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Coastal road in Canada

How to plan the ultimate road trip adventure in Canada

Whether along polar highways, coastal roads or through the rainforest, taking a road trip in Canada is to encounter some of the world’s most spectacular natural sights 

Canada is one of the rare places on Earth where wide, well-maintained roads carve their way through remote, uncompromised wilderness. Behind the wheel of a car, you can skirt the icy feet of glaciers, wind through forests populated by foraging megafauna, climb Rocky Mountain slopes and explore storm-sculpted coastlines, where ocean waves are plied by migrating cetaceans. Adventurous travellers can even explore the all-season Dempster Highway, which runs from boreal wilderness north through the Arctic Circle and on to the stark polar coastline.

It’s for this reason that road trips are not to be rushed in Canada, a country that’s home to the second-longest national highway in the world. Scenic A-to-B drives are a thrill in themselves, but the joy of making it this far into the wilds is allowing plenty of time to get out and explore. After all, across provinces and territories like British Columbia and the Yukon, there are near-endless opportunities for mountain hiking, wild swimming in remote lakes, white-water paddling in a dugout canoe or back-country cycling under endless skies. In Nova Scotia, meanwhile, lighthouses lead drivers to coastal villages, where roadside inns serve seafood chowders to ancient recipes and words are still spoken in French Acadian and Scottish dialects. To get where your car or feet won’t reach, fly-and-drive opportunities abound. In British Columbia, seaplanes fly low above Pacific temperate rainforests and rugged coastlines, gently setting down on lakes for a spot of bear-watching. Over in the Yukon, small excursion planes access stellar sights like Kluane National Park, which has the world’s largest non-polar ice fields.  

Motorhomes and RVs are another popular travel choice, allowing your accommodation to come right along with you where it may otherwise be scant — and the country’s regions and territories have plenty of campgrounds that supply vehicles with power and water. There’s a lot to be said for camping in Canada, be it with a motorhome, the pre-set tents and cabins often available for rent in national parks, or a simple sleeping bag, as long as you follow local guidelines about wildlife and safety. You can expect evenings entirely devoid of light pollution, lit with a dazzling canopy of stars and — season and northerly latitude depending — a never-setting sun or heavenly displays from the Northern Lights.  

View of Dawson City's greenery and rivers

Itinerary 1: British Columbia

Start: Vancouver Finish: Tofino Distance: 410 miles Time: 7 to 10 days

The great outdoors? Make that the greatest. British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada, has all the ingredients to set any wilderness-lover’s pulse racing, from driftwood-strewn beaches to vast forests of evergreen giants, under whose canopies you’ll experience the hush and reverence of a cathedral. It’s here that some of planet Earth’s most charismatic creatures roam: galumphing grizzlies, skittish black bears, cougars and even elusive coastal wolves, which pick their way between glacier-fed inlets to feast on the Pacific’s larder.  

To get into the thick of it you must first pass through Vancouver, the province’s largest city — and surely a contender for the most scenic on the planet, above which floatplanes circle like honeybees over a hive. Amid the totem poles and skyscrapers in and around Stanley Park is one of Canada’s most exciting food scenes, known for innovative fine dining and hyper-local dishes. You can budget a week to take in the city and west coast of Vancouver Island, but it’s worth tacking on a few days to add one of the country’s most scenic routes to the itinerary: the aptly named Sea to Sky Highway, which winds up to the mountain resort of Whistler. After a ferry hop across the Strait of Georgia, island life awaits, with the soaring cedars of Cathedral Grove, windswept beaches and boardwalked trails of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and pretty Tofino, the laid-back surfer town few ever want to leave.

Large totem poles in the park

Six highlights in British Columbia

1. Vancouver Vancouver sits in all its glassy glory between peaks and sea, with the old-growth forests of Stanley Park at its heart. Search for its nine Indigenous totem poles, then the choice is yours: seek out the new constellation of Michelin stars or slip south in search of spicy wontons on the Richmond Dumpling Trail.

2. Whistler The Sea to Sky Highway climbs up from Vancouver with rock walls on one side, the Pacific on the other and nothing ahead but sky. Make for Whistler, home to North America’s biggest ski resort and a hiking hotspot, and visit the Whistler Train Wreck, which has turned the site of a rail accident into a graffiti venue. Time your trip back into town with dusk for the best chance of spotting black bears.

3.   Nanaimo   The rest of the trip is on Vancouver Island, which can be reached via a 30-mile ferry crossing from the mainland to the town of Nanaimo. Stick around to try a classic Canadian treat, the Nanaimo bar (coconut crumbs, custard icing and chocolate ganache). It was invented here, and there’s even a trail to tick off all varieties in town.

4. Cathedral Grove   En route to the coast, the highway runs through MacMillan Provincial Park. Fringing both sides of the road is one of the world’s few easily accessible stands of old-growth temperate rainforest, where you can stroll along fern-lined trails between mammoth trunks and branches draped with lichen.

5. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Head on and through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, a protected swathe of evergreens protruding on rocky fingers into the Pacific. Wander by Long Beach, best known for surfing and storm-watching, or head into the forest tracing the pawprints of coastal wolves.  

6. Tofino A town of First Nations art galleries and surf shacks at what feels like the edge of the world, Tofino is as chilled as it is picturesque. End the journey at Long Beach Lodge Resort, where cottages peek out from spruce trees a few steps from the coast. longbeachlodgeresort.com

The Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver at dusk

Itinerary 2: Yukon

Start: Whitehorse Finish: Latitude 66° 33’ Arctic Circle Distance: 605 miles Time: 7 to 10 days

There’s nowhere like the Yukon for feeling like a pioneer-era explorer. Reaching above the Arctic Circle and dotted with gold rush towns, glacier-topped mountains and highways through boreal wilderness, this northerly territory is over three times the size of England, populated with far more creatures of fur and fin than people.  

Start in Whitehorse, the local capital city and travel hub, where the great Alaska and Klondike Highways meet. Then, it’s on to Dawson City, rich in gold rush history, and up the Dempster Highway — Canada’s only all-season public access road to the Arctic Circle — before tracing your route back to the start. Even allowing seven to 10 days for this itinerary, drives between major stops can take up to six hours, so plan ahead to access garages, shops and service suppliers in the larger towns and cities. On the plus side, there will be plenty of spectacular places to stretch your legs. The looped hiking trails at Five Finger Rapids between Whitehorse and Dawson, for example, take in mountaintop panoramas with the chance to kayak and canoe.  

And if all that’s not enough, Haines Junction, just under two hours west of Whitehorse, is a great addition to either end of this itinerary. Here, short flightseeing trips take you over the world’s largest non-polar ice fields: the glaciers of Kluane National Park.

A caribou standing in the snow

Five highlights in the Yukon

1. Whitehorse   The 1890s encampment on the Yukon River’s White Horse Rapids has grown into the Yukon’s lively capital. Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters has artisan brews and bike hire, perfect for freewheeling the Waterfront Trail spanning the city. Next, explore the SS Klondike , a 19th-century boat-cum-museum revealing the scale of the region’s gold rush, and enjoy the wild game menu at Klondike Rib & Salmon, which is housed in the city’s oldest operating building. Nearby, Yukon Wildlife Preserve , Emerald Lake, Miles Canyon and Takhini Hot Springs offer further action and adventure.

2. Dawson City   Make sure you have a full tank of petrol: it’s around a six-hour drive to the next stop. You can top up on food an hour in at Braeburn Lodge , famed for its delicious, dinner-plate-sized cinnamon buns. Your destination, the atmospheric frontier town of Dawson City, has welcomed both dignitaries and the desperate over the centuries, including pioneer-era author Jack London, whose wood cabin is now a museum . Take in this national historic site’s old theatres, clapboard houses and saloon bars on a walking tour. A must-see is the Sourdough Saloon, located in The Downtown hotel, which serves the infamous Sourtoe Cocktail (a strong alcohol of your choice, with a preserved human toe in it). Just beyond town, the Klondike fields are where Canada’s gold rush began in 1896. Try gold-panning at Discovery Claim National Historic Site and get a view of it all from Midnight Dome lookout; during the colder months, the panorama is often lit by the Aurora Borealis.

3. Dempster Highway   Wind your way along the Dempster Highway through remote tundra towards the dramatic wilderness of Tombstone Territorial Park, about an hour north of the Dempster Corner turnoff. Named for its craggy granite peak, the park is populated by wind-carved mountains and scenic viewpoints like North Fork Pass and Two Moose Lake. Numerous trails crisscross this ‘Patagonia of the North’.

4. Eagle Plains   The road winds along the Ogilvie River Valley then climbs to the Eagle Plains plateau for spectacular views of the region. This is more or less halfway along the Dempster Highway, before it heads into the Northwest Territories. Eagle Plains Hotel , the only one for many miles, is a hub for travellers to exchange tales from the road and refuel (try the double-decker Arctic burger). The town also has an RV park and campground.

5. Latitude 66° 33’ Arctic Circle   You’ve reached the end of your journey — and what an end it is. Just an hour’s drive north of Eagle Plains is latitude 66˚ 33’N, better known as the Arctic Circle, marked by a roadside sign. Despite its icy connotations, it can surprise visitors: in midsummer, the sun circles the sky but never sets; in autumn (August to September), the Richardson Mountains are ablaze with fiery colours. For those keen to complete the route, it’s six hours or more to the town of Inuvik, with the Arctic Ocean a further three hours’ drive away.  

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Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Canada Road Trip: A One Month Suggested Itinerary

People canoeing on the bright, clear waters of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Spanning 9,306km (5,780 miles) and six time zones, Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It’s home to rugged coastlines, vast prairies, dense boreal forests, towering mountain ranges, and upwards of two million lakes.

But what makes Canada special is its people. It’s a place that embraces its diversity and that encourages people to be friendly, caring, and polite.

Due to its large size, though, traveling across Canada can be a little challenging. Domestic flights are prohibitively expensive due to low competition and, outside of the eastern part, trains don’t go many places.

That means if you really want to see Canada, you need to drive.

To help you explore this amazing country, Chris Oldfield, our Canadian team member , helped create this suggested itinerary for a one-month road trip. It’s packed, since you’ve got a lot of ground to cover. However, it’s also not too rushed (though you can easily extend this out to six or eight weeks as well).

(Note: Canada is huge, and there are many routes and itineraries you can take. This one is by no means comprehensive but instead meant to give you a good overview and introduction to the main cities and sights.)  

Days 1-3: Vancouver, BC

The towering skyline of Vancouver, Canada overlooking the ocean

It’s also the third-largest city in Canada, so there’s plenty to see and do while you’re here. There’s an amazing foodie scene here too.

Here are a few suggestions to help you start your trip off right:

  • Visit Granville Island – Granville Island is a shopping district in the middle of the city. It’s also a hub for foodies. Explore the public market, grab a beer at Granville Island Brewing Company, and wander the cool shops. There are also galleries, some performing arts venues, and all kinds of events and festivals held here too!
  • Enjoy the view from Grouse Mountain – Ride the gondola to the top, where you can enjoy the view over the metropolis and mountains. There are lots of trails for hiking in the summer and sections for skiing and snowboarding in the winter. You can also hike to the top (which takes 1.5–2 hours) and then take the gondola down for just $15 CAD.
  • Relax in Stanley Park – Located in the heart of the city, this enormous park (a 400-hectare natural rain forest) is a perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown. Its waterfront path right on the Pacific is a nice place to go for a stroll, swim, or bike ride. There are also sports fields here and over 20km of trails.
  • Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge – This 450-foot long suspension bridge stands 230 feet high and offers views of the surrounding forests and trails. I don’t love heights, but it’s worth it for the view! Tickets are $54 CAD.

For more suggestions, here’s a detailed list of things to see and do in Vancouver .

Where to Stay

  • Cambie Hostel Gastown – Located in the historic Gastown district, this hostel has comfortable beds, a small common room for hanging out, and access to The Cambie, the hostel’s bar.
  • HI Vancouver Downtown – Tucked into a quieter part of town, HI Vancouver Downtown is in a good location for exploring the popular Granville and Davie Streets, which offer plenty of cafés, bars, clubs, restaurants, and shopping.
  • Samesun Vancouver – With cozy pod beds, clean bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and free breakfast (including eggs and hot cereal), this is my favorite hostel in the city.

Here is my complete hostel list with even more suggestions!  

Day 4-5: Whistler, BC

A calm lake with a small floating dock near Whistler, BC, Canada

In the summer, there are tons of outdoor activities to enjoy such as hiking, swimming, cycling, zip-lining, and bear watching. There’s also a 4.4km peak-to-peak gondola where you can enjoy the stunning mountain vistas that envelop the region.

Where to Stay Airbnb and Booking.com will be your best choices here. Book in advance, as they get booked fast!  

Days 6-8: Banff National Park, AB

The vivid waters of Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta

Banff is home to two of Canada’s most picturesque (and most Instagrammed) locations: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. They are incredibly popular sights, so get there early to beat the crowds.

Beyond snapping some Insta-worthy shots, there is plenty of hiking to enjoy in the surrounding mountains. It’s a beautiful place to relax in a rustic lodge or cabin or go camping (you can rent camping gear if you don’t have any).

Be sure to spend some time in the town of Banff as well. It’s a touristy resort town but it’s also super quaint and charming.

Where to Stay Airbnb will be your best option if you’re on a budget. If you feel like splurging on a luxury resort or lodge, use Booking.com .

For camping, you can use this government website to book a site in the park.

Note : If you have more than a month for your trip, consider a stop in Jasper National Park before heading to Banff. It’s an extra nine-hour drive from Whistler but the natural beauty here is jaw-dropping (seriously, google “Jasper National Park” — it’s stunning!).  

Days 9-10: Calgary, AB

The towering skyline of Calgary, Alberta during sunset

Here are a few things to see and do during your visit:

  • Attend the Calgary Stampede – The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo. Expect chuckwagon races, bull riding, concerts, carnival rides, and endless fair food (deep-fried butter, anyone?). Tickets start at $18 CAD.
  • Visit Fish Creek Provincial Park – Fish Creek sits along the Bow River and is perfect for walking, cycling, and rollerblading. In the summer, people come here to fish, swim, and barbecue. It’s a fun, relaxing place to get some exercise and enjoy the weather.
  • Go brewery-hopping – Calgary has a huge number of brewpubs and small craft breweries. Citizen Brewing Company, Cold Garden Beverage Company, and Big Rock are some of my favorites. You can take brewery tours for around $25 CAD or do a brewery tour for around $90 CAD.
  • Take in the view from Calgary Tower – Built in 1967, the Calgary Tower commemorates Canada’s Centennial. From the top, it offers an uninterrupted view of the Rocky Mountains. The observation deck has a glass floor that adds an extra thrill to your visit (if you like heights, that is). Tickets are $18 CAD.

For more suggestions, check out my comprehensive free guide to Calgary!

  • HI Calgary City Centre – This is the best hostel in the city. It’s newly renovated, has a full-equipped kitchen, includes towels, and the beds are comfy.

If the hostel is booked, use Airbnb . Be sure to book in advance if you’ll be here for the Stampede.  

Days 11-12: Regina, SK

The small city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada in the summer

Home to under 240,000 people, Regina is a small city that’s worth a quick visit. Here are some suggested things to see and do while you’re here:

  • Visit the Royal Saskatchewan Museum – This natural history museum was opened in 1906 and is home to the world’s largest T. rex cast as well as an insightful exhibition on Canada’s First Nations. It’s an educational place to visit if you’re traveling with kids.
  • Watch the Roughriders – The CFL (Canada’s answer to the NFL) is popular here as Regina is home to one of the league’s best teams, the Roughriders. If you’re visiting between June and November, catch a game at Mosaic Stadium and get rowdy with the locals! Tickets start at $32 CAD.
  • Tour the Legislative Building – The Saskatchewan Legislative Building was built in 1912. It’s a National Historic Site and Heritage Property and is home to one of the tables used by the Fathers of Confederation when they drew up their plans to create a united Canada. Take a guided tour (they last around 30 minutes) and learn about the province’s history.

Where to Stay Airbnb and Booking.com will be your best choices here, depending on your budget and what kind of accommodation you’re looking for.  

Days 13-14: Winnipeg, MB

The city of Winnipeg, Canada during the warm summer months

While it’s known for its harsh winters, Winnipeg has been working hard to evolve into a world-class city. Slowly but surely, it’s succeeding. Stop by for a day or two and check out some of the city’s best sights:

  • See the Canadian Museum for Human Rights – This museum highlights the crises and evolution of human rights in Canada and around the globe. Opened in 2008, it’s the only national museum outside of Ottawa.
  • Watch the Blue Bombers – For more CFL action, catch a Blue Bombers game. The team was founded in 1930 and is one of the best in the league.
  • Explore the Forks National Historic Site – This urban park is a relaxing place to read or have a picnic. At the intersection of two rivers, it was historically significant for trade between indigenous people and Europeans, with human settlement going back as far as 6,000 years.
  • Visit the Royal Canadian Mint – If you’re a collector or are just curious how coins are made, stop by the mint. It’s made over 55 billion coins for 75 different countries. Over 1,000 coins are made every second here! Tours are $8 CAD.

Where to Stay If you’re on a budget, try Airbnb first. If you’re looking for a hotel, Booking.com has the best rates.  

Days 15-16: Thunder Bay, ON

The coastal view of Lake Superior from Sleeping Giant Park

Tucked away on the edge of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay is one of the biggest cities in Northern Ontario. It’s just an hour from the US border and is one of the sunniest cities in Eastern Canada.

Here are some things to see and do while you’re here:

  • See the Terry Fox Monument – In 1980, cancer-survivor Terry Fox set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He did so on just one leg (he lost the other to cancer). He managed to run for 143 days straight (5,373km, or 3,339 miles) before his cancer returned and he had to call off his quest.
  • Go hiking in Sleeping Giant – Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is located on Lake Superior and offers 80km of hiking trails, including both short day hikes and multi-day routes.
  • Visit Fort William Historical Park – This park is where the reconstructed Fort William is located, a fur trading post from 1816. There’s a traditional blacksmith, cooper, and canoe builder, and you can interact with actors playing the various people you would have met here in the 19th century.

Where to Stay Airbnb doesn’t have many options here, but if you can find one, they start at $45 CAD per night. For hotels and motels, use Booking.com .  

Days 17-19: Algonquin Provincial Park, ON

A sweeping vista of forests in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada

There are several different campgrounds in the park, dozens of hiking trails, and over 1,500 lakes (it’s massive!). You can also rent canoes and kayaks to explore and go deeper into the park. Multi-day portages are possible too.

Even if you’re a newbie camper and don’t have gear, you’ll be able to rent what you need to have an enjoyable, relaxing getaway for under $50 CAD per day.

Days 20-23: Toronto, ON

The iconic skyline of Toronto, Canada as seen from the island

There’s a ton to see and do here. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:

  • Visit the CN Tower – The iconic CN Tower stands 550m tall and is a fixture of Toronto’s skyline. It offers panoramic views, shopping, and 360-degree dining in its (expensive) restaurant. If the weather is nice (and you have some extra money to spend), you can also walk along the outer edge of the tower. It’s touristy and expensive but fun!
  • Relax on Toronto Island – Spend an inexpensive day at Toronto Island Park and enjoy the beach, play volleyball, have a picnic, and take in the view of the city from the water.
  • Visit the ROM – The Royal Ontario Museum has thousands of artifacts and specimens spread over 20 exhibits. There are displays on dinosaurs, ancient China, indigenous Canadians, medieval Europe, ancient Egypt, and more. It’s the best museum in town and a fun place for kids and adults alike!
  • Hit the beach – The beaches near Lake Ontario are a relaxing way to spend the day during the humid summer. You can stroll along the boardwalk, eat at one of the many restaurants, or rent a boat and head out on the lake. Some of the best beaches are Cherry, Woodbine, and Centre Island.
  • Wander Kensington Market – This bohemian neighborhood offers an eclectic mix of alternative restaurants and shops. It gets quite bustling in the summer, and there are often free concerts too. It’s one of my favorite places to wander around!

For more suggestions as well as money-saving tips, check out my free guide to Toronto!

Where to Stay Hotels in Toronto are expensive, so use Airbnb if you’re on a budget. If you do want to stay in a hostel, Planet Traveler Hostel is the best in the city.  

Days 24-26: Ottawa, ON

The Canadian parliament building in Ottawa, Ontario

Located four hours from Toronto , it’s is full of historic buildings and museums, and is just a short walk from Québec (Canada’s French-speaking province).

Here’s what I would focus on in Ottawa during your stay:

  • Wander the Byward Market – This massive market is full of restaurants, shops, and open-air stalls. There is a lot happening all year round, though in the summer it’s bustling with fresh produce and many local artisans. If you’re looking for a souvenir or just want to people-watch, this is the place!
  • Visit the Canadian Museum of Civilization – While technically not in Ottawa (it’s across the river in Québec), this world-class museum is one of the best in all of Canada. It does an amazing job of showcasing Canada’s entire history, including some insightful exhibitions on First Nations. There are lots of kid-friendly exhibits too. This museum shouldn’t be missed!
  • Try a beaver tail – These are not actual beaver tails, don’t worry! They’re delectable desserts resembling a flat donut, made of fried dough and covered in all sorts of sweet toppings. They’re a must!
  • Visit the Canadian War Museum – Canada is known as a peaceful nation, but it’s been involved in its fair share of conflicts too. This museum does an excellent job of highlighting Canada’s military history. It has exhibits on both world wars as well as modern conflicts Canada has been engaged in.
  • Skate on the Rideau Canal – Every winter, the Rideau Canal is frozen over and turned into a massive skating rink that stretches for miles (it’s the longest skating rink in the world). If you’re visiting during the winter, you can rent skates for around $20 CAD if you don’t have your own.
  • Ottawa Backpackers Hostel – This laid-back hostel has some of the cheapest accommodation in the city. The dorms are spacious, it’s social, and it’s right near the Byward Market.
  • HI Ottawa Jail Hostel – This hostel is located in a former jail. The rooms are small (they’re former cells), but it’s an incredibly unique space — and a little spooky too!

Days 27-30: Montreal, QC

The skyline of Montreal, Canada in the summer

Personally, I think it’s one of the best cities in Canada. The Old Town looks like something straight out of medieval France, and the French-inspired cuisine and eclectic nightlife (especially the jazz clubs) leave little to dislike.

Here are my suggestions for things to see and do while you’re here:

  • Wander Old Montreal – This is the most attractive part of town. It has cobblestone streets, and its historic gray-stone buildings date back to the 1700s. Some of the city’s finest museums and art galleries (such as the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History) are here too.
  • Hike Mount Royal – For a view over Montreal, hike up Mount Royal (after which the city is named). You can also jog, picnic, or just people-watch around the park too. It’s a relaxing green space.
  • Visit the Notre-Dame Basilica – This 17th-century Gothic Revival basilica has dual towers that are reminiscent of Notre-Dame in Paris. Its interior is stunning and full of religious paintings, colorful stained glass windows, and gold-leaf decoration. There’s also a 7,000-pipe organ. A 60-minute tour costs $15 CAD.
  • See the Museum of Fine Arts – This huge museum has over 43,000 works of art. There are both permanent galleries and rotating exhibitions, so there’s always something new to see. Admission is $24 CAD.

For more suggestions, as well as money-saving tips, check out my guide to Montreal!

  • HI Montreal – HI Montreal is just a two-minute walk from the metro, offers both dorms and private rooms, and has a pool table. There’s also free breakfast and daily activities, including bike tours, walks, a pub crawl, and even poutine tastings!
  • Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal – Located in the historic area of town and a short jaunt to the city center, it has an eclectic and artsy vibe. Free breakfast is included, and there are plenty of common areas for relaxing and meeting other travelers.

Here are some other great hostel suggestions too!

This is a packed itinerary, but with a month at your disposal, you’ll be able to experience the majority of Canada’s sights and cities without having to rush. With an additional 10-21 days, you can add more of Québec and the Maritimes, Canada’s rugged and picturesque east coast (or simply spend more time in the destinations above).

No matter what you decide, Canada is such a massive, diverse landscape and it truly has something for everyone. While this itinerary only covers a portion of Canada, it does give you a peek into just how awesome it is!

Book Your Trip to Canada: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

  • Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
  • Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
  • Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on Canada? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Canada for even more planning tips!

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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The charming streets of old Montreal, Canada in summer

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Canada Crossroads

How to Plan a Road Trip in Canada

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Wondering how to plan a road trip in Canada? Well, this step by step guide has you covered. We got everything from road tripping through cities, towns and parks in Canada, plus essential tips and mistakes to avoid.

We are also sharing our road trip style. So here’s the ultimate Canada road trip planning guide.

Table of Contents

How to Plan a Road Trip in Canada – Step by Step Guide

Guide and steps on how to plan a road trip in Canada

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Decide where you want to go

Canada is full of stunning destinations, and they are AMAZING for road trips. From coast to coast to coast, there are hundreds of routes to choose from – from one-day trips, weekend getaways, to weeks or even month-long trips.

So, your first step is to make a bucket list of places you want to see or the route you wish to embark on for your Canada road trip. 

Use the following resources to start planning

  • Browse through our Canada destinations category for inspiration
  • Pinterest is a great option to curate a bucket list. Here is our Pinterest profile/boards
  • Prefer Instagram instead? Use that to create a list of scenic spots to discover on your road trip
  • Lonely Planet Guide books

Canadian Rockies road trip

Our top pick for Canadian road trips

  • Canadian Rockies Road Trip : The Canadian Rockies from Calgary to Yoho National Park, road tripping through Banff National Park , Lake Louise , and Yoho National Park
  • A weekend road trip from Edmonton to Jasper National Park
  • Or Banff to Jasper via the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world
  • Edmonton to Vancouver , with stops at Kelowna, Vancouver Island in British Columbia
  • Road trips in Saskatchewan, starting in Saskatoon to Grasslands National Park, Qu’Appelle Valley, Cypress Hills
  • Or opt for an all-city road trip from Regina with stops in MooseJaw, Yorkton, Prince Albert
  • Head across the province from Saskatoon to Winnipeg in Manitoba for a full day drive, stopping along the way in many border towns – get the road trip itinerary here
  • In Ontario, drive the scenic routes leading to many national and provincial parks from Algonquin to Blue Mountain and the Niagara Falls from Toronto
  • Enjoy quick drives from Halifax to Peggy Cove, and beyond in Nova Scotia
  • Coastal drives on the Maritimes Prince Edward Island, Cabot trail 

From western Canada to the northwest territories to the east coast, there are tons of options!

When are you planning to travel for your road trip

Whether it is a city bound road trip or a journey through our national/provincial parks, it is important to make note of the seasons. Seasonality will determine if road accessibility will be smooth, or if accommodations and attractions will be crowded. 

How to plan a road trip in Canada

Here are some quick tips to remember

  • Spring and fall – These are off season months in Canada. Finding accommodation in cities and small towns this time will be easy, minus fewer crowds. Fall is our favorite time to visit as the weather is still warm, and attractions not too crowded. Spring is a tricky situation for visiting Parks, as many of the sightseeing spots may not be open.
  • Summer – Summers are a great time to embark on a road trip. We recommend choosing the country-side to escape the crowds . If you are hitting the popular national parks like Banff (from Calgary or Edmonton), ensure you start early to beat the traffic rush. When we drive back to Edmonton from Banff on the weekends, there is traffic! Being a peak season, book campsites, hotels and other tours/attractions ahead of time.
  • Winter – Driving in winters can be tricky, so ensure you follow winter driving regulations. Although winter is not a peak season, some of the destinations (that are popular winter vacation spots in Canada) can be all filled up really quick from international visitors. 

Winter Road Trips 

As we mentioned winter driving in Canada has its challenges. Think slippery road surfaces, unpaved lanes, blowing snow to name a few. This is not to disencourage you, but after having traveled (for pleasure and work) in Canadian winters, here are some useful tips.

Learn how to plan a road trip in Canada. Here is our tried and tested road trip planning guide, packed with practical tips and trip inspirations.

  • Winter tires – Super important to have winter tires on, all-seasonal ones are a no go. 
  • Winter windshield fluid – Don’t forget car fluid!
  • Slow down – While driving in the winter, drive slow, maintain distance. Be very careful when you drive in residential areas or make turns
  • Packing – Keep woolens in your car to stay warm, in case you are stranded. In winters you might face road closures (due to accidents or natural disasters), so it is important to keep warm clothes and some snacks in the car
  • Check local news before you start – Check the weather and local news to ensure it is safe to embark on road trips, and the route is clear. Any forecasts about the weather and road conditions will help you determine if additional travel time is required
  • Travel time – Add extra travel time to your road trip duration

Planning a road trip in canada

Accommodation: Hotels, RV, Campervan, Camping

When you are road tripping in Canada, there are tons of options for accommodation. Let’s start the obvious,

  • Hotels & Lodges : Whether it is a country-side, city or national park, you can book a hotel, lodge or a cabin for your accommodation. Book them ahead of time, especially during peak seasons. Also hotels in popular destinations like Toronto or Banff could get expensive, if you book last minute.
  • RV & Campervan: One of the popular ways to explore national parks in Canada is on a campervan or an RV. Almost every city will have an RV renting place, from where you can book an RV and save money on hotel accommodation. It is also a nicer alternative if you do not own a lot of camping gear.
  • Camping: If you are planning to camp overnight, ensure you reserve camp-sites when bookings open for the season. And of course, ensure you carry the right camping gear for your trip. You do not need to reserve for day camp sites (like picnics as part of your road trip), especially in provincial parks. 

Plan it on Google Maps

Google Maps are an amazing tool to plan and plot your road trip itinerary. You can create the map on your Google account (on the desktop/laptop) and then view it on your phone. Ensure you have offline maps enabled, as sometimes cell tower connectivity in parks and country-side may not be that great. 

