Chicago to Toronto & Niagara Falls Road Trip - Any Advice?

[etoiles]

Hello all,

Due to need of a generator and other expenses this year we are doing a cheaper vacation and have decided to do a road trip from the Chicago area where we live to Toronto and Niagara Falls. I have seen so many threads with excellent suggestions for other places I thought there might be some good tips I could find out about this area on here.

We (Dh and I, both in our 30s) are going at the beginning of August for a little over a week. The initial plans are to drive from Chicago to the Detroit area and tour the Ford factory the first day. Then, the next day drive to the Toronto area where we will be staying for several days. Then, we will drive to Niagara Falls for a couple days before driving through Cleveland and looping back to Chicago.

We love seeing natural beauty, foodie type things, factory tours, art/sculpture and checking out cities. We are not as into museums as much.

Any suggestions of what to see in the Toronto or Niagara Falls area?

We do both have passports at our disposal.

 

[lizabu]

I think the Toronto City Pass is a pretty good value and there are many interesting things to see. Center Island may be interesting to you as well. There are a few factories that have tours such as Redpath sugar co, Steam Whistle brewery and there are a lot of factories just outside Toronto like Mac cosmetics for example.

Niagara Falls I usually suggest the Adventure Pass for all the must do attractions. If you like nature you should pop over to the US side and see Goat Island. There is also a very nice park on the US side called Whirlpool State Park. On the Canadian side just outside Niagara Falls is Niagara on the Lake. Its a charming little community filled with little shops, bed and breakfasts and victorian houses. There are so many wineries in the area and you can tour practically all of them (and taste test :d)

 

[Northstar]

I hear there are good tours of wineries in the Niagara area. Could be fun!

Just want to warn you that, if you stay in Toronto with a car, most of the hotels charge a parking fee. Check the hotel info carefully so you don't get a nasty surprise.

 

[lizabu]

I agree. You have to pay to park anywhere in DT Toronto and Niagara Falls. I try to park and leave my car be for the time I will be there and take public transportation. Some place will only charge you everytime you take the car out so if you can minimize the number of times you have to do that all the better. Whenever I stay at a hotel in any urban area I will ask the valet where I can park for cheap. These guys generally know the neighbourhood really well and can give you some good advice.

 

[Janepod]

We are going for a three-day trip the second week of August. Not a lot of time (the purpose of our trip is to see the Yankees play the Blue Jays) but we do intend to do Maid of the Mist and the Journey Behind the Falls, spend a day/night at GWL, and visit the hockey hall of fame. If we can fit more in, great, but those are the must-dos.

Our hotel in Toronto charges $42 for parking! Having lived in and around NYC most of my life, I don't often get sticker shock, but that one raised my eyebrows.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

This recent thread on the Budget Board might give you some great ideas for Niagara Falls. I posted several (long-winded ) responses there!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2931099&highlight=niagara+falls

 

[Janepod]

Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina (love your name!) if you don't mind me asking, do you know if the Hilton is walking distance to Clifton Hill? Or, more precisely, walking distance with a six-year-old? Thanks!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina (love your name!) if you don't mind me asking, do you know if the Hilton is walking distance to Clifton Hill? Or, more precisely, walking distance with a six-year-old? Thanks!

When my son was six, he could have easily walked it. Its about 15 minutes on foot. In our Canadian measurement, its just over a kilometre in distance.....I think that's about a half mile for my American friends .

If you drove, it would probably take you 15 minutes or more to find a parking spot .

 

[lizabu]

Our hotel in Toronto charges $42 for parking! Having lived in and around NYC most of my life, I don't often get sticker shock, but that one raised my eyebrows.

Which hotel? I know of some cheap (for downtown) parking areas in TO. I may be able to help.

ETA- I just saw a Teambuy for Four Points Niagara (connected to the new casino). With the extras they include its not bad for summer in Niagara http://www.teambuy.ca/brampton/28138241

 

[goofyintoronto]

Which hotel? I know of some cheap (for downtown) parking areas in TO. I may be able to help.

ETA- I just saw a Teambuy for Four Points Niagara (connected to the new casino). With the extras they include its not bad for summer in Niagara http://www.teambuy.ca/brampton/28138241

I agree with Lizabu. I work downtown toronto, and i know there are a ton of lots that are far cheaper than $42!! This one parking lot right across from my work is only $8/day!

 

[cabmom]

Sign up for the Travelzoo newsletter to get Cheap hotels downtown Toronto and Niagara Falls.
http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/

 

[Janepod]

Which hotel? I know of some cheap (for downtown) parking areas in TO. I may be able to help.

