The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare and three nights' accommodations, from $719 per person—plus taxes of about $45.
When: Through Apr. 30, 2008.
Gateways Chicago; add $40 from Miami; $80 from Atlanta, Boston, and New York City; $120 from L.A.
The fine print: Hotel taxes are $15, and airport tax and surcharges are $30 per person. Breakfast is not included. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $219. Extra nights are $69 per person per night. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: Maxxim Vacations, 800/567-6666, maxximvacations.com.
Why it's a deal: According to a recent search on Kayak, round-trip airfare between Toronto and Chicago is relatively low for winter departure dates, starting from $282 in late December (American) and $235 from mid-January through early February (Northwest). But the package becomes a better value in spring when Toronto starts to warm up, and airfare rates jump to $428-$434 in early to late April (United/Continental). For an additional $291, or about $97 per night, Maxxim Vacations also covers a three-night hotel stay. Also, if the Canadian dollar continues to gain on the U.S. dollar, the package (with its fixed price in dollars) may become an better value compared with booking a hotel room (priced in Canadian dollars) independently.
Trip details: The City Stays Toronto package includes round-trip airfare on a United Airlines/Air Canada carrier and three nights' accommodations at the Delta Chelsea, a huge hotel with more than 1,500 rooms, three restaurants, pools—including one on the top floor with panoramic city views—and a family-fun zone that has a heated indoor waterslide.
Delta Chelsea's location is tough to beat; it's in Downtown West, home to major attractions such as the CN Tower, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Rogers Centre, and the Harbourfront.
While in Toronto, you may also want to sample local delicacies from over 60 gourmet food vendors at the St. Lawrence Market in the heart of Old Town Toronto or treat yourself to a shopping spree at the Eaton Centre, a multilevel shopping mall modeled after the Galleria in Milan, Italy.
For more tips on what to do in the area, visit the official Web site of the city of Toronto. You can find the latest exchange rate and the local time at BudgetTravel.com.
Not surprisingly, Toronto winters are cold with temperatures just below freezing and an average snowfall of about four inches. Before you go, check the weather forecast at BudgetTravel.com.
Maxxim, which specializes in travel to Canada, also offers a two-night version of this package from $679 per person, as well as a package with airfare, three nights at the Delta Chelsea hotel, and orchestra-level theater tickets to "Dirty Dancing" from $819.