Toronto: Everything You Want, But Just Across the Border

Lenny and I had a quandary. We passed on going to Europe this year because of what we deemed OUTRAGEOUS prices from Phoenix to Paris at $1200 per person. So Plans B and C were New York and Philadelphia respectively. But things were quickly falling through. New York…too expensive. Philly…crappy flights. I had blocked off 6 whole days of vacation at the end of July because we were supposed to go somewhere. Desperate, I declared to Lenny, “We ARE going on vacation.” But truthfully – I didn’t think it was going to happen. We were just over three weeks until my vacation time.

Then out of the blue, I get a call at work from Lenny, “Why not Toronto?” By the time we had done the research, booked the flights, and bought the travel books, I wondered: WHY DIDN’T WE THINK OF THIS BEFORE?

If you think everything in Canada is all about Canadian bacon, toques, and moose…you’re only partly right. It’s that and so much more! This century’s Canada is not merely a facsimile of it’s neighbor to the south. The country is booming with its own national pride that runs deep and redder than the maple leaf on its flag. Today’s Canada has all the modern conveniences of the U.S. with a decidedly less obsessive compulsive quality. Instead of stressing out at how they never have time for anything, our Canuck friends still put a lot of emphasis on community, culture, and growth.

Canada is no longer the forgotten middle child in the North American continent. It has become a country all on its own.

And there was no better place to start my education on Canadian culture than Toronto. How to describe the most metropolitan city in Canada? Think of it as New York…except cleaner. Or for an even better assessment, I will refer to what I said to Lenny in our 3-hour adventure in finding our hotel (LONG story):

“This place is the same…but it isn’t.”

Every place you look at in Toronto, you get the signs of a city booming with the cosmopolitan feel of a U.S. big city. But every other place, there are snippets of a European feel. You get the tall skyscrapers, mass transportation, and bustling commerce ala Dallas, New York, and Chicago. But hidden between and just outside them are pockets of artistry, the tastes of foreign cultures, and historic brick buildings like Paris, London, and Dublin. It can be a hodgepodge for sure – but Toronto does it’s best to balance things out.

It’s almost like Toronto is the best of everyone’s tastes. For first time travelers, it offers a Euro-style atmosphere without the language barrier and massively long flight. For families, it’s someplace your kids can appreciate as they cater to the tykes as well as the adults. For people on a budget – you really can’t beat the fact that Toronto is a walking city with great public transportation. For the high end traveler, the lure of luxury and shopping at lower base prices is a draw.

Toronto is a magnet for arts and culture worldwide, let a lone Canada, so there is always something to do or see. It is very much a city alive and on the rise. And for those who venture to visit it…a huge box of surprises.