32 NINJA-TASTIC NIAGARA FALLS
January 2022 Travel News SO MUCH TO ‘CN’ DO IN TORONTO
When crossing the Atlantic for a short break there can always be such a rush to book the usual USA hotspots – you know, the likes of New York, Boston or even Las Vegas. However, often overlooked is the opportunity to visit another (MASSIVE) country over that side of the world – and one that offers similar experiences … Canada!! So The Holiday Ninja packed his bags, loaded up on maple syrup and ventured across the pond for a 4 day blitz to get a taste of what Canada “is all aboot”
shorter flight time from the UK & Ireland (see detail below). Of course, no visit to that part of Canada would be complete without a short trip to see the incredible Niagara Falls – which is only 60-80 mins away from downtown Toronto. So with a 5 day / 4 night trip booked, the Ninja split up the time with exactly 48 hours based in each location …. Was going to be a VERY busy short break away!
A
Getting There There are several direct routes to Canada from
Dublin – as well as many options going from Belfast City Airport via London. However on this occasion the Ninja chose the
Air Canada direct service from Dublin which was exceptionally good value. Of course Dublin Airport is a regular departure point for the Ninja going to the USA a lot from there, so the 90 min drive from Belfast is so easy and straight forward (even in the early hours of the morning!). The flight time is very refreshing – only 6 and half
hours there and just over 6 hours on the return journey (so its only maybe 60-90 mins more than a flight to the Canary Islands!) - at no point does it really feel like a true “long-haul” flight. At off peak times the flight cost can be as low as £350-
380 for a return journey (including baggage!) so always play around with your dates to get the best value option within your date range. After a speedy boarding process, we were at our seats
– very fortunately upgraded to Premium Economy seats for the purpose of this trip. The seats have much greater comfort and space – 3
rows of 7 making up the 21 seats on this aircraft in a 2-3-2 formation. The seats have an extra 5-7 inches of legroom, 1-2 inches of seat width, and an extra 2-3 inches of recline … so this super tall Ninja was delighted!! Its not just the extra space in Premium Economy,
you are treated to many extras that you wouldn’t get in regular Economy such as a larger screen seat back entertainment system, a USB port for charging, in seat power (plug) adaptor on every seat, adjustable pillow & blanket, amenities kit and clean care kit that includes hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes and face mask! And for your meals, you get a choice of main meal and drinks throughout the service. Ive heard it before on many occasions, but the polite service and cleanliness onboard Air Canada is top notch …. and I particularly liked the window in the toilet, watching the world go by as you “spend a penny”. The Air Canada service gets a big Ninja “thumbs up” from me!
Toronto - Where to Stay ...
On this trip, we stayed in the Chelsea Hotel in Downtown Toronto situated on Gerrard Street West, well within walking distance of all downtown attractions mentioned in this NInja review. This hotel is the largest hotel in Toronto with over 1500 rooms and the location really is key! The rooms are a reasonable size for a city hotel and the views over Toronto and Lake Ontario are stunning, especially in the higher-level rooms.
RGUABLY the most popular holiday and city break destination would be Toronto – especially given its location on the Eastern side and the
Most rooms have a balcony, which is great providing you don’t mind heights, and I can imagine would be a lovely bonus in the summer …. Not so much the winter! The hotel boasts three different restaurants, all offering different cuisine and styles for “grab and go” and or “sit in and dine” There are also 2 x pool areas which are most welcome after a long day trekking through the city – although the Adults Only Pool was closed at the time of our visit due to Covid. However for the kids (and big kids ….) there is a great waterslide which takes you in and out of the hotel before unceremoniously dumping you out at the end. This is part of the Family Fun Zone and also includes a Kid Centre (ages 4-11) and Club 33 Teen Lounge. The jacuzzi was also very welcome to relax in. Overall, a great, and affordable, choice for a downtown Toronto hotel
Toronto - What To Do ….
