I'm going to Toronto/Buffalo!!

[mltru2tx]

Anyone have cool ideas of things to do for four dudes on a guy trip? So far, we have Hockey Hall, CN Tower and we're staying in the SkyDome hotel to watch a Blue Jays game. By the way, has anyone ever done that? Is it worth it?

Any other cool places to hit up? Bars? Good restaurants? Anything?

Also, we'll be in Buffalo for one night. Any cool places there?

 

[ondeadline]

The HHOF is terrific and the CN Tower is cool. But the day we went to the CN Tower, we had to wait in line forever. If we hadn't already bought tickets, we would have been tempted to skip it.

 

[hockeybeat]

Stop by Niagara Falls, if only for a couple hours.

 

[JR]

There are hundreds of bars and restaurants within a few blocks of the Rogers Centre. Shouldn't be too hard.

I live in Toronto and I've been up the CN Tower once in my life--and only because the tickets were free.

I was co-organizer of the SportsJournalists.com outing in Toronto a few years back.

I had a "What the Hell to Do in Hogtown" e-mail that I sent out. I'll see if I can find it and PM you.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

http://www.tuttimatti.com/

 

[OTD]

I stayed in SkyDome hotel once, but didn't have one of the rooms with a view of the field. I had tickets to the game though. The hotel is very nice. No, I did not steal one of the cool bathrobes.

ondeadline is right about the line at CN tower. I took my son there last summer and there are two separate lines to wait in: the first line, then a second line to go from the middle to the top. It's very cool though.

JR recommended lunch at Irish Embassy, and it was fine. Not cheap though, and they gave me a funny look when I asked for a low-end Canadian beer.

Have a good time!

 

[Screwball]

Make sure you do Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. Way better.

 

[spnited]

Ask Wicked about the Irish Embassy!

 

[cougargirl]

Anchor Bar in Buffalo. The cradle of wings as we know it.

 

[micropolitan guy]

If the Bisons are home in Buffalo that night, Pilot Field/Dunn Tire Park/NorthAmericare Park/whhatever they're calling it these days is a great place to watch a game, far nicer than anything in Toronto. First of the retro-style downtown ballparks. It's on Swan Street, right off the I-190, and just toward downtown from HSBC Arena.

The Pearl Street Grill near the stadium is a nice place. Lots of good bars up on Chippewa Street downtown, or out on Elmwood Avenue in North Buffalo, near Delaware Park. If your friends are into architechture, the Darwin Martin House is one of the most famous ever designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's also in North Buffalo, on Jewett Parkway.

Anchor Bar, out on Main Street toward Canisius, is the home of Buffalo wings. Some do not like their product; I do. They're the original-style finger wings, not the steroid-buffed out brand served at a lot of places these days.

Find a place that serves a beef on weck, a traditional Buffalo roast beef sandwich. Here's a link:
http://www.10best.com/Buffalo/Restaurants/Beef_on_Weck/index.html

Most of those place are out in the burbs; Laughlin's is downtown, Anderson's in North Buffalo. Schwabl's is great; I can also attest to No. 9, the BarBill.

Niagara Falls is always worth a stop. If you're into history, nearby Old Fort Niagara is neat as well. I'd recommend on your way down from Toronto to escape the QEW (the worst road in North America) and take the Niagara River Parkway instead, right along the river.

 

[forever_town]

You're going to Buffalo? I'm sorry.

J/K. Good luck! Hope you enjoy the trip.

 

[JR]

I'll second everything Micro said about Buffalo except for the Anchor. Yeah, I know they invented wings but the couple of times I've been there, it was either an off-day in the kitchen or they're just plain crappy.

Pearl Street's great and if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive hotel close to the Park, the Adams Mark is OK.

And yes, Micro is also right about the QEW. The ****tiest stretch of this highway is when you come off the bridge from the US to about 40 kilometres down the road. The damn highway makes us look like a third world country. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. )

 

[slappy4428]

I'll second everything Micro said about Buffalo except for the Anchor. Yeah, I know they invented wings but the couple of times I've been there, it was either an off-day in the kitchen or they're just plain crappy.

Pearl Street's great and if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive hotel close to the Park, the Adams Mark is OK.

And yes, Micro is also right about the QEW. The ****tiest stretch of this highway is when you come off the bridge from the US to about 40 kilometres down the road. The damn highway makes us look like a third world country. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. )

Puts the istani in Canuckistani...

 

[mltru2tx]

Damn. Any alternate route you're aware of from the Buffalo airport to Toronto late at night? Is it right that the speed limit is like 50 mph? What the hell is that about?? Thanks for all the input so far. Keep it coming...

 

[JR]

Damn. Any alternate route you're aware of from the Buffalo airport to Toronto late at night? Is it right that the speed limit is like 50 mph? What the hell is that about?? Thanks for all the input so far. Keep it coming...

Late at night won't be a problem. Other than the trucks, traffic will be less and if you're coming over on a weekday, it shouldn't take you more than an hour from the border.

Speed limit is 100 kph (that's about 60 mph) but as long as you keep it under 120 kph, (72 or so mph) you won't get pulled over.

Oh, just a warning: we have this street racing law in Ontario . If you're nailed doing 50 kph over the limit the cops suspend your license for seven days and impound your vehicle. If it's a rental, you're ****ed.

 

[Jones]

Buffalo City Hall is one of my favorite buildings in America. It's worth going into the lobby to see the elevator doors.

 

[Buck]

Skip Niagra Falls and Toronto so you can spend more time in Buffalo.

 

[JimmyOlson]

Micro Guy covered all the basics for Buffalo. The Anchor Bar is great - I'm partial to Duff's wings (on Sheridan Avenue), but you can't go wrong with the Anchor Bar. My favorite restaurant is Coles, on Elmwood Ave. near Buff State. I try to go there every time I'm home.

Dunn Tire Park is a great place to watch a game. City Hall is fantastic - on a clear day, the view from the observation deck is fabulous. Since you're coming from Toronto, Niagara Falls is a must see (Definitely from the Canadian side. Better views and more to do).

If you're there on a weekend night, the Chippewa strip downtown has plenty of good bars and clubs. And a late-night Mighty Taco stop is an absolute must.

 

[txscoop]

Go to a bar called Bash Riprocks.

 

[pseudo]

Dunn Tire Park, check. City Hall, check. Chip Strip, check. Beef on weck, check and two thumbs up. Don't forget the horseradish. Jimmy's correct, Duff's beats Anchor for wing quality, but the Anchor has tradition going for it if you're into that sort of thing.

There's a free concert at Lafayette Square every Thursday evening from now through September, and if you'll be here on a summer weekend, there's guaranteed to be some sort of street festival.

If you opt for a Bisons game, make sure you have a jacket with you if it's a breezy night -- it can get downright chilly down on the waterfront.

Guy trip? Thoroughbred racing at Fort Erie, harness at Buffalo Raceway (both also have slots), and there are now casinos on both sides of the Falls. Speaking of which, the Canadian side is definitely nicer and will give you the postcard views, but I've come to prefer the less-commercialized state park on the American side. Taking the Cave of the Winds tour at sunset is cool, but walking out to the furthest edge of the Three Sisters Islands, inches from the mighty Niagara, might be even more awe-inspiring.

And since I'm female, you'll have to ask someone else about the "Canadian ballet" in Fort Erie.