I don't live in Toronto, but I do visit there regularly (SWMBO's family lives there). It's about a 4 hour drive for us from Ottawa.

When will you be there? Our National Holiday is "Canada Day", celebrated each July-01, and there will be special stuff happening around then.

Similarly, "Yonge St." is *the* centre of Toronto, and gets closed down for a street-fest around July 8-10 this year -- google for "Celebrate Toronto Street Festival".

The best reliable Sushi in town is "Sushi-Time", at their original restaurant on Queen St. West, one block east of Spadina. While there, visit Active Surplus (upstairs next door), for weird and wonderful stuff. I suppose "Miss Behaviour" (further West on Queen St.) also falls into the "weird and wonderful" "cat"agory.

The grafitti I photographed is one alley south of Queen in the same general area, beginning at Spadina St. and continuing West.

Mountain Equipment Coop has a largish shop nearby, if you are interested in quality outdoorsy clothing or equipment at cheap prices.

Other "musts": take the passenger ferry (any one or two of the three) out to the Toronto Islands for a picnic day. Or just dine at the nice bistro out there, hang loose at the au natural beach, and play frisbee golf -- all on the islands. Hunt down the geocaches out there while you're at it, but look out for the fire ants at the easternmost cache.

Are you into mountain sports -- climbing, hiking, whatever? No mountains near Toronto, but the Niagra Escarpment is a longish cliff band that has much more to it than just the famous waterfalls. And I can often be found at Bon Echo provincial park (2/3 of the way from Toronto to Ottawa) on warm weekends and/or by arrangement if you have use of a car for a couple of days.

A drive around Amish country near Elora is well worthwhile, with dinner in Elora itself. About 90 minutes or less from Toronto.

There is also Stratford Ontario, with its own Avon river and Shakespearean playhouse -- well known with lots of good live stage stuff most nights through the summer. Reservations required.

Geeky computer stores are mostly all on College St, beginning at Spadina, and continuing West for a couple of blocks.

The whole Toronto harbourfront scene is looking rather good these days, so spend a day or three just walking around there (down next to Lake Ontario).

Cheers