Niagara On The Lake, Ontario

On November 10, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel1 Comment

We had a few hours to kill before we had to head back to the Toronto airport after checking out of our hotel in Niagara Falls, so we drove the twenty or so minutes to Niagara On The Lake. It was probably one of the best decisions we made that whole trip. The drive was gorgeous. The road ran along Lake Ontario, which could be viewed through the orange, yellow and red leaves of the autumn trees.

We passed about fifteen wineries, both large and small, on our way into town and we vowed to stop into one on our way back out. We didn’t really have a plan in mind for once we arrived, so we just kept taking turns that we thought would lead us to the lake. We finally made it to a park on Lake Ontario, with a gorgeous gazebo and a path that led along the shore.

We walked along the path a ways. The Toronto skyline was faintly visible across the lake, which provided us with a nice bookend for the trip. It was a beautiful day for a walk along the lake, but we were limited on time, so we hopped back in the car and started driving again. This time, our random choices took us past a cute boutique hotel, a beautiful golf course and through a neighborhood of beautiful lake houses.

Because we had not destination in mind, we wound up on our way out of Niagara on the Lake, towards the airport. We were heading out a different way than we came in and I was so worried we would miss out on all of the beautiful vineyards in the area. Luckily, we spotted Jackson Triggs Winery up the road and jumped on the chance to check it out.

The tasting room was set in between rows and rows of vines, which were a perfect emerald green in the sunshine. We went in with the intention of only splitting a flight of three wines between us, but wound up sharing two flights. We tried a Brut, a Sauvignon Blanc, a White Blend, a Merlot, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Red Blend. They were all excellent, made more so by the wonderful woman pouring for us, who was knowledgeable about the wine and super nice. We ended up leaving with a bottle of the Merlot, which was to be saved for a special occasion.

We had to get the rental car back to the airport by 4:00pm, which made us very early for our 7:45pm flight. This ended up being a blessing, because as soon as we walked into the airport, we were hit with the news that our flight was cancelled. We ran to the United Guest Service desk to see if we could get on another flight, where they informed us we had been re-booked on a 9:00am plane the next morning. She took one look at our faces and offered to give us stand by tickets for a flight that boarded in 40 minutes. We dropped off our luggage, ran through security and customs and made it to the gate with minutes to spare. Our guardian angel at the guest service desk must have called ahead because we had tickets waiting for us. Once we were actually on the plane, I had a moment to reflect on our vacation, and what a wonderful trip it was.

Have you ever been to Niagara On The Lake? Did you stay overnight or just visit?

Adventures at Niagara Falls and Beyond | RebeccaWanderlusting

Adventures in Niagara Falls

On November 7, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel1 Comment

Niagara Falls is an easy hour an a half drive from Toronto, making it the perfect day or weekend trip from the capital city. The town surrounding Niagara Falls is full of hotels, chain restaurants and kitschy attractions like mini golf, wax museums, and fun houses. We were staying at the Four Points by Sheraton, which was connected to two other hotels by a mall and casino. We checked into our room and walked directly back out of the hotel to see the falls. This was my first time seeing this natural wonder and to say I was excited would be an understatement.

The hotels were situated on a hill above the scenic path opposite the falls, so we walked down the steep sidewalk to get there. It was misting when we started walking down, but despite the cloudy weather, I was jumping for joy when we first saw it. It was beautiful. The sidewalk runs parallel to the falls, and there is a large welcome center/gift shop/food court on the side near the larger horseshoe and the entrance to the Hornblower boats and another gift shop on the other side. The main drag (with all the kitsch) is closer to the Hornblower side.

We didn’t want to go on the boat tour in the rain, so we bought our tickets for the next day and then went in search of some dinner. This proved to be a difficult task in this neck of the woods on a Monday evening. We stopped into Niagara Brewing Company for a beer and a snack so we create a game plan for the evening.

