About Toronto

Perhaps the safest major urban centre in North America, the Greater Toronto Area has a population of almost 5 million, making it the fifth largest city in North America. Located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto is the financial and economic centre of Canada. With a vibrant downtown core and active social scene, Toronto offers a huge variety of opportunities for dining, shopping and entertainment. With over 5,000 restaurants, Toronto has more restaurant per capita than any other North American city, after San Francisco. It also boasts the second largest live theatre centre in North America, second only to New York. Toronto is also the largest city in Canada, which has been ranked the best nation in the world to live in, for the sixth year in a row. The city of Toronto's Web site gives more details.

There are many attractions in the city, from the almost-compulsory trip up the CN Tower, to a visit to the always-fascinating Ontario Science Centre, to exploring Casa Loma, a castle complete with secret passageways. Or if you're in the mood for some sports, Toronto's professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are all active in April, playing in the SkyDome and the newly-built Air Canada Centre. Be sure to check out the official Tourism Toronto Web site to find out more about Toronto and what's happening during your stay. You should also try NOW magazine's Web site which provides extremely comprehensive listings of events in and around the city.

Located in south-central Ontario, Toronto is also very close to a number of other interesting places including Niagara Falls and the Niagara wine region, Kingston and the Thousand Islands, and Barrie and Georgian Bay. There are major casinos in both Niagara Falls and Orillia, both about a 90-minute drive from the city. And don't forget that the U.S. dollar is worth way more (about $1.50 Canadian during summer 1999) than the Canadian dollar, so it goes a lot further. And if you are visiting Toronto from outside of Canada you can get a tax refund. For more information on events going on around Ontario, try checking the Travel and Tourism Ontario Web site.

Toronto's weather is much like that of the northern United States. April tends to be a month of transition, especially early in the month, and temperatures can fluctuate anywhere from 40 F (5 C) to 75 F (25 C) but tend to be around 55 F (13 C). And rain is not uncommon in April. To check out the forecast for the Toronto area, either of the following two Web sites give fairly comprehensive and detailed outlooks: Toronto weather or Ontario weather.