Why to visit Queen West
From east to west, Queen Street runs through Toronto. Given its length and the fact that the Queen streetcar allows you to travel the whole length of the street, it's no surprise that Queen Street is speckled with neighbourhoods with distinct personalities and stores ranging from mega-retailers to mom-and-pop shops. Queen West offers fantastic boutique shopping, vintage furniture and apparel, and an almost overwhelming variety of fantastic dining alternatives.
Queen Street West has several interesting facts.
• John Graves Simcoe, who planned out York for the first time, named Queen Street Lot St.
• The 501 Queen line is the world's longest streetcar route.
• The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto's oldest operational hotel, is located at Queen Street West and Gladstone Avenue.
• A public restroom near Queen and Spadina, built in the 1900s, is now buried.
• West Queen West was voted one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Vogue magazine.
How to get to Queen Street West?
Because of its central location, Queen West is accessible by both public transportation and vehicle.
• By car - Take the Spadena Exit from Gardiner Expressway and go northbound.
• By TTC - From Line 1 to Queen or Osgoode subway station, then walk or take the 501 streetcar westbound.