Road trip DC-Niagara/Toronto

Anonymous
Does anyone have any experience with this trip and these chosen areas? Does it sound like a decent itinerary? My children are 8, 10, 12

Sunday Drive to Pine Creek Gorge, PA (3.5 hrs)
Spend Sunday afternoon & evening there

Monday Drive to Niagara (3.5 hrs)
Spend Monday afternoon & evening and all day Tuesday, maybe Wednesday morning

Wednesday Drive to Toronto (1.5 hrs)
Spend Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday there

Friday Drive to Corning (4 hrs)
Spend Friday afternoon at the glass museum

Saturday Drive Home (4.5 hrs)

I would like to have another day but I do not think it is possible.
Anonymous
We just did it for Memorial Day with 6, 8 and 10 year old. We drove through to niagara and and then returned back. Your itinerary sounds reasonable.
Anonymous
I loved the glass museum. Reserve some class times ahead if you can.
Anonymous
We are doing a similar trip in Aug with our 7yo.
Driving to Piney Creek on Sunday spending 1 night there.
Then onto Niagara for 2 nights on the Canadian side.
Then instead of Toronto we are heading to Lake George for 2 nights before coming back home.
Anonymous
Lake George will be more fun than Toronto. Toronto isn't a fun city IMHO.
Anonymous
I would do more time in Toronto and less in Niagara. I think a half day of taking the boat ride and going to an overlook is plenty.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I would do more time in Toronto and less in Niagara. I think a half day of taking the boat ride and going to an overlook is plenty.


It depends on the crowds. There is some time that will be spent waiting in line, so it may not all end up being so efficient. Also, Canadian side is nicer. Op you don’t specify which side you’ll see, the boat is the same from either side, but the views are definitely nicer on the Canadian side. There also seems to be more hotels, restaurants and activities there as well.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I would do more time in Toronto and less in Niagara. I think a half day of taking the boat ride and going to an overlook is plenty.


definitely more time in toronto. we loved it there, lots to do. A full day + evening in Niagara was plenty
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I loved the glass museum. Reserve some class times ahead if you can.

if you do the glass museum, do it earlier in the trip, so if you make any souvenirs, you can pick them up on the way back
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do more time in Toronto and less in Niagara. I think a half day of taking the boat ride and going to an overlook is plenty.


definitely more time in toronto. we loved it there, lots to do. A full day + evening in Niagara was plenty


Absolutely, we were in Toronto for 5 days and didn't get to do everything we wanted. My boys were bored after a few hours in Niagara.
Anonymous
Make sure you buy your boat trip tickets to Niagara in advance. There is about an hour wait to buy the tickets and then another hour wait after you have the tickets. Buying them in advance helps you avoid the first line. One day at the falls is enough.

There are great things to do in Toronto! We actually hit it at a very hot time (it was 93 degrees!), so we went to the beach at Centre Island and had a ton of fun!

We weren't coming from DC, but we stopped at Pittsburgh on the way up and spent two days there and had a blast. Great city!

Fun tip for souvenirs: go to the 5&10, a supermarket, or Walmart in Canada and buy candy bars that they don't sell in the US. The kids love them for something different and as a fun snack. And if they want to buy a little something for a best friend at home, they are cheap souvenirs. Our favorites are the Aerobars and the Smarties (which are Nestle's version of M&Ms with no food dye!).
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would do more time in Toronto and less in Niagara. I think a half day of taking the boat ride and going to an overlook is plenty.


definitely more time in toronto. we loved it there, lots to do. A full day + evening in Niagara was plenty


Absolutely, we were in Toronto for 5 days and didn't get to do everything we wanted. My boys were bored after a few hours in Niagara.


What did you do in Toronto?
Anonymous
We did this last summer with our 8 year old. We got up super early and drove straight to Niagara Falls (I agree with the PP who said to get tickets in advance). We were there by 2 (7 hour drive) and we stayed in Niagara on the Lake- which is adorable. We then drove the next days to Toronto which is awesome (it's now my escape city if Trump wins in 2020). There is a harry potter themed store you should go to if you have any HP fans. We also did Centreville island which was loads of fun!
Anonymous
OP here. Thanks for all the advice. Really great. I did hear the Canadian side was better so had that in our plan.
Anonymous
We drive through Pittsburgh but we have family there so it's an easy spot to stop. Then continue up 79, across 90 (we went to college in Erie so another stop) and into Niagara. Did it last August. Easy ride.
post reply Forum Index » Travel Discussion
Message Quick Reply
Go to: