# Canadian help asked



## Suuske747 (May 9, 2007)

Hello Canadian hav'-lovers 

Eric and I are still contemplating our NY-trip with visit to Niagara Falls..... I cannot fly all the way accross the Atlantic Ocean, visit NY for a few day and NOT go the the Niagara Falls, NOT go to Canada! This Canada-crazy girl needs to have stood on Canadian ground!! *grins*
Now as we only have a short week, we'd be doing 3 days NY and then 2 days Toronto of which 1 day would be Niagara Falls....
My dream has always been to go travel the Canadian Rockies...however I am not going to push it, we have only 1 week, and convincing Eric to fly across the ocean will only be possible for an NY visit...so my condition was to see Niagara Falls...
Toronto itself doesn't seem to be so excitingly Canadian.... what I love about Canada is it's nature.... Cruising google-earth... the whole Toronto area seems fully cultivated, it's all populated and quite flat.... no mountains.... just the Ontario lake....I always though Ontario to be green, but that's due north....
When I look at google-earth one would think Peterborough is in quite a green area.... would be worth a drive to see nature? I want to have had the idea I was in Canada, not just any place like Europe....

What would you suggest if you have 1 day with the city of Toronto or the City of Niagara as base?

On that drive Toronto-Niagara there are some town with some special names.... would they be worth a stop/visit?
Mississauga, Guelph

Is the Niagara Regional Municipality like a national park? It's the only really green spot I can find in between the falls and Toronto....

I would soooo appreciate your help!!

We haven't made our finaly decision yet, I need all info I can get to persuade Eric to go.... it would be the 3rd week of October, would that already be cold and wet then, would be see nice autumn colours? 

Anything else I need to be aware of?

take care, 
Suzanne


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## Beamer (Jan 29, 2007)

Hi Suzanne,

I'm at work right now and can't really answer all your questions, but tonight I can!

But in short, Southern Ontario is not like going out west to BC..where we have mountain ranges..

Ontario has Algonquin National Park, but thats like 4 hours north of Toronto. Peterborough/Mississauga are both quite large cities.. as is Guelph...

I get back to you later on this! 

Ryan


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## Suuske747 (May 9, 2007)

Hey Ryan, 
I was afraid so.... I guess the only spectacular thing, nature wise, southern ontario has are the Falls......
4hrs drive..... it probably doesn't sound much to you.... as Canadians and Americans think in larger proportions..... to us, a 4 hr drive....well, in 3rhs I have crossed my country at it longest side.... In 4 hrs I can have crossed 3 countries if I go south....
4hrs up, 4 hrs down.... leaves just a few hrs actually on site...

It take some adjusting from our side to consider it...and Eric is the one driving.... *sighs* 

I just checked google earth again, I just love that tool!! 
If I compare the Toronto region, with my region....boy I live in a small town hahahahaha!!
We have so much more green here.....it's just all flat....

I guess all canadians concentrated down south.....leaving B.C. and the Rockies to nature  

I've watched too many documentaries of Canadian beauty, I am afraid I will be disappointed....so will Eric....
I just need something to trigger his interest so we can go back in a few years (saving for it first) and go Rockies for 2 weeks...

aarrghhh.....

I looking forward to your insider tips Ryan!!

Do you think I'll find a place to buy a real RCMP-hat...you know, the one that Fraser wore in "Due South"? yeah, call me crazy, but I am infatuated with Canada....anything Canada related.....I used to have a penpal....over 10 years ago....he understood how crazy I was/am....he actually sent me a little bag with canadian ground! As I once wrote to him that it was my dream to one to touch Canadian ground *grins* 
Of course I meant "touch down on", nevertheless I was thrilled!!! I thought it was fantastic! I still have it! haha! In return I sent him some seeds of the Cannabis-plant, one of the things the Netherlands is famous for hahaha!!

I had a student from Canada in my class a few years ago, and his mom brought back a Canadian frisbee and key-chain for me, I thought it was brilliant! Now that's how you get in your teacher's good books hahaha!!
Sorry for yakking, I just get all fuzzy just thinking about Canada and the possibillity of being there, even if it's just for 2 or 3 days....
take care, 
Suzanne


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

I highly recommend Algonquin National Park. I think 4hrs seems a bit long, I think it can be done under 3hrs. But you won't regret it at all. If you can I would also recommend the Rockies. I know someone who just came back and said it was very majestic.

Ontario is pretty much flat. Niagra Falls, Niagra on the Lake for some wine tasting, Algonquin Park....that's about it for Ontario.



> What would you suggest if you have 1 day with the city of Toronto or the City of Niagara as base?


If you have only one day, then I would stay by Niagra Falls and Niagra on the Lake. Downtown Toronto is like any other major city. Peterborough, Guelph, etc are all pretty much the same.

