Day 1: Ontario Trip
Location: Niagara Falls & Toronto
Once we crossed over the border of Michigan and Canada we headed straight east 3.5 hours to the border of Canada and New York to the city of Niagara Falls. If you ever plan on visiting Niagara Falls make sure to bring your passport and view them from the Canadian side. You have a straight on view of the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls, and the curve in the Horseshoe Falls is angled towards Canada too.
Located on the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, Niagara Falls is definitely a wonder. Walking down Niagara Parkway alongside the Falls is a great way to view the Falls if you don't want to take a boat tour. You get a great view of the three waterfalls, the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls, the entire way and plenty of photo opportunities. We even got misted up on the boardwalk area from a good distance away from the Falls. Once you reach the end of the paved boardwalk alongside the Falls you will be at the top of the Horseshoe Falls and can view the water gushing 188 feet down.
We opted not to take a boat tour, but did enjoy watching the tourists, get soaked and disappear in the mist of the falls, from above. After a while of viewing the falls and breaking for lunch, we decided to poke around Niagara Falls for a bit longer. We walked through Queen Victoria Park to Clifton Avenue. The street was full of arcades, museums, and fun activities. We'd been walking for a while so the Niagara SkyWheel was our ride of choice, which ended up giving us a good aerial view of the Falls.
We left Niagara Falls and headed to Toronto for dinner.
M's job was to pick the places to eat. I told him I wanted to go through Toronto and to pick a place there. He picked The Keg Steakhouse and Bar. What I didn't know was it was in an old mansion near Cabbagetown in Tornoto. It was striking, and only Keg Steakhouse in a mansion! The outside of the mansion was covered in ivy, which paired with the elegance and grandeur of the inside. Beautifully trimmed ceilings, columns, grand stairways and stained glass made it a truly unique dining experience.
The house was originally built in 1868 by Arthur McMaster, and became home to The Keg Steakhouse in 1976. The mansion is also said to be haunted, specifically in the women's bathroom and by the oval vestibule above the main staircase. M and I did not experience any paranormal activity while visiting but many guest and staff members have.
Our dinner was delicious. I had the Steak Teriyaki. The outside of the steak did not seem to be covered in teriyaki sauce, yet it taste was unmistakable. Once the steak was cut, I figured out the surprise lied inside. The teriyaki juice oozed out of the perfectly cut sirloin, and was quickly swallowed up by me. I cannot wait to visit Canada again to get some good, juicy teriyaki steak at The Keg.
