48 Hours of Fun on a Budget in Toronto

In this blog series I show you how easy it is to budget travel anywhere and I also give you a quick overview of a new city each time in a brief 48-hour itinerary.

Next year we’ve decided to vacation in Toronto. We’ve only ever been to B.C. in Canada, so this will be a new experience, plus an interesting destination that I doubt many people think about. We were going to make this a friends vacation, but they can’t make it, so we are going to go anyway and maybe do a second leg in NYC, because why not? So, if you’ve been thinking about heading North, here’s my plan for spending two days in the city of Toronto. (Obviously, I’ll be spending around a week there, but maybe you can drive up for the weekend, or need a starting point.)

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Day 1

{CityPASS now has the TorontoPASS which could save you up to 43% on 5 of the city’s most popular attractions.} Let’s assume you got in last night or early this morning, so you can hit the ground running. Start the day off with a healthy and unique breakfast at Cora’s. The meals can be large, so if you aren’t a huge breakfast person, you can easily split an entrée. Most range between $10-12. Look to spend around $20 for 2 if you split something and have coffee/juice.

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Make sure you’ve packed your camera today, because you’re going to head to CN Tower now and get a bird’s eye view of Toronto. It has two observation levels, one with a glass floor, at over 1,100 feet above the street. If you buy your tickets online, these will cost you $44 per adult, but it’s included in your CityPASS.

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Walk the few blocks to Union Station and take the train to the Royal Ontario Museum. This is where you’ll check out dinosaurs, artifacts from Egypt and Canada’s history. It’s Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history. In between your browsing of exhibits, head to the museum’s café for a bite for lunch. You can get all the usual easy foods like pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs, or you can get something more unique like chicken schwarma or veggie masala. Two people can eat for around $25. Admission for the museum is $17 per person, but this is also included in the CityPASS.

If you’ve purchased a CityPASS, I suggest heading back towards the CN Tower and visiting Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. It’s open late and is Canada’s largest indoor aquarium. There are dive shows each day, local marine life and so much more. This is great if you have kids, or just a lover of stuff in the water. If you didn’t purchase a CityPASS and this doesn’t sound appealing, head to the Distillery Historic District. It’s a no-car zone and the architecture is fantastic. You won’t find big box stores here, as they aren’t allowed, so you’ll be surrounded by pure Toronto. The District is free, but the aquarium is around $32 per person if you pay separately.

Save some bucks on dinner and hit up Nari Sushi to get some fish to go and enjoy it in your hotel room while you relax and prepare for tomorrow. You can pick up three 8-pc rolls for around $15.

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Day 2

Make sure your camera’s charged and you have a fresh memory card in it, or you have a backup battery for your phone, today you’re going to explore the fabulous Casa Loma. I’ll just tell you it’s a castle, because what? You can get there right when they open and head to the café for breakfast. They serve everything from muffins to waffles, so you can grab something light or fill up before walking the grounds and exploring hidden passages(!!!). Admission to Casa Loma is $25 per person and a meal in the café for two can run around $20. Casa Loma is included in your CityPASS.

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Head back to the city and go straight to St. Lawrence Market. Browse stalls of foods, plants, jewelry and more. There’s even an art gallery! Cobble together a lunch from finds at the market or grab something from a stall who offers made food for you. The market is free to wander. Plan to spend around $20 for lunch for two.

Walk over to the Harbourfront Centre where you can check out free shows and culture along Lake Ontario. You’ll find a wide range of foods here as well from a variety of local food vendors. Look to spend around $20 for two.

Head back to your hotel and pack to leave tomorrow. If you do everything on the list, you’ll spend around $292 CAD ($226US) – with the aquarium, it’s more like $276 US. If you purchase theCityPASS, you’re looking at $237 US.

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There are plenty of cool things to do in Toronto that aren’t on this itinerary. I also want to check out The Lockhart, a Harry Potter-themed bar, have tea at the Kitten and Bear and visit the magical Library at Osgood Hall. Oh, and check out The Danforth (or Greektown), because I’m a nerd and love the line in Barenaked Ladies’ Old Apartment. 

How To Eat More Healthfully When You Travel

One of my favorite things about traveling is eating and trying new foods. This isn't always a great plan, especially when you find that none of your pants fit at the end of your trip. I am not an exerciser, but when I am on vacation, I walk a lot and climb all the stairs. Of course, I also eat more than I do at home, because...yum. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I will plan whole days around where I want to eat. More than once I've gained some weight on my trip and had trouble getting into my clothing by the end. You want to throw the rules out the window, but you also want to try to eat healthfully, if it doesn't hold you back from eating all the stuff.

Eat smaller meals

If you're always hungry on vacation, maybe don't go crazy and order a huge meal when you've also been snacking along the way. Maybe order an appetizer when you sit down for lunch. Or put some healthy snacks (nuts, granola bars, fruit, veggies) in your day bag to munch on in between meals so you aren't stopping and getting a hot dog or other crap from a street vendor before heading to lunch or dinner.

Say no to the free bread (or chips and salsa)

I love carbs. And I love, love, love bread. It might be difficult to tell your server to not bring that delicious bread basket, especially when you feel like you're starving. Unfortunately, it's easy to eat the whole loaf of bread they bring you and then eat your entire meal before realizing that it was a bad idea and being overstuffed. If you don't have it, you can't eat it.

lobster sandwich with fries that we split, but we also had a stuffed mushrooms app

Split an entree with a friend

Eric and I do this a lot. Sometimes we're hungry, but not hungry enough to eat a whole meal, so we choose something that we both want on the menu and share. You are full, but not super full when you're done, so you don't want to lay down and take a nap or feel sluggish the rest of the day. If we can't decide if splitting something would be enough, we ask the server about the portion size. If they seem iffy about it, or we do, we also order an app. This is a good budget dining tip as well. 

