In August 2026 my husband (Leighton), my daughter (Harriet/H) and I travelled to Toronto, Muskoka and Niagara for a 13 night trip. Here is our day by day report of our travels.
For context Harriet is a part time wheelchair user and I am coeliac so eat gluten free - you will see references to these in the posts!
Day 1
We had one of the easiest starts to a trip today. Flying to Toronto from Cardiff meant no early starts, long drives or staying overnight.
The longest bit was the 10 minute wait to check in!
Cardiff airport does not have a lot to do but once we’d had a little potter around the 2 shops it was pretty much time to board.
Accessibility staff were super helpful in getting us where we needed to be, getting us boarded first and Hs wheelchair safely stowed.
The plane is a narrow body (3x3 seats) which doesn’t have any seat back entertainment but they do give everyone fast and free wifi. Which I think I might prefer.
H got 2 windows this time to make up for the non window she had on the way to Orlando (she will not let me live this down….).
Sadly one feature of these regional flights is you cannot request any dietary changes to the meals. They just don’t have space to accommodate them. I knew this ahead of time so took snacks.
The food seemed good though as the other two wolfed theirs down and my spare one.
Before we landed though they gave out a snack which was gluten free cookies, to everyone. So I was happy with that.
The flight was uneventful. A couple of short incidents of light turbulence which is more common on the narrow body planes but not problematic at all.
We had some fab views over Greenland which the captain said was rare to see so clear.
We landed early but there was a bit of delay at the gate so we got in pretty much on time.
Border control and baggage claim was quick and easy and we were soon on our way.
We caught a train directly from the airport to Union Station in the city. This is very efficient and less than $10 CAD (about £5) per adult. Children 12 and under are free.
We grabbed a 5 minute Uber to our hotel which is the Hilton Toronto.
We’ve not looked around much but seems like a lovely hotel and we have a nice view of the CN Tower from our room.
My impression of the city already is that it seems very clean and safe. Everything seems well looked after.
There is a fully gluten free Vietnamese restaurant right next to the hotel. We were too tired and sweaty for a sit down meal so we ordered food to pick up.
It was delicious and huge! Just what I needed after a day of sandwiches and snacks. (so hungry I didn’t take a picture but I had coconut chicken curry!).
We unpacked, had a shower and I was sleeping by 8am local time (you know this will not bode well for tomorrow 
).
A good, stress free start to our trip. We have 4 nights in Toronto so follow along for more about this lovely city.
Day 2
After falling asleep at 8pm last night I was obviously awake at 2am 
but this is par for the course when I travel West these days.
Once the others were awake we grabbed coffee for Leighton and headed towards the lake.
We stopped by a place called Love Park which had a heart shaped pond and some cute animal statues.
There’s a chain in Toronto called Impact that is total gluten free so we had a delicious breakfast an they also gave us some free cookies as it was our first visit. Canadians are so nice!
We wanted to go to the Toronto Islands this morning. I did plan to go tomorrow which I thought might be a bit quieter but the weather isn’t supposed to be very nice and I really wanted to take advantage of the incredible view across the water.
Apparently, we’re not the only people who have to have this idea and the queue get on the ferry were a bit insane. At point it felt like we were taking apart in the hunger games when we got to the front of the line of a large metal grey gate slammed across in front of us!
But it was fine in the end we all got across successfully. The trip takes about 10 minutes.
The islands are really lovely. It’s hard to believe you are so close to the largest city in Canada. It feels like a country park miles away from anywhere built-up.
They have an amusement park called Centreville. Loads of rides for little ones, but Harriet is a bit big for a lot of them now.
We did all go on the Sky Ride which is a 10 minute round-trip ski style lift. It has a lovely view over the park and then across the water back to the city.
H went on a couple of other rides that were suitable for her and we looked at the animals at the farm park.
Early afternoon, we headed back into the city via the ferry. We caught an Uber to the famous St Lawrence Market for a late lunch.
It’s a food market in a really lovely old building. It’s now expanded across several other buildings and spaces in the local area. On a Sunday afternoon it was absolutely pumping, with live music and people dancing in the streets.
