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Elegant 1851 Georgian farmhouse (see Gibson House Museum).

While North York is a relentlessly modern part of the city, it is also home to this historic gem – an elegant Georgian farmhouse built in 1851. The original owner, land surveyor and mapper David Gibson, was a leader of the Upper Canada Rebellion in 1837 who was forced to flee to the US when the uprising failed. Following his pardon, Gibson returned and built this home for his wife and seven children. The museum hosts guided tours and also holds classes in such forgotten arts as hearth-cooking.

This unconventionally named and decorated restaurant (a huge plaster nose hangs outside the former bank) specializes in great-value southern Italian fare. Open kitchen.

CBC, Canada’s national broadcaster, records for-radio musical performances, from classical to jazz, in this small studio named after the famous concert pianist.

Just south of Chinatown, this hostel has its own lively in-house bar and an outdoor patio. Beds are in dorms, rooms for four, or a few private rooms. Bathrooms are shared.

Founded in 1827, this town on the shores of Lake Huron has a rich marine history and fine Victorian architecture. Its downtown streets radiate from an unusual octagonal “square,” at the center of which is the town hall (1890). The Huron County Museum has a superb collection of old farm equipment and military artifacts. Other stops of interest include the Huron Historic Gaol, a jail built 1839–42; an 1847 lighthouse; and a marine museum in an old lake freighter, open seasonally.

The combinations at this friendly Annex spot are unusual but highly successful. Try their signature beet ravioli with curry-cream sauce.

The famous Glen Abbey is just 30 minutes west of Toronto; there are also five golf courses in the city.

Rooms and suites in this large boutique hotel are spacious and luxuriously furnished; some have private terraces. Features include an opulent pool, a huge rooftop patio with two whirlpools and spectacular city views, a spa and fitness club, a business center, and meeting rooms.