Is there a more scenic drive than 401 on the trip from Toronto to Montreal? We have the whole day to drive. I'm thinking of stopping at Upper Canada Village maybe.

You can follow RR 2 along the shoreline pretty much all the way (starting just east of Toronto). It adds a good bit of time, but it's a really nice drive with farmland and shoreline interspersed along the way.

You need at least half a day to visit Upper Canada Village, so you will have to choose between travelling on 401 so that you will have time enough for it, or taking a scenic route.

If you do want to take a scenic route, leave 401 at Port Hope and continue along Hwy 2 to Trenton. Then take 33 through Prince Edward County, crossing on the ferry at Glenora and continue to Kingston. From Kingston return to Hwy 2 and continue as far as time will permit before getting back on 401. This will be a very long day, as you will no doubt wish to stop at many of the towns along the way.

My recommendation would be to take two days, breaking your trip at Kingston, and then visiting Upper Canada Village on the second day.

I used to commute by car between Toronto and MOntral and boredom forced me off the road a lot. Laverendrye covered most of the things that distracted me.

Not on my list, and I never visited: Fort Henrty isn Kingston and the Prison Museum in Kingston.

Plus, east of Kingston on highway 401 there are signs for the Thousand Islands Parkway. Take this route; it goes beside the river, is beautiful, and only adds perhaps ten minutes to the trip, curving back to highway 401 after you've enjoyed the scenery for a while.

Pretty much all the small towns just off highway 401 have a Tim Hortons between the town and the highway, for clean washrooms, good soup, decent coffee.

BAK

Thanks so much! That was exactly what I was looking for. My husband didn't sound too excited about Upper Canada Village (we have been to Williamsburg and St. Augustine types before) so we'll probably save it for when my son is older and we go again. For now though I think we'll stick to your recommendations on the scenic routes. Maybe we'll hit the Fort for lunch. Thanks again!

If you will be in Kingston for lunch, try Panchetta-best 'take-out' in town, really imaginative sandwiches, great baked goods.

If time allows, consider taking a 2 hour cruise from Gananoque, just east of Kingston. It is well worth the time.