just east of Leslie Street), then exit onto the DVP southbound, and follow until you reach Front Street.

Parking in the area is very expensive, and there are always traffic jams late at night.

By bike or foot

The easiest way to find downtown Toronto is to locate the CN Tower, and head towards it. Although many people bike in Toronto, others consider it to be a very dangerous city to bike in, and accidents are frequent. Stick to less travelled roads, and be aware of people and vehicles around you.

• Canada's Walk of Fame

  address: King St & Simcoe St
  Toronto meets Hollywood where visitors can see plaques for most of Canada's famous names (Martin Short, for example) embedded in the sidewalk. The plaques are stylized stars that look a little like maple leaf.

• CN Tower

  phone: +1 416-868-6937
  address: 301 Front St W
  The CN Tower is Toronto's most recognizable and famous feature, and was the world's tallest free-standing structure until the Burj Dubai surpassed it in September 2007. It is still the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas. At a dizzying 553 m high, a visit is worth it for the view of the city alone. A glass elevator will take you up to where you can look out from behind glass windows or from an outside observing area through a metal screen. It attracts large numbers of tourists; best times are weekdays in the morning. You can jump up and down on the thick glass floor in parts of the observatory (the view from the floor downward essentially shows the base of the tower). 360, the revolving restaurant, is in the main deck, but isn't particularly renowned. Restaurant diners with reservations can avoid the queues for the observatory, and at night the lights from distant Rochester, New York are visible over the lake.

• Design Exchange (DX)

  phone: +1 416-363-6121
  address: 234 Bay St
  A museum of design in Canada and around the world. The permanent collection is only open by appointment, but the 3rd floor showcases interesting changing exhibitions, and there's always something on for free on the 1st floor as well.

• Draper Street - Victorian houses

  address: Draper Street
  Draper Street is a small Heritage Conservation District. This short street is lined with over a dozen Victorian-era houses from the 1880s. The houses are private residences.

• Graffiti Alley

  address: Graffiti Alley, Rush Lane & cross-lanes
  Lanes at the rear of commercial buildings have colourful displays of graffiti, a few of which are very artistic murals. A Toronto-themed mural is displayed on the west side of a building on Rush Lane.

• Hockey Hall of Fame

  phone: +1 416-360-7765
  address: 30 Yonge St
  A shrine to Canada's pastime in the heart of the city. The Stanley Cup is usually housed here – if seeing it is important, call ahead and ensure it's not in another city before you visit.

• Since 1993, the Hockey Hall of Fame has been housed in the former Toronto head office of the Bank of Montreal. Completed in 1885, the building has two fine monumental facades with an impressive entrance bay between them. It continued in use as a bank until 1982, when it closed.

Ripley's Aquarium

phone: +1 647 351-FISH

address: 288 Bremner Blvd

Home to 13,500 species of sea creatures from habitats around the world. Café, souvenir shop.

Roundhouse Park

address: 255 Bremner Blvd

This public park offers has a number of preserved exhibits: roundhouse and turntable, coaling tower, water tower, signal tower, small railway station and several railway cars and locomotives including a 4-8-4 Northern-type steam locomotive.

• Toronto Railway Museum

  address: 255 Bremner Blvd, Unit 15 (Roundhouse Park)
  The museum, in the roundhouse building, has railway exhibits, cars under restoration, and a gift shop. When the miniature stream trains are running in the park, you can purchase separate tickets to ride them from the old Don Station building.

• TD Gallery of Inuit Art

  address: 79 Wellington Street West
  Collection of Inuit art, about 100 items on display.

• Union Station

  address: 65 Front Street West
  Union Station is the largest and most opulent railway station in Canada and a landmark in Toronto. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style and finished in 1921, this Heritage Railway Station is a National Historic Site of Canada. The main internal feature of the station is the Great Hall which is long and high at its highest point. Materials such as bronze, limestone, marble, tiles, and translucent glass create a sense of enduring quality. On the east side of the station, there is a bridge to the Union Station Bus Terminal where you can get a glimpse of the train shed without buying a train ticket. On the west side is the SkyWalk, an approximately 500-metre enclosed walkway from Union Station to the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre. On the south side, is a tunnel leading to the Scotiabank Arena (formerly known as Air Canada Centre).

