Niagara Falls / Toronto Trip Report LIVE!
 

We left Cleveland Ohio yesterday (Thurs) at 3pm, and got to Niagara at 6pm exactly. The border was the quickest ever, only one car in front of us, and no traffic at all. Found our way to the Fallsview Casino, parking said $5. We parked here and then took our bags down to the Marriott Fallsview. Their parking is $20 a night. We checked in to our fallsview room and what a view!!! I am spoiled now. This is our 4th year we have been going to Niagara in Sept., and we have been staying at a B&B in Niagara Falls or a B&B in Niagara on the Lake. Well this time we splurged for the falls view room and it was spectacular. A great view of both of the falls. Our room also had a two person jacuzzi tub which I did test out and it was great. We had a fallsview room once, like 10 years ago at the Sheraton (closer to the old casino), so this was a treat.

We had dinner at Shoeless Joes at the Casino, which we had lunch at before. I had panko crusted fish and chips. Sorry, that wasn't panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) but just regular breading. I hated it, but I was hungry. My husband Tom loved his steak stir fry.

Then we walked down to the falls, about 8:30 pm, so nice and dark and beautiful. After that we went to the casino and Tom gambled at video poker for about 1.5 hours if that. He put in $20 and only lost $1.75 so that was good.

Day 2 (Friday)
We tried to get up early, 7 ish, and packed up, took our bags to the car and then got breakfast at Tim Hortons at the casino (I love Timmy's). We looked at the falls from the above balcony areas and then hit the road at about 9:30.

It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the Bay Street exit in Toronto, so that wasn't bad at all. I was expecting two hours. So we got here earlier than we thought.

Thanks to the great directions from BAK and to Gavin for calling the hotel (Fairmont Royal York) ahead of time about which entrance to use (why didn't I think of that). We did fine, got onto Front street and then passed up the valet parking turn off!!! ahhhh!! It is right before the hotel on the right, and we saw it too late. So around the block we went, and that was not easy because why are there no left turn signals!!??!?!? So you are trying to turn left and trying not to hit people crossing either. It is NUTS. Thankfully we made it back around w/o a big issue. PHEW.

Got inside and the Royal York is as beautiful as I had hoped. Our room was not ready, but we stored our bags and off we were. It was about 11 ish at this point. We had reservations at Il Fornello on King St at 12:30. So we walked west along Queen Street to check out the funky shops and the area. I bought a cute purple purse and then we were on our way to lunch. It is near St. Andrews Subway Stop and Church which Tom got a kick out of (since he is from Scotland, he's lived in the US five years now).

The food was good and I printed off a %15 off coupon for out of towners on the website.

Then we decided to go up the CN Tower since neither of us have done it in a long time (I think 10 years for me, longer for Tom). We did not go to the skypod, I wish we would have. But it was super cold and windy by the lake. At least the sun is out, gorgeous day, but chilly. I stood on the glass floor, no problem. THat doesn't bother me for some reason. The new thing they built on the Sears Tower in Chicago is another story...

So then we got to the hotel at 2:45 and didn't have to wait in the massive line, thanks for being President's Club members (have only stayed at the Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui previously, but boy did we spend a fortune there for our honeymoond). Anyone can join online though, so why not! :)

I am now in the room, resting my feet, enjoying the free high speed internet (for Pres. Club members), while Tom is snoring away.

It's almost 4pm, and I want to head out of here around then to go to the Royal Ontario Museum. I want to take advantage of the half price at 4:30 on Fridays deal.

We have reservations for 8:30 at the Beer Bistro www.beerbistro.com tonight, so plenty of time I think to go do that and come back and change before dinner. The mussels look great.

Tomorrow we plan on shopping :), and meeting Tom's cousins for dinner. They are taking us somewhere, no idea where!

Have a great time!

We enjoyed the Royal Ontario Museum, and the reduced rate. It is overwhelming though, and our poor feet could only handle about 1.5 hours. It was a good taste though and to see if we would want to go back one day (we would).

We had some coffee and rode the subway back to the hotel. On the way there, the subway at Union Station was short staffed so we got on free. THe woman told us to buy our day pass when we get off. Well after the museum we decided to just pay for one ride, and that worked out since we never used the subway again. I know last year we took advantage of the two for one special on the weekends.

Day 3 (Saturday) -
This morning we had breakfast at the hotel. We booked a bread and breakfast package and were told that the nice restaurant (well it looks nice) would be closed, Epic, and we'd have to eat in The Kitchen downstairs. It was a buffet with cooked to order omelets. The omelets were the only good thing really. I am not one for a breakfast buffet though (french toast was HARD). We noticed that Epic was open though so we booked that for tomorrow. I think it's a buffet also though so it shouldn't make much difference, maybe just a nicer atmosphere.

