Kensington Market and Distillery Historic District where we took a liking to the city’s flagship beer, Steam Whistle pilsner. During our time in Toronto, we enjoyed a Friday Night Special taster menu at Linny’s (linnysrestaurant.com), a cosy new steakhouse with elements of Eastern European Jewish delis on the hip Ossington Avenue. We also tried out the food and drink at Waterworks Food Hall (waterworksfoodhall.com) – a beautifully restored 1932 Art‑Deco former utilities facility in King West, full of artisan eateries and bars. We took a seat at its Indian outlet, devouring butter chicken with poppadoms and pickles. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Although the majority of our Ontario trip was spent in the city, we wanted to see more of the province. So, after picking a vehicle from Budget Car Rental at Brookfield Place, we drove past the Beach Neighbourhood and down the Queen Elizabeth Expressway to the village of Niagara-on-the-Lake, stopping off at the Premium Outlets to seek out a few bargains on the way. Our hotel for the night was 124 Queen Hotel & Spa (124queen.com), a tranquil retreat in the heart of the charming village’s bustling Old Town. Once we’d checked in and dropped off our bags, we went for a walk, skirting the golf course and Fort George National Historic Site, before reaching the lakefront where we could see the Toronto skyline in the distance, and finishing off with a drink at 11th Post on Queen Restaurant. Cindy, the hotel’s complimentary shuttle car driver, then chauffeured us to what was a special night at the familyowned Peller Estates Winery (peller.com) just down the road on John Street East. Following a group tasting tour of the vineyards, cellars and the 10 Below ice wine tasting room with guide Karen, Rachel and I took a seat for dinner in Peller Estates Restaurant. Then, after a look around the kitchen, we devoured a dazzling four-course taster menu with wine pairing, courtesy of executive chef Jason Parsons. NIAGARA FALLS Breakfast the next morning was served with a few jokes and magic tricks courtesy of the friendly server at Treadwell restaurant adjacent to the hotel. From there, we jumped in the car and headed up Queen Elizabeth Way to a destination that had been on both our bucket lists for many years. The city of Niagara Falls is not only home to the honorary Wonder of the World from which it takes its name, but also a number of attractions to rival any tourist hotspot. Rachel initially took some convincing to ride Wildplay’s Zipline to the Falls (wildplay.com/ niagara-falls) at Grand View Marketplace! We both also donned rain ponchos to experience the thunderous vibration of the millions of gallons water pouring over Horseshoe Falls in Journey Beneath the Falls (niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/ journey-behind-the-falls), took a walk inside the 2,200-foot long tunnel, and descended 180 feet in a glass-panelled elevator at Niagara Parks Power Station (niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/niagaraparks-power-station). Best of all, we also got to try out the new immersive simulator Niagara Takes Flight (niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/ niagaratakesflight), which takes visitors on a ‘soaring adventure’, along the Niagara River corridor. Before driving back to Toronto, we sat down for a delicious lunch courtesy of chef Chris Totah and his team at Table Rock House Restaurant (niagaraparks.com/table-rock-houserestaurant), with our table as close as you could possibly get to the Horseshoe Falls. It was a perfectly romantic way to round off an exhilarating trip! FIND OUT MORE Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, Canada booknow@marriott.com 124 Queen Hotel & Spa, 124 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada booknow@24queen.com Airport: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Tourist boards: Destination Ontario (destinationontario.com), Destination Toronto (destinationtoronto.com) and Niagara Parks Commission (niagaraparks.com) Destination Ontario Niagara Parks Commission 80
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