Shopping
Eaton Centre
220 Yonge Street
www.torontoeatoncentre.com
416.598.8700
The Toronto Eaton Centre is widely regarded as the paragon of downtown shopping in Toronto. Taking up a full city block, the Eaton Centre is home to nearly 300 stores and services, such as the Gap, Banana Republic, cosmetic haven Sephora, upscale home stores Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma, the literature superstore Indigo and Sears. It is also home to many stores that specialize in “Canadian souveniers”.
Queen West
Queen Street West between University Avenue & Shaw Street
Queen West is home to the city's hipsters and music aficionados, with many bars featuring up-and-coming acts nightly. Between University and Spadina, Queen Street features branches of many stores like The Gap, Roots and Club Monaco, as well as many boutiques, home stores, bars and restaurants. Take note: this stretch is often crowded on weekends, especially if it's warm; however, if traveling with teens, point them in this direction as they will be right at home in the bustle. Walking west from Spadina, you will pass through the city's garment district, home to countless fabric and sewing stores, with other interesting shops along the way. As you pass Bathurst Street, you will find many fashion boutiques, unique furniture and antique stores, and cafes, making this area a much calmer stretch than that between Yonge and Spadina.
Yorkville
Bloor Street, Yorkville, and Cumberland, between Avenue Road and Yonge Street
Toronto's high fashion stretch, Yorkville features many high-end boutiques like Gucci, Prada, Tiffany and the flagship location of Canada's upscale department store Holt Renfrew. In addition, there are many other stores for the casual shopper, such as Roots, Chapters books, and stylish yoga and exercise wear from Lululemon and Niketown. Yorkville is also home to a movie theatre, countless coffee shops, the Whole Foods Market grocery store and many of the city's trendiest bars and restaurants.
The Beaches
Queen Street East just east of Woodbine Avenue
If the weather is nice, take a walk down Queen Street East starting at Woodbine Avenue in the city's east end. This area features everything from antiques to gardening supplies to surf wear to a gourmet chocolatier. Lots of cafes and restaurants can be found along the street, so there are many options if you need a bite to eat. For a relaxing afternoon, take any side street south toward the water for a stroll along the boardwalk on the lakeshore.
