Roadtrip: DC to Niagara Falls to Quebec City
Jul 7th, 2004, 11:04 PM
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Roadtrip: DC to Niagara Falls to Quebec City
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(posted on US forum as well)
Hello -
A friend (from Australia)is coming over to visit me in Washington DC in late August. He wants to see Niagara Falls and I want to see Quebec City, so we are planning a roadtrip. Unfortunately we only have 7-8 days due to my/his schedule, so we are trying to plan an itinerary that will let us see both of these places within our time frame. We would like to drive through Lancaster County (2 hrs from DC) then up to Niagara Falls (6 hrs more?) the first day, stay there a day, then continue on up to Quebec City (maybe stopping at Montreal or somewhere for the night to break the trip up and see some sites). After 2-3 days in QC we then want to drive back to DC a different route (maybe 2-3 days through New England?). Anyway, any ideas on how to structure this or sites to see along the way? I have never done a roadtrip through this part of the country (and Canada) before so I would greatly appreciate any suggestions ...
Thanks a lot.
(posted on US forum as well)
Hello -
A friend (from Australia)is coming over to visit me in Washington DC in late August. He wants to see Niagara Falls and I want to see Quebec City, so we are planning a roadtrip. Unfortunately we only have 7-8 days due to my/his schedule, so we are trying to plan an itinerary that will let us see both of these places within our time frame. We would like to drive through Lancaster County (2 hrs from DC) then up to Niagara Falls (6 hrs more?) the first day, stay there a day, then continue on up to Quebec City (maybe stopping at Montreal or somewhere for the night to break the trip up and see some sites). After 2-3 days in QC we then want to drive back to DC a different route (maybe 2-3 days through New England?). Anyway, any ideas on how to structure this or sites to see along the way? I have never done a roadtrip through this part of the country (and Canada) before so I would greatly appreciate any suggestions ...
Thanks a lot.
Jul 8th, 2004, 09:47 AM
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A suggestion re Niagara Falls. Spend some time seeing the falls but then hop in the car and drive the Niagara Parkway (which follows the Niagara River) to Niagara-on-the-lake. It is a very scenic drive, you can stop and picnic along the way for lunch, and then spend the afternoon in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It is a small historic town, lots of shops and eating spots, and very nice to walk around. If you want to see a play the Shaw Festival will be happening then as well or there are many wineries that can be visited. Once you get away from the falls itself Niagara Falls becomes very touristy - wax museums, etc. - if you are into that then great but if not, travel a little down the road. Niagara-on-the-Lake has many B & B's for accomodation that are supposed to be very nice as well. I'm sorry I don't know the web address but the Shaw Festival does have a website and I believe links for info on N-O-T-L. It can be quite busy in summer so if you think you might want to spend the night there you should probably look into it fairly soon. Good luck with your planning and enjoy the trip.
Jul 8th, 2004, 12:58 PM
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Calana1: I live in Lancaster County and used to live just south of Buffalo, so I have driven that route many times.
Given that you've 8 days "there and back," I'm unsure why you want to detour through Lancaster County, though I presume it's to show your friend some pretty "Amish Country." If you've been to our neck of the woods, you know the county is quite large and the Amish are congregated in the east and the south part of the county. Here are a couple of suggestions for a quick drive-by:
1. Using US 30 as a focal point, get onto it once you're in the county and drive East and exit onto Greenfield Road/Route 340. Go east about 5 miles and you'll be in farm country. Intercourse is approximately 10 miles or so, a major Amish hub (and your friend might be amused).
2. Or, drive a few more miles East on US 30 and exit at Rt 896 at the Rockvale Outlets. About 5 miles up the road is Strasburg, another central point with Amish farms surrounding it.
Caveat: The backroads of the county tend to be confusing, and it's quite easy to get disoriented -one farm looks like another, as do the cornfields. So, unless you're careful, you might end up losing valuable time trying to find your way back to a major road.
Once you've seen enough, go back to US 30 and drive West to Route 283, which takes you north to Harrisburg. There you'll want to take US 11/15 north, which pretty much travels along the Susquehanna River for many miles. Keep on 11/15 to the New York border at Painted Post, near Corning. (Be sure to fill your tank on the PA side of the border since NY gas taxes are much higher than PA).