Maps Canada road trips

To plot the itinerary, open Google Maps, then save your starting point. Use the ‘direction’ option to get from road A to B, and go from there. Repeat these spots to keep adding all the places you want to visit on your Canada road trip.

Also, add your hotel, any attractions you wish to visit inside a city or national park. When you click the location on your phone or computer, you will see the opening hours, reviews if any.

On your phone, ensure you have GPS settings on. (Settings > Google Maps > Location > select “Always”)

Again, download offline maps on your phone. Once you have the Google Maps downloaded on your phone, search for the route you have created on the desktop. 

Getting Ready: Checklist prior to your trip

road trip en canada

Just before you start for your road trip, preferably a few days prior, ensure you do a quick run-through.

  • Clean your car prior to your trip
  • Get it to the servicing center
  • Ensure your license/registration has not expired
  • Inform friends/family about your trip
  • Don’t forget navigation systems/Google maps

If you are renting a car, the rental company usually takes care of the car maintenance. But it is your responsibility to take note of any dents/scratches to report to the company later, plus record the mileage. 

Qu'Appelle Valley

Road Trip Packing Essentials

While preparing for a road trip to Canada, it is essential to pack the right things (and pack them!). Don’t overpack, but ensure you have the essentials to get you to the road trip and back.

We love to travel light, and our road trips are no different. However we do not compromise on the required items. Of course, if you are on a campervan or RV on rent, the list might be slightly different. 

So here’s the list

  • Clothes – Pack essential clothing for the trip. If it is a 2-day road trip, pack 2 sets of shirts/tops, one pant, underwear, light jacket
  • Comfortable shoes – Wear comfortable shoes. It is helpful while you are behind the wheel or taking rest stops (for a stroll) or out and about exploring
  • Pair of flip flops – Flip flops are useful inside the hotel or at the beach 
  • Warm clothes (for winter) – While driving in Canadian winters, don’t forget warm clothing from jackets/ parka, warm socks, gloves, to beanie
  • Hand warmers are great little items to keep inside the car. They are cute little pouches that heat up upon friction. Click to buy hand warmers here.
  • Travel Mug – Coffee and tea lovers, pack your travel mug, and refill it on the go!
  • Water bottle – Super important, carry your water bottle. Stay hydrated!
  • Healthy snacks – LOVE this care package , and they are healthy snacks to carry on your road trip. Munch them if you are hungry, whilst feeling light!
  • Sunglasses – The sun can be a little harsh while driving in Canada, especially in the afternoon or evenings. Carry and wear your favorite sunglasses. I LOVE my Rayban Ericka and Aviator, which are made of polarized glasses
  • Sunscreen – Summer or winter, sunscreen is a must. 
  • Hand cream – We keep a hand cream inside our car, cause summer or winter, our hands get super dry on the roads in Canada. Pick up a nice hand cream with your favorite fragrance
  • Medications
  • Flashlight – Super handy if you are camping or even driving overnight
  • Emergency car kit – An emergency car kit is essential should things happen on the road. You can create one from scratch or buy one pre-pack from Amazon . Here is an emergency car kit from the Canadian government site . Either way, ensure you carry it on your road trip. 
  • Emergency first aid kit – Check the first aid kit inside the car (check for expiry dates). If you don’t have one, here is one that you can buy from Amazon. 
  • Dashboard mount for phone or GPS – Go hands-free while you are driving. Use a dash mount to keep your phone or GPS for navigation. 
  • GPS or navigation system – Don’t forget navigation systems or Google maps (offline) on your phone. Prepare it with your routes prior to your trip. It is also important to keep TomToms (or any navigation system) up-to-date. 
  • Charging cables – Unless your car has cable-free charging, it is important to pack one for your road trip. We do have wireless charging in our car, but it can only charge one at a time, so we also carry charging cables (to charge the second phone and to charge inside the hotel). Click to purchase yours
  • Playlist – No road trip is complete without an amazing playlist. Save it on iTunes, or your iPod. Radio is also a good option for entertainment but it is tricky in certain parks and you may not get a consistent frequency. 
  • Camera – We always carry our camera on our trips. Our Sony mirrorless camera is usually the one that comes with us on our quick road trips. It is small, compact, and lightweight to carry around. You can also snap photos from the car (passenger duty!). Click to view our mirrorless camera.
  • Cell-phone – Don’t forget your cell-phone. Stay connected with family, let them know where you are heading. Store the hotel or campsite contact information, plus roadside assistance number for emergencies. 
  • Car freshener – Refresh your car, using refresher. I LOVE vanilla or lavender based fragrances, super yummy (smells pretty haha). View car refreshers here.
  • Small pillow – Salil never forgets to pack a small pillow for me! And I love it, nice when you want to relax whilst soaking in the views.  Click to grab your travel pillow!
  • Blanket – An emergency blanket is included in the kit/s mentioned above. This is completely optional and you can pack a proper blanket. We always pack one. I am always cold while the A/C is on, so it is super handy for me.  
  • Umbrella 
  • Day pack or weekender bag – A day bag or a weekender bag is useful to carry your clothing, day hikes, or sightseeing needs. Or something to store road trip essentials.  Here is a 25L day pack.
  • Road trip games – License plate, sing-along, card games (for kids)
  • Camping essentials – If you are camping, carry essentials for your overnight stay
  • Hiking essentials – Dayhikes essentials list, here is a handy list from MEC Canada
  • Travel insurance – Car insurance is essential, so is travel insurance if you are traveling from overseas. For the car, you can also secure insurance with the rental company when you pick up the vehicle. 

Road through Algonquin Provincial Park in beginning fall camper on Street Ontario Canada

Pack a Hygiene Kit  

Keeping in mind, with today’s new normal, it is important to carry a hygiene kit. This is something that you have to create itself, as there is no pre-made ‘hygiene kit’ available to purchase. Here is what you should have

  • Reusable face masks – Carry a few reusable face masks, depending on the number of passengers in the car and the duration of the trip
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Disposable gloves

Always maintain 2 metres distance while embarking on sightseeing or walks at local parks. Check local news, to ensure the parks and sightseeing attractions are open, and that there are no restrictions in terms of movement or quarantine regulations. 

Prince Edward County

Driving in Canada Basic Tips

The most common cars on the road in Canada are left hand drive vehicles. The steering wheel is on the left side of these vehicles as the cars are driven on the right side of the road.

Things to remember:

  • Ensure you have a valid driver’s license (Canadian, US, or International)
  • Must be at least 21 years of age to rent a vehicle
  • Get car insurance
  • Canada uses kilometres and metres to measure the distance (unlike miles used in the USA). 1 mile = 1.609 km
  • The typical speed limit in most provinces is 100 km/h (62 mph) or 110 km/h (68 mph). 
  • Statutory speed limits for school zones tend to be 30 or 40 km/h (19 or 25 mph) in urban areas and 50 km/h in rural areas. 
  • 120 kilometers per hour is the fastest you can go on Canada highway. The province of Ontario is especially strict, with a maximum speed of 100 kph.
  • When you are driving to national parks speed limits will differ, depending on major routes (90 km/hr max.) and secondary routes (60 km/hr max.)
  • Be mindful of wildlife corridors and posted wildlife signs along the highways

Inside a national park road trips at Elk Island National Park

Mistakes to avoid while road tripping in Canada

1. Not taking ample breaks 

It is crucial to stop and take breaks on your road trips. In Canada, there are gas stations, convenience shops, and rest-stops where you should stop by to take a break. Washrooms are also free to use in gas stations here. 

2. Rushing, and not allowing enough time 

Road conditions are good in Canadian highways, but it is a good idea to enjoy the trip and go slow (of course no speeding and adhering to traffic rules). Soak in the views, stop if needed to take a break. Eat, stretch your legs, enjoy – that is the fun part of embarking on road trips.

3. Follow a loose itinerary – don’t plan everything to the T

To enjoy a road trip to the fullest, don’t plan everything to the T. Have a rough idea about the route, attractions covered, but don’t be afraid to stop at a place longer if you like. 

4. Not booking hotels or camp reservations in advance 

Imagine embarking on a road trip with high spirits (and gear/bags) and when you arrive at the city or park, you realize that a hotel or camp-site is not booked. You might be able to find a hotel, but room rates could be expensive. Campsites are hard if you don’t reserve ahead of time.

5. Not grabbing snacks or good music

Healthy snack items are a good idea if you are not planning for a meal stop on your road trip. Don’t forget water! And a good playlist is key!

Typical Road Trip in Canada: Our version

We LOVE taking road trips in Canada – that is our favorite way to explore cities, small towns and national parks here. We start pretty early on our trips. Here is how we do it

Few weeks to a month

  • Decide where, and when we want to go. Usually, we opt for long weekends (or Friday + long weekends)
  • We book hotels, attractions or camp reservations
  • If you are traveling from overseas, reserve car rental around the same time

A week prior to roadtrip

  • Mayuri: Ready with her weekend bag, all packed 🙂 Starts plotting Instagram spots for photography
  • Salil: Takes the car for servicing, prepping for the road trip

A day before the road trip

  • Salil: Fills up gas, and packs his backpack. Checks weather.
  • Mayuri: Doesn’t sleep, she is super excited about the trip. Does her nails, finishes small tasks around the house
  • We start as early as possible. During summer/autumn months, we start around 5:30 am or 06:00 am
  • Stop by Tim Hortons for coffee/tea (SUPER IMPORTANT)

Tim Hortons Coffee on the go Road Trips Canada

  • We take breaks every hour or so. Stop by attractions.
  • Have brunches together 
  • Late evening, we check-in to our hotel. Wander around the national park or the city
  • Repeat, next day (2,3,4….)
  • We return the day before, we have to start for work, preferably by late afternoon/evening. This way we have enough time to prep for the next day, or relax at home

This is how we like to do our road trips, and have been doing it together since 2011. Having lived in 3 different provinces in Canada, we are lucky to see such gorgeous landscapes year after year, without going too far. 

We hope you found this guide to planning a road trip in Canada useful. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments below!

Pin: Planning a road trip in Canada

road trip en canada

Mayuri Kashyap is an Indian Canadian traveler, writer and photographer based in Alberta. She moved to Toronto as a student in 2009, and has been calling Canada home ever since. She started the blog - Canada Crossroads - to share her travel and living experiences in the Great White North!

A History graduate and an MBA, Mayuri is a destinations marketing expert. She loves traveling with her husband, Salil and soaking in experiences across Canada, India and Europe.

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We LOVE road trips, and I dream of driving from my home in Oregon, USA up through Canada and all the way to Alaska. It’s not happening this year but I can’t wait to do it someday!!!

YAY! Hopefully, you can visit next year. I love road trips in Canada!

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The Best Things to Do in Canada

32 of the Best Road Trip Essentials

July 19, 2021 By Bailey Storey 21 Comments

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Driving Icefields Parkway Jasper

Road Trip Essentials: Updated June 30, 2022

Whether you’ve got a few weeks or just a few hours to get out and explore our country, road trips are a great way to feel more together with your friends and family.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know much we love road trips. In fact, it was a 150-day road trip across Canada that launched our Youtube channel back in 2017. What’s not to love about a road trip? You have a vehicle that gives you the freedom to go where you want to go, the comfort of having a bunch of things with you, and you get to see the scenery as you move from place to place. It’s the ultimate form of travel in our opinion, and Canada is one of the best places to do one.

But planning what to pack for your road trip can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t do it very often. That’s why we’ve created this article to help you pack the best road trip essentials for your next road trip.

QuebecRoadtrips

Table of Contents

Road Trip Essentials Packing List

In this extensive packing list below, we detail some great road trip essentials to consider for your next road trip.

Insulated Water Bottle

We all need water and it’s important to stay hydrated while on the road. However, buying bottled water is not only very expensive but it’s highly unnecessary and bad for the environment. That’s why we always pack at least one water bottle. We prefer insulated water bottles because they keep water cold much longer. If it’s a plastic or glass water bottle, it’s going to get warm very quickly, and no one likes warm water do they? There are also a couple of different ways to keep your water bottle full. Most of the time, we just bring 1-2 full water bottles each and fill them up when we can, such as at restaurants or hotels. However, we’ll also occasionally buy a big water jug from a convenience store. Then, you can just fill up your water bottle as you go. You could even keep that bigger jug and fill that up at hotels, eliminating the need to buy more.

Another option is to buy a filtered water bottle. These usually aren’t insulated but everything you drink gets filtered first, which means you can fill it up from non-trustworthy water sources, or even lakes and rivers, and still be safe. However, make sure you read the label of the filter you’re getting. Not all are created equal. Unless you’re hiking for long periods of time, it’s unlikely you’ll need something like this in Canada, but if we were road tripping in Mexico or another country with not-so-good tap water, it’s a great option. Whatever you buy, water bottles are road trip essentials.

Insulated Mug or Bottle

We both have an insulated tumbler and they come in handy for keeping hot drinks hot. So, whether you opt for an insulated mug or a big bottle, having them on a road trip can be a good idea. For example, maybe you buy yourself a portable coffee brewer and make your own coffee using the beans you like. Well, you can keep as many as 4-8 cups (or more) steaming hot in an insulated bottle, ready when you are. Or, perhaps you rather run to the coffee shop for a cup of java. Well, maybe instead of using a paper cup, you can have them pour it into your insulated tumbler, which will not only keep it hot much longer but will also stop yet another paper cup from going into the landfill. Plus, you’ll usually get 10% off for using your own cup! Win-win-win!

This one might be obvious, but honestly, I would never want to be on a road trip without a pair of sunglasses. Not only can the sun make driving dangerous without wearing sunglasses , but it’s also extremely bad for your eyes. Talk to any eye specialist and they’ll recommend you wear sunglasses that wrap around your eyes, stopping UV light from all directions. I actually have two pairs. I have inexpensive plastic polarized sport sunglasses that cover my eyes entirely, and I have my more expensive and beautiful designer sunglasses, which don’t block the sun on the sides but are amazing to look through. The most important thing is wearing a pair of sunglasses, so just grab some that you like and keep them with you. I also like having at least one cheap pair for when I’m out on the water or doing something where they might get broken. Keeping your eyes safe is part of a solid road trip essentials plan.

We all get hungry so snacks are road trip essentials. If you’re planning some longer road trips (or going on road trips with kids), packing snacks is definitely a good idea. While you’ll certainly find convenience stores all over the place, buying snacks like this can become expensive and unhealthy. By packing your own snacks ahead of time, you can choose healthier options and save money by purchasing from markets instead of convenience stores. Popular items could be beef jerky, granola bars, and crackers, but vegetables and fruit make great options too.

We’ve already mentioned snacks and water, so we may as well mention coolers too. Just like camping, having a cooler can be a great way to keep drinks cold and food fresh. Having a cooler can open up the possibilities for different snacks, allowing you to bring deli meats, cheese, and maybe some toppings for your vegetables. It’s also great to bring other drinks as well. If you buy a cooler, don’t forget ice packs. They’re better than ice for many reasons, but the most important part is that they don’t become a pool of water in the bottom of your cooler. Although expensive, one of the best brands is YETI.

headlamps or flashlights are road trip essentials.

Flashlight or Headlamp

Personally, we love our headlamps and we find them to be road trip essentials. They come in handy for all sorts of situations, such as road trips, camping, or even backpacking across the world. Any flashlight will do, but the nice thing about a headlamp is that it frees up your hands. Maybe you need to check something under the hood at night or cook something in the evening, so being able to just strap it on your head is a great way to keep doing what you need to do.

Hand Sanitizer

Even before the pandemic, I loved having some sort of sanitizer with us at all times. Sometimes you need to use the bathroom along the way and there’s no soap or running water. Sometimes you may have touched some nasty things and have no access to soap. Sometimes you may want to clean the lid of the can of soda you just bought. Unless you don’t mind germy hands, your road trip essentials packing list should include hand sanitizer or soap.

Tissues and Napkins

Whether it’s a runny nose or a spilled drink, having both tissues and napkins (or paper towel) come in very handy on a road trip. We have one of those water bottles with a straw inside and for some reason, when it gets too hot or we’re at altitude when we open it up, it shoots out a stream of whatever is inside. If it’s water, it’s not so big a deal but one time it was juice, and not only did it make the car sticky, it smelled like juice for a while. Thankfully, we had some wipes to clean it up quickly, but we could have really used a Febreze CAR Vent Clip to help keep the car smelling fresh as well.

Sunscreen and Bug Spray

Whether you’re driving on a hot sunny day or stopping along the way to enjoy some hiking, sunscreen and bug spray come in handy. Even when driving, it’s easy to get a sunburn, but it’s especially useful when you stop to do some hiking or to walk around a new city or town. We like to always have a small bottle in the car so that we always have it on hand if need be. Bug spray is the same way. You obviously don’t need to use it in the car but there’s gonna be that time when you’re outside at night or camping and wish you had it, even though some can smell really bad.

Charging cables are road trip essentials.

Charger Cables

We all love our phones but if you’re using them for music and taking pictures, they run out of juice quite quickly. New cars often have wireless charging if you have a wireless-capable phone, but it’s always a good idea to bring your charging cables with you. If you keep it plugged in while you drive, it’ll always be fully charged when you arrive at your destination.

However, maybe you have other things you can charge too. Perhaps it’s camera batteries or a headlamp. Do your homework before you start your road trip and pack the necessary cables and chargers.

Painkillers

Having a mini container of painkillers on hand is never a bad idea. We don’t take them very often but when you have a headache or another ache that’s bothering you, it can really put a damper on a road trip. I forgot them one time and needed one badly. So, now I always have one of those mini 10-pill containers (they often cost $2-4 at a market) on hand. I usually have one in the car and one in my bathroom kit. I only go through one bottle maybe once per year, but when you need it, you’ll be thankful you have it.

first aid kits are road trip essentials.

First-Aid Kit

To be honest, we’re guilty of not often packing one of these. We do have one now, but it’s quite old and we’ve never actually looked inside to see if anything expired. But again, this is one of those road trip essentials you rarely need, but when you do, you might need it quickly. They usually include things like bandages and alcohol wipes, as well as body wraps and so forth. Even if you buy a small one and just keep it under the seat, you never know when it might come in handy.

Jumper Cables

Now, this is truly one of the top must-have road trip essentials. Even with a new car, you never know when you might break down. Perhaps you’ll accidentally leave your lights on while out on a hike, only to return to a car with a dead battery. If you’re lucky enough to find some help from someone willing to give you a boost, they may not have cables. This has happened to us a couple of times, and now we always have a pair of jumper cables in the trunk. You won’t use them often but the day you need them you’ll truly be thankful you had them. Plus, they may come in handy to help someone else in a pickle.

Tire Pressure Gauge or Roadside Emergency Kit

Without a doubt, if you don’t mind shelling out for a roadside emergency kit, it’s a good thing to have. If you do break down, they often have flares and lights to help people avoid hitting your car, and they may have an emergency blanket as well. But if you don’t want to go that far, at the very least you should have a tire pressure gauge. If your tires are low and you need to get air, gas stations don’t always have these to lend out, so you’ll need a way to know the PSI of your tires. They’re only $5 or so, and all vehicles should have one.

Navigation Apps

This one should be obvious as well, but in case it’s not, make sure you have a navigation app on your device. It’s such a breeze to travel almost anywhere now as you can just plug in the info on your phone and have accurate directions in an instant. You can even connect them with your car and have the app guide you by voice.

As much as I love navigation apps, paper maps are also a good thing to have on hand depending on where you’re going. Not only are they nostalgic, but they also come in handy when you suddenly find yourself with no phone service. Plus, paper maps can be a great way to find your orientation, allowing you to see where you are and where you want to go over a big area. 

Lip Balm and Body Lotion

No one likes dry skin or dry lips, so it’s always a good idea to pack some lip balm and body lotion. I don’t use them as often as I should but especially in dry climates, it’s easy to get dry hands, which can lead to cuts and overall discomfort. Applying a bit of cream alleviates so many issues. The same goes for lips. In fact, if you can, buy a lip balm with sunscreen so that you keep your lips soft and protected from UV rays.

While it’s obvious that the driver shouldn’t be using a pillow, it will come in handy for anyone else in the car. Not being behind the wheel for long periods of time can cause drowsiness, and sleeping can be difficult without a pillow. Maybe it’s one of those neck pillows that wrap around your head, or maybe it’s a full-size pillow that you fold up against the window, but either way, you’ll be happy you have one.

Extra Shoes

Whether it’s a road trip or any travel really, it’s great to have a couple of pairs of shoes. For me, it’s a pair of sandals, a pair of running shoes or skate shoes, and a pair of hiking shoes. But this all depends on what you intend to do on the trip.

rain jackets are road trip essentials.

Rain Jacket and/or Umbrella

There’s an old saying that there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing. At some point during your road trip, it will rain. That’s almost guaranteed. We almost never have an umbrella and yet we always wish we did, so perhaps keeping even a small cheap one in the car will come in handy. Another option is to have a rain jacket. We almost always bring a rain jacket with us wherever we go. They’re thin and compact and they do a good job at keeping you dry and the wind at bay.

I love ball caps. Not only do they look good on me and keep me from ever having a bad hair day, but they’re also great at blocking out the sun from burning my head and my retinas. There are all sorts of hats out there, including ball caps, cowboy hats, beach hats, and more. Whatever hat you enjoy, bring one or two along with you as it’s bound to come in handy either in the vehicle or during one of your many outings.

Of all the road trip essentials, this one can also be crucial. The most common car fluid to have is windshield washer fluid. We’ve actually been in a situation, especially in the spring when roads are mucky, that we’ve run out of windshield washer fluid and almost couldn’t see through the windshield. Once I had to get water from my water bottle and just use that to clean a small area of the windshield until we could find a gas station. You can mitigate this problem by having the fluid in your trunk. Some people may also stock things like oil, but in reality, your car shouldn’t be leaking. Otherwise, get it fixed!

Music and Podcasts

Silence can be great from time to time, but after a while, we all need some of our favourite music and/or interesting podcasts. However, it’s always a better experience to plan ahead and make sure you’ve downloaded your favourite playlist or have a bunch of podcasts lined up for easy access. I can’t count the number of times where I’ve wanted to listen to a podcast but was out of cell coverage and didn’t have them downloaded. The same goes for music.

While playing games in the car might not be possible, games can come in handy once you’ve reached the destination or maybe if you’re waiting in line for a ferry or something like that. Also, if you have kids, it might be good to have them focused on something else, instead of bothering you.

Insurance and Paperwork

This one should be obvious, but you never know! Make sure you have your insurance papers and your driver’s license and any other paperwork you might need. For example, in Banff National Park now, you need to have a permit on you if you’re using any kind of watercraft, including boats, kayaks, and paddleboards. This form is free and can be printed off at home, but you need to carry it on you and have it filled out. Other types of “paperwork” could be park passes, discount cards, and more.

Credit Cards

Speaking of paperwork and insurance, another great thing to have is a good credit card. It might sound silly, but if you’re renting a car for your trip, a good credit card is a must. First off, most of them include car rental insurance, which saves you money on your rental, but they also earn you all sorts of travel points for the next time you get on a plane. In addition, they make it far easier to buy things as you don’t have to worry about having cash or getting your pockets filled with change.

Tote Bags or Backpacks

Even when we’re home, we always have empty tote bags in the trunk. This started when grocery stores stopped handing out plastic bags. By having them in the trunk, they’re always there when we need them. But even on a road trip, some extra tote bags, backpacks, or day packs can be a great thing to have. Maybe you’re walking around town, going for a short hike, or visiting a beach. When you do, having a bag to pack some extra shoes, water, and sunscreen will make a big difference.

Gum or Mints

I don’t know about you but I hate having bad breath. It makes me very self-conscious. Maybe you just woke up from camping or ate something funky (like garlic), you’ll be thankful to find some mints or some gum in your glove compartment. Also, sometimes gum is just nice to chew when focusing on the road.

We always have a blanket in the vehicle. Sometimes we use it to cover our belongings when we go inside a shop or restaurant. Other times we may use it under our dog when we bring her on road trips or to keep ourselves warm if we visit a beach or campground on a chilly night. They can be quite small and can come in handy. Another option is an emergency blanket that is better at keeping you warm, especially if you break down during the winter months.

Travel Towel

This is another thing we almost always have, whether it’s on a Canada road trip or a backpacking trip across the world. They’re very small, they dry quickly, and you never know when you may need one. You might be staying at a hostel that has no towels, visiting a beach where you might get wet, or even showering at a campground. They’re about the size of a pair of boxers and will probably last you many, many years if not your whole lifetime.

Dashcams can be road trip essentials for those looking for added security or videos of their road trips.

Dashcams are becoming quite popular these days for a number of reasons. These are low-cost cameras that allow you to record your entire road trip as well as giving you added security should you get into an accident. If it’s not your fault, you’ll now have the video evidence to prove your case easily. There are all sorts of reasons people have these nowadays so you may want to consider one for your next trip.

Speaking of dashcams, don’t forget your camera. This is something I always have. Whether you use your phone, an adventure camera, or a fancy mirrorless camera, you don’t want to miss snapping many photos along the way and capturing memories that you can treasure for a lifetime.

What Do You Consider Essentials for a Road Trip?

This is a pretty extensive list and while we may not pack every single item every single time, we do carry most of it. But did we miss something? Perhaps there are different road trip essentials for different types of people. We’d love to hear what you consider a road trip essential. Let us know in the comments below!

For some road trip ideas, consider these travel guides below:

  • Best Alberta Road Trips
  • Best Ontario Road Trips
  • Best Quebec Road Trips
  • The Ultimate Kootenay BC Road Trip
  • Road Trips in Canada During the Fall Season

Reader Interactions

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July 21, 2021 at 8:46 am

As a glasses wearer, I always keep a copy of my latest prescription with me – I have not ever broken my glasses while on a trip, (knock on wood), but if it does happen, I will be able to get them replaced pretty easily.

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July 21, 2021 at 10:45 am

Good point! I used to wear glasses too. Once, while camping, I left them on the dash of my car. Big mistake. The sun clouded the lens

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July 21, 2021 at 10:56 am

Many of these items should always be in the car or on your person, not just for road trips.

This is a good list for summer. For winter, a few additional/different items are needed: tire chains and/or snow tires, a folding or collapsible snow shovel, a bag of sand or kitty litter, emergency blankets, hand warmers, etc.

July 22, 2021 at 9:54 am

Good point! I wasn’t thinking winter but yes, definitely need different things…

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August 18, 2021 at 9:28 am

Thank You will be saving the list

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August 18, 2021 at 1:54 pm

Thanks for sharing this great list!

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August 18, 2021 at 3:58 pm

This is the best list I have found for road trips you thought of everything.

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August 19, 2021 at 4:00 am

What a great list. Important to keep items in your car when travelling such as flares, flashlights and emergency roadside kit

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August 19, 2021 at 7:48 am

Thanks for the tips on what to bring. Definitely going to print this out

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August 19, 2021 at 8:51 am

I would added glasses cleaning supplies. Dirty glasses are horrible!

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August 22, 2021 at 5:59 am

Great list! I don’t think we could ever travel without our dashcam. It’s been extremely helpful to have.

August 22, 2021 at 12:19 pm

Very cool. What has made it useful?

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August 22, 2021 at 9:55 am

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August 22, 2021 at 6:05 pm

The list is very helpful

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August 22, 2021 at 10:58 pm

Like Scott said back in July – good list but if you are a knowledgeable driver, most of the items should be in your car 24/7/365 – including a part jug of antifreeze, and quart of oil, in case. Those that never venture ever off the beaten path, may find the last two extraneous. As a Cub, Scout and then a Leader in all aspects of Scouts, the Motto is BE PREPARED! Obviously some things are extra for summer (sun screen and bug juice) that are not needed for winter and vice-versa However I think I can add one more new one – we have like most – black seats and interior – for summer have vented seat cushions and window screens to keep the heat off YOUR seat and not so hot in the car. In the winter, I have a heated seat cushion which cost so much less than ordering it with the car

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August 24, 2021 at 7:13 pm

Very useful. Thank you!

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September 1, 2021 at 6:43 am

Hand lotion, lip gloss and air freshener for sure!

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September 1, 2021 at 12:24 pm

All good tips and things to pack when traveling. Maybe pack a little sew kit in case something needs fixed like a tear or button off a pair of pants etc. Can’t think of anything else.

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September 2, 2021 at 9:16 am

Thanks for the tips!

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September 4, 2022 at 6:51 am

Great article with great advice! Thanks

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September 7, 2022 at 10:17 pm

If you need to bring a friend with you on a road, not counting your other half, make sure they bring charging cables with them. Believe me, a second set of cables is great to have, especially when you can’t find the one that is supposed to be buried under all the junk you have with you.

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North America

Canada's 10 best road trips

Canada's wild expanse of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes stretching across vast distances make it perfect for a road trip.

Whether you're looking for a short scenic drive near you or a multi-day action-packed road trip, Canada has some of the best driving options in the world. Here's our top ten to get you started.

Dempster Highway, Northwest Territories

Start – Dawson City; End – Inuvik; Distance – 457 miles (736km)

This classic trip takes you far beyond the Arctic Circle through some of northern Canada's most pristine scenery; a worthy contender for Canada's most scenic and challenging drive.

It's a meditative experience; for most of the time you're alone with the road, entirely self-reliant and aware of your own smallness compared to the vastness of the landscape.

It passes through dense boreal forest and bare tundra, and rises gently between snow-tipped mountains.

In darker months, you may see the northern lights dancing overhead, but road conditions are best between June and September. It's an unpaved, partially potholed road with treacherous muddy sections.

Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia

Start and end – Sydney; Distance – 261 miles (420km)

This is the big one: the looping, diving, dipping roller-coaster of a road snaking its way around the northern tip of Cape Breton, with epic views of rolling seas, mountain passes and thick forests.

If you're lucky – there’s the chance to spot a moose, eagle or even a whale en route.

Completed in 1932 to link Cape Breton's isolated coastal communities, people have been looping the loop for the last nine decades, and the trail remains as popular as ever.

