Trip to Canada

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Mon 19 Apr 2010 16:23
Trip to Canada - Mike 996

Hi,

Planning a two week trip to Canada in August to visit Son-in-Law and new baby. They live about 30 miles SE of Ottawa. We’ve never been to that part of the world and would like to do some exploring as well. Any suggestions for places to tour/experience/stay in/eat at, Niagara Falls being one destination we would probably visit. Guess we’ll plan on one or two “road trips” within the two weeks.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

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Mon 19 Apr 2010 19:16
Trip to Canada - bristolmotorspeedway {P}
Hi,
I don't know Ottawa, but have been to Toronto & Niagara a few times. The falls are worth seeing, but I don't think you'll want to hang around the town too much, tacky tourist trap :-) If you're driving then I think there is a pretty little town called Niagara-on-the-Lake which is meant to be worth visiting.

I've only driven North out of Toronto as far as Barrie, which was a pleasant enough drive. North Ontario was fairly pretty as i recall.

Toronto is well worth a visit, so if you get time & fancy a long drive you could consider driving from Ottawa to Toronto via the Algonquin Provincial Park. Looks like a fairly hefty drive. You could just take the quick route along highway 401 through Kingston and along Lake Ontario. Then you can have an overnight stay in Toronto; plenty of good places to eat there, Bardi's steak house on York St rings a bell as serving up a stunning steak. Then the next day you can strike out for Niagara.

If you're hiring a car, make sure you have unlimited miles included. That may be standard these days, but I recall hiring a car in the rockies a few years back and having a measly 200 or 300km/day limit.

Apologies for the Toronto-centric advice, but it's the only place nearby that I know well :-) If I was you I'd make visiting Montreal a priority too - much closer to Ottawa.
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Mon 19 Apr 2010 23:29
Trip to Canada - uk_in_usa

it's no exaggeration that Niagara Falls is a bit tacky. It makes Blackpool look like the Sistine chapel. Even the workers in the shops there laugh about it.

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Tue 20 Apr 2010 19:03
Trip to Canada - cavey76

Like previous posters have mentioned Niagara is painfully tacky. I worked in Canada for a while but always resisted the temptation till i took my wife back for our honeymoon. We stayed over when all we should have really done was see the falls, do the boat trip and leave.

As mentioned Niagara on the lake is very nice and choc ful of wineries and beautiful little resturants to visit.

I would suggest a trip or two eastward to Montreal. Very European in culture full of nice restuarants around the old port/town, the chinese quarter and just off St Catherines. There is a jetboat type experience that you can do over the rapids located near the harbour in downtown which is an enjoyable half hour of blasting over scary waves without the need for any physical exersion on your part and entirely safe. Do bring either spare clothes or outdoors type stuff that will dry fast.

www.jetboatingmontreal.com/

Hmm August....check your timing as in Montreal you maybe there at the sametime as either the Jazzfest or the comedy fest. Either way lots of shows for both and i am sure they are around July/August time.

Further NW from Montreal on HGWY 15 there is St Savieur and further again Mont Tremblant national park. If your an outdoorsy type both are very nice for walks/hikes. We stayed over in Mont Tremblant and sat in the outside Jacuzzi's of a summer evening in the hotel right in the centre of town.

All sorts of activities can be booked at the tourist/activities centre in Tremblant. Most memorable for me was a 30 min flight over the lake in a sea plane for my wife and I. Pilot looked about 14 which was worrying but great spectacular views and very reasonably priced for a quick flight...ash clouds permitting.

In Toronto itself the CN tower is impressive and affords a great view of Lake Ontario. The glass floors are not to be missed...unless there is lots of over confident little bug...sorry kids jumping up and down on them.....brrr!

Hope this helps

cavey76

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