Canada - advice on Toronto/Niagra/Ontario Lake areas

[Wimbledonwomble]

Hi

Just researching potential holidays for next year (we have 2 teens, one HF ASD so can be tricky to please!)

Always wanted to do Niagra Falls and stumbled upon the idea of flying to Toronto, doing a couple of nights there, a couple of nights at the falls then renting a cottage or house by a lake a couple of hours outside Toronto (Muskoka? Lake of Bays?). Did a similar thing in Cape Cod a few years ago which was great, only complaint was that the cottage was rather small, rustic, basic and pricey for what it was but a quick Google indicates more choice and comfort in this area??

Thought 2 nights Toronto - teens not huge fans of cities especially if unbearably hot like Boston was when we visited in August a few years ago. How hot is Toronto likely to be in August?

Then rent a car and drive to Niagra for 2 nights and then onto the cottage/house.

Any suggestions for good areas to rent a cottage and where to fund a nice one? Not familiar with the region at all. Would like a degree of luxury such as dishwasher, spacious, access to canoe/rowing boat, local amenities and attractions. Would a week be long enough at the cottage? We'd like to spend a fair amount of time relaxing, enjoying the cottage and water, but also a few trips to see wildlife, nature etc. Again, how hot is it likely to be, is aircon necessary?

Sorry for all the questions but hoping someone familiar with the region can advise!

Thank you

We stayed at Blue Water Acres near Huntsville. Was looking at it again for next year but have decided to go west to see a different bit.

Also looks like some nice ones on Airbnb.

May I join you in looking for suggestions please? We are also thinking of Toronto but our kids are 6 and 4. I hadn't thought of staying at the lakes so might steal that idea! We used an Air BnB for our last holiday in Amsterdam with great success, don't see why it wouldn't work for Canada!

We did this a couple of years ago.
Flew to Toronto, train to Ottawa for 3 nights, back to Toronto for 4 nights, picked up a car and spent a week at a cottage, 2 nights at Niagara then home from Toronto.

Took a while to find a cottage as I needed bed linen and towels, and wanted lake front with canoes/kayaks. Booked cottage through HomeAway as it was the only way I could find to pay safely from the UK.

We had success with Airbnb in Barbados

Blue water acres is like a mini centre Parcs

Currently we are looking at flying to Vancouver and renting a car or an RV and doing the west coast.

I didn’t think to look at air bnb at the time - I assume it has a payment method? The issue with many of the Canadian cottages was that they are listed for rent by individuals or on local sites and wanted payment by bank transfer.

Toronto is hot in August but for a big city never feels as crowded as say London which does help! If you rent somewhere in the Beaches (alternatively called the Beach) area then you'll have less of a city feel & the kids can swim in the Lake. Take a day trip out to Centre Island as well - very easy to do by ferry & the view looking back onto the city is great. I used to live in Toronto (many years ago) & would probably air bnb somewhere in Cabbagetown (old, characterful area of Toronto) if it was me! Just personal opinion but 2 days in Niagara sounds too much to me - the falls are spectacular but once you've seen them & done the boat there isn't much to do there & the town is a grot filled tourist trap. Niagara on the Lake is a pretty town but is a drive away from the falls. A cottage by a lake sounds great but you'd probably need to sort that soon as it's a very popular thing to do! I personally really like Montreal & Quebec & would head up there - may not hit your (or mine's) kids brief though!

Thanks for suggestions so far. @Chippyminton, whereabouts was your cottage? I hadn't realised "cottage country" was so vast so am a tad confused which area is best to look at! We had to take linen & towels when we rented in Cape Cod, wasn't a big hassle tbh but would obv rather not.

@SJane45S the beaches area sounds great, is it the same as Cabbagetown and is it easy to get to the centre by public transport as we wouldn't have a car while staying in the city? I'm a bit nervous about spending too long in the city as am still traumatised by the moaning in Boston, mostly due to being forced to walk round in the heat! I did think a day would be long enough at Niagara but figured that as we would be picking up our hire car that morning (which I know from experience can take a while) before driving down, we would be unlikely to get there before the afternoon, leaving little time to see the falls properly!

I have messaged you a link to the cottage

Public transport in Toronto is really good. The system allows you to transfer from bus to subway to tram on a single journey.