Traversing the edge of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, it's home to some of the province's grandest scenery, richest wildlife and best hiking trails.

Icefields Parkway, Alberta

Start – Jasper; End – Lake Louise; Distance – 142 miles (230km)

There are amazing road trips, then there's the Icefields Parkway, a 142-mile-long ribbon of asphalt passing through some of Canada's most elemental and pristine landscapes en route.

Giant mountains, mammoth moose, craning trees and gargantuan glaciers brood moodily from the sidelines.

You can also travel it with a challenging multi-day bike ride, giving you more time to contemplate stop offs at cerulean Peyto Lake, powerful Athabasca Falls and the hikeable Athabasca Glacier.

Français

Road trip au Canada: les meilleurs itinéraires pour 7, 10, 15, 21 jours et 1 mois

Visiter le canada en voiture: nos 5 itinéraires road trip.

Vous avez décidé de partir en road trip au Canada ?

Très bon choix!

Visiter le Canada en voiture permet de parcourir rapidement et facilement les grandes distances de cet immense pays et de ne rien manquer des lieux d’intérêts incontournables.

Pour vous aider à organiser votre voyage au Canada , je vous ai préparé le récapitulatif des 5 meilleurs itinéraires road trip en fonction de la durée de votre séjour: de 7, 10, 15, 21 jours et même 1 mois!

Petite note avant de commencer: si vous préférez découvrir uniquement la province du Québec, c’est dans mon autre article: Road trip au Québec .

Je vous donne également mes conseils pour louer une voiture au Canada et savoir quelle est la période la plus favorable pour réaliser votre road trip.

Enfin, découvrez aussi ma sélection des meilleurs hôtels où dormir à chaque étape.

Quel aéroport choisir pour débuter un road trip au Canada?

Louer une voiture pour un road trip au canada, road trip au canada: une semaine à l’est, 1) vancouver (2 jours), 2) whistler (1 jour), 3) parc provincial wells gray (2 jours), 4) parc national de jasper (2 jours), 5) parc national de banff (2 jours), 6) calgary (2 jours), 2) victoria (2 jours), 3) pacific rim (2 jours), 4) whistler (2 jours), 5) parc provincial wells gray (2 jours), 6) parc national de jasper (2 jours), 7) parc national de banff (2 jours), 8) calgary (1 jour), 1) l’ouest du canada (13 jours), 2) l’est du canada ( 8 jours), 1) montréal (2 jours), 2) l’ontario (5 jours), 3) la province du québec (21 jours), où dormir au canada pendant votre road trip, quand partir en road trip au canada, road trip au canada avec une agence.

Le Canada compte plusieurs aéroports internationaux.

Pour un road trip à l’Ouest du Canada , les mieux desservis sont ceux de:

Pour un circuit au Canada , mais cette fois-ci à l’Est , je vous conseille plutôt les aéroports de:

Pour ces itinéraires, j’ai choisi de vous faire arriver à Vancouver ou à Montréal. Tout simplement, car je trouve que ce sont les endroits les plus pratiques pour parcourir l’Est ou l’Ouest du Canada en voiture.

Pour aller au Canada , vous devrez auparavant faire une demande d’Autorisation de Voyage Electronique (AVE). Ce formulaire, que vous pouvez compléter en ligne , doit obligatoirement être fait avant votre voyage au Canada.

L’AVE s’applique à tous les voyageurs n’ayant pas besoin d’un visa.

Vous trouverez toutes les informations sur ce site.

Élément indispensable de tout bon road trip pour visiter le Canada: la voiture!

Je vous conseille de la louer directement à l’aéroport . C’est là que le choix de loueurs est le plus vaste. C’est aussi bien plus pratique pour la rendre à la fin de votre séjour, par rapport à une agence située en ville.

Je vous recommande de passer par le site Rentalcars.com pour réserver votre voiture de location au Canada. Je l’utilise tout le temps ( Thaïlande , Sicile , Ecosse …) et j’ai toujours été très satisfait. Le service client est ultra efficace et leurs prestations sont de qualité.

Sur le site, vous pourrez:

  • Comparer en 1 clic tous les tarifs des loueurs présents à l’aéroport. C’est très pratique pour savoir lequel est le moins cher et voir celui qui a la meilleure réputation client.
  • Bénéficier de l’assurance protection complète: le seul moyen (si vous n’avez pas déjà une assurance avec votre carte de crédit) d’être remboursé en cas d’accident ou de vol. Pour avoir testé plusieurs fois ce système, je vous vous confirmer que la procédure de remboursement est très rapide et garantie. Ils m’ont remboursés plus de 1300 euros au total!
  • Modifier ou annuler gratuitement votre réservation. Vous pouvez ainsi réserver votre voiture en avance pour un tarif avantageux.

Pour ce pays qui est immense , et dont les distances d’un lieu à un autre sont assez longues, je vous conseille d’essayer de choisir une voiture confortable et bien équipée . Il n’est pas rare d’enchaîner de longues heures de conduite, alors autant être bien installé.

Si vous faites un road trip au Canada en hiver , ne vous inquiétez pas, les voitures sont adaptées aux conditions climatiques et louées avec des pneus neige  par exemple.

L’option pour avoir un second conducteur (parfois inclus gratuitement) est également pas mal pour éviter que le conducteur principal ne se fatigue trop.

Cliquez sur le bouton ci-dessous pour comparer les prix des locations de voiture pour un itinéraire au Canada :

Pour louer une voiture pour votre road trip au Canada, vous n’êtes pas obligés de disposer d’un permis de conduire international.

Votre permis de conduire suffit à condition qu’il soit en alphabet latin et que vous l’ayez depuis plus de 12 mois. 

Si vous préférez présenter un permis de conduire international , vous devrez quand même montrer votre permis de conduire national . Sans ça, vous ne pourrez pas retirer votre voiture.

Je vous propose d’abord un road trip au départ de Montréal pour visiter l’Est du Canada en voiture pendant une semaine.

Au programme de ce road trip d’1 semaine au Canada: Montréal , Les Milles Iles, Toronto , Ottawa, Mont-Tremblant.

Ce circuit est un résumé de mon article détaillé: Une semaine au Canada.

Premier jour – Découverte de la ville de Montréal:

  • Le quartier du Vieux-Montréal
  • Le Vieux-Port
  • Le parc du Mont-Royal
  • Le quartier du Mont-Royal 
  • Sans oublier de goûter au plat typique: la poutine!

Pour encore plus d’informations pour visiter Montréal en 1 jour, n’hésitez pas à lire mon article: Que faire à Montréal?

Deuxième jour – Croisière aux Milles Iles, un ensemble de 1865 îles qui se trouvent sur le fleuve Saint-Laurent et le lac de l’Ontario

Pour réserver votre croisière de 3 heures dans les 1000 îles, cliquez sur le bouton ci-dessous:

Troisième et quatrième jour – Je vous propose de poursuivre ce road trip au Canada d’une semaine par Toronto, en Ontario.

Voici les lieux d’intérêts à ne pas manquer:

  • Kensington Market
  • Le quartier de la Distillerie
  • Le marché St-Lawrence
  • L’Aquarium Ripley
  • La CN Tower
  • La Casa Loma
  • Le musée royal de l’Ontario
  • Les îles de Toronto

Pour tous les détails sur ces choses à faire à Toronto, lisez mon article: Que faire à Toronto?

Toronto

Cinquième jour – Excursion aux chutes du Niagara

Croisière au pied des chutes obligatoire pour les admirer au plus près!

Pensez à réserver vos billets en avance pour éviter de faire la queue:

Et si vous voulez vivre une expérience extraordinaire pendant ce road trip au Canada de 7 jours, vous pouvez également survoler les chutes en hélicoptère:

Sixième jour – Direction Ottawa , la capitale du Canada.

Je vous recommande de visiter:

  • Le marché Byward
  • La colline du Parlement
  • Le musée canadien de l’histoire: l’un des musées les plus intéressants à découvrir lors de votre road trip d’une semaine à l’Est du Canada.

Finissez par une promenade sur les berges du Canal Rideau , classé au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.

Les détails, c’est par ici: Visiter Ottawa.

Le septième jour, ne manquez pas de vous arrêter visiter le parc Oméga , qui est situé à Montebello. Le parc se visite en voiture car les animaux y circulent librement.

Rejoignez ensuite Mont-Tremblant où vous pourrez faire une randonnée ou profiter des activités nautiques proposées au bord du lac. En hiver, le village se transforme en station de ski.

Huitième jour – Fin des vacances, direction Montréal pour prendre votre vol retour.

Vous souhaitez faire un road trip d’une semaine au Canada? Je vous invite donc à lire notre article détaillé: Itinéraire d’une semaine au Canada.  

Très pratique, vous y trouverez en plus plein de bons plans et les hôtels où dormir à chaque étape.  C’est la meilleure façon de préparer votre voyage facilement! 

mont royal vue sur montreal

Road trip au Canada: 10 jours

Pour ce deuxième exemple de road trip, je vous emmène visiter le Canada en voiture pendant 10 jours.

Pour cet itinéraire, vous aurez la chance de découvrir l’Ouest du Canada , en partant de Vancouver et en finissant à Calgary . Le circuit parfait pour visiter les 2 grandes villes de cette partie du pays et surtout les superbes paysages naturels des parcs nationaux.

Au programme de ce road trip de 10 jours au Canada:

  • Parc provincial Wells Gray
  • Parc national de Jasper
  • Parc national de Banff

Tous les détails pour organiser ce road trip se trouvent dans mon article: Itinéraire de 10 jours au Canada.

Je vous ai résumé les principales étapes ci-dessous:

On entame ce road trip de 10 jours au Canada par Vancouver . La ville est située sur la côte Ouest, en Colombie-Britannique.

Pour en découvrir les principaux attraits touristiques et vous remettre du décalage horaire, je vous conseille d’y passer 2 jours.

Premier jour – Voilà une idée de programme pour votre première journée à Vancouver:

  • Le quartier historique de Gastown
  • La Canada Place et le Waterfront
  • Le Fly Over Canada
  • Le parc Stanley
  • La Vancouver Lookout
  • Le quartier Yaletown

Pour le deuxième jour, continuez votre visite par Granville Island, puis par le musée d’anthropologie, et une balade dans le jardin botanique Van Elsen . Allez ensuite faire un peu de shopping sur la rue Robson , l’artère commerciale principale de Vancouver.

Pour organiser au mieux vos 2 jours à Vancouver, c’est dans mon article: Top 25 des choses à faire à Vancouver.

Vancouver

Le lendemain (troisième jour) , rejoignez l’une des meilleures stations de ski au monde: Whistler.

En hiver, vous pourrez dévaler les pistes ou faire une balade en chien de traîneau ou motoneige.

En été, à vous les chemins de randonnée, le vélo ou la détente dans un Spa de luxe. Sans oublier de descendre sur la plus grande tyrolienne du Canada, à plus de 100 km/h! Activité à réserver directement en cliquant ici.

Le quatrième et cinquième jour seront consacrés au parc provincial Wells Gray.

A ne pas manquer:

  • Les chutes de Helmcken: qui font partie des plus belles de l’Ouest canadien.
  • Les Bailey’s Chute où il est possible d’observer les saumons remontant la rivière
  • La Spahat Falls
  • La Dawson Falls

Comme activité, vous pourrez également vous baigner  ou  faire du canoë  au Clearwater Lake, randonner sur l’un des nombreux sentiers ou partir observer les ours noirs.

Le sixième jour, nous arrivons à la visite incontournable d’un road trip au Canada de 10 jours: le parc national de Jasper.

Vous pourrez notamment y découvrir 2 superbes lacs: le lac Maligne, qui est le plus grand lac des Rocheuses canadiennes, et le lac Medicine.

Et bien sur, rien de mieux pour visiter le parc national qu’une petite randonnée! 

Jasper national park

Pour le septième jour de votre road trip au Canada, direction un autre magnifique parc national: celui de Banff.

En partant de Jasper, empruntez l’une des plus belles routes panoramiques du pays: la Icefield Parkways. Elle relie les 2 parcs sur près de 230 km et permet de contempler de sublimes paysages. Très bien aménagée, il y a plein de parkings et belvédères pour s’arrêter sans danger.

Voici quelques idées de stops à faire:

  • Les chutes Athabasca,  hautes de plus de 20 mètres
  • Les Sunwapta Falls
  • Découvrir le glacier Athabasca et le champ de glace Columbia.  Si vous ne devez faire qu’un seul arrêt sur la promenade des glaciers, c’est celui là. Vous pouvez parcourir le glacier à pied ou  emprunter un bus monté sur des pneus géants  pour faire un tour.  C’est une des activités les plus prisées de la région et bonne nouvelle,  vous pouvez la réserver en cliquant directement ici!
  • Le lac Peyto,  accessible par une mini promenade de 15 minutes. Vous serez surpris par ses eaux turquoises issues de la fonte du glacier.

Le lendemain (huitième jour) , je vous conseille d’explorer Banff à pied . Vous pourrez vous rendre au fameux Lac Louise , qui est l’un des plus photographiés au monde pour son intense couleur bleue turquoise.

Le Lac Moraine est également à voir!

Pour vous renseigner à l’avance sur l’état des sentiers, et consultez toutes les randonnées possibles, rendez vous sur le site de parc Canada.

Finissez ce road trip de 10 jours à l’Ouest du Canada en rejoignant Calgary.

Le neuvième jour, vous pourrez visiter la ville:

  • Le musée Glenbow et sa collection de 33 000 œuvres d’art
  • La Calgary Tower et sa vue à 360°
  • Le Heritage Park Village pour découvrir le mode de vie d’autrefois d’un village typique canadien
  • Kensington Village: un quartier très sympa avec des boutiques et restaurants

Le dixième jour, il sera temps de prendre votre vol retour depuis l’aéroport de Calgary.

Si vous voulez  plus de détails sur ce road trip de 10 jours au Canada , n’hésitez pas à consulter notre article détaillé:  Itinéraire de 10 jours au Canada.

Vous y retrouverez en plus notre liste des meilleurs hébergements pour chaque étape.  Vous verrez, planifier votre voyage au Canada de 10 jours va être rapide et très facile!

Calgary Canada

Road trip au Canada: deux semaines

Pour ce road trip de 15 jours au Canada , je vous propose de découvrir les lieux incontournables de l’Ouest du pays.

Ce road trip de 2 semaines au Canada part également de Vancouver et se finit à Calgary.

Vous retrouverez tous les détails pour organiser ce circuit au Canada dans notre article: Itinéraire de 2 semaines au Canada.

Le résumé des étapes, c’est juste ici:

Pour ce road trip au Canada de deux semaines, on commence par visiter Vancouver sur 2 jours.

Vous pourrez ainsi voir une bonne partie des lieux dont je vous parle dans mon Top 25 des endroits à visiter à Vancouver.

Premier et deuxième jour – A faire:

  • Le quartier de Gastown
  • Chinatown et le jardin chinois du Dr Sun Yat-Sen
  • Le Waterfront et la Canada Place
  • Un survol en hydravion
  • Granville Island
  • La rue Robson

Le troisième jour de votre road trip de 15 jours au Canada, vous devrez prendre le traversier pour rejoindre l’île de Vancouver et la ville de Victoria.

Au programme de la journée, je vous conseille:

  • De visiter les jardins Butchart
  • De vous promener dans le quartier chinois
  • Le Market Square
  • Le Bastion Square
  • Le Inner Harbour

Au quatrième jour, vous aurez la chance de pouvoir partir en croisière d’observation des baleines.

A réserver impérativement en avance en cliquant ici:

La suite de la journée sera consacrée à une autre balade dans Victoria pour visiter le Parlement et le Royal BC Museum , et vous pouvez terminer au Beacon Hill Park, en bord de mer.

Victoria Vancouver

Cinquième jour – Trajet de Victoria à Ucluelet, porte d’entrée du parc national de Pacific Rim.

2 arrêts à faire: le village de Duncan et Cathedral Grove.

Sixième jour – Découverte de la réserve de Pacific Rim : plusieurs randonnées possibles et passage obligé par la plage de Long Beach.

Le septième jour de votre road trip au Canada de 15 jours, prenez une journée pour le trajet jusqu’à Whistler.

Le huitième jour, vous pourrez faire plein d’activités à Whistler, aussi bien en hiver (ski, raquettes) qu’en été (randos, vélo).

Et ceux qui n’ont pas le vertige pourront tester la plus grande tyrolienne du Canada! Activité à réserver directement en cliquant ici!

Pour le neuvième jour, direction le parc provincial Wells Gray, en empruntant la magnifique route 99, l’une des plus belles du pays!

Dixième jour – Exploration du parc Wells Gray avec au choix:

  • Les chutes Helmcken
  • Les Bailey’s Chute, la Spahat Falls ou la Dawson Falls, d’autres chutes d’eau
  • Le Clearwater Lake
  • Observer les ours noirs accompagné d’un guide
  • Une randonnée

Parc Wells Gray chutes de Helmcken

Visiter l’Ouest du Canada en 15 jours sans passer par le parc national de Jasper, c’est impossible!

Le onzième jour , prenez donc la route pour rejoindre ce parc classé au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO . Vous pourrez y découvrir le lac Maligne et le lac Medicine.

Douzième jour – Chaussez vos chaussures de randonnée pour une journée de marche sur les nombreux sentiers de randonnée de Jasper. 

Après Jasper , vous poursuivrez ce road trip au Canada par un autre parc national: celui de Banff.

Le treizième jour, vous emprunterez donc la route 93 (la Icefield Parkways) qui rallie les 25 parcs entre eux. Sur près de 230 km se sont de superbes paysages qui vous attendent. Et pour les admirer, vous pourrez vous arrêter en toute sécurité sur de nombreux belvédères et parkings.

Parmi les spots à ne surtout pas louper , je vous recommande:

  • Les chutes Athabasca
  • Le glacier Athabasca et le champ de glace Columbia.  A faire à pied ou lors d’un tour en bus monté sur des pneus géants pour pouvoir se frayer un chemin.  Cette activité est à réserver directement en cliquant ici!
  • Le lac Peyto  et sa couleur de l’eau incroyable

Quatorzième jour dédié à la découverte du parc national de Banff . Ici aussi, le mieux pour contempler les paysages est d’opter pour une randonnée . Les plus célèbres permettent de faire le tour du Lac Louise et du Lac moraine , les 2 lacs les plus connus.

Banff

Vous voilà arrivés au quinzième jour de votre road trip de deux semaines à l’Ouest du Canada.

Finissez vos vacances par Calgary , où vous pourrez notamment visiter le musée Glenbow, le Heritage Park Village ou monter en haut de la Calgary Tower. Je vous recommande d’acheter vos billets coupe file en avance en cliquant ici!

Je vous donne toutes les informations nécessaires pour visiter Calgary dans cet article: Que faire à Calgary?

En fin de journée ou le lendemain, prenez votre vol retour.

N’oubliez pas que je vous ai détaillé ce road trip au complet dans mon article:  Itinéraire au Canada de 2 semaines.

Vous y trouverez aussi plein de conseils et ma  sélection des meilleurs hébergements  en fonction de votre budget.

Calgary

Road trip au Canada: 3 semaines

Pour ce road trip de 3 semaines au Canada , je vous propose de découper vos vacances en 2 parties:

  • L’Ouest du Canada pendant environ 2 semaines avec Vancouver , Victoria, le parc national de Jasper, le parc national de Banff
  • Une semaine en road trip à l’Est du Canada pour découvrir Montréal , Toronto et Ottawa.

Pour vous aider à organiser au mieux votre road trip au Canada de trois semaines au jour le jour, je vous ai tout détaillé dans mon article: Itinéraire de 3 semaines au Canada.

Il vous suffit de cliquer sur le lien en orange ci-dessus pour tout savoir: les différentes étapes avec les temps de trajets, les endroits à visiter, les hôtels où dormir et les meilleures activités à faire.

Je vous donne tout de même un bref résumé des visites prévues pendant ces 3 semaines pour vous faire une idée:

Commencez votre road trip au Canada de 21 jours par l’Ouest du pays pour les 13 premiers jours.

Jour 1 et 2 – Vancouver

Jour 3 – Victoria , capitale de la Colombie-Britannique

Jour 4 – Observation des baleines, une activité incontournable de votre road trip au Canada de 3 semaines!

Jour 5 et 6 – Whistler qui est l’une des meilleures stations de ski du Canada! Rassurez-vous en été aussi, il y a plein d’activités à faire.

Jour 7 et 8 – Découverte du parc provincial Wells Gray et de ses nombreuses cascades

Jour 9 et 10 – Explorez le parc national de Jasper  en voiture et à pied

Jour 11 et 12 – Poursuivez votre road trip de trois semaines au Canada par le parc national de Banff et le célèbre Lac Louise

Jour 13 – Rejoignez Calgary et prenez votre vol pour Montréal!

Vancouver vue depuis Granville Island

Après ces 13 jours à l’Ouest du Canada, il est temps de poursuivre votre road trip de 20-21 jours au Canada par l’Est du pays.

Jour 14 – Visite de la ville de Montréal avec une balade dans le quartier du Vieux-Montréal et à Mont-Royal

Jour 15 – Croisière aux Milles Iles ou survol en hélicoptère

Jour 16 et 17 – Découverte des lieux à voir absolument à Toronto sans manquer de monter en haut de la CN Tower

Jour 18 – Journée aux chutes du Niagara , l’attraction touristique majeure de ce road trip au Canada de 3 semaines. Que ce soit lors d’une croisière au pied des chutes , lors d’un survol en hélicoptère ou en montant en haut de la Skylon Tower , vous pourrez admirer les chutes sous toutes leurs coutures!

Jour 19 – Consacrez un jour à la capitale du Canada: Ottawa.

Jour 20 et 21 – Retour à Montréal pour finir votre road trip de 3 semaines au Canada par découvrir un peu plus la ville.

Pour lire la  version complète de notre itinéraire de 3 semaines,  agrémenté de conseils et suggestions d’hébergements,   c’est en cliquant ici!

Niagara falls

Road trip au Canada: un mois

Dernier itinéraire pour ceux qui ont la chance de pouvoir partir un mois en road trip au Canada!

Je vous propose de découvrir une grande partie de l’Est du pays pendant une trentaine de jours. Vous pourrez ainsi visiter Montréal , l’Ontario, dont la ville la plus connue est Toronto , mais aussi la province du Québec et la Gaspésie.

Toutes les villes incontournables de l’Est et les superbes parcs nationaux sont au programme de ce road trip au Canada d’1 mois.

 Je vous donne tous les détails pour organiser votre séjour à l’Est du Canada dans cet article: Itinéraire pour visiter le Canada en 1 mois . Pour chaque jour, vous aurez la liste des choses à faire et à voir, les temps de trajet, et les meilleurs hébergements où se loger à chaque étape.

Pour vous donner un aperçu, je vous ai préparé le récapitulatif des étapes:

Pour débuter ce road trip d’un mois au Canada, je vous propose d’arriver à Montréal et d’y passer 2 jours pour vous remettre du vol et du décalage horaire.

Jour 1 et 2 – Découverte de Montréal et des quartiers emblématiques du Vieux-Port et du Mont-Royal.

Montréal de nuit

La deuxième partie de ce road trip d’1 mois au Canada se déroule dans l’Ontario.

Jour 3 – Promenade en bateau autour des Mille Iles

Jour 4 et 5 – A la découverte de Toronto et de ses principaux quartiers touristiques : Kensington, Chinatown, La Distillerie…

Jour 6 – Excursion aux chutes du Niagara

Jour 7 – Direction Ottawa, la capitale du Canada. A faire absolument: la visite du musée canadien de l’histoire!

Tour CN

La troisième partie de votre road trip au Canada d’une trentaine de jours est consacré entièrement au Québec.

Jour 8 – Visite du parc Oméga et de Mont-Tremblant

Jour 9 et 10 – Activités variées en fonction de la saison (randonnée, canoë, chien de traîneau, motoneige…) dans le parc national de la Mauricie

Jour 11 et 12 – Visite des alentours du lac St-Jean : le zoo St-Félicien , le musée amérindien de Mashteuiatsh , le village historique de Val-Jabert.

Jour 13 et 14 – Exploration des beaux villages du Fjord du Saguenay et promenade en bateau ou kayak sur le fjord

Jour 15 – Croisière à Tadoussac pour observer les baleines dans leur environnement naturel, l’une des plus belles expériences de votre road trip d’un mois au Canada!

Jour 16, 17 et 18 – Parcourez le parc national de la Gaspésie

Jour 19 et 20 – Au programme: le parc national Forillon, Percé et l’île de Bonaventure

Jour 21 – Journée détente à la Baie des Chaleurs qui offre plusieurs longues plages

Jour 22 et 23 – Randonnée ou vélo sur l’un des nombreux sentiers du parc national du Bic

Jour 24, 25 et 26 – Visite de la ville de Québec et des alentours . Toutes les choses à faire se trouvent dans mon article: Que faire à Québec?

Jour 27 et 28 – Fin du road trip au Canada d’1 mois et retour à Montréal où vous pourrez prendre quelques temps pour finir de visiter la ville.

Pour vous faciliter la tâche, je vous remets ici le lien vers l’itinéraire complet:  Comment visiter le Canada en 1 mois?

Gaspésie Quebec

Vous voilà maintenant apte à organiser votre road trip au Canada ! Mais il manque un dernier point non négligeable à aborder: la question de votre hébergement.

Où dormir à chaque étape de votre itinéraire au Canada?

Rien de plus simple, je vous ai préparé la sélection des meilleurs hôtels où se loger au Canada, classés par villes et zones , et en fonction de votre budget, dans tous les articles road trip dont je vous ai parlé précédemment.

Vous pouvez aussi les retrouver en cliquant directement sur les liens ci-dessous:

Pour l’Ouest du Canada:

  • Pacific Rim

Pour l’Est du Canada:

  • Les Milles Iles
  • Mont-Tremblant
  • Parc national de la Mauricie
  • Lac St-Jean
  • Fjord du Saguenay
  • Parc national de la Gaspésie
  • Baie des Chaleurs
  • Parc national du Bic

Château Frontenac

Bonne nouvelle, il n’y a pas vraiment de mauvaise période pour faire un road trip au Canada.

Tout va dépendre des activités que vous voulez faire.

L’hiver est la meilleure période pour visiter le Canada en voiture si vous comptez profiter de toute la panoplie d’activités hivernales: le ski, les raquettes, les balades en chiens de traîneaux et en motoneige.

Et si vous faites ce road trip au Canada en famille , vos enfants seront ravis de dévaler les pistes en luge ou de faire du rafting sur neige et du patins à glace.

Niveau conduite en hiver, aucun problème, les voitures sont bien équipées et les routes entretenues et dégagées. Par contre, il est possible que certaines routes dans les parcs nationaux soient fermées mais vous aurez toujours de quoi vous occuper!

Si vous avez l’intention de partir en road trip au Canada au printemps , c’est la saison idéale pour explorer les parcs nationaux, profiter de la nature et faire de la randonnée. Il n’y pas encore beaucoup de monde et il fait très bon.

Concernant l’Automne, c’est bien évidemment à cette période que vous pourrez découvrir les couleurs chatoyantes des arbres et les paysages aux tons orange, jaune et rouge. Les amateurs de photos seront ravis!

Pour l’été, aucun problème niveau température, il fera chaud et beau. Mais comme beaucoup de destinations, on est en plein dans la haute saison touristique, donc attendez vous à pas mal de monde partout.

Sans compter, que pas mal d’entreprises canadiennes ferment en Juillet-Août pour les « vacances de la construction » et que forcément les canadiens en profitent aussi pour visiter.

Si vous souhaitez visiter les parcs nationaux (Jasper, Banff, dans la province du Québec et en Gaspésie), les offres sont limitées et il faut donc réserver vos hébergements le plus en avance possible.

Pour toutes les villes , aussi bien à l’Ouest qu’à l’Est, vous pourrez en découvrir tous les lieux d’intérêts à n’importe quelle période.

Maintenant que vous avez une idée de votre road trip pour visiter le Canada, je vous recommande également de faire une demande de devis gratuit à une agence de voyage locale.

Grâce à notre partenaire Evaneos, cela peut se faire en moins de 5 minutes ! C’est gratuit, sans engagement et un professionnel du tourisme vous concoctera un séjour inoubliable!

De plus les prix pour un circuit au Canada commencent à partir de 760 euros seulement! Alors, qu’est-ce que vous attendez? 😊

Vous pouvez également passer par Authentik Canada , une agence basée à Montréal qui propose de nombreux itinéraires dans tout le Canada.

Vous pourrez  choisir votre road trip en ligne  et le planifier de A à Z en cochant:

  • La durée  de votre itinéraire: de 1 à 4 semaines
  • La région:  Est ou Ouest du Canada
  • Votre type de road trip préféré:  en voiture, en camping-car, famille, luxe…

Le fonctionnement est  super simple  et le site très pratique:  à vous de choisir en fonction de votre budget  ce que vous souhaitez faire et votre catégorie d’hôtels! Tout peut se modifier directement en ligne!

Par exemple, si vous voulez  rajouter une croisière au pied des chutes du Niagara , vous savez que ça vous coûtera 51€ par personne; si vous voulez  une catégorie d’hôtel supérieure,  ce sera +25€ par nuit et ainsi de suite.

Pour  accéder à la liste complète des itinéraires  proposés par Authentik Canada, vous avez juste à  cliquer sur le bouton ci-dessous:

Guides de voyage Canada

  • Acheter le guide du Routard Canada sur Amazon.fr
  • Acheter le Lonely Planet Canada sur Amazon.fr

Vous partez en voyage au Canada? A lire également

Découvrez tous nos articles sur le Canada: Tous les articles de Voyage Tips sur le Canada sont répertoriés ici!

5 étapes pour préparer votre voyage au Canada :   Le guide complet pour tout préparer de A à Z!

