Niagara Falls, Ontario

[Ngwira]

Here is an idea for currency exchange. If you are going to stop at a grocery store or a Walmart once you get to Canada you can usually get upto $200 cash back if you pay with debit. Most places you will go to will take credit cards or debit cards. Just check with your local bank to see if you will get any fees when you use debit. We rarely use cash up here.

There are currency exchanges at the duty frees at the border too. You should be getting close to 1.30

Thank you. I also heard you can exchange at the Fallsview Casino. I also see that the Rainbow Bridge accepts US dollars for tolls.

 

[Ngwira]

If you are staying in Buffalo you have to deal with the border ( which can be slow) everytime you go to NF ont. I guess you could park at NF NY state park, explore there then walk over to Canada. But that would be a pain if you are going to do more than one day there. Also where is it in Buffalo? I recently stayed I downtown Buffalo and while there are beautiful buildings, it was pretty sketchy and not safe
to walk at night.

St Catherine's would give you a bit of a drive and the QEW can sometimes be backed up. Then you are paying probably $20 to park in NF. The cool thing of staying in NF is that you can walk around all day then at night go back out and explore Clifton Hills, watch the fireworks or if you dare do Nightmares. If you tried to just stay out all day, you will be exhausted....that hill kills!
Restaurants would be cheaper in St Catherine's though.

Also just in case it could be a problem, you have to drive over a really really big bridge between St Catherine's and NF. Some people just dread it.

What is the name of the bridge?

 

[Ngwira]

It's mostly Holiday Inn hotels. We have 60,xxx points with IHG.
The two Holiday Inns closest to the falls are actually 35,000 points!
Actually, the locations in Buffalo are 20,000 but St. Catherine is 15,000 so we might stay there.

I'll look at the Four Points but I don't think we belong to that loyalty club. I do have about 10,000 with Marriott.

Wow, that's alot of points. Would it be easier to pay cash for the room and use the points at another time when you can stretch them better?

 

[sk8jdgca]

The ttc day pass covers all ttc subways, streetcars and buses. It doesn't cover go trains. During the week the day pass is for one person. On weekends it is a family pass. If you are going to use a mixture of go and ttc ( staying in suburbs), then look at the presto pass but I don't think you will get too much savings

 

[sk8jdgca]

The Rainbow Bridge is the one you can walk across (need coin for toll) it is located across the road from the Hershey Factory or beside the secret garden in Canada. In the states it is beside the parking lot for the state park,

 

[sk8jdgca]

Can't say about the Niagara Bridge but the exchange at the Blue Water Bridge is usually better than the banks

 

[Eureka]

The ttc day pass covers all ttc subways, streetcars and buses. It doesn't cover go trains. During the week the day pass is for one person. On weekends it is a family pass. If you are going to use a mixture of go and ttc ( staying in suburbs), then look at the presto pass but I don't think you will get too much savings

Thanks. We are staying at the Residence Inn Downtown/entertainment district and will be there during the week, so we will each need a pass.

 

[Narnia_girl]

I can answer your Toronto transit question.

Our plans are to arrive in Toronto early afternoon and go to Toronto Island, then spend the evening at the Eaton mall. The next day we will go to Canada's Wonderland. Any suggestions for areas to look for hotels? And can we easily drive to these attractions?

 

[sk8jdgca]

Ok for the ferry, make sure you buy your tickets on line first. If it is busy, take the ward island ferry. ( they are all attached).
You are going to take the QEW which becomes the Gardener. There is construction there and it will be slow. There will be a sign on the highway which will tell you if Lakeshore is faster. I use a parking app to find the cheapest parking if I have the car. Last year I found cheap parking in the ICe condos which are being built.

To get the the Eaton Centre take Bay st north then merge to the left into University. Turn right onto Queen just past the next light you will see a green parking lot on the left under Nathan Phillip Square. This is the easiest cheapest parking I've found. It's a short walk to the Eaton centre. If it is raining, you can stay under ground by following the directions to the Sheraton which is attached. You can also take a picture with the famous Toronto Sign.

The Shearton is a nice hotel but what I would do is after your shopping evening, I would head north to a hotel so you are not stuck in the morning commute when you are going to Canada's Wonderland. Traffic should be lighter around 10 at night.

There are a series of hotels in Vaughan just off highway 400 and 7. You will find cheaper rooms, free parking and be minutes from Wonderland in the morning. A lot of them have package deals. I've been very lucky with Priceline in this area. ( last summer I was getting $65 rooms) All the hotels in the cluster by IKEA are good. Residence Inn, Hilton Gardens, Courtyard.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Thanks. We are staying at the Residence Inn Downtown/entertainment district and will be there during the week, so we will each need a pass.

That is a nice hotel and a great area. In case you've never been to Walburgers (from the TV show) it is very close. There is a restaurant nearby called Pizza Rustica. Amazing food but sometimes their service is slow. Hey Lucy has a nice patio. Queen st Warehouse is a good choice. It is a bar that plays 80 music and there is no item over 4.99 on the food menu. We always order lots, most of the food is good, couple misses but at 4.99 it is ok. ( no reservations, cone at a off time)
Use open table to book a reservation for dinner no matter where you eat.