We ordered a cheese plate that featured local cheeses and fruit and contemplated our next move. It was rainy and we were surrounded by restaurant chains and tourist attractions. We decided to lean into the kitsch. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped into gift shops, and took pictures with the wax museum statues and the haunted house monsters. We took a wrong turn somewhere and somehow ended up in a very seedy area with deserted restaurants and broke down motels. Running through the empty parking lots in the pouring rain, Mike gave me a look I knew well. It said “why do I let you lead me into these situations”. Once we were finally back within the very warm and dry lobby of the collective hotels, we let the bright lights of the casino lure us in.

We decided to gamble $10 each. Mike lost his right away, but I kept winning and splitting the winnings to bet more. It was thrilling, but I can only spend twenty minutes max in casinos or I’ll gamble my life away so we moved on to Shoeless Joe’s (as I said, really leaning into the kitsch) for dinner. The food was meh and the atmosphere was meh, but it did the trick. We decided to be a little bit fancy and headed to the top of the Hilton Niagara Falls for a nightcap and a view of the brightly lit falls. We got martinis and stared out the window for quite a while, rebuffing the very sweet waiter’s frequent offers for a refill. Once our glasses were empty and we had our fill of the view, we headed back to our room to sleep.

The next morning, we got an early start to fit in as much as possible on our last day in Canada. After a quick breakfast, we walked back down the path from the hotel to the falls and straight to the line for the Hornblower boat. They run every fifteen minutes, so we were able to get on-board fairly quickly. As we moved through the line, we were given short sleeved ponchos to protect against the spray of the falls. The boat was fairly full, with most of the crowd up top. We chose to stay on the bottom level. Once we got going, there wasn’t a bad view to be had: the first waterfall was to the left, the small skyline to our right, the second falls ahead of us and the bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada.

As we pulled up to the first set of falls, the wind brought the mist into the boat and we were soaked everywhere the poncho didn’t cover before long. Being that close to the falls was exhilarating, and the combination of morning fog, mist and circling birds made it feel like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The boat moved on and mike and I clung to the railing, taking in the views and approximately 1,000 photos. The second portion of Niagara Falls was a different experience entirely. The boat could only get so close because the current was strong, but we were certainly close enough to feel the force of it and, again, get soaked through. We weathered the spray to get a glimpse of the falls up close. It was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever had the pleasure of beholding. No photo could do it justice, but I’ll try:

Everyone else on the boat was comically running back in forth, trying to get the best view and the best selfies. The boat stayed put for awhile, allowing everyone to take it all in. Once we started heading back, I kept my eyes fixed on the falls. Once we docked, Mike and I decided to check out the Journey Behind the Falls experience, which was on the other side, near the horseshoe. The tickets were sold within the welcome center, which also was the entrance to the experience. It started with a hallway of informational posters detailing the history of the falls, which led to the elevator down to the tunnels. Once off the elevator, we were handed two more ponchos and directed to an overlook that was positioned right next the falls.

It was the best view from the Journey Behind the Falls by far, as the other overlooks just included the running water passing over the holes in concrete walls that separated us and the waterfall. It was a cool experience, but perhaps not quite worth the entry fee, which was $14.

We got a quick, cheap lunch from the cafeteria and slowly, slowly made our way back to the hotel. We were due to check out at 1pm. The sun had finally come out, changing the water of Lakes Ontario & Erie from dark gray to a brilliant turquoise. It was absolutely stunning. I stopped every couple of feet to take photos, which made our progress back to the hotel even slower. I found it so hard to leave, but we had to head home. Niagara Falls will forever be one of my favorite views of all time.

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Were you on the American side or the Canadian Side?

Exploring the Neighborhoods in Toronto | RebeccaWanderlusting

Exploring Neighborhoods in Toronto

On November 1, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel1 Comment

When we were in Toronto, Mike and I wanted to explore their different and diverse neighborhoods. So between being shameless tourists at CN Tower and Casa Loma, we biked, walked and took the train around the city. It was probably my favorite part of our time there, getting around and getting a feel for each area. I wish we could have gotten to more of the neighborhoods in Toronto, but I think we were able to see a good amount given the time that we had.