Les meilleurs circuits au Canada : Notre sélection des meilleurs circuits au Canada, pour un voyage de rêve sans se ruiner!

Les meilleurs circuits au Québec: Notre sélection des meilleurs circuits au Québec, pour un séjour de rêve sans se ruiner!

  • Assurance voyage Canada: Quelle est la meilleure? 50% d’économies grâce à notre comparatif des différentes offres pour le Canada
  • Que faire au Canada? Les 20 choses à découvrir absolument lors de votre voyage!
  • Que faire au Québec?   Mes 20 choses favorites à découvrir dans la province francophone!
  • Itinéraire: Une semaine au Canada: Toutes les étapes pour visiter le Canada en 1 semaine!
  • Itinéraire: 10 jours au Canada: Tous nos conseils pour organiser votre voyage de 10 jours au Canada !
  • Itinéraire: 2 semaines au Canada: Visiter l’Ouest du Canada en 15 jours.
  • Itinéraire: 3 semaines au Canada: Les étapes pour visiter l’Ouest et l’Est du Canada en 21 jours
  • Itinéraire: 1 mois au Canada: Visiter l’Est du Canada en un mois!
  • Itinéraire: Une semaine au Québec : Comment visiter le Québec en 1 semaine, avec tous nos conseils!
  • Itinéraire: 10 jours au Québec: Toutes les étapes pour organiser votre séjour de 10 jours au Québec!
  • Itinéraire: 2 semaines au Québec: Visiter le Québec en 2 semaines avec toutes les étapes et nos conseils !
  • Itinéraire: 3 semaines au Québec: Toutes les étapes pour faire un road trip de 3 semaines au Québec!
  • Road trip au Québec: Les meilleurs itinéraires pour 7, 10, 15 et 21 jours
  • Calgary: Le Top 10 des choses à faire lors de votre visite
  • Montréal: Les 45 choses à faire et à voir
  • Ottawa: Les 10 choses à ne pas manquer lors de votre voyage
  • Québec : Top 15 des choses à faire et à voir absolument
  • Toronto: Les 15 choses à faire lors de votre séjour
  • Vancouver : Les 25 choses à découvrir absolument

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Itinéraire road trip au Canada

Créateur du blog Voyage Tips, amoureux de voyages et de photographie. Je vous donne tous mes meilleurs conseils pour planifier votre prochain séjour.

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Discussion 4 commentaires.

yannick

Bonjour, comme convenu j espère que vous pourrez m’aider pour que notre voyage soit merveilleux. Nous arrivons le 5/8/22 à Vancouver où nous sommes logés chez un ami , nous récupérons un camping car le 8/8 et allons traverser le canada, puis nous laisserons le camping car le 27/8 après midi et décollons de Quebec le 28/8 au soir. Aussi, j ai bien lu votre road trip de 3 semaines. cependant pour notre part étant en camping nous devons traverser de calgary a l’ontario ce qui n’est pas prévu dans votre trajet sauf par vol. Aussi pourriez vous me dire ce qu’il que l’on peut faire et voir dans le laps de temps ci dessus indiqué ou ce qu’il faut enlevé dans votre road trip. Nous sommes 3, 2 adultes et 1 enfant de 10 ans. Espréant que vous pourrez nous aider ou nous proposer un road trip correspondant à nos dates et en camping car. J’attends de vous lire avec impatience. bien cordialement

Vincent

Pour votre road trip au Canada, en arrivant à Vancouver, vous pouvez suivre toute la première partie de mon itinéraire de 3 semaines: Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, Wells Gray, le parc national de Jasper, le parc national de Banff et Calgary. C’est vraiment un grand classique pour voir tous les incontournables de l’Ouest du Canada. Mais vous pouvez gagner 3 jours de voyage facilement en supprimant la visite de Victoria et en partant directement de Vancouver à Whistler le 8 (il y a seulement 1h30 de route).

En suivant cet itinéraire, ça vous ferait arriver vers le 15 août à Calgary et c’est là que se complique un peu. Car il y a plus de 3400 km de route entre Calgary et Toronto par exemple (en restant uniquement du côté de la frontière canadienne et en empruntant l’autoroute Trans Canada).

Les gens font généralement un stop à: – Regina – 760 km de Calgary – 7h30 de route (attention tous les temps de route sont calculés sur Google Maps mais il faut en général compter plus car la limitation de vitesse n’est pas très élevée et il y a des passages à une voie donc s’il y a un accident, ça rallonge). – Winnipeg – 575 km de Regina – 6h de route – Thunder Bay – 700 km de Winnipeg – 8h de route – Sault Sainte Marie – 700 km de Thunder Bay – 7h45 de route De Sault, il y a encore 700 km pour arriver à Toronto. Vous arriveriez à Toronto le 20 Août où vous pourriez reprendre mon itinéraire à l’envers en passant par les Mille-Iles, Ottawa et rejoindre Montréal. (Par contre je n’ai pas compris si vous décolliez de Montréal (ce que vous disiez sur Facebook) ou de Québec (comme précisé ici -parce que ça rallonge encore le trajet)).

Pour la route de Calgary à Toronto, vous voyez que ça fait énormément de trajet et que 5 jours sont donc vraiment le minimum à prévoir et à condition que vous puissiez faire autant de route chaque jour. Vous n’allez pas vraiment avoir le temps de vous arrêter faire des visites, ça va être épuisant.

Vous pouvez bien sur compter plus de jours et faire plus de stops mais à ce moment-là, il faudrait certainement supprimer la visite de Toronto et des Mille-Îles et partir directement sur Ottawa et Montréal. C’est pour cela que dans mes itinéraires (qui sont vraiment optimisés au maximum), je conseille de prendre l’avion.

N’hésitez pas si vous avez d’autres questions. Bon road trip au Canada!

BERTRAND

Bonjour, Je vous remercie pour votre aide. Malheureusement, nous avons déjà réservé le camping-car.

Pour répondre à votre question nous décollons de l’aéroport Trudeau-Dorval.

Cordialement.

Avec plaisir!

Et oui malheureusement c’est trop tard, vous n’allez pas avoir de choix que de faire la route Calgary-Toronto ou Montréal. Je vous rassure vous n’êtes pas le seul à ne pas vous être rendu compte de l’énorme distance qu’il y a entre les 2. D’ailleurs ça m’étonne un peu que vous ayez pu louer un camping-car de Vancouver à Montréal. Honnêtement je ne pensais pas que c’était possible.

Après, je ne l’ai pas emprunté moi-même mais il y a quand même l’air d’y avoir de belles choses à voir sur la route et les paysages du Canada sont magnifiques partout. C’est juste que ça vous oblige à supprimer quelques endroits incontournables de l’Est du Canada (mais vous pourrez revenir un peu plus tard et cette fois-ci prévoir un road trip au Québec 🙂).

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17 Best Road Trips in Canada | 2023 Guide

There is no better way to explore Canada than on a road trip. Being the second-largest country in the world, Canada boasts plenty of space and a variety of beautiful landscapes, making it an ideal destination for a road trip adventure.

*This post may contain affiliate links, as a result, we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) on any bookings/purchases you make through the links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Read our full disclosure

Over the last few years, we spent many months traversing the country in our   self-converted Sprinter Campervan . We spent months at a time on the road, traveling from one corner of the country to the other, following some of the most beautiful road trip itineraries in the country.

You’ve likely heard of some of Canada’s most scenic drives, like the Sea to Sky Highway and Icefields Parkway. However, there are plenty of other Canadian road trips worth embarking on.

We’ve rounded up the  best road trips in Canada , covering all 10 provinces and two of the three territories. Whether you’re planning on road-tripping across Canada or looking for a one-week getaway from its major cities, we take a look at the best Canadian road trips you should add to your bucket list!

Canada PEI North Cape drive Benji OM 0477

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Best Road Trips in Every Province

No matter which province you want to explore in Canada, these are some epic road trips to take in every corner of the country. Pack your car and head off-road tripping Canada for one of the most memorable trips you can take in the country.

Here is our pick for the most noteworthy road trips in Canada!

British Columbia

Sea to sky highway.

From Vancouver to Whistler Distance: 125kms

One of the best road trips from Vancouver, the  Sea to Sky Highway links Vancouver and Whistler . This short Canadian road trip takes in some of the best scenery on the West Coast in a matter of hours on Highway 99. As the name suggests, it offers beautiful views from the coast to the mountain peaks.

There are plenty of wonderful things to see on this western Canada road trip, including  Whytecliff Park ,  Shannon Falls,  and the adventure towns of  Squamish  and  Whistler . One of the highlights for us was the  Sea to Sky Gondola , just a 45-minute drive from Vancouver. The 10-minute gondola ride takes you up over Howe Sound and offers access to hiking trails, a cafe, and a suspension bridge. You can buy your tickets  online , and reservations are not required. To avoid the lines, get there as early as you can.

If you want to get out of the city, this is definitely one of the most popular short road trips from Vancouver. It’s a BC road trip that you can take on a leisurely weekend without much planning.

Canada BC Sea to Sky Highway 0420

READ NEXT: 11 Stops Along The Sea To Sky Highway

Okanagan Valley

From Osoyoos to Kelowna Distance: 125km

The Okanagan Valley doesn’t have a designated road trip route. But we think the famous wine region in British Columbia is definitely a road trip worth taking. The valley is home to many wineries, farm-to-table restaurants, beautiful towns, and Lake Okanagan. 

If you want to take in the best that the region has to offer, we recommend driving from  Osoyoos to Kelowna.  This 125-km long road trip, just east of Vancouver, is a great way to take in the best of the Okanagan Valley wine regions along the way. 

The Okanagan Valley road trip can be a  great trip en route from Calgary to Vancouver  along the  Trans Canada Highway . 

Okanagan wine tasting at Summerhill Winery Kelowna

READ NEXT: Top Things To Do In Kelowna

Vancouver Island

From Victoria to Port Hardy Distance: 500kms

Vancouver Island is one of the most beautiful parts of British Columbia. Without a doubt, one of the best ways to get around the huge island is by car. You can take one of the ferries across from Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay. Explore the island with your own vehicle at your own pace.

Highway 19 is the main highway on Vancouver Island, connecting Victoria in the south to Port Hardy in the north. The journey spans 500 km and offers plenty of   things to see and do  along the way. This road trip is best done as a multi-day trip to make the most of each stop. 

This Vancouver Island road trip features beautiful gardens, epic hikes, surf and diving spots, sandy beaches, and  whale-watching tours  in the Pacific Ocean, plus some fun towns like Nanaimo, Campbell River, and Telegraph Cove. This drive is definitely a highlight of any western Canada adventure. 

Campbell River Things to do

Pacific Rim Highway (Vancouver Island)

From Port Alberni to Tofino Distance: 160 kms

This scenic road trip stretches along a portion of the island’s rugged Pacific Coast, passing through lush rainforests and pristine beaches. Starting in the town of Port Alberni, the Pacific Rim Highway also goes through the  Pacific Rim National Park Reserve , home to natural wonders like Kennedy Lake, the Broken Group Islands, and Long Beach.

There are countless things to see and do, starting in Port Alberni, a salmon fishing capital with a growing eco-tourism industry. Historic sites can be found all over town, as well as a vibrant arts culture and cultural centers like the downtown  Harbour Quay . From Port Alberni, you’ll head south to the Pacific Coast on to Long Beach, then through lush forest to coastal towns like Ucluelet and Tofino.

READ NEXT: Best Things To Do In Vancouver Island

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast (Great Bear Rainforest Loop)

From Lillooet, BC to Bella Coola, BC Distance: 720kms

The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is one of the last frontiers of wilderness in British Columbia, accessible by car. This region is a lesser-travelled part of British Columbia but offers a peak into BC’s historic past and a chance to connect with true wilderness. 

One of the highlights of the area is the Great Bear Rainforest, 6.4 million hectares of rugged wilderness home to grizzly bears, wolves, and other wildlife. Spend a few days hiking and bear-watching in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, check out the Farewell Canyon, and try your chance at salmon fishing at Lac la Hache. 

From Lillooet, the drive follows Highway 99 and 97 until Williams Lake and then heads west along Highway 20 all the way to Bella Coola. If you want to complete the full Great Bear Rainforest Loop, start your trip in Vancouver, hop on the Chilcotin Coast Ferry in Bella Colla to make your way to Vancouver Island and eventually back to Vancouver. Give yourself at least 1-2 weeks to make the most of this epic road trip in BC. 

Canada BC Tweedsmuir Park river 0212

READ NEXT:  Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Roadtrip

Icefields Parkway

From Lake Louise to Jasper Distance: 235km 

One of the most well-known road trips in Canada, Icefields Parkway is an epic 235-km drive through the Canadian Rockies. Leaving Lake Louise and   Banff National Park  the drive takes you past incredible glacial lakes and towering peaks of Banff National Park to the town of Jasper, home to Jasper National Park. 

It’s widely considered to be the  ultimate Canada road trip.  This road trip offers an opportunity to get a close-up view of the Rocky Mountains and some of its most famous lakes, waterfalls, and other attractions. There are many stops along the way, so this short drive is best done as a 1-2 day adventure. During the summer months, there are a number of accommodation options and campgrounds where you can stay overnight to split up your Banff to Jasper road trip. 

Some of the must-see places on the Icefields Parkway include  Lake Louise, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefield, Sunwapta Falls,  and  Athabasca Glacier.

Canada Alberta Rockies Lake Louise canoe Oksana 04433

READ NEXT: Top Stops on the Icefields Parkway

Dempster Highway

From Dawson City to Inuvik Distance: 700kms 

For a real sense of adventure on your Canada road trip, don’t miss a chance to drive the  Dempster Highway in Yukon . The extraordinary  700-km long isolated road  is known as the only all-weather route that passes the Arctic Circle in Canada. 

Traveling from Dawson City to Inuvik, the highway connects Yukon with the Northwest Territories. It’s an extremely remote Yukon road trip, with only one service station and accommodation on the entire road at Eagle Pains. This means a great deal of planning and preparation is required. However, those who decide to tackle this road trip, will be rewarded with an incredibly memorable experience. 

road trip canada

READ NEXT: 10 Beautiful Sprinter Van Conversions

Northwest Territories

Road to tuk.

From Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Distance: 150kms 

The Dempster Highway starts in Yukon and ends in the town of Inuvik in Northwest Territories, but for adventure seekers, the road trip doesn’t have to end here. 

The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk road in Northwest Territories continues farther North into one of the most incredible remote country routes. It is just one stretch of the 2000 kilometres of roads cleared every winter in the Northwest Territories. The 150km-long stretch of road connecting the two communities near the far north shore of the country is the best road trip in Canada for adventure seekers. 

You can admire timeless landscapes and even spot Northern Lights as you travel through this remote region until you reach the community of Inuvialuit, hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. This is a unique place, home to just 900 residents, and one of the few places in the world where you can experience how traditional ways of life blend with modern Arctic living.

The “Road to Tuk” opened in 2017 and is maintained all year round. The highway meanders through the tundra, passing ice hills, clear lakes, and beautiful scenery. 

Tuktoyaktuk Northern Territory Canada

Saskatchewan

Grasslands scenic drive.

From Val-Marie to Grasslands National Park Distance: 80kms round trip

The Grasslands Scenic Drive is considered the best way to see the Grasslands National Park. The well-signposted drive takes you from Val-Marie through the national park and Frenchman River Valley on an 80km course. There are several spots to stop at along the way and short walks to complete if you want to explore most of Grasslands National Park. 

The drive offers a great opportunity to spot some wildlife, including  bison and  rare prairie dogs . It’s the only place in Canada where the black-tailed prairie dogs still exist in their native habitat. 

It’s a bit of a detour if you are driving across Canada, but is worth the hassle! 

bison in grasslands national park

READ NEXT: The Ultimate Guide to USA Road Trip  

Southern Manitoba Road Trip

From Winnipeg to Riding Mountain National Park to Spruce Woods Provincial Park to Winnipeg Distance: 612 kms

The best way to explore the varied landscapes of Manitoba is on a road trip not far off the Trans Canada Highway. Starting from the province’s capital at Winnipeg, you can head northwest to  Riding Mountain National Park  and  Spruce Woods Provincial Park. The 612-km long round trip road trip takes in country towns, a variety of wildlife, and plenty of outdoor activities, including hiking and horseback riding. It’s an easy detour to take on a cross-Canada road trip! 

While the two parks are not far off the Trans Canada Highway, the road trip is a great way to get away from the crowds and spend a few days in nature. It’s worth staying overnight in the parks. Also, enjoy some of the recreational lakes and trails on an overnight camping trip.

road trips in Canada

READ NEXT: Things To Do In Riding Mountain National Park

Georgian Bay Coastal Route

From Collingwood to Manitoulin Island to Killarney Provincial Park and back to Collingwood Distance: 700+kms

The  Georgian Bay Coastal Route  is known as one of the best scenic drives in Ontario. This road trip loops around Georgian Bay, north of Toronto and offers some of the best scenery in the region. 

The best stops along the way include  Bruce Peninsula ,  Parry Sound,   Killarney Provincial Park, Manitoulin Island and Wasaga Beach/Collingwood . It’s widely considered one of the best road trips in Ontario, offering a variety of landscapes and things to do.

The Georgian Bay Coastal route can be extended further by adding on the Chatham-Kent Corridor, southwest of Toronto. This road trip takes in some beautiful lakes, including Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Thames River and can even be combined with a road trip to Niagara Falls too. This way you can combine the best road trips from Toronto into one long adventure.

Canada Ontario Bruce Peninsula National Park van 0929

READ NEXT: Visiting Bruce Peninsula National Park

Lake Superior Route

From Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay Distance: 700km

The Lake Superior Route is another great choice if you are looking for top Ontario road trip ideas. It is far less travelled compared to the Georgian Bay Coastal Route. Stretching from Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay for over 700km, this road trip offers  incredible landscapes and solitude  of the central coastal drive in Ontario. 

While the entire loop drive crosses from Canada into the USA, this half-circle Lake Superior drive follows the Canadian side of Lake Superior. The lake is huge and almost looks like the ocean as you drive along the shoreline. There are plenty of places to stop en route, including  Sault Ste. Marie ,  Lake Superior Provincial Park ,  Ruby Lake Provincial Park ,  Pukaskwa National Park , and  Thunder Bay  for some hiking and camping.

Road leading to Pukaskwa National Park

READ NEXT: Guide To Visiting Pukaskwa National Park

Montreal to Gaspe Peninsula 

From Montreal to Gaspe Peninsula Distance: 1000kms

One of the best Canadian road trips, the almost 1000-km long Montreal to Gaspe road trip takes in some of the highlights of Quebec, including some of the country’s major cities. On a road trip from Montreal, you can explore both  Montreal  and  Quebec City , before heading northeast along the coast to Gaspe Peninsula. 

This Quebec road trip follows the St Lawrence River on the Trans-Canada Highway. It connects these vibrant cities en route to the pine forests and spectacular cliffs. Once you hit the Gaspe Peninsula, make time to visit the pierced rock in  Percé,  the  Parc de la Gaspésie , and take a boat tour to Bonaventure Island.

For a scenic pit stop, you’ll have your choice of national parks to choose from. If you’re starting in Montreal, you’ll first come to the  Lac-Temiscouata National Park , then you’ll pass by  Bic National Park  at around the half-way mark. To stay the night and take your time exploring the parks, there are campsites at both of these parks, plus the nearby towns with hotel accommodations. 

road trip montreal

Nova Scotia

Halifax to cabot trail.

From Halifax to Cabot Trail Distance: 300kms 

The Cabot Trail  is one of the most famous road trips in Canada. It’s best to start this road trip in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, and head northeast to  Cape Breton Island  on the east coast of Canada. Once you reach the island, you can hop on the scenic Cabot Trail. The 300-km highway hugs the coastline and offers stunning scenery across the ocean and rolling mountains.

There are plenty of opportunities to stop on the way and explore on foot with a chance to spot a moose, eagle, and even a whale. A couple of great hikes on the island include the  Skyline Tail  and the  Acadian Trail.  If you happen to visit during the fall season, you can register to participate in the annual  Hike the Highlands Festival , a 10-day event with guided hikes, evening activities, and presentations focused on sustainability efforts. 

To see the many creations that this famous inventor developed while summering in Baddeck, pop into the  Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site . This interactive museum offers a White Glove Tour, where you can touch and look at the inventions up close. If you have time, consider exploring the  Good Cheer Trail , Canada’s first and only winery, brewery, cidery, distillery, and meadery trail. There are trail stops all over Nova Scotia where you can pop in for a locally-made drink and collect stamps. This Nova Scotia road trip is undoubtedly a must-do road trip in Eastern Canada.

Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia Canada

Prince Edward Island 

North cape coastal drive.

From Summerside to North Cape Distance: 350 km

Of the three separate scenic drives on Prince Edward Island,  North Cape  is known to be the best for breathtaking vistas, Mi’kmaq culture and unique stops. The drive begins in Prince Edward Island’s second-largest city,  Summerside , and continues north, with some wonderful stops on the way. 

One of the most unique places to visit on the North Cape Coastal Drive is the  Canadian Potato Museum,  to learn why Prince Edward Island’s potatoes are so famous. Another gastronomic hot spot is  Malpeque Oyster Barn , home to some of the best oysters you can taste in the northern hemisphere.  Cedar Dunes Provincial Park  is a great spot to go for a dip and  Kildare Capes  is a must to see the red cliff coastline. From nature to culture, breweries to bars, there are plenty of great places to indulge in good food and fascinating discoveries on the North Cape Coastal Drive.

prince edward island shoreline

Points East Coastal Drive

From Charlottetown all around the coastline Distance: 475 km

Connecting over 50 phenomenal beaches with the warmest waters north of the Carolinas, this road trip is perfect for the summer. But don’t worry if you can’t visit Prince Edward Island during the warmest months – there is so much else to see and do.

Along Northumberland Strait, you’ll get to visit three spectacular lighthouses and watch the seals and porpoises play. This coastal drive will take you to  Panmure Island , home to one of the most popular white sand beaches on PEI, and to the boardwalk that runs along the Montague waterfront. 

For some maritime history, stop at Georgetown, home to the first harbour built on the eastern seaboard and try some amazing PEI seafood at the  Georgetown Inn & Restaurant.  Another great spot along the drive is the Greenwich section of the PEI National Park, where you’ll get to experience one of Canada’s unique parabolic dune system.

To explore more of the island’s history, stop at the historic sites on the eastern end of the island. The  Orwell Corner Historic Village  and  Roma at Three Rivers National Historic Site .

New Brunswick

Fundy coast road trip.

From Moncton to Saint Andrews Distance: 330 kms

The Bay of Fundy is a top spot for an east coastal drive in Canada. The 330-km trip takes you from Moncton following the coastline down to Fundy National Park and further onto the city of Saint Andrews. The bay is famous for having the world’s highest tides. It has an estimated 150 billion tons of water flowing in and out every six hours. 

There are some incredibly unique places to stop along the way, including  Hopewell Rocks ,  Fundy National Park,   St Martin’s sea caves,  the city of  Saint John and the town of Saint Andrews . While most people think of Cape Breton Island for their eastern Canada road trip, the Bay of Fundy is a very interesting alternative away from the crowds. It’s a must-do New Brunswick road trip!

road trips Canada 

Newfoundland and Labrador

Irish loop .

From Saint John along the south-eastern section of the Avalon Peninsula Distance: 312 km (one way)

Starting from the capital of Newfoundland in Saint John’s, the  Irish Loop road trip  heads for 300-km around the southern coast of the province. It’s jam-packed with some credible coastal scenery and wilderness activities including hiking and wildlife spotting. 

Many people head off on a whale-watching tour in  Witless Bay  and do some hiking along the  East Coast Trail . One of the highlights of this east Canada road trip is the historic town of  Ferryland,  one of the oldest European settlements in North America.

canada east coast road trip 

The Viking Trail

From Deer Lake to St. Anthony Distance: 526kms

The Viking Trail is one of the most famous road trips in Canada hugging the coastline of Newfoundland. The drive starts in the northern part of the province, in the town of  Deer Lake  and follows the road to  Gros Morne National Park  and  L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site , which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Some of the highlights of the road trip are the fishing village of  Woody Point  and  Rocky Harbour, Gros Morne , as well as L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site on the far north shore of the island. If you want to escape the towns and head into nature, there are camping and walking trails in Gros Morne. Gros Morne is an incredible wilderness area covering 1800 square kilometres. It’s also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

road trips in Canada

Which of these Road Trips in Canada have you done?

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The Ultimate Cross Canada Road Trip Itinerary

The Ultimate Cross Canada Road Trip Itinerary

Lately, I’ve become obsessed with planning the ultimate cross Canada road trip. And if my 10+ years as a travel blogger can tell you anything, it’s that I absolutely love organizing, planning and researching for big trips, even if I don’t have a definite date for when I will take them.

For most of my travel life, I’ve prioritized new, international locations over exploring my own backyard here in Canada. But during covid when international travel was restricted, I learned to appreciate travel in my home country. So much so that my husband, Colin, and I took an Atlantic Canada honeymoon!

It turns out: Canada is amazing! Or at least the 32 million people who visit my country each year certainly think so.

And so as a Canadian myself, I would love to spend more time discovering this country outside of the cities I’ve lived in and know well, Vancouver and Toronto. I love the idea of going from coast to coast, exploring cities and wildlife, visiting all 10 provinces on a cross Canada road trip!

Which is why I’ve put together an epic 34-stop cross Canada road trip itinerary from Vancouver to St. John’s!

When I was looking up an itinerary for a road trip across Canada, I noticed that many other posts only covered a fraction of the country. I get it, Canada is a big place. But I want to plan a route that drives across all of Canada (even if I can only drive it in small stretches at a time)!

Below I’m sharing my ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary – from Victoria to St. Johns , from the Pacific to the Atlantic – and all of the stops in between. I’ll dive into the things you must see, what to do if you don’t have enough time to drive across Canada, how to get around and where to go in each destination.

Hands holding a red cup that says "Canada, Strong and Free, 1867"

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Table of Contents

Canada road trip FAQs

Is canada good for road trips.

Absolutely! Canada is one of the best countries for road trips. Many people have taken on a Canadian road trip so you’ll find lots of infrastructure like free and paid campsites, rest stops, paved roads, gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores throughout the country. If you’re an English speaker, you’ll have no problem getting around most of Canada.

Canada is also great for road trips because it offers something for everyone. Whether you’re into big cities, natural wilderness, water sports, hiking, biking, shopping, art, food or something else, you can design your Canada road trip around your interests.

How long would a road trip across Canada take?

Canada is a BIG country; it’s the second largest country after Russia. So driving across Canada will take a while! The main route of the Trans Canada Highway, which starts in Victoria, BC and ends in St. John’s, NF, is 7,821 km, making it the fourth longest highway in the world.

It would take 100 hours (4.2 days) of straight driving to complete this route across Canada , which doesn’t account for overnight stops, waiting for ferries, stopping for meals or any sightseeing.

Assuming you don’t want to drive 24 hours a day without stopping, you should give yourself at least three weeks to road trip across Canada – though I’d recommend a couple of months if you have the time . My itinerary below has 34 stops and would probably take 2-3 months to really enjoy.

Because the country is so large, driving across Canada can be daunting. But even if you don’t have time to drive across all of Canada, you can still plan an epic east coast Canada road trip, a shortened Canadian road trip (such as driving from Toronto to Vancouver), a road trip around Atlantic Canada or one on the west coast.

Short on time? Check out my suggestions at the end of this post for mini Canada road trips!   

Orange car on the side of the highway with fall foliage behind on a road trip on the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia; cross Canada road trip

When is the best time for a Canada road trip?

Despite our reputation, it’s not ALWAYS cold in Canada. In fact, our country gets really stinking hot in the summers! And of course, being such a huge country, the weather varies a lot from coast to coast.

That being said, I wouldn’t attempt a cross Canada road trip in the winter . While places like Vancouver and Victoria might be mild, other places will be freezing, blanketed in snow and no fun to explore – if the roads are even open to let you through!

Summer is a much better time for a Canadian road trip. While the weather will be hot in places, driving across Canada in the summer means you don’t have to worry about snow chains or snow tires. Parks will be open and camping outdoors will be comfortable (if you can find some shade).

Of course, summer is also Canada’s busiest tourism season, so prepare for crowds. Many popular areas, like Banff, will be teeming with people and campgrounds will book up in advance.

I would plan a cross Canada road trip for late spring or early fall . That way, you still get the best weather but hopefully with fewer crowds.

Car vs RV: How should you drive across Canada?

So you want to road trip Canada but now you have to think: how am I actually getting across this huge country?

Unfortunately, public transportation isn’t a great option. We have very limited passenger train routes in Canada and while you can basically cross the country by train with ViaRail, it will be slow, expensive and skip a lot of great stops.

Your choice will probably come down to driving a car with plans to overnight in hotels, motels, tents, Airbnbs, and the like or driving an RV across Canada (or other motorhome/converted van/trailer) that allows you to sleep and live in your vehicle.

Ultimately, I think this comes down to personal preference as there are pros and cons to both .

A car will be cheaper to buy/rent (if you don’t already have one) and fuel up, easier to drive and likely have fewer parts to maintain. But it can be costly to stay in hotels every night and annoying to constantly be packing and unpacking.

An RV will be more expensive to buy/rent (if you don’t already have one) and fuel, plus more cumbersome to drive, but can be convenient for road trippers who want to have their home with them.

When trying to decide, consider your comfort level with driving, how many people are road tripping with you, what kind of accommodation you prefer and, of course, your budget for your cross Canada road trip. If you’ve never RV-ed before, I’d recommend renting one for a shorter trip before trying to drive across Canada.

Need to rent a car for your Canada road trip? Check out Discover Cars! 

My top 5: What to see on a road trip across Canada?

