How I See the US After Living in Canada 

I have dual USA/Canadian citizenship and know both countries very well. First, the USA has incredible opportunity and upside but you have to know how to navigate the system. I grew up in the USA but my dual-citizen kids grew up in Canada. I could go back to live in the USA no problem but I doubt my kids could handle it. That said, I live in quite possibly the best Canadian city (Victoria, BC) and it is very very safe, peaceful, and pleasant; so it’s unlikely I will be moving back to the gun-loving USA since for me it would be crazy to leave Victoria.

As a Canadian retired from a career in computer technology I spent a lot of time working for and visiting at least the tech centers of US. This video does capture a lot of the good things I saw as well. I would suggest the NE including Boston, Maine and Vermont as another travel experience. My impression of US has been compromised by the political extremisms since 2016. I hope the joy and optimism returns in 2025. I lived there for four years. It was great, but it made me appreciate Canada even more. Public health care, gun sanity, diversity and a more socially level playing field are the things that I appreciate about Canada. US could have the best of both worlds and I hope they achieve it.

I am Canadian and visited NYC. Surprisingly, every person I asked for help with directions was super friendly. Great city! You should go there!

I’ve never noticed any real difference between customer service in the US and Canada, to the point where I would mention it. Pre-Covid - grocery stores were open til 10pm or even midnight. Now they usually close at 10pm. I’m in vancouver.

Everything is great when you are visiting the US but to live there is much more difficult. I appreciate the Canadian way of life and all the things we have to be grateful for. Americans are having a real tough time these days and I feel sorry for some of them . There is such a difference in those that have and those that don't. 😢

Many of those TV Shows & Movies are filmed in BC & Vancouver = Hollywood North .

American are consumers Canadian are more citizens

Stereotypes were shattered when visiting the east coast of the U.S. Boston, NY State, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Florida. Met people from Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. I found American's to be very easy going, helpful and polite. New York City is a culture shock, its a massive city with an endless sea of people. There is so much to see, there is no way to see everything in one visit of one or two weeks. California and the west coast states must be incredible, its the largest state and culture is vastly different from the east coast. Middle America is another world to discover, the U.S. is such an exciting place to visit.

Your next trip should be to NY city to see and experience the New Yorkers' attitude. 😂

I'm American but I love visiting Canada. The little differences amuse me. Canadian waiters/bartenders will get almost offended if you refuse ketchup for your morning breakfast potatoes, like you're committing a grievous social faux pas. The polite thing to do is accept it graciously (but you don't actually have to eat it). I like hearing the Canadian accent. If I'm in Canada for a few days I start saying "sorry" in that uniquely Canadian way. It's also weird that in most provinces you have to go to a liquor store to buy craft beer. In the USA you *can* buy beer in a liquor store, but most of the time beer & wine are purchased in regular grocery stores. Canadians seem happier and more pro-social; billboards encourage you to recycle your batteries. At most the USA tells you don't throw your batteries in the trash (but we do anyway). I have been surprised that outside the major cities, Canada is just as car/bus dependent as the USA. So far I've managed to visit Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and most recently Vancouver.

California is beautiful and I agree with you in that Americans are friendly and helpful, all my interactions with them when visiting anywhere in the US have been like that. And they were kind and willing to share information with obvious visitors. As a Canadian it made me realize that we here are more reserved than that with visitors, at least that is my experience with travelling in Canada! (Of course other Canadians seeing I am a hoser are probably thinking "You should know how to get around here already!") Anyway one thing I will disagree with you about American roads, at least some in California, and that is the lack of decent guard rails! It was scary!!

I would suggest you take a trip to rural West Virginia, tour of the countryside there and then fly to San Francisco, take a walking trip around downtown certain areas, see what your opinion is after that. Then see if you still have the same outlook about the US.

I want to see the updated version of this video after you visit Detroit. Also, drive from Ontario over the border to Buffalo and let us know how the roads look. California is special!

A lot of my fellow Canadians live in Los Angeles. Many of them working in Hollywood, be it actor, producer etc. Welcome to my adopted country.

