Destination Toronto: It Welcomes You
Top 3 things to see in Toronto, Canada for a short trip.
I went to Toronto to visit relatives – uncles, aunts, and some cousins I’ve never met before. I’ve always heard it’s just like New York City. While I can see some parts of it being that way, I still say it’s not quite like New York City. What I have observed is that the city was overall friendlier than NYC. Less obnoxious people, less high-strung of a city. Everything about NYC is everything that it should be – no other city is like NYC. But just like New York City, Toronto is a multi-culturally diverse city – different languages, colors, sizes, shapes. I saw A LOT of Filipinos.
…And while Toronto is vibrant and buzzing city just like New York City, there’s a sense of ease, chill vibe to it. Certain parts of it reminded me of Manila, Philippines. Some parts are dirty, and too crowded.
I was in Toronto during the Pan-Am Games. So I saw how busy the city was. And though it was quite crowded, my visit to Toronto was delightful having seen relatives I haven’t seen in years, meeting cousins for the first time, and simply exploring the city.
Though my stay in Toronto was limited, these were the top three things I made sure I was able to check out:
CN Tower
If you want to capture all of Toronto, the CN tower by the Harbourfront is the best place to do so. The iconic tower provides you with astonishing views of the city through its glass elevators that go up 553m. It’s one of the things that you just have to do when you’re in Toronto. It used to be the tallest free-standing structure.
Tip: Book in advance to get your tickets. Because this is a very popular tourist destination, lines can go for as long as two hours in peak season. Click here to book your tickets in advance.
Downtown Toronto
Lastly, I made sure to explore the rest of downtown Toronto. Few things I did there:
I checked out their Old City Hall, a Romanesque courthouse located across Nathan Phillips Square.
Nathan Phillips Square was quite packed with some outdoor events during the Pan-Am games.
I shopped at the Hudson’s Bay – I just had to shop there because after all, Hudson’s Bay is headquartered in Toronto.
Checked out local coffee shops, and restaurants.
Niagara Falls
We did a side trip from Toronto to see the Niagara Falls, located at the border of Ontario, Canada and New York, United State. The drive was about an hour and a half (75 miles) with not much delays at all.
I have always heard that the view of Niagara Falls is better on the Canadian side, so I made sure to check it out. Whether it’s the USA or Canada that has the better view, I would say it’s not a bad view at all to watch a natural wonder – 150,000 gallons of water per second plunging more than 100ft. You can walk across the Rainbow Bridge between the two countries to check which view do you prefer best. Just make sure that you have your passport with you.
The place is pretty crowded but not too bad. We stayed until the sun went down and was able to watch the Falls come alive, in colorful lighting. It was quite lovely!
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Hi, I'm Shar! I started the outbounder as a place to share my adventures as I explore different places around the world, my love for different kinds of food, and a passion to capture a moment in time through photography.