A quick scroll down to my itinerary will show you that there is so much to see on a road trip across Canada. But here my top five picks for stops you can’t miss:

  • Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC
  • The stunning Banff National Park in Alberta
  • Niagara Falls and the surrounding wine country in Ontario
  • Old Montreal and Old Quebec City in Quebec
  • The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia

The most popular activities in Stanley Park

  • Enjoy this Stanley Park Walking Tour with a guide
  • Uncover the best sights of the city during this Stanley Park & Downtown Vancouver Bike Tour
  • Experience the natural beauty of Stanley Park in Vancouver on this bike tour

And for everything else you’ll want to see, let’s dive into my full cross Canada road trip itinerary below!

Cross Canada road trip map

The ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary

Through my extensive research, I found lots of posts that helped to plan a road trip in Canada, but on a smaller scale. Maybe it was just an east coast Canada road trip or a Toronto to Vancouver driving trip.

And while those adventures sound great, I wanted to put together an entire cross country road trip driving the entirety of Canada from east to west. While my road trip itinerary doesn’t cover every inch of Canada, it’s the most comprehensive one I’ve come across!

Below I’ll list every stop on my ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary, including how long the drive is from the previous stop and what you’ll want to do there. I’ve broken the itinerary up into sections (west coast, prairies, eastern, Atlantic), but they all connect to each other so you can simply continue heading east.

Ready? Let’s drive across Canada!

ULTIMATE CANADA ROAD TRIP: From Victoria to St. John's, discover the ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary with 34+ stops and planning advice! #canada #travel #roadtrip #banff #vancouver #toronto #niagarafalls

West coast and Rocky Mountains: BC & Alberta road trip

West coast and Rocky Mountains, itinerary for a BC & Alberta road trip across Canada

This portion of the itinerary covers British Columbia and the first part of Alberta along the Rocky Mountains . Stops on this portion of the road trip are:

  • Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island, BC

Victoria Harbour, Victoria, BC, cross Canada road trip itinerary

As you’ll see from the Canadian road trip planner map above, I actually start my cross Canada road trip in Vancouver. I live in Vancouver, so it would be a lot easier for me to pack up my car from home and start heading east, rather than back track to the Island.

Plus, I’d love to do a separate BC road trip around Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, like Galiano and Salt Spring Island (perhaps as a practice road trip before we try to drive across Canada!).

But if you’re not from Vancouver, have never been to the Island and want to complete the entire Trans Canada Highway main route, I highly recommend starting your cross Canada road trip in Victoria, BC .

I’ve visited Victoria a number of times and really love it. This charming provincial capital has a beautiful harbour, world-renowned gardens and great food. From there, you can keep exploring more of Vancouver Island.

Must do on Vancouver Island :

  • Stroll through Butchart Gardens
  • Try surfing in Tofino or check out more things to do in Ucluelet
  • Go whale watching

Canadian fun fact: Vancouver Island is an island off the mainland of BC where the provincial capital, Victoria, is found. Vancouver is a city on the mainland on BC. There is no such thing as Victoria Island or a capital city of Vancouver. I know, it’s confusing! 

Vancouver, BC (3 hrs from Victoria)

Vancouver skyline and False Creek from Charleson Park

If you skipped Vancouver Island, your cross Canada road trip will officially start in my home city, Vancouver! Otherwise, you can take a short and scenic ferry ride from Victoria to the mainland.

Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a highlight of any trip to Canada. Even as a local since 2010, I’m constantly amazed that I get to live in a place with beaches, mountains, city life and incredible food!

Must do in Vancouver :

  • Walk or bike along the Seawall to enjoy Stanley Park and city beaches
  • Shop and dine on Granville Island
  • Take a day trip to Whistler or another local ski mountain
  • Eat delicious sushi!

Another incredible thing to do in Vancouver (and all of Canada) is discover our indigenous history and culture. My friend Melanie put together this awesome post with lots of ideas for enjoying Indigenous culture in Vancouver!

The Okanagan, BC (4.5 hrs from Vancouver)

winery in Penticton, Okanagan, BC overlooking the lake

From Vancouver we’re heading into BC’s interior to visit the Okanagan Valley. The Okanagan is BC’s wine country and lake country, known for beautiful wineries, water sports and, unfortunately, summer wildfires.

If you’re visiting this area in the summer, make sure you’re aware of any fire bans, water restrictions or other alerts. Other than that, kick back with a glass of vino and a beautiful lakefront view!

Lucky for us, we have family in Kelowna and have visited the Okanagan many times (we even got engaged in Penticton!). But even if you don’t have family to stay with, BC’s Okanagan is well worth a visit.

Must do in Kelowna & the Okanagan:

  • Visit a local winery or join a wine tour
  • Hang out on Lake Okanagan
  • Take a day trip south to Penticton , Osoyoos or another South Okanagan town

Jasper, AB (7 hrs from Kelowna)

View of mountains, water and trees on Maligne Lake in Jasper, Alberta

Many people skip Jasper, preferring to drive straight from Vancouver to Banff or Vancouver to Calgary, but I think a detour north to Jasper would be a highlight of any Canada road trip.

Jasper National Park is the biggest national park in Canada, home to glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, islands, forests and so much more. As soon as I saw a picture of Maligne Lake (above), I knew I needed to add Jasper to this itinerary.

Plus, because it’s a detour off the main Trans Canada Highway, Jasper is never as busy as our next stop, Banff. Fewer crowds? Yes, please!

Must do in Japser:

  • Admire Maligne Lake and Maligne Canyon
  • Witness the powerful Athabasca Falls
  • Ride the Jasper SkyTram or walk the Columbia Icefield Skywalk

Short on time?  If you don’t have time to stop in the Okanagan or Jasper, you can do a Vancouver to Banff road trip in about nine hours, passing through Kamloops, Revelstoke and Glacier National Park. 

Banff, AB (3 hrs from Jasper)

Moraine Lake in Banff, Canada road trip

Another reason to visit Jasper? Because the drive from Banff to Jasper is through Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the entire world.

Once you tear your eyes away from the road, you’re in for even more beauty in Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park and visited by more than four million people every year.

Spend your days hiking, camping and admiring all of the beautiful scenery around you. Because Banff is so popular, make sure you book your accommodation ahead of time and wake up early to avoid the largest crowds.

Must do in Banff:

  • Check out the views from the Banff Gondola
  • Be wowed by some of the prettiest lakes like Emerald Lake, Morraine Lake and Lake Louise
  • Soak in a hot spring or set out on any number of scenic hikes in the area
  • Or check out this complete 4 day Banff itinerary !

Calgary, AB (1.5 hrs from Banff)

Calgary skyline, Canada road trip itinerary

In case you didn’t get enough hiking in Banff, you can make a stop in Canmore on your way to Calgary for more beautiful mountain views. Then it’s time to enter Cowtown, aka Calgary.

As a Vancouverite, it’s almost mandatory for us to make fun of Calgary (apologies to my Calgarian friends and family!), but there’s actually quite a bit to enjoy in the city. If you time your road trip right, you could be in town for the annual Calgary Stampede , which happens every July. There are also parks, museums, sports arenas and more to visit in Calgary.

Many people choose to visit Banff on a day trip from Calgary, since it’s only 1.5 hours away. But because there’s so much to do in Banff, I think it’d be better to spend a few days there before moving onto Calgary. However, if you’re short on time, you could do a day trip to Banff while basing in Calgary.

Must do in Calgary:

  • Don a cowboy hat at Calgary Stampede
  • Stroll (or raft) along Bow River and check out the Peace Bridge
  • Visit the Heritage Park Historical Village to learn some Western Canada history
  • Try your hand at some winter sports at WinSport, home of the 1998 Winter Olympics

Canadian fun “fact”: Just to prove how great the Vancouver-Calgary rivalry is, when I asked my husband what someone should do in Calgary he suggested “complain that you’re not in Vancouver.” But we’re just kidding, Calgary is great! 

Prairies: Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba road trip

Prairies: Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba road trip route through Canada

We’re now moving into Canada’s prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Stops visited on this portion of your road trip are:

  • Riding Mountain National Park
  • Whiteshell Provincial Park

Drumheller, AB (1.5 hrs from Calgary)

Rock formations in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada

From Calgary we are leaving the Rockies and officially entering prairie land. This part of Canada is known for being quite flat (and dull) but as you’ll see below, there are some great places to stop on your cross Canada road trip.

First up: Drumheller! Known as the Town of the Dinosaurs, if you have any dino lovers in your car, this is going to be a mandatory stop!

Must do in Drumheller:

  • Check out fossils found in the area at The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
  • Spot hoodoos in the nearby badlands
  • Take a day trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park (2 hrs from Drumheller)

Saskatoon, SK (5 hrs from Drumheller)

Skyline of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada at sunset with snow on the ground

I was debating which of Saskatchewan’s major cities to include in this itinerary: Saskatoon, Regina or Moose Jaw. Ultimately I decided on Saskatoon as it’s the largest city, doesn’t have as much of a government feel as the capital (Regina), and is closest to Drumheller.

If you prefer to visit Regina, check out Stone Hall Castle, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and the world’s largest moose statue.

Or if you prefer to check out Moose Jaw, don’t miss the Tunnels of Moose Jaw tours. These are interactive tours that take place in the tunnels below the city and look really fun!

Must do in Saskatoon:

  • Visit Wanuskewin Heritage Park to learn about people’s sacred relationship with the land
  • Stand up paddle board on the South Saskatchewan River
  • Grab lunch at the oldest and largest farmer’s market in the province, the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market

Not into cities?  If cities don’t do it for you, skip Saskatoon and head south to visit Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park or Grasslands National Park for forests, lakes, wide open spaces, wildlife spotting and stargazing. 

Riding Mountain National Park, MB (6 hrs from Saskatoon)

Fall foliage and trees at Riding Mountain National Park, MB, Canada

A great stop to break up the long drive across the Canadian Prairies is Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.

This park is home to forests, grasslands and great wildlife viewing. It’s a top place to visit in the province and a nice change from city life if you’re driving from Saskatoon to (spoiler alert on the next stop) Winnipeg.

Must do in Riding Mountain National Park:

  • Try out water sports in the summer or cross-country skiing in the winter
  • Take in the view from the top of Bald Hill
  • Go on a day trip to nearby university town, Brandon

Winnipeg, MB (3 hrs from Riding Mountain)

Winnipeg, Manitoba skyline with buildings, trees and the Winnipeg sign; visited on a Canada road trip

Welcome to The Peg! Affectionally called “Winterpeg” in the winter, you may want to steer clear of Winnipeg in the colder months. But in the summer, you’ll find lots to enjoy in this city. With a number of museums, markets, festivals and parks, you’ll have lots to fill your days.

And when you need a break from city life, head up to Lake Winnipeg. Enjoy the white sand dunes at Grand Beach or indulge in Icelandic heritage and Viking statues in Gimli.

Must do in Winnipeg: 

  • Visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (I’ve heard it’s incredible!)
  • Get to know the city by riding the Central Winnipeg Bike Loop
  • Escape to the water on Lake Winnipeg

Whiteshell Provincial Park, MB (1.5 hrs from Winnipeg)

Dock on Falcon Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Canada road trip

Our last stop in the prairies is Whiteshell Provincial Park, a park located on the border between Manitoba and Ontario. It’s a great introduction to the natural scenery that awaits you in western Ontario.

If you prefer to drive farther (since Whiteshell isn’t that far from Winnipeg), you could cross the border into Ontario and base in Kenora, a waterfront town with lots of beach activities.

Must do in Whiteshell Provincial Park: 

  • Hit the beach at Falcon Lake
  • Discover the Bannock Point Petroforms
  • Visit West Hawk Lake, a crater lake formed by a meteor

Eastern Canada: Ontario & Quebec road trip

Eastern Canada: Ontario & Quebec road trip across Canada

We’re now moving into the middle section of Canada and our two biggest provinces, Ontario and Quebec. Here we’ll be visiting:

  • Thunder Bay
  • Sault Ste Marie
  • Manitoulin Island
  • Prince Edward County
  • Eastern Townships
  • Quebec City

Thunder Bay, ON (6.5 hrs from Whiteshell)

A man sitting on a rock with trees behind him overlooking Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

From Manitoba it’s a long drive to Thunder Bay to begin the Ontario road trip portion of this Canada itinerary.

The city of Thunder Bay isn’t the most exciting place to be but all of the nature nearby is really worth visiting. They say it’s home to some of the best beaches, waterfalls and viewpoints in the province!

Must do in Thunder Bay: 

  • Explore Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park (Canada’s version of the Grand Canyon)
  • Admire Kakabeka Falls, the second highest waterfall in the province
  • Check out the amethyst mines and find your own to take home , as suggested by my friend Lyn!
  • Visit the Terry Fox Monument, commemorating the spot where Terry’s Marathon of Hope across Canada ended

Sault Ste Marie, ON (7.5 hrs from Thunder Bay)

Historic home in Sault Ste Marie with the Canada flag

It’s another long drive from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste Marie (pronounced Soo Saint Marie). What can I say? Ontario is a big province and you have a lot of ground to cover!

Luckily you’ll be driving along Lake Superior the whole time, affording you lots of places to stop and admire the view or go on a little hike to stretch the legs. Right on the US/Canada border, The Soo is a big port city with a splash of outdoor adventure for you to enjoy.

Must do in Sault Ste Marie:

  • Kayak down or go fly fishing on St. Marys River
  • Unleash your inner aviation geek at the Canadian BiPlane Heritage Museum
  • Ski or mountain bike at Hiawatha Highlands

Manitoulin Island, ON (4 hrs from Sault Ste Marie)

The Cup and Saucer Trail on Manitoulin Island, Ontario

You didn’t think a cross Canada road trip itinerary would include islands did you? Or at least not in Ontario! But it’s true, Ontario is home to a number of islands, such as Manitoulin Island in the middle of Lake Huron.

Manitoulin Island is actually the largest freshwater island in the world and an amazing place to explore Indigenous culture, scenic trails and even see the Northern Lights (if you’re lucky!).

Must do on Manitoulin Island: 

  • Hike the Cup and Saucer Trail for epic views
  • Explore some of Manitoulin’s 100+ lakes by canoe
  • Visit Wiikwemkoong, Canada’s only official Unceded Indian Reserve

Tobermory, ON (2.5 hrs from Manitoulin Island)

Beautiful blue water and a rocky coastline on the Bruce Trail in Tobermory, part of an itinerary across Canada

To get from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory, you and your vehicle will load onto a scenic ferry. Now look at us; we’re island-hopping in Canada!

While technically not an island, Tobermory does feel like a world of its own. It’s absolutely one of the most beautiful, natural places in Ontario with hidden gems (shipwrecks, anyone?) and Caribbean-like waters waiting to be discovered.

Must do in Tobermory:

  • Explore beaches, caves and grottos at Bruce Peninsula National Park
  • Take a boat tour around Flowerpot Island
  • Dive around 20 historical shipwrecks at Fathom Five National Marine Park

Short on time? Prefer cities? You can drive from Winnipeg to Toronto through the US (21 hours) rather than through the Canadian stops above (25 hours) and visit Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit on the way. 

Toronto, ON (3.5 hrs from Tobermory)

Riana and Colin in front of the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillip Square in 2015

Welcome to The Six, my hometown of Toronto (us locals drop the second “t” so it’s more like “Torono”). Arguably the best known city in Canada and the biggest, no cross Canada road trip could exclude TO.

Having grown up in Toronto, it’s hard for me to see it as a tourist locale. But besides visiting my friends and family, there really is so much to do in this bustling, diverse city. From museums, parks and islands to sports arenas, shopping streets and galleries, there’s something in Toronto for everyone .

But my favourite part of the city is all of the different neighbourhoods that each have a distinct culture and feel. My favourites are Chinatown, The Annex and Kensington Market. It’s also some of the best eating in Canada, no matter what cuisine you’re in the mood for!

Must do in Toronto: 

  • Head up the iconic CN Tower for a view over the city
  • Cruise across to the Toronto Islands and check out the skyline view
  • Watch a major league baseball, basketball or hockey game
  • See dinosaurs at the Royal Ontario Museum or admire art at the Art Gallery of Ontario
  • Get your fill of delicious Portuguese, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Korean food and any other cuisine!

Day trip to Niagara Falls!

Guests wearing red rain slickers on a cruise down to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Having grown up in Toronto, I’ve been to Niagara Falls a handful of times and often stayed overnight. At just over an hour from Toronto, Niagara Falls is an easy day trip.

But if you have the time and budget, I do recommend spending a few days in the Niagara region. Or if you’d prefer to base in Toronto and just see the falls on a day trip , that works too.

Besides seeing the incredible Niagara Falls (and yes, the Canadian side is much better than the American side) you’ll also want to check out Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario’s charming wine country.

There are lots of wine tours through Niagara if you’d rather not drive or find wineries yourself. You can also visit Albion Falls just outside of Hamilton on your way to Niagara, kind of like a warm up for the bigger Niagara Falls.

Prince Edward County, ON (3 hrs from Toronto)

Prince Edward County

Despite having lived the first 18 years of my life in Toronto, I’m sad to say I haven’t been to Prince Edward County. Which is too bad because it seems like the cutest collection of small towns, beaches, wineries, galleries, shops and parks.

The County is an island in Lake Ontario (not to be confused with Prince Edward Island, which is also an island called Prince Edward, but a province in the Atlantic Ocean) home to farmers and makers, perfect for slowing down and enjoying local life.

Must do in Prince Edward County:

  • Hit the beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park or North Beach Provincial Park
  • Wine taste through local wineries (there are also cideries and breweries, if you prefer)
  • Bike or hike the Millennium Trail or shop local in Picton or Wellington

For more suggestions of what to do, check out my friend Renee’s post with 16 things to do in Prince Edward County!

Ottawa, ON (3 hrs from Prince Edward County)

Parliament buildings and trees in Ottawa, ON, one of the stops on a cross Canada road trip

From Prince Edward County we’re heading north to Canada’s capital, Ottawa (no, Canada’s capital is not Toronto!). Ottawa is an incredible place to learn about Canada’s history and hear a mix of our national languages, English and French.

In the winter, don’t miss skating down the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest skate rink at 7.8km.

But there’s lots of fun to be had in the summer in Ottawa too! I’ve visited in both seasons and enjoyed skating in the cold and wandering Parliament Hill in warmer months.

Must do in Ottawa: 

  • Visit a museum such as The Canadian Museum of History , The Canadian War Museum or The Canadian Museum of Nature
  • Take a tour of Parliament Hill
  • Stroll, skate or cruise along the Rideau Canal with a Beaver Tail!

Canadian fun fact: A Beaver Tail is a Canadian dessert that is essentially deep fried dough with toppings on it in the vague shape of a beaver’s tail. No actual beavers are harmed in the making of these treats! 

Montreal, QC (2.5 hrs from Ottawa)

Colin and Riana posing at the top of Mount Royal, Montreal, Quebec overlooking downtown Montreal on a cross Canada trip

Bienvenue à Québec! Ready to road trip Quebec? We’re crossing over from Ontario to French-speaking Quebec and stopping first in one of my favourite cities, Montreal .

I always say that if I spoke French fluently, I would move to Montreal. But don’t worry! You don’t need to be fluent or even rudimentary at French to visit Montreal (but it would be good to parlez français if you want to move there).

Montreal has incredible food , is diverse and bustling, and has a wonderful European charm to it. There are beautiful viewpoints, stunning churches, funky street art, world-class restaurants, and lots of festivals and events.

Montreal feels like a place unlike any other in Canada and is a city where you could never get bored. I’ve visited a handful of times over the years and always enjoy the city.

Must do in Montreal: 

  • Wander Old Montreal and the Port of Montreal
  • Go on a food tour of Montreal enjoying bagels, poutine, crepes and much more!
  • Admire Montreal’s famous Notre Dame and St. Joseph’s churches

Eastern Townships, QC (1.5 hrs from Montreal)

Fall foliage on Mont-Mégantic, Eastern Townships, Quebec, Canada

Despite a few visits to Montreal over the years, I haven’t explored more of Quebec yet. One area I’d love to spend a few days in is the Eastern Townships, just an hour or two southeast of Montreal.

This area is Quebec’s natural wonderland, where many Quebec and Ontario locals have cottages to spend their summers. It’s the perfect place to golf, hike, bike, take to the water and stargaze. There are also wineries, local shops and festivals to enjoy.

Must do in the Eastern Townships: 

  • Get back to nature at Parc National du Mont-Orford
  • Visit the world’s first Dark Sky Preserve at ASTROLab in Parc National du Mont-Mégantic
  • Climb one of the world’s longest suspension bridges at Gorge Park

My friend Renee is once again coming in clutch with her list of 13 villages to visit in the Eastern Townships!

Quebec City, QC (2.5 hrs from the Eastern Townships)

View of the Fairmont hotel in Quebec City, Canada road trip

On your way to Quebec’s capital, it may be worth a detour to Beauce for a sweet treat, since this town is responsible for 20% of the world’s maple syrup production!

All sugared up, you’re off to Quebec City for a few days of culture, architecture and history. There are world-renown art galleries and museums, stunning churches, and North America’s only ice hotel!

Quebec City has always struck me as a very romantic place – in fact, Colin and I thought about including it in our honeymoon itinerary . I’d love to splurge on a stay at the Château Frontenac one day (the most photographed hotel in the world). You can tell how badly I want to visit Quebec City by all of the must dos I listed below!

Must do in Quebec City: 

  • Stroll along the fortified walls of Old Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Explore the Citadelle de Québec, a military heritage site built between 1820 and 1850
  • Admire Montmorency Falls (they’re actually taller than Niagara Falls!)
  • Get your nature on at Jacques-Cartier National Park
  • Shop from local artisans at Île d’Orléans
  • Enjoy a day at Eastern Canada’s largest theme park , Village Vacances Valcartier, and stay the night at an ice hotel

Tadoussac, QC (3 hrs from Quebec City)

View over Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada with rolling hills, houses, green trees and water

From Quebec City, you’ll drive along the St. Lawrence River to your last stop in Quebec, the historic, small town of Tadoussac. Tadoussac was founded in 1600 as the first French settlement in North America.

Despite being a small place, Tadoussac draws a good number of visitors thanks to its beautiful landscape and wildlife spotting opportunities (whales, bears and beavers!). Plus, it’s the perfect stop before you head to the Maritimes and Atlantic Canada.

Must do in Tadoussac: 

  • Go whale watching and learn all about these mammals of the sea at Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre
  • Hike around Saguenay Fjord National Park
  • Sea kayak on Tadoussac Bay

Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia & Newfoundland road trip

Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia & Newfoundland road trip driving across Canada through the Maritimes

Last but not least is the east coast of Canada! We’ll be visiting all of the Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia), as well as Newfoundland. In this section, you’ll stop at:

  • Fredericton
  • Fundy National Park
  • Charlottetown
  • Annapolis Valley
  • Cape Breton Island
  • North Sydney
  • Port aux Basques
  • Gros Morne National Park
  • St. John’s

Fredericton, NB (6 hrs from Tadoussac)

Snow covered Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada with bare trees and a tall church in the background

Ready to road trip the east coast of Canada? A big drive from Quebec has you in Fredericton, the provincial capital of New Brunswick.

While certainly not the most popular city in Canada, Fredericton is known for its colonial charm, military history, and arts and music scene. Since it’s such a long drive from Quebec into the Maritimes, why not spend a day or two in Fredericton?

Must do in Fredericton:

  • Shop the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market during the day and the Garrison Night Market in the evening
  • Stop by the old British garrison where you can watch the changing of the guard, visit restored barracks and cell blocks, and take part in a soldier’s daily activities
  • Visit Kings Landing (no, not that one!) to see what life was like in New Brunswick 200 years ago

Fundy National Park, NB (2 hrs from Fredericton)

Bay of Fundy, Hopewell Rocks, Fundy National Park, New Brunswick

I remember visiting the Bay of Fundy with my family when I was about 12 years old and being wowed by the changing tides. When the tides were out, we were able to walk all the way out onto the ocean floor. This really is a unique area of Canada!

The Bay of Fundy runs along the south coast of New Brunswick and you can visit a number of sites along it. St. Andrews, to the west, is a National Historic Site and when the tide is out, you can actually drive along the ocean floor from St. Andrews to Ministers Island.

Heading northeast you’ll hit Saint John where you can watch the Reversing Falls Rapids. Next you can visit St. Martins Sea Caves, which you can visit on foot or via kayak depending on the tides. From there, you’ll be into Fundy National Park where even more natural wonders await!

Must do at Fundy National Park: 

  • Hike and visit beaches along the Fundy Trail Parkway
  • Visit waterfalls from Alma such as Dickson Falls, Laverty Falls and Third Vault Falls
  • Explore Hopewell Rocks at both high tide and low tide

Charlottetown, PE (2.5 hrs from Fundy)

Anne of Green Gables, Green Gables Heritage Place outside Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

The next stop on your east coast of Canada road trip is Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island (PEI). PEI is Canada’s smallest province and while there’s lots to see, Charlottetown is a great base to explore from since everything on the island is within two hours of the capital city.

The birthplace of Canadian Confederation, Charlottetown is a historic city full of charm, waterfront features and really delicious food (I could not get enough of their ice cream and fresh seafood!). PEI also has sand dunes, museums, Indigenous history, beaches and lots more to discover.

Plus, it’s the real home of Anne of Green Gables! You might know Anne from the novels written by LM Montgomery. Just outside Charlottetown, you can visit the home that inspired Montgomery’s writing. This was one of my highlights in PEI!

Must do in Charlottetown and PEI:

  • Eat home grown Cavendish potatoes, Cows ice cream and fresh PEI oysters
  • Visit the Anne of Green Gables Museum and walk through her home from the books
  • Go beach hopping in PEI: sand dunes, red sand beaches and more!

PS: On your way from New Brunswick to PEI, don’t miss a stop in Shediac, the lobster capital of the world! 

Annapolis Valley, NS (5 hrs from Charlottetown)

Green fields and fall foliage of the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

From Charlottetown you’ll head back across the Confederation Bridge, down through New Brunswick and into Nova Scotia. Your first stop in Nova Scotia is the Annapolis Valley, the province’s wine region!

Historically an apple-growing region, the Annapolis Valley is now known for its acidic white wine and Méthode Classique sparkling wine, as well as ciders and spirits. Of course, there’s lots to discover in this area for non-drinkers too! The views are beautiful and there’s lots of nature, history and delicious food to enjoy.

Must do in the Annapolis Valley:

  • Go on a wine tour to try the Valley’s best
  • Visit a recreation of one of North America’s first settlements at Port-Royal National Historic Site
  • Learn about the history and culture of the Mi’kmaw people at Kejimkujik National Park

Halifax, NS (2 hrs from the Annapolis Valley)

selfie in front of the Halifax, Citadel on our honeymoon

Next up is one of my favourite cities in Canada (and another one I’d consider moving to), Halifax. It was one of the highlights of our Atlantic Canada honeymoon .

Halifax is a really cool city with lots to do, great local seafood, an awesome waterfront and just a great vibe all around. I loved that the city had some awesome history to discover in really engaging ways, as well as lots of modern and multi-cultural offerings.

Plus, there are so many awesome day trips from Halifax along the coast of Nova Scoatia, like the famous Peggys Cove lighthouse and adorable town of Lunenberg.

Must do in Halifax:

  • Get dinner at The Bicycle Thief, try Nova Scotian donair and other great eats in Halifax
  • Have a moving experience at the Pier 21 Immigration Museum (probably the best museum I’ve ever visited!)
  • Visit the Halifax Citadel and learn about Canada’s military history
  • Walk along the Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk and take the ferry over to Dartmouth
  • Go on a day trip to Peggys Cove , Lunenberg and Mahone Bay

Need more suggestions? Check out 22 things to do in Halifax! 

Cape Breton Island, NS (5 hrs from Halifax)

Lakies Head on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada honeymoon

From Halifax you’ll head to the jewel of Nova Scotia: Cape Breton Island!

Depending on how much time you have, you can choose to drive the entirety of the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island, or just visit one or two towns. The entire trail is only 298 km (185 mi) long, so could be driven in a day. But I highly recommend spending a few days in this picturesque region!

Cape Breton was the most beautiful part of our 2021 Atlantic Canada honeymoon . We loved checking out beautiful coastal vistas, going on short hikes amongst the fall foliage, and discovering small town bakeries and restaurants. I’d definitely suggest prioritizing this stop on your cross Canada road trip!

Must do on Cape Breton Island:

  • Visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck
  • Check out the stunning views at Lakies Head near Ingonish
  • Hike the Skyline Trail near Cheticamp
  • Eat breakfast at Salty Rose’s Periwinkle Cafe, have dinner at L’Abri and get fresh baked goods at Aucoin Bakery

For more details on where to stay and what to do on Cape Breton, check out my 5 Day Cabot Trail Itinerary on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia! 

North Sydney, NS (2 hrs from Cape Breton Island)

After your adventure around Cape Breton, it’s time to start making your way to Newfoundland, the most eastern province in Canada and the last one to tick off your Canadian bucket list.

The easiest way to road trip to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia is by taking a Marine Atlantic ferry from North Sydney to Port aux Basques. There is year-round ferry service, typically with two departures a day, and you can drive your car onto the ferry. A sailing takes about seven hours.

While waiting for your ferry to depart, you can enjoy Sydney’s waterfront, explore the nearby Fortress of Louisbourg and check out the world’s largest fiddle!

Sydney to Port aux Basques ferry with Marine Atlantic

Port aux Basques, NL (7 hrs from North Sydney)

Welcome to Newfoundland, your final province on this massive cross Canada road trip! Depending on what sailing you took from Nova Scotia, you may arrive at Port aux Basques in the evening or early the next morning.

In case you get seasick like I do, or just need a break from being on the move, you may want to book a night in Port aux Basques before continuing on with your east coast Canadian road trip. While in Port aux Basques you can check out the Cape Ray Lighthouse, go for a stroll along the Grand Bay West Beach Trailway, or head out on a marine excursion.

