Making The Most Of A Toronto Business Trip: Bring The Family
If you travel a lot for business, you know how lonely downtime can be when you're on the road. Savvy business travelers with Toronto on their schedule have found a solution: Pack up the family and bring them along.
Even though the city is a bustling hub of international commerce and business, Toronto's attractions will keep family members entertained while you're busy working. Plan your schedule so there is ample time to enjoy some of the city's multicultural events and cuisine together.
With over 35,000 hotel rooms in Toronto, you have plenty of options for lodgings that suit your family's lifestyle.
Choosing the Best Rooms for Comfort and Fun
You might be totally happy staying in a place frequented by business travelers when you're on your own. But with family along for the adventure, pick Toronto hotels that match your family's sightseeing and relaxation plans.
Hotels with kitchenettes
Traveling with young children? Avoid the cranky, hungry, tired moments with a small kitchen area where you can fix a light meal or snack. You'll find these hotels on the periphery of the downtown area, near the airport and close to Toronto's event centers.
Hotels with swimming pools
Older children and teens enjoy having a place to splash and play after all the sightseeing is done for the day. After a busy day at a convention or in sales meetings, you'll also find a few laps in the pool are refreshing before you head out for a family dinner and entertainment.
Suite-style hotels
Separate rooms for the kids and parents is one of the perks when you book a suite. Many suites feature a living room area with comfortable seating, a big screen television and a game console. Everyone in the family gets to unwind with their favorite activities. After all, getaways are as much about relaxation as they are about seeing the sights.
Luxury and boutique hotels
If your family consists of just two, Toronto is a charming city for a couples getaway. While you're attending to your business obligations during the day, your special significant other will find plenty to do. Golf, shopping, visiting galleries and museums, food tours and historic neighborhoods are all within easy access of the city's fine hotels. You may even book a day at the spa as a special treat for your traveling partner.
Adventures Away From the Hotel
Toronto's attractions will keep the family entertained while you're tied up with business during the day. Top favorites include:
- The Toronto Zoo -- site of North America's largest indoor exhibit dedicated to gorillas, a beloved pair of Giant Pandas, and about 5,000 other fascinating animals.
- Ripley's Aquarium of Canada – where giant sharks, cute little clown fish your children will probably recognize from Finding Nemo, stingrays, jelly fish and hundreds of aquatic creatures provide hours of entertainment.
- The Ontario Science Centre – for the engaging, interactive exhibits and an exciting IMAX show at the Centre's Omnimax Theater.
- Legoland Discovery Centre - where youngsters who enjoy the colorful building blocks are surrounded by millions of them. Hands-on workshops, exciting rides and a 4-D movie will keep them engaged and happy.
Save a few attractions to do together as a family in the evening after the convention hall closes. Go to the top of the landmark CN Tower where you can see the twinkling lights of the city for miles around after dark. Dine out at some of the city's vast array of restaurants with international cuisine. If the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing at home, go to a hockey game and join the crowd cheering for their favorite sports heroes.
Combining business travel with a family getaway is a creative and rewarding way to reconnect in the warm embrace of Toronto's hospitality.
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