The Hockey Capital Of The World

The city of Toronto is like a miniature New York City. It really is a multi-cultural city, with a Little Italy, its own Chinatown and so on. But most importantly, it is a hockey mecca. If you love hockey, this is the city for you. The Hockey Hall of Fame is a great place for people of all ages. Catch a Toronto Maple Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre or just head to a sports bar during a game and talk with the locals about their passion for this great sport. Even Wayne Gretzky has a restaurant/bar in the city, with Bubbleboy hockey to pass the time waiting for the game to start.

Quick Tips:

If you are going to stay in the city to see a hockey game, here is a helpful hint: most teams stay at the Westin Harbour Castle. This is where I stay and during the early morning you can spot some of your favorite players in the hotel lobby. FYI: Basketball teams playing in the area also stay at the Westin Harbour Castle.

When in Toronto, take advantage of everything the city has to offer. Make sure you visit Chinatown or Little Italy. Visit some of the great restaurants or catch a Broadway play. Take a drive out to wine country if you have the time. Canada makes some of the best Ice Wine in the world. Take it all in, for Toronto is North America's best-kept secret.

Best Way To Get Around:

When I stay in Toronto, walking is my favorite means of transportation. Most of Toronto's main attractions are within walking distance of each other. The CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Air Canada Centre are easy on the feet.

If you don't like to walk, no problem. The city of Toronto has plenty of taxicabs available to you. At every major hotel you can find a taxi line. There are major hotels everywhere in the city. You should not have any problem hailing yourself a taxi on the street either. The only time you might have some trouble is during rush hour.

The Westin Harbour Castle is located on the harbour in Toronto, a couple of blocks away from the Air Canada Centre. When you pull up to the lobby, you can get either valet or self-park your car. I got the valet because of the convenience and I also did not know where to park. As you step in the lobby, there is a big lounge area with the front desk at the back to the left. There is also a bar area in the back to the right and the concierge to your right.

The reason why I enjoy staying at the Harbour Castle is because this is where the teams stay who are playing at the Air Canada Centre. In the morning, you can see your favorite player having breakfast or reading in the lobby. Outside, there will be dozens of autograph seekers waiting by the team bus, but you can get your autographs inside if you are interested.

There are two restaurants in the hotel. The first is a buffet and the second is on the top of the south tower. The one on top of the south tower is called Toula -- you must be 19 years of age to enter and there is a dress code. We stayed downstairs and hung out at the lobby bar, which was a bit pricey.

Our room was clean and everyone in the hotel was more than happy to help with anything. Downstairs, there are also a couple of shops, if you need any toiletries or souvenirs. If I am not mistaken, there was also a salon.

I am very happy with the Westin Harbour Castle. I do stay here every time I come to Toronto and will continue to do so.

When we went to Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant, I thought it would be like going to a TGI Friday's, but to my surprise, I was wrong. I have heard they refurbished the restaurant since I was last there, so my descriptions might be somewhat off. I remember the food being very good. It is basically ribs, burgers, and pastas with a couple of surprises here and there. At the bar area, there were a few televisions to watch the games and the alcohol was reasonably priced. If you are bored with the games, they had a pool table and a couple of "Bubble Boy" hockey games. What would Wayne Gretzky's be without some of his own memorabilia? All in all, a good place to bring the family or hang out with your friends, drink a couple of Molson's and watch the games.

One of my favorite things in all of Toronto was getting a "Toronto Hot Dog." I would say the dogs are about 3/4 of a pound and are grilled to perfection. They are served on a hoagie roll with your choice of many toppings. They served corn chowder, pickles, onion relish, pickle relish, raw onions, hot sauce, honey mustard, mustard, barbecue sauce, ketchup, sauerkraut, and a plethora of other great things. The only drawback is that all of the toppings are cold (I was there in the winter). But why would you worry about the cold toppings when you are spending $2 Canadian for a hot dog? Two of these puppies and you are more than full. So do yourself a favor and stop by the nearest vendor and grab yourself a couple, your taste buds will be happy.

The Armadillo Texas Grill is a place for big steaks (7 oz. - 32 oz.), fajitas, burgers, and supersized margaritas. If you have to wait for a table, head to the bar area, where they have a huge barrel of peanuts. As you can plainly see, everyone just throws the shells all over the place, so don't worry about making a mess. For starters, definitely order the buffalo wings - they are out of this world. During the weekend, they recommend reservations, but from Sunday through Wednesday you should be all right.

The Harbour Sports Grille is located a couple of blocks away from the Air Canada Centre and across the street from the Westin Harbour Castle. This is your typical sports bar, with bar grub and cold brewskies. We went on a Sunday to watch all of the football games and that wasn't a problem because they had a TV at every turn. There was one projection screen for the "game of the day." A couple of pool tables and sports arcade games were available during halftime. A very friendly atmosphere resulted in a great afternoon with friends.