The main market hall was very busy and a bit overwhelming. Eventually we found something we all wanted. Harriet had sushi, Leighton had a gyro and I had….gelato.
There are very limited options for gluten free here. I did know that ahead of time but I didn’t want the others to miss out on the experience. The gelato I had was delicious but not quite the same as a meal.
We headed back to the hotel for a rest (and a nap for me) and then had an hour in the hotel pool.
The pool is quite big for a city hotel and has an outdoor section with a bar and also an indoor section. It’s on the second floor so you are completely surrounded by buildings in every direction. It’s a nice way to spend an hour.
We made a quick walk up to Nathan Phillips square when the infamous Toronto sign is and the city hall.
Then we retired for a picnic tea and early bed time.
Day 3
We started the morning with coffee in Kensington Gardens, a trendy and slightly gritty neighbourhood.
They also have an excellent gluten free bakery which some how managed to make a cinnamon bun not only gluten free but vegan. And it wasn’t just edible, it was delicious! Even the gluten eaters said it was good.
We had hoped to look around the unusual independent shops but I was told this part of the city doesn’t really wake up until 11.30am. That was a bit too late for us to hang around.
H was desperate to do some shopping so we headed to then Eaton Center. We took the tram for the first time which was a very seamless experience. They are very clean and seem well used. They have good accessibility (as long as people aren’t blocking the wheelchair section with giant shopping carts…..). It’s really affordable too at around £1.75 per ride for adult and Harriet was free.
The Eaton Center is like any other large city shopping mall but was fun to while away an hour or so looking in shops we don’t have in the UK.
We went for lunch at a lovely local cafe called Hugs and Sarcasm (Leighton joked that could be our nickname - in case you needed clarity he would be “hugs”!).
They aren’t fully gluten free but everything can be make coeliac safe. They must have British owners because they had lots of British classics on the menu including a full breakfast with Heinz beans!
They also had a British “tuck shop” selling sweet, crisps, gravy and of course beans. Ive only been out of the UK 3 days and I am already missing my Irn Bru but they had it here. Yay!
We came back to the room for a rest as H was tired. She’s a good traveller but needs lots of extra rest especially with the time difference and disrupted sleep patterns.
We had some time this afternoon for one of the bigger ticket tourist items. I gave H the choice of the Aquarium or the CN tower. She chose the Aquarium. In fairness the weather was looking grey this afternoon and thunderstorms were forecast we might not have had a good view from the tower.
In the summer it stays open until 11pm. After 5pm tickets are a little cheaper and generally quieter as less little ones running around.
It was busy getting to the aquarium as the Toronto Blue Jays were playing baseball and everyone was heading in the same direction. The stadium is next to the aquarium.
I have to say this was a pretty impressive attraction. Lots similar to other aquariums we’ve been to but this had a massive moving walkway through it’s largest tank.
It’s absolutely enormous and there are quite a few sharks and turtles in here. Plus lots of other interesting fish.
It’s a neat solution to ensure everyone gets a clear view and there are no traffic jams in the tunnel when something cool happens. You see what you see.
The Ray Bay area was also interesting and you can touch them (carefully) if they come close enough.
We Uber’d back to the hotel and ordered Chinese take out (delicious) and then straight to bed! We have a busy day tomorrow.
Day 4
Today we spent the day at Canada’s Wonderland, largest theme park in Canada. And honestly one of the biggest I’ve ever been to. It has 77 rides and 18 of those are rollercoasters.
You could spend days here and not see it all.
It’s also a really pretty park and very clean and well kept.
It’s about a 40 min drive outside of the city. We Uber’d back and fore but would be better to stay closer for a few days with your own car. We just couldn’t fit that in our plans this time.
We had a lovely day and although it was school holidays it wasn’t crazy busy. Crowd levels were manageable.
One negative was that the accessibility accommodation were not great for our specific circumstances. It caused a lot of hassle and a bit of drama. But we got on all the rides we wanted to in the end.
Our favourite ride was the Mighty Canadian Minebuster. A fast and long wooden rollercoaster!
