Driving in and around Toronto

[Disneylover99]

Took the 407 and saved ourselves 30 minutes. Yikes on the traffic!! Got upgraded to a corner suite, so that's awesome!

Not sure if you’ve got plans during the day tomorrow, but you might want to avoid going anywhere near Queens Park. There is a one day Province wide teacher strike tomorrow so the teachers are descending on Queens Park.

 

[dish rag]

You expected otherwise?

Really though, some of the questions we got entering Canada were obviously meant to try and trip us up and maybe reject our entry. Where are you from? Where are you going? Who are you visiting? Are you staying with friends/relatives? Did you bring any food in? Is this your car? Did you bring more than $10,000? The last one is a legal declaration requirement.

Still not as odd as the questions coming back. Obviously they weren't looking to deny the re-entry of US citizens, but they were trying to find out if we might have brought in contraband. Especially don't bring back any Kinder Surprise eggs.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_107.html

Those are all normal questions to be asked when entering Canada.

 

[bcla]

Those are all normal questions to be asked when entering Canada.

I get that. But they seem really weird the first time you hear them. When I entered Canada back in the 80s it didn't seem like an interrogation. Maybe just "purpose of your visit?" and then a cheery "enjoy your visit".

 

[dish rag]

I get that. But they seem really weird the first time you hear them. When I entered Canada back in the 80s it didn't seem like an interrogation. Maybe just "purpose of your visit?" and then a cheery "enjoy your visit".

I left Canada for a few hours the day after the Iran thing and upon returning they were pulling cars off, questioning and checking under cars with mirrors before the stop with the border agent. So you never know. I’ve been waved through the border with out them looking at my documents. And been put in a room and questioned for an hour both in the airport and crossing point. My wife had her watch seized once in a bag check in our car. You never know what’s going to happen.

 

[Searc]

Not sure if you’ve got plans during the day tomorrow, but you might want to avoid going anywhere near Queens Park. There is a one day Province wide teacher strike tomorrow so the teachers are descending on Queens Park.

I don't know where that is. Is it close to our hotel? We were thinking cn tower tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone with all your tips and advice, I truly appreciate all of them!

 

[OnceUponATime15]

@Searc
Queens Park (government seat for the province) is not near the CN tower. A suggestion- on your room tv you will find an all news/all day channel called CP24 - usually found on channel 24. They will have all the local news you could need to avoid running into the teachers protests downtown - just check it before heading out.

You’ll also get weather, sports and traffic (and international news as well)

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't know where that is. Is it close to our hotel? We were thinking cn tower tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone with all your tips and advice, I truly appreciate all of them!

Queens Park is several blocks north of the CN Tower. You should be fine. The rally should be over by early afternoon anyways.

 

[Colleen27]

I get that. But they seem really weird the first time you hear them. When I entered Canada back in the 80s it didn't seem like an interrogation. Maybe just "purpose of your visit?" and then a cheery "enjoy your visit".

The thoroughness of the questioning depends a lot on where you cross. We've crossed at four different points between Michigan and Ontario and at all three New York bridges, and the experience can and does vary widely. My favorite place to cross is a ferry between a small Michigan town and an Ontario First Nations reservation, because there's basically no customs/border security in either direction. Just a nominal "Where you headed/How long you staying?" and a friendly wave on through.

 

[bcla]

I left Canada for a few hours the day after the Iran thing and upon returning they were pulling cars off, questioning and checking under cars with mirrors before the stop with the border agent. So you never know. I’ve been waved through the border with out them looking at my documents. And been put in a room and questioned for an hour both in the airport and crossing point. My wife had her watch seized once in a bag check in our car. You never know what’s going to happen.

I get that there might be heightened awareness when there’s some world event.

My first visit ever to Canada was for Expo 86 where our entry point was the Black Ball Ferry terminal in Victoria. We were a huge extended family visiting in a van conversion. The border agent was actually an RCMP officer in full Red Serge. He was exceedingly polite, charming, and funny. He also had a mustache and looked like he walked right out of a set of a Canadian tourism commercial. Possibly the best experience I've ever had at any port of entry.

I guess that first visit set me up to expect a different experience. That being said, I remember they were almost always exceeding polite even if the questions being asked were pointed.

US Customs has often been rude. One time we brought something home (it was OK) but the agent didn't ask and just poked his pen through one piece to see what was in it.

 

[bcla]

The thoroughness of the questioning depends a lot on where you cross. We've crossed at four different points between Michigan and Ontario and at all three New York bridges, and the experience can and does vary widely. My favorite place to cross is a ferry between a small Michigan town and an Ontario First Nations reservation, because there's basically no customs/border security in either direction. Just a nominal "Where you headed/How long you staying?" and a friendly wave on through.

