Toronto + Ontario in 6 Days on a Budget
Six Days: Add Blue Mountain to the Muskoka Trip
Six days lets you push the Ontario side of this trip further north, adding a Blue Mountain/Georgian Bay day to the Niagara, Hamilton-and-Elora, Stratford, and Muskoka spine. This is a car-heavy week; three of the six days (Hamilton/Elora, Muskoka, and Blue Mountain) genuinely want a rental.
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 four days you’re catching a train or picking up a rental
| Day | Focus | Getting there | Approx cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto, downtown orientation | On foot / TTC | PRESTO $3.30/ride |
| 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 |
| 5 | Muskoka, Gravenhurst | Rental car | $12 cruise surcharge |
| 6 | Blue Mountain, Georgian Bay | Rental car | Free to walk the village |
Where to stay: downtown puts you closest to Union Station for the four days you’re catching a train or picking up a rental; the Fairmont Royal York or Hotel X Toronto both work. Queen West (The Drake Hotel, Gladstone House) if boutiques and nightlife on your one full city day matter more.
The basics: Canadian dollars, tip 15-20% at restaurants, pack layers regardless of season since a week here can swing from patio weather to a genuinely cold snap depending on the month.
Getting around: a PRESTO card for the downtown day; GO Transit, VIA Rail, and a rental car cover the rest. Consider renting for three consecutive days (Hamilton/Elora through Blue Mountain) rather than day-by-day if the math works out cheaper, which it usually does.
Day 1: Toronto
A full day downtown before the trips start; our Toronto city guide has the CN Tower, St. Lawrence Market, Kensington, and the rest of the in-city sights in full detail.
Day 2: Niagara Falls
1.5 to 2 hours each way by car, 2 to 2.5 by GO train (train-plus-WEGO bundle, about 34 CAD round trip). Budget 120 to 175 CAD per person for transport, attractions (book the boat tour ahead on GetYourGuide), and food. Add Niagara-on-the-Lake with a car.
Day 3: Hamilton’s waterfalls and Elora Gorge
Spencer Gorge Conservation Area in Dundas (about an hour out) for Tews Falls and Websters Falls, no trail connects them, so plan time for both. A reservation is required late September through early November (11 CAD per car, 5 CAD per passenger, plus a 10 CAD fee, no walk-ups). Then about 45 minutes on to Elora for the gorge and mill village; summer tubing runs 21.50 to 55.50 CAD plus gate admission.
Day 4: Stratford Festival
VIA Rail (2 hours 17 minutes, 19 to 80 CAD) or a direct bus (roughly 42 CAD round trip). Season runs April 21 to November 1, 2026, average ticket around 120 CAD, Pay-What-You-Can previews from 10 CAD.
Day 5: Muskoka
Gravenhurst, 170 to 190 km out (2 to 2.75 hours by car, no direct train). The RMS Segwun steamship out of the Muskoka Wharf covers the lakes without your own boat; cruises run one to two hours, plus a flat 12 CAD surcharge on every fare.
Day 6: Blue Mountain and Georgian Bay
About 160 km (2 hours) north to Blue Mountain Village, on the Niagara Escarpment at the foot of Ontario’s largest ski hill, right on Georgian Bay. In winter it’s skiing and snowboarding; the rest of the year it’s ziplines, a mountain coaster, hiking trails, and the Scandinave Spa’s thermal baths if you want a pricier, slower finish. Collingwood, 15 minutes away, is the better-value base for lunch if the village prices run high, which they generally do. No train serves this route; it’s the third and last car day of the week.
If you’ve got one more day: the 7-day itinerary closes the week with a choice between Algonquin Park and Prince Edward County.