One of my fun summer travel experiences was visiting Toronto for the first time! As an American, Canada presents a wonderful opportunity to explore a different country without having to travel too far. Our neighbors to the north have no shortage of beautiful and intriguing destinations to explore. As a baseball fan, Toronto had been on my radar as it’s the only city outside of the U.S. with a Major League Baseball team.
After visiting Toronto for the first time, I can share some tips and ideas to make your visit there a memorable success! Overall, there are many similarities between Toronto and most large cities in the U.S. In fact, if you’re just now starting to navigate travel beyond our borders, it’s a great place to dip your toes in the water without too much of a culture shock.
1. Getting To And Around Toronto
Flying into Toronto is pretty easy for most of the U.S. – especially if you’re in the midwest or east coast. Toronto Pearson Airport is the city’s main airport and is relatively easy to navigate. Unfortunately, the airport is at least 30 minutes away from downtown and longer if there’s traffic. (I learned quickly that you can always bank of there being traffic in Toronto.)
You’ll have the same ride-sharing options that you have in the U.S. though my Uber app didn’t work in Canada. However, Lyft worked just fine. Better to have both downloaded before you get there, just in case. There are also public transportation options to get downtown including the UP Express train which can take you to Union Station.
Despite being a large city, I found Toronto to be very walkable. In fact, I walked almost everywhere instead of using Uber or the local trolley system. It’s just a great way to experience a city and I felt safe both during the day and at night. Having said that – bring some comfortable shoes because some of the walks were quite long.
2. Watching Your Favorite Baseball Team In Toronto
During my trip, I met lots of visitors from Detroit that were in town to watch the Tigers play against the Blue Jays during a series at Rogers Centre. Technically, every home game here offers a great opportunity for Americans visiting Toronto for the first time. The Blue Jays are always hosting teams from some of America’s most notable cities. Rogers Centre is a great venue for baseball with its retractable roof and great views of the field from most seats.
The stadium is also close to many of the city’s top attractions. If you’re staying at one of the popular downtown hotels like Marriott Centre Hotel – you can easily visit the CN Tower or take a guided harbour tour before the game starts. (Blue Jays tickets are usually pretty affordable and easy to come by as the team tends to be below average most seasons.)
3. Don’t Worry Too Much About Carrying Cash
It’s usually a good idea to have a little cash on hand when visiting another country. However, in four days – I never needed anything but a credit card. Rogers Centre appeared to be cashless; Uber only takes credit card obviously; every restaurant wanted credit card; and even most of the street vendors I spotted took credit cards or digital payment. (Apple Pay, etc.)
4. Where To Find The Toronto Sign
If you’re a typical user of social media, you’ll likely want to know where to find the Toronto sign! It’s located in Nathan Phillips Square and is about a 20-25 minute walk from Rogers Centre or the CN Tower. It was very crowded with locals and tourists and good luck getting a picture without strangers lingering around you. Early in the morning or perhaps in cooler months, it may be less crowded. If you’re visiting Toronto for the first time, it’s still a must-visit to get that Instagram pic!
Another popular place for photos is Yonge-Dundas Square. It’s basically a smaller version of Times Square in New York City. There are large LED screens with advertisements, gift shops, and restaurants. One of my favorite local attractions, Little Canada is located there!
5. Visit The CN Tower Early In The Morning
I visit a lot of tourist attractions throughout the year and I was completely stunned by the long line of people waiting to go up into the CN Tower each day. The iconic observation tower is 1,815 feet tall and first opened in 1976. I’m no fan of lines so I decided to go first thing on a Monday morning when it opened at 9:30. If you’re like me – don’t wait around until later in the day. Do it early and get in line a little bit before the doors open.
6. Toronto Has Some Great Museums!
If you’re visiting Toronto for the first time, you’ll definitely want to check out some of their great museums! Obviously, the most notable museum is the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’m considered a fair-weather fan of the sport but still found the museum very interesting! They have all sorts of interactive exhibits and you can have a photo taken with the famous Stanley Cup.
If you enjoy art and culture, the Royal Ontario Museum is a world renowned collection of exhibits that are almost impossible to see in just one visit. For lovers of quirky attractions and fashion – the Bata Shoe Museum has thousands of shoes on display. The Casa Loma castle is also worth a visit! You’ll need to take an Uber if you’re staying downtown but it’s a beautiful property!
Destination Toronto has links to all of the city’s top museums and galleries.
7. My Favorite Toronto Tourist Attraction Is…
I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved visiting a tourist attraction in Toronto called Little Canada! This place was so cool! In a nutshell, you explore a miniature version of Canada that is so incredible impressive. The details on buildings, the lights, the moving cars that even use turn signals, and hidden scenes that you nearly miss if you don’t look closely.
It’s also a great educational tool if you’re visiting Toronto for the first time and learning about the landscape of the entire country. You’ll see everything from cities to landmarks like Niagara Falls and National Parks.
8. Definitely Take A Boat Tour!
I decided to try an excursion on a Toronto Harbour Tour during my visit. It was a really enjoyable 45 minute ride that gave great views of the skyline. The guide also did a nice job of sharing some historical information about some of the city’s buildings and landmarks.If it’s your first time visiting Toronto, it’s a great way to see the skyline and take some cool photos. You’ll also navigate through these cool islands directly across from Toronto.
9. Don’t Ask For Iced Tea!
I should absolutely know better but I asked for iced tea while I was in Toronto and boy was that a mistake. The server brought out some disgusting thick sugary beverage that I couldn’t stomach. (Being so close to the U.S. – I thought maybe “iced tea” had made its way across the border. Negative on that one.
If you’re looking for local flavors and food – consider visiting St. Lawerence Market!
10. Sorry. Tim Horton’s Is Overrated (Probably.)
Tim Horton’s in Toronto is sort of like Dunkin’ Donuts in Boston – they are on nearly every corner. They serve coffee and donuts. I’d heard people rave about Tim Horton’s, so I had to give it a try. The verdict? Eh. Not that impressed. The donuts were no better than one of our donut chains in the U.S. and less impressive than a local donut shop.
However, I can’t speak for the coffee as I’m not a coffee drinker. I’ve heard that the coffee is quite good, so if that’s your thing – you might still consider giving them a whirl.