• Taking in the Thomson Collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario: Locals are thrilled with local boy Frank Gehry's renovation of the AGO. His design has brilliantly revised (and expanded) the space, but the very best thing about the updated AGO is the 2,000 works of art (great paintings, miniature sculptures, model ships) donated by local media magnate Ken Thomson.
  • Checking out Local Theater and Music: Sure, Toronto mounts its fair share of blockbusters. But the fine, and often more rewarding, offerings from Soulpepper, Opera Atelier, the Canadian Stage Company, Tafelmusik, and Young People's Theatre are innovative and generally excellent. And seeing the Canadian Opera Company onstage at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is breathtaking.
  • Exploring the Distillery District: Not only is this carefully restored area a remarkably intact example of 19th-century industrial architecture, largely thanks to its recent past as a stage set for movies and other productions, it's also a hive of activity. In addition to art galleries, shops, restaurants, and the city's finest chocolate emporium, SOMA, you can hear live music or visit the farmers' market.
  • Visiting the Toronto Islands: Toronto is blessed with a chain of leafy islands just a brief ferry ride away that are mostly residential and offer a pretty, quiet, car-free spot for a stroll or a bike ride. The main attraction, Centre Island, is wide-open parkland with an old-fashioned theme park, complete with pony rides and cotton candy (needless to say, it's great for kids). From the islands, you'll have a perfect view of Toronto's ever-evolving skyline. Pack a picnic, paddle a canoe, go bare if you dare at the sandy nudist beach, or take in the amusement park for a vacation within your vacation.
  • Skydiving at the CN Tower: Okay, it's not really skydiving . . . but it's close. From the ground, it looks simply mad, but the EdgeWalk, which opened in summer 2011, is a thrill-seeker's dream. You're locked into a harness that is attached to a pulley system, then you circumnavigate the elevated, narrow (1.5m/5-ft.) ledge that circles the perimeter of the tower's main pod. Not for vertigo sufferers!

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.