LUCKY IS THE TRAVELER WHO LANDS in Toronto with hopes of keeping fit. This major metropolis has never forgotten that it’s situated in the great outdoors. So step out of your hotel and walk, run, bike, skate, or boat to experience Toronto’s many faces while staying in shape.
Canoeing is a Canadian passion usually associated with the wilderness, but to enjoy Lake Ontario, you needn’t drift farther than the heart of downtown. Canoe and kayak rentals at Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre (283a Queens Quay W.) are available for only $20 Canadian. Paddle out with a pick-up group in the early evening and enjoy a barbecue on your return. Proceeds from the barbecue are earmarked for the company’s Planet Fund.
For a longer escape, take a trip across the inner harbor to the Toronto Islands. “It’s wonderful to be in such quiet,” says Janna Patrick, a Harbourfront instructor. “If you close your eyes and listen, you hear the birds, and the water slapping against the side of your boat. You might think you’re way up north. Open your eyes and you’ll see trees, but there’s the CN Tower poking up in the background.”
Beatrice Starmans, a frequent kayaker, also appreciates Toronto’s natural beauty. “Out at the islands, there are places you can get to only by boat,” she says. “Last year, while a friend and I were kayaking, a beaver swam alongside us and surfaced about 10 feet ahead. He was as interested in us as we were in him.”
With a landmark like the CN Tower, Toronto is also known for its great heights, and stair-climbing is an excellent way to reach some of them. You can enjoy a challenging climb while touring Casa Loma, a turn-of-the-century mansion disguised as a medieval castle. If you approach from the south, begin your workout by ascending the Baldwin Steps — all 110 of them — which bring you up the steep face of the ancient bluff atop which Sir Henry Pellatt perched his estate.
That’s only the beginning — inside there are many more stairs to climb. “Because of the ceiling heights, each flight of stairs is a double-normal staircase,” says Lou Seiler, Casa Loma’s director of marketing. “As you go from the first floor to the third, you climb the equivalent of six flights of steps.”
From the third floor, continue up the spiral staircases into two 70-foot towers. Both the Scottish Tower, accessible year-round, and the Norman Tower, typically open from April to November, offer magnificent 360-degree views.
“We also have an 800-foot underground tunnel, which takes you into the stables,” says Seiler. With 170,000 square feet of buildings in all, the facility is larger than the White House and the Hearst Castle combined. Between the tunnel and the towers, you can exercise in any kind of weather. But on a good day, the 5.5 acres of garden can’t be beat. “The paths wander around and take you down the hill,” Seiler says. “Coming back up can be tough. If you work here, you never need a StairMaster!”
For those short on time, Toronto’s safe downtown area is excellent for a nighttime run. Or if you find yourself heading north by subway along Yonge Street, get off and walk. The gentle upward slope is almost imperceptible to the eye, but your leg muscles will feel it.
An excellent resource for exploring Toronto on foot, bike, or skates is the TourGreen Map, published by the Green Tourism Association (greentourism.ca) and available free at many locations, including the Ontario Travel Information Centre (20 Dundas St. W.). The map highlights recreational trails and offers information about equipment rentals. Take a Discovery Walk, or explore a river ravine. Rent inline skates and roll along the Waterfront Trail. Or grab a bike and head for Tommy Thompson Park, at the bottom of Leslie Street. Originally created from landfill, this car-free, 3-mile peninsula is now a wildlife and bird refuge.
“It’s a great place to bike or walk,” says Justin Lafontaine, director of the Green Tourism Association. “I was there last November when it was so foggy I couldn’t see more than a meter in front of me. Biking out by the lake, with the lighthouse right there, I felt like I was in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia — right in the middle of Toronto. It was spectacular.” — Rachel Eugster
Getting There: Continental offers nonstop service to Toronto from its hubs in Houston, New York/Newark, and Cleveland.
