Day 1
Arrive in Toronto
Fly to Toronto and transfer independently to your hotel for a three night stay. We recommend taking the UP train shuttle from the airport directly to Union station.
Overnight: Chelsea Hotel or similar. Upgrade to the Fairmont Royal York.
Day 2
Toronto
A day to explore this wonderful city. How about a city tour and harbour cruise to get your bearings and discover the magnificence of Lake Ontario? The view from the top of the CN Tower is a must-see – the lift takes you over 1500 feet in just 28 seconds - and in this area sports fans can also visit the fascinating Hockey Hall of Fame to learn about that great Canadian sport of ice-hockey.
Day 3
Toronto
Today you could explore the Distillery District with its lovely independent boutiques, quirky bars and restaurants or indulge in the great shopping opportunities, and if you’d like to be shown around we can book a lovely walking tour of this district for you. For foodies, we can book you onto “The Great Canadian Food Tour” which in two and a half hours will give you a truly authentic experience. The tour starts at the famous Indigenous Canadian-owned Pow Wow Cafe and along the way will sample the delights such as Poutine, Butter Tart and Montreal-style bagels.
Day 4
Toronto – Kingston - Gananoque (180 miles)
This morning you will pick up your hire car and leave Toronto heading east along Lake Ontario into the beautiful Thousand Islands region. It will take about three hours to reach your hotel for the next two nights in Gananoque, but you might want to stop en route in the lovely city of Kingston. Located at the mouth of the Cataraqui and St. Lawrence rivers, Kingston is known as the "Limestone City" for its grand 19th-century buildings, including the lakeside Kingston City Hall and Bellevue House National Historic Site. As you leave Kingston there is also Fort Henry National Historic Site a 19 century British military fort which guarded the city, harbour and entrance to the Rideau canal, where you can take a tour and might catch a military re-enactment. It’s a pleasant half hour drive from here to Gananoque.
Overnight: Holiday Inn & Suites Gananoque or similar. Upgrade to the Gananoque Inn & Spa
Day 5
Gananoque - Thousand Islands
Enjoy a leisurely day, exploring the lovely town of Gananoque - Gateway to the Thousand Islands, with its stunning waterfront location, lovely restaurants and boutiques. We can arrange an hour long cruise of the Thousand Islands from nearby Rockport, cruising through the lush island landscape past Boldt Castle, Zavikon Island and Millionaire’s Row. There are also plenty of places here to hire a kayak and have a paddle through the beautiful waters.
Day 6
Gananoque – Ottawa (102 miles)
This morning drive to one of our favourite Canadian cities – Ottawa. Despite being the capital of Canada, the city is not huge (fourth in size) and its pleasant districts and parks are easily walkable or bikeable. In the afternoon you could take a hop-on hop-off bus tour to get a great overview of the city or perhaps a bike tour to get some exercise whilst seeing the sights. Early evening you might want to stroll around Byward Market to browse the little shops and eat in one of the many tempting restaurants.
Overnight: Lord Elgin or similar. Or upgrade to Fairmont Chateau Laurier.
Day 7
Ottawa
Take your time today and pick one or two of the sights that you’d like to see in more depth, perhaps the Canadian parliament building, the Canadian Museum of History and War, the Canadian Museum of Nature or the National Gallery of Canada. For the adrenalin junkies, there is a brand new attraction Interzip Rogers - the very first zipline between two provinces. Take off from Gatineu in Quebec and zoom down the zipline across the Ottawa River into Ontario!
Day 8
Ottawa – Algonquin Provincial Park – Huntsville (213 miles)
Head west out of Ottawa to the Algonquin Provincial Park – a beautiful river-filled wilderness where you can stop for a walk or a picnic or even go for a kayak from one of the many outfitters in this region. Onwards to Huntsville in the heart of Muskoka “Cottage Country” – so called because this is where the wealthy city-dwellers own their countryside retreats.
Overnight: Blue Waters Acres Resort or similar. Upgrade to Deerhurst Resort
Day 9
Huntsville
A relaxing day to enjoy this lovely part of Ontario. You could simply spend time by one of the beautiful lakes, chilling out, swimming or kayaking. Or you could visit a local cranberry & blueberry farm and winery for a tour and tasting.
Day 10
Huntsville – Niagara-on-the-Lake (207 miles)
Today you’ll be driving to the southern-most part of Ontario, to the shores of Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls. Head to your hotel where you’ll be staying for the next three nights and park up – you will want to leave your car behind because this is one of Canada’s best wine-producing regions and the quaint town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is filled with tasting rooms and wine bars – enjoy!
Overnight: Hilton Garden Inn Niagara-on-the-Lake or similar. Or upgrade to the Prince of Wales Hotel.
Day 11
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Enjoy a day strolling the lovely lakeside town of Niagara, browsing the boutiques for souvenirs and relaxing over a leisurely lunch in one of the many lovey restaurants. You have the opportunity to go on a wine tasting trip to sample the really delicious wines grown in this region – the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Day 12
Niagara Falls
The final day of your holiday and what better way to spend it than seeing one of the wonders of the world – Niagara Falls. It is comprised of three waterfalls, the Horseshoe Falls (also known as the Canadian Falls), American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, and over 3,000 tons of water flow over the falls every day. You can choose to see the Falls from many different angles and whether you are at the foot of the falls on a boat, to the side of the falls on a walkway, it’s always impressive. You can even go behind the falls to see the massive thunder of water in front of you. We can book you onto the highly enjoyable and often slightly wet Hornblower Cruise to the Falls. A newest must-see attraction is the Niagara Parks Power Station. Built 115 years ago, this beautiful building has been restored and a fascinating museum created, showing how the power of the Horseshoe Falls was harnessed over a hundred years ago and turned into a great source of electricity.
Day 13
Niagara – Toronto International Airport (75 miles)
Drive to Toronto International Airport and drop off your hire car before flying home