• Union Subway StationUnion, the subway station, has a major artwork in the form a glass partition running the length of the station. The art piece is called "Zones of Immersion" by Stuart Reid, a professor at the OCAD University, and comprises 166 large glass panels, each measuring more than one by two metres, extending along the length of the platform. Mostly transparent, it is visible from both the Yonge and University platforms. Each panel contains images or words, many based on sketches of commuters that Reid drew while riding the subway.

48th Highlanders Museum

phone: +1 416-596-1382

address: 73 Simcoe St.

Collection of uniforms and memorabilia of the 48th Highlanders Regiment dating from as early of the Boer War.

Small parks and public squares

There are several downtown parks and squares nestled between tall buildings that are pleasing to look at or convenient for a rest.

• Commerce Court

  address: Wellington St and Bay St
  This plaza features a fountain and a three piece bronze sculpture by Derrick Stephan Hudson entitled, Tembo, Mother of Elephants completed in 2002. These near life-size sculptures of a mother elephant and her 2 cubs were installed on site in 2005 on loan from the L.L. Odette Foundation of Windsor, Ontario.

• Toronto-Dominion Centre

  address: Wellington St
  Seven life-size sculptures of cows, an artwork by Joe Faford titled The Pasture, lie on a small plot of grass within the TD Centre square which was a pasture long, long ago.

• Victoria Courtyard

  address: King St E & Yonge St
  The small park is nestled between tall buildings away from traffic noise. It contains a number of permanent decorative art objects.

Venues

• Scotiabank Arena

  phone: +1 416-815-5500
  address: 40 Bay St
  This hockey arena plays host to all Toronto Maple Leafs homes games as well as Toronto Raptors basketball games. It also hosts many of Toronto's large concerts. The arena is directly adjacent to Union Station and there is a passage leading from the underground concourse into the arena, however the passage can be confusing. The facility was renamed from Air Canada Centre to Scotiabank Arena effective July 1, 2018 due to a change in sponsorship.

• Princess of Wales Theatre

  phone: +1 416-872-1212
  address: 300 King St W
  Modern theatre for musical productions.

• Rogers Centre

  phone: +1 416-341-1707
  address: One Blue Jays Way
  This large stadium is home to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team, and also hosts large concerts. It has a retractable roof, allowing games to be played in all weather. To access the stadium from Union Station follow the Skywalk from the western waiting room.

• Rogers Centre ToursTours of the Rogers Centre are sometimes available. Consult the website for details.

Roy Thomson Hall

phone: +1 416 872-4255

address: 60 Simcoe St

Home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The venue also hosts other musical events. Its distinctive round glass shape makes it a Toronto landmark.

Royal Alexandra Theatre

phone: +1 416-872-1212

address: 260 King St W

Opulent century-old building in the beaux arts style, hosting touring plays & musicals.

Scotiabank Theatre

phone: +1 416-368-5600

address: 259 Richmond St W

This is one of central Toronto's few large cinemas. It has several screens and shows mainly major, first-run films. It also has an IMAX screen.

Second City

phone: +1 416-343-0011

address: 51 Mercer St

Nightly performances of improv and sketch comedy.

TIFF Bell Lightbox

phone: +1 888-599-8433

address: 350 King St W

TIFF Bell Lightbox is a cultural centre and the headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival. The building contains a theatre and galleries. The fourth floor gallery is free to the public, while the larger main gallery on the first level hosts large paid exhibitions.

Tours

• Take a historic walking tour of the area. Muddy York Walking Tours, offers "Toronto History: the 20th Century" and "History of Downtown Street Names" tours that cover the downtown area.

