For the final part of our Canada tour, we flew four and a half hours from Vancouver to Toronto, Ontario. This was a pretty smooth journey if I’m honest. from catching a train to get to the airport to catching a train at the other end, it was all stress free.
I decided to put these places in one post as they are only a couple of hours away from each other, so it makes a certain amount of sense to do what we did and visit them both.
What we did
Toronto:
CN Tower – A huge mass looming 1815 feet above the ground. We went all the way up to the SkyPod which is the highest observation deck. There were amazing views over Toronto and, just to add to the fun, many a glass floor to stand on! The one in the lift going up to the SkyPod was probably the coolest because you could see and feel just how fast and how high we were ascending.
One thing I wish we could have done but didn’t get the chance (that and the fact it was mega expensive) was the EdgeWalk… A walk around the circumference of the CN Tower HANDS FREE! We saw a couple of groups of people doing it whilst we were up there and it looked amazing, they hung off the edge and everything. Oh well, maybe I’ll find myself back there one day and do it.
Tour Guys Free Walking Tour – You can’t really go wrong with a walking tour in a city like this – it ensures that you see all the main sights but you also get a much better appreciation of the city as a local guides you around. Our tour guide was called Bri, who was very bubbly and knowledgeable. The actual tour lasted about an hour and a half which I felt was a perfect amount of time. We learnt a lot of interesting facts about the city including the PATH underground system which allows residents to not have to venture into the cold in the harsh winters. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would definitely recommend that anyone who visits Toronto tries their hardest to work this tour into their day.
Niagara:
For our day in Niagara Park we decided to purchase an Adventure Pass which allows access to the most popular attractions in Niagara Park. Here are the included attractions:
- Journey Behind the Falls
- Hornblower Niagara Cruises
- Niagara’s Fury
- White Water Walk
- Transport around the Niagara Park area included for 2 days
Unfortunately, Niagara’s Fury was not open the day we were there as they were experiencing some technical difficulties, but they were extremely apologetic and offered us a couple of alternative experiences. In the end we decided on the Whirlpool Aero Car, which you will read more about in a minute or two as well as the other attractions.
- Journey Behind the Falls – Our first activity of the day was the Journey Behind the Falls which takes you into the bedrock behind the Horseshoe Falls which was pretty cool. After donning our gorgeous yellow ponchos, we ventured 125 feet down into the rock and got a view of the Falls close-up (and we got a little wet too so be prepared for that). Don’t worry – all the ponchos returned to the Park get recycled which is what we like to hear. I would say if you get the Adventure Pass you might as well go down there, however personally I wouldn’t buy a ticket for it especially as there are more thrilling things to see and do here.
- Hornblower Niagara Cruises – Probably the most thrilling experience of the day was the boat trip into the Horseshoe Falls. Again we were handed ponchos but they were red this time, so it looked like a sea of red on every Canadian boat, a vivid contrast to the blue ponchos aboard the Maid of the Mist (the American falls boat). When boarding the boat we were one of the first on so rushed up to the top deck to try and get a good view – but to be honest I think anywhere you stood would be a great view. We set off towards the Falls and got closer… and closer… and closer… the thunderous sound was deafening and we got more than a little wet but it was a fantastic experience.
- White Water Walk – This was actually the attraction with the biggest queue, but it took us through the gift shop so we didn’t mind too much! Eventually we made it to the lift that was to take us down to the boardwalk where we would walk beside the Class 6 rapids downstream of the Falls. Class 6 rapids are legally off limits to all kayakers as they are extremely dangerous with hidden rocks and such. It wasn’t difficult to see why they have been banned, they looked pretty rowdy.
- Whirlpool Aero Car – As I said earlier, Niagara’s Fury was out of action whilst we were there, so we decided to give this a try instead. This cable car has been in operation since 1916 (they have upgraded the wires don’t worry!), and it gives great alternative views of the rapids and also a whirlpool which was really cool to look at from above. The weirdest part is you actually cross the Canadian-American border 4 times during your time on the Aero Car – but don’t worry, you don’t get off so you won’t be needing your passport, it’s more of a fun fact than anything else.