Not sure where in Canada you live but here in Regina SK grocery stores are open until at least 10:00 pm.

Before Cov..d we used to have 24 hour grocery stores and some of the Walmarts were the same. I don't know if it is still like that in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) bc as an older person l no longer go out at night. Our area is fairly safe but l can go out in the day so l do.

Im from Toronto but regularly visit US, nearby states by road. Try visiting NY and Florida also. Cheers!

lol I dont know where in Toronto you have lived but there are five different grocery stores near me that all close at 10 pm on weekends lol yes I have visited Miami NYC and San Fran in the us. I found the customer service people excellent and yes the portions sizes on food I was definately like WOOW.

I'm a Canadian, lived for a year in the New England area. For the most part the people there are nice. The only people I ever had bad dealings was in Massachusetts. I have been to other parts of the US as well. Roads for the most part are on par to here in Canada. There are parts that are worse, and parts like around LA that are better. But that comes down to how the region makes its money. NY city is an amazing place to be at night.

I really appreciate watching your video girls, well documented as always;) I’ve been to Florida once and the first impression I had was positive in terms of some elements that you mentioned about American lifestyle, roads are large, huge spaces, people were nice and smiling easily diverse culture and last but not least fast food was tasty especially real burgers and bagels at the airport. you feel good vibes and people there are “caliente” maybe thanks to the presence of a great community of Latinos mami! 😊 a part of the windy weather in Miami I had a nice trip and I noticed that the American dream could be true at that time in the 90s . I’m from a country who was the First Nation that recognized the USA so maybe the strong relationship we have makes me always attracted to move one day there. God bless USA 😎bless you 🤩

Black Bear Cafe's are a chain, only out west typically but still a chain.

I recommend Utah. It's so diverse from Canada and has 5 National parks! The people there are so nice and the weather is not too hot or cold. Zion is only a short drive from Vegas.

The Black Bear! I used to go there as a kid all the time when I lived in California!

Exactly, the machine is working and very few escape it. Fortunately, I am one of the very few. In Disney I just bought the base ticket, and I am happy I did that because every attraction was a 30 to 60 min wait. After the 3rd one I left. I decided to go to a Disney World that was NOT in the US and did it outside of Paris, France. It was amazing. There was an average number of people. Wait was less than 10 min every time and the prices were about half of what I "experienced" in LA. So, please, go to France :). Yes, when you don't have something and it as rare as the the desert sand in the middle of the Russian Taiga, then you consider it super valuable, regardless of its true qualities.

Glad you're here.

Try Texas 😊 I’m from Suriname 🇸🇷 but a US citizen by birth-Had a hard time adjusting in California but Texas made me feel more at home 🏡

Very interested Anna, thanks for sharing.

Don't listen to what the Canadians are saying to you because you live in Canada. I'm also a foreigner who has lived in southern California the past years and I have been everywhere in California and it's topnotch. The infrastructure is outstanding, strong economy, abundance of freeway connections from one state to another. Currently I live in Oregon, another state full of nature and I have been to several states. Concluding i will say no Country is developed nationwide like USA.

The roads in many parts of the US are even worse than Canada. California is the 2nd largest economy in the world, so I’m not surprised they have good roads. Also the US has about 350 million people and Canada has only 50 million. So a lot more people up pay for roads. The service in the US is definitely better overall and they are friendly

Lets go to Louisiana. I'm from Montreal and I felt in love with this outstanding state. Much less about money and work and truly about local food, local music and so festivals and parades non-stop! A one of a kind state truly different from any others. Louisiana is living for its own peculiar culture celebration. And New Orleans on a large scale, is the most beautiful city of the US architecturally speaking. People are as nice and friendly!

Roads in hot and arid parts of the US are better than in the snow covered Canada. I think Canadian roads live more than LA/Vegas roads. As for recommendations, I would say check out Louisiana next or Tennessee.

Ihich hicked to LA back in 68 it was discusting ugly dirty bland wentt o see watt's tower in watts (( very cool)) the second time flying to mexico from above just as ugly ((in the 80"s)) glad i never left the airpirt going and coming home

I’m from Los Angeles and we do have downsides. Yes, there are a lot of homeless people. It’s not a perfect world, but I am glad you liked LA. Come back anytime and explore more!

