1) Support local farmers, play your part in helping our planet—visit the Fresh Wednesdays farmers market every Wednesday ( 10 am to 2 p.m. ) at Nathan Phillips Square from July 9^th through August 27^th.   While you shop (or after you sit down to enjoy of taste of what you’ve just purchased), enjoy live noon-hour concerts in the square. 

2) No time to shop during your lunch hour?  Visit the square on Thursdays instead.  Every week throughout July and August, local restaurants bring a sampling of their culinary creations to Nathan Phillips Square from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.   The best part… you can dine for $5 or less!  The other best part… you can listen to some great live music at the same time. 

3) Beaches International Jazz Festival- July 16 to the 25^th… food, fun and music.  The streets of the Beach will be crowded full of people groovin’ to the music. It’s like attending a three kilometer long concert! www.beachesjazz.com   If the weather is nice enough, why not head down a little early and take a dip in the lake?

4) Go to the Toronto Islands !  No time to get away this summer?  Hop on the Ferry to the islands close to home.  So close to the city, yet you’ll feel so far away.  You can rent a bike for the afternoon, pack a picnic, join a pick-up volleyball game or take a swim at one of the beaches.  There are manicured gardens to visit, Centerville (a mini-amusement park) to conquer and wooden boardwalks to stroll along.  Lots of great fun to be had by people young and old!

5) See the Toronto sights… on bikes!  Sights On Bikes is a local company that offers narrated/guided tours of the best places to visit in our city.  Tours range from 2 to almost 5 hours and cost between 35 and 60 dollars.  They even have a team-based “Amazing Race” style tour of Toronto ! http://www.sightsonbikes.com/index.html

6) Take a Discovery Walk! http://www.toronto.ca/parks/recreation_facilities/discovery_walks/discover_index.htm  Discovery Walks is a series of self-guided walks that will expose you to urban and natural highlights and to the many unique neighbourhoods that make up the city of Toronto .  PDF brochures are available for free downloading on the Toronto Parks and Rec site. 

Adventures Beyond Toronto:

7) Visit Wasaga Beach and take a dip in Nottawasaga Bay!

8) Enjoy stargazing at Gordon's Park.

9) Take a sightseeing tour of Parry Sound from the air!

10) Go for a walk in the trees.

BONUS-- Join a submersible expedition dive to view the Titanic (if you have an extra $39000 lying around!--It seems to be up in the air if they are still running these. Let us know if you have more information.)