Conference kaosws::canada

Near Toronto, you have tacky Niagara Falls, the 15-minute wonder.  Don't spend
anymore time than that there.

In Toronto, the Metro Zoo is well worth it.  Blue Jays major league baseball.

Ottawa, has parliement hill, all the museums (Civilization, Science and
Technology, etc...)  We also have AAA baseball starting in a few weeks, it's
the Montreal Expos farm team.

In Montreal, you've got the Biodome (which I haven't seen but heard a lot of
good things about), the water slides at the amusement park (great fun for kids
and adults), the Montreal Expos major leage baseball, + much more.

Don't know much about Quebec city but I've heard nothing but good things about
it.  You should have plenty to see there.

Sorry, no hockey, it's out of season then.

/Mario

    Not that I recommend it, but near the end of August Toronto will have
    the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).  This is not the same as a
    "county fair", which might be occuring elsewhere in various locations
    in Ontario by that time.
    
    Also don't forget
    
      Ontario College of Art Toronto
      Royal Ontario Museum Toronto
      CN Tower Toronto
      Toronto Islands
      McMichael collection (Canadian artists - just north of Toronto)
      Hockey Hall of fame (Hamilton I believe)
    
    1,000 Islands (East of Kingston)
    
    I don't know what theatre and opera there would be in August, I would
    guess that the schedule would be light at that time of year.
    
    

    Actually, the brand new Hockey Hall of Fame is supposed to be opening
    in June, in Toronto, in the old Bank of Montreal building on the corner
    of Yonge and Front streets.  From what I have heard it's supposed to be
    fantastic and include many interactive exhibits.  The building is also
    a story in itself in that it is rumored to be haunted.  
    
    JM

    Toronto:
    
    Main museums:
    The Ontario Art Gallery
    The McMichael Gallery
    The Royal Ontario Museum (incl. The Gardiner and the McLaughlin)
    The Ontario Science Center
    The Zoo
    
    and also:
    By august, "Miss Saigon" and "Showboat" should have start running.
    There are also Theater festivals in Stratford and Niagara-on-the Lake.
    Toronto Harbourfront is also the home to several open air and standard
    theaters with a lot of various (free) show, almost every night and
    during the weekends (Jazz, pop, rock, blues, folk, etc.). The CNE and
    Ontario place are also the sites for great concerts.            

    Showboat doesn't open until October, Miss Saigon opens in May. Phantom
    should still be running. Tour the Winter Garden Theatre it shouldn't be
    missed. 
            

    Many thanks to all of you now I have a good idea about what we can do.
    
    Anyway if you hear about something special happend in August let me know...
    
    
    Flo

>Near Toronto, you have tacky Niagara Falls, the 15-minute wonder.  Don't spend
>anymore time than that there.

>In Toronto, the Metro Zoo is well worth it.  


	I'd swap these two around.

	When I visited, I thought the falls were tremendous, I would have
	spent more than a day there if I had been pre-prepared.

	I was very disapointed with the zoo, especially the polar bears that 
	just walked to and fro - they looked very unhappy.

	Heather - I suppose it's horses-for-courses

    RE: Tacky Niagara Falls
    
    Yes there are definitely tacky sections of the city of Niagara Falls,
    but the Falls themselves are worth seeing.  Also while in the area take
    the drive from Niagara Falls to Niagara on the Lake.  It's a beautiful
    drive with Niagara on the Lake definitely worth a visit.  Along the way
    you might want to stop at Brock's Monument.

Re: .7

I hope you wouldn't have spent a whole day watching the falls.  That's why
they call it the 15-minute wonder.  Spend 15 minutes watching the falls and
you're out of there.  I admit though, they're quite impressive to see.  My wife
is from there and we go quite often.  It seems everytime I go there, I try to
stop by the falls.

There was an article in the Financial Post from a couple of months ago that
talked about the downfall of Niagara Falls.  Total yearly visitors went from
a recent 14 million to 10 million, partly due to recession/tackiness/overprice.

Re: Toronto Zoo

When I was there, the polar bears were swimming around in their pond having a
great time.  We had a good view from underground seeing them swim.

/Mario

If you don't mind a short (2 hour) drive west, London is celebrating it's 
200th anniversary his year.

    ... if you go to London (ontario), then an other 100km West will take
    you to...
    			TA-DA!!!!	...Sarnia! (see topic 53,same conf)

    The nice thing with south western Ontario is that within a 100km radius
    you can visit:
    Guelph
    Cambridge
    Statford
    Paris
    Woodstock
    Dresden
    It is a longer drive to cover the same locations anywhere else.

    While we are on the subject of things to see in Toronto,
    
    I myself, is going with my husband on July 8th, and I was looking at 2
    hotels I was interested in.  They are:
    
    Westin Harbour Castle
    Marriot Eaton Centre
    
    I wanted to be close to the shopping area and Skydome ( have tickets
    for the Ballgame)
    
    Can someone tell me about these hotels?
    
    Thanks
    
    Carrie
    
    

    They are both high-end business/tourism hotels.
    The Westin is right on the lake, the Marriot is at the Eaton Center.
    Both have very good locations and are in walking distance of the
    stadium (in the summer, the Harbourfront is a great place to be, so I'd
    rather stay at the Westin).

    RE: .12
    
    >The nice thing with south western Ontario is that within a 100km radius
    >    you can visit:
    >    Guelph
    >    Cambridge
    >    Statford
    >    Paris
    >    Woodstock
    >    Dresden
    >    It is a longer drive to cover the same locations anywhere else.
    
    Whoa ....Louis, given your extensive SW Ontario locations, how could
    your forget Kitchener-Waterloo ... home of 3 excellent farmers markets,
    Oktoberfest and many fine communities surrounding (St. Jacobs, Elora,
    Elmira, etc.)
    
    Also home of the Digital KIT office.  Need I say more?   

    You must have me confused with a real SWO lover: my point was that in
    SWO, they do not have enough imagination to get their own original
    names (unless I am wrong, there is/are Paris, Guelph, Delhi, London, etc. 
    somewhere else, and generally they were around first).
    I think it is just lack of originality, though, and not a misleading
    attempt to cheat on unexpecting tourists (anybody driving through
    London, Ont. or Paris, Ont. is in no danger of confusing them with the
    original).

    
    re note .0
    There's a booklet that the Ontario Government puts out on Events in
    Ontario.  It lists all major sports events, shows, festivals, special
    shows, festivals, etc. etc. 
    
    The Summer one isn't out yet.  Actually they put out a lot of good stuff
    there's a general book on where to go, one with all hotel/motels etc.
    
    Post your mail stop here and I'll send a bunch, and when the summer
    event booklet comes out (May) I'll forward it.
    
    
    Marshall

    Marshall,
    
    that's a great idea for the booklet of Ontario : 
    
    My mail stop is Florence BUGNON @GEO
    
    All your help will aid me a lot, many thanks again.
    
    Flo