Once in New York, take I-390 towards Buffalo. The drive is quite pretty and you can drive pretty fast. You'll intersect with I-90 which you'll take East to Buffalo/ Niagara Falls area. A look at your map will show a couple of places far up I-390 where you can cut a corner to intersect with I-90 and save an hour or so. Generally, it takes me about 6 hours to get to the sought side of Buffalo; figure another 45 minutes or so to the NF area.
My suggestion is to cross the border and stay in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side since the Canadian side is prettier. Cross either at the Lewiston Bridge or Whirlpool bridge crossings and then follow the signs to NF. The Rainbow Bridge crossing at the Falls is usually well backed up by tourists and you'll sit in traffic far longer than at Lewiston or Whirlpool.
I'll leave you a this point to find your way to QC. However, once you are set to return, I recommend crossing back into the US at the Thousand Islands crossing near Kingston. Then shoot interstates all the way back to DC. Have fun and a safe trip.
Given that you've 8 days "there and back," I'm unsure why you want to detour through Lancaster County, though I presume it's to show your friend some pretty "Amish Country." If you've been to our neck of the woods, you know the county is quite large and the Amish are congregated in the east and the south part of the county. Here are a couple of suggestions for a quick drive-by:
1. Using US 30 as a focal point, get onto it once you're in the county and drive East and exit onto Greenfield Road/Route 340. Go east about 5 miles and you'll be in farm country. Intercourse is approximately 10 miles or so, a major Amish hub (and your friend might be amused).
2. Or, drive a few more miles East on US 30 and exit at Rt 896 at the Rockvale Outlets. About 5 miles up the road is Strasburg, another central point with Amish farms surrounding it.
Caveat: The backroads of the county tend to be confusing, and it's quite easy to get disoriented -one farm looks like another, as do the cornfields. So, unless you're careful, you might end up losing valuable time trying to find your way back to a major road.
Once you've seen enough, go back to US 30 and drive West to Route 283, which takes you north to Harrisburg. There you'll want to take US 11/15 north, which pretty much travels along the Susquehanna River for many miles. Keep on 11/15 to the New York border at Painted Post, near Corning. (Be sure to fill your tank on the PA side of the border since NY gas taxes are much higher than PA).
Once in New York, take I-390 towards Buffalo. The drive is quite pretty and you can drive pretty fast. You'll intersect with I-90 which you'll take East to Buffalo/ Niagara Falls area. A look at your map will show a couple of places far up I-390 where you can cut a corner to intersect with I-90 and save an hour or so. Generally, it takes me about 6 hours to get to the sought side of Buffalo; figure another 45 minutes or so to the NF area.
My suggestion is to cross the border and stay in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side since the Canadian side is prettier. Cross either at the Lewiston Bridge or Whirlpool bridge crossings and then follow the signs to NF. The Rainbow Bridge crossing at the Falls is usually well backed up by tourists and you'll sit in traffic far longer than at Lewiston or Whirlpool.
I'll leave you a this point to find your way to QC. However, once you are set to return, I recommend crossing back into the US at the Thousand Islands crossing near Kingston. Then shoot interstates all the way back to DC. Have fun and a safe trip.
Jul 8th, 2004, 01:07 PM
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I'm thinking as I type.
Lancaster county is around the city of Lancaster, PA, I assume.
Can you leave Washington in the evening on a day we don't count, so you wake up in Lancaster?
Then your plan for DAY ONE is Lancaster, then drive north (it's quite a long way) and spend NIGHT 1 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Look at the falls that night, and again in the morning.
DAY TWO; follow Glenda's advice and take the Niagara Parkway to Niagara on the Lake, visit the historic fort, wander around town, perhaps visit a winery or two or three, and maybe take in a Shaw Festival play.
WE DON'T KNIOW YOUR BUDGET...
Anyway, from Niagra on the Lake, head toward Toronto. If you are staying late in Niagara on the Lake for a Shaw play, and if budget is tight, stay in a hotel/motel in Oakville or Burlington, but if you leave Niagara on the Lake around six pm or earlier, come to downtown Toronto for NIGHT TWO. Go find a sidwalk cafe, have a late dinner, have a drink, etc.
Spend DAY THREE in Toronto until mid-afternoon, and then drive to Montreal, about 6-7 hours. You''ll arrive in downtown Montreal in time to enjoy a drink at a club. NIGHT THREE IN MONTREAL.
Spend most of DAY FOUR in Montreal, and leave in the late afternoon for Quebec City. Again, you'll arrive there in time for a good dinner and a drink in a club. NIGHT FOUR in Quebec City.
