Toronto to Everywhere: My Travel Diary in 2025

There’s this funny thing about living in Toronto. People either think you never leave because the city already has everything, or they assume you’re constantly flying out because, well, Pearson (YYZ) is one of the busiest airports in North America. For me, it’s a bit of both.

I can spend a Saturday exploring Kensington Market, stuffing my face with pupusas and fresh churros, and by Sunday I’m boarding a budget flight to Mexico or Iceland. Being a traveler in 2025 feels like straddling two worlds: home is global, but global is also home.

And honestly? Toronto makes it so easy to chase that feeling.

This year, I promised myself I’d travel differently not just check destinations off a list, but actually live in the stories. Here’s a little peek into what that’s looked like.

One of my favorite parts about being based in Toronto is how quickly I can switch gears from “city hustle” to “nature reset.”

• Niagara-on-the-Lake: Just a short drive, and suddenly I’m sipping wine by Lake Ontario like I’m in a European vineyard. I went last March when the vines were still bare, and it honestly felt kind of romantic even though I was solo.

• Prince Edward County: The kind of place you go to eat too much artisanal cheese, pet alpacas, and pretend you’re in a Hallmark movie.

These little escapes remind me that travel doesn’t always need a passport stamp. Sometimes, it’s just about giving yourself permission to slow down.

Here’s the thing if you live in Toronto and you love to travel, Pearson is both a blessing and a curse. Security lines? Nightmare. But the sheer number of direct flights? Game-changer.

This spring, I snagged a cheap flight to Lisbon (thank you, random Tuesday night flight deal). I spent the mornings journaling in tiny cafés and the afternoons chasing sunsets along the coast. The vibe in Portugal right now is wild young travelers everywhere, remote workers filling coffee shops, and this sense that people are just hungry to live big again after the last few years of uncertainty.

Being surrounded by that energy made me realize that travel isn’t just about seeing the world, it's about seeing yourself differently in it.

Let’s be real: travel diaries online often look like highlight reels. But sometimes? Travel is messy.

Like the time I was in Berlin earlier this year and my Airbnb host completely ghosted me. I spent two hours dragging my suitcase through cobblestone streets, sweating, swearing, and nearly crying before I found a last-minute hostel. It wasn’t glamorous, but you know what? I ended up making friends with a group of Brazilian travelers at that hostel, and we went dancing until sunrise.

Toronto teaches you resilience (try commuting on the TTC during a snowstorm and tell me otherwise), but travel teaches you adaptability. And the messy parts? They’re often the ones you laugh about later.

Living here makes me a little spoiled, honestly. Toronto is this melting pot where you can taste the world without leaving the city. Ethiopian injera, Korean fried chicken, Colombian arepas, it's all here.

So when I do travel abroad, I’m not just chasing the “Instagrammable” spots. I’m chasing a connection. I want the local café where the owner remembers your order. The random bookstore that smells like history. The side street nobody tells you to visit but becomes your favorite memory.

And sometimes, funny enough, I realize that the things I seek abroad are the same things that make me love Toronto.

I’ll admit during long layovers or train rides, I sometimes scroll through stuff that has nothing to do with travel. Like the other day, I fell down a rabbit hole reading about essay writers online (don’t ask how, it just happened). And it hit me: whether you’re tackling assignments, planning your next adventure, or figuring out how to navigate adulthood everyone’s just looking for a little extra support.

Travel feels like that too. It’s not about doing it all alone; it’s about finding your hacks, your shortcuts, your people.

There’s a buzz in the air right now. Travelers are braver, maybe a little wilder, and definitely more intentional. People want experiences, not just photos. They want stories, not just itineraries.

For me, living in Toronto means I’ll always have the world on my doorstep. But it also means I carry a piece of home with me wherever I go. And that balance in-between space is exactly where I want to be.

Travel isn’t about being fearless or flawless, it's about showing up, even when your plans fall apart or your suitcase loses a wheel. It’s about the weekend getaways that reset you, the international flights that expand you, and the little reminders that the world is both bigger and smaller than you think.

So yeah, Toronto keeps me grounded but it also keeps me moving. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.