Visiting Toronto and Niagara Falls: One week in Canada

My family and I use to go to Toronto, Canada for vacation almost every summer when I was little. Then came a time, when going on vacation was not in our budget, and we didn’t go up for a while. Until recently, my family and I were able to save and go back. This time, we decided to make our trip different. Instead of going up just to visit family and sit in their houses for the entire week we were up there while my dad went out and had fun, my sister and I decided that this trip was going to be different. We were not going to spend vacation sitting at a relative’s house doing nothing. We wanted to explore. Go out and see the city. Be a tourist for once!

So glad for the willingness of my uncle and aunt for taking us around to where we wanted to go. They told us to tell them where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see, and they would make it happen. They are truly the best! My sister and I began coming up with a list of all the things we wanted to see, and then we went back through the list and narrowed it down to our top few places. After all, we only had a week up in Canada, and we had to dedicate a day or two to visiting family.

Below is a sample itinerary for a week in Toronto.

Day 1: Niagara Falls

If you are going to Canada, you can’t not go see the famous, ever so popular, Niagara Falls. It’s way better on the Canada side.  Every year that we drove up to Canada, we always just drove right past. I can hear my dad’s voice now. I will just drive by slowly, so you can “see” the falls.

Just driving by is no ways to experience Niagara Falls. The fun is in stepping out and walking around. We wanted to get out and explore, not just see it out the window of the van. So, this latest trip, we made it happen. There are different ways that you can experience the falls. You can just look at it from above, take the ship ride up and close to the falls, or take the Journey behind the falls.

 My sister and I don’t know how to swim, so we opted for the Journey behind the falls. Plus, it sounded like the experience we would enjoy the most. You can purchase your tickets on site, and you are given raincoats. So, don’t worry about getting wet!

Thank goodness for the raincoats because it started to rain and hail while we were visiting. Apparently, July is the time of rain for them. Would have been good to know ahead of time. Oh well. If you have the flexibility to arrange your trip based on weather, then I would suggest going to Niagara Falls on a sunnier day. You will be able to enjoy all it has to offer that way.

What is Journey Behind the Falls?

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But, here we were being pelted by hail as we ran to where our journey behind the falls would begin. You walk through a tunnel or cave, whatever you would like to call it, and along the way there are boards of information about the falls with some very interesting facts. You keep on walking through the tunnel until you make it to an opening that leads you to a ledge above the falls. To your right, you will be up close and personal with a part of the falls. Take some time to take in the beauty. Just a warning, be prepared to get wet from the power of the water falling over the edge. Getting wet is a small thing compared to the experience of getting up close to this famous attraction.

After gazing up at the falls for a while, and taking a few pics, look down and you see those that paid for the ferry that take you close to the falls. The falls are so powerful, that the ferry has to use so much power to get close because the water is pushing them back. My sister and I had a competition where we guessed which ferry would make it closer, the Canadian one or the American one. It was like a race between the American and the Canadian ships to see who could get the closest. The Canadian one won every time.

After you are done looking down, look up and across and you can see the American side of the falls. The Canadian side of the falls has way more the see and do than the American side. I would highly recommend going into Canada to get the full experience.

Finished getting drenched? Don’t just turn back the way you came but continue down the path of the tunnel. At the end, you will find a small opening, like a window, where the falls are falling right in front of you. You are literally standing right behind the falling water. It was so cool!  It was a very unique and fun experience.

Your tour of Niagara Falls has only just begun. There is plenty more to do. The Falls aren’t the only thing you can see when you are there. There is an entire street filled with things to see and do. Save money by buying a pass that gives you a discounted price to visit several museums and participate in several activities. Unfortunately, due to the weather and the time we arrived that day, we were unable to explore the rest of the surrounding area.

Day 2: CN Tower & Ripley’s Believe it or Not Aquarium

CN Tower

Another one of those attractions that you think of when you think of visiting Canada. It’s obviously a must see!

Off to Toronto. We got an early start, so we could get to Toronto as early as possible. My sister and I didn’t want to waste any time. We wanted to have as much time as possible to see as much as possible. Especially, with the chances of rain during our trip playing a role.

We arrived to our uncle’s house and he told us he had gotten a city pass. Great deal by the way! You are able to see 6 city attractions for a lower price. The pass includes admission to the CN tower, Ripley’s Aquarium, Royal Ontario Museum, Casa Loma, and either the Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Center. The only thing to keep in mind when using this pass is that from the first day you use it, you have 9 days to use the tickets in the book before they expire. Works out if your trip is a weeklong!

We headed to the CN Tower first. When you think of Toronto, you think of the CN tower. One of the most touristy things to visit, and we were being true tourists this trip. So on we went. Just like our uncle, my sister and I like to get to places early if it means a shorter wait and more time to see things.

