Showing posts with label spring break 2017. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring break 2017. Show all posts

Top Five Places for Family to Visit in Toronto, Canada



"Ma, what is that tall building?" asked Obi, my daughter, as we drove around Toronto during our last spring break road trip.
"It looks super high" added Bo, my son.
"I guess it's CN Tower, one of the landmarks of Toronto" I answered that while flipping the tourism magazine we got from our hotel.
"Oh...let's go there, let's go there! It must be cool to be up there!" acclaimed Obi, looking so excited sitting in the back of our car while pointing that tower.
"I guess that's where we're heading to now" I answered as my hubby tried to find the parking spot for our rented card.
Toronto, we're here.

***

We're getting closer to the end of our spring break road trip as we left Ottawa.
Toronto is next and after that, we have Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, before heading to the US side. I have to admit that every city with visited offers a great variety of new things, places, and food to explore!

And we did enjoy our visit to Toronto.
My kids, Bo et Obi, loved it!
They even wrote their stories of our visit to the those places in their notes. 
I sincerely hope I will manage to put them in Bo's blog, bofrakarsa.blogspot.com.


Known as the Capital city of Ontario, Toronto is a fun metropolis that will cater the needs of adventurous family with young children like us. After visiting Québec City, Montréal, and Ottawa, we saw all the differences between those cities and we love them all.

As we arrived a bit late in Toronto after driving around 4 hours from Ottawa, we went straight to our hotel, Hilton Double Tree at down town Toronto. Love the hotel as always, as we have been a member of the Hilton Honors group for the last 5 years. As we arrived, a package of 4 warm, yummy, chocolate cookies as well as water and chips awaited. Our double-bed room is very comfortable and without further ado, we rested well.

Early morning, after breakfast, we went exploring down town Toronto and stroll around the Yonge street. and we had a full day here as later that night, we were scheduled to see Bon Jovi This House is not For Sale concert. So, here are the top five places to visit in Toronto a la Mama Bo et Obi :).

CN Tower

Obviously, a visit to the landmark of Toronto is a must!
Before coming to this place, we have done a bit of a research in order to get the best package deal available. 

As we visited this place during the lunch hour, we chose the package to enjoy 2-course fixed-menu lunch at 360 Restaurant  with a free ticket to CN Tower. The lunch costs us CAD 58 per adult and $40 per  kids, but we have the free ticket to the CN Tower.

If we only visit the tower, it costs us CAD 36 per adult and CAD 26 for kids (4 - 12 year old).
So, considering we had the yummy, top-notch lunch, we took the package deal.








The view from above is indeed stunning!
There are 2 observation decks where you can enjoy the view. 




But get ready to line-up for the elevator up. Good thing we had that restaurant access and we had ur own elevator, so it's great.

We also get to see the world's first Glass Floor experience!



I really have issues walking on those glass floor while my kids just ran around freely!




Old City Hall

Love this place for its antique building architecture.
We didn't manage to get in, not pretty sure whether there is a tour available here. But we love taking pictures in front of it.






New City Hall

For all selfie lovers :), here's your place!
The colorful name TORONTO in New City Hall has been the magnet for all visitors. For sure, people are flocking in this very spot to have their souvenir snaps from Toronto. So are we :).






360 Restaurant

This is the place were we can have yummy lunch, perfect view of Toronto from above and access to CN Tower.
It's the revolving restaurant, up 350-m above, with stunning view.



When we visited this place, we chose Atlantic Salmon and steak as the main course and the chowder as well salad. 

The lunch costs us CAD 58 per adult and $40 per kids. 

This is how it looks:






Toronto Railway Museum

This is a fun place indeed.
Right across the CN Tower and the exhibition is for free.
We only see some old trains but they look great on the photos :)





Well, of course there are more to see and visit here in Toronto, like Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Zoo, St. Lawrence Market and more. But since we had a concert to catch, we're good with those 5 places.

So, what do you think?
Do you think you will enjoy Toronto as much as I do?
What is your favorite place to visit here?









WW : Niagara Falls, New York

Completing our journey to the Niagara Falls, we visited the American and Bridal Veils Falls at the US side.

It was cloudy that day, but it didn't stop us from enjoying this wonderful Park.



It's the same majestic feeling of looking at those rumbling Falls and clear water.


Crossing the border is only around 15 minutes from our hotel in the Canadian side, so we stopped at the US side on our last day of the trip.







         Join us in (almost) Wordless Wednesday  and enjoy fabulous links!





    

Thundering Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada





"Ma, what is that thundering sound?", Obi was pulling my hand as we crossed the street from  the parking lot. 
"That's the Falls, dek" answered Bo, my son.
"So we will see the Falls now?  This close? Can we swim as well there ? Obi bombarded me with questions as we got closer.
No, dek. You can not! The Falls is so huge and there are millions of cubic of water falling in seconds" claimed Bo, who definitely was reading the booklet we got from the Park's officer. 
As Bo finished explaining that, we saw the source of the thundering sound.
Welcome to Horseshoe Falls, Niagara, Ontaria, Canada.

***


The American Falls and Bridal Veils Falls at the US side

By the time I wrote this story, I was in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, missing my munchkins, attending one of the Seminars held by the UN. I started drafting my 5-day  experience in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, when I just realized that I had another draft to finish :). Well, stopping in many cities and enjoying so many attractions along the way do provide me with endless stories and interesting notes. And here I am, bogged down with my own drafts :).

So allow me to get back to our spring break road trip.

