In 2017, I was working across the street when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their official debut at the Invictus Games in Toronto. The city was abuzz for both the games and the prospect of the couple making their first official public debut, and I knew they had to have just arrived when, from even inside my conference room, I heard the roar of the crowd from Nathan Philips Square.
Toronto is a magical city — a cultural melting pot that’s a study in juxtapositions: skyscrapers and ample green space, Canada’s largest city but neighborhoods with a small town feel, rich in history but decidedly high tech, cutting edge but cosmopolitan, contemporary but a total classic.
As I wrote recently for TravelAwaits: “The city’s majestic skyline, crowned by the iconic CN Tower, is peppered with luxury lodging properties, merging past and present in Canada’s largest and arguably most vibrant, beloved, and forward-thinking city. Despite a population boom — its prolific tech sector and its financial center being the second largest in North America — Toronto is also admired for its more than 1,500 parks and green spaces across the city, its walkability, and its diverse neighborhoods.”
There are no longer direct flight from Providence to Toronto, but there are from Boston, and flight time is just under two hours. (Porter Airlines is the Canadian airline headquartered at Toronto City Airport with many US routes). A connecting flight from PVD usually go through Philly, D.C. or NYC. If you have the time and love a road trip through, the nine-hour drive is perfectly manageable if you stop along the way. If you haven’t been to Niagara-on-the-Lake, make it a point. This coastal enclave on the shores of Lake Ontario is known for its tree-lined streets, 19th-century buildings, bucolic wineries (I highly recommend doing a winery tour by bike — it’s amazingly fun and keeps you on schedule) and more than two dozen vineyards (ice wines are their lynchpin but don’t count out their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc — and yes, you can go to Wayne Gretzky Estates for wine too). There’s also the Fort George, built between 1796 and 1802 by the British to defend against American attacks. All in all, Niagara-on-the-Lake has some serious Newport vibes to it.
But when in Toronto, consider one of the city’s opulent luxury hotels. Here’s my story, Our 7 Favorite Luxury Hotels In Toronto, for TravelAwaits.
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