Overall we had a lovely day and I would highly recommend to any theme park or roller coaster enthusiasts. We didn’t get on any of the really big rides this time (as H cannot do them) but would definitely give them a go in future.
We arrived back at the hotel around 8pm and ordered in some healthy food from my new favourite, Impact Kitchen, and settled in for our final night in Toronto.
Day 5 and 6
We left Toronto after 4 lovely days and headed back to the airport. Not to catch a flight but to pick up a car for the rest of our trip.
You can pick up cars in Toronto but my experience of city car hire is not great. They often take a long time to process you and frequently don’t have the specific car you booked. Airports are (usually) much more efficient and have a good variety of cars.
This time was super efficient and quickly we were on our way North.
We stopped in the town of Barrie for lunch. Gluten free bakery for me and “mom and pop” diner for the other two.
After about another 90 mins and a whizz around Walmart we arrived at our new home.
We’ve hired a cottage in Muskoka for 5 nights. It’s cute and cosy and right in the woods. Our hosts even left us some welcome gifts.
I also have my own office for bits of work I need to do urgently.
Muskoka is a popular region for vacationing. There are hundreds of lakes and lots of small towns to explore. And it’s on the edge of Algonquin Provincial Park, which we’ll get to later in the week.
After a good nights rest in our new home we were up early on day 6. Just around the corner is the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Its very much a rescue and rehabilitation centre but they do offer tours to help pay for the upkeep.
This year alone they’ve rescued over 900 animals. Most who they release back into the wild. But some have to stay because they were born in captivity or were rescued when they were very small.
They have all sorts of animals here including coyotes, bears, wolves and moose. You aren’t guaranteed to see anything as they ensure the animals have enough space to escape visitors.
We did see coyotes, foxes, wolves and bears. But the moose remained very firmly hidden.
We did also see a wild bear running across the road on the way to the sanctuary. Apparently that’s very rare! (Sadly too quick for a picture).
After our visit we went to the charming little town of Port Carling. We had some food and a nose in the shops. It was very lovely.
On the way back to the cottage we stopped at Rosseau beach which is just 5 minutes from where we are staying. Its a lovely area to sit, have a picnic and a dip in the lake. Im sure we’ll come back for a swim later in the week. The local general store is also adorable and seems to have everything despite its small size.
We settled back in for the evening to watch watch a film on the frankly giant TV, ready for more exploring tomorrow.
Day 7
We had an excellent day today at Algonquin Provincial Park. This is located about an hour from our cottage and just north of the Muskoka region.
I had heard this was a lovely park, but I think they under sold it. It was fabulous.
It is estimated that there are around 2000 lakes in the park (depending on water levels). Some of them are absolutely enormous - in other locations just one if these lakes would be a stand out attraction. Here they are everywhere.
There is a central road running through the middle of the park and you can pull off at numerous stops. Some had viewpoints, others had hiking trails. Most had some kind of shop and/or a café.
Despite the fact it was the school holidays, nowhere was really very busy. It was easy to get a parking space anywhere we wanted to visit.
As we were driving we were lucky enough to see a moose grazing the side of the road. They are pretty rare to see even though there are a lot of them in the park. So we were very lucky.
I did get a picture, but it’s not super clear.
We went to the Visitor centre (which was excellent) plus several lakes and viewpoints. We walked an accessible boardwalk trail at Spruce Bog (around 1 mile). It was so pretty.
There are a bunch of longer hikes that we couldn’t manage but get you further into the wilderness of the park.
We had lunch overlooking Opeongo Lake and tried a Canadian classic of ketchup crisps. They were good but not my favourite. Leighton and H bought sandwiches in the shop which we didn’t have high hopes for but were actually excellent (I am told).
Ontario Parks manage this park and do a great job. Everywhere was well maintained and clean.
I’d highly recommend a visit if you are in the area and with more time you can stay in the park (hotel or RV) or even do an overnight camping trip - we saw loads of people embarking on a weekend trip via canoe.
The park pretty much filled our whole day so we had a quick visit to the Lion’s head lookout in Huntsville, a pop into Walmart and back to the cottage for dinner.
