Toronto Family Trip with Teens, kids, and Babies
 

Sitting on the Tarmac of FLL fleeing Irma to Toronto for a very unplanned trip for an unknown amount of time. (We couldn't get return tickets)

We miraculously got last minute tickets last night for a flight out today. Thank you West Jet for the rescue flight!

We booked a hotel for a few nights and will take it from there.
Any suggestions on how to entertain 2 families - one with 9,5, and infant as well as 17 and 14 year old teens.

Would love to somehow get to Niagara Falls - do we need to rent cars? Is there another option?
Any tips very helpful as we didn't have anytime to check things out.

Thanks!

If you're staying in downtown Toronto I would take the ferry over to the Island which the kids would enjoy. Also would definitely rent a car to go to Niagara Falls. It would be about a 2 hr drive. I would plan to stay there at least overnight and be sure to visit Niagara on the Lake which is close to Niagara Falls and very picturesque. Lots of wineries in that area too if you wanted to check them out. The kids would enjoy Canada's Wonderland which is just north of Toronto.

Enjoy your trip and hope all goes well at your home in Florida.

The website is www.seetorontonow.com

Our weather now is mid to high 60s so grab some jackets...

Some options include the Toronto CityPass with the tourist attractions... staying in the city and walking tour of Toronto diverse neighborhoods... the Blue Jays play Detroit and Baltimore this week... explore the waterfront with a ferry ride to Toronto islands... Saturday is a great market day at the St Lawrence farmers market...

If you want to see the Falls, it's about a 75 minute ride... rent a passenger van and head down, stopping at Niagara on the Lake en route, before seeing the Falls... if you can stay a night or two, embassy suites is the popular family choice...

Make sure to do the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, and the 9,14,17, and adults Must do the Whirlpool JetBoats...

Thats a start... any questions?

Also, the 7th through the 17th will feature the Toronto International Film Festival... the city will be crawling with celebs, premiers, and red carpets... they hang around near Yorkville, the home of the high end hotels...

Thats either cool or a nite mare , depending on your interest in the Film industry...

Thank you!

Will check into all these suggestions, I can't believe how cold it is for us Miami folks! We left in such a hurry with just sweatshirts and people here are wearing puffer jackets!

Yes it's a bit cooler than normal even for us Ontario folk.

Has anyone mentioned the Hockey Hall of Fame? Bata Shoe Museum, fun and small enough that the kids won't get bored, the dinosaur gallery at the ROM is good.

I think "Come From Away" may still be playing and if so, it must be near the end of its run so maybe you can get reduced-price tix. It's a lovely play!

Pick up a NOW magazine at just about any street corner. It comes out on Thursday and is a good source of events, festivals, etc.

Glad you got out when you did!

Welcome! Another nice day today (cool for you though!). There is a Jays game today at the Rogers Centre. 1:07pm start -- lots of tickets online or you might pay below face value to the friendly scalpers around the dome.

https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/10...ktop-Landscape

I am doing a research for our future trip to Toronto - you asked how to get to Niagara Falls. There is a MegaBus going there, and a Go Transit.

High Park Zoo is free. There is a train for tourists in the park.

Ontario Science Center and IMAX movies.

Pirate's Life - can somebody advise, is this costumed cruise on the lake, for kids?

Stick to the Gotransit ... megabus schedules are very erratic... there are also guided tours...

We are getting a car tomorrow and heading to the falls. What is the least touristy way to enjoy them?

Well, aside from being a beautiful natural wonder, the Falls are also a tourist attraction, so why not just enjoy them that way too.

For me, Niagara Falls seems to be divided into three main components:

The Falls themselves, which are in a very pretty parkland setting (at least on the Canadian side). There are several Falls activities including The Maid of the Mist (it may not be called that anymore), the caves behind the Falls, etc. Here's the website for all of that:
https://www.google.ca/destination?q=...DLgQri4I0gIwFg

Then there's Fallsview Casino, a fairly decent casino if you're into that, but there are often good shows in their very nice theatre. We saw Billy Crystal there in the early summer. There seems to be an Elvis impersonator there now. There are other entertainment venues at Fallsview too: https://www.fallsviewcasinoresort.co...eturn-to-grace

And then there's the cheesy, loud, fun (well, for me anyway) part of NF with the fun houses, Ripleys, Madame Tussauds -- that sort of thing. C'mon, it's worth a walk-through, at least!

Now

We liked this place, family-owned Totem carving park - you just walk around looking at them, taking photos.

http://www.niagarafallsforyou.com/at...dcarving-Park/

Also Flower Clock - it seems, everybody stops to see it.

https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/n.../floral-clock/

We stopped by McFarland house for tea and rhubarb pie.

https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/h...farland-house/

Oh. I have no idea how the word 'now' got at the bottom of my post! Just ignore it.

There is a butterfly conservatory (near the Flower Clock) - kids love it as the butterflies land on you

https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/a...-conservatory/

Niagara on the Lake is a pretty town about 20 minutes drive from Niagara Falls up the river (Follow Niagara Parkway - if you go to see the Flower Clock you'll be on that Parkway).

Lots of shops and nice restaurants on the main street.

Thanks all!!!! We ended up renting a car and driving to Falls for a few hours and then headed to Pittsburg to visit Carnegie Mellon. Our flight from Pitt was cancelled and I was able to get another from PHL so on to Philly we went!! Lots of adventure time and togetherness!

We are back home - with power(yay!)- a few less trees and a pool full of gunk. So thankful Irma took it easy on us.

Lets all hope Maria does the same for the Caribbean.