City Page Type: Destination

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto, Canada, was originally established as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) in 1999. In 2005 the museum moved to a repurposed textile factory in the West Queen West district and in 2016, its name was changed to MOCA. In 2018, the museum moved to its current location off of Sterling Road, in the Tower Automotive Building, in the new neighborhoods of the Lower Junction, which abuts WQW. MOCA does not only host exhibits of contemporary art, it also provides affordable studio space to more than 30 visual artists via a partnership with Akin Collective.

Because of Kingston’s role in hockey’s invention, it was supposed to be the site of the Hockey Hall of Fame. But after Kingston was unable to build the facility, it was decided that Toronto would be the new home. In 1961, the Hockey Hall of Fame opened in the CNE building in TO. The opening was presided over by Prime Minister Diefenbaker who said, “There is nothing greater than hockey to bring about national unity and a closer relationship between the United States and Canada.” In 1993, the Hockey Hall of Fame moved to its current building on the corner of Yonge and Front. Not only does this new facility house the Stanley Cup, it can also host your next corporate event, field trip, wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party, or simply entertain a group of die hard sports fans.

Evergreen Brick Works (originally the Don Valley Brick Works) was founded in 1989 when good quality brick clay was accidentally discovered at the site of a nearby local paper mill.    After its founding, the Brick Works expanded quickly, and production reached a peak of 25 million bricks a year during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Its bricks were instrumental in the construction of many Toronto landmarks, including Massey Hall, Casa Loma, and Osgoode Hall.    The Brick Works continued to produce bricks into the 1980s, but by the mid-1990s, the site lay dormant and unused. At this point, the City of Toronto led a vigorous restoration effort, transforming the area into a public park and environmental education center. Today, the landscape features a forest and a large meadow surrounding a trio of ponds. Several of the original buildings have been renovated and feature farmers’ markets, exhibits on sustainable cities of the future, cafes, and more. The park also features permanent and temporary art installations, guided walking tours, and a bike shop.

The Eaton Centre (also known as the CF Toronto Eaton Centre) is a large shopping mall and transit hub located in the heart of Downtown Toronto. Welcoming around 50 million visitors every year, the Eaton Centre is the busiest mall in all of North America, and Toronto’s most visited tourist site.   The Eaton Centre’s history began in the late 20th century when Canada’s largest department store empire, the Eaton’s company, hatched plans to consolidate a pair of their downtown Toronto stores into a gigantic indoor shopping district. The resulting Eaton Centre complex was inaugurated in 1977. It spanned several city blocks, featured hundreds of stores, and of course, had a state-of-the-art nine-story Eaton’s flagship location that acted as the complex’s crowning anchor.   Much has changed since the late 1970s. The Eaton’s company no longer exists, but the shopping center has flourished. Today, The Eaton Centre is home to over 230 shops, six anchor tenants, and an astonishing 2,167,000 sq ft of retail space, making it an irresistible tourist destination in its own right.  

Twenty years ago it was a cluster of decrepit Victorian industrial buildings. Today the Distillery District is a thriving arts community, a shopping hotspot, and a dining destination. Founded in 1832, the Gooderham & Worts Distillery has produced everything from whisky to antifreeze. After 158 years of operation, the distillery closed. The buildings sat vacant until the owners decided the bones of these 47 Victorian buildings had a lot of potential. After a process of revitalization, the Distillery District is now a lively, artistic, and widely visited cultural hub. There are many galleries that offer opportunities for emerging artists. Art and design studios are hidden around every corner. And at the heart of it all is the Young Centre for Performing Arts, a venue that supports the very best in Canadian performing arts.

The CN Tower is the landmark that best distinguishes the Toronto skyline. There are several ways to enjoy the CN Tower. A daredevil could partake in the Edge Walk, a tour of the CN Tower from an outdoor ledge that’s 147 floors above ground. For those who prefer to stay inside but still get a rush, step onto the glass floor and look down. Don’t worry. The glass was tested to withstand the weight of 35 moose. To enjoy the tower and do something good at the same time, schedule your visit during one of their biannual stair-climbing fundraisers. Climb all 1776 stairs and do it with a group to raise money for charity. Rent a Toronto charter bus to plan your group stair climb.

Canada’s Wonderland is more than a massive amusement park. It’s distinctly Canadian. On May 23rd, 1981, Wayne Gretzky himself raised the Canadian flag to honor opening day. Wonder Mountain, the centerpiece of the park, was built to look like a Canadian mountain. It was originally supposed to be a replica of the Eiffel Tower, but the residents of Toronto wanted something that reminded them of their country. With hair-raising roller coasters, a 20-acre splash park, two family-friendly areas, and a stunning antique carousel, Wonderland has something for everyone. It’s also a great place to host your next corporate event. Get a discount on group tickets or buy out a portion of the park for a unique evening party. Charter a Toronto coach bus to get your group to the park or to organize a shuttle bus service for a large event.

Located in Toronto’s Exhibition Place on the shorefront of Lake Ontario, BMO Field (also known as Toronto FC Stadium) is home to the Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.   BMO Field was purpose-built as an outdoor soccer stadium in 2007 with a capacity of around 25,000 visitors but underwent a substantial renovation and reconfiguration period between 2014 and 2016. The renovations added another level to the eastern grandstand, extended a roofing section over spectators, increased the stadium’s soccer crowd capacity to nearly 29,000, and lengthened the field to facilitate Canadian football games.   BMO Field has been the host for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA U-20 Women’s Cup, the MLS Cup, and the 140th edition of the Grey Cup. The BMO Field has also hosted several special events, including a centennial outdoor hockey game celebrating the Toronto Maple Leafs, and an outdoor live concert from the English prog-rock band Genesis in 2007.

Founded in 1995, the Bata Shoe Museum is a footwear museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of historical and contemporary footwear. It is the only museum devoted entirely to footwear in North America. The museum’s permanent collection contains over 13,500 pieces spanning over 4,500 years of human history and includes footwear from all over the world with everything from mukluks and specialty chestnut-crushing boots to meticulously embroidered silk slippers and stiletto high-heels.    The museum’s collection contains an impressive assembly of Indigenous North American and circumpolar footwear, as well as a collection of some of the world’s earliest known forms of footwear from Ancient Egypt and Greece. The museum even has a permanent collection of celebrity footwear, including Elvis Presley’s iconic blue suede shoes, John Lennon’s Chelsea boots, and even a pair of Queen Victoria’s ballroom slippers.   In addition to its permanent collection, the museum regularly hosts seasonal exhibits and a wide range of activities and events, including book clubs, family days, workshops, lectures, and more.