Canadian fun fact: Despite its spelling, most people pronounce Newfoundland as NEW-fin-LAND and not new-FOUND-land. 

Gros Morne National Park, NL (3.5 hrs from Port aux Basques)

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada road trip

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gros Morne National Park is probably one of the most beautiful places in Canada. But because it’s hard to get to and lesser known, it doesn’t see the same huge crowds as Banff or Whistler.

All that means is you’ll have a lot of this beauty to yourself! Explore the rugged coast line and see where tectonic plates once crashed to form epic mountains, rocky tablelands, gorges, ponds, forests and more!

Must do in Gros Morne National Park:

  • Be wowed by the view at Western Brook Pond Fjord
  • Hike up Lookout Hills Trail or summit Gros Morne Mountain
  • Depending on the time of year, you can go for a pond cruise, kayak on Trout River, bike through fall foliage, or ski and snowboard in Burridges Gulch

Gander, NL (4 hrs from Gros Morne)

Come From Away playbill, musical about Gander, Newfoundland

Come from away to Gander, Newfoundland, the town made famous for hosting the “plane people” when air space was closed during 9/11.

On Sep 11, 2001, 38 planes with 6,500 passengers and crew members were grounded in Gander, which had a population of just 10,000. But Gander stepped up and showed the world what it means to be a good neighbour by welcoming and caring for everyone. This is all beautifully depicted in the musical, Come From Away, which I’ve been very fortunate to see in Toronto and Vancouver.

It’s because I’m such a fan of this musical that Gander is on my Newfoundland bucket list. But even if you don’t know the show, this is a pretty remarkable town to visit and an important place in history.

Must do in Gander:

  • Visit the Gander International Airport, once the largest airport in North America
  • Learn about Gander’s aviation history at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum
  • Take a trip to the Appleton 9/11 Memorial where a piece of steel from the Twin Towers is located (passengers from the grounded planes donated money to help build the park where the memorial is located)

Elliston, NL (2.5 hrs from Gander)

puffins at Elliston, Newfoundland

We’re coming to the end of your east coast Canada road trip. On your way to Elliston, stop at Terra Nova National Park, Canada’s most easterly national park, and the Discovery Trail, home to sweeping views and coastal history.

Just before Elliston you can stretch your legs along the Skerwink Trail, once named one of the best walks in the world by Conde Nast, and the perfect place to spot birds and humpback whales.

Speaking of wildlife spotting, that’s why I added Elliston to this Canada road trip itinerary. Nicknamed Bird Island Cove, Elliston is one of the best places in North America to see puffins from land! If you’re visiting between May and September, a visit to Puffin Island in Elliston would be well worth it.

Short on time? Not into puffins? If you’d rather not stop in Elliston, you can carry on straight from Gander to St. John’s (3.5 hrs drive). 

St. John’s, NFL (3.5 hrs from Elliston)

colourful buildings and a tall church in St. John's Newfoundland, Canada

Congratulations, you have officially made it to the end of the ultimate cross Canada road trip! From Victoria to St. John’s, from east to west, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, you have officially driven through every province and the entire length of Canada.

Give yourself a few days in Newfoundland’s artsy, historic and colourful capital to celebrate! Here you can dine out, enjoy Maritime music and discover what makes Newfoundland so unique.

Prefer to celebrate the end of your road trip out in nature? St. John’s has lots of options for that too. Hike the East Coast Trail, go puffin or whale watching, ferry to Bell Island, check out the gardens at Pippy Park or spot wildlife at Salmonier Nature Park.

Must do in St. John’s:

  • Take in the views and learn some history at Signal Hill National Historic Site
  • Push a little farther east to Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site, the most easterly point in North America
  • Learn about the history, art and culture of Newfoundland at The Rooms
  • Check out the colourful homes on Jellybean Row

Canadian fun fact: Don’t confuse St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, with Saint John, a city (but not the capital) of New Brunswick. 

A red bike in front of a fence painted with the Canadian flag, Canada road trip

Where to go after you finish driving across Canada

You did it – you drove all across Canada on the most epic cross Canada road trip! Now what?

From St. John’s, you can fly direct to a few places in Canada (like Halifax, Montreal, Toronto or Calgary) or internationally, to places like Orlando, Florida and London, UK . Of course, that would mean either returning your rental vehicle in St. John’s, which may incur an expensive one-way fee, or selling it there, which could take time.

If you’re keeping your vehicle, the easiest way to leave St. John’s is to drive to Argentia (1.5 hr drive) and ferry back to North Sydney . This overnight ferry boards at 5:00pm and arrives in North Sydney the next morning at 9:00am.

If a 16 hour ferry crossing doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you could drive back to Port aux Basques (9 hrs from St. John’s) and get on the 7 hour ferry to North Sydney from there.

Or, you can put your most seaworthy road trip companion on the long ferry from Argentia while you hop a flight out of St. John’s (this is definitely what I will be doing – apologies to my husband who will get stuck with the car!).

Once back in Nova Scotia, you’re on Canada’s mainland and can continue driving to your final destination from there . Rather than reverse the Canada road trip you just did, why not check out our neighbour to the south and start a US road trip?

From North Sydney it’s only a 7.5 hr drive into Maine, where you can begin exploring the US. That may or may not be the next big road trip I’m planning!

The ultimate cross Canada road trip map and itinerary

What’s missing from this Canadian road trip planner?

Frankly, quite a lot! Canada is a huge country and while this road trip covers 34 places across all 10 provinces, that barely scratches the surface of what Canada has to offer.

I created this itinerary by researching places of interest in each province. Next, I plotted them on a map, which you can see above with all of the purple dots.

I then figured out a driving route that would link as many of the dots as possible without detouring too far from the most efficient east-west route. Sadly, some of the purple dots didn’t make it into the final road trip itinerary as they were just too far away.

The majority of Canadians live along the Canada/US border, so you’ll notice that my road trip route also stays quite far south. That means I missed a lot of central/northern Canada, including incredible places like:

  • Haida Gwaii in BC
  • The home of polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba
  • All of the territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut)
  • The capital of Alberta (Edmonton)
  • Algonquin and Muskoka in Ontario
  • Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula
  • Labrador, which makes up the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

All of these places are well worth visiting, but difficult to do on an east-west Canada road trip that’s primarily based in the south of the country. I hope to visit them all some day on separate trips!

How to plan a road trip in Canada if you’re short on time

The road trip itinerary I listed above covers 34 stops across Canada and would likely take 2-3 months to enjoy properly. But what if you don’t have 2-3 months to road trip Canada? No worries! There are lots of cross Canada road trips you can take if you’re short on time.

Obviously you can complete just a part of my road trip itinerary above if you don’t have time for the whole thing. But here are a few more suggestions for Canadian road trips depending on how much time you have:

1 week Canada road trip: Drive from Toronto to Quebec City

Toronto skyline with the CN Tower, downtown buildings and Lake Ontario, Canada road trip

Toronto (3 nights) > Montreal (2 nights) > Quebec (2 nights) 

With one week, you could do a mini Ontario and Quebec road trip when you drive from Toronto to Quebec City, stopping in Montreal along the way.

You could also take a half or full day trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto . The entire drive is only 8 hours, making this an easy road trip to complete in a week.

2 week Canada road trip: Vancouver to Banff road trip

mountains, forests and water in Banff, Alberta, Canada

Victoria (2 nights) > Vancouver (3 nights) > Kelowna (2 nights) > Jasper (2 nights) > Banff (3 nights) > Calgary (2 nights)

Two weeks would be a great amount of time for a Vancouver to Banff road trip, seeing the best of the Rocky Mountains and Canada’s west coast. You can stop for wine in Kelowna and even push north to Jasper to really make the most of the area’s beauty!

With two weeks, you would even have time to add on Victoria on the west and Calgary on the east if you’re happy to move fast. Of course, if you wanted to slow down and spend more time at the national parks, you could cut these extra stops and add days in Jasper and Banff.

You can also drive from Calgary to Vancouver if you want to do this road trip in reverse.

3 week Canada road trip: East coast Canada road trip

peggys cove lighthouse outside of halifax, nova scotia, canada

Halifax (3 nights) > Annapolis Valley (2 nights) > Bay of Fundy (3 nights) > Charlottetown and PEI (4 nights) > Cape Breton Island (3 nights) > ferry to Newfoundland (1 night) > Gros Morne National Park (2 nights) > St. John’s (2 nights) > ferry to Nova Scotia (1 night) > return to Halifax 

When we went on our Atlantic Canada honeymoon , we had about 3 weeks to explore the Maritimes and it was a great amount of time.

I would highly recommend dedicating a three week Canadian road trip to one region of the country, whether that’s an east coast Canada road trip or west coast Canada road trip, rather than trying to drive across a few regions.

I’ve started this itinerary in Halifax, as it’s probably the easiest airport to fly into. After a few days exploring the city of Halifax, you can pick up a car and explore Atlantic Canada! You’ll start with wine tasting in the Annapolis Valley and then drive over to New Brunswick to check out the Bay of Fundy.

From there, you’re driving over to PEI for fresh seafood and then back to Nova Scotia to loop Cape Breton Island. Next, you’re on the ferry to Newfoundland where you’ll see the views of Gros Morne National Park and colourful homes of St. John’s.

Finally, you’ll board the overnight ferry and make your way back to Halifax where you can return your rental car and fly home.

1 month Canada road trip: Toronto to Vancouver driving trip

Road trip van parked at night with starry sky and trees

With a whole month, you can make a pretty serious dent in driving across Canada! Rather than stretching yourself to drive from coast to coast, save the Atlantic provinces for a future trip and just drive from Toronto (my old hometown) to Vancouver (my current hometown).

  • Week 1: Toronto, Tobermory & Manitoulin Island
  • Week 2: Driving across the prairies (see my recommended spots in the full itinerary above)
  • Week 3: Banff & Jasper
  • Week 4: The Okanagan & Vancouver

Alternatively, you could head east from Toronto and spend a month exploring Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. You probably wouldn’t have time to make it to Newfoundland, but you could tick off quite a few east coast provinces.

  • Week 1: Toronto, Prince Edward County & Ottawa
  • Week 2: Montreal, Eastern Townships & Quebec
  • Week 3: Bay of Fundy and PEI
  • Week 4: Halifax and Cape Breton Island

Wrapping up: 10 cross Canada road trips tips

Canada flag in front of a parliament building, the ultimate cross Canada road trip

Before you hit the road, keep these road trip tips in mind!

1. Safety first (car edition) : Make sure you’re comfortable driving the vehicle you’ll use for this Canadian road trip and that any necessary maintenance is taken care of. Follow the rules of the road, regularly service your car and have jumper cables available.

2. Safety first (human edition) : Stay safe and healthy on the road by staying in accommodation that you’re comfortable with, and keeping in touch with friends and family (particularly if you’re travelling alone). Make sure your car is stocked with water, a first aid kit and any other emergency supplies.

3. Book ahead in the busy season : Campgrounds, tours and parking lots fill up fast in busy Canadian tourist hot spots in the middle of summer! Make sure you do your research and book ahead when needed. While this might impact your ability to be spontaneous, it could save you a lot of stress and money.

4. Download all the apps : These days there are apps to help you find cheap gas, roadside attractions, free places to park, scenic campsites and so much more! Download the apps you need and be sure you have offline maps downloaded to help you navigate when you don’t have cell service. You may also want to join a roadside assistance or hotel loyalty program.

5. Consider a parks pass : Depending on how many national parks you’re visiting, you may want to buy the Parks Canada Discovery Pass for cheaper entrance to all of the national parks of Canada. Each province also has a pass for their provincial parks, which may be worth looking into.

6. Take it slow : If this is your first time to Canada or first big road trip, slow down. Give yourself time to get used to life on the road and schedule off-days so you can rest, do laundry, etc. Remember, Canada is a big place! You’ll enjoy your Canadian road trip a lot more if you aren’t driving 8 hours a day, rushing from one stop to the next.

7. Have a plan to stay connected : Depending on where you’re going on your road trip, you may not always have cell or internet service. And depending on where you’re coming from, you may not be able to use your home service in Canada. Look into options ahead of time, like buying a portable wifi unit, getting an e-Sim or stopping at wifi-friendly cafes, so you can stay connected.

8. Start preparing early : If you’re planning to be on the road for a couple of weeks or a couple of months, you’ll want to prep ahead of time. How far do you want to drive each day? Are you staying at campgrounds or hotels? Are you eating out or hitting the grocery store?

If you’re travelling with anyone else, make sure you’re having these conversations with them so everyone is on the same page.

9. Be respectful : Your Canada road trip will likely take you through lots of natural areas, so remember to Leave No Trace and be respectful of the outdoor environment. It’s also important to do your homework about whose land you’re travelling on, paying respect to Canada’s Indigenous peoples whose unceded land we live on.

10. Plan your next trip back to Canada! Whether you drive from Victoria to St. John’s or just a small section in between, make sure this trip to Canada isn’t your last. Hopefully you’ll be amazed by the natural wonders, history, culture, food and people here in Canada, and eagre to plan your next trip back!

Need to rent a car for your road trip? Get the best deal with Discover Cars!  

And there you have it, my ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary. I hope this itinerary has gotten you excited for your own road trip across Canada. I’d love to know: Where in Canada do you most want to visit? 

Check out more adventures across Canada:

  • 10 Things You Must Eat in Montreal
  • How to Spend a Weekend in Penticton, BC
  • Camping at Porteau Cove, BC
  • 5 Day Cabot Trail Itinerary on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
  • 22 Things to Do in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Save my cross Canada road trip itinerary for your future trip planning. Pin it!

ULTIMATE CANADA ROAD TRIP: From Victoria to St. John's, discover the ultimate cross Canada road trip itinerary with 34+ stops and planning advice! #canada #travel #roadtrip #banff #vancouver #toronto #niagarafalls

Riana Ang-Canning is a travel writer who has been sharing her global adventures as the founder of Teaspoon of Adventure since 2012. In that time, Riana has travelled to almost 50 countries on 6 continents, including interning in Eswatini, working in Tokyo, road tripping New Zealand and living abroad in Prague. Riana helps everyday travellers discover the world on a mid-budget, proving that you don't have to be athletic, wealthy or nomadic to have an adventure!

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16 comments.

What a great trip you have to look forward to! I took 9 weeks to do this trip (return) the summer of 2019 and it was amazing — mainly staying in motels and AirBnBs (pre van life). You have many of the same stops on your itinerary. Just make sure to leave time for serendipity — those things you learn about from a sign on the side of the road.

-Lyn |www.ramblynjazz.com

Thanks so much, Lyn! So cool that you’ve been on this trip and great advice. Definitely have to leave room for some spontaneous stops and detours!

Yes to long-form content! Well done on pulling toegther this insanely comprehensive guide and road trip across Canada. This is content I’d love to read and indulge in. Your stops not only have a great distance to another to not overwhelm oneself and exhaust the driver, but I found all stops to be very engaging and of interest. It shows how much there is to do and see in Canada within reasonale distance, once you are here, why not check out this place, only 1.5h away and this makes a road trip interesting and long-lasting for me. I also appreciate the cafes recommendations along the way. Keep it up Riana!

Thanks so much, Carolin! You are definitely my inspiration for well-researched, long form content. I’ll have to commission you to do the cafe companion post to this one some day!

What an amazing trip ! I love that you provided a shorter version also. However, I would love to do the longer one. I worked in Toronto one summer when I was a student and travelled around by train a little. I visit Montreal regularly as have family living there. But I have only visited a fraction of Canada so would love to explore further especially the West coast and mountain provinces.

Enjoy the trip and safe travels,

Thanks so much! I hope you get to explore more of Canada one day!

After reading this, I am so ready for a cross-Canada road trip! Growing up, my family regularly drove Ontario to BC and back as our summer vacation, and we also drove one summer to PEI and one summer to Newfoundland, so I’ve done it all in sections. (We usually opted for the detour through the States to skip Thunder Bay, sorry haha, but I’d like to give it another chance.) I’d looove to do it all at once as you’ve planned here, and there are a few places I’ve havent seen yet (somehow we skipped Fredericton, for example, and I’d like to see the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg). I’d forgotten how beautiful Tobermory is. I appreciate the “What’s missing?” section because it’s impossible to see it all in one trip—we are too lucky in this country!

Aw thanks so much for checking out the post, Melanie! So cool that you’ve been all over Canada with your family and I hope you (and I!) get to do the full road trip soon.

Thank you for sharing your Canada road trip, which looks an epic road trip, I have wanted to visit Canada, but I wont be doing it all in one long road trip in stages would be lovely, this has certainly given me some ideas for the future 🙂

Thanks, Nic! I hope you have an awesome time when you visit Canada.

Great blog! I did road trips in other parts of the world but needed clarification about the itinerary in Canada. Now I know how to plan. Thank you so much!

Thanks for checking it out! Glad it was helpful.

This is an excellent read! I have visited most of the places mentioned (in parts, and before having kids) and I can definitely say this is very practical and comprehensive! Like you said, Canada is sooo big that it takes time to visit most of it. Thank you for all the tips and recommendation. I can definitely use them now that I am traveling with my family (ie kiddos).

Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy your next Canadian adventure!

We are planning to do the cross Canada trip this summer. We are really excited about it and appreciate you spending time describing different places to visit. We are really excited about it and now even more so.

That’s so exciting! I’m glad my post was helpful. I hope you have a great time this summer!

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Flights

Your guide to the ultimate Canada road trip

Rocky Mountain Road Trip

Read time: 11 minutes

With 900,000 km of driving routes, Canada has enough roads to circle the globe 22 times, making it a great place to take a road trip. But despite the vast distances, planning a driving holiday in one of the world’s largest countries couldn’t be easier. You’ll find plentiful  car hire in Canada , well-paved open roads and friendly stop-offs—all of which make journeying a breeze.

view Canada holidays

In this guide, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite road trip itineraries to get you started, as well as our top tips for planning a road trip holiday in Canada . Be sure to explore our interactive maps for a sneak peek at the stunning views awaiting you.

SEE ALSO: How to plan the perfect self-drive holiday with Canadian Affair

1.  The best road trips in Canada

–  Unlimited Adventures – Whales, Bears and Vancouver Island – Great Parks of the East – Beaches, Islands, Lobster, Moose and More

2. Top tips for planning a road trip in Canada

– Applying for visas – Hiring a car – Car insurance – Canada road trip checklist

The best road trips in Canada

Unlimited adventures – 16 days.

Towering snowy peaks, impressive mountain roads and an abundance of wildlife make the Rocky Mountains one of Canada’s star attractions. This route takes in three of western Canada’s best national parks and is perfect for an open jaw flight into Calgary and out of Vancouver.

road trip en canada

Day 1 – Calgary

After your  flight to Calgary , you’ll be able to pick up your personalised road book and take in the sights of Stampede City on your first day here.

Day 2 & 3 – Banff

(1 hour 25-minute drive)

Spend the day hiking, biking, horse riding, or just relaxing in the hot springs. Take a  gondola ride  to the top of Sulphur Mountain for spectacular views of Bow Valley below.

Day 4 – Lake Louise

(40-minute drive)

The sparkling, blue lake is jaw-dropping with its proud backdrop of the rugged Victoria Glacier. Stroll around the water’s edge or take a chair lift to the top of Whitethorn Mountain.

Day 5 – Jasper

(7 hour 20-minute’ drive – this is one of the longest stretches in Canada but is along arguably the most beautiful road, Canada’s Icefields Parkway.)

Enjoy the endless sights along the Icefields Parkway, including a walk on the Athabasca Glacier and over the glass-bottomed  Glacier Skywalk . You can also see Bow Lake and Peyto Lake before coming into the quaint town of  Jasper .

SEE ALSO: A Guide to the Icefields Parkway’s Top Stops

Day 6 – Clearwater

( 3 hour 20-minute drive)

The Yellowhead Highway takes you along the Thompson Valley to Clearwater, a beautiful unspoiled area north of Kamloops. En-route you’ll pass the majestic Mount Robson—the highest peak in the Rockies.

Day 7 & 8 – Gold Bridge

( 6 hour 15-minute drive)

This quaint area is perfect for exploring British Columbia’s Gold Rush history. Investigate the old mine ruins and ghost towns left by early prospectors.

Day 9 – Whistler

( 2 hour 20-minute drive)

You’ll be spoilt for choice in this active mountain community. There’s hiking and mountain biking to keep you busy, as well as a fantastic al fresco dining scene. A must-do is the  Peak-2-Peak Gondola  where you’ll witness superb views.

Day 11 – Tofino

( 6 hours 35 minutes, including a two-hour ferry)

Situated along the south-western coast of Vancouver Island, the Pacific Rim National Park is a thin strip of magnificent islands, beaches, and dramatic seascapes. The ferry across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island is beautiful in itself.

Day 13 – Victoria

( 4 hour 20-minute drive)

The charming colonial city of Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. Enjoy the colourful downtown area full of boutiques, shops and restaurants, or unwind by Victoria’s beautiful Inner Harbour.

Day 15 & 16 – Vancouver

( 3 hours 15 minutes, including a two-hour ferry to Vancouver Island)

Even if you are planning a separate Vancouver holiday , this bustling city shouldn’t be missed on your road trip; perfect for shopping, dining and sightseeing. Visit Stanley Park, head to the beach, or visit the city’s museums.

road trips in alberta

Whales, Bears and Vancouver Island – 9 days

One of our quickest road trips, this short-but-sweet itinerary proves you don’t need two weeks or hundreds of miles to get to the good stuff in Canada. With return flights to Vancouver, it’s the best way to squeeze city and wilderness into one holiday on a time limit.

road trip en canada

Day 1 – Vancouver to Victoria

(3 hours 15 minutes, including a two-hour ferry to Vancouver Island)

Pick up your hire car and start your adventure! Hop on the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island across the stunning Strait of Georgia.

Day 2 – Victoria

Embark on a whale-watching adventure aboard a Zodiac boat. Learn about the environment and habits of killer whales, minke whales and grey whales as you keep your eyes peeled for ocean giants and other marine wildlife.

Day 3 & 4 – Tofino

(4 hour 20-minute drive)

This scenic road through Vancouver Island passes spectacular, old-growth temperate rainforests as it leads you to the Pacific Rim National Park and the surf haven of Tofino . On your second day in Tofino, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable boat trip to see the region’s coastal black bears foraging on the shores.

SEE ALSO: What is your perfect Canada road trip driving song?

Day 5 & 6 – Sonora Resort

(3 hour 20-minute drive, then a short water taxi)

This luxury wilderness resort is like nothing you’ll have experienced before. Wildlife spotting opportunities are boundless and the natural beauty of the area will take your breath away.

Day 7, 8 & 9 – Vancouver

(4 hours 10 minutes, including a two-hour ferry)

Finish your tour in the vibrant metropolis of Vancouver for shopping, dining and sightseeing. Hop on a floatplane or boat ride for a unique view of the city from the water, or head over to the North Shore for more outdoor adventures.

driving on Vancouver Island

Great Parks of the East – 15 days

This two-week circular tour starts in the cosmopolitan behemoth of Toronto before taking in the most vibrant cities on the east coast. Culture and nature come head-to-head on this diverse trail from Canada’s capital, Ottawa, to its beautiful regional parks.

road trip en canada

Day 1 – Toronto

Collect your hire car ready for your adventure! Spend the day exploring  Toronto , with highlights including a visit to the CN Tower and some of its trendy neighbourhoods for shopping and dining.

Day 2 – Midland

(1 hour 50-minute drive)

Drive through scenic Huron Country via Penetanguishene, an old native village.

Day 3 & 4 – Huntsville

(1 hour 35-minute drive)

It doesn’t get much better than the peaceful setting of Huntsville, surrounded by forests and lakes and perfect for boating and horse riding.

Day 5 – Ottawa

(4-hour drive)

Drive to Canada’s capital city via  Gatineau Park  with miles of cycling trails. In the city, explore the historic Parliament buildings or stroll by the scenic Rideau Canal.

Day 6 & 7 – Tremblant

Enjoy relaxing in the tranquil setting of the Laurentian Mountains.

Day 8 & 9 – Québec City

(3 hour 45-minute drive)

Soak in the history of this Francophone city, from Place Royal to Montmorency Falls.

Day 10 & 11 – St Michel-Des-Saints

(3 hour 20-minute drive)

Fertile plains, rolling hills and a beautiful lake. The scenery here is ideal for kayaking, mountain biking and hiking.

Day 12 – Montréal

(2 hour 15-minute’ drive)

Montréal is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city famed for its arts scene.

Day 13 – Kingston

(3-hour drive)

A trip to Kingston wouldn’t be complete without a cruise through the 1000 Islands waterway.

Day 14 – Niagara Falls (3 hour 45-minute drive)

Tick off one of the world’s most iconic sights when you experience these thundering falls first-hand.

SEE ALSO: Best scenic drives around Ontario

Day 15 – Toronto

The perfect way to end your tour. The short driving distance allows you a little more time in the city before flying home.

road trips in ontario

Beaches, Islands, Lobster, Moose and More – 18 days

This road trip takes in the best of the east as it meanders through Canada’s Maritime Provinces – Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Charming villages compete with lighthouses, whales, sand beaches and rugged highlands for your attention. With the most stunning coastlines and delicious seafood along the way, this region of Canada is an unspoilt gem.

Day 1 – Arrive at Halifax Airport

Pick up your car upon arrival and make your way to your hotel to check-in and refresh. You have the whole day to explore the nearly 270-years-old Halifax. Visit the historic Citadel, the Old Town Clock, the Public Gardens and the charming and lively harbour.

Day 2 – Drive along the Eastern Shore (275 km)

Today your epic road trip begins. Head north on the Marine Drive, a scenic route along Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. Make a stop at Sherbrooke Village, where animators dressed in period costumes will bring you back in time to the glorious 19th century.

Day 3 – Make your way to Baddeck (280 km)

Day 3 of your trip gives you the chance to explore the wildest and most remote parts of Nova Scotia’s northeast coast with an optional stop at the small fishing village of Canso before you head further north to Cape Breton Island. Overnight in Baddeck on the shores of the Bras D‘Or Lake.

Day 4 – Explore Cape Breton Island

Cape Breton Island is home to one of the most iconic and scenic drives not only in Canada but worldwide. The Cabot Trail is a 298km long road along the island’s coastline, rewarding travellers with picturesque views of the ocean, weaving through lush green forests, valleys, and waterfalls as it climbs from sea level up to 500m above the sea. A visit to the Fortress of Louisbourg is a must.

Day 5 – Baddeck to Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) (250 km)

Today you will drive back to Nova Scotia’s mainland to take a 75-minute ferry trip to Prince Edward Island, the smallest province in Canada. Before that, make a stop at Pictou, the town renowned as the “Birthplace of New Scotland” (Nova Scotia).

Day 6 – Explore Charlottetown before you continue north to O‘Leary/Alberton (175 km)

Small but charming, friendly, and rich in history, Charlottetown will take you by surprise with all it has to offer. Visit the “Birthplace of Canada” – the Province House National Historic Site, admire the finest architecture of the Victoria Row, or head to the Confederation Centre of Arts.

SEE ALSO: Top Tips for Driving in Canada

Day 7 – Get to know more of Prince Edward Island

Drive towards the less-known Western part of the island where red sand beaches and delicious seafood awaits you on Prince Edward Island.

Day 8 – Drive to Richibucto (New Brunswick) (260 km)

Today immerse yourself into the beauty and charm of the New Brunswick’s Acadian Coast. Highlights of the day are the Bouctouche and Kouchibouguac National Parks and the theatrical village of “Pays de la Sagouine”.

Day 9 – Continue to Caraquet (175 km)

Caraquet is known to be the unofficial capital of French-speaking Acadians. Nature-lovers should visit the close-by islands of Lamèque and Miscou to enjoy sandy beaches and a great variety of birds.

Day 10 & 11 – Drive to Fredericton and spend a day exploring the provincial capital (300 km)

A scenic drive along the Miramichi River, famous for one of the largest populations of Atlantic salmon in Eastern North America, will take you to Fredericton at the very heart of New Brunswick. Spend a whole day strolling down the city on a bicycle or foot, enjoying its calmness, beautiful nature and historic sites.

Day 12 – Head south to St. Andrews (150 km)

St. Andrews is one of the oldest and most charming towns in Canada’s Maritimes. This seaside resort village attracts travellers with its rich history and culture, beautiful nature and marine life, hospitality, and a great variety of outdoor activities.

Day 13 – Discover the hidden gems of the Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is renowned for the place with the highest tides on Earth (16m), home to over 15 species of whales and dolphins, many migrating birds and stunning dinosaur fossils.

Day 14 – St. Andrews to Shediac (370 km)

A scenic coastal drive will bring you to Saint John and its “Reversing Falls”. Highlights of the day though are Fundy National Park, further west, and the Hopewell Rocks. Often called the “Flowerpots Rocks”, you will get the chance to walk on the ocean’s bed around these stunning rock formations at low tide.

Day 15 – Make your way to Wolfville (300 km)

Visit the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, 14.7 km of cliffs revealing the world’s most complete fossil record of life from 300 million years ago. The area was pronounced a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

Day 16 – Liverpool/White Point (160 km)

Your fly-drive holiday package includes a Tour & Wine Tasting at the Grand Pre-Winery today before you head to Kejimkujik National Park, a vast 381 sq. km park of lush forests, lakes and rivers offering a variety of outdoor activities.

Day 17 – Drive back to Halifax (160 km)

Your road trip continues along the beautiful south shore of Nova Scotia with iconic sites such as Peggy’s Cove, the most photographed lighthouse in the whole of Canada, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Lunenburg, the scenic Mahone Bay and elegant Chester.

Day 18 – Departure from Halifax Airport

Top tips for planning a road trip in canada.

As you can see, a road trip through Canada is the ultimate adventure and now that you have an idea about some of the amazing routes available, check out a few of our top planning tips below.

Visas you need for a Canada road trip

Before you book anything, you’ll need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) to enter Canada by air. If you wish to visit the USA as part of your trip (and we recommend Alaska), you will need to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) to enter America.

