6 Day Essential Toronto & Niagara

On arrival in Toronto, make your way to the hotel and settle in. Why not spend the afternoon getting a feel for this dynamic city? You could head to St Lawrence Market, browse the shops on Queen Street West, and discover the amazing street art at Graffiti Alley.

You’ll have two full days to explore Toronto – and there’s plenty to keep you busy. Spend one day working your way around Toronto’s most iconic sites with your hop-on-hop-off tickets. The CN Tower is a must-do for couples and families. Take the glass-fronted lift up 346 metres to the LookOut in just 58 seconds. You’ll have a 360-degree view of Toronto and beyond. If you’re brave enough, you can even do the EdgeWalk which, as the name suggests, takes you around the very edge of this sky-high tower.

Back on the ground, there’s a lot more to see. You could visit the Hockey Hall of Fame, see Ripley’s Aquarium, catch a basketball game, or watch the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball at the Rogers Centre. Maybe opt for something a bit more relaxed on your second day and as Toronto is on the edge of Lake Ontario you could catch the ferry out to the Toronto Islands. There are 15 isles with – interconnected pathways and bridges – where you can hire bikes, go kayaking, or enjoy a picnic in one of the lovely green spaces.

Collect your hire car from Downtown Toronto and drive out of the city towards Niagara and the US border. The 90-minute drive takes you along the edge of Lake Ontario, as you journey through Hamilton – known as ‘the steel capital of Canada’ – and St Catherine’s, which is ‘the fruit basket of Ontario’. If you’ve got time, it’s worth making a stop at Niagara-on-the-Lake. This small town is best-known for its wineries, but you can also wander around quaint boutiques, antique shops and independent bistros. And you might even see a horse drawn carriage or two.

If you don’t want to drive, you can also get to Niagara by either train or coach.

You’ll have a full day to explore this spectacular area. The famous falls are within walking distance from most hotels so, after breakfast, stroll down to the main attraction and prepare to be amazed. There are lots of ways to experience the falls. You could take an adrenaline-pumping zip-line past America Falls to the base of Horseshoe Falls, or get up close to the cascading torrent of water on the Voyage to the Falls (included in your package). Or get soaked as you speed down the Niagara River on a jet-boat tour. If you’d rather stay on dry land, why not ride to the top of the Skylone Tower and view the falls from above? Or dine in the revolving restaurant and enjoy the ever-changing scenery.

As night falls, Niagara comes to life. The town is a lively hotspot with bars, restaurants and arcades, plus the impressive SkyWheel. Ride on the largest observation wheel in Canada and also get a view of the falls all lit up.

Your tour come to an end today, make your way back to Toronto for your flight home. You’ll want to make sure you have a later afternoon or evening flight out so you have time to get back to the city, alternatively you could add an extra night back in Toronto and get some time to do souvenir shopping.