What is the best VFR route to CYKZ (ButtonVille) when approaching from the southeast? I'm planning my first real life cross country trip from KFRG to CYKZ. But I'm very confused by the Toronto airspace. My main question is around how to approach ButtonVille airport from the south (say from Buffalo). 


Option 1: Buffalo - Hamilton - hug the coast and drop from 3500ft to below 1700ft - ask CYTZ tower to transition thru to CYKZ airspace.
Option 2: Buffalo - Hamilton - Burlington Exec ( CZBA ) - Brampton Caledon ( CNC3 ) - ButtonVille ( CYKZ )
Option 3: I have flown from KFRG (Long Island) to N51 ( Solberg, New Jersey). This was done with my CFI who contacted New York Approach, told them where we were going and then the controllers ( we got handed off to several different controllers ) guided us over JFK and on to Solberg. Is this even an option? I don't see an option to contact Toronto Approach on the sectional. 
Option 4: Just for the sake of completeness, there is the option to fly over the water, direct. But this is not recommended in single engine planes for safety reasons.


Can someone who has flown VFR to this airport before advise on this?
I fly out of CYTZ and know the area fairly well. A few things to keep in mind. If you'd like to transition through CYTZ airspace to Buttonville, you'll find controllers there pretty accommodating. Getting in touch with Toronto Terminal is not a problem, you're not asking to cut through Pearson, but you'll be sticking along the shoreline so I wouldn't worry too much. 

I would recommend against flying at 1700 feet. That's awfully low. Here's what I would recommend.

Get a VTA sectional for Toronto. This will have much greater detail for the area as well as recommended VFR routes. 

Hug the coastline at 2500'. Contact Toronto Approach at 133.4 before entering the zone. Ask for clearance through the zone to Buttonville via the shoreline and city centre. Follow the coast line until you're about 10 miles outside of City Centre (YTZ). There Approach will transition you to Tower if you're at 2500 or below. They will clear you to Buttonville by staying east of the DVP/404. That's the major highway cutting N/S through downtown, east of the airport. Once you're clear of City Centre, you'll get passed over to Buttonville for your landing. As long as you follow DVP/404, you'll find the airport easily. I believe there's a landing fee as well.