u/Few_Explanation4170

Greetings from a couple of Americans who want a break from the US and wanna see Lake Ontario!

My friend and I (both early 20s) are planning a long weekend trip to Toronto next month because we found fairly cheap flights. Been reading a good amount of Reddit posts and seeing reels on Toronto travel and there seems to be a conception that Toronto can be somewhat disappointing as a tourist. I have been to Montreal and Vancouver but this my friend’s first time in Canada, outside the US for that matter.

We want to hang around Ossington and Kensington as I get the vibe that Toronto is a city where roaming neighborhoods is where the charm comes through, rather than attractions. I’d say the only “attractions” we’re interested in is the CN Tower, Toronto Islands and The Rivoli (yes, we are big Nirvanna The Band fans).

Is there any other things you’d recommend to get the most out of the city for the somewhat condensed time we will have there?

I took my first solo trip to Scotland and Ireland about a month ago and my friend was asking what I learned from it to give him tips. Thought I'd also share here:

1. Stay at hostels, but find one that best suits you. If you wanna stay independent, choose the one where reviewers states it’s quiet. If you want the party hostels, go for it. You can also find ones that are a bit of both quiet with a social scene. It’s much easier than you think to make friends while traveling, because most other solo travelers are looking for friends too!
2. Find time to chat with locals, usually gonna be off the beaten path. I found my conversations with the locals to be some of the most memorable moments.
3. Maybe don't go out every night. The nights I went out, I would get up late the next morning. It’s good to do stuff early in the morning before the crowds, especially in popular European cities. Granted, this all depends on how much you drink and how you handle hangovers as that can differ from person to person, night to night.
4. Know your ability to enjoy your own presence. Can you eat a dinner alone in a sit down restaurant and actually enjoy it? Give it a try in your hometown before your trip so you don’t end up doing takeout and eating in a hotel room for your whole trip.
5. It might take a trip or two to really figure out what it is you like and don't like to do on your solo trips. After my first trip, I discovered that I'm not overly interested in going to some famous building, statue or sight just to snap a photo and say I went there. I didn't really get much out of Temple Bar, Trinity College, Greyfriars Bobby, as well as some others. I do love wandering neighborhoods, getting off the beaten path and just not having a plan for some select days, but I also do like to anchor trips or countries around 1 or 2 main points, as I did with Isle of Skye.
6. Most important in my opinion: don’t trust your own thoughts on the first day! I did my first day in Dublin, overwhelmed, jet lagged, sleep deprived and culture shocked. I realized I was actually in the other side of the world away from my parents and friends and thought “Am I built for this? Am I in over my own head? Do I need to book a ticket back home immediately?” Sure enough, by the second day I was having the time of my life.

Just came back from the UK, also have spent sometime in Australia and Ireland. I am in dire need of good atmosphere pubs. I have been to Kilkenny’s & Mcnellie’s a handful of times but that feels more for the Irish/Pub food menu, rather than a place to get some pints with friends and chat with new people.

TLDR: Anyone have any recommendations for a pub that has that authentic pub atmosphere in Tulsa that’s not just for food?

I have never seen a team all collectively complain and whine as much as the Lakers, WITHOUT Luka on the court btw. LeBron and Reaves are absolutely unbearable and are as bad as 2024 Luka. Ayton, Kennard, Hayes (wifebeater) and Smart are also annoying. Hachimura fine ig that man can shoot, but good lord, for everyone saying how “unwatchable” this series is, it should be because of the LA Whiners.

Whole lotta conversation about what the best rivalry is right now, it's hard not to choose Minnesota & Denver rivalry.

But I think the rivalry that we were about to see become the biggest was the OKC Dallas rivalry from 24-25. Feels like the stars aligned with it, between the obvious Oklahoma and Texas rivalry that goes back decades through college football. OKC and Dallas also sit along I-35 within about 4 hours from each other, "The I-35 rivalry".

But I think what made those matchups so good was the war between Luka & Shai, who at their first playoff matchup two years ago were clearly the top 2 guards in the league. Luka fans worshipped him as a savior for Dallas basketball. Cold, feeds off trash talk and opposing fan chants. Than with Shai, OKC fans see him as the best thing to happen to Oklahoma sports in decades, maybe ever. Just as cold as Luka, but rather quiet and overly nonchalant on the court. Fans of each respectively hated the other player. Never met a die hard SGA fan that didn't hate Luka in some sort of way and vice versa.

It's a matchup I wish we could've gotten every year in the playoffs and be the defining rivalry of the decade.