We beat traffic and the long lines by getting to the tower early. The awesome part was that since it was Canada’s 50^th year, they had a lot of cool props and items out around the tower for where you could pose and take pictures. We picked a good year to return. I would recommend going inside the tower first, and then spend time taking pics outside after.

I would suggest getting to the tower early because it can get crowded considering it is a popular tourist attraction. After you get your tickets, you have a very limited time to get inside. So, if you have to go to the bathroom, wait until you get inside the tower. You don’t want to risk losing your tickets after paying for them. I know how it feels to cut it close because we did. My dad and brother decided to go take their time in the bathroom.

What is there to do once you make it to the top?

Now that you’re in, take the elevator to the top, and take time looking around. There is a glass elevator that you can take which lets you see how far up from the ground you are as you are going up. We ended up getting in a different elevator due to it being the next available one. Don’t rush it. Take your time walking around the tower and enjoy it while you are there. While you are up there, you can step outside onto the deck around the tower and see the entire city.

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When you return back inside, if heights don’t scare you, then step out onto the glass floor. There is a section of the floor that is made of glass and you can see straight down to the ground. Thank goodness it is strong to hold everyone’s weight because I would not want to fall from that high up.

The glass floor is not all that you can experience. Add the Edge Walk or Sky Pod ticket to your package, and experience more! We opted to add the sky pod, but not the edge walk. I, for one, am not a big fan of heights, so doing the edge walk would not make sense.

What is the edge walk, you say? You basically get harnessed up and walk along the outside of the tower. No thank you! I will just watch those adrenaline rushies from the TV screen inside the tower. But, we did decide to do the sky rush, which took us to the very top of the point of the tower. Now that is something I can say I did.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not Aquarium

Since you are already in downtown Toronto for the CN tower, head on over next door to the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Aquarium. Not to mention, it is part of the City pass package deal, if you purchased this. So, why waste the ticket?

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Just like any aquarium, you get to see different types of fishes and water animals. But, not every aquarium is the same. This aquarium has unique fishes and animals that you might not see at your local aquarium. And because it is a Ripley’s museum, there are a lot of other activities and unusual displays.

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This aquarium is one of three owned by Ripley’s, and it has one of the longest underwater viewing tunnels in the continent! Now that is a must see! They also have several exhibits where you can touch a selection of aquatic animals, including stingrays and horseshoes. I opted not to touch them, but the kids around me were not afraid to give these animals a touch.

Day 4: Royal Ontario Museum & Casa Loma

Royal Ontario Museum

The name says it all. The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum, if you couldn’t figure that out by the title, then I thought I would help you out. If you enjoy going to museums, or if you got the City pass, then stop by. Just like most museums, it has different types of exhibits. Exhibits on the history of different cultures and parts of the world, art, and much more. There are multiple floors and this museum is huge. You could spend a good portion of a day, or the entire day there if you are into this kind of stuff. The choice is yours!

Casa Loma

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This is an historic castle that is the only full-sized castle in the North American continent! Another must see! Not to mention, the City pass gives you a ticket. This castle has been turned into a museum for tourists, and locals, to come and visit. Go on down to the lowest level, before you start your self-guided tour, and pick up a free audio tour phone. Then, off you go, exploring all the floors of the castle.

There is also a beautiful garden around the castle. So, take time exploring the grounds outside of the castle, in addition, to inside.

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Don’t just tour the castle, try to escape it! The castle has its own escape the room type games, where one was escaping the tower. You get to go up the original, tight stairway of the castle’s tower, get locked in the tower, and have to work together to try to escape in time. We barely escaped, just in time!

Day 5: Toronto Zoo

Who doesn’t love the zoo? The last day on our trip, we visited the Toronto Zoo (over the Science center). But, you can visit whichever, or both, if you have time. Keep in mind, that if you purchased the City pass, you will only have a ticket for one or the other.

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Again, the title says it all. This is a zoo. So, expect to see lots of different types of animals. The only difference, not every zoo is the same. Plus, it is a fun place to visit with family. You get to hang out with your family and have fun! The best of both worlds. What more could you ask for?

Conclusion

Hope this guide comes in handy for when you plan your trip to Canada, or if you are looking for things to do or see on your trip. If you have more time on our hand, you can also visit the Toronto Islands. We were planning on visiting these islands, but because we went in July, the rain had caused flooding. So, no boats were bringing visitors to the islands. However, if you do go during the first week of July, Canada Day is on July 1, so take part in the festivies around the area. Either way, enjoy your trip to the neighbors above, and let me know how your trip went!