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Road Trip in Ontario, Canada

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Road Trip in Ontario Canada

9 Days Road Trip in Ontario

Summer is here, which means beach getaways with family and friends are just around the corner.  I've always loved the water.  It's the biggest playground for everyone to share. Canada has beautiful big bodies of water all over the country.  The most famous and most deserving place to visit is Tobermory.  It is situated on the northern tip of Bruce Peninsula in the province of Ontario, about a 4-hour drive from Toronto, depending on traffic. Let’s go! 


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Travel Tips
  • For flights, Skyscanner is excellent for comparing the best airline deals.
  • For accommodations, our family trusts Booking.com for reasonable prices.


Here's our Detailed Road Trip Itinerary

  • Road Trip from Toronto-Tobermory-Kitchener-Niagara Falls-St. Catharines-Toronto

August 30: Grocery shopping - Rent a car - Reserve Parking

Bought food trip snacks and drinks, nothing fancy just chips, fruits and water.

Rent a car via Enterprise
  • 300 cad for a week, an additional cost if you want it to be delivered to the airport.
  • Pick up:163 Carlingview Dr., Etobicoke, M9W 5E7

Grotto Parking: 12 CAD 
  • Reserve your parking ahead of time online and pay your fees.

Optional Stops
  • Stop by the Turtle sign and take pictures ahahaaa Or just watch out for this sign and laugh your heart out. 

  • On the way: Stop at Bay Street Foodland for food and LCBO (closes at 9pm) Free parking around the area after 6pm, 9-6pm 3 CAD per hour. 

Aug 31: Arrive & Travel

  • @ 1:46pm, arrive in Toronto
  • @ 3:00pm, car to Tobermory
  • Travel time: 3-4 hrs
  • @ 6:30pm, Check in Tobermory: Little Cove cabin 
  • Address: 7111 Hwy 6, Tobermory


  • Address: 469 Cyprus Lake Rd Tobermory, ON N0H 2R0
  • Dine @ Princess Hotel in, Bay Street for Fish and Chips Patio promo. 

Sept 2: Hike Fanthom Five National Marine Park

  • Address Visitor Centre: 120 Chi Sin Tib Dek Rd, N0H 2R0
  • Entrance fee: 5 cad
  • Canoe program: 10 cad (check availability)
  • Dine @ Leeside Restaurant, Bay Street

Sep 3: Kitchener Sunset - Hot Air balloon 

  • Drop by the UPI Energy gas station

Kitchener to St. Catharines Travel time: 2 hrs

Snack @ Pita Pit is my husband's newly discovered favorite wrap store. 


Sep 4: Niagara on the Lake (NOTL) , St. Catharines & Niagara Falls

  • Check in Niagara Falls : Ramada Hotel 
  • 7389 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, L2H 2W9 
  • Got a very good deal at Groupon, hotel comes with vouchers (free chocolate, wine and beer tour).

Chocolate factory tour

Wine Tasting 
Konzelmann Estate Winery, Contact number: 9059352866  ext 30

Strolling Downtown of Niagara on the Lake

St. Catharines
Hike and Swim in Decew Falls

Niagara Falls
Boston pizza and go-kart 
Go cart: 14 cad


Sep 5: Throwback to Niagara Falls Favorites - Back to Toronto

Taps Brewery @ Queen Street
They don't have the 2 CAD for 10 chicken wings anymore, the promo changed to 35 cents per 10 chicken wings. It's still a good deal, ordered my favorite cajun chicken wings. 

Drop by the 5 CAD Photobooth on Victoria Avenue. 

@ 3pm, back to Toronto
Niagara Falls to Toronto Travel time: 2 hrs

@ 5pm Check in Toronto :  Super 8
Address: 3280 Kingston Road, Scarborough, M1M 1P8

@ 7pm,  Blue Jays baseball game 
Address: Rogers Centre @ 1 Blue Jays Way


Sep 6: Chill and Eat in Toronto

Japanese Lunch deal near Bathurst Station. There are a lot of Lunch deals around this area, and most Japanese restaurants have it.

Milk tea in 168 Tea Shop near Bathurst Station. My second favorite milk tea shop now aside from Bubbletease close to Dundas Station. 

The next thing we did was my favorite household chore, Laundry ahahaaa.

Lovely dinner with wine at Gourmet Schnitzel House.


Sep 7: Flight, Toronto

Don't forget to gas up FULL TANK before returning the car to Enterprise. 
Full tank: 60cad - 70 cad here



My Last Road Trip in Ontario - Not!

This is going to be my last trip to Canada. I'm going to start a new life adventure with my husband in another country. Canada has been really nice to me. To say goodbye nicely, we decided to go on a road trip to Tobermory. A close friend of mine along with her boyfriend decided to meet us up there which totally made me much happier. Here's a detailed story of our road trip to Canada.


August 30

Grocery shopping for a food trip: Purchase snacks, drinks, chips, hubby's favorite chocolate, fruits, and water. Opt for light digestible items.

Car Rental through Enterprise: Rent a car for 300 CAD for a week, with extra charges for airport delivery.
If not at the closest location, pick up at 163 Carlingview Dr., Etobicoke, M9W 5E7.

