As one of the coolest, student-friendly areas in Toronto, the Annex is a great place for being casual and relaxing, or meeting new, interesting people and being social. Bordering the University of Toronto, the neighbourhood around it understands that student wallets aren’t the biggest, and as such have great venues for very reasonable prices. Bloor is a great place to walk up and down and sports fantastic stores and restaurants. Here are some great things to go see in the Annex when you’re looking for a new spot in Toronto to check out.

U of T campus                                        

Whether you want to go to the Art Centre and see some great pieces or simply walk around the grounds, the University is actually a super beautiful spot and a great place to hang out in the Annex. Queen’s Park is huge and gorgeous, especially around this time of year (just wait until it really becomes fall, so you see all those amazing colours!). If you can, you can even catch a great show at the Royal Conservatory of Music and hear some absolutely phenomenal music. It seems a little counter-intuitive to spend time relaxing on campus, but there are certainly worse places to go than somewhere with so much to see and do!

Koerner Hall

For your fix of pure culture and fantastic performances, Koerner Hall is a classic ‘shoebox’ venue modelled after European theatres that try to establish acoustic perfection, and every time you come here to see classical, opera, or even a pop performance, you’ll easily be able to tell the difference. Whenever you’re in the mood for a satisfying, artful experience, seeing one of the many events at the hall is a great way to spend an evening!

Honest Ed’s

Let out your inner tourist and go to one of the best discount megastores in the country! Honest Ed’s is named after the original owner, Ed Mirvish, and sells all kinds of things at great prices. The store itself has been shown in movies like The Long Kiss Goodnight and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and is an easily identifiable landmark in the neighbourhood (who could miss the huge signs?) It’s okay to be a consumer every now and then, and why not keep it local if you do? A Toronto staple, this establishment will be around for years to come and is tons of fun to go check out – especially at night!