If you are going to Toronto in the winter, a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame fits the season perfectly. (Photo: Grant Faint/Getty Images)
Think it’s too late to head north once the leaves have turned and there’s a nip in the air? Wrong. This is a city that embraces winter in all its frosty glory. The underground PATH system means you can get where you’re going comfortably, no matter what the temperature outside. Try this wintry mix of Toronto activities.
High-Stick It to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Toronto is known for one of the biggest winter sports around – hockey. So, your first stop should be the Hockey Hall of Fame. Ever wondered if you could have been a forward or goalie? The hall’s interactive exhibits gives you the chance to test your skills. Before you leave, snag a selfie with the Stanley Cup.
Time your visit right, and score tickets for a game at Air Canada Centre to see the Maple Leafs play. Check their website to see if you can snag one of the 200 tickets available within 48 hours of each game.
While pro hockey is an indoor sport, thousands brave the cold to skate on one of the city’s outdoor rinks. For a special day, follow one of the city’s skating trails and enjoy the changing views of the lakefront as you skim over the ice.
Shop the Mink Mile
If shopping is your idea of a winter sport, Toronto has you covered. There are more than 1,200 shops in the PATH. Eaton Centre, which has five levels of shops, should offer you Olympic shopping status if you manage to visit all the shops.
Or you can go for the gold by shopping the upscale Bloor-Yorkville retailers. Known as the Mink Mile, you won’t feel the cold as you wander into Gucci or Prada. If you’re in search of cold weather gear that might survive an arctic winter, check out Arc’teryx for outerwear which combines the technical with fashion.
Warm Up to Toronto’s Art Scene
Toronto’s museums are a haven on wintery days. Art Gallery of Ontario’s contemporary blue exterior brightens a gray sky. Once inside, the museum’s collections cross continents and generations. The African and Oceanic collection, the largest in Canada, might lull you into warm, summery memories. But why not embrace the season and explore the extensive Inuit and First Nations collection?
Take a Walk on the Edge
On a sunny day, walk the underground PATH to CN Tower for the view of the city. If your nerves are hard as ice, take the dare and walk the exterior rim 1,168 feet above ground. Tickets will set you back $195, but what a trip. For a tamer experience, the SkyPod level offers a 360-degree view that stretches all the way to Rochester, New York. (It’s not any warmer there).
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