Wine tasting with our friends Tim & Meg at Jackson Triggs Winery

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway that encompasses the perfect mixture of urban culture, natural beauty, charm, and delicious wine and food to boot, planning a long weekend to Toronto and the nearby Niagara region may just be your winning ticket to claiming jackpot.

Oh, and there’s this little waterfall that you might have heard of that’s in the area as well.

The mighty Niagara Falls and all of its thunderous splendor

Below is how to spend the perfect long weekend in Toronto and neighboring Niagara region.

Toronto

 

Often regarded as the Manhattan of Canada, our northern neighbor’s largest city possesses everything you’d expect in a sprawling metropolis. It’s one of the most multicultural cities in the world, boasting a wide variety of international cuisine, art, and theater. Toronto’s celebrated diversity is palpable throughout its various neighborhoods, making for a welcoming and lovely destination.

Below are the highlights from our way-too-short visit to Toronto. This is a city that we definitely plan to return to one day soon!

Skyscrapers grace Toronto’s landscape

CN Tower

 

Yes, it’s touristy and pretty much the equivalent of visiting the Empire State Building in Manhattan. And yes, you still kind of have to visit it. The iconic CN Tower is one of the most recognizable symbols of all of Canada. Standing tall at over 533 meters, the imposing concrete structure serves as a communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto.

So while it’s touristy and an obvious selection on most visitors’ itineraries, few can argue that the views from the observation deck are anything short of breathtaking.

The sweeping panoramic vistas of Canada’s largest metropolis are incredible and worth the hefty admission fee. A variety of Tower Experience tickets are available and range in price.

Ticket information can be found here.

Time your visit later in the day for less crowds and stunning sunsets

Art Gallery of Ontario

 

There is no shortage of art museums and exhibits in Toronto. One of its most iconic museums is the Art Gallery of Ontario. Housing more than 95,000 pieces art, the AGO, as it is often referred to, is one of the largest galleries in all of North America.  The museum features works spanning from the first century to present day. The grand interior is spacious and opulent and certainly worth a visit.

Museum hours and ticket prices can be found here.

CASA LOMA

 

Casa Loma is a majestic castle perched atop a hill overlooking the city. The palatial estate and meticulously-manicured grounds are spectacular and worth a spot on your Toronto itinerary.

If you are a fan of exquisite architecture, historical sites, and pretending to be royalty, then you’ll surely love Casa Loma.

Men and their swords…

Visiting information can be found here.

DINING, BREWERIES & VODKA

 

As would be expected in most major cities, Toronto is undoubtedly a foodie destination, brimming with an expansive assortment of dining options. The city’s prominent multiculturalism lends itself to an extensive culinary landscape, where nearly every corner of the world’s cuisine is reflected and revered. Locally-sourced ingredients play an important role in a variety of establishments and it’s not an exaggeration to say that if you have a craving from something, whether run-of-the-mill or exotic, you’ll easily be able to satiate your appetite. From fine dining, to food carts, to gastropubs, to breweries, Toronto’s thriving food and drink scene offers something delicious for everyone.

PRAVDA VODKA HOUSE

 

The best night of the trip and maybe even one of the best bars we’ve ever been to. Seriously.  Perhaps it was the company, or the Russian-inspired interior with its red plush velvet couches and dim lighting, or maybe it was the way-too-generous-pouring bartenders and waitstaff, or maybe it was the NEVER-ENDING FLOWING VODKA. Whatever it was, over a decade later and we still rave about Pravda Vodka House, the mother of all Russian vodka bars.

Four faces of sobriety at Pravda Vodka House

Niagara-on-the-Lake

 

All bottled up in beautiful Niagara-on-the Lake

The enchanting and oh-so-enticing town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is a must-visit when visiting the Niagara region. Less than 30 minutes away from its famous waterfall neighbor, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint and attractive town filled with charming eateries, adorable boutiques, and a plethora of wineries to boot. Its attractive Main Street is lined with trees and flowers of every color. Add on its ideal location on a shimmering lake, and you have one magical destination.

Our favorite winery visit of the day was at Jackson-Triggs Winery, where our oenophile, Kevin, was as witty as he was knowledgeable. The vineyard features three classic varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling.

Their winemakers also work closely with a number of grape growers in the Niagara region to supplement their supply of grapes including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc.

We also visited Joseph’s Estates Wines, a delightful family-owned winery that produces a variety of red and white wines.

For tour and tasting information, click here.

Another winery that we thoroughly enjoyed [although once you hit your third winery, doesn’t most of the wine start to taste the same?!] was Palatine Hills Winery, a boutique winery that specializes in ice wines. It’s amazing how you can love wines during tastings, buy a few bottles to take home, and then immediately regret that decision while drinking it in your living room. Ice wine is the perfect example of this–we’ve loved it while visiting wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as the Finger Lakes, and then once we open the bottle at home, we instantly ask each other, Why did we buy this?!  But I digress.

Tasting and tour information can be found here.

Having barrels of fun at Palentine Hills — sorry, couldn’t resist

We enjoyed a wonderful meal amid a lovely setting at Treadwell, a fantastic restaurant that proudly showcases the region’s seasonal produce and ingredients. Treadwell exemplifies the farm-to-table concept and also offers an impressive wine list. Highly recommend!

  NIAGARA FALLS