Canada on a budget?

angchris

hi everyone :wave:
i`d like a little help from you guys if possible... my brother emigrated to Ontario Canada a few years ago and now my parents have decided its time to go and visit him and have asked myself and my son along as well woohooo has anybody got any suggestions as to how we (4 of us) can do this on a budget? dad wants to spend a week at my bro`s house and a week sightseeing niagra falls etc. we need to travel in late aug due to ds going back to school on the 5th sept.. which is the best airline to go with...whilst we are there would it be better to hire a car or travel on public transport? has anybody got any good tips on Canada that will help? thanks in advance...angchris

milla

You might want to have a look at these

http://www.flyzoom.com/

http://www.canadianaffair.com/

hth

saxy1

Been to canada a few times, this airline was normally cheapest
http://www.airtransat.co.uk/en/0_0.asp
Tell your dad not to get his hopes up for Niagara, I found it very disappointing, very commercialised.

shown73

Don't be put off Niagara, you'll kick yourself forever if you don't go and make up your own mind. The Canadian side is the best anyway. Do go down onto the balcony right beside the falls, awesome, and take the tour behind the falls. Of course it's commercialised, what isn't in North America, but it's still a "must do." You can also take the double-decker bus tour downriver, interesting commentary, then go on the cable car over the rapids. View from the Skylon Tower is also great. Bus ride into Buffalo doesn't take long either, only a few miles, and it's a taster for the USA. If you do go there, go along to City Hall, looks like something out of Batmans Gotham City, and take the elevator up to the viewing balcony, great view, and there's no charge, just wander in, it's a public service building after all. Buses are not a bad way to get around Canada, have a look, maybe even some special offers.

tumbleweed261

shown73 wrote:

go along to City Hall, looks like something out of Batmans Gotham City, and take the elevator up to the viewing balcony, great view, and there's no charge, just wander in, it's a public service building after all.

I never knew that! I lived in the building next door for 5 months! Ah well...

You can get to Niagara really cheaply from Toronto by bus - about $12CDN or so return if memory serves? It's lovely - the Canadian side is much better than the US falls.

I'll have a think about what else you can do that's cheap - it'll come back to me I'm sure!

shown73

Sorry about that, Tumbleweed, it was a lady in a souvenir shop that put us onto that one. City Hall is really worth a look though, for the decor, elevators, etc., quite apart from the balcony, it really is art deco at its best, and I'm a big fan of that anyway.

shown73

Should have mentioned that on a reasonably clear day you can see the spray cloud from Niagara from the balcony, that's how close it is, but it's still definitely the USA, no doubt about that.

SallyD

I am keen to go to Toronto in September and will travel budget as always and stay in the International Youth Hostels. Is visiting Niagara falls a day trip?

Otago

SallyD wrote:

I am keen to go to Toronto in September and will travel budget as always and stay in the International Youth Hostels. Is visiting Niagara falls a day trip?

Yes, you can do niagara on a day trip, and there will be plenty tours going from the hostel. Can thoroughly recommend the 'magic' bus one!

tumbleweed261

SallyD wrote:

I am keen to go to Toronto in September and will travel budget as always and stay in the International Youth Hostels. Is visiting Niagara falls a day trip?

Also, student bus tickets are veeery cheap if you're eligible - up to the age of 26 I think - might be worth a look, see if it's cheaper than a tour company?

balsingh

Sorry to hijack the thread but I am off to Toronto too (in June) . I will probably have a hire car for the time that I am there as I am planning to visit Montreal and Niagara too.

The current plan is to drive from Toronto to Niagara in the morning, see the falls day and night, and then drive back the same night (quite late albeit). Firstly, is it safe to drive back at night? I drive at night all the time here so I assuem it woudl be OK unless anyone can tell me different. I am told its under 2 hours to drive. Is that true?

The other choice is to spend a night and then go back the next afternoon/evening but people keep saying that you only need a day there.

Whats the best way to do it?