Bloordale Village

We came to the Bloordale Village neighborhood solely to check out a bookstore called Monkey’s Paw, which I heard was really cool. The store specialized in rare and unusual books and had everything from old medical texts to books of maps to beautiful editions of classic novels. They have a book vending machine that spits out old books for a $2 (CAD) coin. It’s amazing and Mike and I each got one. We were intending to move on to the next neighborhood, but the store next to Monkey’s Paw, Zebuu, drew us in with it’s colorful prints and cozy home goods.

From there, we were hooked by each store we passed. We stopped into a record store that Mike really enjoyed called Dead Dog Records. They had an excellent selection of well-kept albums from all imaginable genres. Next door to this records shop was a heavenly thrift shop called Ransack the Universe. This store had mountains of old books, cameras, records and jewelry that were perfect for rummaging. Once we had our fill of the shops, we stopped into Duffy’s Tavern for a beer and some lunch. The restaurant had an oak bar that ran the length of the wall with plenty of bars on tap and football and soccer games on the TVs behind it. We split and order of poutine (yum!) and BLTs.

Distillery District

The Distillery District is a pedestrian only neighborhood with cobblestone streets and beautiful old brick buildings. Mike and I walked in and out of the stores and galleries, all of which were a little pricey but they had some really cute stuff! There were a few that I really liked, including a clothing boutique called GotStyle and a gift store called Black Bird Vintage Finds. There were quite a few wedding photo shoots happening while we were in the neighborhood, especially by a an iron sign that said LOVE with love locks all over it. It was so dang cute.

After making the rounds, we decided to move back to Spirit of York for a flight of house-distilled vodka, gin and aquafit. The distillery was very chic, all copper, chrome and glass inside. We chose two leather chairs to sink into and taste test our spirits. They were very flavorful and light, but I still had to chug water after each one. I’m not yet sophisticated enough to drink straight gin.

Kensington Market

Mike and I biked to Kensington Market from Bloordale Village, along main streets and through a gorgeous neighborhood with tree-lined streets. Originally, I was opposed to this idea, but Mike convinced me that it would be fun to try out Toronto’s bike share (much like Chicago’s Divvy Bikes). I ended up loving it, which made me wonder why I’ve never done it before. Regardless, we were able to return our bikes near Kensington Market, where we were instantly hit by the smell of nagchampa. We turned onto one of the main streets of the neighborhoods and entered a colorful world of thrift stores, head shops and cafes. It was reminiscent of Haight Ashbury in San Francisco. We stopped into a cafe there called Fika for some caffeine, and I tried their Canadian Spiced Latte, which was flavored with cardamom and mint. It was delicious, and the cafe was gorgeous. We took our coffees to go and strolled through the crowded streets. I have to say, this neighborhood’s street art was on point. Each alley wall was covered with colorful depictions of people and places

Among the secondhand stores and jewelry stalls (which were fun to browse through, but kind of blended together after a while) were some true gems. There was The Organic Press, a juicery that also sold beautiful potted plants and ceramics, and Paradise Bound, a record store that also sold Japanese art. These among others are a solid reason to visit this neighborhood and immerse yourself in it’s crazy, colorful vibes.

Leslieville

Leslieville was my favorite neighborhood of the trip for good reason. Their cute boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants were a dream to pop in and out of. We started off the day having breakfast at Lady Marmalade’s, a cute, brightly-lit cafe that served breakfast and lunch. I had the bread pudding of the day, which was apple cinnamon (dessert for breakfast, hooray!) and Mike had the huevos migos. The food was excellent and the coffee was served in mismatched cups and saucers. We sat at a table by the window and the sun was nice and warm, creating a cozy, golden atmosphere that was hard to leave. The rest of our time spent in Leslieville had a similar effect. We walked up one side of Queen Street and down the other on orange leaf covered sidewalks. Good Neighbor was the first shop we went into and it set the bar pretty high for all the others. It marketed itself as a general store, selling a little bit of everything (including, but not limited to: clothing, home goods, paper goods and jewelry). I loved their Up North brand, which had the warmest looking knit hats.

