I love that people want to visit Toronto. Really! I swear I do. The New York of the North, if you will. To me, it means you’re looking beyond the snowy winters, the maple syrup obsession, and the Niagara Falls photo ops.
But if you are going to come here, there are a few things you need to understand – because nothing exposes you faster as a tourist than doing any of these.
The following is a compilation of experiences and cannon moments here in the city that I (and many other Toronto locals) do not have the patience for anymore – and that’s coming from a Canadian! I mean, does it get any nicer?
#1. Let’s start with what you packed in your suit case
There’s this stigma that Canada is permanently freezing that I will never understand.
Yes, parts of Canada are cold. But there are parts of the states that are well within our temperature range, and, correct me if I’m wrong, I rarely hear anyone ask them if they ride moose to school.
Like many other countries across the globe, the weather in our great nation varies — for example, in Vancouver, with its endless grey rainy skies.
And much like Canada, many other countries get snow. Take Minnesota, for example. It could rival any Torontonian winter — if anything, they might actually get more snow. Toronto is basically on par with New York (give or take a few degrees).
Still, every year without fail, I see tourists dressed like they’re preparing for a snowstorm in the middle of June. It seems people aren’t checking the weather before they come here, and it shows. In the digital age of technology that we live in, where information is readily available at your fingertips, maybe just a glance at the weather before you pack your suitcase.
From April to October, you’re looking at anything from t-shirt-and-shorts weather to a light jacket and jeans at most. That’s it. That’s the range.
You will survive, I promise. You may even sweat.
#2. Trying to drive in the city
There used to be this amazing ad for the TTC you would see every time you got off the Allen: “You’re not sitting in traffic. You are traffic.”
For those of you not from Toronto, this was strategically placed in a spot in the city that was almost guaranteed to have you sitting in traffic.
I’m going to be honest with you, you should not be driving here. The city is congested enough without tourists deciding they’re suddenly capable of navigating Toronto traffic. Especially if you can’t tell them what a “Toronto left” is (the slightly unhinged and ingenious maneuver where drivers turn left immediately when the light turns green, cutting off oncoming traffic before it even has a chance to move).
It’s aggressive. It’s chaotic. And respectfully, you can’t keep up.
Add in the arbitrary rules like not being able to drive straight on parts of King Street, the constant construction on the Gardiner, and the streetcars stopping in the middle of the road – this is not the place to learn to drive, Canadian style.
Take public transit.
#3. Not standing on the right side of the escalator
Have you ever noticed they only put escalators in places where tourists like to go? Malls, airports, subways. And for some reason, people leave their hometown and have no idea how to behave. Etiquette goes out the window.
If you’ve ever been to the Toronto Eaton Centre or seen a picture of it online, you would know it’s extravagant. When you show up at the Eaton Centre, much like our traffic in Toronto, we mean business. In this hustle city we live in, the grind never stops, and that means neither do our hallways.
While you may want to ride the escalator up leisurely, some of us who aren’t on vacation but instead on our 40-minute lunch break need to pound some pavement. Therefore, holding up the escalator is unforgivable.
Here in Toronto, we stand on the right and walk on the left. That’s the rule. And I think it should be the unspoken rule in most places? And yet, somehow, people will stand side by side, fully blocking the escalator like they’re setting up camp.
We need to normalize having spatial awareness, even on vacation.
#4. Confusing Queen Street, the Queensway, and the Queens Quay
What if I told you these are all different places?
Because they are.
Toronto has:
- Queen Street
- The Queensway
- Queens Quay
- and if that wasn’t complicated enough, Queen’s Park
If I have to hear one more person say they thought “the Queensway” and the “Queens Quay” were the same because they thought it was pronounced “qway,” I’ll lose it.
Get a map. Please.
#5. Only eating at chains
This one personally offends me. When I was in Italy, nothing made me cringe more than overhearing an American family in the middle of Rome yelling, “I heard there was a Starbucks just around the corner.”
In ROME.
I turned to my friends and immediately said, “Please never let me be that level of North American.”
And then I come home to Toronto and see the same behaviour.
Toronto is a food hub, one of the best foodie cities in the world. We have incredible independent restaurants, bakeries, cafes – places you literally cannot experience anywhere else in the world. With the richly cultural communities we cultivate, you can point to anywhere on the globe and find a spot in the city that serves that cuisine and does it well.
We are not the U.S. People are not travelling here to eat at Raising Cane’s.
Look for the cool spots. Try something new. Take a risk.
Choosing a chain here isn’t just boring, it’s disrespectful.
#6. Treating bike lanes like bonus walking space
Toronto is trying very hard to be a bike city, and while Montreal might still have us beat, we really are making progress – the infrastructure itself is top of the line.
Meaning, bike lanes are not optional. They are not decorative. They are not extra sidewalk space. And yet people will wander into them, stop and take pictures.
Not only for my sake but also for your safety, please keep moving. The cyclists in Toronto may be a small community, but they are mighty, and they are not afraid to yell at you.
Trust me, I’ve seen it. Stay out of their lane, literally.
#7. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk
This one may be pure jealousy, but unfortunately for Torontonians, when we’re here in the city, we’re working, not on vacation.
Toronto moves fast. The kind of fast that could rival New York. And yet, tourists will come to a full halt in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures, check directions, or have a group discussion. Please step off the main path to the side or into a coffee shop and regroup.
I support your journey and your right to take photos. I don’t want my morning commute blocked by it.
Toronto really is one of the best cities to visit. The food is unreal, the neighbourhoods all have their own charm and personality, and there’s always something happening if you know where to look.
Please don’t take this to mean we don’t want you here. Come. Explore. Do all the touristy things.
Just…stand on the right side of the escalator while you do it.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