Grotto Parking: Pre-book parking online for the Grotto at 12 CAD. No walk-ins are allowed.

Tobermory Stops: Take a break at Tobermory.
Consider stopping at turtle signs for photos or just enjoy the signs for a good laugh.

En route: Visit Bay Street for Foodland for any last-minute grocery needs (open until 8pm) and LCBO for wine (open until 9pm).
Free parking after 6pm; otherwise, it's 3 CAD/hr from 9am-6pm.


Where to Stay in Tobermory 

My husband tailored our travel itinerary with dates, ETA and travel hours - that's my man!

  • Aug 31: Arrive & Travel
  • @ 1:46 pm, arrive in Toronto
  • @ 3:00 pm, car to Tobermory
  • Travel time: 3-4 hrs (our trip took 4 hrs 30 mins)
  • @ 6:30 pm, Check in Tobermory: Little Cove Cabin 
  • Address: 7111 Hwy 6, Tobermory

We got ourselves a chocolate-coloured Volkswagen.  Small, compact, fuel-efficient, and, most of all, it was sooo cute!  I fell in love with this baby the moment I saw it.  I bet my husband would have preferred something more sporty and manly.  But this darling wasn't so hard to love; it just melts your heart.  Anyway, moving on to our trip, this is actually my first cabin stay in the woods - the same goes with hubby.  Good thing, the washroom was near our place because it's pitch-black walking at night.



Explore Tobermory - The Grotto

  • Sep 1: Hike and Swim
  • Explore Tobermory - The Grotto
  • Address:469 Cyprus Lake Rd
  • Tobermory, ON N0H 2R0

In the morning we picked up our friends at Tobermory Village about 5 minutes away from our cabin. They have a bigger place there for campers but not a fan anymore after experiencing some issues with management.  Drove to the Grotto for our 5-hour parking and hike.  We were a bit late so we hiked a bit faster than usual.  We were all fast walkers, so it wasn't a big deal. 



Marr Lake Trail

We made a big loop: starting at the off-beaten track from Marr Lake Trail, we passed by Boulder Beach and checked out Overhanging Point - don't miss this amazing view!  We then retraced our way back to Boulder Beach and off we went to the famous Grotto and Indian Head Cove.

We headed back to the parking lot on a shorter route.  Both Georgian Bay Trail or Horse Lake Trail lead to the parking area.  This is actually not my first time to be in Tobermory, but having new companions meant a different experience.  I loved Tobermory even more the second time around.  The lake and the views are just extraordinary. 

  • Dine @ Princess Hotel
  • Fish and Chips Patio promo. 
  • Jug of beer and 2 lbs chicken wings



Bay Street 

Bay Street seemed like the only place to get food in Tobermory, or at least a popular place for tourists. There's a Taco truck named "Tacomory" before reaching Bay Street but too much waiting time.  Fish and chips were everywhere; however, most restaurants were crowded and we were starving.  People usually just pick the closest restaurant they can find and that's it.  We were no exception.  We walked to the end of the street, right after LCBO, and found Princess Hotel.  To our surprise, there were a few seats available and the promo price for the fish and chips was a bit cheaper compared to other restaurants.  Patio feels, fewer people, good food, and great company totally made our night.



Fanthom Five National Marine Park

  • Sept 2: Hike
  • Fanthom Five National Marine Park
  • Address Visitor Centre: 120 Chi Sin Tib Dek Rd, N0H 2R0
  • Entrance fee: 5 CAD
  • Canoe program: 10 CAD (check availability)

Our first summer hike alone together.  We had been waiting for this hike for so long.  The trail is advanced but a good entry-level for day hikers.  Most of our time was allotted to finding the right trail marks while also admiring the tall trees, the rugged trail, and even all the shades of green and brown.  I'm glad we didn't get lost and made it on time to meet up with my cousin in Bay Street.  We cancelled our canoe activity due to my wrong navigation.  Try to avoid searching up names like "Grotto" or something without a complete address.

Dine @ Leeside Restaurant


Snack @ Pita Pit is my husband's newly discovered favorite wrap store. 


Sep 3: Kitchener Sunset - Groupon: Sundance Hot-Air Balloon 

Dropped by the UPI Energy gas station along the way to refuel as it was way cheaper in comparison to touristy Tobermory despite being a few hours away.  They have a gasoline boy in this station which is something you don't see in Toronto.

  • Tobermory to Kitchen travel time: 3-4 hrs
Unfortunately, our hot-air balloon got cancelled again for the second time due to weather conditions.  We decided to do this activity in another country as it wasn't meant to be in Canada.



Chocolate Factory Tour 


Where to Stay in Niagara Falls

Kitchener to St. Catharines Travel time: 2 hrs
Next stop: Niagara on the Lake (NOTL), St. Catharines & Niagara Falls

  • Check-in: Ramada Hotel 
  • Address: 7389 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, L2H 2W9 

We got a very good deal at Groupon, the hotel package came with vouchers (free tours: chocolate, wine, and beer tours).