My only entry points were in British Columbia. Airports, ferry terminals, and vehicle crossings. Can't say I've ever been waved through, but certainly there was variability in however many questions were asked.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I don't know where that is. Is it close to our hotel? We were thinking cn tower tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone with all your tips and advice, I truly appreciate all of them!

Hoping for a clear day for your CN tower visit tomorrow. I second the suggestion to visit the restaurant at the top (360). You don't have to pay for the elevators to go visit the tourist areas as you'll take the restaurant elevator up, so you kind of "save" that money and put it towards your meal. The restaurant rotates slowly as you eat. Food is decent, nothing spectacular imo, but this restaurant is my go-to when I want to impress out of town relatives.

 

[Searc]

Thanks again, everyone. We talked to our concierge and she showed us where the teacher protest is in relation to the CN Tower (before I checked this thread). We are doing the tower (no restaurant) and the aquarium with our limited time tomorrow.

 

[SirDuff]

Those are all normal questions to be asked when entering Canada.

They are all normal questions to be asked when entering anywhere.

 

[Chrisizzle]

... the questions we got entering Canada were obviously meant to try and trip us up and maybe reject our entry. Where are you from? Where are you going? Who are you visiting?...

When I entered Canada back in the 80s it didn't seem like an interrogation.

“Where are you going” is an interrogation?

I read your post as sarcasm... as in “it’s absurdly easy to get into Canada”. From the follow up posts, I see you were serious and found “Where are you from” to be a trick question.

I guess you have no idea the questions asked by US Customs of non US citizens. “Why are you brown? Are you a terrorist? Are you coming to take our jobs? We need the password to your phone.”

That’s a bit of an exaggeration... but only just a bit. :-/

 

[dish rag]

They are all normal questions to be asked when entering anywhere.

True. But this discussion is about USA Canada.

 

[dish rag]

“Where are you going” is an interrogation?

I read your post as sarcasm... as in “it’s absurdly easy to get into Canada”. From the follow up posts, I see you were serious and found “Where are you from” to be a trick question.

I guess you have no idea the questions asked by US Customs of non US citizens. “Why are you brown? Are you a terrorist? Are you coming to take our jobs? We need the password to your phone.”

That’s a bit of an exaggeration... but only just a bit. :-/

I’ve entered the USA with non citizens 100’s of times and have never heard any thing close to that.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Enjoy your day. I am a little concerned about the aquarium today. As some said above, every single teacher in the province is walking off the job today which means loads of school age kids will be set loose. Since it is a Friday, I bet a lot of parents are taking the day off and the aquarium could be slammed. Plus it is 2 for 1 day. Have you booked your tickets using the 2 for 1? https://www.seetorontonow.com/spotlight/weekend-3/

 

[Disneylover99]

Enjoy your day. I am a little concerned about the aquarium today. As some said above, every single teacher in the province is walking off the job today which means loads of school age kids will be set loose. Since it is a Friday, I bet a lot of parents are taking the day off and the aquarium could be slammed. Plus it is 2 for 1 day. Have you booked your tickets using the 2 for 1? https://www.seetorontonow.com/spotlight/weekend-3/

OMG. Yeah. I forgot about that.
They have strike daycamp there today.

 

[Searc]

Enjoy your day. I am a little concerned about the aquarium today. As some said above, every single teacher in the province is walking off the job today which means loads of school age kids will be set loose. Since it is a Friday, I bet a lot of parents are taking the day off and the aquarium could be slammed. Plus it is 2 for 1 day. Have you booked your tickets using the 2 for 1? https://www.seetorontonow.com/spotlight/weekend-3/

Yikes, didn't think about that with kids being off school. Great point. No, tickets are not purchased yet. We have the hotel private car booked to take us to the CN Tower at 11:30, but we can go anywhere from there.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Yikes, didn't think about that with kids being off school. Great point. No, tickets are not purchased yet. We have the hotel private car booked to take us to the CN Tower at 11:30, but we can go anywhere from there.

I'd get a day pass for the TTC and use public transportation everywhere. its so much easier. Parking cost is ridiculous in toronto. And the traffic, ya, its bad. Have fun at the CN tower! I work not too far from there. its a cold one today. Bundle up.
EDIT: I should mention that if you dont get a day pass and pay regular fair for the TTC, once you pay your fair its good for 2 hours. So you can get off somewhere, then back on within the 2 hour timeframe for free. But you need a presto card and you'll need to tap your card once you board the bus or streetcar/enter the subway.