Find the Best Things to Do in The Annex
By Courtney Sunday
Toronto Local Expert
About The Annex
Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com
The Annex in Toronto runs West to East from Bathurst to Avenue and South to North from Bloor Street to Dupont. With distinctively tall and narrow houses and a high student and professor ratio due to the neighbouring University, it is a friendly intellectual hub with fantastic Toronto sightseeing opportunities.
See & Do
With plenty of students in the area vying for economical activities, the Annex is a jewel for travellers on a budget. You can find times to visit one of Canada's most intriguing museums, the Royal Ontario Museum (or ROM for short). Watch documentaries and movies that have more clout than cash at Hot Docs Cinema, or indulge your shoe fetish at the Bata Shoe Museum.
Eat
In a small strip of city, The Annex encapsulates what is best about Toronto: the food and the people. Indulge a variety of cravings, from North American delights at Rose & Sons to some of the best vegan cooking (and uncooking) in the city with Live Food Bar and Fresh making a vegetable-lover out of anyone.
Party
It isn't all pubs, but the Annex is well known (and well loved) for its affinity for cheap beer. From the foreign brews at The Bedford Academy and the charming back patio at the Duke of York to the student-friendly Madison Avenue Pub, it is time to make friends with ale. Dance off the calories at Lee's Palace where live bands will inspire you to sweat a little and maybe drink a little more.
Stay
The Annex may be more known for dorm rooms than hotels, but there is a bed to pay for in every single area of Toronto. The Park Hyatt Toronto offers an amazing view from the rooftop lounge, or you can stay in the Madison Manor Boutique Hotel if you want to experience one of the Annex's famous Victorian houses up close.
Shop
The Annex is a rare location that has managed to keep the now rare independent bookstore thriving. From spirituality at BMV Books to international newspapers at Book City, the University of Toronto isn't the only place that will have you reading. If you need the right thing to keep your eyes open for the multitude of words, you can also try the Green Beanery, which has Canada's largest selection of coffee beans.