Chocolate Factory

Most of our tours were located in the famous old town of Niagara on the Lake.  We went to fulfil our sweet cravings first at the Chocolate Factory tour.  A short and sweet history of the chocolate process and how the company started.  Chocolate merchandise was way cheaper here if you're planning to buy chocolates for gifts.  The funny thing was our baby Volkswagen is chocolate-painted which totally makes more sense that we're in the right place.



Wine Tasting

  • Konzelmann Estate Winery 
  • Contact number: 9059352866  ext 30

My husband and I had our first date at a winery at Niagara on the Lake College Campus.  We bought a winery tour in the school, learned interesting facts about wines, and had a wonderful time tasting different kinds of wines.  Reminiscing the not-that-old days in our relationship, we decided to do another wine tour for our Epic Canadian Road Trip experience.  The Konzelmann Estate Winery has been in the business for years; what better way than to spend our wine tour with the best.  However, though we didn't manage to join the roundabout tour, our wine ambassador "Mr. Guz" was delightful to talk with.  He was brief and informative.  We tried 4 kinds of wine: red, white, peach, and ice wine. I'm a red wine kind of person while my husband loves the kick he gets from white wine. Neither of us fancied the sweeter but less alcoholic ice wine.  The peach wine was something new for us, so we got ourselves a bottle - happy me!



Explore Downtown Niagara on the Lake

Afterwards, we strolled around Downtown Niagara on the Lake.  The town is famous for its small shops, artistic stores, and pricey restaurants.  The next destination was to meet up with friends at St. Catharines, a 30-45 minute drive from Niagara Falls.



Explore St. Catharines - Hike and Swim in Decew Falls 

A short and slippery hike to Decew Falls.  This is a beautiful waterfall.  The drive and hike were so worth it.  The cool water just freshens you up after a tiring and hot summer day.  I've always wanted to go here when I was a student but I just didn't have the time and the right people to go with.  I guess I was waiting for the right day and the right people to see the waterfall.  There are two ways to get to the waterfall. 

The longer route means staying on the upper trail whereas the shortcut means taking a rope down along the side of a steep path.  We took the longer route and climbed the rope back up to the parking area.  Be careful of wasps flying around the area; my husband got stung when we made our way up using the rope.  He immediately took Tylenol and an antihistamine to counter any pain and possible allergic reactions.



Go-Kart at Niagara Falls

  • Niagara Falls
  • Boston Pizza and Go-Kart 
  • Go-kart: 14 CAD

The night was young and so were we.  Our last trip for the day was driving to Niagara Falls.  We had pizza and an awesome go-kart experience.  Afterwards, we strolled around Niagara Falls, had ice cream along with Clifton Hill, and laughed our last laughs together.


Sep 5: Niagara Falls Favorites

Most of our unforgettable moments were done in Niagara Falls.  My husband wanted to do a throwback and see all the places we went to before we got married.

  • Taps Brewery @ Queen Street
A year ago my cute hubby asked me out to be his girlfriend right beside this restaurant after we had our meal.  There's a music store just a few steps away, where he borrowed a guitar for a moment.  He then started to play this particular song I mentioned to him and revised some of the words to make it more personal.  I said "I'll think about it" or "Give me some time" or something - ahahaa and the rest is history. 

Back in college my friends and I would go to this restaurant every Wednesday to avail of the house promotion.  Unfortunately, they don't have the 2 CAD for 10 chicken wings anymore.  The promo changes to 35 cents per chicken. It's still a good deal, so I ordered my favorite Cajun chicken wings.

  • Dropped by a photo booth in Victoria Avenue for 5 CAD
On our first few dates in Niagara Falls, we went to a photo booth to take funny pictures. To commemorate the past, we did another wacky photo session in the same place.  Afterwards, we roamed around a little bit then drove back to Toronto.


Blue Jays Baseball Game 

Where to Stay in Toronto

  • @ 3 pm, back to Toronto
  • Niagara Falls to Toronto Travel time: 2 hrs
  • @ 5 pm  Check in Toronto: Super 8
  • Address: 3280 Kingston Road, Scarborough, M1M 1P8
  • @ 7 pm,  Blue Jays Baseball Game 
  • Address: Rogers Centre @ 1 Blue Jays Way
  • Ticket: 10 - 20 CAD

We got to our game on time, a few minutes early which was even better.  This was my first baseball team.  Hubby was patient enough to guide me through the game, even made sure I got all the rules by asking me questions like "What was that?" after one player hit the ball. 



Sep 6: Chill and Eat

For our last day in Toronto, we wanted just to relax and take things easy. We had a Japanese lunch deal near Bathurst Station.  There are a lot of lunch deals around this area; most Japanese restaurants have posted outside their stores.

  • Milk tea @ 168 Tea Shop near Bathurst Station.  My second favorite milk tea shop aside from Bubbletease close to Dundas Station. 

The next thing we did was my favourite household chore, laundry, ahahaaa.  It's better to go home with clean clothes and simply put them back in the closet.

Lastly, we had a lovely dinner with wine @ Gourmet Schnitzel House - a small restaurant run by a sweet couple.


Sep 7: Flight
  • Don't forget to gas up FULL TANK before returning your car to Enterprise. 
  • Full tank: 60 - 80 CAD
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