Ontario, Canada-2024

Ontario, Canada: A Family Trip Full of Adventure

Ontario, Canada, has become a familiar destination for us, but each visit brings new experiences. This was our fourth trip to the province, and while we’ve covered Niagara Falls extensively in past trips, this time, we finally did something different-we hopped on the Maid of the Mist!

Maid of the Mist: A Close Encounter with the Falls

Riding the Maid of the Mist felt like stepping into a movie scene- the towering waterfalls, the mist engulfing us, and the sheer power of the rushing water made it an unforgettable experience. It almost felt like being in Jurassic Park, surrounded by nature’s raw power.

Fun Facts About the Maid of the Mist:  The tour has been operating since 1846, making it one of North America’s oldest tourist attractions. The boat gets so close to Horseshoe Falls that passengers are guaranteed to get soaked. thankfully, ponchos are provided! But heads up, they pack you like sardines and people are rude so enjoy what you can but go with the expectation of being pushed or stepped on snap as many pictures and videos that you can because it is breathtaking.

 The ride lasts about 20 minutes, offering some of the best up-close views of the Falls. What a wonderful experience. Truly recommend especially in the summer!

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Later that night on the strip we hit up the Hershey store and made time to go into Midway bowling and arcade. Took our rubber ducky prizes and chocolate on the road back to USA!

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Exploring Toronto: CN Tower & Ripley’s Aquarium

While we love Niagara, this trip was more about exploring Toronto, where we spent most of our time.

The CN Tower is an iconic Toronto landmark, standing at 1,815 feet tall. The views from the observation deck were incredible, giving us a panoramic look at the city skyline and even parts of Lake Ontario.

Right next door is Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, which quickly became a favorite stop.

Fun Facts About Ripley’s Aquarium: It’s home to 16,000+ aquatic animals, including sharks, jellyfish, and stingrays.

The Dangerous Lagoon Tank is a must see- it’s a moving walkway through a tunnel surrounded by sharks, turtles and fish! The aquarium has a touch tank where visitors can feel stingrays and bamboo sharks.

After exploring the aquarium, we stumbled upon the Toronto Railway Museum, located across the street. It’ s a great spot for photos, especially with the CN Tower in the background.

Check out some of our flicks!

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Kensington Market & Poutine Cravings

We were looking forward to our go-to poutine spot, Nom Nom Poutine, but unfortunately, it was closed this time around. Instead, we headed to Augusta Street in Kensington Market, an area bursting with street art, food vendors, and energy.

We grabbed poutine at Top Gun Burger, and while it was good, it didn’t quite hit the spot like Nom Nom’s legendary gravy fries.

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Port Dalhousie Marina: A Lakeside Stop

On our way south, we made a pit stop at Port Dalhousie Marina, located on Lake Ontario. It was a peaceful and scenic stop where we took a stroll to the lighthouse and enjoyed the marina views.

Fun Fact: Port Dalhousie has two lighthouses standing next to each other, a unique sight compared to most harbors!

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A&W Root Beer & Our Ontario Tradition

Later that afternoon, we grabbed A&W root beer, because what’s an Ontario road trip without it? That and some Tim Hortons of course!

Fun Facts About A&W Root Beer:  Unlike many sodas, A&W doesn’t use caffeine, making it a smooth and classic treat. The first A&W opened in Canada in 1956 and quickly became a staple for its famous root beer served in frosty mugs.

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To wrap up the trip, we kept our tradition alive-dining at Skylon Tower with its rotating views of Niagara Falls, followed by a little arcade action. before heading home the next morning.

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Until next time, Ontario!