The first visit to a country gives one a thrill of wonder and confusion. The traveler has to deal with the strange airport, understand the local transport system, change money, taste food, and work out the first impressions that appear at every corner. Toronto, Canada offers such opportunities to a foreigner visiting Canada for the first time.
The travel destination was the biggest city of Canada, Toronto since the traveler arrived from Cleveland, Ohio. The flight was not long and provided an understanding of Toronto from the viewpoint of a foreign visitor for the first time.
Arriving at the airport, visiting the downtown area, eating the Canadian food and staying in the hotel is the day the traveler spent in Toronto.
The journey began at Cleveland airport where the traveler was to board the Air Canada flight to Toronto. The airport seemed surprisingly calm with almost no people in the queue at the Air Canada check-in desk.
The process of passing through security was very fast. The traveler had gone through security in about two minutes since there were very few people in line.
Although there were many feelings before departing from the United States and returning home, sadness prevailed. The trip had been memorable; the traveler had been traveling around with his mother, and departure brought some unpleasant feelings.
The flight was short, lasting slightly over an hour. Although the flight was short, the traveler was able to have a nice breakfast while traveling with Air Canada. Although he had a meal of an omelet and fresh fruit, the traveler had already eaten earlier and did not need anything.
The first impression of the airline was positive.
What Is It Like to Arrive in Canada as a Foreign Tourist?
Arriving at the airport was surprising. Instead of going to the bus station, people were able to walk toward the terminal.
The airport also highlighted the bilingual nature of Canada with the help of bilingual signage showcasing messages in both French and English languages.
For an international traveler, a very convenient thing about the arrival process is the ability to fill out the custom declaration form electronically even before the flights arrive. The traveler managed to do so using the ArriveCAN app prior to the flight.
As the traveler scanned his passport, the automated gates helped him skip the typical immigration desk.
The process was surprisingly easy and quick. There was no need to talk to any immigration officer, which helped the traveler to get to the baggage claim area quickly.
The traveler’s experience shows that preparations done in advance of arrival at the airport can facilitate things for all travelers willing to get to Toronto without any delays.
Exchange Rate with Canada
Despite the usefulness of credit cards for traveling, the possession of money gives some calmness to a specifying person. The traveler has been able to exchange US dollars to Canadian dollars at the airport but with a little bit lower rate than the intended one.
100 US dollars cost about 141 Canadian dollars at the time of the trip but the currency exchange service was able to offer a smaller amount due to its commission and the margin.
Canadian banknotes looked different from US dollars from the very first sight. Even the texture of the released banknotes was somewhat different: according to the traveler, the banknotes felt like made of plastic.
Possessing some cash seemed to be a good idea even though credit cars were supposed to work everywhere.
Toronto Airport Is Modern and Nice Looking
The very first impression from the Toronto airport was very good. The arrival hall was spacious, modern, and clean.
One of the things that caught the traveler’s attention was a flower shop that was located at the airport. It seems like a good idea for those who meet somebody at the airport.
Finding transportation was not difficult. The options included taxis, ridesharing services, buses, or a train that traveled between the airport and downtown Toronto.
Instead of a taxi, the traveler took the train to Union Station.
Taking the Airport Train to Downtown Toronto
The airport train is a great way to reach downtown Toronto. This train travels to Union Station, which is the central station in downtown Toronto.
After buying a one-way ticket, the traveler learned that the train journey would take about 28 minutes. Luckily, the departure time was very convenient as the train was about to depart and just wait for the passengers.
There was also enough room for luggage, which is very useful for travelers. And for first-time visitors in Toronto, taking the train is a good way to discover the city beyond the airport. From the scenery along the rails, the traveler saw much graffiti that reminded them of Germany.
About half an hour later, the train arrived at Union Station.
The First Glimpses of Union Station Toronto
The entrance to Union Station made one of the most impressive architectural impressions of the whole travel experience.
Union Station looked amazing and historical, being built in a beautiful way and having a magnificent hall. There were flags in almost every part of the station, as many tourists were spotted walking around and looking for a tour.
Instead of considering Union Station just a transit station, the traveler found it fascinating enough to regard it as an attraction.
The surrounding downtown area was familiar with the traveler who saw many high office buildings and busy streets. However, Toronto, among the others cities in North America had some specific features making it special.
The CN Tower was already seen from the city center.
Exploring Downtown Toronto With Luggage
Instead of using a taxi to reach the hotel, the traveler chose to walk.
The walking seemed to be the easiest way to see the city. The tall buildings created a unique atmosphere, and the streets appeared easy to navigate.
