CURIOUS TO SEE A BALL GAME
ON THE BLUE JAY’S HOME TURF?
BASEBALL FEVER IS RAMPANT
IN TORONTO, SUMMER IS THE
PERFECT TIME TO EXPLORE
CANADA’S LARGEST CITY.
HOW TO GET THERE
Land at Toronto Pearson International
Airport, take the Up Express, which
leaves every 15 minutes and takes 30
minutes to arrive in city center. If you
CN Tower
Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel
and watch the game through full-length
windows looking onto the field. Prices for
a ‘room with a view’ range anywhere from
$499 to several thousand dollars during the
playoffs. Book early as the hotel typically
sells out quickly during the playoffs or when
the Jays play the Red Sox or Yankees.
If you’re looking for a smaller, boutique
hotel experience, Le Germain and SoHo
Metropolitan are both a short walk to the
Rogers Centre and minutes from numerous
quality restaurants.
TIPS FOR GAME DAY
land at Billy Bishop Toronto City airport,
an airport shuttle or taxi will get you
downtown in minutes.
Once you’re in the city, public transit is
accessible — on game day you’ll see local
fans decked out in the Blue Jay’s signature
colors. There are no large parking lots
around Rogers Centre so even if you’ve
rented a car, don’t drive to the game.
At $7 a day, renting a city bike (www.
bikesharetoronto.com) is another easy way
to get around and explore Toronto.
WHERE TO STAY
For a truly unique experience, stay in
one of 70 stadium-facing rooms at the
GETTING
THERE
Come early to watch batting practice.
Enjoy beer at WestJet Flight Deck
overlooking the bullpen. Or ask the
ushers if you can stand by the dugouts
and you could get a baseball signed for
your kids. If your seats are high up (i.e.,
the nosebleeds), you can stay in the Flight
Deck for the first few innings too.
Grab a hotdog on the street from one of
many vendors outside the stadium (there
are veggie versions too and loads of
topping options). You can also bring your
own snacks — or an entire picnic — inside
the gates.
If the kids are joining, come for Jr. Jays
Saturdays and your little ballplayer (14 and
under) can run the bases on the actual field
after the game. Parents can watch but only
kids do the running.
FROM DCA – Air Canada and American Airlines
offer daily nonstop flights to Toronto Pearson
International Airport
View from Renaissance
Toronto Downtown Hotel
WHAT ELSE IS IN TOWN?
Hockey fans will want to check out the
Hockey Hall of Fame, which hosts the NHL
Centennial Exhibit, a comprehensive tribute
to the players and best moments of the
National Hockey League from 1917-2017.
Get a spectacular bird’s eye view of
Toronto at 1,136 feet by making your way
up the CN Tower. Thrill seekers can try
the Edge Walk, a hands-free walk, 116
stories up, via a 5-foot ledge that’s on
the top of the tower’s main pod. You can
also enjoy the view from the Glass Floor
looking 1,122 feet straight down at the
tops of the buildings and ground below.
Go to the site where legendary baseball
player Babe Ruth hit his first home run as
a professional. Hanlan’s Point is a short
ferry ride away in the Toronto Islands and
once you’ve checked out the history, you
can take a dip at the public beach where
clothing is optional.
Toronto also offers wonderful museums
like the Royal Ontario Museum that
features collections on ancient cultures,
earth and space and contemporary
culture. The Toronto Zoo is another
fun place to visit with over 500 animals
representing over 460 species from
around the world.
FROM IAD – Air Canada and United offer daily
nonstop flights to Toronto Pearson International,
while Porter Airlines offers daily nonstop to Billy
Bishop Toronto City Airport.
SUMMER 2017 41 FLYWASHINGTON.COM