Toronto, CA was my first international experience so it will always have a special place in my heart. It’s not just the sentimental value this trip holds for me that makes me want to go back to Toronto, the city has its own vibrant personality and in the short time I was there we built chemistry that left me wanting more. From the calm neighborhoods with brownstones and green space to the upbeat downtown area overflowing with things to do you can find the entertainment that’s just right for you. I connected with locals at breakfast on the first morning of my trip and they gave me a list of places to visit during my time there.

Places to visit

So of course I knocked out the tourist sites like The CN Tower to get the best views of the 6. And right across the street from there is Steam Whistle Brewing that offers tours of their brewery that includes generous pours, which is my type of entertainment. I also got a chance to walk down by the Harbor and attend a Barbadian festival celebrating the beginning of Carnival season which I also enjoyed and like about Toronto. The city is diverse and have embraced and infused other cultures as their own. The city host its own carnival celebration ,Caribana, normally around the beginning of August so that’s a great time to visit. People were dressed in the native threads and walking the streets and the park celebrating their culture to Soca music blasting and performers dancing on the stage. They had food vendors with grills blazing selling the native cuisine and other vendors with the essential Barbadian products. The festival was for all ages and full of excitement, you could feel the spirit of Barbados right there in Toronto. And since I was so close to Niagara Falls I took this opportunity to see it. It’s not in Toronto, but you can book transportation to and from the park. My friend I drove from Philadelphia so we were able to stop on the New York and Canadian side to see it from both angles, the Canadian side gives a better view.

Things to do

Toronto is a walkable city, not the whole thing in it’s entirety, but lots of areas are walkable and that’s a big deal for me when I travel. So there are several neighborhoods and areas suggested to visit in Toronto but the good thing is you don’t have to drive to every single place if you don’t mind walking. I visited Kensington street for their market they setup on the weekends. They block off the streets and merchants hit the sidewalks with a varieties of goods to sell. The stores are open as well, it’s kind of a garage sale of sorts so you can find great deals. I also walked graffiti alley which is a stretch of about a mile or two of graffiti painted on the side of buildings. This is where you can get a few unique shots to have your signature photos for the trip. There are also boutiques along the walkway on the opposite side of the alley so there’s more shopping available. There’s also the Distillery District that’s near the downtown area with a few distilleries to tour if you’re interested in local brews. And since Toronto is a a hot spot there are always concerts and shows taking place, so be sure to check for that while planning your trip to give you something else to work into your schedule. While I was the there The Weeknd was on tour and after the show of course after parties are buzzing all over town. We went by Apartment 200, a low key high key spot that carries the vibes everyone enjoys and tends to get a lot of celebrity traffic on any given night.

There’s so much more to Toronto that I didn’t have time to explore. I look forward to the next opportunity to visit to knock more places to visit off the list of places I compiled from the locals I connected with. For more info or suggestions of places to visit be sure to connect with us @WorldCitizensTravel or check out the Toronto story post.