 

[Ngwira]

That is a nice hotel and a great area. In case you've never been to Walburgers (from the TV show) it is very close. There is a restaurant nearby called Pizza Rustica. Amazing food but sometimes their service is slow. Hey Lucy has a nice patio. Queen st Warehouse is a good choice. It is a bar that plays 80 music and there is no item over 4.99 on the food menu. We always order lots, most of the food is good, couple misses but at 4.99 it is ok. ( no reservations, cone at a off time)
Use open table to book a reservation for dinner no matter where you eat.

Toronto question for you... We are staying at the Sheraton Toronto Center next to Nathan Phillips Square. The plan is to arrive early and do Centerville Amusement Park. Then head back down town for dinner and shopping at Eaton Mall. I understand it is very close to our hotel. The next morning, we are headed back to NF but will stop at the ROM first. Does that sound feasible?

 

[Ngwira]

Ok for the ferry, make sure you buy your tickets on line first. If it is busy, take the ward island ferry. ( they are all attached).
You are going to take the QEW which becomes the Gardener. There is construction there and it will be slow. There will be a sign on the highway which will tell you if Lakeshore is faster. I use a parking app to find the cheapest parking if I have the car. Last year I found cheap parking in the ICe condos which are being built.

To get the the Eaton Centre take Bay st north then merge to the left into University. Turn right onto Queen just past the next light you will see a green parking lot on the left under Nathan Phillip Square. This is the easiest cheapest parking I've found. It's a short walk to the Eaton centre. If it is raining, you can stay under ground by following the directions to the Sheraton which is attached. You can also take a picture with the famous Toronto Sign.

The Shearton is a nice hotel but what I would do is after your shopping evening, I would head north to a hotel so you are not stuck in the morning commute when you are going to Canada's Wonderland. Traffic should be lighter around 10 at night.

There are a series of hotels in Vaughan just off highway 400 and 7. You will find cheaper rooms, free parking and be minutes from Wonderland in the morning. A lot of them have package deals. I've been very lucky with Priceline in this area. ( last summer I was getting $65 rooms) All the hotels in the cluster by IKEA are good. Residence Inn, Hilton Gardens, Courtyard.

Thanks. I'm buying my tickets online now thanks to your advice.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Toronto question for you... We are staying at the Sheraton Toronto Center next to Nathan Phillips Square. The plan is to arrive early and do Centerville Amusement Park. Then head back down town for dinner and shopping at Eaton Mall. I understand it is very close to our hotel. The next morning, we are headed back to NF but will stop at the ROM first. Does that sound feasible?

That does sound very doable. The Sheraton is very central. The Eaton centre is close by or if raining there is a underground path ( it is a longer walk) I'm just thinking whether you should leave your car parked or drive to Rom. There is parking behind the intercontinental on Bloor

 

[sk8jdgca]

Thanks. I'm buying my tickets online now thanks to your advice.

No problem. My 13 has been going to school in Toronto for the past three years and I visit two weekends a month. I've spent a lot of time as a tourist in Toronto.

 

[Ngwira]

That does sound very doable. The Sheraton is very central. The Eaton centre is close by or if raining there is a underground path ( it is a longer walk) I'm just thinking whether you should leave your car parked or drive to Rom. There is parking behind the intercontinental on Bloor

We are driving back to Niagara Falls from the ROM so we have to take our car..

 

[Narnia_girl]

I am using points for our 4 points Sheraton stay. You don't pay anything (including taxes) if you use points. In Toronto, I will use cash and points. I was quoted a rate in US dollars.

So are you staying at the Four Points in St. Catharines or in Niagara Falls? Right now I'm looking on Groupon for hotels and I see both listed. St. Catharines is from $146 a night; Niagara Falls is from $177 a night.

 

[Eureka]

That is a nice hotel and a great area. In case you've never been to Walburgers (from the TV show) it is very close. There is a restaurant nearby called Pizza Rustica. Amazing food but sometimes their service is slow. Hey Lucy has a nice patio. Queen st Warehouse is a good choice. It is a bar that plays 80 music and there is no item over 4.99 on the food menu. We always order lots, most of the food is good, couple misses but at 4.99 it is ok. ( no reservations, cone at a off time)
Use open table to book a reservation for dinner no matter where you eat.

Thanks! We are continuing on to Ottawa and Montreal too, so that's a lot of eating out (will be gone two weeks) and non-fancy places are just fine for most meals.

 

[sk8jdgca]

We are driving back to Niagara Falls from the ROM so we have to take our car..

You can walk to the Rom from the hotel, it's a bit of a hike but you could leave the car where it is. You know that the best place to park for the Sheraton is under Nathan Phillips square? It is way cheaper.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Golly, and people think planning a Disney vacation is complicated/expensive!

I'm thankful for all the advice on here!

 

[Ngwira]

So are you staying at the Four Points in St. Catharines or in Niagara Falls? Right now I'm looking on Groupon for hotels and I see both listed. St. Catharines is from $146 a night; Niagara Falls is from $177 a night.

Niagara Falls on fallsview boulevard.