racheljan

I am planning a road trip from Quebec City to Niagara Falls this Summer for two weeks. We plan on going to Montreal first, then up to Quebec, then working our way back down hitting Ottawa, Toronto, and Niagara Falls. I keep seeing all these wonderful things to do and see in each city, but I have no idea how long to stay in each one! Any itinerary suggestions??? Thanks!

tomfuller

Where are you coming from? All of those cities can be reached on ViaRail. There is an Amtrak train that comes from New York City to Montreal.
The Amtrak Maple Leaf goes through Niagara Falls on its way from Toronto to New York.

racheljan

We are driving from Virginia

garyt22

If you are driving straight thru from Virginia, it's a long, full day to Montreal... Consider stopping part way a few hours before the Canadian border, perhaps near Saratoga, NY or Lake George... nice area...

You could then drive straight to Quebec City for two nights, then two nights in Montreal, back over to Ottawa for one night and half a day before heading to Toronto arriving after rush hour traffic...

Toronto is amazing during the Summer, so research the many events and festivals, concerts, shows, sports and cultural events during your visit... two or three nights is well worth it...

Niagara is more than just the Falls... the Niagara Wine region hosts nearly 200 wineries, romantic Niagara on the Lake, and the Falls itself... two nights minimum and even a separate night in the village of Niagara on the Lake is wise... make sure to experience Whirlpool Jetboats and a boat view of the Falls during your stay...

Cross back over at Niagara Falls USA and head back south, but consider routing yourself through the Finger Lakes on the way home...

Have fun...

tomfuller

Check with your auto insurance agent to get an insurance card that says you are covered in Canada.
Most people say the Canadian side of the falls is better than the US side.

eliztravels2

Yes, the Canadian side of the falls is much more scenic. However, if you want to take the boat that goes close to the falls, a very popular activity, that must be done from the American side.

You don’t say how many of you are coming. Via rail is great but will be more expensive the more there are of you. Public transit makes more sense in Toronto and Montreal due to traffic and parking headaches and costs.

What are your dates? July 1st is our 150th celebration and places will be crowded and accommodation probably hard to come by. August 4- 7 is a long weekend in Ontario (not sure about Quebec) and traffic between the major cities will likely be awful, especially Friday and all day Monday. Avoid those weekends if you can.

That a lot of driving for two weeks. so you might want to consider eliminating Ottawa or Quebec. Tough call though, both well worth seeing in different ways. .