Summer Trip to the Six
It’s become our family tradition to take a week-long vacation each summer. We like to travel within Canada, soaking up the summer heat and saving our travel to other countries for the winter. So far our seasonal travels have brought us to Vancouver, Calgary & Banff, and Flora Bora & Waskesui. This year, we decided to head east to Ontario. I had been to Toronto twice, but never with Garrett or the kids so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity and got to planning.
Although I was curious about some new, more affordable airlines, we decided to book with Air Canada, as they had more flight options. Recently, there had been a lot of news coverage surrounding the long wait times and lost luggage in major Canadian airports so we decided to carry-on rather than check luggage. Carrying on a roller suitcase and personal item for a week long getaway is definitely doable in summer months, because you don’t have to deal with heavy winter coats, sweaters, or boots. My biggest struggle was fitting all of my liquids, gels and aerosols into ONE tiny, 7x8” bag. And truth be told, I knew liquids had to be 100mL or less each but I didn’t really realize there was a limit on how many products/ bags you were allowed- oops! With the exception of a few minor delays, we made it to T.O. safe and sound!
After flights are booked, the next thing I always secure is accommodations. There is no shortage of hotel options in the GTA and truth be told, I found it a little overwhelming to try to choose one. So to help me narrow things down, I asked a few of my Toronto friends and people who had traveled recently for their recommendations. I like to get referrals from people I know whenever possible. One of the hotels that was mentioned a few times, was the Yorkville Royal Sonesta. At first I was wavering back and forth on the location as the YRS isn’t considered ‘Downtown Toronto,” but is located in an area called Yorkville. I trusted my friends who said I would like the area, perhaps more than downtown, and decided to book. Once we arrived and checked-in, I knew the Royal Sonesta was perfect for us. First of all, the neighbourhood is so chic and posh. It’s definitely an ‘upscale’ area, home to adorable Victorian homes and no shortage of high-end, designer boutiques (Louis Vuitton was practically our neighbour). We spent two days of our trip exploring downtown Toronto, and let me tell you- I was more than happy to get back to our slightly quieter and less chaotic area, which was only about a 10 minute drive!
We booked an Executive King suite, which gave us the best of both worlds. Garrett and I had our own space, complete with a comfortable King bed, large bathroom with double sinks and spacious shower, while the kids had their own space including TV, pull out Queen, half bath, and table/chairs. Plus, it was all one connected space but the doors could be closed for extra privacy and to keep it quiet while the kids slept. In my opinion, this is the ultimate setup for families. Our room also had an adorable bay window that overlooked the cutest little outdoor dining terrace.
The hotel as a whole ran like a well-oiled machine, everything was clean, the staff were friendly, knowledgable and helpful, and everything was up and running as it should be - the restaurants, pool, fitness area, and elevators. We dined in the Signatures dining room for breakfast each morning. The menu is small but the food was delicious, the coffee was perfect, and they had pancakes, which is all my kids (and usually husband, too) really need.
Taking in the falls at Niagara was on our list of things to see and do on our trip, so we needed to rent a vehicle to get there. While rental companies may lure you in with advertising cheap daily rates, let me tell you, it really adds up fast after all the additional fees, insurance, tax, etc. So rather than going bankrupt, we opted to only rent a vehicle for the first two days of the trip to get to Niagara and Canada’s Wonderland (which are both outside of Toronto), and rely on public transportation for the remainder of the trip. Toronto’s transportation system is well used and well designed so it was fairly simple to navigate (although maybe not the most glamorous way to get around ;).
Our (my) biggest mistake when trip planning was going to Niagara on Canada Day, the morning after landing at midnight AND with a two hour time change that was not to our advantage. The traffic was horrendous and what should have been an 80 minute commute, turned into a 3.5 hour drive thanks to long weekend, standstill traffic. We were all a little restless by the time we finally arrived. Luckily, there was far more there to do than I had imagined. I was focused on seeing the picturesque waterfalls and assumed the destination would follow suit and be serene and nature-focused. I was all wrong; it was definitely a tourist attraction and built for entertaining families. Clifton Hill is the main strip and is jam packed full of souvenir shops, chain restaurants, fun houses, wax museums, and carnival rides. The kids loved every minute of it but our wallets didn’t. It made for a fun filled day but one day was enough for our fam! The only thing on my must-do list while we were in Niagara, was taking a boat ride to get a closer view of the falls. On the Canadian side, you take Niagara City Cruises which departs every 15 minutes. I was stressed about getting tickets beforehand but there is no need! Even on a busy holiday, we were able to buy tickets and get on right away. The funny thing about the boat ride is that the purpose is to provide an up close look at the waterfalls, but once you actually approach, you are covered in a mist and can’t actually see anything because you are just in a little rain cloud LOL. I would still do it again though- it was a fun experience, but be prepared to get wet, even with the little rain poncho they provide! Oh, and one more thing about Niagara, passports aren’t necessary. I worried that without our passports (one is expired), we may be more limited in what activities we could partake in but that was not the case at all! Passports would only be needed if you were to drive over the bridge to cross into the American side.
