U.S. tourist gives Toronto rave review and here's what they loved

When you're caught up in the grind of everyday life, it's easy to forget how great Toronto really is, but sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to fall back in love with the place we call home. 

Last year, over 26.5 million visitors made their way to Toronto, contributing a massive $8.8 billion in spending and leading to a total economic impact of $13 billion. However, beyond those impressive numbers, there are always personal stories — such as one recently shared to Reddit that reminds us locals why the city continues to draw so many people in. 

The post on the Toronto subreddit from an American visitor has gone viral, racking up over 1,500 upvotes and more than 200 comments. It comes from a Louisville, Kentucky resident who recently visited the city with their family. 

"I know there are several other threads in this Toronto subreddit from Americans who visit there and are impressed. So I hope you can appreciate yet another one. Warning: this is going to be a long post," they began. 

Observations from an American visitor
byu/BeerCrafted intoronto

They went on to say that they felt that most Torontonians looked "content, happy even," and seemed "friendly, helpful, decent human beings."

"For the most part, you don't seem like you all butt into other people's business and tell them how they should be living. In short, you don't seem to look at anyone different than you as your enemy." 

They went on to acknowledge how this attitude of respect might be rooted in how the city addresses mental health and "takes it seriously."

"It was so weird to me to see posters, especially in your subways and on public transportation, touting help," they wrote. "You even have special phones where people suffering from mental health crisis can pick up and immediately be connected to someone."

The tourist was also touched by how visible and accepted LGBTQ+ communities are in Toronto, writing: "You have no idea how nice it was to walk down Church Street, (the irony of the name wasn't lost on me), and see pride everywhere. Dare I say, it was absolutely beautiful! No one needed to hide it because they didn't seem to have anyone trying to oppress it."

And while Toronto's transit system is something we as locals often grumble about, the TTC was another highlight for the visitor. 

"Your local government actually seems to understand the importance of public transportation and the need to keep it running smoothly. I cannot stress this enough: it was absolutely insane how clean your subways were. Not only were the trains clean, but they had air conditioning too," they said. 

They were also baffled by the basic "amenities" at subway stations, such as shopping and bathrooms, along with people's courteousness while riding.

"We were even on the train during rush hour with people packed in shoulder-to-shoulder, and no one was being rude to anyone else. People actually moved when someone wanted off or got on. It was the same with the streetcars and buses," they wrote.

"If you ever want to truly appreciate your public transportation system, I implore you to use it in any major American city. It is a MUCH different experience." 

Even our tap water seemed to impress the tourist, who was amazed that we can "actually drink water from the tap in Toronto! It doesn't smell weird or have a bad taste to it."

"Literally every other major city I've visited, we've had to stock up on bottled water because the tap water definitely concerned me. Water should not have a taste, smell, or color," they wrote.

The visitor added that ever since they returned home, they haven't been able to stop praising Toronto. 

"I have been telling everyone about Toronto! Their first question is usually 'Why Toronto?' Then I go into detail about everything I've mentioned in this post, but also add in all the great places we visited while there. I'm doing my best to drive some tourism dollars your way," they said.

The post quickly ignited a wave of appreciation from Toronto residents who were genuinely touched to see their city through the lens of someone who was experiencing it for the first time. 

"Thank you! Toronto is the punching bag for the province and country, so it's wonderful to see our city through someone else's eyes," one Reddit user responded. 

"Yep, local Torontonians can sometimes love to complain about the city. But you don't truly know how good you have it until you compare yourself to other cities in North America. We have it good in a lot of areas, that we take for granted. Of course, things can always be improved," another person said.

"But it's definitely a great city."