Don't order everything on the menu, unless there's a lot more than 2 of you

Share some tapas

Instead of splitting a main meal, split 2 or 3 apps or small plates. This gives you a variety, so it satisfies your need to try more, but also doesn't give you enough food to stuff yourself before the meal is over. In fact, you may feel like you've gotten more than if you just ordered a regular entree, and you save money!

Don't forget your fruits/veggies

It's hard to get in your fruits and veggies every day when you're eating out all your meals. I always keep it in the back of my head to look for something that has sides that are good for me that I actually like. If nothing on the menu seems to fall into that category, ask your server if they have something that works. Or skip the fries and get a fruit cup instead. I always aim for at least a serving of fruits or veggies for two of my three meals. If you find you aren't getting enough, hit up the local grocery store or market and get some things you like and eat for breakfast or while you're out walking around.

Skip dessert

Am I a horrible person for suggesting this? I feel like it. If I see a funky dessert on a menu, I want to try it (this might also be a time when we plan to split and entree). I'm not saying to say no to all desserts, just many of them. Try not to have more than one per day and, when you do, make it count.

Scale back on the alcohol

Okay, some of you probably feel like this is as bad or worse than skipping dessert. I like a good cocktail as much as the next person, but those are extra calories that can add up quickly. It can also make me feel sleepy before it's even bedtime, and then my sleep is not great when I do go. If you must have a drink, limit it to one per meal. I figure an ice tea will end up being more refreshing, hydrating and affordable. Think of all the other stuff you can do with the money you aren't spending on alcohol!

Get a salad sometimes and go light on the dressing

Yeah, yeah. Blech. After having a bunch of rich or carb-loaded meals, I just crave something light and fresh. If you see a really yummy sounding salad on a menu, order it. It'll probably be healthier for you, gets your veggies in and gives your body a break from the heavier meals you've been putting into it.

Avoid fried foods

I'll never turn down fried chicken, but when on vacation I look to order fewer fried things (fries, chicken strips, fried pickles) and try to sub in something a little better for me. Maybe order the fish or grilled meat instead. Get a cup of soup or a side salad instead of onion rings. You'll feel better, your pants will still fit and you'll have more energy.

So, there you have it. There are a few ways to maintain your weight when traveling. If you want to do more, then walk as much as possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator or get a quick workout in. How do you eat more healthfully when you're on vacation?

Doing Summer Travel On a Budget

Summer is creeping up on us and before you know it, it’ll be sunny and the kids will be out of school and you’ll realize you haven’t starting planning a summer getaway yet. Don’t wait until the last minute, because that’s when you’ll pay the most. Airfare alone can jump as much as 40% during the summer months, so here are some tips to help keep you in the black this year and have an amazing time:

Shop for airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and look for flights that depart on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for the lowest fares. New fares are posted every Tuesday and Wednesday are the perfect time to get the best deals, and when you fly on less popular days, you can pay less and have a better chance of not getting bumped off your flight due to overbooking. One thing that'll make you happy is that this summer, flights will be the cheapest they’ve been in seven years. Of course, that doesn't mean you should slack and leave booking until later. You still need to get on that ASAP.

Go early. If your kids get out of school sooner the rest of the country, take advantage of your good fortune and vacation before the second week in June. Many schools have release dates in May, so if you can take time off before Memorial Day weekend, you can save a ton. The middle of June through the middle of August is going to be the most expensive time to travel almost anywhere, and the most crowded.

Go somewhere different. Your kids are always going to want to go to theme parks or the beach during the summer, but by changing up your destination, you can actually save a little or a lot of money. If they insist on going to the beach, look for lakeside resorts near where you live. Most still have a beach and everything that goes along with it, unless surfing is on the agenda. Other ideas are to visit cold-weather destinations or South America. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter during our summer, making it a less desirable place to vacation. Less desirable equals more affordable. South America is close, but there are so many different places to choose from that are amazing, tropical and super budget-friendly.

Drive. Airfare can become a costly burden if there are many of you traveling. If you can spare the extra travel time, take a good old fashioned road trip to get to your destination. Make sure to plan fun stops along the way, like to see the world’s biggest ball of yarn, ghost towns or museums. It makes the whole trip seem like an adventure if you don’t just drive straight through.

A pic from our boat tour of Portland

Plan a staycation. If everything just seems too far out of budget this time of year, opt to do things around your own town and take your vacation over holiday break. Prices will be lower, most destinations will be less crowded and you will be able to see and do more than in the summer. Need some ideas for your planning? See my staycation post and check out my staycation board on Pinterest.

Don’t forget your cash back! Help keep a little money in your pocket or stretch the dollars you have by using Ebates to book your flights, hotel rooms and rental cars. You can even get cash back for buying essentials like sunscreen and shorts! It's totally free to join and it's super easy. In fact, they give you a gift just for making your first purchase. How can you beat that?

Plan ahead. Start planning for a cheap summer trip next year by picking up my Secrets to Summer Savings ebook. I give you all my travel saving tips to make summer travel cheaper and packed with more fun.

Where will you be going for your Summer vacation?