To me, a full day in Quebec City is all I'll ever need, but history buffs like to stay longer.
NIGHT FIVE (A) in Quebec City, unless, like me, you'd be happy to be out of there by noon.
After this, you've got lots of driving.
Leave Quebec Cithy and head south toward maine. NIGHT FIVE (B) involves driving late into the evening and finding a motel somewhere in southern Queebc, near the Naine border.
DAY SIX is a drive through the Maine woods, boring, and then getting to the Maine coast -- wonderful and, I believe, a complete contrast to most Australian coast. Turn right at the water, and head south. I'd try to find time for at least an hour or two in Boothbay Harbor and Portland, and Portland would be a good place to stay on NIGHT SIX.
DAY SEVEN is multiple miles south, skirting Boston, to New York City. It's a long drive and you're not going to have time to visit a lot of interesting places.
NIGHT SEVEN -- get yourself a hotel in the heart of Manhatten, since this is the only time there.
DAY EIGHT -- Drive back to Washington.
THOUGHTS --this is an awful lot of driving, especially on the return trip.
If it was me, I'd skip Quebec City. Go to Lancaster, Niagara Falls, and Montreal, then turn south and work your way to just north of Boston, along the coast, and then down through Boston and New York.
There's exceptionally interesting old parts of Montreal, the city has a great French character, and the extra time spent going to Quebec City could be better spent making the return trip at a slower pace.
BAK
Lancaster county is around the city of Lancaster, PA, I assume.
Can you leave Washington in the evening on a day we don't count, so you wake up in Lancaster?
Then your plan for DAY ONE is Lancaster, then drive north (it's quite a long way) and spend NIGHT 1 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Look at the falls that night, and again in the morning.
DAY TWO; follow Glenda's advice and take the Niagara Parkway to Niagara on the Lake, visit the historic fort, wander around town, perhaps visit a winery or two or three, and maybe take in a Shaw Festival play.
WE DON'T KNIOW YOUR BUDGET...
Anyway, from Niagra on the Lake, head toward Toronto. If you are staying late in Niagara on the Lake for a Shaw play, and if budget is tight, stay in a hotel/motel in Oakville or Burlington, but if you leave Niagara on the Lake around six pm or earlier, come to downtown Toronto for NIGHT TWO. Go find a sidwalk cafe, have a late dinner, have a drink, etc.
Spend DAY THREE in Toronto until mid-afternoon, and then drive to Montreal, about 6-7 hours. You''ll arrive in downtown Montreal in time to enjoy a drink at a club. NIGHT THREE IN MONTREAL.
Spend most of DAY FOUR in Montreal, and leave in the late afternoon for Quebec City. Again, you'll arrive there in time for a good dinner and a drink in a club. NIGHT FOUR in Quebec City.
To me, a full day in Quebec City is all I'll ever need, but history buffs like to stay longer.
NIGHT FIVE (A) in Quebec City, unless, like me, you'd be happy to be out of there by noon.
After this, you've got lots of driving.
Leave Quebec Cithy and head south toward maine. NIGHT FIVE (B) involves driving late into the evening and finding a motel somewhere in southern Queebc, near the Naine border.
DAY SIX is a drive through the Maine woods, boring, and then getting to the Maine coast -- wonderful and, I believe, a complete contrast to most Australian coast. Turn right at the water, and head south. I'd try to find time for at least an hour or two in Boothbay Harbor and Portland, and Portland would be a good place to stay on NIGHT SIX.
DAY SEVEN is multiple miles south, skirting Boston, to New York City. It's a long drive and you're not going to have time to visit a lot of interesting places.
NIGHT SEVEN -- get yourself a hotel in the heart of Manhatten, since this is the only time there.
DAY EIGHT -- Drive back to Washington.
THOUGHTS --this is an awful lot of driving, especially on the return trip.
If it was me, I'd skip Quebec City. Go to Lancaster, Niagara Falls, and Montreal, then turn south and work your way to just north of Boston, along the coast, and then down through Boston and New York.
There's exceptionally interesting old parts of Montreal, the city has a great French character, and the extra time spent going to Quebec City could be better spent making the return trip at a slower pace.
BAK
Jul 9th, 2004, 10:29 AM
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Oops! I made on small error in directions. If you decide to drive to Intercourse, you'll exit off US 30 onto Route 340 at Old Philadelphia Pike, one exit east of Greenfield Road. Historically, this is the first highway built in the US, I think around the time Ben Franklin was postmaster in Philly.
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