Agreed, but if you’re only in town for a day, and you prepare, then maybe you can avoid the “overload” over all the items that you learn are there when you walk in the door. I’d imagine that you can get an overview of the ROM’s exhibits online, so you can plan your visit accordingly. For example, after looking at what’s available ahead of time, you may decide that you want to see the Chinese artifacts and the Egyptian mummies, while you have no interest in the natural history galleries.
Has anyone mentioned geese and bacon yet?
When you get to Niagara Falls park at the Skylon tower. It’s free and really close to where you want to go. {Table Rock} Walk out to the street and turn right towards the woods and walk to the end of the street. There are steps down and then a path way through the woods that ends at the falls. About a 5 min walk. This will save you about $20 in parking. Another idea is to stay overnight in The Falls and go to Toronto in the morning. This would give you a full day in NF plus there are great deals on hotels there. My wife and I use to go and stay overnight and we lived in St. Catherines which is 10 miles from the Falls. You will get to see the falls all lit up and it’s just amazing. If you are going to be in the Falls for the whole day buy a pass from Niagara Parks that allows you in to all their attractions. They have a free shuttle bus that is part of it so you do not even have to know your way around. Journey behind the falls is amazing and the butterfly exhibit is said to be the best in the world. The pass also includes the maid of the mist. A gondola ride over the whirlpool and the whitewater walk along the river that is just incredible. I lived in Toronto for 25 years and if I only had 2 days to spend there I would want to spend most of my time downtown. If you get in from NF fairly early in the morning get off the QEW at Spadina and find a parking spot near the skydome and the CN tower. Should not be more than $8 for the day. If it’s a clear day it’s worth it to go up the tower. After that there are lots of things to do in toronto. Isee people saying “go to the Museum” I wouldn’t. Your from Va. and if you want a museum the Smithsonian in DC is better. I would just walk up Sadina from the tower and enjoy the virbrant street life going on as I walked up to Dundas. At dundas take a right and that takes you through China Town over to Bay street which is Canada’s wall street. There are lots of interesting things over that way like the Art gallery of Ontario. If you don’t like walking so much , jump on the streetcar. When I am in a new city I always like going around on the streetcar. I got to know Portland OR really well that way in 2 days. Take the Queen street car to the end in the east. This is the beach neighbourhood. You will love it. There is a 5km long boardwalk along the lake and all the neat little neighbourhood bars and eaterys and shops you could ever want. It’s a 20 minute streetcar ride from downtown. Toronto really is not much of a camping town so I can’t advise you there. Well I figure that’s enough for now but I might post another one because I have been many times to Montreal and Quebec city.
I’ve been to Casa Loma a few times–it was a popular field trip when I was in school, years ago.
It’s actually quite interesting. As I recall things, the builder (Sir Henry Pellatt) felt Toronto needed a castle. So, being incredibly wealthy, he built one. Most of the castle is set up as what it would have looked like when Sir Henry and his wife lived there, and you’ll see the ballroom, the conservatory, the study with the secret passage, and the elegant stables, which are a block or two away but connected to the castle proper by an underground tunnel. You can climb the spiral stairs up to the towers, and look into the servants’ quarters. Of course, you’ll see a lot more, but those are what I specifically remember.
It’s really quite unique. I’d give it a thumbs-up, but not everybody would. I’d say that it would be great for folks who like history, architecture, and craftsmanship in construction (check out the floors and paneling!), and who want to have a close-up look at how the other half lived in Edwardian times. But like I said, it may not be for everybody–it’s more akin to a museum than anything else.
Thanks Spoons! I think I’ll go. There’s a similar-sounding castle in California I really like going to, so I’m looking forward to seeing yours.
One last question and then I’ll stop hijacking fizzestothetop’s thread. Where is the best place to get poutine in Toronto? Bonus points if it’s near a metro stop.
Forget Poutine in Toronto your heading down the road to the poutine capital of the world in Quebec. If you really must have a Faux poutine in TO there is a Canada wide chain called Harvy’s. They have poutine on the menu and it’s pretty good but not like a poutine in some mom and pop place in Quebec. Their slogan is “Harvy’s makes a hamburger a beautiful thing”. I must admit they sure have good burgers for a fast food place. Cheap too. I travel a lot in the USA and one thing that baffels me is that there seems to be no good hotdogs in the country. Try a hot dog at Harvy’s and you will see what I mean. Canadian hotdogs rule.
Oh by the way there are Harvy’s all over the place. You will easily find one downtown on Younge street.
You will easily find one in Toronto and suburbs, period. They’re all over. Though I was never able to figure out why they ever decided to serve poutine–for a fast-food joint, they do burgers so well that I can’t understand why anybody would go there for anything other than a burger. Fizzestothetop and Devil’s Grandmother, it may sound strange, but you have to try a Harvey’s burger when you’re in Ontario: charcoal grilled and topped with the toppings you want while you watch (“I’ll need another pickle slice please, and let’s have some more mustard … that’ll do, that’s great, thanks!”), it makes Big Macs and Whoppers look pretty sad in comparison.
One more thing I miss about Ontario: there is a dearth of Harvey’s out here in the west. 
My parents are in Louisiana now, and every time they come back, my mom has to get a Harvey’s hamburger and a Tim Horton’s coffee.
Devil’s Grandmother, if you’re in the Kitchener/Stratford area, head a bit north of Waterloo (in around St. Jacobs, Wellsley and Elmira) and just tour around the country roads. We have a large population of old-order Mennonites here, and you can usually see them driving around in horse drawn buggies, or working in the fields (but not on Sundays). St. Jacob’s is also a nice little town with interesting shops.
I also second RickJay’s recommendation of the Kingston Brewing Company - great beer and great food. When you’re done eating there, go to White Mountain Ice Cream for dessert, get a cone, and wander the waterfront for a bit.
You have two options in Toronto if you’d like a proper poutine - one is Rebel House, which according to the folks on Chowhound is one of the best in town, and the other is Smoke’s Poutinerie, which is newish (but getting good reviews) and offers up several variations along with the standard fries/curds/gravy combo. Both are downtown and less than 10 mins walking distance from a subway station.
Whatever you do, DO NOT get a Harvey’s poutine. It’s exactly what you’d expect from any fast food chain place… in other words, it’ll do if you’ve got a desperate poutine craving that must be dealt with right away, but it’s really all that good (the only good thing I can say is that at least it’s made with proper cheese curds… but that’s it).