Day 8
We spent the first part of the morning at Bracebridge farmers market.
Bracebridge is pretty much the central town of Muskoka. It has a popular Saturday morning market of local craft and food vendors.
We spent about an hour exploring and Harriet bought some head bands and sampled some delicious samosas. They had a gluten free stall there so I stocked up on a few items. There is no shortage of gluten free cake in Muskoka!
In the afternoon we boarded the Lady Muskoka ll for boat trip up the Muskoka river.
It was a lovely peaceful trip looking at all the fancy houses on the water and waving at all the people swimming in the river.
We also passed Santa’s Village. A round-year Christmas themed park. It looks lots of fun but sadly H is a little too old for this now.
We also saw the Bracebridge falls which have been an important part of the town’s history providing energy (for mills) and now hydroelectric power.
After dinner back at the cottage we took a drive back to Rosseau Beach for sunset. Remarkably we were more or less the only people there. It was lovely and pretty and the perfect cool evening temp.
A fabulous way to end the day.
Day 9
The weather was a bit overcast today, but still a lovely temperature.
We are headed to a different provincial park today, Arrowhead. This is much smaller than Algonquin but great to explore for a few hours.
First port of call is always the visitor centre. And as well as being a source of great information, we also saw a groundhog! Apparently a family live very close by and are seen quite often.
We also visited a few view points including an overlook at a huge bend in the river which is very cool.
I also thought I saw a beaver in one of the lakes but could not get a proper clear view.
We headed back to the local town of Huntsville where we were here a few days ago. We had lunch at The Fox in the Hen house. A food truck serving chicken that can do almost everything coeliac friendly. It was nice to be able to enjoy fast food for once.
We had a little potter around the shops and the also had a farmers market here today - lots of the same stalls from Bracebridge. It’s so lovely to see how popular and well attended these markets are.
On the way back we stopped at Sandhill Nursery. This is a garden centre that has started to develop it’s self into a multi functional venue. It often has art installations or festivals, and there is food served plus often live music (as was there today).
This is our last evening at the cottage so we set up a fire at the fire pit and toasted marshmallows and had hot chocolate’s . Yum!
(We are driving to Niagara tomorrow so no update, as we’ll be in the car most of the day).
Day 10 and 11
We left our lovely home in Muskoka and drove to our next stop at Niagara on the Lake. This is different to Niagara falls which is about 30 mins away.
It was about a 4 hour drive but we made some stops to get food - my second visit at Around My Gluten Free Table (their GF granola is so good!).
We also stopped in the town of Gage to stretch our legs wandering around their park. It was lovely especially their indoor exotic plant house. Ive also never seen so many squirrels and here they are black!
We checked into our hotel the Best Western Colonel Butler. It’s a lovely comfortable and safe hotel, but more modest than other places we have stayed on this trip.
Accommodation in Niagara on the lake is generally really expensive so we decided to prioritise our spending elsewhere. I’m still really happy with this hotel though and would definitely recommend it especially as breakfast is also included.
We had dinner at Bricks and Barley, a local sports bar with great food. We ended up over ordering and had loads of left overs! Luckily we have a fridge at our hotel.
Before we went to back to the hotel we caught the tail end of the sunset looking over to Toronto. Super pretty.
After a good night sleep, we decided to explore the beautiful little town. Niagara on the Lake is often designated Canada’s prettiest town. I can see why. Its cute shops are adorable and there are flowers everywhere!
We spend several hours shopping and then had a sushi lunch. The Japanese restaurant was in sharp contrast to the style of the town but was also excellent. Good for gluten free and an incredibly reasonable lunch time offer.
After lunch we headed to the falls. Wow! It truly is a breathtaking sight. The sheer power of the water is very impressive.
It was busy here this afternoon - more so than expected for a Tuesday but didn’t spoil our enjoyment.
There are so many things you can do at Niagara. There are at least 10 different ways to see the falls including a zipline, boat trip, power station tour, helicopter ride and so on.