I much prefer the US for almost everything, except the roads where I have lived are better in Canada (southwestern ontario and coastal BC). More money spent on maintaining them, smoother, with more bike lanes and roundabouts are found in Canada than US. The US just has more freeways - too many of them. Canadian cities protected their cores much better with fewer freeways through them, while the US sucked the life out of their city cores driving them into poverty. I live in Arizona 2-4 months a year, love the unlimited wilderness in the desert mountains and much friendlier vibe in Tucson than here in coastal BC. Canadians only have coastal BC to have mild weather without snow, while the US has a dozen states that are warm in winter to choose from and sunny too.

From a fellow Michael Jackson fan, you came very close with that Billy Jean dance ❤

You go to Canada for comfort, you go to US to be entertained.

Just wondering how you two ladies enjoy living in Durham Region ... it's not as hectic as the city.

As an American living in Canada, I will NEVER go back to the US...Go to Alabama or Mississippi and experience how low income and black and brown people are treated...you really saw very little of conservative America...

I have to repeat this because it is so true. The beach she visited was so underwhelming, gray and overcast. America you keep California and I'll keep Crystal Crescent Beach near Halifax Nova Scotia. Rissers Beach on The South Shore and any Northumberland Shore Beach in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. Don't forget The beaches of Prince Edward Island & Newfoundland. They are all superior to overcrowding and the air pollution overhead from a mega city.

Washington and Oregon are diverse and beautiful! Washington has a rain forest, mountains, oceans and…kind of desert like areas

Thank you so much for such a great video 🤩

Visit Ohio and Pennsylvania I heard those states have European influence in a way. Don't forget about New York City and Chicago even though they are not in those states.

roads are worse in Canada because our ground freezes and thaws, destroying ashphalt.

I lived PT in VT for over 20 years. The cultural differences, day to day, are negligible. Analogous to Austria and Germany. On a larger scale, and politically there are some BIG differences, particularly in the trump era,. The right in Canada is nuanced to the left of Harris-Biden. We have no viable political entity equivalent to the Lunatic MAGA.

she might have lived in Canada but her accent is definitely not from there..Her accent sounds more European than Canadian

Thank you for coming to America.

of all the famous people you could have picked, you choose hollywoods most renowed peto, yea that where i exited..................

I’m a North American native and I have dual citizenship. Back in the 70’s I spent a lot of time in Simi Valley. It was a great place to live and work. I’m from Yellowknife Northwest Territories Canada in the Canadian arctic. Yellowknife is a great place to live . The down side is we have some very cold weather . Temperatures can drop to 40 degrees F. I stopped going to the US when gun violence was spiking. We have guns in Canada but we have strict gun laws. Maybe in the future if the US government rains in the gun industry and makes better gun laws I might consider going back. But until that happens I’m staying in Canada.

The roads are better in the southern states than in Canada because they don't have freeze thaw cycles.

The weather in Canada is much harsher on the roads than most of the US. That has something to do with the conditions of the roads and also the time allowable to repair them.

Im a dual American Canadian and can say like in Canada, the States are so different from each other. The local cultures are so different on the region you are. I live in Canada but spend the winters in the US.

Glad you lived to tell your tale! I've lived in both countries, and believe me- you'd be hard pressed to give me a reason to go back to the USA! Your first mistake is using your Toronto experience as the benchmark for your opinions. (I've lived there too...) I can be over the border in 5 minutes from my house, and went over for the first time since Covid about a month ago. Maybe you should make a video comparing Canada to Russia and count your blessings we took you in!

