Need help on a summer trip
 

We have five weeks in Canada this summer, with 2 kids - 17 & 13. First 3 days in Montreal, then 2 weeks at mont tremblant. What should we do for the 2 weeks after that? We have a car, no other plans and are willing to travel . Should we head for Quebec City, Nova Scotia or the other way towards Ottawa ?

Are you flying into Canada and if yes, where do you depart?

Given the kids' ages, I would think Quebec City, Cabot Trail and then back to Montreal by way of Boston (I'm sounding like something of a broken record these days :) ). It's certainly doable driving-wise and you could include PEI if there's an interest there for you.

Ottawa's nice but I don't know that it'd warrant 2 weeks. What you could do is drive down one day, spend the next in Ottawa and then head over to Trenton and then meander back towards Kingston along the Loyalist Parkway, visiting Sandbanks Provincial park and taking the scenic route back to Montreal along the St. Lawrence by way of Highway #2. However, I'd see this taking up only a week of your two-week window. What about adding Toronto and Niagara Falls?

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Flying in and out of Montreal. Arrive 17th July and leave on 16th August.

There is lots to see and do in Quebec. To me, 3 days in Montreal and 2 weeks at Mt. Tremblant seems a little lopsided. You could easily spend 4 or 5 days in Montreal. With 2 weeks to explore, you could do both Ottawa and Quebec City, but if I were to choose one, it would be Quebec City. From Quebec City you could head up along the St. Laurence and explore Ile d'Orleans, Baie St. Paul, Ile Aux Caudres (great for bicycling) the Sanguenay Fjord, and the little resort town of Tadoussac.
This area of Canada is quite unique with it's French culture, beautiful counrtyside, world class biking trails, and whale watching.
have you been to the bonjourquebec.com website?

Utour many thanks. Zootsi, I haven't looked at bonjourquebec.com yet, but will do. Thanks. We have booked a rental house from a friend at Mont Tremblant, which is why we are doing 2 weeks there. We are rafting, walking etc. Its our last 2 weeks I'm trying to sort out. Really keen on Quebec and Nova Scotia route but my wife is keen on a train trip from Montreal to somewhere. What do you guys think?

OK, accepting Mont Tremblant for two weeks, as a given (plan a handful of day trips in various directions).


It is nearly 1000 miles from Mont Tremblant to Sydney, NS, so this shall be no small undertaking, if you go.

Two weeks is a reasonable amount of time, and I shudder to imagine your wife coming up with a <b>better alternative</b> toward which to travel by train, for the same window of time.

Your kids really are a good age - old enough to create their own fun, and take interest in just about everything and every spot you might find.

So whadda we have? - really <b>August 3rd</b> through the 16th then?? (that is significant - as it really isn't "two (full) weeks")

(I'd depart Mont Tremblant earlier than scheduled, if you could)

SO, Mont Tremblant to Quebec City... and I'd like that to be for two nights, but you might have to limit it to one, if you can't get the full two weeks.

Maybe QC to Rimouski, QC for the next night, and perhaps Miramichi, NB for the night after that. Night after that in Moncton, NB... so as to allow a trip down to <b>Hopewell Cape</b> <i>at <b>low tide</b></i>. See the Tidal Bore at Moncton, and then scurry off toward what I hope can be Baddeck, NS for <b>two</b> nights. Ideally on the middle day you go around the Cabot Trail and back to Baddeck for the night.

IF the weater is foggy on that middle day, then you do the Cabot Trail on the following day, while finding something to visit in/near Sydney on the middle day.

I'd probably take the main highway to Halifax from Baddeck, for what I hope can be two nights... wait, lets see where we are in terms of nights since leaving Mont Tremblant:


Quebec City
Quebec City
Rimouski
Miramichi
Moncton
Baddeck
Baddeck
Halifax
Halifax

(so now, picking it up again: )

I'm voting for Fredericton, NB (for the next night)... <i>and drive Halifax-Truro-<b>Parrsboro, NS</b>-Moncton-Fredericton</i>. I love that drive along the Fundy shore.

Maybe then another night in/near Quebec City, and finally back to Montreal by the night of the 14th.

<b>IF inclined to plot another day into my itinerary there</b>, I first suggest either adding a night in/near Bathurst or Miramichi, NB, and taking the leisurely path between them along the water between them, <b>OR</b> adding an extra night to allow a ferry ride across the St. Lawrence somewhere east of QC - letting you get your fill of the north shore of the river at some point. Other possibilities are an additional night in Halifax, OR even a night at someplace along the Fundy shore between, say, Digby, NS and Wolfville, NS (Annapolis Royal, NS???).

I have plenty of various, additional suggestions for the Maritimes if you just click on my name and read back a bit.

Hope this helps.

Northwestmale thank you loads for the lengthy reply - it is truly much appreciated. Sorry for the delay in replying but been out of contact with the outside world for last 2 weeks. Can't wait for the summer. Cheers.

Welcome to Canada! I'd stay on the main road (Trans Canada Highway)and turn South at Reviere de Loup to drive through New Brunswick in the Saint John River Valley. Beautiful views from the main road. Cut out Rimouski and Miramichi. Nova Scotia has lots to offer. Cape Breton Island - Cabot Trail, Alexander Graham Bell at Bedeck, Peggy's Cove, Annapolis Valley, Bay of Fundy and the world's highest tides. Don't sell yourself short on time as distances are longer than you think. I drive from Riviere de Loup to Truro, NS in 7-8 hours, only gas stops and you loose an hour on the clock.

I second the crowladys plan. I have traveled with teens and I like the route she has highlighted. I have been the route every which way you can name and crowlady hits the nail on the head for what would be my first choice.
The drive along the coast from Bathurst to Miramichi is tedious at best. I much prefer the drive down the St John River.

Hello,

You've probably already decided, but if you hadn't and your wife really wanted to do a train ride, you could take VIA Rail's the Ocean from Montreal to Halifax. Unfortunately, this is best done in "sleeper class", which is not inexpensive particularly if you do it both ways. The Ocean is in my opinion a great experience with the dome cars offering great views of la Baie des Chaleurs and the Bedford Basin entering Halifax. There are activity coordinators and generally quite good meals focusing on Maritime Canadian produce.

Best wishes, Daniel