hey i moved here last year and sorta just realized how close toronto is. do people from pittsburgh drive up to toronto? what's the drive like? how is crossing and coming back over the border? i don't like long drives, usually try to max out at 6 hours and it seems like according to gmaps it's around 5-6 hours? i've gone as far as erie and didn't mind that drive at all, seems like it might be similar the rest of the way?

ETA during spring or anytime other than winter of course

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lutzcody t1_j2fue2p wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:35 PM

I’ve driven to Toronto 4 times now as recent as august. It’s not a bad drive at all about 5 hours total. The border is hit or miss, usually not bad entering Canada but coming back into the US can sometimes be really busy.

_MobyHick t1_j2fum61 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:37 PM

We went the summer before Covid and it was a great road trip. Toronto is like going to NYC except it is cheaper and the traffic isn't as bad. I like Montreal a bit better, food-wise.

The border crossing was fine, but you do need the passport.

knuppster59 t1_j2ftw27 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:31 PM

Pre-kid, my wife and I used to do it a decent amount because Toronto is awesome. It is a 6 hour drive, so basically driving to Buffalo, crossing the border and then another 90 minutes. I've never had an issue with it outside of the usual traffic at the border. It is enjoyable and worth it to make the journey to one of the best cities in North America.

tinacat933 t1_j2fvagv wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:42 PM

Love Toronto. They have an awesome lake front with bars and booze cruises ( if that’s your thing) and casa Loma is pretty cool if you like to wander around castles and read about history

DeleteSystem33 t1_j2fv8ws wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:42 PM

I used to go to Mississauga, it's a nice drive

87catsinatrenchcoat t1_j2fw4f3 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:48 PM

I was in the Nationality Rooms tour guide program while at University of Pittsburgh, and one year our annual trip was to Toronto. We went over MLK weekend (if you think Pittsburgh gets cold...), so, granted, it wasn't the best time to go, but it wasn't a horribly long drive and things were cheaper there (this was 2008, so I don't know whether that's changed). But we went to Casa Loma, Niagara, and a lot of great restaurants.

SWPenn t1_j2fujff wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:36 PM

Used to go up a lot with friends when I was in my 30s, but haven't been since they tightened the regulations to cross the border after September 11.

It's a fantastic international city. The saying was it that it was New York if the Swiss ran it. You can find cultures from all over the world with the food, traditions and lifestyle. Fantastic public transport, so you can dump the car and get around by subway, trolley and buses.

The drive is not bad if you just think of it in three segments: Pittsburgh to Erie, Erie to Buffalo, and Buffalo to Toronto.

westinghousesghost t1_j2fux3k wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:39 PM

Easy drive as long as the weather is good. I was coming back from Niagara once and got caught in a fierce tornadic thunderstorm.

Romanakis t1_j2fuwk9 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:39 PM

Drove there once with my partner in the winter. We named the trip Torturonto due to the arctic reckoning we endured for four days. Great time though. Not a bad drive & would definitely recommend going up there at least once - though maybe during a more thawed period of the year.