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Toronto Gay Travel Guide
Toronto is a city of extremes. It’s the largest city in Canada. It’s got the tallest building in the world. It’s about to unseat Hollywood as the busiest film-making city in North America. (Queer as Folk was filmed here, and you’ll recognize spots all over town from it.) It’s the epicenter for the Canadian Anglophone Arts. (That a nice way to avoid stepping on Montreal’s toes, meaning non-French or non-Quebec arts.) Tourists often remark that Toronto feels a lot like Chicago, except that it’s clean and efficient. Hey, this is Canada we’re talking about! They manage to keep their largest city sparkling, safe, and easy to navigate. The subway system, nicknamed “The Rocket,” gets you quickly to sights like the CN Tower, the trademark of Toronto. It’s still the tallest building in the world (by a significant margin!) and features restaurants, several observation decks, and a massive shopping center. Plenty of museums beckon, including the Ontario Science Center, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Royal Ontario Museum. The city’s acclaimed Toronto Zoo is always a busy spot. Ontario Place is a popular cultural, leisure, and entertainment park on manmade islands in Lake Ontario. Visitors are whisked back in time at Casa Loma, a drafty castle complete with secret passages, built in the early 1900s by Sir Henry Pellatt, the first man to build a hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls. Oh! And how can we forget North America’s most famous waterfall? Niagara Falls is only 80 miles distant, just around the corner of Lake Ontario. The gay scene in Toronto is called The Village, or Church Street. It’s strung out along Church and Yonge between Alexander and Wellesley, and the Wellesley subway stop offers the most convenient access. Another district, called the Queer West Village, has developed way out in the West Toronto suburbs. It’s not a strip of gay bars. It’s a network of communities where gays are completely and seamlessly integrated without having to isolate or group themselves in one district. Where no one bats an eye at smooching lovers in a park or café, and where every shop owner recognizes no differences because of sexual identity. You don’t go out there to party, that stuff is in the Village. You go out there to see what the future holds for gays everywhere. In summer, you can get an all-over tan with the boys at Hanlans Point Beach on Toronto Island, or closer to town on Scarborough Beach.
Gay Toronto Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
In the Village, it’s a great idea to first hit Woody’s, a massive complex of bars that has been one of the most popular hangouts in the city for a decade. Several scenes from Queer as Folk were filmed here. Babylon Martini and Musique Boutique may also ring a bell. Babylon was the name of the dance club in QAF, but this video bar opened after the filming of the series, and they’ve got over 250 types of martinis! Pimblett’s Pub is a cozy joint, and is the oldest gay bar in Toronto. The Volcano Room is a new spot that has become insanely popular. Zipperz is a traditional piano bar, as is Trax 5. El Convento Rico draws the Latino crowd. Ciao Edie is a funky retro bar. Pegasus Bar is a consistent favorite, with its pool tables, video games, and the biggest projection TV in Toronto (which, naturally, draws crowds for gay shows like QAF and hockey games.) Remington’s is the place everyone goes to watch cute go-go boys disrobe. Lesbians hang out at Slack Alice, Pope Joan, and The House of Parlaiment Pub. The leather crowd favors The Black Eagle, The Toolbox, and The Barn and Stables.
When Toronto needs to get its dance on, it heads to Fly. This is the big dance club you’ll recognize from Queer as Folk. On Saturday nights, it thumps until well after sunrise. 5ive tries to give Fly a run for its money by being more upscale and chic. And it does a good job. Lust is where it’s at on Fridays. On other nights it’s mostly mixed.
Many Toronto restaurants have trouble deciding whether they are more restaurant or more bar. This is definitely the case with the uber-tacky Zelda’s, with its American/Mexican/Italian menu, its ridiculously popular Sunday brunch, and its bar which is one of the biggest gathering places for gay Toronto. Other establishments in the Village with such identity crises are Tantra, the V3 Lounge, PJ Mellons, and Byzantium. For something with a less popular bar, check out Living Well, which has been a favorite with the gay community forever. The Looking Glass beckons with its four fireplaces and pan-cultural menu. The Village Rainbow is a Village standard. Fire on the East Side’s Southern-inspired menu is sure to make your mouth water.
Gay Friendly and Gay Toronto Hotels
Toronto has many gay B&Bs. A few located right in the middle of the Village are Dundonald House, a charming guesthouse owned by legally-married gay couple Warren and Dave, Cawthra Square, a collection of three upscale B&Bs all next to each other and the recipient of several gay travel awards, and The Banting House, a gracious Edwardian residence whose guests rave not only about the location (2 blocks from the center of the Village) but also about its lavish gardens. Bears and leather fans can hole up at The Bearfoot Inn. A transvestite-friendly option is the Wildside Hotel. Other unique, gay-owned properties in the immediate area are The Toronto Townehouse, B R Guest, the Toronto Downtown B&B (a luxury B&B), A Seaton Dream, the Lavender Rose, the House on McGill, and the Burwood Inn.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
Toronto Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Pride Toronto is Canada’s largest, and takes place in late June. Folsom Fair North is an extension of San Francisco’s famed leather celebration. It takes place in mid-July.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