How to hire a Car in Canada

Car driving in Canada

There are plenty of options for  car hire in Canada . Depending on what time of year you’re travelling, you may want to choose your car based on potential road conditions. If you’re planning on going off the beaten track or driving through the winter, a sturdy car such as an SUV might be more suitable. Be sure to check that you are allowed to drive your hire car in winter conditions, as there are laws on snow tyres and chains.

SEE ALSO: 10 best road trips in Alberta

Don’t forget travel insurance

Travel insurance is usually pretty cheap and when you’re setting off on a big journey, it’s important to make sure you’re covered. As there are plenty of adventure activities on offer in Canada, if you’re planning on trying rafting, skiing or something similar, make sure you are covered. While it’s unpleasant to think of an accident or illness ruining your road trip, experiencing either of these without travel insurance would be a nightmare.

Canada road trip checklist

For a full planning agenda, take a look at the below checklist for a few more tips to help you plan your road adventure in Canada.

– Pick a route

– Know how long the routes are to help you plan

– Plan your pit stops for breaks and photo opportunities

– Choose which season is best for your route

– Avoid snowy seasons. May is a perfect time due to less traffic and increasing light.

– Apply for visas

– Book flights

– Vancouver , Toronto , Québec , Calgary , and Montréal are all ideal locations to fly to.

– Don’t forget travel insurance

As you can see, a road trip in Canada is a truly wonderful way to see the many delights of this great country. With various sights and sounds on display, the open roads of Canada are the perfect option for a memorable adventure.

Check out further articles and guides to Canada on our blog for even more inspiration.

If all of this has got you excited for what’s possible, make sure to take a look at some of our fly drive holidays to Canada so you can get planning!

Zoe

Canada specialist

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Driving Across Canada

How to Plan a Canadian road trip: After a 6-week trip across Canada, these two Roadies have insider’s tips you'll find extremely useful. Additional text by Eric Fletcher.

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With images of “Easy Rider” and freedom dancing in our heads, my husband Eric and I had fun planning then enjoying a six-week Canada road trip from Quebec to British Columbia this summer. Driving across Canada is a great way to explore the country and road-tripping in Canada is perfect for active travellers. 

We paddled, hiked, and horseback rode, taking our Toyota RAV4 with our home-built canoe, Windigo, secured on the roof.

driving across canada

We stayed in historic B&Bs, funky Parks Canada oTENTiks (hybrid tent-cabin lodgings) and a few motels but this was primarily a camping trip.

driving across canada

Apart from our two-week remote horseback riding expedition in northern British Columbia, by choice, we were online regularly while driving across Canada. 

As a writer-photographer team, this enabled us to incorporate some work into our normal “busman’s holiday” while we saw some fantastic Canadian landmarks and discovered many wonderful things to do in Canada . 

driving across canada

Many of us want to do the grey-nomad thing, where we pack a vehicle and take off exploring.

Here are our tips to assist you in planning hassle-free road trips driving across Canada, including five very different Canadian destination recommendations. 

Besides taking the train across Canada , there’s no better way to feel the heartbeat of Canada than to go driving in Canada.

Plan Your Trip

1- pre-planning your drive across canada route, 2- online tools for a canada road trip, 3- driving across canada using a gps, 4- mobile phones and calling home, 5- banking and credit card smarts, 6- passports, 7- electronic stuff, 8- planning for your canada road trip, 9- wildlife in canada, 10- planning your house sitting team, 1- the cross-canada drive, 2- the gentle isle: prince edward island, 3- the cowboy trail: calgary to waterton lakes national park, 4- klondike gold rush: whitehorse to dawson city, bc road trip itinerary, where to stay.

best car rental

Rent A Car – Find the best car rental rates at Discover Cars . They compare car hire companies to provide you with the best deal right now.

road trip en canada

Find A Hotel – If you’re curious about this article and are looking for somewhere to stay, take a look at these amazing hotels .

Canada Road Trip Tips

driving across canada

We always pack paper maps and not only provincial road maps: if we’re venturing into the backcountry, topographical maps, too.

World of Maps has a good selection, while Natural Resources Canada is the creator-dispenser of Canadian “topo” maps.

We also use websites and apps to plan and track our routes while driving across Canada. 

Online tools will show you accurate distances and driving times.

You can divide the total by the number of days to get a sense of how much driving you’ll need to do each day.

Although “all-nighters” are doable, we usually drove four to six hours, to allow for paddling Windigo, hiking, visiting with friends and family and other serendipitous happenings.

From experience, we found that a long day of driving in rain could give us a spare day further along. 

driving across canada

We used Google Maps to plan and track our route because it runs on both our iOS and Android mobile devices.

And, most handily, it can work offline if map data is pre-loaded. 

This is essential for operating in areas with no data connection and to reduce internet costs on our cross-Canada drive.

Useful iOS and Android road trip apps to download are:

  • Google Maps to plan your route
  • Waze (for planning routes under 1,600kms)
  • The Weather Network  for weather forecasts
  • Gas Buddy (for finding cheap fuel nearby)

Check to see if your credit card gives you extra points for patronising specific brands of fuel stations.

Consider bookmarking sites that will give you ready access to the information you may need on the fly.

As news junkies, we relied on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio’s frequency lookup page to know where to tune the dial for the hourly news.

canadian road trip

GPS devices (SatNavs) come installed in most rentals but do check and do take the time to learn how to change the settings to fit your driving preferences.

For example, if it is set to calculate the shortest route, you may want to turn on the “avoid unpaved routes” option to prevent it from including shortcuts using gravel roads.

Canada road trip tip: Learn how to record the current precise location coordinates on your GPS (or on your mobile device).

This proved crucial as while driving across Canada, we arrived at a serious motorcycle accident on a mountainous stretch of highway. 

We captured the precise coordinates, then drove on to the first area with a signal to dial 9-1-1 (Canada’s emergency line) to provide the precise location for an ambulance and police assistance.

Your home cellular provider may have roaming plans that can work in Canada but do check before you leave home as costs may be prohibitive. 

North American mobile services operate at different frequencies than most of the world.

If you have an unlocked tri- or quad-band GSM phone , a better alternative may be to purchase a SIM card .

Some can be purchased before you arrive but you can also purchase pay-as-you-go cards at 7-Eleven convenience stores and Petro-Canada gas stations.

Canada has reasonable data and telephone coverage along our highway systems and free WiFi is often available in places such as Tim Horton’s, Canada’s coast-to-coast coffee and doughnuts shop (which also has good WCs, incidentally).

However, reception on backroads is iffy and in the mountains, well, good luck! Before you leave home, learn how you may be able to pinpoint the location of your device if it is lost.

For most devices, entering *#06# will display the unique IMEI number that identifies your mobile device.

You will need it to activate a SIM or to have the device blocked for use on Canadian wireless networks.

Most jurisdictions in Canada prohibit the use of hand-held devices while driving.

Even if you are able to sync your device to your vehicle for hands-free operation, plan to let your passenger manage it while you focus on the road. 

Check with your home bank to learn which of the Canadian banks have reciprocal arrangements to minimise transaction costs for your debit and credit cards when driving across Canada.

Figure out how your GPS or mobile device mapping tools can locate banks with ATMs (they’re called ABMs or Automated Banking Machines in Canada).

If you use online banking, understand how your security works and refresh your passwords.

Tip: To avoid missing bill payment dates, consider pre-paying accounts before you leave.

Ensure your credit cards are activated for Canada (contact your bank) and advise the credit company so they know you’ll be making purchases abroad.

Put a limit on the amount you will accept on your card in case it is stolen.

Are they current?

Also, ensure the name you book flights with is exactly the same as it appears in your passport.

Regardless of whether you pack a smartphone or a DSLR, laptop or GoPro, battery power is a huge deal – read: being without juice is more than a pain, for some of us it’s a non-starter.

What to do?

Packing a cheap 12V plug to USB adaptor isn’t a great idea as most are limited to 1A output, so can take a long time to charge a device.

Instead, opt for a charger with >1 USB outlet able to deliver 2.1 amps each to charge your devices more reliably and more quickly.

The  Aukey charger we used kept both of our devices topped up as we drove.

For extended power when we were not driving, we packed two external battery packs chargers with USB outlets. 

They were used to keep our cameras and smartphones powered up during our 12-day wilderness horseback trek.

You might also want to consider a portable solar charger to carry with you while in the wilderness.

Canada road trip tip: Take a box to contain your charging gear and keep them out of sight.

canadian road trip

Although a winter road trip is doable, unless you’re a keener for snowstorms and ice, plan to come during summer when roads are clear.

Canadian road trip tip In Canada’s North , light (or its absence) needs to be considered. Our northern latitudes aren’t known as “Land of the Midnight Sun” for nothing, where during summer there’s no lasting darkness and in winter, no sunshine.

For useful information, while driving across Canada, check out websites for the Trans-Canada Highway, which lists current weather warnings and maps.

Browse Parks Canada’s National Historic Sites , National Marine Conservation Areas, and Parks. And discover private campgrounds, too, by Googling. 

canadian road trip

Finally, no one wants to injure wildlife and Canadians know to be careful at dusk and night particularly during summertime when deer, racoons, skunks, moose and other critters roam.

More unappealing wildlife, such as biting insects, can be fierce while camping so pack repellant sprays and mosquito coils.

Here are some places to see wildlife in Canada . 

Of course, hunting and fishing are a big draw to some but make sure you have the proper licenses, which are different for each province.

Police or game wardens will check and will confiscate your catch plus fine you if you do not comply.

Before leaving home do you have pet sitters, plant sitters or house sitters organised?

Do you have a house manual with emergency numbers?

If you rent your home, create a Letter of Understanding that your tenant and you co-sign, and advise your insurance company or neighbours or friends.  

Best Road Trips in Canada

6,521 km /4,025 miles

canadian road trip

Want to get a sense of Canada’s vastness by road and ferry?

At a minimum, take a summer’s three-to-four months and explore Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

From a Newfoundland kitchen party to whale watching off Victoria  – and everything in between – you’ll experience Canada’s culture and wilderness.

Plan for several months (or Gap Year adventure) so you can relax, meet locals, experience fabulous festivals and perhaps First Nations Pow Wows and more.

218 km / 135 miles

road trip canada

Sometimes known as “Anne’s Island”, PEI is a dream-come-true destination for a family vacation because of beaches and genuinely laid-back, warm welcomes visitors receive everywhere.

Who doesn’t love Anne of Green Gables?

If you haven’t discovered this red-headed imp of a Canadian heroine, read the book, then visit author L. M. Montgomery’s (and Anne’s) charming farmhouse museum.

Visit Charlottetown’s Confederation Centre of the Arts and learn about how the capital of PEI was the birthplace of Canada in 1867. Then, discover uniquely on-island (or on-ocean) authentic experiences such as “I dig, therefore I clam kayaking adventure .”

258 km / 161 miles

road trip canada

Explore your inner cowboy in Calgary or “Cowtown.”

Visit in early July during the Calgary Stampede to get into the mood, watching roping contests, bucking broncos (horses are bred for this) and country music shows.

Live like a local first by visiting the Alberta Boot Company to buy an authentic Stetson (cowboy hat) and a pair of boots.

Don’t miss the Glenbow Museum to learn about First Nations culture.

Then? Drive Highways 1A west then 22 south of Calgary to visit a host of Canadian cowboy and First Nations sites.

Favourites include Bar U Ranch National Historic Site (the Sundance Kid spent time here hiding from The Law. Remember Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?

Once world-renowned for its Percheron horse-breeding program, today the 1882 site showcases ranch life in Canada.

Waterton Lakes is a national park where we thoroughly enjoyed exploring on horseback on a two-night camping trip, riding sure-footed steeds from Alpine Stables.

Finally, return to Calgary via Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump to learn about the bison (buffalo) and how early peoples of the plains stampeded them over precipices to gather meat, hides, bones and seemingly everything from these sacred creatures.

525 km / 328 miles

road trip canada

Whitehorse, named for the Yukon River’s white rapids coursing past the city, is a bustling northern city full of the hopes, vim, and vigour of Canada’s north.

Read this post for things to do in Whitehorse .

Visit the Beringia Centre to learn about the migration of ancient peoples to North America during the last Ice Age and the MacBride Museum of Yukon History to brush up on the Gold Rush.

Then drive the 400 km Dempster Highway to Parks Canada’s National Historic Site of Dawson City – where you can pan for gold, and listen to the “Bard of the Yukon,” Robert A. Service’s poetry… including the renowned poem, “Cremation of Sam McGee ” where you’ll learn: “There are strange things done in the midnight sun/By the men who moil for gold…”

5- BC Road Trip

~2,000 km / 1,250 mi of driving + ferries

road trip canada british columbia

  • Vancouver to Prince Rupert (~1,500 km/ 940 mi)
  • Prince Rupert to Port Hardy via BC Ferry Inland Passage
  • Port Hardy to Victoria on Vancouver Island (500 km)
  • Victoria to Vancouver via BC Ferry

Vancouver’s lights and excitement drop away while you drive north, north, north to the deep harbour port of Prince Rupert.

The drive is one of Canada’s most magnificent, taking you north through Central Interior historic towns such as 100 Mile House en route to Prince George.

Then northwest, cutting across the Northern Rocky Mountains to Hazelton, Terrace and finally, the port of Prince Rupert.

Insider’s tip: Visit Ks’aan at Hazelton, a First Nations museum for aboriginal culture . Just outside of Prince Rupert, don’t miss the North Pacific Cannery to glean the flavour of what the salmon run once was, with the fishy catch that kept First Nations, Japanese and other workers busy in the now-historic cannery. Once in Prince Rupert quaff a craft beer at funky Wheelhouse Brewing Co.

To complete the circuit, catch the rightly renowned BC Ferry, voyaging southward down the Inland Passage to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, docking at Port Hardy.

We saw humpback whales, osprey (fish hawks) and bald eagles so be sure to pack binoculars.

On-island, visit Port McNeil, leave your car for this day trip, and walk on to the ferry to Alert Bay, a First Nations village where iconic Canadian artist Emily Carr visited and painted village life and totem poles.

Nowadays we can stroll an ecological boardwalk through wetlands and view U’mista Cultural Centre.

Also interesting, south of Port McNeil is Telegraph Cove , right on the ocean.

Camp, hike rainforest paths to the lighthouse (Blinkhorn Trail) or take a guided kayak paddle of the cove.

Highway 19 takes you south for the five-hour drive to Victoria – which is just so English.

Stroll the inner harbour while sailboats’ masts create their merry jingling backdrop and visit the Fairmont Empress for High Tea.

Catch the BC Ferry from Schwartz Bay to Tsawwassen (Vancouver) and your mega-wonderful roadie trip of BC is done. 

Katharine and Eric Fletcher are freelance writers and photographers who live in Quebec and love exploring Canada by road.

Book your accommodation in Canada here.

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Driving across Canada How to Plan a Canadian road trip

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How to Plan an Epic East Coast Canada Road Trip

By: Author Lora Pope

Posted on March 7, 2024

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Planning an east coast Canada road trip? Let me help! I grew up in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and lived in New Brunswick for years. I’ve road-tripped the East Coast more times than I can count !

It’s one of my favorite parts of the world, so I created this guide to share all my favorite hidden gems with you.

While not as popular to visit as the Canadian Rockies, an East Coast Canada road trip should not be overlooked.

Humpback whales dancing below towering cliffs, fresh seafood, epic hiking trails, and the friendliest people you’ll ever meet are just some of the reasons to plan an eastern Canada road trip.

This guide will share all the best places to visit on an East Coast of Canada road trip to help you maximize your time.

It’s made for outdoor lovers and packed with incredible nature and wildlife experiences such as coastal hiking trails, boat tours, and wildlife watching.

The truth is, there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ itinerary – It entirely depends on the time you have available and the activities that interest you most.

You would need at least two months to road trip around all the places I’ve suggested below. But don’t fret if you don’t have that much time – simply choose the ones that interest you most.

I’ve also included some sample routes at the end to help you create a perfect Canadian East Coast road trip itinerary.

Having a car is the best way to explore Eastern Canada! I use and love Rentalcars.com to find the best deals on car rentals in Canada.

New Brunswick Road Trip

An aerial view of an east coast Canada highway in the fall.

Hooray, you’ve made it to your first Maritime province! Many people call New Brunswick a ‘drive-through’ province, but after living here for 18 months, I couldn’t disagree more.

New Brunswick has plenty to see, and it should be part of your East Coast Canada itinerary.

Québec City to Fredericton (593 KM)

A bridge over a body of water along the east coast Canada road trip.

Coming from Quebec, your first destination will be the capital of New Brunswick and my favorite city in the province, Fredericton.

Driving from Québec City to Fredericton takes an entire day, so plan to spend a night or two here to enjoy the city’s offerings.

🏠 Staying overnight in Fredericton? The Carriage House Inn is a super cozy, beautiful, and authentic old Victorian Downtown House to retreat after a day of exploring the city.

Visit the Garrison District, which hosts summer outdoor concerts, movie nights, and guided history tours. Then, walk across the Fredericton Railway Bridge.

No longer a train route, the bridge has become a sanctuary for pedestrians and cyclists. You can get spectacular views of the city and Saint John River below from it.

In the evening, enjoy a cold brew at one of the city’s craft breweries.

🚶‍♀️If you’re short on time, this two-hour historical tour of Fredericton is a great way to get acquainted with the city.

Fredericton to Saint John (112 KM)

saint john new brunswick

After a night in Fredericton, head to Saint John ( not to be confused with St. John’s, Newfoundland ).

It’s just an hour’s drive to reach this charming coastal town. You can either stop in for lunch or spend the night in town.

The Chateau Saint John offers tastefully appointed rooms in a primate location for exploring the city’s historic landmarks.

One fun thing to do in Saint John is to take a boat cruise to see the reversing falls, a unique natural phenomenon where the Bay of Fundy collides with the Saint John River. 

Or you can join this walking tour of Saint Johns to discover the city’s most interesting streets and central market – the oldest continuing farmers market in Canada!

Saint John to Fundy National Park of Canada (111 km)

lora by a waterfall in fundy national park

From Saint John, it’s an easy hour’s drive to my favorite place in New Brunswick, Fundy National Park .

You’ll want to spend at least two days here, camping or in a hotel near the park. It’s a paradise for hikers and waterfall chasers – I love hiking here during the summer time.

Fundy National Park to Hopewell Rocks (45km)

Kayaking at Bay of Fundy

One of New Brunswick’s most famous attractions is Hopewell Rocks , home to the world’s highest tides . The tide rises and falls 40 feet or so – twice daily!

To fully appreciate this phenomenon, visit Hopewell Rocks at low tide to walk around on the ocean floor and see the unique rock formations up close. At high tide, take an ocean kayak tour. It was incredible to see the difference in just one day!

🎟️ Save time and get skip-the-line tickets to Hopewell Rocks here

Hopewell Rocks to Moncton (31 km)

A wooden walkway next to a river on an East Coast Canada road trip.

After leaving Hopewell Rocks, take a half-hour drive to Moncton, New Brunswick’s most populous city.

You can spend the night here or stop for a few hours. An excellent spot for lunch is the Tide and Boar Gastropub, one of my favorite restaurants in New Brunswick.

Sray in the middle of Moncton’s entertainment district at this gorgeous boutique hotel. You’ll be steps away from the city’s best restaurants, entertainment, and bars.

While in Moncton, be sure to take a drive up Magnetic Hill. Park at the bottom of the hill, put your car in neutral, and it will start reversing up the hill on its own. It’s magic! Okay, really, it’s just an illusion caused by the landscape, but it’s a cool thing to experience, and kids will love it. There is also a water park near Magnetic Hill.

parlee beach shediac new brunswick

A great day trip or alternative destination to Moncton is Shediac; it’s just 20 minutes away. Shediac is home to Parlee Beach, which has the warmest salt water in Canada.

It’s known as the “lobster capital of the world”; this is the best place to get your first taste of fresh lobster.

For a taste of the local cuisine, check out this this small-group food tour in Shediac. You’ll sample everything from scallops to chocolates!

After you’ve filled up on seafood, head to Parlee Beach to watch the sunset.

Optional Route: Acadian Coastal Drive

If you have extra time on your east coast road trip in Canada and want to see an alternative side of New Brunswick, keep heading North.

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, and the northern part of the province is where you can fully experience French Acadian culture.

Moncton to Kouchibouguac National Park (101 km)

seal in kouchibouguac national park

From Moncton or Shediac, head North towards Kouchibouguac National Park. Spend a night or two here camping to soak in the pristine wilderness. The park has beautiful beaches, canoeing, hiking trails, and wildlife, including an adorable seal colony.

I had so much fun spending the night here camping with friends – we saw a huge colony of seals!

Kouchibouguac National Park to Miramichi (51 km)

A sunset over a body of water with a boat in it, captured during an east coast Canada road trip.

Just half an hour from Kouchibouguac National Park is the town of Miramichi, which was my home for a year and a half. Miramichi is most famous for its fly fishing opportunities on the river.

Another fun thing to do in the summertime is to go on a tubing adventure down the river. In the evening, be sure to soak in the incredible sunsets.

One of the best places to stay in Miramichi is The Rodd. It’s set right on the river, where you can soak in the breathtaking river sunset. Plus, it’s a 5-minute walk from O’Donaghue’s Irish Pub – one of the best pubs in the city!

Miramichi to Miscou (138 km)

Keep heading North from Miramichi to Miscou, a beautiful island at the northern tip of New Brunswick. There, you can visit a picturesque white lighthouse.

Miscou Lighthouse, New Brunswick

Miscou to Caraquet (60 km)

caraquet new brunswick

Make your way to Caraquet, the heart of Acadian country. If your visit coincides with August 15th, you’ll be able to take part in some of the National Acadian Day festivities, which are sure to be fun .

There are several quaint B&Bs in Caraquet where you can spend the night. While there, be sure to visit the Acadian Historic Village just outside of Caraquet, where you can learn what life used to be like there.

🏨 Conveniently located off Route 145, this Caraquet property boasts quant rooms with a shared terrace. Acadian Historical Village is just 5 minutes’ drive away.

If you opt for the Acadian Coastal Drive, you’ll have to return south to Moncton/Shediac, which takes about three hours from Caraquet.

From there, continue your east coast trip to Prince Edward Island.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) Road Trip

A lighthouse on an east coast beach, Canada.

At just 224 km long and 64 KM wide, Prince Edward Island (PEI) is Canada’s smallest province. But don’t be fooled by the size; PEI has some of Canada’s most beautiful landscapes.

Red cliffs along the blue Atlantic Ocean, golden sand dunes, and picture-perfect white lighthouses are just some of the gorgeous scenes you will find here.

PEI connects to New Brunswick via the Confederation Bridge. It’s a 45-minute drive from Shediac to the start of the bridge, and it takes about 20 minutes to cross over which is a really unique experience.

While driving over the ocean, be sure to appreciate the undertaking it took to build this bridge. It’s an impressive example of architecture and engineering.

confederation bridge pei

PEI is a small island; you could see the main highlights in one day if you really wanted to. But I suggest staying at least a couple of nights as there are some wonderful things to do here.

The province is roughly divided into three sections, with three coastal routes you can make: North Cape Coastal Drive, Central Coastal Drive, and Points East Coastal Drive.

You’ll enter the province from New Brunswick at Boredon-Carleton, which is smack dab in the middle of the province, so you could do these scenic routes in any order.

red cliffs in prince edward island

Borden-Carleton to North Cape (121 km)

The North Cape coastal drive is 350 km and features a Canadian potato museum you can visit in O’Leary. PEI is very serious about potatoes! Cedar Dunes Provincial Park is another place worth checking out and a good option for camping overnight.

If you prefer to stay indoors, the West Point Lighthouse Inn and Museum is a unique place to spend the night in the North Cape.

PEI has 63 different Lighthouses, each one with a unique history. You could fill your whole time in PEI just searching for lighthouses; at least a few should be on your itinerary.

pei lighthouse

North Cape to Cavendish (129 KM)

After exploring the North Cape, head over to Cavendish, home of Anne of Green Gables. While that has never been an interest of mine, I know it’s a big attraction of PEI, so I can’t write this guide without mentioning it!

See the Green Gables House on this highly-rated tour, followed by a stop at a riverside restaurant with artisan preserves, fine teas, local pottery, and more.

Cavendish is home to Green Gables Heritage Place, which inspired the setting of the beloved tales.

Cavendish is also famous for its beautiful sandy beaches and red stone cliffs. The cliffs here are the best place to take in these stunning landscapes.

girl sitting on red clilffs cavendish pei

Afterward, head over to Cavendish Beach to soak in the sun along a 37-mile stretch of red sand. The red color comes from the high amount of iron in the island’s sandstone, which oxidizes and rusts when it comes in contact with air.

Cavendish to Charlottetown (38 KM)

After taking in the stunning natural landscapes of PEI, head to the capital of the province, Charlottetown.

Don’t expect big city lights; the population of Charlottetown is under 40,000. But that’s all part of its charm! There are several accommodation options in Charlottetown for spending the night.

Staying overnight in Charlottetown? Just two blocks from downtown, The Habour Inn features charming guest rooms , shaded patios, breakfast, and friendly staff to help you with anything you need.

Start your day in Charlottetown with an ice cream cone from Cows Creamery. It was voted Canada’s best ice cream spot and is one of my most treasured childhood memories.

In the afternoon, explore the local farmers market (it runs on Saturdays all year plus Wednesdays in the summer) or take a bike ride by the sea.

Later that evening, head out to Victoria Row. This pedestrian-only street is lined with a mix of bars, shops, and restaurants.

prince edward island views

Charlottetown to Greenwich (58 KM)

Spend your last day in PEI exploring the Points East Coastal Drive. Be sure to stop in Greenwich, which is part of the PEI National Park.

This section is home to some incredible dunes and an extensive floating boardwalk that leads to a white-sand beach.

pedestian walking bridge in greenwich pei

After a few days in Prince Edward Island, it’s time to visit Nova Scotia!

There are two ways to get to Nova Scotia from PEI. You can either go back via the Confederation Bridge through New Brunswick or take a 75-minute ferry from Wood Islands to Caribou, Nova Scotia.

I’ve always taken the Confederation Bridge because I find it more convenient, but the choice is up to you!

Nova Scotia Road Trip Itinerary

road trip en canada

Nova Scotia, known as ‘Canada’s ocean playground,’ is a paradise for outdoor activities. Kayaking, hiking, and rafting are just some of the ways you can enjoy the natural beauty of this stunning province.

Charlottetown To Halifax (325 KM, via Confederation Bridge)

road trip en canada

Start your journey in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia. Spend at least a night or two exploring this vibrant city using this Halifax itinerary.

Staying overnight in Halifax? I loved my time at The Westin. It’s centrally located, across the street from the Halifax farmers market, where you can grab a delicious breakfast to go.

You can soak in the views of the harbor from the second floor of the Halifax farmers market and then head outside to walk along the pier.

The harbourfront comes to life during the summer with street performers, public art displays, and restaurants with outdoor seating.

harbourfront halifax nova scotia

Enjoy lunch here, and head up the hill to Citadel National Historic Site. From the top, you’ll get gorgeous views of the harbor below.

Rather than wandering around alone, get the most out of your visit to Halifax by joining a small-group tour and exploring the city in the company of a guide who can fill you in on the fascinating history.

In the evening, head out to Argyle Street for some live music and rest your head at one of these wonderful places to stay in Halifax.

Halifax to Peggy Cove’s (75 km)

peggys cove at sunset

The first stop after Halifax is just 45 minutes away. Peggy’s Cove is a quaint fishing village with a stunning white lighthouse.

It’s a paradise for photography, with the lighthouse that often reflects in the pools of water. The best time to visit Peggy’s Cove is during sunrise to avoid the crowds. Plus, the light is incredible during the golden hour. Some of my favorite photos from my time in Nova Scotia was my visit to Peggy’s cove at sunset!

If you’re tired of driving, join this Peggy’s Cove sunset tour from Halifax instead! Get a fully guided experience, with hotel pick-up and drop-off included.

Peggy’s Cove to Lunenberg (100 km)

lunenberg nova scotia

Next up is Lunenberg, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most colorful towns in Nova Scotia.

Dating back to the 18th century, this historic town is full of charming architecture and gigantic tall ships docked in the harbor. Head over to the golf course across the harbor for the best views and photo ops of this picturesque town.

Lunenberg is the perfect place to spend the night relaxing by the sea. I loved my stay at the the Sail Inn – a turn-of-the-century bed and breakfast just 35m from the waterfront.

A more off-the-beaten-path place to explore nearby is Blue Rocks, a small fishing village just outside of the Lunenberg. Head there for sunrise – you won’t be disappointed.

lora standing at blue rocks nova scotia

Lunenberg to Kejimkujik National Park (90 KM)

Next up, make your way to Kejimkujik National Park for some of the most pristine kayaking opportunities in eastern Canada. Kejimkujik is also a great place to go camping and stargazing if you want to spend the night.

Kejimkujik National Park to The Shubenacadie River (308 km)

Tidal Bore Rafting in New Brunswick

If you love adventure, you must try Tidal Bore rafting on the Shubenacadie River. I’ve been river rafting all over the world, but this is one of the most unique rafting experiences I’ve tried!

Twice a day, when the tide changes, the tidal bore temporarily reverses the flow of the river, creating incredible high-speed rapids. It’s the only place in the world where you can experience this! There’s even a Tidal Bore Rafting Resort where you can spend the night.

Shubenacadie River to Cape Breton Island (338km)

Although Cape Breton Island is part of Nova Scotia, it’s so unique that it almost feels like its own province.

After leaving the Shubenacadie River, head 338 km east (approx four hours of driving) to Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada.

cabot trail drive

Cape Breton Highlands National Park is home to the Cabot Trail, which is continuously named one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

It’s only 298km in length, but you’ll want at least a couple of days to take it all in. Thankfully, there are plenty of unique places to stay along the Cabot Trail.