This afternoon we decided to do the Journey Behind the Falls. This tunnel system gets you right behind the water and then to a ledge right next to the flow of water.
Its a lot of fun, and pretty wet! We all enjoyed and would highly recommend. We’ll come back and do some other activities later in the week.
We went back to the hotel and ate our leftovers for dinner.
I planned a ghost tour of Niagara on the Lake for tonight. Unfortunately I was ill so couldn’t go but apparently the other two enjoyed and said they learned some interesting information about the history of the town.
Day 12
We spent the morning at Ford George on the other side of Niagara on the Lake.
The fort was the British headquarters during the 1812 war. Its located directly opposite Fort Niagara which is the American equivalent across the river.
We only intended to stay for half an hour but ended up longer as it was really interesting. We had a muscat demonstration and a presentation from the Fife and Drum corps. Both were really fun and informative.
We drove to nearby St Catherine’s for lunch. They have a fully gluten free taco restaurant here called The Mule. The food was excellent and honestly would not know its gluten free.
I even snuck in a dessert of churro waffles! Yum!
We spent a few hours this afternoon at the Outlet Mall. We wandered through the shops and picked up a few bits. Our next trip is Disneyland Paris at Halloween and quite a few of the shops had Disney-Halloween merch.
We also had our first visit to Bass Pro Shops. These stores are mental! Enormous and completely filled will all sorts of outdoor gear. And they even have a huge fish tank. You could spend hours here and this wasn’t even a large store.
In the evening we booked an escape room near Niagara Falls. The room was based on Hansel and Gretel and was really cleverly done. We escaped but with only a couple of minutes to spare.
Tomorrow is our last full day of the trip…
Day 13
We’ve reached our final full day and my final update of this Canadian Adventure.
We moved from Niagara on the Lake to Niagara Falls. There was some confusion over parking lots (about 15 of them that have very similar names). But $40 unnecessary spent later, and some driving around, and we got to where we needed to be.
We are staying at the Sheraton Fallsview. Its usually where I recommend my customers stay. It has great views of the falls and is close to lots of attractions and amenities.
It also has an outdoor and indoor pool. If you are interested it is also connected to a large indoor waterpark (an extra cost).
Check in was at 4pm but a room was ready at 12.30 so they let us check in. Our room is lovely - large and well appointed - and of course with a great view.
I think the higher floors have a bit better view of the horseshoe falls but at this point in the trip I’ll take this one over having to wait 3.5 hrs to check in.
One thing on our list to do was the falls boat trip. On the US side its called Maid of the Mist (blue ponchos) on the Canadian side its called Hornblower (red ponchos).
You see the boats go back and forth all day long. They are iconic!
Its a 20 minute experience which feels like 5. They views are incredible but once you get to the falls its less seeing and more feeling! You are completely immersed in the mist for a moment. It’s crazy you can get so close.
We were quite wet after so decided to take a final swim. The outdoor pool is fun with a bar and grill but was very busy. So we went to the indoor pool which we had to ourselves for most of the time. Both locations have great views.
The hotel is right on Clifton Hill. A “party street” I can only describe as a cross between Vegas and Blackpool, but all family friendly.
It’s full of attractions, activities and shops. You could easily spend a lot of money here!
After dinner at The Works (great burgers and safe for gluten free) we picked 2 activities. The first was the Sky Wheel which is an enclosed ferris wheel that gives great views of the falls and area.
I forget I don’t like these and had my eyes shut for a lot of it. But did manage to see some lovely views.
We also went to the Canadian Midway arcade (which H loves) and honestly might be the best we’ve ever done. They had a tonne of fun games and we bought £12 of tokens that lasted ages. These normally seem like a rip off but this felt fun and great value.
The final hurrah for our trip was the light show and fireworks over the falls. They happen every night.
We saw thousands of people walking down to the front to see them but we got the best view from our room in out PJs!
Thanks for reading this blog. If you are interested in doing a similar trip, the great news is that WestJet have starting releasing flights for Cardiff to Toronto for summer 2027.
If you are interested in a trip to Canada like this (or any other holiday) you can book a call in my diary for a chat, using the link below.