Parrothead

We are doing my favorite type of vacation--a long road trip. Right now the plan is to fly from California to Buffalo using United miles, pick up a car and head east across Canada to Nova Scotia, then return west to Buffalo through Maine, Vermont and New York. Nothing is booked yet, depending upon United saver fares, but ideally we will go this year around Sept. 10 and return around Oct. 15. We like to spend a mix between city life and quaint hamlets, outdoors and museums, light hiking, good food and roadside joints--we're into getting to see as much local life as we can. I realize we may not hit the perfect leaf peeping season in New England but I am more concerned about finding rooms in Vermont than anything else at this point. I don't much care for B&Bs so that may help us out. Before I can look for rooms I have to lay down an itinerary so please offer me any tips on my basic route. I will ask plenty of questions later on side trips, must sees and and don't miss attractions. Your help is always appreciated. My general route, 1st attempt:

# DAYS ROUTE
3 Buffalo - Niagara - Toronto
4 Toronto - Montreal
4 Montreal - Quebec City
5 Quebec City - PEI
5 PEI - Nova Scotia
6 Maine
6 Vermont
3 New York (Cooperstown, Ithica, return to Buffalo)

Two problems I need extra help with:
1-We want to go to 1000 Islands, how much time to allow? and how should itinerary change to accommodate that
2-We are at 36 days and want to shave that down to 35.

Thanks.

garyt22

You could easily lose a day each in PEI, Maine and Vermont and head from Vermont to the Thousand Islands, then south to Cooperstown, Ithaca, and then a day or two in the Finger Lakes before heading back to Buffalo... your schedule is a perfect time to visit the Northeast and it's a 95% chance of fall colors enroute.... have fun planning

tomfuller

Take your 1000 Island boat tour from Kingston Ontario before you head for PEI. http://1000islandscruises.on.ca/
Make sure your rental car is allowed into Canada and you have your insurance covered with your agent.
If there is any problem with renting the car in Buffalo, you can take a train to Toronto and rent in Toronto. You can't bring a Canadian rental car into the US however.
Do you all have current passports?

NorthwestMale

Good lord! Five weeks... ???


That sounds like heaven for a fairly finite wish list.

Not only that, but with a reasonable 1300 miles-ish from Buffalo to, say, Sydney, NS... you don't have to cover mad distances in a day.

My first instinct is that it just plain isn't fair to give "Maine" SIX DAYS while affording just 5 days to BOTH Nova Scotia AND PEI combined!!!

... and SIX DAYS in Vermont... well, wait, you do say it's going to be in the fall... so OK on that.

I've been to all of those places save for the first two cities in New York State.

MY VIBE on your days/nights is as follows.

Buffalo - 1 1/2 days - unless you get a better invitation
Niagara - 1 or 2 days
Toronto - 3 days
Montreal - 3 days
QC - 3 days
PEI - 48 hours
Moncton, NB area - 1 1/2 days (Hopewell Cape, for sure)
Cape Breton - (Northern NS) 3 days (incl. needed rest by then)

Halifax area - 3 days?

(time out: print the TIDE TABLES for the whole window of your possible Nova Scotia/New Brunswick time, at this link: http://www.lau.chs-shc.gc.ca/cgi-bin...gion=5&zone=30

Print it for perhaps 3 spots: Hopewell Cape for sure, maybe Cape Blomidon, and maybe Truro... you can print 7 days worth at a time ) The TIDES are amazing there, and you can walk way out on the ocean floor! (google "Hopewell Cape" or "Flower Pot Rocks" for pictures)

Southern NS (via Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis Royal) - 2 days (you have time!)

Night in Fredericton, NB - in transit

Maine - 4 days (assuming you have something in mind to fill them)

Vermont - 4 days?? You'll be driving around, and 'excitement' will happen when an actual leaf falls off of a tree.

New York towns - 3 days, as mentioned



I'm at "33 days" I think... and I'd actually save the last two for as long as you can, in case something goes awry.

If inspired to do so, 'spend' at least one of those extra days adding the Gaspe Peninsula (eastern Quebec) to your journey.

mat54

For my tastes and interests, with all there is to see and do in your plans, I probably would schedule no more than 1 full day for the 1000 Islands, so maybe 2 overnights to accommodate this. The cruise out of Kingston was recommended however while Kingston is a pleasant little city to overnight in, cruises out of Gananoque, Rockport and other communities actually on the St. Lawrence River (short drive from Kingston) reach the islands faster.

Otherwise I'm a big advocate of Nova Scotia, I recommend and describe it frequently. The Cabot Trail scenic route, especially the portion through Cape Breton Highlands National Park is one of North America's most spectacular drives. Lots of light hiking and outdoors activities including whale-watching. Halifax is a vibrant small-to-medium city with a great Harbour district and can be used as a base to daytrip down the "Lighthouse Route" southeast for visiting quaint and historic hamlets and towns (especially Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg and Mahone Bay). Or take a couple of extra days and explore this route more thoroughly for charm and ocean vistas.

You'll want to see the famous Fundy Tides and some of most dramatic views are in New Brunswick at Fundy National Park/Alma and at Hopewell Rocks. An overnight (at least) will allow you to contrast the dramatic difference between high and low tide.

mat54

Small correction: "Lighthouse Route" is southwest of Halifax, not southeast.