1. David Dunlap Observatory

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Richmond Hill, ON

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David Dunlap Observatory

3.0 (2 reviews)

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4 years ago

It sucked they told us we would us the telescope but when we got there we didn't get to they scammed us.

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11 years ago

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Observatory Place Plaza

Observatory Place Plaza

3.0(2 reviews)
0.9 km

Good location, free parking on Yonge street. Very busy plaza. Great management, fair pricing.read more

The building management is the worst!…read more It is currently 24 degrees celsius outside, but I am shivering and my students have had parents come and drop off extra layers of clothing because the air conditioning is BLASTING. When the building manager has been asked to turn it down a little he simply turns it off, and the units become too hot. The situation is the same in the winter, when he merely cranks the heat to max and leaves it. Despite many of the tenants trying to explain the issue to the manager, the problem persists, and is chronic in both summer and winter. Beyond thermostat incompetence, he is also extremely rude. The two occasions I have been unfortunate to have dealt with him directly will hopefully be the only ones. The first was when one of the urinals in our floor's bathroom had been clogged with toilet paper, and he complained at length to our receptionist, blaming our students for the issue. I admitted, however unlikely, that it was possible one of our kids was to blame, but asked if he had also raised his concern with the other school on our floor, which consisted exclusively of teenagers who had, at that time, been in the process of noisily moving all of their office materials out of the building - presumably to one better managed. Instead of listening to or even acknowledging the possibility, he waived off my question and gave an insultingly patronizing brush-off response. My most recent (and hopefully last) interaction with him was a month or two ago, when I arrived at the building to teach a class at 9am and the doors were locked, despite several of the units inside already being open. I saw the manager at the other set of doors, spraying down the windows, so I walked around and asked politely if he could let me in so I could teach my class on time, to which he replied: "The building opens at 10." I told him that I understood his policy, but since he knew I worked there, and it would be very inconvenient for someone to come all the way downstairs to let me in from inside, I asked if he could just let me in with the keys dangling from his belt. Instead of doing that, or even saying that policy prevented him from doing so, he dropped the hose and walked away while muttering to himself. I don't know if famiy nepotism or blind ignorance on the part of the building owner is the reason this man is still employed, but the result is the same, and abysmal. As to janitorial staff, I'd suggest they be replaced too, but I don't think they exist...

CN Tower - CN Tower by Union station

CN Tower

3.9(1.1k reviews)
24.6 km•Entertainment District, Waterfront Communities-The Island

An Incredible Experience with Breathtaking Views!…read more Visiting the CN Tower was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Toronto! The experience starts with the incredibly fast elevator ride to the observation deck, which is impressive on its own. Once you reach the top, the panoramic views are absolutely breathtaking! You get spectacular 360-degree views of the entire city, Lake Ontario, the airport, and the surrounding areas. Seeing Toronto from such an incredible height is truly unforgettable. The whole experience was amazing and absolutely worth the visit. If you're in Toronto, this is definitely one of those attractions you shouldn't miss. Highly recommended!

I've been up a lot of towers in my life...Seattle Space Needle, Reunion Tower, Tokyo Skytree,…read moreEiffel Tower, Sky Tower, Stratosphere...but CN Tower is a really amazing and taller than all but Tokyo! If you're fortunate like me and visit on a clear sunny day, you can see for 20+ miles onto Lake ONTARIO and more! Added bonus is that the food and drink all appear to be reasonably priced, and it does look quite good! CN is the 3rd tallest tower in the world, behind Canton Tower and Tokyo Skytree...its incredible! Be sure to purchase tickets in advance, otherwise there can be a 2+ hour wait on busy weekends.

Photos
CN Tower - Rogers Centre with the CN Tower

Rogers Centre with the CN Tower

CN Tower - Light view of the city from CN Tower

Light view of the city from CN Tower

CN Tower - 2025.07.18

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2025.07.18

Le Grande Hermine - Le Grande Hermine

Le Grande Hermine

3.0(4 reviews)
75.6 km

I can't say that I have reviewed a shipwreck before. Ships, a beach with a ship, sure. But this is…read morespecifically a ship. Thanks to Atlas Obscura for pointing it out. The original Grande Hermine was a three masted carrack from the 1500's. It was the second ship Jacques Cartier used when exploring the St. Lawrence River. An authentic wooden replica was built for the 1967 Montreal Expo event and it was a centerpiece of a Quebec City park. That one did not survive too many Canadian winters before it had to be dismantled. And that brings us to this one. Built in 1914 in Lauzon Quebec as a ferry boat, Le Progrès sailed between Trois-Rivières and Ste-Angèle from 1914 until 1955. A couple of name changes and role changes later, she was acquired and renamed, towed to here and abandoned. Later a suspected arson destroyed much of the ship. It used to be visible from the highway, a marker that you were getting close to Niagara Falls. But the masts are gone and the ship continues, listing somewhat to port side. Brave (or foolhardy) folks still board it for fun. It is quite visible from the shore though it's not a handicapped accessible path. Still worth checking out for what it is - a former glory that won't last forever. [Review 1475 of 2024 - 152 in Ontario - 22498 overall]

