Toronto Travel Guide

Thinking of visiting Toronto? You can fly direct from Dublin on Air Canada, the ideal airline for exploring all things Canadian. Air Canada operate regular flights directly from Dublin to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver – or to Calgary via Toronto. 

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and one of North America’s most lively and attractive destinations. With amazing neighbourhoods to explore, wonderful museums, world class restaurants and Canada’s awesome countryside is right on your doorstep, this destination has something to suit all holiday types!

Considering a trip to Toronto? Find out what to expect from our Travel Expert Michelle Buckley, who enjoyed a trip to Toronto this year.

The Hotel

After a very comfortable 7 hour flight with Air Canada, we were met at Toronto Airport by our driver and brought to The Chelsea hotel.

This hotel is in an excellent location just off Yonge and Dundas Square. The hotel itself was huge, with great facilities for kids and adults alike including a family pool with a slide, a kids area and an area for teenagers to hang out. Kids also get their own check in desk which is a great treat for the little ones!

A short walk away from Yonge and Dundas, this area has everything that you can imagine, from bars, restaurants, and the hop on hop off bus and a short walk away from China/ Korea town and the Kensington Market, a relaxed area with bars, thrift stores and funky restaurants.

Sightseeing

We paid a visit to Ripley’s Aquarium, which is great to do for families, with their exhibits of sharks, rays and bio luminescent jelly fish. After this, we took a trip to the CN Tower, where you take the glass elevator on the outside of the building to the top and see amazing views out of the City of Toronto. For anyone that is afraid of heights, it’s actually not too bad. If I could manage this, anyone can!

Niagara Falls

After three amazing days in Toronto we then moved to Niagara Falls. There is a small airline that runs from Billy Bishop airport in Toronto to Niagara. The flight is 12 minute and works out just about the same as the price of transfers which take 1.5 hours by road.

Niagara did not disappoint.  The area around the hotels is better than I expected it to be, and has everything from haunted houses to slot machines, which is great for kids and families. There were lots of restaurants and bars around this area too, with everything from Rainforest cafe to Wendy’s.

We were so lucky to be able to get to experience flying in a helicopter over the Niagara Falls, and what a view you get! After our helicopter trip, we experienced the Horn blower; most people will call this the maid of the mist. It is the boat that brings you up into the falls. Horn blower is the name of the boat that goes from the Canadian side, and Maid of the Mist is the boat that goes from the USA side of the falls.

I was quite nervous about this for some reason, but I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life. The power you feel from the falls, as you get up close and personal with them is immense. The boat brings you 80ft away from the Horse shoe falls, and you get soaked  the ponchos don’t hold back much from the sheer force of the foam and spray hitting you.  Despite this, I would do this tour again in a heartbeat.

Our last day in Niagara we got to experience the journey behind the falls. This is a self guided tour that you take where you go deep underground in an elevator and come to a series of tunnels, you can take as long as you like on this tour, and tickets include a 4D cinema experience.

When you come out of the first tunnel you are standing right beside the horse shoe falls, again this is an experience where you are like to get wet so ponchos are provided. Through the second tunnel you come to a gate, here is where you a directly behind the falls. The noise in the tunnels is amazing, something that definitely has to be experienced by everyone at least once.

Toronto for me is be a great alternative to New York if you’re considering a break to North America, with tons of attractions and a great shopping experience. There’s something to keep everyone occupied, and a huge variety of shops, with huge malls right on your doorstep!