ETA- I just saw a Teambuy for Four Points Niagara (connected to the new casino). With the extras they include its not bad for summer in Niagara http://www.teambuy.ca/brampton/28138241

It's the Ritz-Carlton. I don't know the address, but it is close to the Rogers Centre. Thanks!

 

[lizabu]

It's the Ritz-Carlton. I don't know the address, but it is close to the Rogers Centre. Thanks!

Probably the closest I can think of is the Metro center for $16 per day or the RBC center for $18 per day weekdays or $15 weekends.

 

[Nancy]

Some really good ideas in that link.

One thing I always recommend is the American side and doing the Cave Of The Winds vs Journey Behind The Falls. I've done both and Cave is 100 % better. Views of the Falls are much better on the Canadian side. For natural state the US side is better. Goat Island is gorgeous. Maid of The Mist is a must do. There is a jet boat ride through the rapids that I am itching to try one of these days.

Niagara on the Lake is very pretty. Old Fort Niagara on the US side is good if you are into history. And yes, there are wineries.

Butterfly Conservatory is really neat unless your child or adult freaks over bugs...lots of butterflies and they do tend to land on people. My daughter was late teens and was not liking it at all. My nephew was younger and not too thrilled and just wanted to get out of there. My niece loved it.

Toronto I haven't been to in years so no help there.

In Detroit are you doing the Henry Ford Museum? It was really good and my kids were much younger then but still enjoyed it.

Cleveland the obvious is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nice way to spend an afternoon. When we went to Cleveland we had a package from the hotel that included breakfast and the Hall of Fame passes. Can't remember which hotel though.

 

[Northstar]

OP, I notice you mentioned art and sculpture but you're not so enthralled by museums... in Toronto, I enjoyed the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). It's not a great big museum but a nice few hours, you know?

Torontonians, what do you think? AGO worth a visit or not?

 

[etoiles]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions thus far! I am taking note of all them and will definitely incorporate it into our trip planning.

Just want to warn you that, if you stay in Toronto with a car, most of the hotels charge a parking fee. Check the hotel info carefully so you don't get a nasty surprise.

Living in the Chicago area parking charges are the norm so I did expect it but will look into it before booking to make sure we don't get completely screwed!

This recent thread on the Budget Board might give you some great ideas for Niagara Falls. I posted several (long-winded ) responses there!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2931099&highlight=niagara+falls

Thank you so much! There is a ton of great info on that link and I still have to look at all of it.

OP, I notice you mentioned art and sculpture but you're not so enthralled by museums... in Toronto, I enjoyed the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). It's not a great big museum but a nice few hours, you know?

I think I will check out its website. I teach art so if there are some cool art things when I travel I definitely like to check them out. DH can tolerate a museum for a short while if he knows it is something I really want to see.

 

[usd2bmd]

As a PP said, if you are looking for the nature side of things, the American side is beautiful. Bu tif you want things to do while at Niagara Falls, you really will find much more on the Canadain side.

I live about 15 minutes from the American side and we go a couple times a year, but we also go once to the Canadian side and wlak around Clifton Hill (wax museum, Ripley's)
check out Cliftonhill.com
There is also a large Hershey Chocolate shop.

have fun!

 

[OhMari]

Set your GPS for no tolls in Buffalo. The no toll road is still a major highway.

 

[etoiles]

Set your GPS for no tolls in Buffalo. The no toll road is still a major highway.

We do not have a GPS but I assume I can find this no toll road on Google? I would love to avoid extra tolls if I can.

 

[dvc deernut]

We do not have a GPS but I assume I can find this no toll road on Google? I would love to avoid extra tolls if I can.

We live in NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, I worked in NIAGARA FALLS all my life until I retired. If you stay at the HILTON your right across from the CASINO. You can get down to the falls from there. You can do NIAGARA FALLS in a day, but you can use your NIAGARA FALLS hotel as a start point for driving the area. We are only a 20 min drive along the river to NOTL. If you like WINE we are the place to be NIAGARA ON THE LAKE was CANADAs first capital before they moved it away from the US border. By the way this summer is the 200th anniversary of the WAR OF 1812. There is a lot of history here on that war. Fort GEORGE is in NOTL. You can spend the day in NOTL do the wineries walk around the old town. Great places to dine. Dont stay in HOTEL there its very expensive, but there are many B&Bs in town. If you drive about 15 min to ST CATHARINES that where the WELLAND CANAL starts on LAKE ONTARIO going all the way to LAKE ERIE. If you want to do a funny dinner show in NIAGARA FALLS go to OH CANADA eh! The waiters and waitresses are the actors and they poke fun at CANADIANs. Well I can keep going lots to talk about this area and TORONTO. By the way TORONTO has the worst traffic after 4pm!!!!!!!!!! Let me know when your coming I will stand out on highway 55 and wave