Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we visit Toronto, Canada, an awesome city with so many amazing things to do and sights to check out! As you know, here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new travel destination. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate on your Toronto vacation.
Hate #1: Driving & Parking in Toronto
Toronto is the largest city in Canada, with over six million people living in the metropolitan area That’s a lot of traffic! As with any big city, expect to fight traffic, especially if you are trying to drive at rush hour. Once you get downtown, it can be nearly impossible to find parking and once you do find parking, it’s super expensive. Fortunately, Toronto has a good metro system, so you can park your car at your hotel and just use public transportation to get around during your Toronto vacation. Also, have a heads up when you are driving downtown as we have seen more than our fair share of fender benders just walking around downtown Toronto.
Love #1: Culture & Entertainment
As a huge city, there are a ton of interesting things to do in Toronto. The nightlife and restaurants are fantastic. They have amazing museums, including the Royal Ontario Museum. There’s also the Art Gallery of Ontario and they even have a shoe museum in Toronto. The Stanley Cup lives at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. No matter your travel style, you’ll never run out of things to do in Toronto. And that is not even getting into the markets and shopping.
Hate #2: Prices in Toronto
As with many large cities, Toronto is expensive. Toronto hotels, parking, and restaurants are on the pricier side, but since it’s such a large city, there are plenty of options to choose from. If you want to, you can find deals in Toronto, especially on food. Check out Chinatown, Little Italy and the St. Lawrence Market where you can get tasty food without spending a fortune.
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Love #2: Toronto Outdoor Activities
Although it’s a huge city, Toronto has a lot of green space and outdoor activities. Take a ferry over to Center Island, which is car-free, so you can rent bikes and explore the island. Niagara Falls is an easy day trip from Toronto, and Lake Ontario is right here, so there are lots of activities on the lake. In the summer, everyone loves to be outside, so you’ll also have outdoor cafes, outdoor markets and tons of fun street festivals.
Hate #3: Construction & Delays
It seems like there is always construction in Toronto. Between buildings and roads, it can feel like one big construction site. This makes driving and parking even more frustrating than normal because it can disrupt the traffic flow, cause traffic delays and result in fewer parking spots available. Even public transportation can be affected by construction delays, so give yourself a bit of extra time to get around during your Toronto vacation.
Love #3: Toronto Neighborhoods
One of the best things to do in Toronto is just wandering the various districts. There are so many interesting and unique districts in Toronto, from the financial district to Chinatown. There’s even a district underground where you can use tunnels to get around the city when it’s cold outside. There’s the waterfront area and islands to explore as well. Make sure you get out and explore some of the neighboring districts to get a feel for the “real” Toronto.
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Hate #4: Not as Walkable as You’d Expect
Most people don’t associate Canada with huge cities, so it’s kind of a shock how large Toronto really is. Even when you look at a map of Toronto, it seems like it would be pretty walkable, but it’s not. Toronto is actually huge, and it takes a lot longer to get from one place to another if you are walking. Fortunately, the streetcars and the subway are convenient and easy to use, so you don’t have to walk everywhere.
Love #4: Toronto Small Businesses
As you explore the various districts of Toronto, you’ll see that there are a lot of independent businesses to check out. You don’t have to just frequent the chains, as there are small boutiques, pubs, and restaurants that independently owned, which is always our preference when traveling. And the local business owners seem to appreciate the business a bit more than some of the chain stores.
Hate #5: Summertime Crowds in Toronto
As one of the largest cities in North America, Toronto is crowded! It’s the financial center of Canada, and there are tons of people who work downtown and live in the metropolitan area. Then you add all of the tourists who visit Toronto in the summer, and it can be really crowded. There are lines to get into Toronto attractions, lines for the ferries and of course, this also leads to traffic and parking problems. If you plan to visit Toronto in the summer, make sure you are planning ahead and booking your hotel, rental car, and excursions in advance.
Love #5: Toronto City Vibe
The overall vibe in Toronto is just cool. The architecture is interesting (hello CN Tower), the attractions are great for tourists, and the history is pretty cool, too. There’s a great mix of sports, entertainment, and art that make Toronto such a neat place. The people are what really give Toronto a good vibe. Canadians are great, so it’s fun to visit such a large city where people are so friendly.
There are so many fun things to do in Toronto. It’s one of our favorite cities in North America. The “hates” are really just things to have a heads up on rather than a reason not to plan a trip to Toronto. Want more tips for planning a Canada vacation? Check out these other blog posts: