Need help with a roadtrip itinerary for 2 girls/ladies

Myxdvz · Jul 21, 2014

Hi, A girlfriend and I are planning to do a Canadian roadtrip in October. We have about 7-10 days to spare. I am in the early stages of planning.

Day 1: We leave Chicago, drive to Canada via Michigan
Day 2: Stay somehere in Toronto
Day 3: Drive to Montreal, stay at Club GeoPremiere at Auberge du Lac Morency for 3 nights. From that base, explore Montreal, Quebec ?

Day 7: Drive to Niagara Falls, stay overnight
Day 8: Cross the border in Buffalo, drive back to Chicago, via Ohio...

Do you have recommendations for must see places in our route?
We just like to chill, maybe do some spa, photograph some sites.

Should we stay a night in Quebec given it's a 3-4 hour drive from Montreal vs a day trip?

stmartinfan · Jul 21, 2014

I have only done the driving leg from Montreal to Quebec, so can't comment on whether your general itnerary works, but I would build in at least 2 days for Quebec. I enjoyed Montreal, but would spend more time in Quebec, unless you were planning for the spa time, etc., during that part of the trip. there's defintely more to see and do in Quebec than you could cover in a day with driving over from Montreal.

Myxdvz · Jul 21, 2014

stmartinfan said:
I have only done the driving leg from Montreal to Quebec, so can't comment on whether your general itnerary works, but I would build in at least 2 days for Quebec. I enjoyed Montreal, but would spend more time in Quebec, unless you were planning for the spa time, etc., during that part of the trip. there's defintely more to see and do in Quebec than you could cover in a day with driving over from Montreal.

thanks stmartinfan! will 2 days/1 night work? drive in the morning, arrive Quebec around noon. Spend the rest of the day in Quebec, spend the night, spend day 2 in quebec but start heading out in the afternoon?

Sandy VDH · Jul 21, 2014

You could also considering driving back to Niagara via New York State instead of coming back into Toronto and the loop around Hamilton and then back East to get to Niagara. Update NY might be a shorter return drive through the finger lakes and the rust belt.

If you come via NY you can still come over to Niagara to see the falls from the Canadian side, but driving there via Toronto is out of the way.

It really depends on what you want to see and when you are coming. There are lots of little places to stop along the way. You could drive Trans Canada 1, more historic, but slower, instead of the 401, but that take longer if you are in a hurry to get to Montreal. The is the whole Great Lakes and beaches (like Sandbanks Provincial Park) St Lawrence Seaway and 1000 island area. There is Cottage country Kawartha Lakes. There is Menonnite areas St Jacob, Elora. If you like plays there are lots of shows in Stratford (Shakespear) or St Catherines (Shaw), and well as Toronto (lots and lots). Around Niagara they is a big wine region.

What are you interested in?

http://www.ontariotravel.net/TCISSegmentsWeb/main.portal?language=EN
http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/accueil0.html

Myxdvz · Jul 21, 2014

Sandy VDH said:
You could also considering driving back to Niagara via New York State instead of coming back into Toronto and the loop around Hamilton and then back East to get to Niagara. Update NY might be a shorter return drive through the finger lakes and the rust belt.

If you come via NY you can still come over to Niagara to see the falls from the Canadian side, but driving there via Toronto is out of the way.

It really depends on what you want to see and when you are coming. There are lots of little places to stop along the way. You could drive Trans Canada 1, more historic, but slower, instead of the 401, but that take longer if you are in a hurry to get to Montreal. The is the whole Great Lakes and beaches (like Sandbanks Provincial Park) St Lawrence Seaway and 1000 island area. There is Cottage country Kawartha Lakes. There is Menonnite areas St Jacob, Elora. If you like plays there are lots of shows in Stratford (Shakespear) or St Catherines (Shaw), and well as Toronto (lots and lots). Around Niagara they is a big wine region.

What are you interested in?

http://www.ontariotravel.net/TCISSegmentsWeb/main.portal?language=EN
http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/accueil0.html

We're travelling the first week of October. Currently, the plan is to leave either 10/3 or 10/4.

I like to photograph pretty places, quaint towns and tourist attractions. My friend just wants to relax, do a spa, drink wine

Plays would be great, I like driving along scenic routes as well. We're NOT foodies

Did you mean drive down from Quebec, and then west to Niagara? I'll try to route that. GoogleMaps seem to recommend the Toronto route.

Sandy VDH · Jul 22, 2014

Yes, then west to Niagara. Problem with Toronto is you have to time it based on rush hour and day of the week you are traveling. Toronto during rush hours is to be avoided at all costs.

October should be nice for fall foliage, but way too cold for beach/lake weather.

There is a lot of country to see and choose from.

I would say the following are worth doing on the way to Montreal

Niagara area, Niagara on the lake (likely good B&Bs here), Wineries, Escarpment Drive and views.

Somewhere either along Grand River, Elora Gorge, St Jacobs, with a stop in Kitchener for Octoberfest. Or somewhere closer to Kawarathas and cottage country with all the lakes, St Anne's Farm House Spa in Gafton.

You will be coming through Canada near Thanksgiving. In Canada that is Monday Oct 13th. So that long weekend over thanksgiving is going to be busier than normal for traffic and hotels and travel. Just a heads up.

Myxdvz · Jul 22, 2014

Sandy VDH said:
Yes, then west to Niagara. Problem with Toronto is you have to time it based on rush hour and day of the week you are traveling. Toronto during rush hours is to be avoided at all costs.

October should be nice for fall foliage, but way too cold for beach/lake weather.

There is a lot of country to see and choose from.

I would say the following are worth doing on the way to Montreal

Niagara area, Niagara on the lake (likely good B&Bs here), Wineries, Escarpment Drive and views.

Somewhere either along Grand River, Elora Gorge, St Jacobs, with a stop in Kitchener for Octoberfest. Or somewhere closer to Kawarathas and cottage country with all the lakes, St Anne's Farm House Spa in Gafton.

You will be coming through Canada near Thanksgiving. In Canada that is Monday Oct 13th. So that long weekend over thanksgiving is going to be busier than normal for traffic and hotels and travel. Just a heads up.

That's right, we have that as Holiday as well, Columbus day. We should be back in the US around Friday/Saturday that time (or in Niagara Falls). We're back at work on Tuesday.

Thanks a lot, I will try and map your suggestion. Definitely no beach. I saw some whale watching in the links you provided. Is that year long in Canada?

Sandy VDH · Jul 22, 2014

I think the beluga are in the Gulf of St Lawrence all year, however the whale watching season is limited to May to Oct. Not sure I would want to be out whale watching later than that. (weather, temperature, ice).

Not sure what other whales you might see. Montreal is too far up river, you have to be down past Quebec City, where the River starts to meet the Atlantic.

Myxdvz · Oct 2, 2014

Just circling back on this thread since I got lots of help

We ended up ditching the drive, and going with a cruise instead. We are flying into Montreal tomorrow, and cruising from Montreal to Quebec, Prince Edward island, Nova Scotia, Maine and then Boston.

We have about 2 days in Montreal before embarkation.

So excited. Have been looking forward to this me time for a while...

Tacoma · Oct 4, 2014

Hope you get great fall foliage. Fall is the only time of the year I miss the east.

Joan

Myxdvz · Oct 14, 2014

Tacoma said:
Hope you get great fall foliage. Fall is the only time of the year I miss the east.

Joan

Hi Joan, we did see GREAT fall foliage. Specially in I'le d'Orleans, Prince Edward Island and inside Acadia National Park (Maine).

We loved Quebec City, PEI and Peggy's Cove (Nova Scotia). You have a very beautiful country up there, Canucks

I was really suprised at the weather. I thought it would have been much much colder but it was for the most part perfect.

Need help with a roadtrip itinerary for 2 girls/ladies

Myxdvz

stmartinfan

Myxdvz

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite

Myxdvz

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite

Myxdvz

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite

Myxdvz

Tacoma

TUG Review Crew

Myxdvz