A long weekend in Ontario, Canada

Jen Bekker on 20 March 2018
Wow! What a cool destination for a long weekend away with my sister. From the minute I landed, it was apparent the people of Toronto were a really friendly, laid back bunch.

Toronto has quite a few local breweries and we decided to try the Amsterdam Brewhouse on the Harbourfront for dinner the first night. We were not disappointed! A buzzing atmosphere coupled with good quality comfort food and local beers made for the perfect first evening. You can try a selection of the beers brewed onsite or even ask their advice on the perfect beer to pair with your meal.

We spent the next day exploring the sights of downtown Toronto, we had booked an apartment in central downtown - an ideal location for exploring the city. The CN Tower was amazing to see up close, looming above us everywhere we turned. There are a few historical buildings dotted around and they have mostly been sympathetically restored. St Lawrence market – originally built in 1850 - was great to explore, all the vibrant fresh fruits and veg, huge selections of meats and cheeses and fresh meat and seafood was a real delight for all the senses!

Stumbling across The Craft Beer Market meant our walking tour didn’t go quite to plan! Instead, we spent our afternoon sampling more local craft beers, indulging in some fabulous food and soaking in the buzzing atmosphere. It seems many of Toronto’s downtown workers take an extended lunch break on a Friday – the place was packed!

A visit to Toronto wouldn’t be complete without a dining experience at the top of the iconic CN Tower, and so it was that we headed up in the lift to the 360 Restaurant - 114 stories above the city! Now, not having a head for heights, I wasn’t sure how I would find this experience and I must confess that I kept my eyes closed whilst we went up in the glass walled lift!

The restaurant itself has the most amazing views out across the city and Lake Ontario plus the food was the best we had sampled so far. I opted for the local smoked salmon to start, which was to die for, it simply melted in my mouth. Next followed the Fisherman’s Catch – a seafood and tomato broth with Rockfish, Manilla clams, Humboldt squid and Salish Sea mussels served with potatoes, absolutely divine! For me, one of the most exciting parts of travelling is sampling the local produce.

We knew we couldn’t visit Toronto without seeing Niagara Falls, and being only an hour and a half away from downtown you can absolutely visit for just the day, we decided to hire a car - although there are many bus tours running daily. As we visited in March, there was still snow on the ground at the falls, and although there were beautiful blue skies it was bitterly cold. Perhaps that’s why we were one of the few people there that day!

As soon as you approach the falls, the sheer power of over a million gallons of water per second flowing over the edge is simply breath taking, the roar of the water is deafening, and it really is a beautiful sight. Walking along the edge of the falls, trying to capture every moment and really soak in the majesty of it all, we spent several hours here. Journey behind the falls takes you down 38m and along 130-year-old tunnels cut into the bedrock, with viewing portals cut out so you can see the water tumbling past. In summer time, you can also take a trip on the Hornblower boat and do the White-Water Walk, a scenic stroll alongside the rapids.

We had pre-booked lunch at the top of the Skylon Tower, and whilst I wasn’t overly keen on taking another glass windowed lift, the views were definitely worth it! Wow is the only word that describes the view of Niagara Falls from up here, seeing how high the spray reaches is quite amazing. Whilst lunch was not of the same standard as the previous night at the CN Tower, I would recommend going just for the view!

Next on our itinerary was a helicopter flight above the falls, Niagara Helicopters are located just a 10-minute drive from the falls and we were very lucky that when we arrived there was nobody else there, so a private tour it was! Now, if I thought the views from the Skylon Tower were incredible, then this was something else. It literally renders one speechless. To see the falls from this angle with the spray shooting into the air was incredible, you could just feel their power. It was a definite must-do and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Year round, at dusk, the falls are illuminated first in white lights and then in blues and reds. We decided to stay around for the illumination before heading back to Toronto, so we went off for some retail therapy mid-afternoon! It’s worth noting that there are many hotels at Niagara Falls, including some with rooms that overlook the falls. Another alternative, would be to stay in the beautiful old town of Niagara-on-the-lake, just a 20-minute drive away, and steeped in old world charm.

On our last full day in Ontario we decided to drive out to Toronto Zoo particularly to see the pandas on loan from China, before their move to Calgary Zoo the following week. They were amazing to see, just like over-sized teddy bears! Apart from this, the zoo wasn’t really to our liking, and although I’m sure many would enjoy it, we decided to cut our losses and head out in search of more natural beauty.

We came across Scarborough Bluffs a short drive away. At its highest point, the escarpment rises 90m above Lake Ontario and offers stunning coastal walks. We spent a few hours strolling along the coast, taking in the views and watching the resident swans, ducks and Canadian geese.

To finish off our jam-packed weekend away we had tickets to the basketball match at the Air Canada Centre, the Toronto Raptors v Charlotte Hornets. The atmosphere was great, and very laid back and friendly, with lots of families in attendance. Whilst I have absolutely zero knowledge of basketball, it was fantastic to be there and experience it.

To top off the weekend, I treated myself to Business Class on the way back to London. Flying British Airways, you have access to the Business Class section of the premium lounge at Toronto Pearson International, offering free drinks, including spirits and champagne along with a variety of snacks. As expected, the food on the flight was of an excellent quality, particularly the steak. Needless to say, I slept like a baby on my flat bed and landed in London refreshed and ready to head straight to my daughters Spring Concert!