Toronto Fall Foliage
 

I'm flying in on the 19th and wondering how it's looking. On weather.com we (U.S.) can see how far the different states have gotten. However, Weather.ca does not have this capability. Can anyone tell me what website tracks this info. <BR><BR>Also, are the Islands a good place to see the change of color. Or is there any recommended drive?

Most everything out my office window is still green, or green with a touch of yellow on a few of the trees.<BR><BR>It's been a very weird summer and early fall, very dry, hotter than normal, and lots of the vegetation changes are behind schedule.<BR><BR>If you are in Toronto without a car, a trip to Toronto Island is easy, inexpensive, and should show you lots of trees. Also, take the subway west on the Bloor-Danforth line to High Park Station and walk a block south into the very big High Park. There's lots of different trees, etc., and it's a place I go to for autumn leaves in the background for portaits of people.<BR><BR>BAK

Thanks, for the replys.<BR>Brian, I will have a vehicle, any suggestions. It sounds like I should drive North. Can you estimate how long before Prime?

Sunshine,<BR>I went to Weatheroffice however, I can't find anything that says Fall Foliage or Leave Change, please advise.

Try pulling up Fall Colours Ontario, watch the spelling of colours. There are a few sights there for you to check out. Depending on how far you wish to drive there are many key areas. The Muskoka /Algonquin Park area is staring to look wonderful, was in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst this morning and it was very nice.But that is 21/2 hrs north of Toronto and then some. In the Muskoka town of Bala they have a big festival that weekend it is the Cranberry festival, although it may sound hookey it is actually really a nice festival. You can go to the cranberry farms and see how they are cultivated buy fresh produce baked goods ect. There are bus shuttles ect to take you around. It a beautiful area to visit including Port Carling, Windemere, ect.. Hope you have a nice visit. Karen

BARRIE (1 hr north of Toronto) leaves are starting to have some colour. <BR><BR>Friends went 1-2 hours further north & east from Barrie on October 3 or 4. Northeast was already changing nicely.<BR><BR>Take a drive 1-1/2 - 2 hours north of Toronto --- straight up highway 400 and highway 11 north --- You're bound to see some colour by October 19th, plus nice scenic drive anyhow. This is "cottage country".<BR><BR>The leaves do seem to be "colourful" this year - not just all yellow.<BR><BR>Have a nice trip.

Thank you for the additional info. I just read that the drought in certain areas have resulted in the leaves being more red in color.

In between my original message and now, others have given you some hints for places to drive to.<BR><BR>The Cranberry Festival sounds like a good bet, and puts you into a nice part of the province, too. In an earlier life I used to go for scenic drives to Bala, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Port Carling.<BR><BR>In my current life, I wonder just how many leaves are enough leaves. An hour's worth? Five hours' worth? that's why the bonus of the Cranberry Fetival sounds good to me.<BR><BR>But an argument could be made that you might like to drive to Niagara ont he lake and Niagara Falls one day, see the leaves on the way, and see the falls plus the town of NotL as well. Lots of big trees in NotL that would liik nice, plus you can take a winery tour, etc.<BR><BR>Since I know next to nothing about trees I asked my wife about fall colors and she reports that a frost is needed to make the leaves snap into new colors. So far, in the Toronto area, the lowest has been about 8 centigrade, whcih is the mid-forties. Still mostly green out my window.<BR><BR>I've got a new camera and want to take a portrait with nice leaves, and I'll either go to High Park in Toronto or to the Bronte Conservation Area outside of Toronto, on the Oakville-Burlington border, 45 minutes from downtown outside of rush hours.<BR><BR>BAK

Hey Brian,<BR>I've been to the Falls as well as NOTL on a previous trip. So really looking to stay in/around Toronto, altho a day and nite up North of there is sounding like the thing to do. Just wondering now if it will be deficult to locate a hotel or B&B if I wait till I'm there.

Earlier post said FROST is needed to make leaves change.<BR><BR>We had the first "official" FROST in Barrie 2 nights ago.

Sorry - forgot to answer the other question of your post.<BR><BR>Re: B & B's or hotel reservations.<BR><BR><BR>Not sure how busy that time of year is for vacancies. Try:<BR><BR>www.bbmuskoka.com<BR><BR><BR>You should also look into a fall colour boat cruise. They will tell you when you contact them whether the date you choose is past prime or what you should expect for colour. Boat cruise would need to be booked in advance.<BR><BR>www.ladymuskoka.com<BR><BR>www.mid landtours.com<BR><BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR>

Hi Fran:<BR>I live on southern Georgian Bay about 1 1/2 hrs north of Toronto and the colours here have definitely not reached their peak. So perhaps next weekend when you visit Toronto, if you drive about an hour or so north you may just catch them. There was an update on our local television station (the new VR) this week giving updates on fall colours in different parts of the province for the Thanksgiving weekend...(.that's this weekend here in Canada )They listed Algonquin park at 100%; Muskoka at about 40% and Barrie Huronia (where I am) at about 30%. As I look out today over Georgian Bay (through the fog) the colours are definitely yet to come so you haven't missed them unless we get another wind storm and they blow off the trees before the colours arrive)<BR>Enjoy!<BR>Lynn

Hi Fran: If you are thinking about coming up to the Muskoka area and getting a room at the last minute you might want to keep Orillia in mind. The Cranberry Festival in Bala is about 1 hr north of Orillia so it would be a good base. You could also head back to Toronto by taking the Horseshoe Valley road to the highway back to Toronto. The leaves are starting to get beautiful and the Horseshoe Valley Resort area is a hilly road that cuts across beautiful coloured leaves and would not be out of your way. The scenic cruise out of Gravenhurst (near Bala) would be great but it is sometimes very hard to get a reservation. Have a great time on your trip. Karen

Thank you to all, I've written down all the suggestions. I'm getting excited now as it looks like i choose a good weekend to come up.

We just came back a couple of hours ago from a day trip into Muskoka; we went up as far as Port Carling, which is a bit north of Bala. The colours were gorgeous! Back here in Toronto there's very little colour change, but once you get about an hour north, or perhaps a little more than that, it just looked spectacular. We had a lovely day. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.