Cheap Spots To Beat The Heat In Downtown Toronto
When winter seems to take up 400/365 days of the year, we all welcome the heat of summer and try to make the most of it. Still, as great as the warmer weather can be, there is a point at which it can be too much. Not everyone loves the heat, so we've scoped out some of the best places in Toronto to "chill" out.
1. Specialty bars/cafes
600 Bloor St. West & 488 College St.
Duck into Snakes & Lattes or Snakes & Lagers and not only will you find yourself out of the heat, but it’s also a great way to pass time with your friends until the sun starts to set. Specialty cafes are great because you have a reason to be hanging out there for more than an hour when you're at the last few sips of your drink: "Hey man, I've got a game going."
2. Tall buildings
With the depleting ozone layer, it's smart to slap on some SPF 30, but sometimes even that's not enough. Not a specific place, but thankfully Toronto is sprawling with tall buildings that can offer you some shade and added protection from the sun's hot rays. So decide which side of the street is shadier and walk on over there.
3. Building lobbies
Okay so you have to be careful not to "loiter" but if you just need to cool down for a bit, there's no reason why you can't pop inside a building for a second and then pop back out before you get kicked out.
Photo cred - Monika Macmillan
4. Museums
100 Queens Park & 317 Dundas St W, Toronto
They've gotta keep all those paintings and sculptures cool, so why not take advantage of that? Head over to the ROM or the AGO and soak up some culture along with the free air-conditioning (keep in mind you have to pay a smallish fee to get in).
Photo cred - York Fabrica
5. The Eaton Centre
Revisit your high school days and hang out at the mall for no reason at all. The Eaton Centre is 1,722,000 square feet of pure air-conditioned goodness. With more than 230 stores, you can spend (or waste) a lot of time there.
6. Restaurants
Doesn't matter where - but a good restaurant knows that keeping the customers cool is key. Tip: get drinks with free refills to keep hydrated on these hot summer days. Here's a list of the healthiest restaurants in the city.
Photo cred - Education Quest
7. Home/Friend's home
If you're lucky enough to have air-conditioning at your place, or have a friend with a place in the city, call in a favour and just hang out there. It's a cheap alternative and you can bond over being too hot or something.
8. The TTC
Instead of walking to places take the cooler route: public transit. Subway bonus - cold sinks, therefore it's colder underground.
9. Canada's Wonderland
While it might not be the cheapest option you can get tickets and head straight to the water park. Keep yourself cool all day...or at least until the park closes.
10. The Beaches
Sometimes you just can't beat the heat and you've just got to give in. Luckily, Toronto is geographically perfect because we have beaches near the metropolitan jungle. If you find yourself still needing a dose of surf and sand, the Toronto beaches are only a hop skip and TTC away.