We went to Queen books next, which was a beautifully curated and whimsically decorated wonderland. Each display was so thoughtful and the staff picks (something I totally judge bookstores on) were spectacular. I wish I could say we bought something, but we had too many books in our luggage already. There are two Arts Market storefronts in Leslieville, and we went into them both. They are collectives of local art and antiques and they are both amazing. I particularly loved the feminist enamel pins and the plastic dinosaur planters. We went into a few more stores before our parking meter was up, but the standout of the day was Brika. I loved everything they had in their beautiful shop, especially their prints and paper goods (am I the only one who will buy ten planners in a year because they’re each so great??). I left with a cute pair of earrings and the info for their online store, which does indeed ship to the States.

Have you explored the neighborhoods in Toronto? Which is your favorite?

Tourists in Toronto | RebeccaWanderlusting

Being Tourists in Toronto

On October 28, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel4 Comments

We arrived in Toronto with slight hangovers from a friend’s wedding the night before and a list of places we wanted to see. The first orders of business were: greasy food to cure us, checking into our AirBnB, and deciding on which attractions we wanted to see first.

Because it was on the same street as our Airbnb (just down a ways), we decided to start with the Hockey Hall of Fame. Mike was very excited about this excursion and I was equally as happy to check it off the list (hockey’s not really my thing, despite Mike’s best efforts). The walk down Front Street gave us a great view of the cityscape, and the weather was perfect for wandering.

The Hockey Hall of Fame was situated in the lower level of a mall, tucked into the back near the food court. The entry fee is $19, which is a fair enough price for the amount of memorabilia they have. The standout feature was the Stanley Cup, which was proudly displayed in a beautiful room with a stained glass ceiling. They also had some really fun interactive games and exhibits, including a game where you got foam pucks shot at you as you try to defend your goal.

We exited through the extraordinarily overpriced gift shop and made our way further down Front Street to the St. Lawrence Market, which was much more my style. The market is housed in a huge, brick building and in large tents across the street and is only open on the weekends.

We went inside the building and were immediately hit with amazing smells ranging from fresh baked goods to fruits to coffee to cheese. Each stall presented a fresh new product and experience and it was so fun to walk up and down the aisles. We played with the idea of getting ingredients for dinner to cook at the Airbnb, but we didn’t want to have to run back there to drop the items off.

The cheese and wine in particular were very tempting to me, but my favorite stall was Eve’s Temptations – a bakery that sold beautiful tasty treats. I especially enjoyed their macarons (we tried chocolate caramel and cassis). Nearby to the St. Lawrence Market and Hockey Hall of Fame is the CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium. We tried to tack these onto our first day of exploring and just couldn’t swing it; we were so tired.

The next morning, we woke up early, grabbed coffee from the cafe next door, Atlas, and headed over to Casa Loma via public transit. We hoofed it uphill from the train station and up a few flights of stairs to get to the castle. Like the staircase, the entry fee is a little steep at $27 per person, but it came with the guided audio tour which was cool. I will say, if you’re going to visit Casa Loma, do so during the week because it gets super crowded.

While I liked exploring the rooms (especially the library) and learning the history of Casa Loma, my favorite part of the tour was the North Tower. We had to climb two spiral staircases to get to the top of it, but the view was well worth it. I think it may be the best place to view the skyline in Toronto. We really wanted to go down through the tunnels and anunder the castle, but unfortunately it was closed due to a haunted house they were setting up.

On our second night in Toronto, we walked over at dusk to the two neighboring attractions: CN Tower and the Aquarium, and bought a dual ticket for both. The dual ticket is only available online but gives a pretty significant discount, so we bought them in the lobby of the CN Tower before heading up. The elevator to the top is preceded by posters noting facts about the towers construction and a photo-op in front of a green screen. The elevator shoots you up to the top of the 1,800 foot tower at records speed, causing your ears to pop as you look out at the city through the glass walls.

