TORONTO
was completely white in the sub-zero conditions. The viewing platform by the side of the falls, known as the ‘Journey Behind the Falls’, is well worth the money, but we were also lucky enough to take a 12-minute Niagara Helicopters’ flight over the Falls: putting this crazy landscape into perspective. If you like amusements there are plenty nearby, but Scarlett and I felt this mini Vegas wasn’t at all in-keeping with the natural majesty. Although it’s interesting to hear the history of the area and stories about legends like Marilyn Monroe staying in room 801 of the Crowne Plaza during the 1952 filming of Niagara. After getting up early to see this wonder, we drove 30 minutes to the cute, historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake which became the first capital of Upper Canada in 1792. We stopped for a hearty pub lunch in The Olde Angel Inn which dates back to 1815, and had a rummage around the local shops. We loved old-fashioned Niagara Apothecary shop on main street and the Just Christmas Store where we chose a gaudy pink Santa bauble to remind us of our Niagara trip every festive season. Our last stop on the packed day out was Trius Winery. We took a fun guided tour including a look at Canada’s largest sparkling cellar: holding over half-a-million bottles at any one time. Here our guide demonstrated the most theatrical way to open a bottle of bubbly: by slicing the neck clean off with a sabre. The final tasting room was made for Instagram, and with much hilarity we swung on a giant champagne cork and posed in a gold bath decorated in bubbles! Back in the city, it was obvious that there is so much of Ontario to explore. But Scarlett was off for the weekend to a treehouse in the Algonquin Provincial Park, while I headed to the airport. After an emotional farewell, my return overnight flight was made all the sweeter with a fabulous Air Transat upgrade to Club class. Greeted by a mimosa and L’Occitane treats, but most importantly a wide squashy seat, I marvelled at how my daughter had led me to so many wonders and was now a fully- fledged explorer in her own right.
lots of hippy stuff. Spaced Vintage and Lost Boys Vintage were a couple of other hits too. My absolute favourite place to eat here was Sunnys Chinese. An unprepossessing handwritten sign on a piece of cardboard stuck on the door, leads you off the street and down a funny little corridor where you’re ushered into a speakeasy-style restaurant with an open kitchen and bar. Pink modernist décor and tables are ready and waiting (though you must book in advance) chopsticks recline on the backs of tiny ceramic pandas, and I’ve never heard serving staff describe dishes so eloquently. Ontario’s most famous attraction, Niagara Falls is about a two-hour drive around the western tip of Lake Ontario, past the legal marijuana greenhouses, and vineyards, then south to the US border where Ontario meets New York State. The raw force of the Falls takes your breath away. They aren’t the deepest or widest in the world, but their sheer volume and power is unmatched. At the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, more than 168,000 cubic metres of water go over the crestline every minute during peak daytime hours - enough to fill 62 Olympic size swimming pools. Arriving in February, we witnessed huge chunks of ice tumbling over into the river below, which
the lowdown
HOW TO GET THERE Direct UK flights to Toronto from 8 hours airtransat.com WHERE TO STAY Kimpton Saint George Hotel, Queen Room (2 adults, 2 children) from £202 per night kimptonsaintgeorge.com GOOD TO KNOW Niagara Falls Tours niagaraairbus.com Journey Behind the Falls niagaraparks.com Niagara Helicopter Flightseeing Tours niagarahelicopters.com Trius Winery triuswines.com
From above: Instagram- ready Trius Winery; boat tour and splash zone, Niagara Falls
destinationtoronto.com destinationontario.com
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