Leisure Tours October 16 – 18, 2014

Tour Options: Thursday, October 16, 2014

Toronto City Tour and a Visit to the Historic Distillery District

The perfect activity to capture a glimpse of the many wonderful sites available in Toronto! This "get acquainted" tour will include such famous attractions as Queen's Park, the Parliament Buildings, Old and New City Halls, Nathan Phillips Square, St. Lawrence Market and Hall, University Avenue – Hospital Row, Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, the Annex, the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, Casa Loma, the four city block shopping complex Eaton Centre, the Bay-King financial district, Harbourfront, Chinatown, the shops on Bloor, the elegant neighbourhood of Forest Hill and the trendy Yorkville area.

Next stop is the Historic Distillery District.

The Historic Distillery District is an internationally acclaimed village of brick-lined streets and dozens of vibrantly restored Victorian Industrial buildings dating back to 1836, and cobblestone pathways. Discover live theatres, galleries, fashion, design, jewellery boutiques, unique cafes, movie sets, and award-winning restaurants. Along the way, you will stop into Mill Street Brewery and Soma Chocolate for beer and chocolate tasting.

After the tour, there will be time to sample more of the specialty food shops, see live artists’ studios, and shop in unique boutiques.

A perfect tour to combine a glimpse of Toronto’s history and unique specialty shopping.

Ghost Tour of Old Town Toronto and St Lawrence Market Walking Tour

Ghosts, graveyards, hangings and hauntings. From the old military town of York to the metropolitan city of today, discover Toronto's darker history. Listen to scary ghost stories as you travel back in time with our favourite local historian.

In a walking tour, beginning at your hotel, learn about famous murder sites, ghost sightings and the gruesome former hanging yards of past days. Pass by Osgoode Hall the Court of Upper Canada, Toronto’s New City Hall, – which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary – as well as the fantastic Old City Hall, and the King Edward Hotel.

The tour continues to Old Town Toronto, where you will see famous landmarks such as the Flatiron Building which was built in 1892, restored Victorian warehouses of Front Street and St James Park where the cholera pits of the 19th century which are still beneath the grassy slopes, and St James Cathedral – Toronto’s Royal Church, where Queen Elizabeth visits when in Toronto.

As you continue on to explore the St Lawrence Market, you’ll see the first drinking well dug in 1806 that still flows with water and was once the site of the whipping post and public pillories. You will also hear incredible stories which encompass the past three centuries of Toronto’s ghostly past that still haunt Toronto’s oldest market.

A day in Niagara Falls

After a morning of meetings, you will board a motor coach for an exciting trip to Niagara Falls; a box lunch will be served en route.

No trip to Southern Ontario would be complete without a visit to this beautiful wonder of the world! The Niagara region boasts some of Canada’s most beautiful scenery as well as its most flavourful wines. On the way you will be able to delight in the allure of the trees’ early fall colour changes. They are absolutely postcard perfect.

As you arrive in the Niagara area, a detailed tour will begin, outlining the historical, cultural, and geographical highlights of the region. You will then move into Niagara-on-the-Lake, one of the oldest settlements in Ontario, famous for the War of 1812 between Canada and the United States. The town has been beautifully restored to depict its heritage.

The tour then follows the Niagara River, passes the Whirlpool Rapids, as well as the historic sites of the Brock Monument and Laura Secord House, and some of Niagara’s wineries. You will enjoy a guided tour and tasting of our handpicked local Niagara winery. This will include a visit to the vineyard, the oak aging room and the underground cellar. You will also get the chance to learn about Niagara’s speciality – icewine!

Depending on weather conditions, you will enjoy the thunder of the waters from a completely different perspective as you board the Hornblower Niagara Cruises. Experience the breathtaking flow of water, power and mist that form spectacular Niagara Falls. Get close to the Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls that together make up one of the most recognized wonders. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Immediately following the tour activities, dinner will be provided in a restaurant overlooking the Falls.