Each Holiday Season Toronto becomes a magical place. Be dazzled by bright lights in Toronto’s neighbourhoods, Toronto's official Christmas tree at Nathan Phillips Square and the festive storefront window displays.
Plus the city will sparkle with savings on hotels, attractions and restaurants. Visit www.SeeTorontoland.com, “like” Torontoland on Facebook and share the promotion with Facebook friends. You’ll receive a Torontoland wristband worth 15% savings in more than 50 locations. More than 30 participating hotels are offering packages including parking and other treats (in-room movies, tasty breakfasts, discount spa treatments, etc). As a Torontoland visitor you can choose between four hotel package levels: $99, $119, $139 and $179 plus taxes.
So go to www.SeeTorontoland.com or call 1-800-499-2514 for great packages and deals.
On November 1, 2011 twenty sculpted snowmen - personally designed by one of 16 acclaimed Toronto artists - appeared throughout the downtown core. Each Snowman is massive at more than seven feet tall! Snap a photo or video of yourself with one of them, post it to Torontoland’s Facebook page, and Tourism Toronto will donate $2 to the Starlight Children’s Foundation for every photo or video uploaded. The more snapshots the merrier and the CN Tower will come alive on December 20, 2011 as a “money meter,” alit to reveal the grand total Torontoland social media participants have raised for the Starlight Foundation.
Toronto means shopping – so shop your way through the Toronto Eaton Centre, the boutiques of Yorkville, funky shops on Queen Street West or the underground PATH. For a twist on Holiday shopping, there’s the Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market taking place December 2 - 8, 2011 at the Distillery Historic District. This is a free event for people of all ages, cultures and faiths, celebrating the romance and magic of a traditional European Christmas market.
There’s also a 45 ft Christmas tree decorated with over 18,000 lights, a Ferris wheel overlooking the Distillery Historic District, a reindeer petting zoo, food and merchandise from around the world, carolers and choirs, specialty beer and mulled wine gardens, outdoor fire pits and much more. The Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market will also include headlining performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from top Canadian acts such as David Usher, Suzie McNeil, Matt Dusk, David Myles, Mark Masri, Sean Jones and Amanda Martinez.
Toronto’s first class entertainment is so diverse there is something for everyone - from the concerts in the Distillery District to the Broadway musical Mary Poppins, to Christmas Holiday Pops with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. And at The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts the National Ballet of Canada performs the perennial favourite for the Holiday Season - The Nutcracker (December 10, 2011 - January 3, 2012) .
Toronto's many attractions include the Ontario Science Centre and nerve tingling heights atop the CN Tower. Quebec residents who are members of the Montreal Science Centre get in to the Ontario Science Centre for free. And there are many special programs for the holidays.
Don’t miss Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop featuring unique scale models of Leonardo’s inventions. Incredible technology allows visitors to turn the pages of his digitized notebooks and also examine digital versions of iconic pieces such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. A giant touch screens allow visitors to enlarge images and manipulate 3-D models on screen. And you can build like da Vinci, using Kapla blocks to create your own inventions.
Global positioning system (GPS) technology is changing the way we live, work and play. GPS is everywhere – from automobiles to cell phones – and is the backbone of Geocaching, the global treasure hunting game. GPS Adventures is a mind-bending, educational and exciting adventure the whole family will enjoy. It simulates the experience of GPS and Geocaching and will send visitors into a maze of fun and interactive activities.
The new IMAX Film at the Ontario Science Centre is “Rocky Mountain Express”, propelling audiences on a present-day steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies, as it relates the extraordinary story of how the nation’s first transcontinental railway was built.
Elevate Your Holiday Season at the CN Tower for breathtaking views combined with special offers and events. Toronto’s most famous and exclusive landmark offers a variety of ways to enjoy the holiday season. The CN Tower’s Gift Shop also offers unique gift ideas. Give the gift of a memorable experience with a gift card for the thrilling EdgeWalk (2012 season), the CN Tower or the 360 Restaurant!
The 360 Restaurant’s Annual Holiday Lunch Menu is available December 1-24, 2011. Each year the highly acclaimed 360 Restaurant offers a delicious Holiday Lunch three course menu for only $48 (elevation included). And the 360 Restaurant is one of Toronto’s most sought after venues for New Year’s Eve dinner.
Watch the CN Tower lights on December 31st for a very special New Year’s Eve countdown to 2012! The CN Tower's Communities in Bloom Gardens are also lit up. Communities from across Canada have decorated and beautifully lit up their garden areas for the winter season, and you can visit the CN Tower WinterLights Gardens from November 2011 to January 2012.
The CN Tower is also the location of one of Torontoland’s 20 snowmen decorating downtown. So it’s a great spot to capture another Torontoland picture as you enjoy your Holiday getaway to Toronto.
Toronto Trip Showcase
- Stay at least two nights to enjoy some of Toronto’s fabulous attractions like the Ontario Science Centre and the CN Tower.
- Visit the Distillery Historic District and some of Toronto's exciting neighbourhoods.
- If you travel this winter make sure you get a Torontoland wristband full of savings and take part in the Snowman hunt as part of the campaign to raise money for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Photo Credits: Tourism Toronto, Lowes Toronto Christmas Market, Ontario Science Centre and the CN Tower
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