Toronto, Niagra & New York on the cheap?!

nelly_2

scotlass99 wrote: »

Yes, love theme parks!! A bit of a kid really when it comes to all that!! lol

Right your in luck then

Toronto has a fantastic theme park its call Paramount Canadas wonderland and they have just installed a monster coaster about 2 months ago + it has loads more seriously good rides.

Niagara has a small theme park the rides are pants but they have some hillarious animals well worth a morning visit cant remember it s name now

Also in Niagara go on the whirlpool jetboat we did and its a proper thrill and a laugh, its basically a 30 person speed boat that goes blaming up and down the river in force 5 rapids

check this out too deffinately add it to a night out.

also on fridays and sundays in the summer they have a huge free fireworks display over the falls

And finally a 90 minute coach from New York is 1 of the worlds top 3 theme parks its called Six flags great adventure (yeah we been there too

Its got 16 coasters (I think) including Kingda Ka the worlds tallest and fastest 0- 128 mph in 3.5 seconds and well over twice the height of that tiddler in Blackpol

Heres my video of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1ZAFld65BQ

this is my video of toronto niagara and a different theme park unfortunately that theme park is in Cleveland in the opposite direction to NY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQG6s8awKlc

GrannyKate

A few years ago we went to Canada and US and drove down to Niagara Falls after a week in upper New York State - the Adirondacks which was fabulous. Recommend the Canadian side of the falls - Niagara on the Lake and places like that. My American brother in law had not booked a hotel in Niagara as there is usually no problem but we could not get one. In the end the tourist people sent us to the university halls of residence - we had really cheap clean rooms although we had to go out for breakfast (this was August) To me the most impressive thing about the Falls was the noise of the water - something you do not really capture in pictures.

scotlass99

Wish I could press the Thanks button more than once for you all, some much great information. This is the kinda stuff the travel agent doesn't know!!!

Keep your titbits coming. I'm off on Friday so going to have a day online doing some planning and possibly some booking..how exciting!

hammy_the_hammer

just a couple of other places in upstate New York not far off route when travelling down to the City....you have Letchworth State Park and Darien Lake Theme Park Resort (used to be a six flags park)....both aren't far off the NY state thruway I-90
personally i wouldn't go all the way down I-90 to the city i'd go on route 17 (possibly now called the I-86 in some or all parts ...i'd visit canaduiga at the finger lakes.. possibly go to the glass museum at Corning if that's your thing...the Catskills are fairly pleasant to travel through and at the 'end' you'll be by woodbury common outlets (search on here for info) ....west point isn't far from here...
if you are going to stay in NY city at the end of your trip it might be worth looking into hiring a one way rental from hertz who have a depot at North White Plains ...hertz are 50 yards across from the train station which will take you into Grand Central.....the depot is also easy to find avoiding the need to drive in the city (just off route 287 cross westchester expressway)
i've driven a few times in manhattan but the cost of parking is so prohibitive anyway

hammy_the_hammer

i'd recommend niagara on the lake on route to the falls ....i'd spend time on both sides to fully get the experience

cazziebo

Nelly - my daughter and Oh went to Nightmares! They said it was fantastic - and the photo they got is just priceless. (I would say that they went back on the chicken ticket, but I'd then have to admit I didn't even go at all)

if you do go to Nightmares there is a really nice bar right next door with very reasonable food, great drinks prices and very friendly bar staff. It's called the Wild Mushroom

Do not eat in Perkins - don't know why we did because it doesn't even look good. Had the most expensive meal of our time in Canada and it was only breakfast!! And it was pretty rotten.

Nelly - the Niagara park you are thinking of is Marineland. Nice in Summer, not sure it would be fun this time of year.

Toronto - Also Canada's Wonderland is only open at weekends from April, so check times when you go.

we had a great night in Jack Astor's at the lakeshore end of University Avenue. Good food, good service and the Maple Leafs won their hockey game so great atmosphere!

nelly_2

cazziebo wrote: »

Nelly - my daughter and Oh went to Nightmares! They said it was fantastic - and the photo they got is just priceless. (I would say that they went back on the chicken ticket, but I'd then have to admit I didn't even go at all)

if you do go to Nightmares there is a really nice bar right next door with very reasonable food, great drinks prices and very friendly bar staff. It's called the Wild Mushroom

Do not eat in Perkins - don't know why we did because it doesn't even look good. Had the most expensive meal of our time in Canada and it was only breakfast!! And it was pretty rotten.

Nelly - the Niagara park you are thinking of is Marineland. Nice in Summer, not sure it would be fun this time of year.

Toronto - Also Canada's Wonderland is only open at weekends from April, so check times when you go.

we had a great night in Jack Astor's at the lakeshore end of University Avenue. Good food, good service and the Maple Leafs won their hockey game so great atmosphere!

We have a quality picture to my misses looks completely un phased and I'm screaming like a girl

We ate next door too wonder if its the same place?

Thing is in nightmares (and it is really scarey) If you get too scared you can stop the show by shouting nightmares but we had a cracking meal first bottle of wine cocktails the lot, so when we went round we were too p1ssed to remember what to shout to stop it:rotfl:

Good shot on marine land! I couldnt remember it at all

scotlass99

Nelly just watched your videos they are fab!! Looks like you had a great time!!

scotlass99

Oh, got another question...visas..do we need visitor visas or anything for US and Canada??

Sorry if that is a daft question!!

Also, that Whirlpool Jetboat looks absolutely brilliant!! That on the to do list for sure!!

Tojo_Ralph

scotlass99 wrote: »

Oh, got another question...visas..do we need visitor visas or anything for US and Canada??

OMG....... You Haven't Organised Your Visas Yet????? :eek:

Well, no need to worry ... assuming you are British Passport holders with Machin Readable Passports and without a dodgy past, you can enter the USA under the Visa Waiver scheme. It's a simple process, fill out form collected on flight or on arrival, make sure you don't tick yes to all the "Are You A Terrorist" and "Have You Ever Been A Nazi" questions and you should breeze in.

As for Canada, driving across into Canada is a rubber stamp job at border.