When most people think of Toronto the first attraction / landmark that comes to mind is the CN Tower and for good reason. It dominates the Toronto skyline and as such, deserves a visit. Hop into the lift for a 58 second ride to the observation deck, 1136 ft above ground for stunning views over Lake Ontario and Toronto as well as further afield. Great to get your bearings! You can also test your nerve by walking across the glass floor – the only thing between you and the ground below! You can also head up another level, at an additional cost, to the Sky Pod at 1465ft. There is also a coffee shop, and a “high end” restaurant (yep, intentional pun!) though I didn’t sample either of these – breakfast was keeping me going (more on that later) As you will have no doubt noticed when sat atop
the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre (formerly the SkyDome), home of the Toronto Blue Jays with the famous retracting roof, sits just below the CN Tower. A secret tip for you if you want to have a look inside the stadium without having to go to a game and / or take a stadium tour - take a wander into the Sportsnet Bar and Grill in the adjoining Marriott Hotel and assuming it’s not game day, grab a table, a cold beer and gaze out the window at the empty stadium and ballpark in all its glory. Amazing view to enjoy for free! If you happen to be a little flush, you can also book a hotel room which has windows looking out over all the action! Also in the vicinity of the CN Tower and Rogers
Centre is one of Canada’s original Craft Breweries, the Steam Whistle Brewery residing in an old railway yard. With all the typical coolness of a craft brewery and taphouse, and the inviting surroundings and beers, take half an hour out of your day and enjoy a glass of Canada’s premium pilsner. The brewery also offers tours however due to COVID, these were not running while we were there. For all those Ice Hockey fans out there, the Hockey
Hall of Fame located near St. Lawrence Market, is an absolute must. The museum and interactive attraction is absolutely fascinating and you find yourself watching the many videos and reading the info-graphics spread out across two large floors, all in honour of Canada’s National Sport. With displays of every type of hockey memorabilia, jerseys, kits, helmets, and trophies (including THE actual Stanley Cup) this is a treasure
trove of Ice Hockey gems. And, should you feel the urge to suddenly take up Ice Hockey, you can put yourself to the test on the interactive hockey shoot-out as either a goalie or as a shooter - but be warned you need the skills and speed of a true NInja for this game! If you have an hour to spare and are looking for
a museum that is just that little bit different to your standard museum then look no further than the Museum of Illusions. Unsuspecting and unassuming from the outside, over 70 individual illusions await inside the bright, aesthetically pleasing museum. Some of the exhibits are truly mind-boggling and I’m still trying to work out how they worked. Some make you laugh, others make you a bit nauseous and others simply confound you. Brilliant for kids and adults alike. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is located just below
the CN Tower and not far from the Rogers Centre. Rated No. 1 on Tripadvisor of things to do in Toronto, it is easy to see why. The aquarium is enormous and has thousands of species of fish, numerous sharks, stingrays and some of the most stunningly coloured fish you will ever seen. Follow a one-way system as you gaze into tanks of all shapes and sizes, observing fish of all similar shapes and sizes! The highlight is undoubtedly the underwater glass tunnel that winds you through the aquarium on slow moving escalators making it seem as if you are in the underwater world the sea creatures inhabit. Look up as sharks, stingrays, fish and even giant turtles effortlessly glide over the top of you. There is also a kids tunnel for them to crawl through for the same experience – adults can just about fit through as well if you want to give it a go! You really do get to see the sea life up close to the extent you can see the double rows of teeth sharks are famous for. A really popular spot with everyone, from individuals, to couples to families. Certainly lives up to it’s no.1 spot on Tripadvisor! Ninja tip – either go first thing in the morning, or late afternoon as it can get quite (very!) busy in between! If you want to finish off your trip to Toronto needing
The NInja takes in the sights at the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays
some inspiration on where else to visit in Canada, visit Little Canada in Dundas St East. Taking in the most famous cities in the different provinces of Canada with their iconic landmarks, this miniature exhibition gives a flavour of those places for the ‘next trip’ list. In minute detail, each city is accurately represented in miniature, with sight and sound experience, miniature vehicles driving round the miniature roads and everything else you expect to see in a functioning city. The displays change periodically from day to night and give a different feel to the cities. Little Canada is a work of expertise modelling with attention to the minutest of detail. Great for adults and kids alike.
As you wander all the activies and attractions
Toronto has to offer, explore the streets, and choose a different route each time, as you never know what you might find along the way. One key photo opportunity must be the neon lit and famous Toronto sign just by the Old City Hall, which is a stunning old fashioned building set amongst the modern skyscrapers. In this area is also the enormous CF Toronto Eaton Centre, a massive shopping mall to while away the hours (and the dollars) in some of the most famous of Canadian/ US stores, including Roots, Bath and Body Works, UnderArmour, Nike & American Eagle as well as numerous coffee shops and eateries. If visiting in the winters months its a great place to reheat and take in the festive decorations as well if you are there near Christmas.
Toronto - Where To Eat … Like any major city there are no shortage of places
to eat, drink and grab a coffee and a bite on the go. Our first stop in Downtown Toronto after getting off the flight and checking into the hotel was Blaze Pizza, located in Dundas and Younge. Think Subway, only for Pizza! The cheesy pesto garlic bread is also well worth trying and it sets you up well for a walk around Downtown. While out and about you quickly notice Canada’s favourite coffee shop, Tim Hortons, is on almost every corner, along with all the usual coffee chains you would expect (ie/. Starbucks). However, Tim Hortons is by far the most affordable and should you need an energy boost along with your coffee, Tim Bits (little balls of doughnut delight) at 30cent each are perfect, without breaking the bank or the waistline! One of the highlights for me, when going to North American cities, whether in the US or Canada is the excitement over breakfast, because let’s face it – who does breakfast better and bigger!? Two Toronto breakfast spots I would highly recommend are Sunset Grill and Eggsmart both of which have multiple locations in the Downtown Area. Whilst in Canada you have to try Poutine (which I had never heard of and seems to be a popular Canadian dish) and the Sunset Grill Breakfast Poutine (home fries, peameal style bacon, sauteed onions, cheddar cheese, topped with Hollandaise sauce) did not disappoint. For a sweeter breakfast option on Day 2 I decided to go for the Skyscraper Stack in Eggsmart; 3 pancakes (big ones!), layered with Nutella and topped with blueberries, banana and strawberry – healthy choice, right?!
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CN Tower stands high
above the skyline in Toronto
famous
Right: The
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