Need help planning Niagra Falls girl trip
 

Our husbands don't like to travel so we are 3 to 4 women (45ish) thinking of a girl trip. We would fly into Toronto airport and prefer not to rent a car but will if this is our best option. Where should we stay? Thinking a wine tour, of course the Falls tour, shopping, some hiking if you have any recommendations, and great supper / evening ideas. Any recommendations for us? Thanks!

This would be good for your airport transfer to Niagara Falls.


http://www.niagaraairbus.com/

When are you thinking of planning this? In the spring/summer there are bike rentals and you could go on the parkway from Niagara Falls toward Niagara on the Lake.
There are lots of wine tours and they would probably pick you up from your hotel.
My favorite non-touristy restaurant in Niagara Falls is Napoli which has great Italian food and is not priced outrageously as some restaurants can be.

Would flying into Buffalo work for you? You don't say where you are originating. Buffalo is v/ close to NF.

When are you going?

You have two big choices for Niagara...

If your girls are gamblers, shows and nightlife... consider the Niagara Fallsview Casino and resort with side trip to the Wine region... theres a spa, dancing, musical reviews, top concerts, decent food and fancy rooms... wine tours can be arranged through the hotel...

If your girls are into Wine and Theatre, stay at Niagara on the Lake and spend some time at the Shaw festival... luxurious hotels or B&B, many with spas, over 100 wineries and amazing food options... you could sidetrip to the Casinos...

As Ocean mentions above, the time of year and your point of origin play a part in your planning... you decide...

gary, you make me want to go there!! B-)

We are from Manitoba so a flight to Toronto is easiest for us. Looking at 4 or 5 days any weekend in July (except the long weekend).
These are great options...thanks everyone!

4-5 days, I personally would stay at the falls for 2 nights (with a fallsview at either the Fallsview Casino or the Marriott Fallsview), and then I would stay 2 nights in Niagara on the Lake.

The Spa @ Pillar & Post has just received some prestigious award for "Best Spa". You may want to check it out. Just Google Pillar and Post & you will get info on its 100 Fountain Spa.

Just be aware that all shops in Niagara on the Lake close at 6 pm, and nightlife is pretty much a couple of pubs.

After six is when you catch a play, have dinner at a winery, or head to the Casino...

Amalie - why do you suggest this and how far apart are these locations?

OceanBreeze1 - we will for sure check out that website - thank you!

Can someone tell me where the outlet mall is in this area? Walking distance??

garyt22 - we for sure are planning a wine tour and/or dinner at a winery!

The major outlet mall is on the US side of the border about a 15 minute drive from the Falls

The major outlet mall is on the US side of the border about a 15 minute drive from the Falls

I suggest that because that's what we've done before. We've done two nights in Niagara Falls and one night in Niagara on the Lake one time (we go every year). Other years we just pick one location and visit both. It's convenient to stay in each location though with that many days. It's like a 20 min drive.

oh, because it helps save on parking, and it's convenient to be at the casino and then just go up to your room one night, and then another night it's convienent to walk around Niagara on the Lake for dinner and wineries and then be right there for bed.

You ought to spend some time in Niagara on the lake, and the drive there is v. beautiful. Maybe the shops close at night, but the Shaw festival is on and there are plays every night. They are always feather-weight, frothy, tee-hee plays to satisfy the fun crowd, but it is Geo. Bernard Shaw after all. There is a hill in Niagara Falls - not too big but it could totally disorient humans from Manitoba - you might even require a few tanks of oxygen.

I like amelie's idea but only of you want to go to the casino.
If not, then I wld stay in NOTL for the entire trip & just visit NF for an afternoon. Google "Niagara on the Lake Car Rental" for info on getting around.

You can take Niagara airbus from the Toronto airport to NOTL/NF.
www.niagaraairbus.com

If you want to shop in Buffalo, then just rent a car for the day.

It is my understanding -- not being a woman myself -- that the shopping and other woman-enjoyed aspects of Toronto compare very well with the best Manitoba has to offer, and you might wish to devote a day to Canada's largest city. With a rental car,it is easy to leave Niagara in the morning and return in the evening, so there's no need to change hotels.

BAK

I like BAK'a idea. Maybe you want to spend your first night/next day in Toronto. Then head to Niagara region. You can get a bus from The Royal York Hotel. Or, take the train from Union Station which is across the street from The Royal York.

BAK's

I agree with the Toronto ideas. You don't really need 5 days in Niagara, so a day in Toronto would be ideal.

Hi - I do a Niagara getaway a couple of times a year (it's an easy drive for me). I usually split it 1 night each the Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake, but having visited so often, I skip a lot of the Falls attractions which, if this is your first time, you may want to do. If you're flying into Toronto, yes, as suggested I'd plan on a couple of nights there to see the sights and do some shopping, then I'd probably rent a car to drive to Niagara and tour the wineries, etc. NOTL is a charming Victorian town, quite a few restaurants and a couple of pubs and wine bars, shops to poke around in, closer to the wineries. Several of the wineries have good restaurants, some with great views. The drive between the Falls and NOTL is scenic along the Niagara Parkway. Scenic hiking is possible about halfway at the Niagara Glen - trails down and along a wooded, rocky area adjacent to the river at the bottom of the escarpment. Personally I avoid weekends in summer because of the crowds, if you're going to spend time in Toronto I'd try to plan that on the weekend days and go to Niagara area on the weekdays.

mat54 we do the same thing, splitting one night here and there. Also an easy drive from us in Cleveland, where are you?

Good idea to avoid NOTL/NF on a summer weekend! It gets pretty crowded. We never go on the weekends.

Great ideas, thanks everyone. We have done Toronto a couple of times so we are looking to just stay in the Niagra Falls area during this trip. I'll have to do some research on NOTL and definately consider splitting our time in both locations. Thanks again.

Pillar and Post is an excellent suggestion for a girls getaway. The spa there is really nice and they have both indoor and outdoor pools which are great. I have done a couple girls weekends there and they have always been great.

I think that you will need to rent a car from Toronto. If you base yourselves in Niagara on the Lake then it is a quick drive to the Falls to see the sights and go to the casino if you want.

Also, the outlet mall just in Niagara Falls NY (on I - 190 I believe) is where you want to go and it is a really short drive from the Falls area. You could easily spend 3 to 4 hours there. Many designer outlets including Michael Kors, Saks off 5th, Kate Spade, Juicy Couture, etc., along with Brooks Brothers and Banana Republic and Nike.

I don't tend to spend a lot of time in the Falls, except with my son's hockey travel team, but I really like the charm of Niagara on the Lake. For dinner, I would highly recommend Stone Road Grille and the Charles Inn.

Another really nice hotel is the Harbour House in NOTL but they don't have a pool or spa. Just great service and really comfortable upscale rooms.