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Toronto

Wayne Ankers
8/11/2008

WHEN I told my family I would be taking a short break in Toronto, I was met with the same response more than once.

"It is a clean and safe New York - oh, with that big tower," they said.

They were correct - it is clean. They were correct to say it is safe. And, yes, they were right when they compared it to the Big Apple.

But after spending five days on a guys' getaway break in this city I realised it has so much more to offer than just these three plus points.

We were returning towards Toronto's breathtaking skyscraper skyline with the huge CN tower dwarfing the rest of the buildings from a short trip across the harbour to the city's island park, which is a quaint community of just 200 people and is home to a beach, gardens, paddleboats and an amusement park.

The island is such a stark contrast to the bustling city, which is home to a host of sporting attractions, unusual and exhilarating shopping districts, fabulous five-star restaurants and an amazing nightlife.

We had escaped the city for just a couple of hours to soak up the relaxed atmosphere on the island after trying to cram in as many of the famous city highlights that we could.

Five days earlier we had started with a short limo - yes, we were five chaps travelling in style and pretending to be the latest rock band to hit Toronto - ride to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The hockey museum is home to the world famous Stanley Cup - which is a must to take the typical tourist photograph next to.

Segway tour

There is also a replica dressing room, a historical guide to the start of the game and the emergence of all the teams, state-of-the art games and interactive exhibits where visitors get the chance to try and become the next Wayne Gretzsky.

As I whacked my puck past a computerised goalkeeper and also well wide of the net I realised I should keep my sporting habits to soccer.

And, on that note, we left the hockey museum and made our way - yes, in limo style again - to the Distillery Historic District of the city, which is packed with culture, art and fine food establishments.

We took a quick tour of the area on a segway - a two-wheeled electrical vehicle that is powered by your balance - and checked out all the shops and bars and thankfully escaped without any of us falling off our new mode of transport. Although I would have liked to see one of my pals on his backside!

After all the exertion on the segway we decided to chill with a few lagers - this was going to be the first of many as Toronto has an excellent selection of bars and clubs which makes its nightlife one of the best I have ever experienced.

We were having lunch in the Academy of Spherical Art, which is a former billiards factory and is still home to some antique pool tables.

So, after washing down my pasta with a pale ale we took to the tables and enjoyed some 9-ball.

The Academy offers a wide selection of beers and has hundreds of spirits to sample including some of the world's finest malts. It is the perfect place to start a night and we went on to take in some of the best pubs and clubs, such as Circa, which helps put the nightlife on a par with New York,or for live music you can try The Horseshoe Tavern.

Our stay in Toronto was mainly dominated by partying and taking in some of the cities best sports haunts.

And the highlight of this was taking in a baseball game at the Rogers Centre. Despite staying at the Renaissance hotel, which is very luxurious and linked to the baseball ground with the bar and restaurant overlooking the pitch, it was great to sample the atmosphere of a live game.

Revolving restaurant

Although I did not have a full understanding of the game it was a fantastic, good-natured atmosphere with lots of chanting and interval games. It is definitely a must do when you are in Canada or the States.

We also managed to get to a hockey game and tried our hand at an indoor golf lesson with a former pro at the Kings Golf Academy. When we weren't experiencing some of the sports on offer, we were hitting the nightlife, which is supplemented with a number of excellent restaurants, such as Ruth's Chris Steak House, where they offer some of the biggest, most succulent steaks I have ever tasted.

There is also the very popular Sultan's Tent, where you can enjoy a four-course feast of exotic Moroccan dishes with excellent entertainment from beautiful belly dancers.

One of my favourite dining experiences came during lunch at the revolving 360 restaurant at the top of the 1,815ft CN Tower.

The 360 offers unbelievable views of the city, neighbouring island and waterfront and it is topped off with an excellent gourmet menu and some fine wines. Just don't overdo it on the wines - especially if you plan on taking a trip up to the glass floor viewing panel or returning to ground-level in a glass-floored elevator.

Taking a trip up the tower brought the perfect end to a short stay in the city. We had taken in clubs, culture and the classic tourist hot spots such as St Lawrence market.

And one final tip I must pass on is that if you are short on time in Toronto - make sure you take a guided tour by the infamous Bruce Bell, who is a child star turned guide and provides the most comprehensive overview of the city you could wish for.

As we boarded our plane it dawned on me how we had packed in so much during our five days - and I wondered whether the slight headache was due to over-exuberance on the tourist side or a slight hangover from hitting one of the best nightlife's I will ever come across.

It certainly did make those original comparisons to the Big Apple pale into insignificance.

Wayne Ankers travelled to Toronto courtesy of Toronto Tourism. For more information go to www.torontotourism.com.