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Weekend
Getaway to Toronto for Desis from USA.... GaramChai.com
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GaramChai
Canada >> Travel >> Toronto
Weekend
Toronto,
one of the worlds most beautiful and accessible
cities, is welcoming and warm to international
travelers and tourist. Its proximity to the US
border also means that it is within driving distance
from many major American (North/North Eastern)
cities.
Toronto
is one of the best and easiest weekend holiday
destination for North Americans and desis too.
What
are you plans for this weekend? If you are looking
for a great getaway this season, this section
of GaramChai will help you plan your trip to Toronto,
an ideal tourist destination in North America. |
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Tips
and Ideas //Places
to go and things to do // Desi Getaways // Desi
Suburbs // Social
and places of worship // Links of interest to Desis / Driving Directions from the US
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Visa
and Paperwork
Added
incentive to visit Canada: Sales Tax refund!
Visitors
to Canada - GST/HST refund: Visitors to Canada
are eligible to claim refund of taxes (GST etc) for
eligible goods bought for personal use or short-term
accommodation. Remember to claim the refund. Rules are
a bit simple though one has to read the fine print.
As per current regulations, each receipt with eligible
goods must have a total purchase amount (before taxes
are added) of at least $50 CAN (without rounding); The
total of all of your receipts on eligible goods and
eligible short-term accommodation (before taxes are
added) must be at least $200 CAN.
About
Toronto
Driving
Distance to Toronto from Major
cities in US (closer to the border)
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Major
cities in US
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Time
by Air |
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Boston,
MA |
906/566 |
1
hour 30 mins |
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Buffalo,
NY |
154/96 |
55
mins |
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Cleveland,
OH |
476/297 |
1
hour 10 mins |
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Detroit,
MI |
378/236 |
40
mins |
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New
York, NY |
851/529 |
1
hour 30 mins |
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Philadelphia,
PA |
813/508 |
1
hour 30 mins |
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Pittsburg,
PA |
518/324 |
1
hour |
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Washington,
DC |
832/517 |
1
hour 30 mins |
Note:
The details are only approximate. For actual driving
distances and times, please check on Mapquest Directions To Toronto or Yahoo Maps.
Also, refer to Border
crossing wait times
Logistics
- Driving
in Canada Driving and motor rules in Canada
are similar to driving in United States. Distances
and speeds, however, are posted in kilometers per
hour. U.S. driver's licenses are valid in Canada.
- Insurance - Many insurance policies issued in the US allow for
travel to Canada. However, please make sure that your
insurance policy covers your time in Canada.
- Medical
Insurance:
The US Department of State suggests Americans to consult
with their medical insurance company prior to traveling
abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas
and whether it will cover emergency expenses such
as a medical evacuation.
- Public
transit: The
network of Toronto's public transit, TTC subway, busses
and trains is among the most efficient in North America,
perhaps comparable to that in many European cities
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Places
to go and things to do |
- Niagra
Falls The main attraction in Niagra is the
"Horseshoe" and the "Maid of the Mist"
Boat Ride which opens between Apr to Oct every year.
- CN
Tower Recently nominated one of the Seven
Wonders of the Modern World is the world's tallest
building and celebrated icon of Canada.
- Toronto
islands Centre Island (between Hanlan's Point
and Ward's Island) offers miles of parkland with beaches,
barbecues and picnic tables, boat rentals, bicycle
paths, a children's farm and amusement park.
- Harbourfront - the site of art galleries and theatres
- Ontario
Place - features restaurants, a children's
village, an outdoor amphitheatre and IMAX.
- Paramount
Canada's Wonderland- Themed amusement park
(Opens May 6'2007)
- Ontario
Science Centre offers interactive and multi-media
exhibits. (Open throughtout the year).
