Walking tours are described below and are offered on request all year round. I also develop custom-designed tours. Contact me for possibilities and prices. (Also see Details page.)

Will you be visiting Toronto? I’d love to show you our city. Please contact me to arrange a private tour.

THE WATERFRONT

Toronto was founded because of its sheltered harbour on Lake Ontario. This walk explores the central and eastern shorelines, which over the past 30 years have changed from a largely industrial landscape into an area of innovative green spaces, cultural venues, and residences. Our tour will uncover the history, controversy, and successes of the Waterfront.

FOREST HILL

An independent village until 1967, affluent Forest Hill has retained much of its distinctive character as a place apart from the larger city. The grand houses are remarkable examples of traditional Period Revival architecture — with a few surprises. Apartment buildings from the 1930s and prestigious private schools are included in our tour. 

CORKTOWN

Home to many Irish immigrants in the early 1800s, Corktown developed as a working-class neighbourhood. Industries such as Consumers Gas, meat processing, and several breweries developed along the lakeshore and Don River. This tour includes fascinating re-purposed factories, original workers' cottages, new condos, and the oldest church and school buildings in Toronto.

WYCHWOOD PARK

Come and tour one of the hidden treasures of Toronto where you won't believe you're just minutes from the downtown core. Wychwood Park was established as an artists' colony just after 1900 and remains a bucolic enclave of English Cottage Style homes on winding roads surrounding a pond. Our tour will include the nearby Tollkeepers' Cottage and former streetcar barns now converted to an Artscape centre.

TORONTO ISLAND

"The Island" is more than a great recreational haven and children's amusement park — it's a small car-free community of permanent residents living in charming houses with eclectic gardens. We’ll stroll through the Ward's Island and Algonquin Island neighbourhoods while learning the fascinating history of the Island.

THE BEACH

Once a summer refuge complete with amusement park, the Beach is now a thriving neighbourhood of longtime residents and young families. The main street is Queen Street East, lined with shops and small apartment buildings. Side streets with many charming houses and gardens connect to Queen and to the boardwalk along the sandy shoreline.

THE ANNEX

This lively downtown neighbourhood has houses and churches designed by the city's most important late-Victorian architects. Annex houses combined elements of various architectural styles into a form that has become associated with the area. The original houses have many fanciful details. In the 1960s, some of the city's most distinctive residential towers were added.

CABBAGETOWN

This well-preserved Victorian neighbourhood includes multi-storey professionals' houses, tiny workers' cottages, and out-of-the-way enclaves. We'll see how Cabbagetown residents preserve their history and architecture. A converted church and the picturesque entrance to one of the city's oldest cemeteries are two features of the tour.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

Financial institutions have given us some of the city's most impressive architecture. This tour features nearly 150 years of banks and office buildings. It includes the tallest modern structures as well as streamlined 1920s skyscrapers. The current financial district at King and Bay is the third in Toronto's history, and we’ll see buildings from each on this walk.

WELLINGTON PLACE

Established west of the original town of York (later Toronto), this area includes a 19th-century military graveyard, converted factories, a posh residential area, and part of the Entertainment District. We’ll also visit a street seemingly frozen in the late 1800s. Wellington Place truly illustrates the changing roles of Toronto.

OLD TOWN

This fascinating area is where Toronto developed beyond a military post beginning in the early 1800s. Some of our most remarkable buildings are here, including Canada’s oldest bank building and the Flatiron Building. Condominiums have recently joined quaint shops, restored warehouses, and the city's largest cathedral.

ROSEDALE (SOUTH)

Rosedale is one of the city's most affluent neighbourhoods, although its history reveals that it was not always a desirable area. This tour includes grand mansions and mid-size homes in many architectural styles dating back to the mid-1800s. The winding streets and picturesque gardens make a stroll through Rosedale even more inviting.