What's New

Toronto has been caught up in renovation mania for the past few years, and the results -- which are finally being unveiled -- are stunning. Here's a quick look at what's new.

Planning your Trip -- If you're flying to Toronto, here's some great news: Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 is now fully operational. For several years I've been writing about this beautifully designed, airy building, and it finally opened to flights from the U.S. in 2007 (it was already serving some international flights before that). Finally, an end to the messy rerouting of traffic at the airport. And there are more options than ever for flying into Toronto: A new airline, Porter Airlines (tel. 888/619-8622 or 416/619-8622; www.flyporter.com), just received clearance at press time to fly to U.S. destinations from the Toronto Island Airport; it already flies to Montréal and Ottawa. Also, in 2007 the U.K. carrier flyglobespan (tel. 08712 710 415; www.flyglobespan.com) began service to Hamilton, Ontario, a city that is a 45-minute drive from Toronto. Hamilton is now connected to 13 U.K. destinations.

Where to Stay -- While you're in town, you may notice that there are some new hotel-construction projects going on. The city is set to get its first-ever Ritz Carlton, the Trump empire is building a tower, and the Four Seasons plans to open a new property. However, none of these options will be available in 2008 (some are still on the drawing board at press time).

What you will notice in 2008 is that hotel partnerships with local attractions have become very popular. The Hilton Toronto, 145 Richmond St. W. (tel. 800/445-8667), has deals for opera lovers (since the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto's opera house, is right across the street from the hotel, it's a natural pairing). The Metropolitan Hotel, 108 Chestnut St. (tel. 800/668-6600), is offering an intriguing new package, Insider Gourmet Tours, which includes a visit to the St. Lawrence Market, trips into the kitchens of some of the best restaurants in the city, and a winery tour in the Niagara Region.

Where to Dine -- Going to all of Toronto's best new restaurants will have you running all over town. There's Thuet, 609 King St. W. (tel. 416/603-2777), an opulent bistro; the Jamie Kennedy Restaurant, 9 Church St. (tel. 416/362-1957), a perfect accompaniment to the well-established wine bar; Asia Republik, 372 Bloor St. W. (tel. 416/921-6787), which has the best lunch deal in the city; and Lai Toh Heen, 692 Mount Pleasant Rd. (tel. 416/489-8922), an uptown Chinese restaurant with a setting that looks like a 1930s film set from Shanghai.

What to See & Do -- Toronto was already blessed with plenty of parkland, but in 2007 a particularly interesting new green space opened: Ireland Park, on the waterfront. It's a memorial to the 38,000 Irish who arrived in the city in 1847; the "Arrival" figures by Rowan Gillespie are the counterpoint to his "Departure" figures on Dublin's Liffey quayside.

Toronto's George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art was the first of the big museums to complete its renovation. Now the transformation of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is almost complete: Ten new Daniel Libeskind-designed galleries are already open, and the World Culture and Natural World galleries are being installed inside the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at press time (they won't be unveiled until early 2008). The Frank Gehry-designed renovation at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will continue into 2008, with most of the building closed to the public while work is ongoing. There are also updates and expansions going on at the Ontario Science Centre, but that child-pleasing museum will stay open while the work is being done.

Shopping -- For the past several years, my favorite shopping destination has been the Art & Design District, an up-and-coming neighborhood where you'll find independent clothing boutiques, housewares shops, and antiques boutiques. I'm still enamored of it (after all, the designer-run emporium Fresh Collective is here, as well as the Stephen Bulger Gallery, Brian Bailey, Cabaret, and Girl Friday). However, I have a new love, Leslieville, a newly gentrified stretch of Queen Street East. This is where you'll find bargains on antiques (at such stores as Uppity!, G.U.F.F., and Ethel 20th Century Living), and vintage clothing (Gadabout and Thrill of the Find).z

Unfortunately for American shoppers, the Canadian dollar has gotten stronger in the past year (though it's still anemic next to the British pound), but Toronto remains a great shopping destination. The "Shopping" section veers away from nationally known retailers to focus on unique local shops that sell things you won't find anywhere else.

After Dark -- Opera is nothing short of an obsession in Toronto. Of course, you can take in the spectacle of the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, amongst others.

Toronto has a thriving live music scene. Some of the best venues include relatively new spots such as The Melody Bar, Supermarket, and The Mod Club Theatre. Just don't overlook tried-and-true places such as The Rex, Lee's Palace, and the Horseshoe Tavern.

At press time, the naming rights to the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts (formerly the O'Keefe Centre), one of the most important concert venues in town, had just been snapped up by Sony.

Side Trips -- If you're a cyclist, you'll appreciate Via Rail's new Toronto-Niagara Bike Train, which is available in the summer months (for C$59/US$56/£27 you can take the train to Niagara Falls and store your bike in a cargo car till you get there). While you're in the area, you might want to check out the increasingly popular Fort George Ghost Tours, which explore one of Ontario's best-known "haunted" places. And you won't want to miss the region's biggest attractions: the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries, or the famous falls.