The next day we headed to Canada’s Wonderland Amusement Park which was about a 30 minute drive from our hotel but felt like a breeze after the trek to the falls the day before. This was my second visit to the park, my first being in 2006 when I visited with my bestie after graduating high school. Even though I had been before, I was amazed at how vast, clean, impressive, and extensive Wonderland is. The grounds are well groomed, bathrooms surprisingly clean, and there were no shortage of rides, gift shops, restaurants, and games. Think, Canada’s version of Disneyland. Bella and I are the ride lovers in the family, so we partnered up to tackle getting in as many rides as possible, while Garrett and Luca had fun with games and joined us on a few of the rides as well. Being that we were with the kids, I didn’t make it onto any of the big rollercoasters but there were plenty and I would love to go back again to enjoy them! Bella’s favourite ride was Klockwerks, Luca’s was Speed City Raceway (additional charge), and mine was Swing of the Century. It was another scorching hot day and after spending the first half of the day riding the rides and inevitably waiting in lineups, we were HAWT and beyond happy to visit Splash Works Waterpark. The whole family was stoked to discover a full, 20-acre waterpark, with 17 waterslides and attractions, including areas dedicated to little ones. We had the best time there and definitely could have spent an entire day at Splash Works alone. This was the highlight of our entire T.O. trip for Bella and I!
We headed to downtown Toronto via subway (which was certainly an experience), to check out the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium, which are located side-by-side, by the way. One thing about literally every activity we did in the 416- there are lineups. Especially in the summer- tourist season. So just be prepared for that mentally and when planning out your days. Most activities, including the tower and aquarium, sell timed admission tickets, but you will still be waiting in lines to enter, go through security, and get onto the elevator. The CN tower is 1815 feet high and certainly worth the wait. The kids were amazed looking down on the teeny tiny city, people, buildings, and cars below. We probably could have spent the greater part of the afternoon up there. There are two dining options at the tower, the 360 Restaurant and Vue Bistros. We grabbed lunch at the bistro and the food was delicious and obviously served with a side of incredible views! Afterwards, we headed over to the aquarium, which is actually rated Tripadvisor’s top attraction in Toronto. The exhibits were fun and definitely had the kids entertained and in awe. I was impressed with how many sea creatures were on display, including what seemed like A LOT of sharks. We were likely inside the aquarium for just over an hour. Luca said his favourite part of our trip was the CN Tower and Aquarium!
After a busy few days in the city, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and spend a more low-key day at Toronto Island. It’s just over a 10 minute boat ride on Lake Ontario from the harbour front in downtown Toronto, over to the island. You can wait for the large ferry, or hop on a Tiki Taxi like we did. The water taxis are much quicker and only slightly more expensive. There are a few islands to choose from, but we stuck with the family focused “Centre Island,” which is home to an amusement park, playgrounds, splash pads, and kid-friendly beaches. The beach was perfect for the kids, with shallow water and soft white sand. They could have spent the whole day there. We also rented a four person bike to explore the island which was a lot of fun but also more difficult than you would think!
We did a little shopping while on our trip, mainly at the Eaton Centre which is located in downtown Toronto and home to some of our favourite stores like Nordstrom, Zara, H&M, and All Saints. If we would have had an extra day in Toronto, it would have been nice to spend more time checking out the local stores and boutiques. We will definitely have to make time for more shopping on our next trip but were pretty limited with suitcase space on this trip since we didn’t check luggage!
One thing we didn’t utilize but that was recommended was the Toronto CityPASS, where you can visit 5 Toronto attractions (CN Tower, Ripley’ Aquarium, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, and Toronto Zoo OR Ontario Science Centre) at a savings of 38% off regular price admission.
It was definitely a summer trip for the books! My best advice when traveling to Toronto, especially in the busy summer season, is to be mentally prepared to wait in lineups for pretty much everything you do! Usually, a minimum hour wait. Nothing is going to be quick in a city this size when it’s tourist time! Once you get past that, you’ll have a lot of fun!
Now, where to next?!
XX KK
