If you’re anything like me, you have a long list of countries you would like to visit…Canada did not make my list until 2018. I’d always considered it too similar to the USA and didn’t have a desire to visit, until I saw pictures of a friend’s holiday at Banff National Park, Alberta. The beauty and majesty of the landscapes totally blew my mind and Canada catapulted its way towards the top of my travel wishlist.
I made my way to Canada in August 2022. My first stop was Toronto, because I’d received a kind invite from my childhood friend Mabel (Mae). She and her family were the ultimate hosts. They were utterly welcoming and went the extra mile to show me a lovely time. I was especially excited to be fed by her; having salivated over pictures of her dishes for years. Her cooking exceeded all expectations. She’s an extraordinarily wonderful person and you should check out her blog ‘Good Living with Mae’ where she discusses all things PCOS, shares her amazing recipes and inspires mothers to be their best selves.
My first full day in Toronto happened to be Mabel’s husband’s birthday and she’d chartered a yacht for a sunset cruise. The three-hour cruise was a fantastic way to explore Lake Ontario, and enjoy views of the city. The catering was excellent – drinks overflowed, as did scrumptious food. The kids braved the water while most of the adults preferred the safety of the cabin, belting out tunes and busting out moves to afrobeats. We had a wonderful evening and the only thing that would’ve made it more perfect was if we had been blessed with some sunshine!
The next morning, I set off to explore downtown Toronto. My honest first impression is that Toronto is not a pretty city. There is a mishmash of buildings with uninspiring architecture, skyscrapers interspersed with smaller brick houses and lots of cranes overhead signalling even more commercial and residential construction. Its saving grace is there are lots of parks and greenspaces and it’s set on the shores of the beautiful Lake Ontario. Places that stood out:
The Distillery District – this very hip neighbourhood arose from the ashes of one of the oldest industrial areas in the city. It has beautifully restored Viictorian buildings, cobblestone streets and is packed with boutique shops, fantastic eateries and a selection of galleries. It has a European feel to it. I particularly enjoyed exploring the street art installations and trying a selection of ice-cream and desserts from the many dessert shops. I would recommend spending an afternoon here.
The Waterfront – this neighbourhood on the northern shore of Lake Ontario has scenic parks and picturesque beaches mixed in with activity centres, businesses and residential properties. The promenade and trails are perfect for wandering along the harbour, and there are lookout spots that allow glimpses of the city skyline on one side and Toronto islands on the other.
Toronto is blessed with great museums (Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum for example) and attractions (CN tower – its observation decks and skypod often top the list of things to do in Toronto, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada etc). I explored the former and skipped the latter. I would definitely recommend the Royal Ontario Museum. It has everything from natural history (including dinosaurs) to art and culture. I especially enjoyed the ‘First Peoples’ gallery which told the stories of the Indigenous tribes and their culture through time. If you’re hoping for a cameo in your favourite TV show, hang out in Queen’s Park! I stumbled on the production of ‘Working Moms’ while walking through the park and was excited at that possibility. Spoiler alert, I wasn’t in the final cut.
On day three, I made my way to the Toronto Islands. If you only do one thing in Toronto, you have to explore the Toronto Islands! It was by far my favourite activity of the trip. So much so that I’m going to have to write a separate blog post to describe my visit. (Come back next week for that post).
Later that day, I headed to the CNE, Canadian National Exhibition. This huge fair is held annually and takes place over the last couple of weeks of summer; it is a ritual for residents of Ontario. It has everything you could wish for at a fair – games & rides, food, magic shows, concerts and so much more. I met up with a high school friend, Sofiat and her daughter, and we spent an enjoyable few hours together. I have to confess it felt like the whole of Toronto had descended on the exhibition that weekend, it took us over an hour to queue for one ride! Despite this, I would totally recommend getting tickets to the CNE if it’s on when you visit Toronto; but please go during the week. I still salivate when I think about all the different types and unusual flavours of foods we tried that day – deep fried cookie dough became my favourite dessert in the world!
On my last day in Toronto, I headed to Niagara Falls. Located across Lake Ontario from the city, it took a couple of hours to get there (on public transport). This was my second visit to the Falls. On the first trip, almost 11 years earlier, I had experienced the Falls from the American side and had taken the ‘Maid of the Mist’ tour to get pretty close to them. The Falls are said to be more beautiful from Canada, as the view (of the American skyline) is unspoiled by the profusion of hotels and resort buildings that line the periphery of the Falls in Canada. So I knew I had to check it out.
Niagara Falls has the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world. It is actually made up of three different waterfalls – American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. I spent most of my time observing the falls from different viewpoints along the promenade of the park. There are also options to get a bird’s eye view, from Skylon Tower or Niagara Skywheel.
I was as impressed by the sheer power and ferocity of the Falls the second time around as I had been on my first trip however, I do have to confess that I was less awestruck this time round. The experience felt quite touristy and lacked charm. I couldn’t help comparing it to my experience of visiting Iguazu Falls in Argentina where you are able to wander through the lush green rainforest on many different trails and get up close and personal with some of the 275 waterfalls.
I would recommend taking a boat tour on your first visit to Niagara Falls, and if possible try and see it from both countries. It’s fairly straightforward to cross the border. Unfortunately I didn’t have the time to do so on this trip but I was excited to have a foot each in both countries, at the International Boundary Line.
I enjoyed my time in Toronto, more so because I got to spend time with friends than because I think it is a great tourist destination. However, of the cities I visited in Canada, Toronto was the most culturally diverse, had endless activities, lovely parks and beaches, great transport options and of course, the beautiful Lake Ontario. So I’d say it’s worth a pit stop.
Visited August 2022.
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