Special-Interest Vacations

Architectural & Cultural Tours

Toronto is a city made for walking, and there's no shortage of options for those willing to pound the pavement. The Royal Ontario Museum has a ROMwalks program (tel. 416/586-5513) throughout the summer that offers guided tours of architectural highlights and neighborhoods from the Entertainment District to the Danforth. During the summer, Heritage Toronto (tel. 416/338-0684; www.heritagetoronto.org) offers walking tours of several neighborhoods, including Cabbagetown and Rosedale.

Bike Tours

Year-round, A Taste of the World Neighbourhood Bicycle Tours and Walks (tel. 416/923-6813; www.torontowalksbikes.com) leads visitors through the nooks and crannies of such places as Chinatown, Yorkville, and Rosedale. It's particularly well known for its "haunted" tours, including one about the ghosts of Yorkville (remember, that chic neighborhood stands atop a former cemetery).

Another option is the Toronto Bicycling Network (tel. 416/766-1985; www.tbn.ca). The association organizes tours and provides information about routes you can explore in and around the city.

Chefs & Gourmets

Bonnie Stern is a local legend, and the Bonnie Stern Cooking School is a wonderful place to pick up some of her culinary secrets (she teaches many of the classes herself). The school is located at 6 Erskine Ave. (3 blocks north of the Eglinton subway station); call tel. 416/484-4810 for information, or visit www.bonniestern.com. The school offers classes in everything from challah baking to Moroccan cooking.

The Metropolitan hotels in Toronto are renowned for their restaurants, so perhaps it's no surprise that the company has created Insider Gourmet Tours (www.metropolitan.com/packages). It 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.

Ecology & Wildlife

If you're interested in exploring the Toronto region's natural wonders, contact Toronto and Region Conservation at tel. 416/661-6600, or visit www.trcaparks.ca. The organization offers tours that include bird-watching and wildlife viewing.

Harbor Tours

Mariposa Cruise Line (tel. 800/976-2442 or 416/203-0178; www.mariposacruises.com) operates 1-hour narrated tours of the waterfront and the Toronto Islands from mid-May to September. Tours leave from the Queen's Quay Terminal at 207 Queens Quay W.

For a real thrill, board the Kajama, a three-masted, 50m (164-ft.) schooner, for a 90-minute cruise. The schedule varies, but through July and August three tours a day take place on weekdays and weekends. For more information, call the Great Lakes Schooner Company, 249 Queens Quay W., Suite 111 (tel. 800/267-3866 or 416/260-6355; www.greatlakesschooner.com).