If you are in Toronto as your base a nice drive up by Moskoka Cottage country might be nice.

I honestly can't think of anything else.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Yeah stick to the Niagara region. It takes too long to go up north . There is plenty to see at Niagara on the Lake . And Niagara Falls is a day trip in itself.


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## suzyfrtz (Nov 12, 2007)

Here's an opinion from a Yankee - with Canadian ancestors, I might add - How about Tobermory and the Bruce Penninsula. Although I haven't been up there in years, it is a spectacular place...wilderness, crystal clear Georgian Bay, strange rock formations, hidden coves, little villages... and I understand much of it is national park now. 

I would guess it would be a three hour drive from Niagara, but honestly, it's not THAT far! The eastern Lake Huron shore is very remote and beautiful, too. Niagara Falls is a wonderful not-to-be-missed spectacle...but very urban on both the Ontario and New York sides. Lots of tourist "traps." Beautiful gardens though, and alot of history from the Revolution and the War of 1812... 

Have a wonderful trip!

Suzy, who lives on the Border, right across the river from Courtright, Ontario


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## arlene (Jul 28, 2007)

How do you plan to travel from NYC to Niagara Falls? 

Here are some more thoughts from someone south of the border who just had to cancel my usual Canadian summer vacation - drats! We race cars so every summer we make either one or two trips to Tremblant, Mosport and now a new track near Ottawa called Calabogie. Family illness caused us to cancel our trip this year. We usually extend our track activities by a few days and take some side trips.

Niagara Falls is a tourist attraction - much nicer on the Canadian side than the US side. Do you have your heart set on seeing the falls? Toronto is a nice city but still a big city . . . my thoughts are if you have seen one . . the others are pretty similar. It does have a wonderful zoo though!

If you were planning to drive, perhaps you could cross the border at the Thousand Islands - it is truly a beautiful area. One of these days, I'm going to rent a cottage on one of those islands! 

If you didn't have your heart set on Niagara Falls - another possibility might be Tremblant - It has a bit of a European flair which may not be an attraction to you but it is in the mountains . . . there are beautiful lakes and wonderful restaurants and a really wonderful spa. (I love this area so much that I've almost bought a house there twice).

Early in my adult life, I actually spent a summer in Asbestos - I would not recommend that as one's destination. The world's largest open pit asbestos mine . . . a movie theatre that showed skin flicks in French . . . several churches . . . and when I wasn't able to stay at the company lodge . . . it was the notel motel where you had to wear your shoes in the shower! Actually, the drive to and from the town was pretty nice and all in all it was an experience that I'm glad I had.

I really do love Canada - there are so many beautiful places and friendly people.

Arlene


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## Suuske747 (May 9, 2007)

DanielBMe said:


> I highly recommend Algonquin National Park.


Which town nearby or south of Algonquin Park would you recommend?

Thank you all for your lovely thoughts, I am checking them now....and then I have to run them by Eric... we haven't made a decision yet.... Eric is a bit worried about the costs... He's never flown cross-oceans....and it's just way above what we would usually spend on a 2 week holiday to the Canary Islands..and that for just one week.... one week of which 2 full days are taken by travelling....and that's just the stay and travell, not even counted on food and activities, renting a car etc....
It's a lot of money.....it's about the cost of 2 to 3 hav's......I guess all included 3 to 4 hav's......


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## DanielBMe (Nov 25, 2007)

Tobermory is closer to a 4l-5hr drive from Toronto I believe. It's 3 hours to Sauble Beach and Tobermory is much further north.

For accomadations around Algonquin you could look here http://www.algonquinpark.com/lodges.html. Some are mere minutes away and some are a bit further.

If you do the Niagra on the Lake thing, you can take a look here http://www.niagaraonthelake.com/gallery/


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## suzyfrtz (Nov 12, 2007)

Suzanne, how do you plan to travel from New York City to Niagara? Are you flying or are you renting a car? It is a long car trip from NYC to Niagara - I have made it more times than I can count. It is about 10 to 14 hours by the New York State Thruway. And don't speed on the Thruway, or you'll get a speeding ticket! 

What I'm trying to say is, if you're driving, you might want to forego the Falls this trip, and drive straight north from NYC to Lake Champlain, NY, and cross the border to Quebec. You will see very pretty scenery, sparkeling lakes, green mountains, forests, etc. 

If you're driving, and it's the Falls you MUST see, you will be too tired to drive to the wilderness spots of Ontario, in MHO. Niagara on the Lake, as suggested, is very pretty, wine country, and there is a George Bernard Shaw festival theater. Anyone who has not seen the Great Lakes will be amazed by them. They are in reality freshwater seas. 

The most important things are that you not get too exhausted and that you have fun!

Suzy


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