I am glad you had a good experience in the western US as a tourist. I taught in 2 inland California universities over 3 yrs in the central valley. Loved the Pacific coast, the sequoias, Anza Berrago desert in the south, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and san Francisco. For a paleontologist teaching biology and evolution, it was interesting how many of my students were creationists. Not found in Canada, much. If you live in Toronto, I suggest driving across the border into Buffalo and in New York state and Pennsylvania. Many US Americans comment on how clean Canada seems by comparison. People are friendly enough until you get on to politics. More often it turns rapidly into a shouting match where Canadians are more inclined to discuss. Glad you went with such a positive attitude. I am very glad to be back in Canada with our universal tax-payer funded health care. About half of US Americans are $10,000 or more in debt for medical bills. You must have a job to have health care unless you want to pay about $700 plus a month. Even with a job you pay for half of it.

One thing I like about North America is : most of the public washroom is free, in Europe,they charge you everywhere for using the public washroom

A pleasant video but it really is a tourist video v.s. any type of appraisal of the USA. Most tourists to the USA have a positive experience as you did. What I found odd was that you would make two observations that seemed contradictory but would not elaborate. Some stood out for me. You say your recognize the impact of climate on roads but still talk about how great the roads in the desert are compared to roads in areas that have freeze-thaw cycles. Roads in the USA in states with freeze-thaw cycles are similar to Canada. You enjoyed the wider roads and highways but later said you would not get into car dependency or poor walkability. Yet that is a core part of SW USA. Not only is it a physical necessity due to distances, as it is in Canada, but it is also a well established culture as well. You also speak of deserts but then enjoy seeing orchards and other crops. Clearly a conflict between having agricultural lands in a desert - it means massive effort to bring water to the desert. This has been causing many problems in western USA for year. Finally there wasn't a conflict for you but there was for me with the idea that retail shops are open so long. Of course that is necessary when you have a culture that works people very hard and gives them a fraction of the social benefits found in other western countries. Long hours means people work so hard at minimum wage while sacrificing any positive time spend with family and friends. And not only for the employees but for the customers who don't stay home with friends and family as they can go shopping instead. Just seems like an negative element that will hurt employees and family relationships in the long term.

Best time to visit is in the winter! I spent a Christmas down in San Diego and it was so great compared to December in Montreal 😊

Thanks for sharing this: In the warmer States, where there is not the freeze and thaw cycles, roads will always be better. It’s the climate that affects the quality.

USA roads in California can be really really cheaply made. In Illinois, which is similar to Toronto, you have to dig a 3-ft roadbed to make a road that will survive ground-freezing in the winters. In Florida I have seen badly maintained roads that were only THREE inches thick, with the underlying dirt showing through some holes.

I think the perception most Canadians have of "bad Americans" comes from tourists - when they travel they tend to be demanding. My experience while IN the US was like yours - very nice people.

Few years ago I hiked a park at the north end of Powell River British Columbia where giant trees still grow, fantastic experience no matter where you see it up close.

The roads are bad in Canada because of freeze/thaw in the winter.

I loved your video. To see a Russian/ Canadian girl see the differences between countries. It was a real treat to watch.

I'd say visiting Washington D.C. and maybe making a comparison with the peer capital of Canada, Ottawa would be an interesting video. Exploring the Virginia-Washington-Maryland area might be a worth it to have an idea of South meets North culture in the USA.

Glad you visited US and made this positive video. I lived in Canada at a young age and was raised to believe that US is inferior. Actually visiting the US opened my eyes. Referencing your "ugly truth" video, US corporations do have immigrants at top positions: Google, Microsoft, IBM. This capitalist/performance based culture is what makes US so successful. I recommend visiting NYC+Washington DC (free Smithsonian museums) next, or Florida (Key West+Everglades air boat).

Just going across the border to Buffalo, the people are friendly. Though I do find Toronto and Southern ON peeps are friendlier when they come and shop in Buffalo. Time you came down to Buffalo and checked out my adopted hometown.. And not just for shopping. We have museums and architecture and history that can't necessarily be found anywhere else. As a matter of fact, we have recently reopened the Albright Knox, now known as AKG Museum. Delaware Park is worth seeing as is the Buffalo Zoo. But the biggest thing in my opinion is Canalside and the waterfront on Lake Erie-that was the brainchild of my friend's mother who worked for the city of Buffalo government. And if you like a Greenwich Village atmosphere, you should check out Elmwood Ave. My adopted hometown is open to Canadians and I hope you come on down.

