First-time fam to Canada: Ontario

Toronto

• Enjoyed a city tour of Toronto, strolling around its lively Distillery Historic District, which is filled with street art, cafes and music venues.
• At Ontario’s number-one attraction, Little Canada, seven regions are rendered in miniature. Agents loved the museum so much they never left, leaving tiny 3D-printed figurines of themselves to be placed in Little Canada as a lasting memento of the trip.
• Soaked in city views from 351m above the ground in the revolving restaurant at the CN Tower.
• Hopped aboard a Via Rail train from Toronto to Kingston, enjoying access to a private lounge and views over the Canadian countryside from the train’s comfortable business-class carriage.

Kingston

• Jumped aboard the historic Kingston Trolley tram to soak up local maritime history at the Great Lakes Museum and SS Keewatin.
• Watched military demonstrations and experienced living history at Fort Henry, Ontario’s first Unesco World Heritage Site.
• Learnt about the rich past of Kingston Penitentiary and tales of notorious escapes by its inmates.
• Had Kingston’s eerie past and ghostly tales brought to life on a haunted walking tour.
• Discovered the 1000 Islands region with Rockport Cruises, then saw them from above on a flight with 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours.
• Continued their Canadian adventure, departing Kingston with Via Rail bound for the country’s capital, Ottawa.

 

Agents’ views: before and after

Lily Jones, Travel By Hannah

 

PRE-TRIP: “I’ve sold Canada a lot and clients always return raving about the scenery and people, so I had high expectations. I heard whispers of farm-to-table dining, fresh Atlantic seafood and wine, which I was keen to investigate.”

 

POST-TRIP: “Niagara Falls was my favourite experience. In Toronto, I loved how lively and multicultural it felt. Every corner had a different vibe, and the food was amazing. I was impressed at how different each city felt from the next, even though we didn’t travel huge distances. I’d tell clients to pack comfy shoes and leave a bit of flexibility in their plans – there are so many little surprises and side trips worth squeezing in!”

 

Adele Croft, Colchester Travel

 

PRE-TRIP: “I was looking forward to visiting Niagara Falls. I’ve mainly booked escorted tours to the Rockies for older couples, so I assumed Canada as a destination was best suited to older clientele.”

 

POST-TRIP: “My favourite area in Toronto was the Distillery District. It was trendy and great for experiencing live music with small, independently owned bars, shops and restaurants. I was surprised how friendly the Canadian people were and how reasonably priced it was. I’ll be encouraging clients to enhance their itinerary by booking helicopter trips, food tours and using the Via Rail service as an alternative to internal flights.”

 

Mya Fairweather, Oyster Travel 

 

PRE-TRIP: “Due to Canada’s size and each province’s differences, there’s a lot I didn’t know about the destination. I felt Canada was a country for everybody, with its diverse landscapes, contemporary cities, wildlife, culture and adventure.”

 

POST-TRIP: “Being able to see Niagara Falls by cruise, zipline, helicopter and the behind-thescenes illumination tour was incredible. It was an exciting way to get ideas for city breaks. Another standout moment for me was the helicopter tour over 1000 Islands; ticking off one of the Great Lakes of Canada was a special moment. I was right about how inclusive the country is – it truly does offer something for everyone.”

 

Christopher Sheldon, Triangle Travel 

 

PRE-TRIP: “I’ve sold popular options such as Rocky Mountaineer and self-drive holidays to Canada, but sometimes I’m unsure what there is in the cities. I’m really looking forward to the scenery and excited to try poutine for the first time.”

 

POST-TRIP: “I absolutely loved Little Canada, looking at all the little figurines and the detail in each region was outstanding. Two tips from me are: reserve the dining experience at CN Tower as it includes the observation deck, but you get to skip the queues. And don’t pre-book flights between airports as Via Rail is so easy to use and the business-class seats are definitely worth the little extra cost.”

 

Watch videos of the agents’ adventures by following @travelweeklyuk on Instagram and checking out the Canada highlights.

Plus, see Travel Weekly’s November 6th issue to read about the first-timers’ fam trip to Quebec.

 

Become a Canada expert: canadaspecialist.co.uk