Toronto or New York

[Newbey]

I am looking at taking the Mrs away for a week and have shortlisted it down to Toronto or New York.
I have been to New York and my mrs hasn't, neither of us have been to Toronto.

So I am after your opinions. Has anyone been to Toronto? Does it compare to New York?
I like the idea of visiting the falls so this could be done from Toronto.

Both seem to be about the same cost wise for flight and hotel.

[edc]

Been to both. Naturally not quite as much to do in Toronto and the pace feels a bit less frenetic if you are used to manhattan. I've never actually stayed in manhattan but always stayed in queens mainly with family. If I were you I'd go to Toronto simply because you haven't been before. Like ny most of the stuff is accessible by local bus.

[anonymous-user]

Newbey said:

I am looking at taking the Mrs away for a week and have shortlisted it down to Toronto or New York.
I have been to New York and my mrs hasn't, neither of us have been to Toronto.

So I am after your opinions. Has anyone been to Toronto? Does it compare to New York?
I like the idea of visiting the falls so this could be done from Toronto.

Both seem to be about the same cost wise for flight and hotel.

I've done NY and Toronto a few times now and love both places. There are hundreds of good threads in this section on NY, so won't repeat what has been said before, suffice to say it's a brilliant, vibrant city with famous sites tround every corner.

Toronto equally has many wonderful things to do and see. We have always stayed in the Marriot at the Rogers Centre/Skydome (where Toronto Blue Jays play baseball) which is right under the CN Tower. Some of the rooms have windows looking onto the playing surface (you have to sign an agreement if you take one of these rooms after a rather famous 'event' up against one such window during a game a few years back) and they have a bar which does the same. We always stay when the Blue Jays have a series of games and take in a ball game which is a great experience. A tour of the stadium is fun too, you get to stand on the pitcher's mound, etc.

There are many other things to see and do - CN Tower, downtown shopping, harbour front/lakeside eating/drinking/strolling, the islands, Chinatown, Kensington Market, Bloor/Yorkville, The Annex, Little Italy, loads of musuems, the Hockey Hall of Fame, etc, etc - I could go on and on, there is that much to do.

A day trip to the falls is easy - we took the VIA train from Grand Union Station last time we went which I recall was a 2 hrs or so trip around the lake. We took an earlyish train there which gave us more than enough time to tak in the falls, a boat ride on a Maid of the Mist boats, a leisurely and boozy lunch, a walk around Niagara Falls town (tacky in the extreme but great fun) and a visit to a bar or two before jumping on the 6pm train to return - and I recall the tickets were very cheap. You can get there quicker by car, or even quicker by helicopter/light plane.

The thing that makes Toronto a winner for me are the people. They are as polite as our American friends, but come across as much, much more sincere. They also love us Brits.

An example of the sort of thing that happens was when myself and Mrs HH were enjoying an al fresco lunch time meal down at the lakeside when a storm came rolling in accross the lake VERY quickly. Everyone eating outside had to decamp quickly inside to escape the heavy rain. We found ourselves sharing a table with a group of guys from Bank of Canada and two ice hockey legends who had been due to take a promo boat trip that afternoon. Suffice to say we got talking and ended up spending the entire afternoon with these folk drinking our way around the harbour area. They would not let us pay for one single drink, and showered us with gifts throughout the day. I also ended up on the front page of the Toronto Sun pictured with the two ice hockey chaps (Ron Ellis and Bobby Bow BTW).

It's a very cosmopolitan and eclectic place. Great food, drink, people, sights. The only down side I can think of is Pearson International - an absolute 'mare of an airport!

PM me if you want any more warbling!

[AJS-]

I know it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but have you looked into driving between the two? I did it, from memory NYC upto the falls is about 6 hours, Toronto another 2 or 3 from the border.

I'd probably fly to Toronto, have a full day there, a night near the falls then a drive down to NY and 3 days in the big apple.

I imagine you'd have to change cars at the border, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

[Dibble]

Niagara falls itself is fairly hideous, tbh. Like Blackpool, but with a waterfall instead of a beach. Of course, it's worth going, and we did the touristy 'Maid of the Mist' boat trip. A much nicer place is Niagara on the Lake, a very pretty, much classier place than the Falls. NotL is also closer to some if the wineries, if you fancy a bottle or three.

I've visited both NY and Toronto (Mrs Dibble lived in Toronto for ~20 years). Toronto is perhaps slightly less touristy than NY, and everthings a bit more laid back. If you want a more 'hectic' time, NY is probably the one.

[Newbey]

Thanks for the thoughts, I will be back for more info when we talk it through and decide.

I have been told before the falls are great but the amusements surrounding them are Blackpool like.

I did look at getting an internal flight from one place to the other but it worked out quite expensive. Hiring a car would be an option but I think changing cars at the border might be a problem? Are they likely to have car hire points at the border?

[sawman]

Newbey said:

Thanks for the thoughts, I will be back for more info when we talk it through and decide.

I have been told before the falls are great but the amusements surrounding them are Blackpool like.

I did look at getting an internal flight from one place to the other but it worked out quite expensive. Hiring a car would be an option but I think changing cars at the border might be a problem? Are they likely to have car hire points at the border?

The falls are truly awesome, and I think comparing the amusements to blackpool is a little unfair, The town is a bit tacky, but it is clean, does not have sticky pavements and when I was there I never saw any fat chavvy hen parties

You could fly from NY to buffalo, which is the american side of the falls, rent a car there and drive to toronno, which would solve the swapping the car business

[Markytop]

If you want a way of getting from one to the other without the expense of flying, dont rule out the train. I have family in Toronto and whenever they go to NY, they take the train, no hassles with the border and hire cars, and by the time you take getting to airport and check-in etc into account, not that much longer. Beautiful scenery too on the way.

I'm a big fan of Toronto, if going in the summer, then make sure you check out the Islands, great place for a leisurely walk around and drink. The shopping is not quite as good as NY but probably cheaper and for the most part, you can stay inside if cold or wet outside because of the PATH underground walkways.

[Nimbus]

I've been to both, and the falls, ( actually went from NY tho.. ).

If your mrs hasnt been to either, then its got to be NY as first choice everytime !
And its not like you'll be bored their either..

If you go to Toronto, then you'll only end up taking her to NY in a year or two anyway.

Toronto is fine, but it aint New York....