For all us poor bastards who aren’t flying south to some tacky all-inclusive, the Toronto Zoo (Meadowvale north of the 401, 416-932-5900, torontozoo.com) is basically the cheapest and best escape from the monotony of the Great White North.
The sprawling zoo grounds might look inhospitable, but the outdoor walkways lead to the lush tropical interiors of the Australasian, Indo-Malaysian and African pavilions, all hot, humid and full of crazy little monkeys, snakes and jungle cats, oh my! Or brave the chilly winds and hang out with the wolves and bears up in the Canadian domain. Bonus: the zoo is also cross-country-skier-friendly. ed