Another attraction I would have loved to have tried had we had the time was the Zipline to the Falls. We saw some people doing it and you could hear the shrieks of excitement as they hurled past towards the falls. Mum actually managed to get a really good picture of them in action, but I just wish it was me up there too! But never mind, exploring the Falls was a perfect way to round off an amazing adventure.
Where we ate
Toronto:
Breakfast: Over Easy
This restaurant was just down the road from the hotel, actually within the complex of another hotel, Hotel Victoria. It was a very bright restaurant, and the food was good too. I had the breakfast burrito which was amazing, I will definitely be making those as a weekend treat at uni! No one had a bad thing to say about the place, and their menu is huge and very varied, everyone is bound to find something that will satisfy them.
Dinner: Fran’s Restaurant & Bar
Unfortunately, we didn’t rate this restaurant too highly on our list. Despite all having different meals, none of us could say that we really enjoyed it. If I’m honest, I think the main problem was that everything just seemed a bit dry and bland. However, there was one upside – I got some blue cups for free that suit my uni colour theme perfectly! Mum asked the manager and he was more than happy to give me a couple which was really nice of him.
Niagara:
Dinner (and then Breakfast): Turtle Jacks
This restaurant was actually joined to our hotel – and after a long day in Toronto and the two hour drive to Niagara, it just made sense to not venture far as we were all very tired. It turned out to be a great choice though – Personally, I went for the chicken tacos which were delicious, but I think the dish of the day had to be their award-winning ribs with a choice of 4 different sauces! Of course I just had to sample a little bit of rib from dads plate – I told him I just had to try it for the blog and he begrudgingly accepted 😉
We enjoyed the place so much (and it was so convenient) that we decided to go back again for their buffet breakfast before our last day in Canada. There was plenty of choice, from eggs to granola to a waffle maker for fresh and fluffy waffles with plenty of toppings to choose from. We managed to get a bit of a discount as we were staying in the hotel, but we felt it was still a bit expensive for what it was.
The bottom line – GO HERE FOR DINNER but maybe try somewhere else for brekkie.
Where we stayed
Toronto:
The hotel where the Queen and other royalty stay when they visit, the Fairmont was very VERY fancy. We are not usually ones for elaborate lobbies and extremely overpriced everything, but we found ourselves here because our host at Trailfinders who helped us plan the holiday managed to snag an incredible price for the room, and it was actually the best value option (crazy, I know!).
Yes, this was a Fairmont and the lobby was extremely grand, but if I’m perfectly honest I wasn’t blown away by the room which I just assumed I would be. We had been told by the receptionist that we had been upgraded to the Deluxe Suite which probably raised our expectations even more, but it just felt like a bog standard room – there was nothing special about it, no characters unlike many of the other places we stayed at during the trip. However, I’m sure the Queens room is something else entirely…
Niagara:
Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview
As the name of the hotel suggests, our room had a fantastic view of Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls, it was an incredible thing to wake up to! The room itself was pretty standard, and with the useful amenities such as a microwave and coffee machine we had come to expect.
It was a ten or so minute walk from the hotel lobby to the Falls Incline Lift that takes people down to the level of the Falls, which meant at we didn’t have to worry about the faff of parking the car as it just stayed in the hotel car park!
This post concludes the Canadian road trip and I have to say I was very sad to be back – I felt as though there was still huge amounts left to explore! Who knows, maybe I’ll be back there one day…
I hope you enjoyed the Canada series, and we apologise for the lack of posts recently, it has been a super busy time for us both but we are hoping to get back on track soon 🙂
Happy travelling!
Zoe and David x
Written by Zoe
Not-So-Trendy Travellers 
It was a truly amazing trip and you’ve captured the essence of it perfectly. Mum X
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