Schedule:
Sunday to Monday
Explore Toronto on Your Own: Come Sunday or Monday and stay in the same hotel to explore Toronto at your own
pace, taking in time to see a lot more sights. While no organized activities are planned until Tuesday evening,
there are a ton of activities you can do on your own. Contact Pre-Trip@MosaicOutdoor.org if you need more ideas. Mosaic will advise on
other early participants if you desire to coordinate activities amongst yourselves.
Tuesday Evening
Arrive any time at the hotel after 4:30 pm for check-in, and your host Francine Dick will be there to greet
you between 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
7:00 pm Dinner:
We’ll head out from the hotel at 6:30 sharp and walk down Yonge St. to Lake Ontario, to enjoy dinner on the
patio at The Goodman Pub and Kitchen (weather permitting), overlooking Lake
Ontario. After dinner, we can take a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, perhaps stopping by City Hall to take
a group photo by the iconic Toronto sign.
Wednesday
Morning Options:
Spend the morning at charming Toronto Island. It’s a
ferry ride away from the city but a world away from the hustle and bustle. People still live on the island, but
it is mostly parkland. A stroll along the boardwalk takes us to busy Centre Island, and then we continue past a
historic lighthouse, an arts centre and even a clothing-optional beach before catching the ferry back to the
city. A total of about 5 km. Walking.
Take a harbour cruise and then spend some time exploring Harbourfront, with its arts centre and
Queen’s Quay for shopping.
Visit the historic Distillery District and Cabbagetown. Mosaic’s own Jeffrey Kay will lead you through some of the
oldest parts of Toronto with fascinating architecture and history. Don’t forget to ask him why it’s called
Cabbagetown!
Explore the Martin Goodman Trail on your own. Pick up a bike from Bikeshare Toronto (we’ll provide the
maps) and ride at your leisure along the 20 km. Lakefront trail. From the Beach in the east to Humber Bay in
the west, there is plenty to see and do.
Join a guided tour with Toronto Bicycle Tours to explore Toronto on two wheels. This 3.5-hour
tour takes you to all of Toronto’s major attractions and then some.
Afternoon Options:
After lunch, we will meet up at Kensington Market to explore the Jewish roots of this once-thriving food
market, which today is an eclectic collection of stores and restaurants. We'll also visit a couple of
historic synagogues in the Market (Anshei Minsk Synagogue and Kiever Synagogue)
Explore Toronto on your own. As per Wednesday morning, pick up a bike from Bikeshare Toronto and explore the
Martin
Goodman Trail. Boating enthusiasts might want to rent a canoe or kayak to explore the waterfront from Harbourfront
Canoe and Kayak Centre
Explore the lower Humber River on a
Voyageur canoe. Perfect for beginners and experienced alike, this 1.5-Hour 11
Passenger Voyageur Canoe History & Wildlife Guided Tour is a great way to explore the beautiful
history of the Humber River as it slowly meanders through Toronto. These 22 ft Voyageur Canoes are super stable
and can hold up to 11. No paddling experience is required as the experienced staff will teach you the basics of
paddling before embarking on your scenic paddling adventure. Tour leaves at 1:00, and participants need to be
there by 12:45. Accessible at Old Mill subway station in Toronto’s west end.
Evening
Wednesday evening you can choose from:
Sports enthusiasts can head to the Rogers Centre to take in a Blue Jays baseball game. We hope
you’ll cheer for the home team, but we understand if you’re partial to the Detroit Tigers.
Spend the evening exploring the Canadian National Exhibition (like a country fair on steroids). There are the usual games
(including a casino) and rides, but also wonderful exhibitions, so much food, buskers, concerts, and more — an
end of summer tradition in Toronto since 1879.
Thursday
Morning
CN Tower and/or Ripley's Aquarium. Ride the elevator up, and in less than a minute,
you’ll be on the observation deck. On a clear day, you can see right across Lake Ontario.
Stand on the glass floor and look straight down, if you dare! Ripley’s Aquarium features nine different
galleries, including sharks swimming over your head. Truly state of the art and well worth the price of
admission!
Visit the Royal Ontario Museum followed by a stroll along tres chic Bloor St. The ROM is natural history at its best and Bloor St. Is
shopping at its finest. Bring your credit card if you feel inclined to shop at Chanel, Hermes, Dolce and
Gabbana or Dior. Window shopping is free.
