ayo!

I'm planning to visit canada hopefully sometime next year/summer
and toronto is one of the places that i'm planning to (probably just toronto and Montreal)

I've looked at websites like the official one for the city, and some others
but I really want to know whats good in toronto

I know these may sound I guess like base questions, but in my short life the majority of traveling i've done has been between ny metro and miami..and y'know you only live once so i'm trying to go some places now (while I can!)


how are the parks?
how are the museums?

what are the good universities up there? I mean I'm about a year away from grad school and if I decide not to stay in ny I might come up there!

what are some differences between american and canadian culture?

how is the waterfront?
how is the city overrall?

I could always read about toronto and look at statistics but its not the same as hearing about it from people who live or work in the city everday

Hi third of a kind, this is brief, but hopefully gives you some idea:

"how are the parks?"
The parks are stunning and magnificent. Particularily worth visiting in Ontario is the Algonquin Park near Ottawa. If you meant the parks within the city, my favorite is High Park, but there are many others. Toronto certainly doesn't suffer from a lack of parkland.

how are the museums?
I only really know the ROM in downtown Toronto which is huge and offers many different exhibits. They get special exhibitions from time to time, of course, and these are well worth going to. There are, of course, many other smaller and less generalist museums.

what are the good universities up there?
It's not quite like the US where there are the definite top schools. Having said that, University of Toronto and McGill University are probably the most well-known as they are rather historic, and these are definetely top quality universities. However, many universities offer something different. Do you like small classes and a get-to-know your prof atmosphere, or do you care more for a bigger institution? Different universities, of course, specialize in different things, so you'd need to tell us what you are doing.

what are some differences between american and canadian culture?
Very slight and dramatic at the same time. The big noticable difference is almost a total lack of hypernationalism. Canada is even lass homogeneous than the US, so there is a quite cultural mosaic at work. This is most evident in Toronto where different immigrant groups all have their areas of the town, yet it is still very much Toronto: you wouldn't confuse Greektown for Athens, but there is a Greek element present, that's for sure. Things will seem to you more dramatic the longer you stay in Canada: I know that's how I felt about the US, at least.

Montreal, and Quebec as a whole, is going to strike you as quite a bit different. Some of that is the language, some of that is cultural difference. You will fine the Quebecois very nationalistic for Quebec whether they are seperatists or not; they still hold that they are a distinct nation in Canada, and in many ways this is the case. Montreal is the most Canadian city in Quebec, btw.

how is the waterfront?
Amazing in places, and drab and hideous in others. It is a work in progress at the moment. My personal suggestion is the beachfront in the neighbourhood called the Beaches. The beach is an incredibly calming area in the summer to walk around on the boardwalks and it's the best part of the city to see the water, IMHO.

how is the city overrall?
I love it, but personal tastes vary. It depends what you like. A lot of Ontarians dislike Toronto as it is constantly busy and there's always something going on. Personally I love the energy of Toronto and it's one of my favourite things about the city. But not everyone feels that way. One thing's for sure, and that's that there is never a lack of things to do.

Hope that helped

how are the parks?

Toronto has a lot of parkland, but there is no particular "trademark" park in the city. High Park is by far the most "popular" of the parks in the city, and it is quite nice, although you probably will encounter a few homeless people during your walk, they are harmless. Ashbridge's Bay Park is also quite nice, although its more of a beach then a park, its great for people-watching or just for a nice summer or spring stroll along the waterfront. Bluffer's Park, located in the east end of the city, is also located along the waterfront, its a nice cliffside park...

"how are the museums?"

Salvius is right about the ROM, and it is probably the best museum in the city. But if you're also into art galleries, you should check out the Art Gallery of Ontario, it also has a number of very rich exhibits, and its located very close to the ROM.

what are the good universities up there?

University of Toronto is definately the most prestigious university in Toronto, if not Canada. It's located in the heart of the city and is a short subway ride from all the major downtown attractions. If you're into the fast paced city life, then U of T would definately be a great choice. I personally go to York University, which is located in the north end of Toronto in a more suburban environment, I wouldn't recommend it for international students, but hey, its always a good second choice if you don't like U of T.


what are some differences between american and canadian culture?

Salvinus mentioned the main ones already ... The most dominant difference is the level of cultural diversity & integration in Toronto, not as much downtown, but in the areas surrounding downtown and especially in my area, Scarborough (which I recommend you visit, its a real testament to the diversity of Toronto!).

how is the waterfront?

Other then the parks which cover portions of it, it is rather disgusting!

how is the city overrall?

I personally don't like it at all, its too crowded, busy, dirty, and the english barrier of a lot of people can be quite frustrating ... and it has a lot of bad drivers... then again I am probably just describing Scarborough! :P

On a more positive note, Toronto is a very safe city :)

thanks guys mos definitley

y'know I get hated on by cats around for even wanting to visit canada, but I'm pretty sure i'll enjoy it alot when I get the chance to go, thanks again.

how are the parks?

Toronto Island is fantastic at any time of the year. It has an interesting collection of cottages inhabited by nutty artists. It's a great place for a bbq. It's got great paths for in-line skating and bicycling. It also has a fantastic view of Toronto's skyline.

how are the museums?

The ROM is good. The AGO is good. But from what I hear, Montreal's museums are better, but that's hearsay.

what are the good universities up there?

UofT is a fantastic University with beautiful grounds in the heart of the city. It has the highest concentration of great architecture in the city. Great undergraduate and grad programs. The Subway and Streetcars make for convenient transit.

what are some differences between american and canadian culture?

Tolerance and compassion (eg. Gay rights and universal health care). Less violent crime.

how is the waterfront?

Inadequate in Toronto, but the Island is good, The Beaches (neighbourhood) is nice, and the boardwalk is great for biking.

how is the city overrall?

I've gone to work abroad for a year, and I never expected to miss Toronto as much as I do. It's cultural diversity (you can get any kind of food from around the world), fabulous neighbourhoods, countless festivals, and great arts scene (music, art, theatre) make it a world class city, even though Torontonians are terribly insecure about it.

The ROM is good. The AGO is good. But from what I hear, Montreal's museums are better, but that's hearsay.

I'm not sure I agree with that assessment unless you include the buildings, themselves, as pieces within the museums. The Museum of Fine Arts has a well looked after permenant collection (much as I enjoy AGO's), but their Modern Art exhibit appeared to be damnaged -- confirmed when I saw one piece had small flakes of paint and plastics laying on the floor around it. Another, which used lipstick as a medium, appeared melted on the side closest to an air vent.

That, and the stair case with 2" steps was very annoying to use -- but unique to look at.

The other places I went were better -- but the above was my first impression.