Toronto wasted no time in proving its status as a multicultural city. Different people were visable downtown, contributing to the international vibe.
As experienced firsthand by the newcomer, this mix of cultures was one of the most remarkable features of Toronto.
Is Toronto Expensive Compared to other American Cities?
Although numerous opinions had already been voiced about Toronto before the trip, the traveler was still confused as he was faced with many different viewpoints.
Some travelers said that Canada was one of the friendliest countries they had visited, while they thought that Toronto was a clean and easy-to-get-around city in North America. Nevertheless, others were convinced that Toronto was overrated and expensive.
One more opinion is that Canada is a challenging country that is beautiful but lacks the energy of big American cities.
The first hours in Toronto did not resolve these questions, but it was noticed by the traveler that some prices turned out to be lower than it was expected taking into consideration the previous experience in the USA.
The price difference can be observed especially in the process of getting food from street vendors and booking hotels.
Experiencing Poutine for the First Time in Canada
One of the most exciting things about the first day there was experiencing something special about Canada’s food.
The dish chosen was poutine, which is based on French fries, cheese curds, and gravy.
Because this was the traveler’s first experience eating poutine, he asked staff in the restaurant about possible types. The original version included fries, cheese curds, and gravy. Other varieties may have chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables.
For the first experience, he took the classic version with chicken.
The dish was much larger than he had expected. French fries, gravy, cheese curds, and chicken transformed into a very rich dish.
The gravy reminded the traveler of his Christmas diner in Germany. He also called the dish cheesy and saucy and compared it to another kind of filling street food present in other countries.
Nevertheless, he did not manage to finish his large portion.
How Does Canadian Poutine Taste?
For someone who has never tried poutine, it may seem to be a rather simple dish. The main part is made of French fries, but the rest of the components add to it a much more meaningful taste.
The traveler particularly liked the dish, which combined different types of textures and flavors. The melted soft cheese curds fit perfectly with the hot fries and gravy, while the chicken added a new piece of culinary brilliance.
Even if he loved the new experience, he was not sure if the dish can be called a real traditional meal.
However, tasting the poutine was one of the memorable moments of the traveler’s first in Canada.
Finding out about Toronto’s nature of street food
After that the traveler went on exploring the downtown area of the city. Before that he noticed that he thought that Toronto has less street food carts than New York City but that changed when he arrived at other parts of the city where many street food sellers were seen.
They sold hot dogs, sausages, burgers, etc.
The smell of the fried food attracted the traveler right away making him to learn more about the hot dog.
Tasting a Canadian Hot Dog for the First Time
The tourist requested a beef hot dog and inquired about the differences between Canadian hot dogs and the standard ones one could find in the USA. The vendor could not settle the argument for the traveler but noticed that the sausage was at least noticeably larger than the average American hot dog.
The sausage had already been grilled over direct fire, resulting in a slightly burnt outside. The customers were free to put any type of ingredients on the hot dog, such as corn, relish, spicy sauces, and ketchup.
The tourist himself did not want any complicated mixture and preferred to stick to ketchup only.
He paid 5 Canadian dollars for the sausage, which he found to be quite cheap in comparison to what he saw in street vendors in New York.
He found the grilled beef sausage with soft bread and a small amount of ketchup the perfect meal.
A Refreshing Lemonade Made with Mango and Mint in Canada
During a trip downtown, there were not only food options on the list of things to do.
The traveler came across a bright lemonade stand where he decided to try the regular lemonade. However, the customer ended up having much more than just a simple drink.
The seller explained the drink was actually made by mixing 3 different lemons together. He also mentioned adding mint while explaining his techniques — instead of just crushing the mint leaves, he clapped them to let their fragrance out.
The traveler really liked the taste of mint.
When asked what his favorite fruit was, the traveler answered mangoes which encouraged the vendor to add mango to the drink.
Thus, a drink made with lemon, mint, and mango became the last unforgettable experience of the afternoon.
Old meets New in Toronto
Going further around the city, one can observe even more contrasts.
There are modern skyscrapers in the sky, while old buildings are found on the ground. One building resembled the architecture possibly seen in a Harry Potter movie, and another one was probably an old court house.
The mixture of historic and modern reminded him of many North American cities, such as Boston.
Thus, Toronto does not appear to be a city purely characterized by modern buildings. It is a mixture of historical architecture, modern skyscrapers, open spaces, and cultural activities.
An art fair was also taking place, with marked stalls showcasing paintings and different artworks.
Toronto Seems Walkable for First-Time Visitors
One observation from the first day was how walkable downtown was.
Despite having his luggage with him, the tourist was able to walk from Union Station to his hotel comfortably.