Someone once said there is very little difference between Canadian s and American s and the quickest way to see that tiny difference is to point that out to a Canadian.

Yet another dual citizen here. I grew up in Brooklyn, I love that I can name just a part of a city and almost anyone in the world will know exactly where I'm from, but I digress. For a beautiful and different holiday experience consider a fall vacation. Drive from Toronto through beautiful New England staying at various Bed and Breakfast inns along your trip. Fall in New England is breathtakingly beautiful and it will stay in your memory forever. There are many, many historic site from both the Revolutionary and Civil wars, old Pilgrim style sites and on and on. First and foremost though, the fabulous colors of the leaves, the plethora of squirrels... I could write a book here, anyway, beautiful and different. Travel as far as you choose but ending up in Washington DC would top it off beautifully! The Smithsonian Institure, The National Art Gallery, the statues and monuments...

As a person of colour, I just have to say that I feel more accepted in Canada than the US. The segregational past of the US still casts its shadow in so many places, not only the Deep South. There is still cultural segregation based on neighbourhoods, and race riots still happen in the US, as we know. While Canada isn't immune to racism by any means, race riots are unheard of here. The question: "Where are you from?" gets bandied around a lot from well-meaning people but quickly gets tiresome and offensive when it seems to imply "You're not from around here." Yes, actually, I was born and raised in N. America. Why do you think otherwise? I get this question much more in the US than in Canada. 😠

Everyone is always nice and friendly no matter where you go on the planet when your a beautiful Caucasian woman thats universal thank's for sharing your trip with us

I'm an American that moved to Montreal back in February 2020. I experienced a lot of culture shock (or at least cultural/linguistic differences) like, of course, French is everywhere all the time. I also noticed a huge difference in the experience of driving- roads are much more narrow and filled with obstacles here, everything closes much more early, and the sense of urgency when completing a necessary task is virtually non-existent. I love it here, but there were some things to get used to lol. I think that Fast Food tastes 100x better in the US. I also think that there's a big cultural difference in terms of being polite (Canada) vs. being friendly (USA). People here in Canada are very polite, but I wouldn't necessarily say friendly. Oddly enough, I've found myself more naturally trusting of French Canadians vs. English Canadians as I trust that the French Canadians will be more direct with me and I'll never have to wonder if they like me or not, whereas English Canadians are more likely to be passive aggressive or polite before being forced to be direct with someone. But with that being said, being born and raised in the US, I'd really have to recommend you try visiting Chicago, and maybe some of the surrounding area by car. The reason isn't necessarily as much about specific things to do, but rather more about the cultural experience of the United States. Anywhere in the Midwest is going to give you that stereotypical "American" vibe. If you drive from Toronto to Chicago, you'll see (driving on the highways through Michigan and Indiana) road signs that say, "HELL IS REAL, REPENT NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" followed by a road sign that says, "FIREWORKS AT EXIT 54", followed by a road sign that says, "ABORTION KILLS A BABY EVERY 30 MINUTES", followed by a road sign that says, "LION'S DEN XXXOTIC ADULT STORE AT EXIT 55" (you get my point lol). You'll see the best and the worst parts of American culture in the small towns and big cities of the Midwest. I think it paints a more accurate picture of what the US is as a country vs. what it wants to be seen as. And in some ways, especially when you're in Michigan, it's like an alternate universe of, "What would Ontario be like if it was American instead of Canadian?" If you drive further north into Michigan you can reach Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore which is a really pleasant surprise for this region of the continent. Nobody would ever expect to see such massive sand dunes in the Midwest brushed up against one of the Great Lakes.

