Is Downtown & Entertainment District a good place to stay in Toronto?

Downtown is the most convenient place to stay in Toronto for a first visit, a game or a show. The CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium and the Rogers Centre are a short walk from Union Station, Scotiabank Arena is next door, and the theatres of King Street West are a few blocks north. The UP Express brings you from the airport straight into Union Station.

The area mixes glass office towers with entertainment. Bay Street and the Financial District are busy on weekdays, while King Street West fills with diners, theatregoers and festival crowds, especially during TIFF in September. The lake is a short walk south, with the Harbourfront Centre and ferries to the Toronto Islands.

The downside is the price and the lack of character. Downtown hotels are among the most expensive in North America, parking is costly, and the Financial District feels quiet and corporate at weekends. Streets around the stadiums get crowded on game nights.

What makes downtown special is how much you can walk to. You can go up the CN Tower in the morning, watch the Blue Jays in the afternoon and see a show on King Street at night, all without a car. In winter, the PATH lets you cross much of the area underground.