The large Toronto sign also served as a great picture spot for visitors wishing to mark their first visit to Toronto.
The traveler also noticed some unpleasant aspects of downtown Toronto.
Homeless people were seen on the streets, and he noticed some individuals that were probably under influence. He mentioned that these observations were specific for the downtown area he had visited and should not be seen as generalization regarding the whole city.
For tourists who are not intimate with Toronto, this was his honest first impression.
The problem of homeless people is relevant not only for Toronto, since he compared it with the same problem that he observed in some American cities and in Germany.
Despite the fact that it was a rather uncomfortable issue to discuss, the traveler found it worth saying because it is a question that needs to be considered by tourists in the exploration of large cities.
Toronto’s Streetcars
While roaming around the city, another strange term caught his attention – streetcar.
The sign stated that streetcars could not go further after certain point, and he was curious to find out what actually streetcar is and how it works.
The city offers quite enough motives to get familiar with the whole public transport including buses and streetcars.
The mix of rail transport, streetcars, buses, and walkable downtown streets forms the backbone of the city’s transportation infrastructure.
The traveler saw one more recognizable sight as he approached the hotel: a Canadian 7-Eleven.
Being an enthusiast of convenience stores, the traveler decided to go in to check how Canadian stores compared to American ones.
At first glance, the Canadian store looked very much the same.
The place was filled with different beverages, sandwiches, wraps, chips, hot dogs, pizza, and many more of convenient foods.
However, some things were different.
Thus, along with different kinds of products, the traveler didn’t find a wide variety of donuts by the entrance. Instead, he came across Portuguese tarts, croissants, cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, and some cookies.
There was something strange to him about a chocolate bar called Oh Henry! The store featured some well-known products, including Haribo Goldbears that came from Germany.
A notable distinction was in the perceived sizes of certain snack and beverage containers where some sizes in Canada appeared smaller than those in the US.
Additionally, the store presented offerings such as matcha drinks and pizza slices indicating that 7-Elevens in Canada may be similar to those in the US but with some exclusive options.
Accommodation at Hilton Toronto
After wandering in downtown and tasting countless Canadian dishes, it was time to settle down in the hotel.
The author’s stay was at Hilton Toronto geographically located downtown, where they paid about US$400 a night.
From the start, the lobby was impressive with its size and the presence of a reception area, beverage bar, meeting places, elevators, and a small convenience market.
Apart from that, there were various country flags showing the traveler the German flag which he was already used to seeing.
Checking-in was pleasant and fast.
What Is The Appearance of a Hotel Room That Costs US$400 in Toronto?
A hotel room included an area for entrance leading to coffee making equipment, as well as an ice bucket.
The washroom of the hotel room featured a spacious area for washing and showering purposes, while the main area was much larger than average.
It had a working desk, chairs, large TV, and a comfortable bed in addition to having a view of downtown Toronto.
The hotel had both indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
While stay at hotels in the USA, which charged between US$300 and US$500 per night, Hilton Toronto offered more value for money.
Another advantage of Hilton hospitality it includes breakfast as an added benefit. In this case, the traveler had several benefits for being a Gold member of Hilton club outside the USA and getting breakfast for free.
It was a complete contradiction to the experiences of staying at Hilton hotels in USA, where the breakfasts for Gold members were limited to small credit values.
Initial Impressions of Toronto
After spending the entire first day making their way from Cleveland to Toronto, going through the airport, taking the train to the downtown, walking around the city, having some Canadian meals, stopping at a store and checking into a hotel, the final thoughts were very positive.
Toronto appeared to be modern, multinational and relatively easy to navigate on foot. The city mixes sky-high buildings with old buildings, while attractions like the CN Tower make the skyline easily recognizable.
Also, the kindness of the people fulfilled the positive perception that the traveler had read beforehand.
Of course, there were some observations that were not as pleasant, such as people suffering from homelessness and drug addiction. But it is stated that these are part of urban life, not the full picture of Toronto.
Different kinds of food also made for interesting initial impressions. For example, poutine introduced the visitors to Canadian food, while one could also taste grilled meat hot dog and a sophisticated drink made of lemon, mint and mango.
When you travel to a new country, perhaps the best part is arriving there. Traveling from the airport to the hotel is uninteresting in comparison to walking around the city, meeting the locals, tasting great food, and observing details that surround you and make a lasting impression.
Toronto is a unique blend of many influences which inspire foreign tourists during their first visit. It offers a glimpse of Canadian culture and traditions, yet it is influenced by the history of the country and modern urban life. The first few hours were only the beginning; there is much more to explore during this wonderful trip.