Walking tour of government and education with Mosaic’s David Golberg as your guide exploring Toronto as the
seat of government and education. You’ll start by visiting Toronto’s iconic City Hall, completed in 1965 (right next door to Old
City Hall). Walking up University Avenue, past hospitals and historic buildings, takes us to Queen’s
Park, the seat of the Ontario provincial government. You’ll finish on the grounds of the University of
Toronto.
BE BACK AT THE HOTEL BY 12:45 pm to catch a ride to camp for the JOE 2021.
Afternoon
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Transportation
Arrival to the Pre-Trip
Plane
Toronto has two major airports to choose from:
From Pearson Airport, catch the Union
Pearson (UP) Express Train directly from the airport to Union Station, Then transfer to the Yellow Line 1
(Yonge-University) subway towards Finch Station. After two stops, get off at the Dundas Station once street level walk 300 Meters (2/10 Mile) or three
blocks east along Dundas Street until you see the hotel at the corner of Dundas Street and Bond Street.
Trains leave the airport often, and total travel time is between 40 to 80 Minutes pending connections. See Google Map for an overview
Check Transportation Page for more details about flights to/from this airport.
Billy Bishop Airport takes about 45 min from terminal
baggage claim to hotel. Once you get your bags in the terminal, look for the ferry or underwater pedestrian walkway to get from the Toronto Island (where the
airport is located) to the mainland. On the mainland, find the TTC 509 Harbourfront Street Car and travel five stops to Union Station.
Then transfer to the Yellow Line 1 (Yonge-University) subway towards Finch Station. After two
stops, get off at the Dundas Station once street level walk 300 Meters (2/10 Mile) or three
blocks east along Dundas Street until you see the hotel at the corner of Dundas Street and Bond Street.
Car
Please note there is a $25 per day parking fee if you park your car at the hotel. There are very limited
cheaper options in the area (Click HERE for a list) that Mosaic will not vouch are safe. The hotel is in the
middle of the downtown area, and we will be using public transit for the duration of the Pre-Trip. Once parked,
you most likely will not need your car again until you are ready to leave for camp on Thursday. You can find
more info on directions from the hotel to camp on the Attendee page.
Public Transit
We will be using public for most, if not all, transportation for the duration of
the Pre-Trip. Included in your base price of the Pre-Trip is a preloaded PRESTO card, which will get you around on the Toronto
Transit Commission (TTC) system. What is a PRESTO card?
Mosaic Shuttle from Pre-Trip to Main Event
The Mosaic shuttle will leave promptly for camp on TBD, at 1:32 pm. Please meet outside the lobby with your
luggage by 1:15 pm. The shuttle WILL NOT WAIT FOR ANYONE who is not ready for pickup when the Shuttle departs
on time from the hotel. Anyone left behind because they were not waiting for the Shuttle at the appointed time
will need to arrange their transportation to camp and forfeit the cost of the Mosaic Shuttle.
Cost of Mosaic Shuttle: Round trip USD 85/CAD 100 Round Trip or USD 45 / CAD 54 One-Way.
(Round trip will return you to the Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) after the main event.)
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Costs
Base Price
- $271 US / $325 CA per person - Double or Couples Occupancy
- $176 US / $211 CA per person – additional for Single Occupancy upgrade
Base Price Includes:
Single Occupancy on Sunday or Monday
- $176 US / $211 CA Extra per day
Must pay for Single Occupancy for the duration of Pre-Trip
Double Occupancy for Sunday or Monday
- $102 US / $122 CA per person Extra per day
Must pay for Double Occupancy for the duration of Pre-Trip
**Note: We can only guarantee room rates until July 30th. Any rooms booked after July 30th will be based upon
availability of a room from the hotel, and prices may go up.
No Hotel Option
No Hotel Option Includes:
- Preloaded PRESTO
tickets for Wednesday and Thursday
- MOSAIC administration fees.
- Tuesday night dinner
Note: An additional Mosaic administration surcharge of CAD 60 / $50 US on top of the No Hotel Option to
anyone who books their own room at the Bond Place Hotel Toronto, Toronto, CA, and attends the Pre-Trip.
Parking
$25 Per Day at the Hotel
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