The CN Tower has a couple of different ticket options which range from $19 to $32. The Tower is a neat place to visit with your whole family. When you reach the elevator, which is a ride in itself, you will go about 1100 feet in about one minute. Here you will get off at the "Lookout Level." It is a 360-degree round room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The view from up here is amazing. But don't think the trip is over yet.

Now you have the choice to go down one level and see the glass floor. Now this is really cool - from here you can look straight down over 1,100 feet and see people on the streets. Many people lay down on the floor and have someone take a picture of them (I did it also). If I am not mistaken, the Outdoor Observatory is also on this floor. I recommend a windbreaker or sweater, depending on the time of year, because it gets a bit breezy up there. Don't worry, your kids can't fall out, because the Outdoor Observatory is all screened in.

Now if you have the guts to go to the Sky Pod, that is your next stop. You get back in the elevator and head back to the "Lookout," and from there you take the "Sky Pod Elevator" up another 33 stories. You are over 1400 feet high. I think it is the highest man-made observatory in the world!! There is another 360-degree view of the city from this level. If you stay still and concentrate, you can actually feel the tower swaying with the wind.

At the tower, they even have a couple of simulator rides and an arcade. I did not do either of these things. Along the way, you will learn interesting facts about the Tower and the city of Toronto. If you are hungry, there are a couple of places to eat in the tower, and of course there is a souvenir shop.

The Apartment is located in the entertainment district. This place was probably the most inexpensive bar we hung out at. Beers were about $2 and mixed drinks were maybe $3. The music was a mix of rock, rap, dance - anything goes. We went on a Saturday night and the place was packed with a very good crowd of people. There were also some TVs so you could catch the hockey games.

The Air Canada Centre is an arena which holds concerts, sporting events (hockey, basketball, lacrosse. . .), and live shows. We went to a hockey game here. The Air Canada Centre is the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a state-of-the-art arena, with up to date electronics circling the indoor arena. The fans here are rabid -- they just love their home team. Wear another team’s jersey into the Centre and you are in for a long evening of heckling.

Tickets to go to a Maple Leafs game are going to cost you a couple of bucks -- they are in the top five in highest ticket prices in the NHL. To see a hockey game of an original six team, especially the Toronto Maple Leafs, is worth every penny. I have been to hockey games all over North America, including Madison Square Garden (I am a Rangers season ticket holder), Molson Centre (Montreal Canadians), Continental Arena (New Jersey Devils), and the Nassau Coliseum (New York Islanders) but the Air Canada Centre is the most electrifying. The history of the Maple Leafs franchise is reason enough to come to a game here.

With high ticket prices comes high food and drink prices. Nothing comes cheap once you're inside the Air Canada Centre. A beer will set you back about $8 Canadian. They serve your typical arena food at the game like hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries. Looking for something more? Have a steak sandwich, deli sandwich, or some sushi. The Air Canada Centre has quite a variety of food choices available to you.

My final word to you is this: if you are in Toronto, and you do not go to a Maple Leafs game at the Air Canada Centre, you are making a very big mistake. This city is built on hockey. They love hockey in Toronto. Ask the doorman at your hotel how many cups the Maple Leafs have won. Without hesitation he will tell you -- eleven. If you were visiting New York City, wouldn't you visit the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty? In Toronto, you go to a Mpale Leafs hockey game. It is as simple as that.

The best entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame is located on 10 Front Street. Once you enter the building, head to the Galleria and take the escalator down. There will be signs so you won't get lost. Basically, the HHOF is located in a mall.

This place is great for everyone. There are tons of exhibits, movies, hands-on games, tests of your own skills, and Lord Stanley's Cup. Admission prices are $12 (Canadian) for adults and $8 for youths and seniors.

Here are the exhibits in which I can remember. As you enter through the foyer, you will see a lot of memorabilia on display, from pucks used around the world to goalie masks from past through present. As you head forward, you will see game-used items from Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemiuex, Bobby Orr, and so on. There are milestone showcases, and League showcases, I can go on and on. Then you can visit an exact replica of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1990s. After you pass through the locker room on your right is a small theater where you can watch hockey highlights and archives all day long if you like. On the left is another theater which shows another film which I think changes on occasion.

When I went, they had a lot of hands-on fun. They had a puck shooting game where you can test your skills as a shooter and see how hard your slap shot is. I then played goalie as Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier shot foam pucks out of a movie screen as you stand in the net. There was also a "Be the Announcer" where you call the play-by-play on a given sequence. Plus there was a "Bubble Boy" arcade game and a couple of other hockey arcardes.

Then if you like, you can check out all of the players enshrined in the HHOF, as each player has his own glass cabinet with memorabilia. From there, you must not miss the trophy and awards room, where you can touch and take pictures with the Stanley Cup!!! On your way out, they have a souvenir store where you can buy T-shirts, glasses, DVDs, and really anything hockey-related. Remember, some of these exhibits change from time to time, so check on the Hockey Hall of Fame website at HHOF.