We just arrived at Niagara Park, so ready to see the magnificent Horseshoe falls, the Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. After driving  approximately 4 hours, straight from Bon Jovi - This House is not for sale concert at Air Canada Center, Toronto (yes, I know.. I will share that as well later >_<), we arrived at around 1 AM in the morning at the hotel. Directly headed to our room, we had good sleep indeed so that we can enjoy the thundering Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, the day after.

Enjoying Bon Jovi Concert in Toronto :)
Here's the short videos of one of the hits Jon sang for us in Toronto.
Lay your hands on me!



We stayed at the Oakes Hotel overlooking the Falls during our visit. 

Waking up slightly late after our extremely long day at Toronto, we promised the kids that we would enjoy that day's trip like they wanted it. But Bo et Obi were happily chatty about the Bon Jovi concert, although obviously they were not familiar with the songs at all :)).
After a hearty breakfast at Applebee's nearby, we headed directly to National Park Commission at Niagara Falls and ready to start our adventure!


The Niagara Parks Commission, Ontario, Canada

 The plans were to spend the whole day at Table Rock, the area surrounding the Falls to see Horseshoe falls, the biggest Falls with obviously the shape as the name suggested. This, together with American Falls and Bridal Veils falls in the American side, is well known as Niagara Falls. 

As I said, we asked Bo et Obi decided what to do, as they had given me and my hubby a great time watching the concert a night before. Apparently, besides ice cream lunch and swimming pool time, they both were eager to see the Falls and got on a cruise.

Table Rock is the area where you can see Horseshoe Falls from quite a close distance.
Here we can just see the Falls and take pictures for free. When we arrived, it wasn't really packed with people. But I can imagine how it will be during the peak season. 
And the weather at that time was still a bit chilly, especially as we were so close to those millions of cubic of fresh, cold water. 


Cheers from the Frakarsas :)

There are a few angles you can take as you walk along Table Rock Welcome Center from one end where you have Behind the Falls Journey attraction, to the other end where you can get on board Horn Blower, the boat taking you even closer to Falls. So do take a chance to walk along 


on our way to the Horn Blower Cruise, with Maid of the Mist, the US boat in the background


There are several choices and attractions that you can choose here.
Some of them are the Journey Behind the Falls, Niagara Furry, White Water Walk, Floral Showhouse, Butterfly Conservatory, Horn Blower Cruise, Fort Eerie and more.
You can have a package, including with WEGO Bus which will take you to those places, or you can pay the ticket separately.
The package consists of classic (CAD 56.95 per adult, CAD 36.95 per kid) , nature (CAD 56.95 per adult, CAD 36.95 per kid) and plus one (CAD 90 per adult, CAD 59 per kids).
As we didn't really plan to see everything, we only chose 2 and bought ticket separately. You can check NPC website for more accurate information.

We chose the Journey Behind the Falls, where we walked around a tunnel underneath the Falls. The ticket is CAD We saw some pictures and stories about the Falls, including one incident that happened way in the past where one visitor, a boy, fell from the boat near the Falls but he survived.




We walked under a wet tunnel, saw how it was built, and felt the thundering Falls right above our head. Some of the tunnels are closed but we do have one open which is so close to the Falls.


So close to the Falls!

Actually, there is a balcony with stunning view to the Falls, but too bad when we were there it was closed for renovation as many rocks were falling down to that balcony. Scary indeed!


As close as we can get...the balcony is right behind it.

After Journey of the Falls, we went to Horn Blower Cruise and took our chances to get closer to the Falls. We got a free poncho but even that didn't succeed in keeping us dry! It felt like you are riding in a rain with some extra strong wind as a bonus :). The tickets are CAD for adults and CAD for kids 


Get cover :)

After those two attractions and tons of photos, we went back to hotel, had late lunch, and came back when it was dark to see the light show.
We heard the light show is something you CAN NOT miss when you are in the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.


In blue...


Yes, at night, you will see Horseshoe Falls in blue, red and white hues.

Interestingly beautiful.


Red and white... just like the colors of my country's flag, Indonesia :)


On our way back home that night, we came across Niagara Falls Lock Bridge, right behind TGIF restaurant where we had our dinner.


Lock Bridge



Have you locked one? :)

If you drive, you will have to pay CAD 15 for parking while you're visiting the area.
The parking lot is spacious but I bet it will be packed during the peak season. WEGO bus is one good option and you can get the pass together with the ticket for other attractions at the welcome center.

Another thing that you use is the funicular.
It takes you down directly to Table Rock welcome center and it happens to be right behind out hotel. The Oakes. The price for one trip is CAD 2.75 per person. 

Using the funiculaire from our hotel down to the Table Rock Welcome Center.



So, I hope you find this post beneficial, especially if you plan to go to witness the thundering Niagara Falls, Ontaria, Canada . We are also visiting the one on the US side and happy to share it on the next post.
Welcome to the Falls

Enjoy Niagara Falls and till the next adventure :).



Greetings from Toronto, Canada

Allow me to take you to Toronto, Canada, through these photos.

Stories are coming for sure, but meanwhile, let's enjoy this blue sky :)

Welcome to Toronto, Canada

At the CN Tower, Toronto






Join us on Skywatch Friday and enjoy the magical sky from different corners of the world!

WW: Byward Market, Ottawa, Canada

Love visiting local market while visiting one particular city?
Me, too!
And we didn't miss the chance to visit Byward Market while we were in Ottawa, Canada.





super cloudy :)


so colorful
It's the beaver :)

Love this colorful market filled with delicious smells of fresh bakery and various food offered on its many stalls, including Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau cookies!


I bought a few and they taste wonderful!

Mr. Obama :)
Not to mention the famous local delicacies, Beaver Tails :).


We love it!

Want some?


Kids love this Beaver Tail

Join us in (almost) Wordless Wednesday  and enjoy fabulous links!