I grew up in Toronto, so for most of my life, I genuinely believed it was just a standard city. You know, diverse, walkable, full of incredible food, layered with neighbourhoods that all felt like their own little worlds. I didn’t think twice about it. It was just where I lived.
Living somewhere for a long time sometimes means becoming desensitized to the not-so-normal stuff. Having nearly every kind of cuisine available practically 24/7? Hearing five different languages on your commute? Having a literal forest in the middle of the city? Yeah, not so normal.
The longer I’ve spent living in other places (like in small Ontario towns or abroad in other countries), the more I’ve realized that a lot of what I assumed was run-of-the-mill is actually kind of rare. Sometimes weird, and occasionally, really cool.
Escaping to an island in 15 minutes
The fact that the city has islands you can just escape to? Yeah, not so normal. And somehow, it’s really not something I saw as particularly special until after I left Toronto.
A quick ferry ride and suddenly you’re biking past quiet cottages, stretched out on a beach or staring back at the skyline like you’re seeing it for the first time.
It doesn’t feel real that you can go from downtown chaos to total calm in under 20 minutes. But in Toronto, it’s something you can just do on a random afternoon.
Entire neighbourhoods built around one culture
Little Italy, Chinatown, Greektown, Little India — Toronto doesn’t just have diversity, it organizes itself around it. In other cities, you might find a restaurant here or there. In Toronto, you get entire streets that feel like portals to other countries.
And it definitely raises your standards. You get used to a level of authenticity that’s hard to unlearn, especially when it comes to spice, flavour and the little details you don’t notice until they’re missing.
The east vs. west-end rivalry
No one officially explains the whole “which side is better” argument, but you pick a side at some point, regardless.
Often, it has to do with where you grew up, but switching teams isn’t unheard of. It’s not an aggressive rivalry, but it’s definitely a thing that feels pretty Toronto-specific.
The giant bird sanctuary
Tommy Thompson Park is technically a massive urban bird sanctuary. But growing up, it wasn’t framed that way. It was just the Spit. A long, kind of bizarre stretch of land where I’d go for bike rides sometimes.
It’s only later that I came to realize how unusual it is. It’s home to hundreds of bird species, especially during migration seasons. You can see massive colonies of cormorants nesting in trees and gulls taking over entire sections of the shoreline. And it’s all just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Gardiner.
The underground village that sprawls across downtown
The PATH is essentially a second version of the city where you can go about your day without really stepping outside — especially if you live or work downtown.
And in the winter, it goes from convenient to essential. When it’s -15 and dark by 5 p.m., being able to move between subway stations, office towers, coffee shops and lunch spots without facing the elements is *chef’s kiss.*
It’s definitely not all that normal in other places (at least not the ones I’ve visited so far).
Being able to eat at almost any hour
Full meals at 2 a.m. that aren’t just greasy survival food? That’s not universal. It’s a luxury Toronto is more than happy to provide.
It’s totally normal to finish a night out and still have options. Like, real options. Not just McDonald’s drive-thru runs. Actual meals you’d eat at a reasonable hour. (A special shoutout to Chinatown, where the late-night spots have saved me more than once.)
And a ravine system that cuts through the city
One minute you’re in the middle of a busy city, the next you’re surrounded by trees and wildlife (yes, coyotes are a thing in Toronto).
And it’s not just another park you plan a trip to. These ravines are woven into the city itself. You can stumble upon a trail entrance on what seems like a totally random street, follow it for a while, and completely forget you’re in a giant city.
Hearing multiple languages every time you leave the house
In Toronto, it’s completely normal to hear three, four, even five different languages on a single commute. It wasn’t until I left that I realized how compelling this aspect of the city is. Somewhere along the way, I even became fluent in “English as a second language” — slowing down, simplifying phrases and understanding people perfectly, regardless of pronunciation.
Now, for a local, all of that can seem pretty mundane. Just background noise, even. But when you step back a bit, it’s really amazing to see Toronto as the cultural melting pot it truly is. Because turns out, that level of everyday multiculturalism isn’t a given. Not even in other big cities (and especially not in small towns).
So much waterfront access
Toronto sits on Lake Ontario, which often feels a bit less like a lake and more like the sea because of how gigantic it is. And yet, the waterfront isn’t treated like some wild feature by the locals. It’s just there, doing its thing.
You can go to the beach, pick up sailing, hitch a ride on a seadoo, and hop on a ferry like it’s no big deal. But in landlocked cities and towns, it is a big deal.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
