This is the first year that we flew away for spring break, and it didn’t break the bank like I had expected! Flights from Edmonton to Toronto typically cost around $2,000 for a family of four but I snagged ours for less than $600 thanks to a seat sale with WestJet! Better yet, even though I had booked basic fare (the lowest tier), there were no added fees for our checked baggages just because I paid with my WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. (If you are a frequent flyer with WestJet, check out my previous WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard Review blog post to learn about the perks of having this credit card.)
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To maximize our first day, I booked the early morning flight that would have gotten us into Toronto shortly after noon, just in time for lunch. Our departure was delayed by 90 minutes due to a medical emergency so we didn’t actually arrive until closer to 2:00PM. Thankfully, I always keep our first day light and flexible, to accommodate for any unforeseen delays just like this one.
First thing we did was pick up our rental car from Budget Car Rentals. It was a bit of a journey from the main terminal gates to the rental counter, and we may have gotten lost for a few minutes. We eventually found our way and piled into the car for Niagara Falls
Travel Tip #1: If you use Google Maps while travelling, you can avoid unnecessary tolls by going into your ‘Route options’ within your app settings to turn on ‘Avoid tolls’. We did not use 407 even once during our entire trip and I don’t feel like we got anywhere much slower than if we had. It is important to note that in Toronto, rental cars are equipped with an electronic transponder so the moment you enter a toll road, expect to be automatically opted into the e-toll service program where you will be charged a daily or per rental flat rate in addition to the toll rates.
Scenic Drive to Niagara Falls
The drive was relatively short, about 75 minutes, and quite scenic despite the snow.
We were starving long before we had gotten into our rental car so along the way, we stopped at Easterbrook's Hotdog Stand for their famous foot long hot dogs. The reviews on Google did not lie—the Chilli Dog and Nacho Dog were amazing! Easterbrook’s menu features homemade burgers as well for those who are not big fans of hot dogs.
We spent two incredible days in Niagara Falls and we did so much in those two days that it really deserves a blog post of its own. Head over to A Complete Two Day Winter Itinerary for Niagara Falls to find out what we did!
Driving Back to Toronto
On our drive back to Toronto, we made a couple of stops. First was lunch at Lang on the Water, a Vietnamese waterfront restaurant in Grimsby. The food was absolutely delicious! They weren’t kidding about being authentic and fresh. If you ever find yourself here, I highly recommend the Grilled Chicken & Mango Fresh Roll and Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho. You won’t regret it!
Our second stop was Brant Street Pier in Burlington’s Downtown Waterfront. This was the perfect place to stretch our legs and enjoy some fantastic views of Lake Ontario. This S-shaped pier, Burlington’s signature attraction, extends 137 meters over Lake Ontario, and features a walkway and a lighted lookout tower on a platform elevated four meters above the deck.
Exploring Downtown Toronto
We spent two nights at the Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown and spent the entirety of that time exploring downtown. We strolled along the Harbourfront, went shopping at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, visited Yonge-Dundas Square (the Canadian version of Times Square!), wandered around Chinatown, and took geeky tourist photos with the Toronto letters at Nathan Phillips Square and the big red heart sculpture at the Distillery District.
We reserved one of those mornings to visit the CN Tower, tallest structure in the western hemisphere. Fun fact: the CN Tower, at 553 meters, was the tallest freestanding structure in the world between 1975 and 2009 and is currently the ninth-tallest freestanding structure in the world.
We really lucked out, picking one of the best days that week for the visit. The skies were completely clear, allowing for an unobstructed view of the entire Toronto skyline and across the lake.
We also managed to catch Walt Disney Studios Canada’s Turning Red Canadian Tour! The kiddos were pretty excited to see and pose with a life-size replica of Panda Mei!
Travel Tip #2: You can purchase timed admission tickets up to 10 days in advance online, and these tickets are a few bucks cheaper than at the door. The online exclusive Family Pass admission is an excellent deal for a family of four as it works out to be the price of two adults and one child (so the second child is free!).
Radwin’s favourite part of the trip, being a NBA fan, was the Toronto Raptors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game that I managed to snag tickets to just four hours before the game. It was a fun first basketball game experience for all of us especially since the home team won!
Travel Tip #3: I use TickPick to purchase last minute entertainment, concert and sport event tickets because they don’t charge service fees and offer a best price guarantee. Use my referral link to sign up and save $10 to any live event! Fair warning –prices are advertised and processed in US dollars.
Hanging Out in the Suburbs
Our next two nights were spent in the suburbs of Markham, exploring the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
We started off with afternoon tea at Ladurée, a Parisian-style tea room serving classic French dishes and decadent sweets including world-renowned macarons. The financiers and mini cakes were fresh and made so beautifully, the macarons were amazing—crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, the Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast was to die for(!), but the fingers sandwiches were disappointing. There were barely any fillings and it honestly looked like the sandwiches went through a presser. Service was also a tad slow and not as warm or welcoming as I had expected.
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto was a must. This Discovery Centre has six build and play zones, a LEGO replica of the GTA in MINILAND, two LEGO-themed rides, a soft play area, a 4D cinema (closed during our visit), the world's largest LEGO brick flag, a café and a gift shop.
Travel Tip #4: To guarantee your entry, you can purchase admission tickets online at least an hour before your reserved time visit, subject to availability. I recommend adding on the VIP Digital Photo Pass, which gives you unlimited downloads of all digital photos taken at the entrance and at the Kingdom Quest ride.
I couldn’t pass up a chance to do some shopping at Toronto Premium Outlets, the first premium outlet in Canada. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, there were no good sales running so I walked away empty-handed.
My personal highlight was the opportunity to meet up with a friend for dim sum. I first met Lillian online some 18 years ago through our love for anime and website designing, and this was our first meet up in person. Hopefully it won’t be out last!
Going Home
We were unfortunately flying home on the earliest flight possible, which meant checking out at an unreasonable 5:00AM. The only benefit of leaving so early is a traffic-less highway and in Toronto, that’s unheard of. Returning the rental was also a breeze.
We spent the 90 minutes prior to boarding enjoying a hot breakfast and many cups of coffee at a Plaza Premium Lounge. This lounge experience should have cost me over $200 but the visit was completely free thanks to my WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard as I exchanged my annual companion voucher for four complimentary lounge passes. (Hopefully by now, I have sold you on this incredible credit card!)
And to end this trip right, we all took a well deserved afternoon nap once we got back home!
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