As a Canadian i very much appreciate your unbiased commentary 😊

Next time go to New York City if you want to meet rude U.S. people

American here -- I agree with Anastasia in that California is not at all a typical US state. It's arguably the most liberal and one of the wealthiest states to visit, which is why LA has such a staggering volume of tourism. Same with NYC -- these are absolutely necessary cities to visit for any visitor looking for the best that America has to offer. However, if you only look at the big cities you miss out on nearly half of the population and their individual culture. I would propose smaller cities, for their more **RELATIVELY** nuanced impressions of American life. Cities like Phoenix AZ, Seattle WA, Atlanta GA, Miami FL, Boston MA, Washington DC, Chicago IL -- this gives you a balanced view of life in the major regions of the country (West, South, Northeast and Midwest) and you'll be able to see quite clearly how different life is for **AGAIN... RELATIVELY** rural citizens based on their geographical region.

America is no longer the "American dream", but still you can have different options where to live: from hot to cold and from cheap to expensive and, in all those places, you will find job Haaaa, also portions of food are big because there is quite a lot of obese people Well, you should go, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and then go to the northern states and compare again, very different the people, the labdscape, the rods, the food, the climate, the taxes and the cost of living....and the labor force

Team Pepsi - Americans are absolute masters at marketing. Nobody comes even close to them. It's all those little things they have developed over the yrs that make them so good at selling anything to everybody. As I said - MASTERS of MARKETING

Power to you! And a belated welcome to CANADA!!! Great travelog and good practice for your English articulation. Have you visited Montreal? It is kind of a little of Europe and North America.

Roads in america don’t have the same weather related issues. They also have a much higher population density so there are more roads going to more destinations hence not as much congestion. That being said, try Atlanta, LA or New York during rush hour.

To me (Уменя, à mon opinion) the American perspective is almost always PRESCRIPTIVE. Even before we've had a chance to think about the possible answers, here it is, fully formed, by definition. But, in many cultures, that's premature, not fully baked. Discomfort is not a reasonable warrant for hasty decision. I'm more in favor of a DESCRIPTIVE treatment of the facts at hand. Here's what we have. Here are the possible choices and outcomes that we're facing. We don't rush hastily to some predefined conclusion, we think carefully about our choices, and the possible outcomes which flow from them. And then we decide. Only then. It's the antithesis of being driven by ideology. We're driven by curiosity.

I don't get how people idealize so much americon culture. It is gross

People are suggesting the obvious big cities like Miami (booze, beaches, anything sleazy) Chicago (overrated and windy) or NYC (probably close to Toronto in terms of lifestyle) but if you really want a more accurate American experience, please try Atlanta first and then Dallas. Those cities have everything like Chicago but also have conservative culture intertwined with the urban experience. You might not like it (I know I don't) but it is definitely a part of American culture most foreigners don't experience and I think it show you a very different part of America. I would have suggested go to Dallas or Houston first, but Texas might be too much of a culture shock for you guys when you are new to America haha. If you thought portions are bigger in California, you would be shocked to see what happens in Texas. There is a saying that everything is bigger in Texas (food portions, roads, buildings, homes, people lol). Especially Houston, considering how much bigger it is than LA and how it can take 1.5 hours to drive from side of the city to another.

I recommended you visit Maine. I was born and raised here in Maine and find it to encompass a lot of kind, down to earth people. The natural landscape is amazing no matter where you are in the state; western mountains like the White’s or Bigelow to Baxter state park in the central region, or rocky coastline like Bar Harbor. Great small fishing villages and Portland, our largest city, is currently experiencing a foodie and art movement! Art is everywhere and there is a new quirky restaurant coming in seemingly every week! Road suck though so be prepared!

Lol, I actually avoid US cities like the plague. (I'm a Canadain who wants to leave Canada) and bought a cottage in the US and go weekly. However the ex-burbs and suburbs are the people are great.

I grew up in the US. I am working to transition to move to Canada currently. Depends what you are looking for to do in America. I have visited over 30 states and each state has its own culture or vibe. I think you would enjoy Florida, New York, Washington D.C., Texas, North Carolina and Georgia off the top of my head. If you want something slower paced for the most part South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee are states that can be slower paced as examples. I also enjoyed Arizona. It really depends on what you are looking for but those are some states you could look into depending on what you want.

Our precious 90s childhood, sad but true. ❤ Consumerism here make want back to Europe...