• LCBO

  phone: +1 416-368-9644
  address: 200 Bay St, Brookfield Place
  Liquor store.

• MEC

  phone: +1 416-340-2667
  address: 300 Queen St W
  Large store for outdoor wear and gear.

• 401 Richmond

  address: 401 Richmond St W
  This former factory building has a courtyard, a few shops and private art galleries.

• Spacing Store

  phone: +1 416-644-1017
  A store having Toronto-themed souvenirs.

The PATHThe PATH is the world's largest underground shopping complex with 27 km (16 miles) of shopping arcades. It is a city under a city and extends from Union Station in the south to Yonge-Dundas Square in the north. The PATH has numerous branches with alternate routes creating an underground maze.

There are restaurants in attractive row of older buildings along King St W at John St opposite the TIFF Bell Lightbox. There are many restaurants in nearby districts such as Chinatown and the Fashion District along Queen Street West.

Budget

• Burrito Boyz

  address: 218 Adelaide St W
  Open until 4AM on weekends. Very tasty burritos. The halibut burrito is especially popular. Arrive early for lunch as there can be a long line-up by 12:30PM. Large burrito $6-8.

• Millie Patisserie

  phone: +1 416-596-0063
  address: 12 Oxley St
  Tasty cheesecakes, tarts, etc. Small table area.

• Modern Wok

  phone: +1 416-364-3840
  address: 145 King St W at St. Andrews Station
  Chinese & Thai cuisine. Get there at least 15 minutes before noon to avoid a long line-up at this popular under-ground food-court counter.

• Shopsy's Deli Restaurant & Catering

  phone: +1 416-365-3354
  address: 96 Richmond Street W
  Diner-style decor, serving fine deli food.
• The underground PATH has many food courts for budget meals.
• Try the many hot dog stands, also known as "Street Meat," located sporadically around the downtown area of the city. These vendors are conveniently located just outside of subway stations, big buildings, malls and clubs. Prices range from $1 to $4, and most stands offer hot dogs, veggie dogs, sausages, and cold drinks.

Mid-range

• Campechano

  phone: +1 416-777-2800
  address: 504 Adelaide St W
  Taqueria having a small menu with very tasty tacos; Mexican decor.

• Marché Restaurant

  phone: +1 647-350-6999
  address: 42 Yonge St
  Good if you have to please many tastes as options include personal pizzas, pasta-of-the-day, sushi, stirfries, seafood, steak, rosti potatoes, soup, sandwiches, crepes, waffles, etc. Casual, cafeteria style.

• Beerbistro

  address: 18 King St E
  Open to 2AM Th-Sa. Over 130 ales and lagers. The dinner menu offers a wide range of appetizers and steak frites, mussel bowls, roasted knuckle of pork, seafood chowder and rabbit curry. Patio. Also open for lunch and brunch on weekends. $18-24 dinner mains.

• Jules

  phone: +1 416-348-8886
  address: 147 Spadina Ave
  Open M-Sa. Good, inexpensive French bistro fare including quiches, crepes, baguette sandwiches, steak frites and croque monsieur. Very busy at lunch, not so busy at dinner. ~$15 per person lunch.

• Kit Kat Italian Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 416-977-4461
  address: 297 King Street West
  The Kit Kat offers a warm welcome, a quirky decor, and menu choices like: bruschetta, warm scallop salad, fettuccine alberto with four cheeses, rigatoni bolognese, roast lemon chicken, osso buco, baby back ribs, New York striploin, and fish of the day. Vegetarian options adequate. Very near the Royal Alex and Princess of Wales Theatres, and are used to getting you to the show on time. A tall tree grows through the kitchen roof — really.

• Momofuku Noodle Bar

  phone: +1 647 253-6225
  address: Ground Floor, 190 University Ave
  Offers high quality ramen ($15) and steamed bao. Can also buy cookies from Momofuku's milk bar.

• Sunset Grill

  phone: +1 416-861-0514
  address: 1 Richmond St W
  Breakfast restaurant.

• Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant

  address: 99 Blue Jays Way
  BBQ baby back ribs, fire-grilled steak, 1/2lb sirloin burgers, steak sandwiches, wood-oven pizzas and handmade pastas. In the summer, the Oasis rooftop patio features a barbeque menu.

Splurge

• Bardi's Steak House

  phone: +1 416 366-9211
  address: 56 York St
  Serving only the finest cuts of certified Angus beef, Bardi's does not scrimp on quality. Fresh Atlantic salmon, chicken and ribs are also available and delivered to you with exceptional personalized service. Highly recommended.

• Canoe Restaurant and Bar

  phone: +1 416 364-0054
  address: 66 Wellington St W (TD Bank Tower, 54th floor)
  Regional Canadian cuisine, breathtaking views of the city skyline. The menu offers fresh Canadian fish, game and produce.

• Rosewater

  phone: +1 416-214-5888
  address: 19 Toronto St
  Menu of various cuisines, nicely seasoned comfort food.

• The Entertainment District (Clubland) has North America's highest density of clubs, restaurants and bars. Dance clubs are located mostly along Richmond and Adelaide Streets, but there are some on the side streets. The clubs don't generally last very long. In many places, every year a new club opens in the same location with a new name.

• Steam Whistle Brewery

  phone: +1 416-362-2337
  address: The Roundhouse, 255 Bremner Blvd
  This large-scale microbrewery provides tours every 30 minutes with options. The $10 tour includes a glass of beer.

Budget

Mid-range

• Hyatt Regency Toronto

  phone: +1 416 599-4000
  address: 370 King St W
  4-star hotel with 425 rooms. Fitness centre, in-room spa services. Pet friendly rooms available.

• Le Germain Toronto

  phone: +1 416 345-9500
  address: 30 Mercer St
  4-star hotel in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District, right next to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

• One King West Hotel & Residence

  phone: +1 416 548-8100
  address: 1 King Street West
  4-star hotel centrally located in downtown. Above the King subway station. All rooms have washer/dryer and kitchenette with dishwasher. Excellent views from upper floors.

Splurge

• The Adelaide Hotel Toronto

  phone: +1 416 306-5800
  address: 325 Bay St
  Formerly the Trump Tower Hotel. 5-star hotel features guestrooms and suites, a spa, health club, meeting space, event locations and restaurants. Also offers Toronto vacation packages.

• Fairmont Royal York

  phone: +1 416 368-2511
  address: 100 Front Street West
  Toronto's historic grand old hotel. 4-star hotel featuring indoor pool and fitness centre, on-site restaurants and bars, business centre.

• InterContinental Toronto Centre

  phone: +1 416 597-1400
  address: 225 Front Street West
  4-star hotel downtown in the theatre district and connected to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

• Renaissance Hotel Rogers Centre

  phone: +1 416 341-7100
  address: 1 Blue Jays Way
  4-star hotel, 348 rooms in total, with 70 rooms overlooking the stadium. Pet friendly.

• SoHo Metropolitan Hotel

  phone: +1 416 599-8800
  address: 318 Wellington Street West
  4-star luxury hotel with rooms and suites featuring Italian Frette linens, down duvets, and Molton Brown bath products. Senses Restaurant and Bakery is on-site.

• City Hall Library

  phone: +1 416-393-7650
  address: Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St W
  Wi-fi, computers with internet access.

• Toronto Commerce Court Post Office

  phone: +1 416-956-7452
  address: 25 King St W, Suite 176
  Besides stamps, shipping services and money orders, this outlet offers some items for stamp and coin collectors.

Here are a list of neighbouring downtown districts, most of which are within walking distance:

• Downtown East: St Lawrence Market, Distillery District.
• Kensington-Chinatown: Kensington Market, Chinatown, Art Gallery of Ontario.
• Harbourfront: Harbourfront Park, harbour tours, Toronto Islands.
• Yonge-Dundas: City Hall, Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square.