Fame and Folly in Victorian Cabbagetown

Toronto's largest protected heritage area

Riverdale Farm home of the former Toronto Zoo

Duration2h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

As a 20-year Cabbagetown resident and lifelong Torontonian, there is nowhere I'd rather live. This is a vibrant, dog- and people-friendly area with magnificent and adored Victorian houses and gardens. As one of the city's first working-class immigrant neighborhoods, it has a storied history and has been and remains home to many internationally famous writers, musicians and artists.

We will amble past spectacularly cared-for homes, Riverdale Farm, visit the final resting place of Toronto's founders, sneak down laneways for peeks at hidden homes, and talk about the famous and infamous who've passed through.

Starting and ending at the Jet Fuel Coffee Shop, the neighborhood hangout for residents and cyclists, we will set out on this two-hour adventure through time. Plus, as a former entertainment reporter and producer, I'd be thrilled to give you recommendations and tips to maximize your adventure in the city.

What's included

Admission to the Riverdale Farm + Necropolis

Coffee and food

What to expect

Cabbagetown
1h 30m

Meet at the Jet Fuel Coffee shop (519 Parliament Street), a 30+ year neighbhourhood clubhouse for locals and cyclists then set out on a tour through the storied streets of the largest remaining Victorian neighbourhood in North America.
Amble down tree-lined streets in his heritage area with houses dating from the 1880s. Learn the storied history of Toronto's founding and about the fame and folly of the area with special detours into secret laneways. This leisurely neighborhood walking tour will cover approximately 4kms.
Riverdale Farm
15m

Site of the of the former Toronto Zoo which was converted to a public farm in 1978.
Toronto Necropolis
15m

Visit one of Toronto's oldest cemeteries, a beautiful treed space and the resting place of many notable Canadians.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Walk south on Parliament Street approximately 1km from Castle Frank Subway Station
or from the 506 Carlton Streetcar Eastbound, exit at Parliament Street, and walk north half a block. It's on the east side of Parliament Street.

End point

Walk south on Parliament Street approximately 1km from Castle Frank Subway Station
or from the 506 Carlton Streetcar Eastbound, exit at Parliament Street, and walk north half a block. It's on the east side of Parliament Street.

Additional information

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

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