Great video! Enjoyed hearing your perspective on America. It really is such a diverse country, but the top cities I would recommend visiting are New Orleans, Portland (Oregon), and New York. All three have completely different flavors of America.

Om Canadian have been traveling into the US since 70s. Big city, small town, doesn't matter, top notch friendliness everywhere. And a more free mindset

I’m a Californian (from Palm Springs ) living in Southwestern Ontario for the last three years. I think the great lake Megaregion, that is, Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago, Indianapolis, and everything in between are great places to visit in the United States. Many of these cities are coming back in a big way, the people are real and friendly- this is the real America- and not so far from Toronto, where you live.

6:19 haha I find this hilarious because I wish I could feel what she felt for the harry potter world (not a fan of theme parks) but when I see those prices I am definitely the first to say NO THANKS. Sometimes I hate having to do it but it’s for the exact same reasons. Like we bought our daughters a $40 wand that they broke in like two months. They don’t care but man that thing was costly.

I strongly recommend you check out NY State and not just NYC and Long Island please. We have the Finger Lakes, Western NY including Buffalo, North Country and the Adirondacks. If you are still living in Toronto, there is no reason why you should not be able to check it out. And a specific constructive suggestion: Check out Women's RIghts Museum in Seneca Falls, NY. It is located in the FInger Lakes Region of NY.

Have you been to Vancouver? The canadian West Coast? If not check it out.

CDN $ is so depreciated now, and USD $ is so strong, so I stopped going to the US for longer trips. Maybe for a couple of weekends a year. Things are way too expensive there. Plus the tipping culture is the worst. However, if given a chance to go 20 years back in time and choose what country to move to - I'd probably pick the US instead of Canada. Higher incomes, lower taxes, and a stronger US dollar would let you earn more money and retire to some other less expensive and nicer country :)

For a great US experience nothing beats travelling Route 66. It has changed over the years but if you take the side roads and detours to older parts of the route the history and the people are extraordinary. Texas and New Mexico (balloon fiesta) have to be my favourite States - truly Gods Country!

I've travelled to the US a fair bit over the past four decades and my experience is that the relative condition of the highways is a cyclical thing. In the 80s and 90s the highways in Ontario were in terrific shape and those in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio were falling apart. By the 2000s that had started to change with Ontario's highways getting bumpier and the American ones getting smoother, although the US still had an awful lot of dangerously decrepit bridges.

Ok, it costs ALOT to maintain roads, and here in Canada there is much less money available for the annual repaying of all the mountain highways. I have visited the US many times, and I still love Canada more because the excess in the US bothers me. As you say, everything is for sale there, so healthcare and education is offensively expensive. Food portions. I only order appetizers in the US. People are very friendly for the most part in the US, unless they are not. Americans do rude and judgemental well.

Highways in NYC area are confusing, especially Long Island Expressway and roads in NJ near NYC.

Comparing Canada with the USA is stupid,they are 10 times more people(much more taxe payers for the infrastuctures)and in many parts of their country ,the weather is milder(easyer road maintenances). But you forgot to mention that they have way more problems that we have and they have way more ignorant people that we have. Their you have it.

Very nice . Now make the change, show us South Central Los Angeles and all the other dirty places in the U.S. , that we don't have in Canada ?

Just wait until you need to pay for medical services... thank god canada has cheap healthcare

American here and living in Los Angeles, I'm glad you guys enjoyed your stay here ( except for the homeless problem which is getting out of control). Great job driving! 1 week is not enough to appreciate CALIFORNIA . I suggest a second visit. I have to say " the grass is always greener on the other side" We have family in North Vancouver, that we visit 3-4 times a year and i'm always excited to visit and enjoy British Columbia in the 7-10 days that we're there. My suggestion for the next state, if you guys have never been.. is Hawaii.

Your assessments are pretty balanced overall. Maybe keep in mind that agriculture in states like California and Nevada are largely based on irrigation and monoculture. The first creates salinization of the soil over time. The latter increases pests and also depletes the soils minerals which are non-renewable. And that the tax base in California is equivalent to all of Canada largely spread along the border. Did you know that about half of Canada’s population is below the 49th parallel?