I only kind of wish we came during the day, just so we could see more of the city, but the view at night was still stunning. There are two levels from which you can get a 360 degree view of Toronto and a glass floor to scare the crap out of you. It took some cajoling to get Mike to stand on it, and even then he could only walk quickly across (scaredy cat).

Once we got our fill of the view, we hopped back on the elevator to exit through yet another gift shop to walk next door to the aquarium. I’m not usually one for visiting aquariums on vacations, but I have to say, this one was kind of amazing. Each tank and exhibit were laid out so nicely and there is a tunnel through their large aquarium that you can walk through and walk under sharks. SHARKS!! I walked through twice, it was so cool.

We had so much fun exploring and exclaiming over each fish and critter. The jellyfish exhibit was particularly entrancing. We sat for awhile watching them glide up and down in their tank. We left once we realized it was 9pm and we hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so we walked over to KitKat Italian Bar and Grill. The romantically-lit restaurant was the perfect spot for our impromptu dinner date. They had Montelpuciano wine on their menu, which is one of my favorites.

Mike ordered ribs and I ordered their special pasta for the evening, which was a roasted red pepper agnolotti with artichokes and eggplant. The food was spectacular and exactly what we wanted after a long day walking around. We lingered over the food and wine; the servers were so kind and attentive. It was a wonderful way to end our day of exploring Toronto’s top attractions.

Have you been to Toronto? Which attractions should not be skipped?

Trip Planning: Toronto, Ontario

On October 17, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Canada, International Travel, Trip Planning3 Comments

We’re going to Toronto, Ontario next week! I have never been to Canada and I am so very excited for this trip. It seems like it has been such a long time in the making that it’s almost hard to believe that we are finally going. A couple of years ago, Mike and I were supposed to be heading there in the Spring, but life happened and we weren’t able to make it work. Now, I can confidently say that this trip is happening! (I hope I’m not jinxing myself!) This will actually be our first trip out of the country together, which we just recently realized when we both realized we need to renew our passports.

We booked this trip back in August and have been planning bits and pieces ever since. Our plan is to spend two nights in Toronto and one night at Niagara Falls, another first for me! I am actively trying not to do too much research, because I think we are both in need of a slower-paced vacation. I am using my first vacation days earned at my new job (that I started in February) and let me tell you, I need them! Not because I dislike my job, but because we have been so dang busy!

With that in mind, here’s our little (to me anyways, as you know I do like to over-plan) Toronto, Ontario to-do list:

The Royal Ontario Museum
Casa Loma
Massey Hall
The Hockey Hall of Fame
CN Tower
St. Lawrence Market
Toronto Island
The Monkey’s Paw Bookstore
& These Neighborhoods: Leslieville, Kensington Market, and The Distillery District

As far as packing goes, I will be sticking to my typical travel capsule wardrobe, plus some warmer items as it is supposed to be a little on the chilly side while we’re there. I’ll be bringing sweaters and scarves and my warmer jacket to accommodate the temperature.

We will be staying right downtown in a beautiful Airbnb, which I saved a bit of money on by purchasing a Airbnb gift card through Raise. I know I’ve mentioned them in previous posts, but I have been using this online marketplace quite frequently to save money on larger purchases (like vacations… or new clothes). If you’re interested in trying it out, use my promo code WANDER20 to receive $20 off a purchase of $40 or more. The Airbnb we’re staying at is pretty central to everything we want to see, so I’m excited to be able to walk most places.

After spending a few days exploring Toronto, we’re renting a car and driving down to Niagara Falls to stay the night. We are planning on doing ALL of the touristy things (boat tour, hike behind the falls…). I can’t wait!! From there, we’ll drive the rental car back to Toronto Airport and head home, hopefully refreshed and happy.