If you want to go to Boston, go to Boston. Your original itinerary is just fine. Montreal-Boston is only about a 5.5 hour drive, through beautiful VT and NH, and while Boston-Quebec is slightly longer, it's also quite scenic through the White Mountains in NH.

Don't let people discourage you. It's a more than acceptable itinerary, as the rest of the driving days are relatively short.

Too bad with one way rental cars, Tina. Lets us know what decission you made and many of us will be more than happy to help you out with your trip to Maine on New hampshire or Boston or Canada.

Montreal-Boston is only about a 5.5 hour drive.
Detroit-Ottawa is only 7.5 hours drive

Rkkwan, nobody here tried to discouraged Tina. Tina's concerns is an expensive car rental from Boston airport with drop off in Ottawa.

Tina, would you consider a round trip? Fly to Boston, stay in Boston. Rent a car and drive to Maine, stay there for a couple days, then drive to Quebec for a couple days. From there drive for a couple days to Montreal. Then from Montreal drive through Vermont, stay overnight or two in Burlington and finally return to Boston. Leave Ottawa for another trip. Maybe you could take a long weekend off sometime and just drive from Detroit to Ottawa. You could stay overnight somewhere between Detroit and Ottawa.

This is what we have decided. We will fly to Boston from Detroit. Stay 4 nights in Boston.

Then rent a car and drive to Quebec. We still might fly from Boston to Quebec, it is $125. one way. The rental car is (86.00). Then stay in Quebec for 3 nights.

From Quebec take the VIA rail and take the trail to Montreal. Stay 3 nights there.

From Montreal, take the tran to Ottawa for 2 or 3 nights, then fly out of Ottawa.

The air fare from DTW to BOS; Ottawa to Detroit is $340.00 round trip.

Our tentative itinerary is to stay at the Hyatt in Boston
Hilton Bonaventura in Montreal
Westin in Ottawa
Quebec is still not decided. The Chateau Frontnec is too expensive.

This new itinerary will save us $300 as we do not need to rent a car and will utilize the train.

Tina, you got a great itinerary. There are many more places to stay in Quebec than Chateau Frontenec. Are you still traveling with your 1 year old baby?

Yes, we are still taking our 1 year old son. I think that this will be a good trip with him.

Now, seeing that you're from Detroit, I have to agree with Pat2003 that you may want to just do Ottawa on a different trip.

Since you're already spending the money to fly to Boston, why not tour Maine as you seem to have wanted in the first place? And I don't know about you, but if I were bringing a one-year old, I'd like to just make it all a car-trip, instead of doing all the plane and train stuff. Taking a plane or train means taxi ride from hotel to airport or train station, the ride itself, and another taxi. Is that really fun with an one-year old?

Seriously, I'd really want to reconsider. Fly to Boston. Drive Boston-Maine-Quebec-Montreal-Boston. Fly back home. You have 9 nights left after your 4 nights in Boston. That's enough to make it a relatively easy trip by car, if you cancel out Ottawa.

Don't forget that with 1 year old and a plane, rental car and train you still going have to bring your car seat. Think about taking this on a plane, then train.

Read Rkkwan's great sugestions. With your rental car you will have more options, more possibilities to relax and more freedom for your baby. The best option would be a round trip as rkkwan sugested.

I did remember the car seat....I am still not sure what now...

I do not want to overthink this...however, I want to do the best thing for everyone.

I realize that traveling now will not be like it was with just my DH and I, however, I want to be logical but allow enough flexibility in our schedule to accommodate our then 1 year old.