Niagra Falls and Toronto

[ProudMommyof2]

We are bringing our 15 yo son and 12 1/2 yo daughter next week. We are considering Embassy Suites at the Falls. Any activities that are must do's?

In Toronto, we are staying with friends but we are considering the CityPass? Is it worth it?

 

[antmaril]

I have stayed at the Embassy Suites in Niagara Falls. It is a great choice. Have fun!

 

[Northernlites]

Can you post either a link to the City pass info or list the attractions and the price of the pass and some of us can let you know if it worth it.

The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant in Niagara Falls New YOrk is free and a must do. The one in Canada costs money and there is no real tour just someone standing there yakking for too long about the cost of the project and the electricity grid.

 

[doobie11]

you should post on the Canadian board and you will probably get lots of replies

 

[Gigi22]

OP how long are you going to be in Toronto? Are you going to have a car when you are there? Reason I ask is because some of the admissions covered by City Pass are for places that would take at least half a day to a day to tour.

The Toronto Zoo is not easy to get to unless you have a vehicle, and when you get there, you really need a day to tour it. There's a lot of animals, and the zoo is very spread out.

 

[Kristi391]

If you're into hockey at all the Hockey Hall of Fame is amazing.

 

[The Iron Giant]

In 2011 we did the Maid of the Mist boat ride and the behind the falls tour - both awesome. We also drove to Toronto and did a Blue Jays baseball game, the CN Tower, and made a stop at the Steam Whistle brewery/pub across the street as well that day. On Sundays they also have lots of street vendors set up in China Town if you're up to walking around the city.

 

[Northernlites]

I checked out the city pass, the CN Tower is once in a lifetime visit, I have been there once and lived there for 15 years, the zoo is not worth the time, the ROM is great for both adults and the science center is something your children would enjoy. Casa Loma is okay but not on the top of my list of things to do. It is beautiful during the Christmas season. SOmething to remember all tickets and the city pass have an additional 13% tax on top. SO the citypass is not $ 63 but $70. Also all those attractions require you to pay for parking which adds another $20 to $25 per visit. If you are close to transit the subway is another option but can be costly for two or more persons round trip. Oh by the way Costco in Canada sells citypass and tickets to the above attractions at a reduce rate. Go to the web site attractions ontario http://www.attractionsontario.ca/ for printable coupons for tourist sites and other additional information. Also the Eaton Centre downtown is not worth the effort it is a shopping mall just like you have at home.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I have stayed at the Embassy Suites in Niagara Falls. It is a great choice. Have fun!

We stayed there too. It was in 2006 though so probably some of the packages have changed since. At the lobby we could choose from a variety of tour packages that were approx. $400 for 4 of us but it was really a full day of sightseeing. We didn't feel like driving around a lot so they made it really convenient.

 

[hockeygirl14]

The Embassy Suites is a good choice for a hotel in Niagara! Personally, my must-do's would obviously be walking down the path by the falls, and walking up Clifton Hill. There are a bunch of touristy attractions there like haunted houses and ripley's believe it or not , etc. I would say for most the Maid of the Mist is a must do - for me I am kind of afraid of it so I tend to pass. I also love doing the Skywheel in Niagara - it provides excellent views and is fairly inexpensive.

As for the city pass in Toronto, if you don't have a car, I dont think its worth it. If you will be downtown the whole time, then YES! I would say visit the Eaton Center for shopping, Younge & Dundas Square is right there as well and there's always stuff going on. I would say go to the CN tower if you haven't been before. I LOVE the ROM, and I think it's worth going to. I would skip the zoo and maybe do the science center, again depending on if you had a car. Casa Loma is pretty cool too but personally I find it kind of boring and not much to do. If you're into markets, Kensington and St Lawrence are the way to go! Ripley's Aquarium also opened recently and is awesome! The lines can get crazy but in my opinion it is a must do (and is right downtown). If time permits, try getting tickets to a Blue-Jays game! Sports in Toronto have such a good vibe and following!! Let me know if you have any other questions! Oh also the Subway is very easy to use and can make getting around a lot cheaper.

 

[dsneprincess]

I haven't been to Toronto in years, but always thought it soo cool to use the underground PATH to walk from Eaton Center down to Front Street area.

 

[tikitorie]

My kids loved going to Marineland!

 

[Beth D]

Toronto - CN Tower is a must do! Lots to do here if you get the full package.

