snowqueen

Hi

Can anyone (dbd in particular?) recommend an itinerary/idea for an afternoon at the Beaches? We haven't been there yet and some friends from ireland are visiting Toronto next weekend so I was trying to think of something to do with them (we'll have the kids with us). Didn't really want to drag them all the way out to the 'burbs. so thought maybe a casual afternoon at the Beaches might be nice, but don't know the place at all. Places to eat etc, where to park etc.

Any suggestions on this, or other ideas, gratefully received.

Thanks
Snowqueen

dbd33

Weather is going to be the issue. If it holds and the group can manage walking a couple of miles (on stroller compliant surfaces) then I'd say park at
municipal lot just south of Queen on Lee, walk south to the boardwalk, turn right (west) and walk along the boardwalk past various entertainments to the Boardwalk Pub. Have a beer/ice cream, walk slowly back towards the start stopping at the swings and slides, build a sandcastle. Once you're past the swimming pool (nice pool, you could swim there or imagine my teenaged kids diving naked off the high board in the middle of the night, bloody lifeguards!) take any street left, up to Queen, and walk along east (right). Lots of interesting shops, especially Ends (a stylish version of Winners) and all those dog boutiques. Just walking around will fill an afternoon, if you want a nice dinner in a child accepting, but not child oriented, place try Nevada ($30/head with wine). If you want a pub the Lion on the Beach has booths so kids can be constrained. If you must pander, Licks has burgers and singing staff.
The waterworks, at Victoria Park and the lake is a curious Art Deco creation, they offer tours which are worth taking but there's some sort of building going on now so phone and check.

More when I think of it, but there's a place on Queen where you can leave the kids to make pots and, just for money, you're rid of them for an hour!

Novocastrian

Beaches? Beaches!! We don't need no stinking Beaches!

(Omonia on the Danforth for dinner, after following dbd33's itinerary is highly recommended).

snowqueen

Thanks for that dbd - great help. My kids are (thankfully) well past the stroller stage - they did a 4 hour hike in Algonquin last week, so walking somewhere was definitely in my plans! I'm also not especially in to steering the day round their needs - I'm more concerned that I 'show' our friends an aspect of Toronto that might be tourist-worthy, so does the Beaches stack up on that front? Nevada sounds like a good bet for food anyhow.

SQ

dbd33

Oh, if they can do miles, trudge on to the end of the Boardwalk, it curls out past where we sail to a public dock where there are often neat boats. The Beach is good but a slightly more child oriented choice would be the Island; it has beaches (avoid Hanlan's Point that's nude and very gay), rental bikes and bicycle rickshaw things for four people, petting zoo, bit of an amusement park. If you want your visitors to see something a little more highbrow you can get off the island ferry and walk around the galleries at the Harbourfront.

snowqueen

Thanks again. Will see what our friends/the weather wants to do come Sunday!

SQ

skigordi

We did the Island last Friday with the kids and took our bikes over on the ferry. A great day out, some very nice beaches and a superb view back to the city. Highly recommended!

dbd33

Take a picnic though. The food available over there is grim.