Nice little spot off the highway. Good place to relax, take a small walk, rent a boat or even check…read moreout an Antique Market.

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Le Grande Hermine - Le Grande Hermine

Le Grande Hermine

Le Grande Hermine - Le Grande Hermine

Le Grande Hermine

Le Grande Hermine - Le Grande Hermine

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Le Grande Hermine

Richmond Hill David Dunlop Observatory - Sticker souvenir

Richmond Hill David Dunlop Observatory

5.0(1 review)
0.1 km

I'm not quite sure now how I came to learn about the RHDDO, but I sure am glad I did, somehow…read more Possibly it was due to the fact that Astronomy Day was coming up. My husband and daughter enjoy astronomy, so when I saw that we had an observatory with a special event, I jumped on the opportunity to take them there and find out all about this underappreciated venue. The facility was constructed back in the 1930's (opened in 1935.) At that time, Richmond Hill was the boonies, and light pollution was not an issue. Times have changed, of course. It is still situated in a large park, but you would never know it's hiding behind some trees when you drive up on Yonge Street and right past the perimeter. There is plenty of free parking, which is a nice bonus. The services are provided by volunteers, associated with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (or, rascals, as they like to call themselves.) David Dunlop's widow gifted the observatory to the University of Toronto. The main hall does indeed look just like an academic building you'd see in a British film. The beauty of the building lends itself well to its being available to be booked for private functions, including overnights just like a cinematic Night at the Museum. When you want to visit for lectures and events such as the one we went to, you need to book through the City of Richmond Hill. I had to create not only an account, but a profile for every one of us attending. It was a rather laborious task just to buy a ticket, but it's a one-time-only setup that covers us for all City of Richmond Hill programs at any of their facilities in future. Once I finally got through the work of creating an account and filling out our profiles, I purchased the tickets, which came out to just under $20/person. When we arrived for the evening's program, we were greeted by staff who gave us wristbands after checking us off the guest list. We were directed to the lecture room, and greeted by Quintin, our lecturer and one of several hosts for the evening. We were advised that we would be broken up into 2 groups in order to facilitate use of the telescopes outside, and visual presentation in another upstairs room. We came at a rather unfortunate time in that the dome was undergoing maintenance, so we would not be experiencing the main telescope (which is the largest in Canada and at one point was the second largest in the world) The volunteers actually provided their own personal scopes for us to use. It was a cloudy night, so we didn't see much besides the moon, but at least it wasn't raining, too windy, or too cold. This is one issue that you can't avoid when buying tickets: you will be at the mercy of the weather, and events will proceed rain or shine on their scheduled date. When we switched groups to move from the lawn to the upstairs room for the main lecture, we were warned that the room tends to be very warm. Luckily, just down the hall, there is a water dispenser that provided what has to be the cleanest, coldest, public water fountain I have ever experienced. It was highly appreciated. The ladies' washrooms were in the other direction down the hall. Again, the beauty of this building is not diminished by its age - if anything, it's enhanced by its period feel. Quintin's lecture was based around some astronomy apps that we learned about and anyone can use. He used the visuals to discuss planets, astronomical phenomena, and other subjects we ourselves brought up. He was able to answer just about every question we had, and if he wasn't 100% sure, he added where he believed the answer could be verified. If university classes were all this cool, we'd never graduate and just keep staying. Shoutout as well to the several other volunteers who provided telescopes and pointers out on the lawn. I am so glad I found out about this hidden gem. Even if you're not into astronomy, the surrounding park is an oasis of nature, and the venue is a beautiful option to be rented for parties and photography events. When the dome maintenance is finished, we definitely plan to return for the full experience.

Photos
Richmond Hill David Dunlop Observatory - Out on the lawn for a telescope lesson

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Out on the lawn for a telescope lesson

David Dunlap Observatory - observatories - Updated October 2026

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