Exploring Toronto as a Queer Traveler: Your Guide to Feeling Safe and Welcome
- Charlotte Phillips-Lynn
- Nov 15
- 3 min read
🛫 London Heathrow > Toronto Pearson
🛬 Toronto Pearson > London Heathrow
✈️ British Airways
🗓️ March 2024
⏳ 6 Days
🍔 GF Options
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🦻🏻
Toronto is a lovely place. We visited in late March 2024, over Easter. Unlike the UK, the Monday isn't a holiday day so we found most places were open during the course of our stay in Toronto. We were there for 6 days, and we visited Niagara Falls one of those days - If you are just staying in Toronto, I'd say this is a good amount of time.
Getting to and from the airport is really easy by train!
Must See 👀
Niagara Falls
We were at Niagara falls just before peak season, therefore some of the excursions weren't open. There are a couple of boats that takes you up closer to the falls, but you'd get soaked! We weren't up for being wet all day...
We used GO Transit train, from Union Station to Niagara falls - https://www.gotransit.com/en - we were able to get a free minibus which took us from the station to the main tourist area with the ticket we brought.
Ripley's Aquarium
This was a lot of fun, it was quite busy when we went - but after 5pm you get money off your ticket. There's loads to see, and if you're lucky you get to touch a ray too!
CN Tower
The tallest tower in the Northen Hemisphere - A thrilling lift ride up to the top, gets you there in a matter of seconds. We had dinner here one night, and were treated of views around the city, watching the sun set and enjoying watching planes come in and out of the smaller city airport. The 360 restaurant is rotating, so you manage to do a full circle (and a bit more) in the time it takes you to have dinner.
The tower is lit up every night, and they evening have a Lighting Schedule. When we were there, it was Transgender awareness day, and so it was lit up in blue, white and pink.
Gluten Free Eating 🍔
*I ate at these places in March 2024, at the time they have gluten free options but please check before you eat there.
Hard Rock Cafe - Niagara Falls - https://cafe.hardrock.com/niagara-falls-canada/
Score on King - https://scoreonking.com/ - The most amazing food and friendly staff. The sports bar is quite loud but it's okay when there's just a couple of you.
Almond Butterfly - https://www.almondbutterfly.com/ - When in Canada, you've got to have maple syrup, right?
360 Restuarant CN Tower - https://www.cntower.ca/plan-an-event/our-spaces/360-restaurant - The steak I had here was huge! But I thought I'd add in the cute dessert..
Impact Kitchen - https://www.impactkitchen.ca/menu-eat - 100% gluten free kitchen, yes please!
New York Fries (Eaton Centre) - https://www.newyorkfries.com/ - Poutine... Cheese curds and gravy.
Metro - https://www.metro.ca/en - We used this supermarket to buy some food to have for lunch each day and breakfast. Where we stayed, there was a kitchenette area with a fridge which meant we could do this. It also saved us money too. The gluten free options were great, either in dedicated GF sections or amongst the 'normal' food.
LGBTQIA+
Whilst we were in Toronto, I didn't feel uncomfortable at any point. We didn't have any awkward hotel check-ins, and everyone we met was just really friendly.
🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Flight, the airport & everything in between
Flights
We flew with BA - I'd normally add a cost in here, but we used a companion voucher and some avios points so it's not really reflective.
Flight to Toronto was over 7hrs and coming back to Heathrow was just over 6hrs.
The crew were really lovely on both flights, as I have a hearing loss/deaf I am able to board the plane first with those who require special assistance. This allows me to speak to the crew and let them know about my hearing (well lack of it) and ensure I am comfortable.
Airport
The dreaded security - The scanner...
They have 2 options when you go into a scanner, male or female. Security can be stressful for me because it usually confuses them as to how I present. I'll talk about my experience of each travel trip individually - but at Toronto airport, they asked me if I had anything in my pants (trousers) around my waist area. This then led to a firm pat down, and being re-scanned a couple of times. It doesn't take a genius to work out what they were trying to identify.
Conclusion
Toronto felt like a really safe place for someone who is LGBTQIA+. Gluten free food wasn't a challenge. They spoke English so from a deaf point of view, it was easier to lip read and understand.
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