Sightseeing From Toronto
 

I will be in Toronto for five days later this month. I want to take a day to go to Niagara Falls. Should there be enough time to take a day to see the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington and Dundurn Nationanal Historic Site in Hamilton or will I be shortchanging myself on seeing what Toronto has to offer?

Go to Montreal. <BR>

the vast majorioty ofTorontonians never have bothered goign to Hamilton to see the royal Botanical Garden, od Dundurrn Castle. <BR> <BR>Niagara Falls plus Niagara on the Lake take a full day. After that, Casa Loma in Toronto gives you a castle, and Allen Gardens and Edwards Gardens in Toronto gives you flowers, without the hour spent driving to and another hour spent coming back from Hamilton. <BR> <BR>BAK

When visiting Niagara, see the Niagara Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Conservatory - both have great flora. As previous poster says, Niagara will take the full day. <BR> <BR>If Royal Botanical Gdns is important to you, build it into your Niagara trip as you pass by Burlington on your way to Niagara. You can't do justice to this in one day and you will need a car. This would leave 3 to 3.5 days for Toronto. <BR> <BR>You didn't give more details on what you like to do, etc. so it is difficult to say whether 3-3.5 days for Toronto is short/long. <BR> <BR>PS. Ignore MK's comment re Montreal. First, no need for this. Second, at least explain why.

Definitely take the time to visit Niagra Falls (one of the world's great natural wonders)and Niagra-on-the-Lake. That will be a day trip. <BR> <BR>Forget The Botanical Gardens and Dundurn......YAWN...monumental wate of time. <BR> <BR>Toronto has so much more to offer.....catch a matinee performance (lots of great theatre on right now including the Lion King).....visit China Town, Kensington Market, Casa Loma, take the ferry across to Toronto Islands and rent a bicycle or rollerblade, go to the Art GAllery of Ontario or the Royal Ontario Museum. Take the day and go to Paramount Canada's Wonderland or to Ontario Place. Check out some Toronto websites for local cocerts (lots going on at Ontario Place). Go up to the top of the CN Tower and have dinner at dusk, or catch a game at the Skydome, etc, etc, etc. <BR> <BR>The small towns around Toronto are quaint, but see all that Toronto has to offer first......Please advise if you need any other suggestions.

HI Ned, <BR>The Royal Botanical Gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit. The Rose Garden and ROck Garden will be beautiful this time of year. <BR>I don't think you can do the gardens justice by trying to squeeze them into the same day as Niagara. I think it would be too much. <BR>brian, you are usually right on the money, but are way off base this time . The Botanical Gardens are very well known and attract a great deal of tourists. May Torontonians never go up the CN Tower, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good idea. <BR>Lynne, you can't really believe that Wonderland, an amusement park, has more appeal than the Gardens? Or that roller blading on the island is something a tourist should look forward to doing...something they could easily do at home. Ned obviously has an interest in gardens to have mentioned it. As far as Wonderland, perhaps he has past his teeny bopper stage.

Enjoy your trip! <BR> <BR>If you like Gardens, go to Hamilton and see them, I got lost in Hamilton once and went to them by accident and they were lovely - and I am not even a plant person! <BR> <BR>The castle did less for me, I guess I was expecting a big Scottish castle, if I had to choose, I would take Casa Loma in TO. <BR> <BR>My only suggestion for Niagara is to avoid the weekends if you can, the traffic will be better. Also, if you leave early enough, you could swing by the NOTL golf course for breakfast, it's the place now where all us locals eat breakfast (don't risk the other meal times!!) but the new clubhouse looks over the oldest golf course in NA and over the river to Fort Niagara, and across the lake to Toronto (yes, on a clear day you can see the CN Tower.) <BR> <BR>If you are really into the gardens, please do see the Niagara Parks gardens and butterfly conservatory as well...they are pretty. <BR> <BR>Nat