Although we weren’t able to see as much of Toronto as there was to see, we had a good time, considering it was our first trip to Canada. Here are some interesting things I noticed while I was there:

EVERYONE IS SO NICE!

Everyone we encountered was extra polite, even on the street when my children bumped into other pedestrians. Instead of it annoying others, like here in the US, Canadians just smile and say “Excuse me” or would even say my kids were cute!

TOTO, WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

I also had to keep reminding myself we were not in the US, because in Toronto, the locals speak with the same accent we do here and many of the surroundings look like something you would see in any urban American space.

FLYING THERE MAY MAKE YOUR WALLET CRY

One negative that stands out from our trip is that Air Canada is pretty much the only way one can fly from the US to Canada. As they are the only game in town, flying with them can be a total rip-off. We were informed at ticketing that our checked bags would be charged $50 each. Yeah.

THE RIP-OFFS CONTINUE

Once onboard, the staff was courteous and helpful, but charged for headphones to use with the in-flight entertainment. I know. And only the beverages the flight attendants served us were free (the choices being orange, tomato, or apple juice). The airline charged even for basic snacks like pretzels. What.

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AIR CANADA IS THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, SO FLYING WITH THEM CAN BE A TOTAL RIP-OFF.

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If you are a parent looking to visit the Toronto area, keep these points in mind, as bored and hungry little ones make a long flight feel infinitely longer.

FLY IN GOOD WEATHER

For us, the flight took just under five hours, and it took off in rain at around 12:15pm. We experienced a bit of turbulence for some of the flight, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t truly frightened at some points. Note to self: DO NOT travel northward anywhere in the WINTER!

IT’S STILL AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP, EVEN THOUGH IT’S ONLY CANADA

If you’re planning a trip to Canada and you are a US citizen you don’t need a visa to enter the country, but you will need your passport!

The visit was definitely made easier by polite and friendly locals who seemed genuinely interested in helping us if we needed directions or assistance.

We had a great time checking out The CN Tower, located in downtown Toronto, and which is part of the city skyline, coming up in Part 2!