Train Travel

VIA Rail connects Toronto with Niagara Falls and Stratford. GO Transit, Toronto's commuter rail, has summer weekend service to Niagara Falls. Ontario Northland's Northlander line travels between Toronto and Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, and other northern points.

Train Contacts

GO Transit (888/438-6646 or 416/869-3200. www.gotransit.com.)

Ontario Northland (800/461-8558. www.ontarionorthland.ca.)

VIA Rail (888/842-7245. www.viarail.ca.)

Planning Your Time in Ontario

Toronto is a great base to begin your explorations of Ontario.

One Day: In a long day you could see a matinee at the Shakespeare festival, hit a ski resort north of Toronto, visit a few Niagara Escarpment wineries, or—with some stamina—see Niagara Falls. All of these destinations require about four hours of driving time round-trip, not accounting for rush-hour traffic jams.

Two Days: A couple of days are sufficient to get a feel for Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Stratford, or a Muskoka town or two. Alternatively, head up to Collingwood for an overnight snowboarding or skiing trip.

Four Days: You can decide between an intensive outdoorsy trip in the Algonquin area hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, and exploring; or, a relaxing tour of Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-lake, with some time spent at spas and wineries, biking, and hitting culinary hot spots.

One Week: Combine Stratford and Niagara, or really delve into the Niagara region. (A week is probably too much for just Niagara Falls or just Niagara-on-the-Lake.) Alternatively, you could spend some serious time communing with nature in Algonquin Park and meandering through quaint Muskoka and Georgian Bay towns.