Our highlights were
Dinner at the CN tower at dusk.
Ferry ou to The islands
Blue Jays game
Walking through the PATH underground network

Niagara, we stayed a few miles outside, and drove in to our B&B early the next morning to park the car (free) and catch the tourist bus to the falls. The boat trip was amazing. Then we just mooched around for a bit as the other tourist attractions weren’t of interest to us. Went out for a nice meal then had a look at Clifton Hill - crazy place, neon, noise, tourist traps.

The Beaches are not the same as Cabbagetown - neither are Downtown (town centre) Toronto but basically suburbs. Toronto stretches out a long way & some suburbs are long journeys, just like London. Queen Street East is behind the Beaches and has some really nice buildings and lots of very quirky shops and cafe's. It's a relaxed area & very popular with families - the Beach boardwalk stretches on for ages & there 's usually volleyball & other things going on. The lake water is freezing but there is also an Olympic sized pool there! I used to get the streetcar there from where I lived & streetcars run along Queen Street to and from Downtown. I don't know about hotels or apartments but would suggest looking at Air Bnb. I really like the area but would stress it is a streetcar journey in and please don't expect Copacabana! Cabbagetown is another neighbourhood & has a lot of Victorian buildings and a good feel to it. It was originally where the Irish settled. Transport links via subways & streetcars are good to Downtown. I'm sure you'd find a lot of places on Air Bnb there.
I used to work Downtown but it's probably not where I 'd choose to stay with my family as I prefer more of a laid back & characterful vibe - however the downside is getting the kids on public transport both ways! You know what would suit your lot best! Hope some of this helps!

Hello again. Still trawling through the internet looking at accommodation - minefield! The cottage Chippy went to is booked already! Can't decide between a cottage resort or stand alone cottage. To the poster who went to Blue Water Acres - quite interested in this resort but at around $2400 per week is bit over budget but may stretch if really nice. I can find very few pics of the interiors of the cottages but reviews I've read suggest that some cottages have been refurbed and others not, yet price is the same! Found some cheaper complexes for around $1200 per week but look rather basic so hoping to find something in between the two!

Found my answer to the Blue Waters Acres question - refurbed cottages are all booked up which is why I can't find them. Still searching for something suitable but not having much luck. Ideally Want to spend around £1000 (approx 1700 CAD) per week in the hope of getting something not too basic but would spend a bit more for the right place!

Travelling will be a bit of a slog. Toronto to Niagara and back can be up to a 6 hr trip. A trip to cottage country is similar. If you are going to Niagara look at Niagara - on- the-lake. Downtown Niagara Falls is like a slightly upmarket Blackpool seafront (all souvenir shops & arcades).

Toronto won’t be any where near as hot or humid as Boston in the summer. 1 day and possibly the following morning is all you will need at niagara. Accommodation is expensive so don’t overbook nights there as cheaper to move on to another place when finished. Niagara on the lake is pretty but not sure that it will entertain the teens as very quiet.

Anyone got a good deal on flights to Toronto?

Thanks for the information!

I know this is an old thread but looking for help with booking a cottage/cabin in summer 2024 (yes I like to plan ahead!). We’ll be in Toronto for a week before then hope to do a week in ideally a lakefront cabin where we can canoe, sunbathe etc. Either in a resort or independent. I don’t know where to start and also when summer dates get released as I know things get booked up quickly. Can anyone help? 🙏🏼

5 years ago we flew to Toronto, then drove 3ish hours to the Bruce Peninsula (Georgian Bay side) where we stayed for 10 days. We did stay with family in a cabin but loads of them are on Airbnb etc. we hiked, canoed, did boat trips etc. We had two teens and an 11 yr old. We then did a week in an Airbnb in Toronto suburbs, did the ROM, science museum, Niagara Falls, Botanic gardens, CN tower & Ripleys and Canada World. Niagara is easily done in a day. It was an amazing holiday so last year went to Calgary, Dinosaur provincial park and then the Rockies.

Thanks @APMom6 Souhds great. I know Toronto well but not the rest of Ontario. Was the Bruce Peninsula beautiful?

@franglais123 it was stunning. on Georgian bay side there’s cliffs, it’s all rocky and the water is so clear. There are campgrounds in the National Parks and a brilliant visitor centre at Tobermory and all the hiking paths are very well signposted. There’s also Greig’s Caves. The other side of the Bruce has sandy ground and water would be warmer.

Thank you so much @APMom6 - I appreciate your reply. Excited now!