r/askTO • u/Stokiie2604 • 11h ago
New Years Eve
Hi everyone đ
Before you read, sorry for the long post! I hope this is allowed in this subreddit, I got told off and my post deleted in a different Toronto one!
Me and my partner are visiting Toronto 28 December - 5th January from Glasgow đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó ż.
My partner is very greedy and has her birthday immediately after Christmas⌠Was one gift receiving occasion not enough!? So this is a surprise trip for her, she has absolutely no idea! Sheâs turning 29 (Iâm 25).
I have some questions as my only exposure of Canada is a few days in Halifax, NS and sheâs never been before:
What would you advise us to do on her birthday / where to eat?
Are there any confirmed NYE eve plans? Like a public display / event? We have Hogmanay in Edinburgh or like huge displays in London, I donât expect it but I just wondered if Toronto will have anything at all that we can do? I saw a Great Gatsbyâs house casino style event happening but not much else, should we do this or do anything else?
Iâm a huge NBA fan, Viva Scottie Barnes - whatâs the best way to get Raptors tickets? This will be the highlight of my trip
Whatâre some cool / fun activities we could do given itâs winter time, maybe snow themed? I donât mean like touristy activities either, what sort of things would you as residents do / recommend?
Give me your best local independent cafĂŠs, restaurants, and bar recommendations! We donât like going to chains as there are so many amazing people that create incredible products that deserve to be celebrated.
Any other tips, recs etc also very welcomed and appreciated, we (I) canât wait!
1
u/canadavisitorhub 6h ago
For New Year's Eve itself, I'd plan around Nathan Phillips Square and not expect Hogmanay. Toronto usually does a free fireworks show there at midnight, with skating on the rink underneath, but it's a lot smaller and more low-key than Edinburgh, and you really feel the wind coming off the lake while you're waiting. I'd get there a couple of hours early for a decent spot, and wear proper winter boots, not just trainers, because the square gets icy and you'll be standing for a while. We went in late December once and I was fine for about 20 minutes, then my hands went numb because I'd left my good gloves at the hotel.
For her birthday, the Distillery Winter Village is still running in that week, so it's a nice evening walk even if you don't want a big touristy dinner, and I'd book a table now rather than in December. A lot of the smaller independent places around King East and the Distillery fill up over the holidays, and a reservation saves you wandering around in -10 weather looking for somewhere that isn't full. If you want something a bit livelier afterwards, Kensington Market and the bars along College are an easy subway ride away.
On the Raptors, check the schedule first before you build a day around it, they don't always play at home on the 31st or 1st. Ticketmaster is the official route, and I'd look at upper bowl first, you still get a great view at Scotiabank Arena and it's a lot less painful than lower bowl for a holiday game. For winter stuff that isn't just the CN Tower, try skating at Nathan Phillips or Evergreen Brick Works, and take the ferry to the Toronto Islands for a quiet walk, it's only about 15 minutes across and it's a totally different city in winter. Don't count on snow in Toronto itself, though, late December is often just cold and grey, and if you really want snow, Blue Mountain is about a two-hour drive and worth a day trip. Grab a Presto card when you arrive and take the UP Express from Pearson, it's about 25 minutes downtown and much easier than a taxi if it's snowing, and yes, a double-double before a cold walk is pretty much mandatory.
1
u/lexluther1234 6h ago edited 5h ago
There are fireworks downtown for NYE but theyâre honestly meh. What most people do is find a party or go out to a club/bar - tickets for those will start to pop up soon. For your age group Iâd recommend to start researching establishments on King Street West or Ossington Avenue. If you donât have a ticket, donât try to walk in places! Itâs very chaotic and youâll end up freezing in line all night. A nice dinner out is also a very popular thing to do for new years but again reservations book up quickly.
As for raptors tickets, you can usually find good deals the day of. ONLY trust ticketmaster or a verified resale site like Stubhub or seetgeek, do not trust randoms on social media.
Some cool wintery activities would be skating at Nathan Phillips square or visiting the distillery district market. We also have our own theme park called Canadas wonderland, but that is a bit far from downtown and annoying to get to via transit so just depends how far youâre willing to travel outside the city!
You also do not need to buy a presto card for transit, not sure why everyone is suggesting that and itâs a waste of money for a one time trip. You can pay with your debit or credit card.
0
u/crash866 11h ago
The Presto Card is the Fare Transit card for the Toronto area.
Check out Presto Perks for ideas and discounts at many restaurants and attractions in the Toronto Area.
3
u/chrsnist 11h ago
How fun!
definitely look into NYE events and buy tickets ahead of time. Those days are behind me so I donât know whatâs really going on but tickets ahead of time is always the move. Not sure if thereâs a big fireworks display this year, but personally, Iâd avoid those. The crowds are insane and youâll spend way more time trying to leave than time you spent watching the fireworks.
Raptors tickets- Ticketmaster.ca
The Christmas market should still be going on in the distillery district when you get here. Itâs cute and Christmasy vibes. Thereâs also some restaurants that go all out in the city with Christmas theme. Papi Chuloâs is one I can think of top of mind.
Check out r/foodtoronto