Toronto + Ontario in 4 Days on a Budget
Four Days: Niagara, Hamilton and Elora, Then a Theatre Day
Four days is enough to add a third Ontario destination without any single day feeling rushed, and Stratford earns its slot here precisely because it doesn’t need a car; a train or direct bus handles the whole trip.
Book these before you go:
- A Spencer Gorge (Hamilton) reservation, mandatory late Sept-early Nov with no walk-ups
- Stratford Festival tickets, Pay-What-You-Can previews go first and the schedule fills early
- Your Toronto hotel (check rates on Booking.com) for the two mornings you’re catching an early train
| Day | Focus | Getting there | Approx cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, St. Lawrence Market | On foot / TTC | $10-12 lunch |
| 2 | Niagara Falls, full day | GO train + WEGO bus | ~$34 round trip |
| 3 | Hamilton’s waterfalls, Elora Gorge | Rental car | $21.50-55.50 tubing |
| 4 | Stratford Festival | VIA Rail or direct bus | $19-80, bus ~$42 |
Where to stay: the Fairmont Royal York or The Omni King Edward for central location and minimal transit time on the two mornings you’re catching an early train. Queen West or Kensington Market have cheaper options (The Drake Hotel, Hotel X Toronto) if budget matters more than being steps from Union Station.
Getting around: a PRESTO card covers day one downtown; days 2 through 4 run on GO Transit, VIA Rail, and (for day 3’s Elora leg) a rental car, since Elora has no realistic public transit connection from Toronto.
Day 1: Arrival, St. Lawrence Market
Settle in, then head to St. Lawrence Market for lunch (the peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery runs 10-12 CAD and is worth the short line, though skip this plan if you land on a Monday, the South Market building is closed). Spend the afternoon getting oriented downtown; our Toronto city guide covers the Distillery District, the CN Tower, and the rest of the in-city sights if a few fit around this trip’s edges. Early night, since day 2 starts with a train.
Day 2: Niagara Falls
Budget 1.5 to 2 hours each way by car, or 2 to 2.5 hours by GO train (the train-plus-WEGO bundle runs about 34 CAD round trip for 24 hours). A realistic day, transport, an attraction pass (book the boat tour ahead on GetYourGuide), and food, lands around 120 to 175 CAD per person. With a car, add Niagara-on-the-Lake’s wine country about 30 minutes past the falls; without one, keep the day focused on the falls themselves.
Day 3: Hamilton’s waterfalls and Elora Gorge
A rental car earns its cost on this one. Morning at Spencer Gorge Conservation Area in Dundas for Tews Falls and Websters Falls (about an hour from Toronto); note the two falls don’t connect by trail, and from late September through early November the gorge requires an advance online reservation, 11 CAD per car, 5 CAD per passenger, plus a 10 CAD booking fee, with no walk-ups allowed in that window. From there, about 45 minutes on to Elora for the gorge and its mill-town village; summer tubing (late June through early September) runs 21.50 to 55.50 CAD depending on equipment, plus a separate gate admission, while the trails and village are worth the stop regardless of season.
Day 4: Stratford Festival
VIA Rail runs one train daily from Union Station (about 2 hours 17 minutes, 19 to 80 CAD depending on how far ahead you book), or a direct bus service covers the same route for roughly 42 CAD round trip. The 2026 season runs April 21 through November 1, twelve productions, average ticket around 120 CAD with Pay-What-You-Can previews as low as 10 CAD if the schedule lines up. Catch a matinee, have dinner in town, and take an evening train or bus back; there’s no need for a car on this leg of the trip at all.
If you’ve got more time: the 5-day itinerary adds a Muskoka day to this exact plan.