Explore Toronto Beyond the National Bank Open: Unique Experiences to Enjoy
As the WTA tour comes to Toronto for the National Bank Open, there’s more to explore in Canada’s largest city beyond the tennis courts. If you’re looking to dive into some uniquely Canadian experiences, here are five standout activities to check out.
1. **The Monkey’s Paw**
Inspired by the classic horror story by W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey’s Paw is a one-of-a-kind bookstore. Specializing in rare, antique, and unusual books, this shop offers a treasure trove of vintage reads and obscure topics. Located east of the Gladstone Library, it’s known for its eclectic selection and unique artifacts.
A highlight of the store is the Biblio-Mat, a unique vending machine that dispenses random old books for $5 tokens. It’s a fun and novel way to discover new reading material.
2. Fossils and more at Skullstore
Skullstore is exactly what it reads: a store selling skulls. If you’re in the market for “wet specimens,” butterflies and bugs, fossils, or animal products, this is the place for you.
Skullstore’s initiative is all about responsible and sustainable collecting across a range of items, including a wide range of human skulls and skeletons. The second item currently for sale on the website in this category is a baby skull, going for $92.
This oddities shop also offers not-previously-alive items such as crystals and minerals, craft supplies, and jewelry, not to mention a limited natural art collection.
In case Toronto isn’t on your travel list this year, don’t fear: Skullstore ships worldwide.
3. Berczy Park Dog Fountain
After exploring Skullstore’s collection of animal skulls, make your way to Berczy Park to explore dog sculptures in what’s come to be known as the Dog Fountain.
The three-tiered water fountain has a bone sitting at its very peak and requires every dog’s attention. While all the dogs are fixated on the bone, there is one cat who is staring off into the distance at two bird sculptures on a nearby lamppost.
A total of 27 dog breeds are celebrated in this artwork, but the one cat breed isn’t identified. It also doesn’t spit water like the rest.
The fountain sits in the center of the 3,606-square meter park and is open year-round for viewing and wandering.
4. Bata Shoe Museum
Anyone else’s shoe collection become too large for their home? That’s what happened to Bata Shoe Company founder Thomas Bata and his wife, Sonja. As they traveled for conferences, she shopped the world for traditional footwear of every kind.
Eventually, her private collection outgrew their living space, which inspired her to establish a foundation for footwear research that also displays the assortment.
The Bata Shoe Museum houses more than 12,000 shoes along with educational insight to shoemaking and footwear throughout the decades.
5. “Little Canada”
Fit all of Canada in your trip to Toronto by visiting Little Canada, a 45,000 square-foot space dedicated to miniature figures of the entire country. (45,000 square feet, by the way, is the length of two hockey rinks.)
Located near Centerville Amusement Park, Ontario’s No.1 attraction is open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., offering Little Bites for snacking, Little Things for purchasing, and Little Moments for meeting the artists behind the set.
There is also an opportunity to “get littlized” with a 3D-printed miniature version of yourself. Opt to be placed inside the Little Canada display following the photo session, or have lego-sized you delivered in a few weeks’ time.