- The
Toronto Zoo - features more than 5,000 animals
in their natural environments. (Opens May 18'2007
)
- Royal
Ontario Museum - The Royal Ontario
Museum increases understanding of world cultures and
natural history through its collections (numbering
more than six million objects) (Open year round)
Also check out: Things to do in Toronto - "A definitive guide of the best local spots, as told by local Airbnb hosts:"
#1 High Park (Parks & Nature Parks)
#2 Royal Ontario Museum (Arts & Culture Museums )
#3 Art Gallery of Ontario (Arts &
Culture Museums)
#4 Rogers Centre Tour Experience
(Entertainment & Activities )
#5 Ripley's Aquarium
Canada (Entertainment & Activities)
#6 St. Lawrence Market (Everything
Else in Shopping)
#7 CN Tower Toronto (Sight seeing, Points of Interest)
#8 Dundas Square (Entertainment & Activities )
#9 Kensington Market (Sightseeing Neighborhoods)
#10 Distillery District (Sightseeing Neighborhoods)
#11 The Drake Hotel (Everything Else)
#12 Trinity Bellwoods Park (Parks & Nature Parks)
#13 Harbourfront Centre (Arts & Culture)
#14 TIFF Bell Lightbox (Arts & Culture Museums)
#15 Air Canada Centre (Entertainment & Activities)
#16 Gusto I-101 (Food Scene Restaurants)
#17 Bellwoods
Brewery (Drinks & Nightlife)
#18 Toronto Eaton Centre (Shopping Malls)
#19 Grand Electric (Food Scene Restaurants)
#20 Steam Whistle Brewing (Drinks & Nightlife )
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Desi Getaways: Food, shopping
and festivals |
Desi Restaurants and shopping
- Gerrard
India Bazaar - One of the largest markets
for South Asian goods and services in North America
with over 100 shops, restaurants and bazaars representing
regional diversities of South Asian culture. One can
find everything Indian starting from kitchenware,
Jewellers, Fashion accessories to grocery, Desi Paan
and Indian Music.
- Ethnic
Grocers and restaurants serving Asian, Indians in Canada can be found at GaramChai.com
Festivals
& Events
- Carassauga
Festival : Mississauga's
Festival of Cultures (starting May 25, 26 & 27,
2007). Enjoy the vibrancy and melody of South Asian
and Indian song and dance, from classical and semi
classical arrangements.
- Masala
Mehndi Masti : The largest multi-disciplinary South Asian Arts
festival (three-day festival) celebrated annually
in downtown Toronto (originally at Harbourfront Centre
and now at the CNE grounds). Celebrated every year
during the fall (mid July to Aug).
- South
Asian Music Festival 2007(April 20 - May
18th) : Asian Music Festival, presented by Toronto’s
musical treasures ' The
Small World Music Society'.
- Asian
Heritage Month : An important initiative which
acknowledges the diversity of Canadian communities.(starting
May 1st '2007).
- Sampradaya
Dance Creations celebrates South Asian Heritage Month in Toronto and
Peel schools
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Desi
Suburbs and Indian community in Toronto |
If
you happen to have some time and a map, you might want
to drive around some of the suburbs; you will be surprised
by the typical 'Desi' enclaves in Canada.
- Brampton - Predominantly Punjabi, one can find lots of
Indian Restaurant, Grocers and others catering to
Asians & Indians.
- Scarborough and Markham predominantly Tamils, Sri Lankans
and others.
- The
suburb of Mississauga is home to diverse South
Asian community which includes people from Punjab,
Gujarat, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Malaysia
and China...The intersection of Dundas and
Hurantario (Hwy 10) is a virtual 'Little
India' where one can find everything Indian starting
from Grocers, Jewellers, furnitures to showrooms (salwar
& sarees) Indian restaurants etc.
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Social
and places of worship |
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Links of interest to Desis |
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This
section of GaramChai.com will attempt to address some of the
Frequently Asked Questions on Life in Canada that immigrants,
visitors and others from different cultures attempt to address.
If you have any additional inputs or wish to see more
topics addressed, mail us at
webmaster@GaramChai.com
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