Toronto with kids (3 days)

[Scorch]

Will also be going to Toronto too for the comedy festival but with no kids.

Any non family recommendations?

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by bluejays

While you're there there's a Thai restaurant in that same plaza called Jatujak. Really good restaurant as well. Sumilicious is just smoked meat hole in the wall but it's great (closed on Mondays if I recall though).

Do go on with the restaurant suggestions

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Will also be going to Toronto too for the comedy festival but with no kids.

Any non family recommendations?

Brass Rail

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Do go on with the restaurant suggestions

Brass Rail...wings


If not, the nice part about downtown is you have Little Italy, Little Portugal, Spadina, Little India, in the downtown region, and places like Greek town slightly outside of that. I work downtown but can't say I'm a foodie in the sense of looking for high end restaurants. I just like normal places with good value, and those are all around.


I will add sometimes I used to go to Canoe for a drink just for the view. Ate there before for about $200, then proceeded to get McDonalds. Worth it for a drink and the view though.


Edit: I joke about Brass Rail. Only if you're James Harden.

[red sky]

All super helpful. So is it best to stay downtown Toronto after we are done with Markham? And then make a day trip to Niagra or stay the night in Niagra? Sounds like a night in Niagra isn't necessary but wanted to double check.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by red sky

All super helpful. So is it best to stay downtown Toronto after we are done with Markham? And then make a day trip to Niagra or stay the night in Niagra? Sounds like a night in Niagra isn't necessary but wanted to double check.

I think there's more to do downtown and more central to things. Markham isn't all that crazy. It's nice but more like a slightly more busy suburb of Calgary.


So I would stay downtown somewhere. Regarding Niagara, I'd vouch to stay overnight. The falls is nice at night as well to roam around there. The summer the crowds are extensive but it's part of the experience. You can also do a simple hike around Great Wolf Lodge, and perhaps actually go there as it's an indoor waterpark for the kids. Downtown is Niagara is a bit of a tourist trap but that's alright as you generally accept it and do it for the kids. You can always get hotel deals down there it seems.

[bagofpucks]

We just got back, so have some ideas, but our kids are younger so may not be as applicable, but I’ll include them in case anyone else is reading:
- as many have said, Aquarium was great and blew our expectations right out of the water (dad pun fully intended). Seemed to be lots of junior high aged kids enjoying the exhibits and our kids loved it.
- I’ve always loved blue jays games, but this year we decided to book a room with a field view at the Marriott. It was an amazing experience and was perfect for our kids that were past their bedtimes at the start of the game.
- we didn’t do it this time, but we have done the tour at the Roger’s center and it was really good.
- not sure how long it’s on for and your kids might be too old, but there was a Disney immersive experience downtown that our kids loved.
- we didn’t do the full experience, but the train museum is supposed to be really good.

[Scorch]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Edit: I joke about Brass Rail. Only if you're James Harden.

No take backs!

You’ve suggested it twice so now I really have to go haha

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Scorch

No take backs!

You’ve suggested it twice so now I really have to go haha

Very convenient, right on Yonge Street and walking distance from Bloor-Yonge subway line! Grab some wings at Brass Rail, and then walk around after with the family and grab dinner in Yorkville.

[Whynotnow]

We liked Niagara and would never go back if that makes sense. It is touristy which is wonderful and awful. The boat trip up to the falls is amazing and totally worth it.

[Titan2]

If anyone is there during the Indy, it is a great experience. I suggest getting cheap tickets to the time trials before the race. My wife and I got free tickets at a bar (same time as we sat at a table adjacent to Matthew Perry, who laughed and joked about a commercial that came on for a movie he was in with Chris Farley, "Almost Heroes" He was cool.) We went down there, could walk around all over the place as it was not busy and experienced the roar of the cars. It was pretty amazing. On Sunday, my wife sat down and watched the whole race. It was a really cool experience.

[Titan2]

Not sure I would take kids to Casa Loma. Neat and a cool view of the City but not what I would spend holf of 1 of 3 days doing.

[red sky]

So hotel prices in DT Toronto are not really in the budget, but I wasn't expecting them to be. I think one our list so far is the zoo, aquarium, Canada's wonderland and Niagra Falls. I would like to visit DT Toronto as well and walk around which looks like the aquarium is nearby. Given these locations, any suggestions on where outside of Toronto would make the most sense for home base? Could hunker down in Markham but not sure that makes sense. Ideally I will try and avoid the busy traffic times but that might require a helicopter.

[bagofpucks]

We stayed at the Admiral Inn in Mississauga and it was mediocre, but the price wasn’t terrible. I believe it was about $170 per night and included a continental breakfast, which had a view warm options, but lacked fresh fruit of any kind. We have also stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott which is pretty much in the same parking lot, but for whatever reason it was super expensive this time around. It was about a 30-45 minute drive to downtown from these hotels, so not too terrible.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by red sky

So hotel prices in DT Toronto are not really in the budget, but I wasn't expecting them to be. I think one our list so far is the zoo, aquarium, Canada's wonderland and Niagra Falls. I would like to visit DT Toronto as well and walk around which looks like the aquarium is nearby. Given these locations, any suggestions on where outside of Toronto would make the most sense for home base? Could hunker down in Markham but not sure that makes sense. Ideally I will try and avoid the busy traffic times but that might require a helicopter.

I would look at something with a decent option to take train or subway into downtime. Driving and parking is a massive issue downtown and transit eases that issue.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by red sky

So hotel prices in DT Toronto are not really in the budget, but I wasn't expecting them to be. I think one our list so far is the zoo, aquarium, Canada's wonderland and Niagra Falls. I would like to visit DT Toronto as well and walk around which looks like the aquarium is nearby. Given these locations, any suggestions on where outside of Toronto would make the most sense for home base? Could hunker down in Markham but not sure that makes sense. Ideally I will try and avoid the busy traffic times but that might require a helicopter.

Honestly, from Markham to downtown it's not long at all. 35 minutes between 11am-4pm then maybe an hour 7am-10pm and 5pm-730pm or so. If you're heading downtown it's bad in the morning in those aforementioned times, and coming back during rush hour, but if you're going uptown in the morning, it's all good. Traffic is just bad during the rush hour. I wouldn't recommend Mississauga personally as that may be a little west for where you'll be and trust me that drive during rush hour is way worse than downtown. Stay in Markham, North York or Scarborough (really anywhere between Markham and Downtown). I have no idea what the hotel rates are or when you're going in particular, but if you're willing to drive downtown or to Markham you're good to stay anywhere above. If you have a car you have the flexibility for driving to where you need to go so don't have to stay along the subway line.

[chedder]

Originally Posted by Titan2

Not sure I would take kids to Casa Loma. Neat and a cool view of the City but not what I would spend holf of 1 of 3 days doing.

Maybe maybe not. We did the city pass last fall and went CN Tower, aquarium and Casa Loma. I wasn't expecting much and had been there when I was a kid. It was, by far, the best place we went to. Kids were 18 and 16 and thought it was the coolest thing. The poster's kids could be a little on the young side to appreciate how incredible the whole place and story is.

[Party Elephant]

Sunset in Riverdale Park east. Bring a picnic and get the best viw of sunset over the skyline. Broadview subway station is just a couple of blocks away.

[LChoy]

Just a thought, but if you're a fan of really good Chinese food, Markham is the place to be.
Everything from Cafe food to banquet dining, some of the best Chinese food in all of Canada is right in Markham and at a reasonable price

[activeStick]

Watch out for the traffic! Toronto is considered to have the worst traffic in North America.

https://www.cp24.com/news/what-s-up-...view-1.6469296