So overall we like the hotel, the lobby is gorgeous, service has been good. Our room is small but I was prepared for that. It is outdated though, but not as bad as some pictures on tripadvisor show (we do have an updated flat screen large tv for example). I wouldn't want to stay here for more than a weekend, due to the lack of space (no dresser, small closet). But it's been okay for us. Good location. We paid $240 per night including breakfast which I thought was an okay deal.

So today we shopped at Eaton and up Yonge street and that is about it. I got a gorgeous purple wool coat for winter, and a few necklaces. Even Tom got some things, and he hates shopping.

We are getting picked up shortly for Thai food.

Tomorrow we are going to try to get out of here alive!! Unfortunately there is a marathan by the lake going on and many streets will be closed. Just our luck. The marathan's website gives an example and the example just happens to be the Royal York as a starting place, so we will do what it says I guess. Left on Front to Yonge, up Yonge to Dundas, left there (I hope there is a police man there as the website says because today i noticed there is NO left on Dundas ever), and then down to Spadina to the freeway. It might take awhile so I need to bring my patience.

We had dinner at Bangkok Garden last night, http://www.bangkokgarden.ca/. It was very good. Our cousins said it had been top rated for Toronto for this year or something. It was nice to get picked up at our hotel and dropped off again, it was pourring rain!

Home safely! We didn't have any trouble at all getting on the Gardiner, just right out of the hotel onto York and then a left and then Left on University and straight back onto York to the on ramp. Whatever the race website said was way off, because you weren't allowed to turn left out of the hotel.

Ikea was fun! Also stopped at the grocery store next door. Got some wine there. Learned that there is no beer at grocery stores!

Thanks for the report! We're off for Toronto in Nov and staying at the hotel you did, plus planning on going to Niagara Falls so this was particularly interesting to me. Any cute towns to stop at or places to eat between Niagara Falls and Toronto?

What is the skypod?

hmm. The only place I've stopped at between Niagara Falls and Toronto is Ikea. But you must go to Niagara on the Lake for a cute town. It's 15 min from Niagara Falls.

The skypod is the highest observation point you can go on the CN tower. It costs more than going to the level we did, but it is still high and has good views.

Oh and if you are staying at the Fairmont Royal York, it is great, so convienent to the subway and the underground system (PATH). We did have breakfast at EPIC this morning, on our bed and breakfast package. It would have been $70 which I think is outrageous for a buffet! There even was a charge of $8 for a large party fee, which I don't understand, there were 2 of us! But we didn't question anything since it was included in the room.

We also had drinks at the Library Bar Sat night, wow! $40 for a beer, martini, creme brule and a tip.

I don't want to jump on your trip report am, but for Orcas there are several excellent wineries off the QEW on the way to TO... if you are into wine stops.. we can help you there...

Definitely interested in the wineries. Let me know!

We were on Saltspring Is recently and enjoyed going to the Saltspring winery. They have a great wine tasting, pairing the wine with local cheeses and chocolates. They have a killer apple ice wine.

Lots of wineries all over Niagara on the Lake area. We went to 7-8 or something like that last year.

The wine maps are on www.winesofontario.org ... Its worth a side trip off the QEW ... two of the prettiest are Vineland and Penninsula Ridge and there are several more within minutes of those two... both offer 4 diamond restaurants and high quality wines... have fun!

Vineland was one of our favorites. We did that as a trip from Niagara on the Lake though, not as a stop on the way to Toronto. But you could.

Amelie, glad you got back in safe and thank you for your trip report! I enjoyed reading it!
In Mariott Fallsview which floor did you stay on? I'm so curious about that because we are staying at Radisson Hotel & Suites next week!! (It's just next to/behind Mariott, on a map!)
We also have been thinking of going to some wineries in Niagara on the Lake so this information is so useful to me, too!

Maybe I can't post my live travel report as same as you did, but will difinately report mine later, too!!
Again welcome back in safe!

We stayed on the 8th floor, and pics to come! My other favorite winery is Konzelman

keep in mind that the hotels are already on a 200 foot cliff... so the lower floors can give you a better view of the Falls... Its the opposite of normal thinking, but higher floors can be obstructed by the mist and low clouds.... and the top of the falls is at street level...

good thinking gary

My pictures are now all uploaded: www.flickr.com/tammimarie