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-   -   Travel itenarary question (https://www.fodors.com/community/canada/travel-itenarary-question-1016665/)

Koosmien Jun 9th, 2014 11:48 AM

Travel itenarary question
 
My family and I are travelling to Canada in September for 19 days. We made the following itenarary:
- Toronto: 5 days including niagara falls and flight time from Europe
- Midland/ Georgian Bay: 2 days
- Algonquin park: 2 days
- Ottawa: 2 days
- Mont Tremblant: 2 days
- Quebec city: 2 days
- Montreal: 4 days including return flight to Amsterdam

could someone help me with the following questions:
1. Does this itenarary make sense or is it too much in a limited amount of time?
2. Quebec City is a bit out of the way from the rest of the trip. is it really worth it or could it be missed?
3. is there any suggegtion where to go on this route (nature) which I did not mention?

Your help is much appreciated!

Kind regards,
Mark

NorthwestMale Jun 9th, 2014 05:36 PM

So much of what you're asking varies with the individual. At least you were thoughtful enough to suggest from where you are traveling.

Were it me, or many others from America, a grand amount of the appeal to Quebec would be the seeming/relative <I><b>foreignness</b></i> of the place.

Those from Europe can sometimes get that several times over with a medium day's drive.

To us, in North America, <i>Quebec</i> lets you immerse yourself more fully in the French Canadian culture, where Montreal, for it being so relatively popular, makes it easier for English-speakers to make their way as they do in most any other North American city.

*** in neither place is a mono-lingual English-speaker likely to put him/herself in serious trouble for not knowing French.

With all that said, <b>IF I</b> were going to the province of Quebec next week, I would look forward to the drive along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec (City).

So you just have to determine your own priorities that way.

garyt22 Jun 9th, 2014 06:10 PM

I think your trip is well planned with a good split in each area... 2 days in Quebec City is plenty along with your other stops...

For Niagara Falls, I would add an overnight to allow you to cover the main attractions... put that in at day 2 or three after getting your bearings after the flights...

snowgirls Jun 10th, 2014 04:59 AM

4 days in September in North Ontario( Midland, Algonquin) is about 3 days too much wilderness, cold and trees for me. How old are the kids? Will they want to sit for hours in a car with not much around? If not, I agree with Northwestmale, focus the trip ( after Toronto and NF) along the ST Lawrence route.

laverendrye Jun 10th, 2014 01:56 PM

<<4 days in September in North Ontario( Midland, Algonquin) is about 3 days too much wilderness, cold and trees for me.>>

Well it may be too much wilderness, cold and trees for you, but September in those areas is a delightful time--not cold at all, and the fall colours are astonishing. As Europeans this is just the part of Ontario that I imagine Mark and his family would want to see.

And this is not really Northern Ontario at all.

Regarding Québec City, I think it is worth a couple of days, but with the time available, I would take the AutoRoute there (either 40 on the North Shore or 20 on the South). They are boring, but fast. The old highway along the North Shore (le Chemin du Roy) is very pretty, but time-consuming. Best spend the time in Montréal and Québec City themselves.

NorthwestMale Jun 10th, 2014 05:34 PM

(added thought about the last post)

laverendrye isn't lying... the AutoRoute <b>IS</b> fast, and direct... <I>but it is worth noting that the main highway and the scenic, old highway are SO near, and so seemingly parallel, that one can <b>easily</b> give one a whirl, and then switch to the other one quite conveniently if time becomes a concern</i>.

I'm not religious at all, but I was in awe of how so many of those little towns along the river had the most elaborate churches.

snowgirls Jun 11th, 2014 01:05 PM

"the fall colours are astonishing" which is why they should spend time @ Mt Tremblant and the resort area there- fantastic views, real mountains and tons of hotels at all price points to choose from in the region. .http://www.ownerdirect.com/blog/top-...north-america/

Umm. sorry. Midland / Georgian /Algonquin didn't make the cut

carina_huberabbott Jun 14th, 2014 08:51 AM

Your plans seem reasonable. I would spend a night in Niagara Falls. In Sept. it will not be that cold for you to enjoy Midland/Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is a nice town with a 3 hour boat tour that might be enjoyable. Gravenhurst also has a boat tour (not sure about how long the tour is though). I have not been to Quebec City but have heard many great things about it. Ottawa is also a great city to visit, you might want to consider adding it as you are relatively close.


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