Niagara Falls - keep in mind that portions of the falls may still be ice covered. Eastern Lake Erie is still about 40% covered in ice. Most likely Maid of the Mist will NOT be running yet. (We went to Toronto about this time 3 years ago for Lion King, and then to Niagara Falls, and many areas were still frozen). You will probably be able to do the self tour, and elevator down to the base of the falls, but the river tours will not be running yet.

Also, DO NOT try the TGIF that is in the one hotel at the falls. It is super expensive! Entrees were about $35-$40 each, plus the Canadian taxes on top of it.

 

[3kidsfordis]

Embassy Suites was great with awesome views. Big breakfast included plus afternoon snacks. This was a huge bonus because the restaurants in the immediate area are seriously over priced. Fridays is in the hotel. Ate there on arrival night. Entrees were double what they are at home, and I live in a higher priced city. Did Maid of the Mist and Journey Behind the Falls. Both well worth it. Make sure you go out on the deck while on the Journey Behind the Falls, you are in the mist of the Falls. Rain ponchos are provided. The only drawback of Embassy Suites was it was tough to get down to the Falls. The direct route down was on a paid elevator tram. Hotel does have some shuttle service but I didn't use it.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Thanks everyone! We will have a car but maybe we will skip the CityPass and do what is important to us. We will absolutely do the CN tower.

 

[lizabu]

The Citypass is a great value if you're going to do everything. How much time you have in T.O. Makes all the difference. You can spend most of a day at ROM. Same with the Science Centre and the Zoo. The majority of attractions are right on the subway route so it's inconceivable to me why anyone would drive and then pay for parking. Public transportation in T.O. is really simple. You can go to their website and input where you are coming from and where you are going and it tells you multiple ways to reach your destination and travel times for each method. They sell family passes too and if you buy one it works on the Subway, bus or light rail. The website for the attraction will tell you the nearest Subway station name. A lot of these places are really geared towards families too. They encourage you to bring your own lunch.

I think the Citypass is a great deal and it helps you plan what to do. Price out the cost of only a couple of these attractions and you will see the Citypass is the better deal. You need at least 4 days in T.O. To do everything on the pass unless you are rushing through and if you're going to do that it's a waste. There is an extra charge at Science Museum to see the IMAX movies and there is an extra charge at ROM if you want to see whatever special exhibit might be running.

For Niagara Falls I like the Adventure Pass. It's the same idea. Priced out individually it would cost more. It comes with people mover passes so another place I would recommend parking your car and just leaving it. Plus driving especially Clifton Hill area is a nightmare. Plus everyone charges for parking. My kids are teens now and we found the Clifton Hill pass was a great deal for the things we were interested in doing. There are many wax museums and attractions that look interesting but are a total waste of money and not worth it on Clifton Hill. The pass gets you into a couple so you've been there done that and you ride the Ferris wheel, play mini golf, play arcade games etc. YOU need 2 days or so in Niagara Falls to do everything on an adventure pass. Maybe one more day for Clifton Hill pass. I've only done one or the other. Last time we did Clifton Hill Pass and paid for Maid of Mist because I've done everything so many times. Maid of the Mist is the only thing I think is worth it to do every single time. I could live without Journey and the other stuff but if you've never done it you might want to check it out. It used to be way better when I was a kid but they closed up some openings and had to ruin it by making it "safe".... Lol

 

[Vernie822]

We were just there last weekend! We only went for an overnight stay, though, and we didn't go to Canada. We don't have passports.

We live in Erie so it's only about a 2 hour drive. Seneca Niagara casino is really fun, although obviously not for kids. $20 free play just for signing up, as well as unlimited alcoholic/unalcoholic free drinks as long as you're playing. Between my boyfriend and I we walked out of there $268 richer (just on free play!) which more than paid for the hotel.

Some of the falls were still frozen and it was really chilly, so I don't think any of the boat tours were running. I'm sure the observation deck was open. We only went for a stroll for about an hour, and it was Sunday morning, so there wasn't much open. Goat Island is fun to walk around and get a different view of the falls. It was actually cool to see all of the ice and snow that was still there!

Fashion Outlets Niagara are a must for me. Yes, you can get outlets anywhere, but I love them! And in Erie - let's be honest, the shopping options aren't all that great, haha. They're indoor and there's a ton to choose from. It's nice for a few quick hours out of the heat or cold, depending on the season.