10 best Toronto places to get down on a knee
1. CASA LOMA CONSERVATORY There is no better proposal venue for the Cinderella type than Toronto’s only castle, said engagement and wedding planner Crystal Adair-benning. The conservatory by the fountain is a particularly romantic spot and it’s where some couples choose to have their wedding ceremonies, she said. The castle is a maze of towers, stables, tunnels, decorated suites and a beautiful five-acre garden. What more could a princess bride ask?
2. YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE If you’re not shy and want your engagement to go viral and be very public, this is the busiest and most visible place in the city, said Adair-- Benning. And if you’re looking for an audience, it would be impossible not to get one near one of Toronto’s busiest intersections. An added bonus would be to find a way to get it broadcast on some of the many screens suspended from the building above.
3. HIGH PARK GRENADIER POND The much visited park has ponds and pathways that are perfect for whatever you’re planning, from romantic picnics to scenic views, said Adair-benning. Grenadier Pond is especially picturesque and the ideal spot to get down on one knee and ask for one’s hand in marriage. It’s a particularly gallant gesture when done amongst the greenery or atop a picnic blanket. 4. HUMBER BAY PARK BUTTERFLY HABITAT This Etobicoke Waterfront Park has one of the best vantage points of the skyline in Toronto and is typically private, said Adair-benning. The butterfly habitat is the first of its kind to have large areas devoted exclusively to native plants.
5. CN TOWER’S 360 RESTAURANT The top of Toronto’s tower offers the closest thing to being on top of the world the city can provide, said Adair-benning. The tower’s famed restaurant provides views of the city and is particular romantic at night. The rooftop lounge at the Park Hyatt, which overlooks the entire city and Panorama Lounge at Manulife Centre are two other proposal venues for someone looking for a city view, said Alison Mcgill, editor-in-chief of Wedding
bells magazine. 6. TORONTO ISLAND ST. ANDREWS BY THE LAKE CHURCH You can head across the water to the islands for a great view of the city and a unique proposal spot. Adair-benning calls this an island retreat for the work-weary that could include a perfect day — complete with ferry rides, bike paths and a sweet little chapel. The church, which was built in1884, has white-washed walls, a brown roof and famed stain-glass windows. It provides a picturesque backdrop to a waterside proposal. 7. NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE SKATING RINK Nathan Phillips Square in the winter, and especially at holiday time when the main tree is lit up, is a popular Toronto proposal spot, according to Mcgill and her team. This is another busy city landmark for those who want to declare their love to all the world, usually in front of a crowd of onlookers.
8. SASSAFRAZ This popular fine-dining restaurant is one of many in Yorkville that makes for an upscale proposal setting. It’s known for its atmosphere and beautiful design including hardwood floors, an airy garden feel, and a modern waterfall. Intimate and romantic at night, the restaurant also has a private room you can step into to ask the question if you don’t want to do it in front of other diners. Staff say they see proposals at the restaurant quite often.
9. DISTILLERY DISTRICT With its cobblestone streets and iron lamp posts, the Distillery District is a throwback to more romantic era in the city. Mcgill and her editors list it as one of the city ’s most popular proposal spots. It’s also a great place for a wedding.
“Even though you are just outside the heart of Toronto’s downtown core, the Distillery District makes you feel like you’ve been swept away to a small European town,” said fashion designer Diego Fuchs, who had his engagement photos taken there and later his wedding. Potential suitors can plan a meal at one of the many restaurants in the area and then take a private stroll through the streets, culminating in the perfect proposal. 10. TORONTO MUSIC GARDEN AT THE HARBOURFRONT Mcgill and her editors listed Harbourfront as another great proposal destination. With its maze of circular paths and hidden corners, the Toronto Music Garden, right by the water, is a particularly romantic spot.
Inspired by Bach’s “Suite No. 1 in G Major,” the park was designed by internationally renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, with help from city landscape architects.
If you’re here in the Music Garden summer, you might catch one of the live music performances — a romantic backdrop for one of the most important questions of your life.