Mary

Will be flying to Toronto next week for 4 day weekend. Staying downtown Hilton - what is best transportation from airport to hotel. And if you had one day (full day and 1/2 day) what would you do in downtown Toronto? Where is best markets and locations and hours open. We love places selling homemade items (best places for this)We will be renting a car so are willing to drive. Is anything exciting going on in Toronto the weekend of September 27th) would love any info. Going to Niagara on the Lake also. Would it be better to go on Saturday or Sunday - and what time should you arrive there (especially for parking) And how would you dress? Are nights cool? This will be our fourth trip to Canada. Thank you. Mary

Gil

See if the hotel has a shuttle to and from the airport and take that if you can. There are other private shuttles that run to downtown hotels. A cab or limo are also available. Someone will probably post prices as I've never used these services before. If you haven't got a lot of luggage, the cheapest is to take public transit. TTC fare is C$2.25.<BR><BR>Markets include the St. Lawrence (farmers' supermarket!) at Jarvis and Front and Kensington (just about anything that St. Lawrence doesn't carry!) just west of the Chinatown on Spadina. <BR><BR>As for events, Word on the Street takes place that weekend, on the Sunday(29th) I believe. A good chunk of Queen St. W. from University to Spadina will be closed and turned into one large book sale. Free shows, and readings take place along Queen. Plenty of great sales, and if books aren't your thing, the stretch is also known for its trendy and funky shops and boutiques. Afterwards, you can head to Chinatown/Kensington Market.<BR><BR>Getting around on Sunday may be problematic due to the closures. If you like, a day pass for 6 (max. 2 adults 19+) is available for C$7.50. Covers bus, subway, and streetcar. Rest of the week it's good for only one person.<BR><BR>Weather this time of month can vary. Usually the nights are cool, unless we get a late indian summer. The weather here is typical of the northeastern US.<BR><BR>Hope this helps, enjoy your trip!

Karen

You will be able to get home made jams etc in NOL. Sat or Sunday are both busy so just grab the first available spot you find. The main area is about three blocks long so walk up one side and down the other. Harbourfront in Toronto is also a nice place to go .The toronto markets are best on Sat. lots of hustle and bustle. So this in mind I would probably go to NOL on the Sunday. Make sure you hit a couple of the vineyards on the parkway going toward Niagara Falls as they will have lots of homemade items at the little booths.Karen<BR>

al

there is an airport express bus serving downtown hotels. not sure of cost. Airport taxi ride costs approx C$37. Airport limo is a bit more - to me, the only differences are a better car sometimes and the dirver wears a hat.<BR><BR>Be prepared for mild or cool evenings. It should normally be cool (light jacket or sweater) but its been warm recently.<BR><BR>Not sure what you meant by homemade items (eg jams/sweaters vs arts & crafts) - there is a neat store on south side of King St East, just east of Jarvis, which sells local artisan arts&crafts, I believe on consignment. A number of other interior stores in the same area.<BR><BR>Enjoy!

Paula

Mary, as others have mentioned, the St. Lawrence Market is a great idea. The main market building (s.w. corner of Jarvis and Front) is open Tues. - Sat. The Farmers Market building (n.w. corner of Jarvis and Front) is open Sat. only. Because both buildings are open, Saturday is my favourite day to attend. It can get quite busy though so you may want to arrive on the early side. The following website provides more detail:<BR><BR>toronto.com/E/V/TORON/0020/17/53/<BR><BR>Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) makes a great day trip. When heading to Niagara on a weekend, I try to get an early start as traffic in that direction starts to build after about 10 a.m. This has the added benefit of maximizing my time in NOTL. Niagara is a lovely area with plenty to see and do. There is excellent shopping on the main street. My two favourites are Greaves Jams (55 Queen St.) for wonderful jams and chutneys and Niagara Home Bakery (66 Queen St.) for delicious baked goods (the Empire Cookies are great - but everything that I've tried there has been quite good). For a light and casual lunch, I enjoy dining in the bar (as opposed to the diningroom) at the Oban Inn. The bar has a pleasant atmosphere and there is an adjacent garden room, if you prefer. The bar menu offers a nice selection of fresh sandwiches, salads, and soup. I find their desserts to be expensive - so I usually just head to the bakery for dessert! For more detail on the Oban Inn:<BR><BR>www.vintageinns.com<BR><BR>This is a great time of year to visit the Toronto/Niagara area. And, lately, the weather has been particularly nice. For more weather info as your trip approaches, I recommend checking out the five day forecast at:<BR><BR>weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca<BR><BR>Have a great trip!

Paula

Oops - the sentence should have read:<BR><BR>There is excellent shopping on the main street "of Niagara-on-the-Lake".<BR><BR>Enjoy!