Niagara Falls & Toronto
 

I am actually posted this topic twice: once on the United States forum and once here on the Canada forum. I am thinking of planning a trip at the end of June to Niagara Falls & Toronto. My question is how many days at the minimum should I give myself for spending time at Niagara Falls(both the US & Canada sides) and spending time in Toronto. I have not done research as to what I want to see but am looking for a general time frame. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I'd allow two days for Niagara Falls (including Niagara on the Lake) and three days at a minimum for Toronto. You could easily spend much longer in Toronto, and if you want to visit some vineyards and wineries around Niagara, add a day or two to that visit.

July 1 is Canada Day... lots of stuff going on in both Niagara and Toronto... fireworks, concerts... Friendship festival is that week... three days each will be perfect for that week... Have fun!

If you decide to include visits to wineries in NotL let us know what you like I can help with suggestions.

I really recommend that you first do some research on what you'd like to do in each location. If you want to see/do 15 different things in Toronto, then 3 days isn't going to be long enough unless you run the entire time.

My general rule is: For activities/sights that are 4 hours or less, count each one as 1/2; For activities/sights that are over 4 hours, count each one as 1. Then add them up. That's how many days you ideally want to stay. If you can't stay that long, then do some more research and work out which activities/sights will be just a quick "oh look" and if they are within walking distance to other activities/sights, then take them out of the equation (you can still see/do them, but they won't take up a lot of time).

For Niagara Falls, check out www.niagaraparks.com for the Canadian side, and www.niagarafallsstatepark.com for the US side. You can see what there is to do easily and check out the passes (they can save you a lot of money).

i got in around suppertime one night on the us side of niagara falls. it was mid september and the town was dead. nice park by the falls and it was a nice walk the next morning. then went to the canadian side. maid of the mist was great...viewing the falls was great...the town it's self is very tacky and expensive - just had co-workers come back from a conference there and the first words out of most of their mouths was tacky. real shame as it's a beautiful area. i would only spend one night at the most there and actually, i'd just try to get there early in the morning and be gone by nightfall. i didn't get there but i hear niagara-on-the lake is beautiful.
how long you stay in toronto depends on what you like to do - if you are a "city person" i'm sure you could spend a week there amusing yourself with shopping, night life, etc.

Ltt - The town is like a carnival midway. If you just accept it and enjoy it for what it is, then you'll have a great time. My first visit I stayed only 1-1/2 days because of all the tales of its "tackiness" and "expensiveness". By the time I was driving away, I knew I needed to come back. When I did, I stayed for four days and still felt I could have spent more time there. My next trip will be 5 days in winter. I do think that part of why I like it so much is because most of my first trip, I just sat and watched the falls - the mist soaked into my soul and it's a part of me now.

Personally, I found NOTL to be rather boring. After walking along the main street with the shops that I see in every "quaint" town (Scottish tartan shop, antique/doll shop, cutesy animal topic store, etc.), there wasn't much else unless you like wineries. The only exception would be my visit with Moolyn, who made walking through the town enjoyable with her tales of the "natives".

I guess NOTL is like a B&B and Niagara Falls is like a casino hotel - if you like "quaint" and "peaceful", then NOTL is your best bet; if you like "action" and "bright lights", then Niagara Falls is your best bet.

llt,

I think you're giving Niagara Falls short shrift. As toedtoes points out, Niagara Falls proper definitely has the midway vibe and has had for pushing two centuries as local businessmen have wanted to draw attention away from the majesty of the Falls to man-made 'majesty'. If you're in history's thrall as I am, you'd have no problem spending 3-4 days pursuing that avenue alone. However, in any case ducking out after a one night would deprive you of the many other worthwhile visits there are to be had in the area. I don't quite share toedtoes' take on NOTL although I can appreciate where he/she is coming from. I'm more taken with the history of the entire run of the Niagara River down to Fort Erie and have enjoyed reading up on it. But that's just me.

As far as Trawna goes, definitely 3 days is a minimum for the downtown core, double or triple it if you want to do justice to ventures north or east of the City. If you're planning to be here when the leaves are turning, no trip is complete without a Fall colour tour somewhere along the Niagara Escarpment.

HTH
K