🏩 One of the most beautiful places to stay on the Cabot Trail is  the Keltic Lodge at the Highlands . It’s got stunning views from the property and is right next to Ingonish Beach.

One of the most beautiful places to stay on the Cabot Trail is the Keltic Lodge at the Highlands . It’s got stunning views from the property and is right next to Ingonish Beach.

With such incredible views along the Cabot Trail, you’ll be stopping every five minutes for photos. Plus, there are a ton of hiking opportunities along the way. Be sure to hike the Skyline Trail for sunset – it was my favorite hike on the island!

Skyline Trail Sunset, Cape Breton National Park of Canada

Cape Breton Highlands National Park to North Sydney (114 km)

After a few beautiful days in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, drive to the North Sydney ferry terminal.

This is where you’ll say goodbye to the mainland of Canada and catch an overnight ferry to the island of Newfoundland.

Newfoundland Road Trip

girl on signal hill in st. johns newfoundland

Many people don’t include Newfoundland on their trip t Eastern Canada, but it absolutely should be. I may be biased, but I truly believe Newfoundland has its own identity, unlike anywhere else in Canada.

While out of the way, it will be worth making the trip there. Here’s everything you need to know about planning a road trip through Newfoundland.

There are two ferry options for getting to Newfoundland from the mainland. Both depart from North Sydney, Nova Scotia. One goes to Argentia on the East Coast of Newfoundland, and the other goes to Port aux Basques on the West Coast.

I recommend taking the Port Aux Basque ferry because it’s shorter, cheaper, and more reliable. The other ferry only runs during the summer months and is often canceled due to weather.

Port Aux Basque – Corner brook (219 km)

You’ll arrive in Port Aux Basque early in the morning, around 7 am (assuming the ferry is on time). Drive two hours East to Corner Brook, the largest city on the West Coast.

The next few days will be camping in Gros Morne National Park , so stock up on supplies at a grocery store in Corner Brook. Sobeys or Dominion are the best options. There are some small stores in Gros Morne national park, but they are limited in supplies and more expensive.

Corner Brook to Gros Morne national park (85KM)

waterfall gros morne national park

From Corner Brook, it’s just an hour’s drive to Gros Morne National Park , one of the main highlights of Newfoundland. Spend at least two nights here either camping in the park or at lodging nearby.

Rocky Harbour is the most convenient place to stay in the park if you aren’t camping. I recommend Bambury’s Hillside Chalets, cute saltbox homes with a 9.5+ rating.

With over 100 kilometers of pristine trails, Gros Morne is the perfect place to take a hike. Challenge yourself to go 800 meters up to the summit of Gros Morne mountain!

This hike is no easy feat, as the last two hours involve climbing up steep rocks. The views at the top are worth it – this is one of my favorite hikes in Newfoundland. It’s an all-day hike (16 km) that will take you between 6-8 hours.

hiking in gros morne national park

If you want a real adventure, try backpacking the long-range traverse. This epic hike takes four nights but will take you to one of the most sought-after photos in Newfoundland. This trek is not for beginners – you must attend a backcountry briefing to receive a backcountry hiking permit for this trek.

For a less strenuous activity, take a boat tour through the fjord s  and marvel at the beauty carved out by the work of glaciers over thousands of years.

fjords in gros morne national park

Optional route: Viking Trail

l'anse aux meadows national historic site

Another option is to continue your journey on a scenic drive down the Northern Peninsula, also known as the Viking trail , to the UNESCO world heritage site of L’anse Aux Meadows . Here you’ll find remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement.

I’ve done this route before, and it’s stunning, but you’ll need an extra couple of days. It’s about a three-hour drive from Gros Morne each way.

I recommend spending the night in St. Anthony, the largest town on the peninsula. It’s one of the best places to see icebergs in the spring!

Grenfell Heritage Hotel & Suites is a historic hotel in St. Anthony, centrally located in town. It offers fully equipped kitchens in the apartment rooms – we stayed here for a week and loved it!

Gros Morne National Park to Bonavista Peninsula (406 km)

After a few glorious days on the West Coast, you’ll continue your journey towards Newfoundland’s east coast through the Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1).

It’s an easy drive as there is only one main highway across Newfoundland – just look out for moose along the way.

moose in newfoundland

If you’re craving more adventure along the way, stop along the way in Grand-Falls, where you can go whitewater rafting on the exploits river. This is a great place to stop for lunch or spend the night to break up the journey.

Optional route: Central Newfoundland and Fogo Island

fogo island newfoundland

While driving across the province, you could take an optional detour to Twillingate and Fogo Island, home to some of the cutest small towns in Newfoundland. Fogo island has become a popular spot in recent years with the addition of the 5-star Fogo Island Inn.

We all wish we could stay at the Fogo Inn, but it’s not in most people’s budget. Instead, stay at one of The Old Salt Box Co. locations and enjoy sunsets over the ocean from your room.

There’s so much adventure in Central Newfoundland you could easily spend another week exploring this region!

Bonavista Peninsula

The Bonavista Peninsula is one of my favorite parts of Newfoundland.

With endless picturesque fishing villages, a lively arts scene, fantastic puffing spotting opportunities , and gorgeous hiking trails , you’ll be sure to love it here. Check out this video of some friendly puffins I met there last summer!

@explorewithlora Found in Elliston, Newfoundland #puffins #explorenl #newfiecheck #nlwx #newfoundlandersoftiktok #newfoundlandandlabrador #wildlifelover ♬ Fantasy – Alina Baraz / Galimatias

Trinity is a perfect place to spend your first night here, with several homey guesthouses to stay.

The Eriksen Premises is one of Trinity’s historic homes and a great place to spend the night. Antique wood décor is featured in all individually decorated rooms, and it’s next to restaurants and shops.

After a good night’s rest, take a harbor kayak tour where you can come up close with whales and icebergs, depending on the season.

Trinity is also home to some great hiking trails. Try the Skerwink trail, a 4.7-kilometer loop with beautiful coastal views.

cliffs by the sea on the skerwink trail newfoundland

Trinity to Bonavista (50 km)

cliffs at Dungeon Provincial Park, Bonavista

Take a day to drive around the Bonavista peninsula or spend another night. Along the way, opt to visit Port Rexon Brewing for a delicious craft beer.

In Bonavista, take a hike in the stunning Dungeon provincial park, grab a cone at Sweet Rock Ice Cream, or head to nearby Elliston to spot puffins .

puffins in newfoundlands

In the evening, enjoy a locally-sourced dinner at the Bonavista Social Club.

Trinity to St. John’s (258 km)

Continue driving east to St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland, and my hometown. It’s one of the oldest cities in North America!

Celebrate the end of your east coast Canada road trip by driving to Cape Spear and soaking in the ocean views. Congratulations, You’ve made it to the most easterly point in North America!

One of the most beautiful places to stay in downtown St. John’s is Blue on Water. This 4-star accommodation features beautiful interior designs and is steps away from top attractions.

Another option is the Cabot Guest House i n Georgetown, a charming neighborhood I used to live in. If you stay here, be sure to grab your morning coffee and bagel at the Georgetown Bakery.

St. John’s is a great city with tons of fun things to do. Hike up to historic Signal Hill, where you can get sweeping views of the St. John’s narrows.

Take a walk around downtown St. John’s, or visit the picturesque fishing village of Quidi Vidi, which has a brewery that you can tour.

visiting quidi vidi on an east coast canada road trip

In the evening, head to The Duke for the best fish and chips in the city, then George Street for a night on the town. With the most bars per capita in Canada, St. John’s has a lively nightlife and a great local music scene.

As a visitor, you must get screeched in to become an honourary Newfoundland. Christians Bar on George Street is a perfect place to do that.

The next day (assuming you’re not too hungover), take a stroll along a section of the East Coast trai l – there are over 336 kilometers of trail to explore that will take you through breathtaking towering cliffs with beautiful views.

During the summer months, the world’s largest population of humpback whales makes their way to Newfoundland’s coast to feed. It’s one of the best places to go whale watching in the world !

whale watching in newfoundland

Whales can often be spotted while hiking on the East Coast Trail but for a closer look, join a whale-watching tour.

Want to see whales? I loved this boat tour that takes you to Witless Bay ecological reserve to see the world’s largest population of humpback whales, icebergs that are over 10,000 years old, and the charismatic Atlantic puffin.

If you’re a diver, you can also join a diving tour to see  WWII shipwrecks, reefs, wall dives, and more! Diving is a unique way to explore Newfoundland from the ocean floor.

Toronto to East Coast Road Trip

The focus of this post is on the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland. But since I know many of you will be planning an east coast canada road trip itinerary from Toronto, I’ve made a few suggestions for places to stop on the way below through Ontario/Québec before reaching New Brunswick.

There are MANY more amazing places to visit than outlined here, but they need a post of their own (and it’s coming).

If you’re starting from Toronto , make your first stop in Ottawa (a four-hour drive) or Montreal (a six-hour drive). Opt to stop at Thousand Islands National Park along the way.

Spanning across the border between Canada and the U.S., this park is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Ontario .

You can either spend the night in the park or just stop on the way to see the islands.

There’s no better view of the thousand islands than from the sky! This 5-star rated tour takes you on a scenic twenty-minute helicopter ride over the islands. Perfect if you’re short on time!

After touring the thousand islands, continue on to either Ottawa or Montreal. They are just two hours apart, so either make a great place to spend the night if you’re coming from Toronto. It just depends on how much driving you want to do in one day!

I love Montreal because of its exciting nightlife and overall atmosphere. However, if you prefer a quieter city with beautiful parks and historic sites, Ottawa is a great option.

Staying overnight in Ottawa? Don’t miss the chance to stay at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier – it’s one of Canada’s most iconic hotels, adjacent to the Parliament Buildings and Rideau Canal. Reserve early, as it does book up!

Leaving Ottawa or Montreal, continue your drive towards the province of New Brunswick.

Fredericton (capital of New Brunswick) is about 8 hours East of Montreal, so you could get there in a day if you drove all day. But if you prefer to do more sightseeing along the way, a great option is to spend the night in Québec City.

With its picturesque cobblestone streets lined with bistros and boutiques, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Europe.

Quebec city streets

If you didn’t get the chance to stay at the Fairmont in Ottawa, there’s another opportunity in Quebec City! The Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac is situated in Old Quebec, boasting gorgeous views of the St. Lawrence river in a fairytale setting.

Itineraries for Best Road Trips to Canada’s East Coast

With two months, you would be able to road trip all of this Eastern Canada itinerary, including the optional routes I mentioned.

You could visit the main highlights in a month, but the trip would be very fast-paced with a lot of driving.

14-Day East Canada Road Trip Itinerary

  • Days 1-3: New Brunswick – Start your journey in the picturesque province of New Brunswick. Spend your nights exploring the charming cities and natural wonders, including the Bay of Fundy, known for the world’s highest tides.
  • Days 4-6: Prince Edward Island (PEI) – Cross the Confederation Bridge to PEI. Enjoy the island’s red sand beaches, visit the Anne of Green Gables house, and indulge in fresh seafood.
  • Days 7-9: Halifax and Nova Scotia’s South Shore – Head to Nova Scotia, starting with its vibrant capital, Halifax, then explore the scenic South Shore, including Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Days 10-13: Cape Breton – Venture to Cape Breton Island, where the Cabot Trail awaits with its stunning coastal views. Enjoy hiking, local culture, and the Gaelic heritage of this unique region.
  • Day 14: Return to Halifax – Conclude your trip with a leisurely drive back to Halifax, perhaps stopping at any spots you missed on your way to Cape Breton.

Alternatively, you could do Cape Breton (4 nights) and Newfoundland (8 nights).

If you just wanted to visit Newfoundland, you could fly into the province to save time. St. John’s has an international airport where you can rent a car .

road trip en canada

Ten Days: Nova Scotia and Beyond

10-Day East Coast Canada Road Trip

  • Days 1-3: Halifax and Surroundings – Explore Halifax’s rich history and vibrant culture before heading to the picturesque towns along the South Shore.
  • Days 4-6: Cape Breton Island – Drive the Cabot Trail, immerse yourself in the island’s natural beauty, and experience the local music scene.
  • Days 7-8: Prince Edward Island – Discover PEI’s lighthouses, beaches, and culinary delights.
  • Days 9-10: New Brunswick – Visit the Hopewell Rocks and enjoy the coastal beauty before heading back.

Seven Days: A Province-Specific Journey

7-Day East Coast Canada Road Trip Itinerary

  • Option 1: Nova Scotia – Dedicate your week to exploring Nova Scotia, from Halifax to the South Shore, and up to Cape Breton.
  • Option 2: Newfoundland – Fly into St. John’s, rent a car , and explore the Avalon Peninsula, Bonavista, and perhaps a day trip to Terra Nova National Park.

Five Days: Quick Escapes

5-Day East Coast Canada Road Trip

  • Nova Scotia Focus – Spend your days exploring Halifax, the Annapolis Valley, and part of the South Shore for a quick taste of Nova Scotia’s charm.
  • PEI and New Brunswick – Combine these two provinces for a whirlwind tour of the Maritimes, focusing on the highlights like the Bay of Fundy and PEI’s central coast.

east coast road trip canada

What is the best time of year to visit the East Coast of Canada?

While it’s possible to visit the East Coast year-round, I would not advise planning a Canada east coast itinerary around the winter months in Canada (November-April – yes, it can really go that long!), simply because the road conditions could be dangerous.

The Atlantic provinces are famous for their horrible winter storms making a maritime road trip unpleasant. Plus, the ferry to Newfoundland often gets delayed in the winter.

Summertime is the ideal time for a road trip, but it is also the most popular. The shoulder seasons are also great options. During the springtime, you will have fewer tourists and the possibility to see icebergs in Newfoundland.

During autumn, you can see beautiful fall colors, which will make the drive breathtaking, especially on the Cabot Trail. That said, you can expect some cold nights, and even days, if you are visiting the East coast during October.

fall colors on the east coast of canada

Booking A Car Rental for an East Coast Canada Road Trip

If you’re booking a car rental for your road trip around the east coast, make sure you do early. Car rentals do book up in the summertime (especially if you’re picking it up in Newfoundland)!

I use and love Rentalcars.com , which searches local and international providers to find you the best deal. Plus, you can buy insurance directly through them, so you’re fully protected!

road trip en canada

BEST CANADA CAR RENTAL COMPANY: Rentalcars.com

When booking your Canada car rental online, I recommend using Rentalcars.com. They search both international and local Canadian companies to find the best price.

Essential Items For an East Canada Road Trip

For your Eastern Canada trip, don’t forget to bring these items with you.

  • Parks Canada Discovery Pass  – This will get you unlimited admission for 12 months at over 80 parks across Canada. This may be worth it if you plan to visit a lot of the national parks.
  • Insect Repellant – they are fierce in the summertime!
  • Road trip snacks
  • Canadian cash  – Most places accept major credit cards and debit but in smaller communities, you may find places that only accept cash. Bring Canadian dollars as these places will probably not exchange American money.
  • Roadside emergency kit
  • Canada Road Map
  • First Aid Kit
  • Blankets and Pillows – it gets cold in Canada, even in the summertime! You never know when those will come in handy.
  • Audiobooks for the road. I love  Audible   for this.
  • A  car charger   for charging your devices
  • A GPS  or download Google offline maps for your phone. Many rural places you will be driving through in Canada do not have cell phone reception.

FAQ: East Coast Canada Road Trip

Where should i go on the east coast of canada.

There are so many places to visit on Canada’s east coast! Some of the best places are Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, Gros Morne National Park, and Fundy National Park – check this guide for more information.

What is East Coast Canada known for?

It’s known for its friendly locals, fantastic seafood, incredible whale watching, the Atlantic Ocean, and beautiful landscapes.

Is Eastern Canada worth visiting?

Absolutely! While many people overlook the east coast for the Rockies, they are two completely different experiences. The east coast of Canada has some of the most breathtaking scenery in Canada, along with fantastic cuisine, friendly people, and endless outdoor adventure.

How long do you need to travel the East Coast Canada?

The duration of the East Coast Canada trip depends on your itinerary and interests. A minimum of 1-2 weeks is recommended to cover key highlights, but longer trips allow for a more immersive experience.

How to plan an East Coast Canada road trip?

To plan an Atlantic road trip, start by deciding on your must-visit destinations (read this post), create a flexible itinerary, book accommodations in advance during peak seasons, and ensure your vehicle is in good condition for the journey.

Where is the best place in East Coast of Canada?

The East Coast of Canada is filled with amazing places, but Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is often considered among the best destinations due to its stunning landscapes.

Is it worth going to Nova Scotia?

Yes, Nova Scotia is definitely worth visiting. It boasts a beautiful coastline, rich maritime heritage, charming towns, and numerous outdoor activities that make it a captivating destination.

How long should you spend on PEI?

To fully experience Prince Edward Island, it’s recommended to spend at least 2-3 days. This allows time to explore the island’s beautiful beaches, scenic drives, and cultural attractions.

What is the largest city on East Coast of Canada?

The largest city on the East Coast of Canada is Halifax, which is the capital of Nova Scotia.

What cities are in East Coast Canada?

The East Coast of Canada includes cities such as Halifax (Nova Scotia), St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Fredericton (New Brunswick), and others, each offering its own unique charm and attractions.

Final thoughts: Road Trip East Coast of Canada

Embarking on a road trip along Canada’s East Coast is an adventure filled with awe-inspiring natural beauty, captivating history, and warm hospitality.

From the vibrant city life of Halifax to the rugged coastline of Newfoundland, this journey promises to be an unforgettable experience for any traveler.

As you traverse the scenic highways, immerse yourself in the rich maritime culture, savor the freshest seafood, and engage with the welcoming locals who make this region truly special.

Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a history buff, or a foodie looking for culinary delights, the East Coast of Canada has something to offer everyone.

Allow the beauty of the coastal vistas, the charm of the small towns, and the tranquility of the Atlantic waves to leave a lasting impression on your heart. Happy travels!

Planning a trip to the east coast of Canada? Check out these posts!

The Best Things to Do in Bonavista Newfoundland

The Best Things to Do in Bonavista Newfoundland

landscape photo of the town of witless bay with the ecological reserve in the distance

11 Stunning Places on the Irish Loop Newfoundland

How to Plan a Newfoundland Road Trip Itinerary in 2023

How to Plan a Newfoundland Road Trip Itinerary in 2023

Unique Places To Stay In Newfoundland

Unique Places To Stay In Newfoundland

A Perfect Cabot Trail Itinerary in Cape Breton Nova Scotia

A Perfect Cabot Trail Itinerary in Cape Breton Nova Scotia

Where To Stay In Halifax Nova Scotia

Where To Stay In Halifax Nova Scotia

The Best Places to Stay on the Cabot Trail

The Best Places to Stay on the Cabot Trail

5 Best Places for Sea Kayaking in Newfoundland

5 Best Places for Sea Kayaking in Newfoundland

A Perfect One to Three Day Halifax Itinerary

A Perfect One to Three Day Halifax Itinerary

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Lora is a full-time digital nomad on a quest to visit every country in the world and pet as many dogs as she can along the way. Over the last 15 years, she has traveled to 70+ countries and six continents solo. She currently calls Puerto Vallarta, Mexico home and enjoys ending each day with sunset and tacos on the beach.

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Thankyou for this detailed itinerary! My sisters and I are planning an east coast road trip (around 19 days) next fall and the information you’ve provided is awesome.

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Hi, How long did this trip take you? Thanks for all the intel!

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Thank you for all of your excellent suggestions. We are planning an Eastern Canada road trip for September 2024. We are looking forward to the scenery, food and activities. We will be driving up from Louisiana and plan two weeks. Will there be plenty of options for decent hotel accommodations? Thank you!

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Yes, there are many great hotels along this route that I have suggested.

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Hi Lora, My 2 friends and myself would like to take a road trip for about 2 weeks next year (2023) to the East Coast and visit all four(4) lovely provinces. We all work together in the hospital and after the last couple years (with the COVID Pandemic) we all decided we REALLY need a break and a nice vacation. This road trip has been on our bucket list for quite a while now. We are hoping to save enough money by next year to do this amazing trip. A trip to be remembered!!!! Questions: (1) to visit all those wonderful places you mentioned and stay in nice B&B’s in all 4 provinces and really spend time with all the wonderful folks out East. Approx $$ for each person with our own single rooms. Just an approx $$. We will not hold you to that $$, just wondering and hoping we can make the trip re: our budget. (2) Approx in gas? (3) Do we stay in a motel/hotel/B&B along the way? Would you be able to plan our trip for us and do the bookings at the B&B or hotels? (4) We are thinking in May/June? Would you recommend those months? Oh … I should mention, we all live in the GTA area in Ontario and will be leaving from there. We are planning to rent a vehicle. Please help us make this trip a “dream come true” Thank You Lora!! :-))

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Thanks for this info Lora! I am going to use this when I cycle and driveEast in a few days. All the best to you!

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travelling in an RV, my main concern is heading over to NL, will the ferry take an RV, and any good parks in NL stay? And is the ferry wheel chair accessable?

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Hello! And thank you for such detailed info for the East Coast .My husband and I are planning a short 9-10 day road trip to east coast. this coming week. We were planning to drive straight to New Brunswick. Any suggestions on where to go for camping that I don’t have to make reservation? possibly in the Saint John, we’re planning to go all the way to Nova Scotia with this 9 days trip. Please let me know just the important places that we should see. Hope you can help. Thanks in advance……..

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Hi Lora, Thanks for such a wonderful travel guide. I am planning a road trip from Toronto to St. Johns or NFL by end of June. I will be traveling with family including Kids. I will leave the city on Thursday evening and so far I am planning the following Thursday | Home->Montreal Friday | Montreal->New Brunswick Saturday |New Brunswick->North Sydney, NS Sunday 7 AM | Channel-Port aux Basques, New FoudnLand Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday (11 AM Ferry) | Channel-Port aux Basques->North Sydney, NS B2A 3V2 Friday | North Sydney, NS-> Moncton, New Brunswick Saturday | Qubic City Sunday | Home (Pickering)

So I will have a total of 5 days in NFL and I need your help to plan these 5 days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). We both can drive so driving is not an issue. We are interested in Whale watching and icebergs if still, we can see them.

Please guide me how I should plan these 5 days.

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Hi Lora, I’m curious about your quoted time of 2 hours from Hopewell Rocks to Moncton? Google maps says it is a 30 minute drive, and now I’m worried I’m missing something? Thank you

Hi Lisa! Thanks so much for your comment. You are right, it’s just over half an hour to get between them so that was just an error on my part. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, it’s been fixed!

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Do you have any other whale watching recommendations? We will only have a week with our 3 kids and are thinking of flying in to NB from Toronto to save time on the drive through Ontario & Quebec. We will likely just end up doing NB and PEI…maybe NS…think we’ll have time?

There is good whale-watching in New Brunswick by Saint Andrews by-the-sea! One week is enough to visit them but it will be rushed. I would spend at least half the week in Nova Scotia!

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This is great – I may have missed this and will re-read your post, but how long did it take you to road trip across the east coast and as woman would you safe it is safe if I do it alone? Thanks for sharing this post and it is really very intresting east coast Canada road trip.

I’ve done it many times as short as 3 days to as long as 3 weeks, it just depends on how much you want to see! Yes, the east coast is extremely safe to travel I’ve done it solo many times.

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Great article! I am planning about a 2 1/2 month trip for next summer and hoping to hit most of what you suggested. We will be traveling with a truck and trailer from about mid June to early September. Based on weather and crowds, I have two questions for you. Any idea for camping if reservations will be needed for National or provincial parks? And what would be your suggested order for the provinces coming from Maine? Was thinking of NB, NF, NS then PEI? Thanks, great article!

Hi Darlene, if you’re planning to visit the parks over the long weekends (Canada day, the first weekend of August, and labor day), I would make reservations as they can get really busy then. Otherwise, a few days in advance should be fine and the provincial parks usually have walk-in space (national ones can get busier in the summer). The order you suggested sounds perfect to me!

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In the middle of October, are leaves still on trees on the east coast in NB and NS?

Yes they should be!

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Hello and thank you for sharing your experiences. I’m planning a last minute roadtrip the first three weeks of Sept 2021.

I’m looking at starting from TORONTO and making my way out EAST and then driving back of course. Will be using personal vehicle and travelling with my spouse ( no kids )

Any recommendations itinerary wise ? I believe 3 weeks should be enough time to see and do a fair amount.

Thank you in advance for your time

3 weeks is enough time to see all four provinces! I would spend a week in Newfoundland, one in Nova Scotia and the other split between PEI and New Brunswick.

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Hi Lora, thanks a lot for this information – it already helps me a lot 🙂 I will go to Canada in October and will spend there 4 weeks. I would have more time, but I think, it would get cold in November. What would you think? Yes it really depends on mother nature … 🙂

As the temperature is getting low during my trip from beginning October till end of October, could you recommend me a good starting point? Is it better to start in Toronto or in Newfoundland? Or doesn´t it make a difference?

I will come from a one-month-trip in Iceland, so I would get used somehow to colder weather, but maybe you have some advice for me ? 🙂

Hi! So glad you found the post helpful. It can definitely be cold in Atlantic Canada by November – even in October! It stays warmer in Ontario longer (I’ve experienced 20+ degree at end of October in Toronto), so I would actually start in Newfoundland and end in Toronto to make the most of the weather 🙂

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Thanks so much for this perfect article, I’m planning for a small group 17 people 1st time ever driving from Toronto to Atlantic. This article perfectly giving me all ideas we can explore. Thanks

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Thanks so much for your nice comment! I’m so glad you found it helpful.

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Hi Lora, great article. We are thinking of taking a 2 week family road trip this summer from Toronto, do you think that’s enough time to explore the east coast? Thx

Thanks! Two weeks is absolutely enough time – there’s an example two week itinerary in the guide 🙂

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Hi Lora, Excellent presentation and very nicely explained all relevant issues for travelling. I have sent you an email also seperately for guidance but I know you are very busy. In fact I want to visit Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI with a friend from Brampton. We will fly from Toronto to Sydney and back from Halifax. We will get a car rental for visiting other provinces. My preference is Cabot trail and other areas to be covered in 8 days. Kindly guide.

Hi, I would spend at least 2-3 days to drive the Cabot Trail – it’s so scenic you’ll want time to stop and soak it in. PEI is a very small province, you could see a lot in just two days. If you take the bridge from New Brunswick you’ll be close to Moncton, although I personally prefer Fredericton. It’s worth spending a day or two in Halifax as well, but that’s about all you could fit in!

Hi Lora, we are planning to visit Atlantic from Aug 14-Aug22(must be back to Toronto Aug 22), we are planning to stay 1 night in Quebec for example leaving Toronto to Quebec city on Saturday Aug 14 morning, stay a night in Quebec, then leave Quebec around afternoon Sunday, please advise the next beautiful stop we should stay for 1 or 2 nights? group of 20 people 8 kids ranging from 3-11 years old. Thanks so much

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Thanks for so much great info! We are planning an -unfortunately- fairly rushed road trip in our camper van next month. Leaving from Muskoka on the 19th and we have to be home on the 29th. Staying near Quebec City the first night, somewhere close-ish to Fredericton the second night, then the weekend visiting friends in PEI. Monday morning we will board the ferry to NS and do a couple days on Cape Breton Island. We pretty much have to start heading towards Ontario on Thursday, or at the very latest, Friday. Two questions: 1) Is it fairly easy to “free camp” in PEI and Nova Scotia, or do we really need to book campsites? We are self-sufficient with a solar fridge, stove and composting toilet in a 19′ van. 2) If we do Cape Breton (Cabot Trail) over Monday-Tuesday, what’s the #1 thing you’d suggest for Wednesday/Thursday? Do we go west to Halifax/Lunenberg area? My concern is we might be burnt out from driving so much, but we also want to make the most of our time out there. Leaving from Halifax instead of closer to NB means a few extra hours of driving overall. I have been to Halifax/Peggy’s Cove/Lunenberg but my partner has not. Thanks in advance!

Hi Ashley, I have only camped at campsites but if you are a resident of Canada and self-sufficient you could camp on crown land for up to 21 days. I’m sure there is lots of it there, but I’m not an expert in this area.

If you have been to Halifax/Lunenberg and don’t want to add on the extra driving I would just stay on Cape Breton Island. Two days isn’t a lot of time there, the cabot trail is so beautiful I spent a week on it! Inverness or Baddeck are two nice spots on either side of where it starts. I am not super familiar with the part of Nova Scotia between Halifax and Cape Breton Island so can’t make specific recommendations for there, but I think you could easily spend more than two days in Cape Breton and enjoy yourself!

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Hi Lora, thank you for all the information you have provided. We are from Alberta and have planned to visit the East Coast Aug 26 – Sept 7th and hoping to see highlights in all provinces. Will check out your article on vaccination status for all provinces. Quick question – is it worth the long drive from Montreal to New Brunswick or should we fly? Thanks for any info you can provide.

If you are flying anyway I would just go to New Brunswick. Montreal is a great city and Quebec City is a nice stop along the way but if you are limited on time and want to see all four provinces it’s better to just fly.

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Hi Lora, Thank you so much for this great article. I would love to start planning a short east coast trip to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and PEI at the end of august (August 19-29). I live in Ontario. Do you maybe have any more specific information about the border restrictions for people from other provinces? Thank you!

Hi Cloe, I just updated the article with the latest information. Border restrictions depend on your vaccination status – fully vaccinated travelers can visit all four provinces, but you will have to apply for a PEI Pass for PEI.

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This is great – I may have missed this and will re-read your post, but how long did it take you to road trip across the east coast and as woman would you safe it is safe if I do it alone? Thanks.

I’ve done it in as little as 3 days and as long as a month! It really depends on how much you want to see but I’d recommend at least one to two weeks. It is safe to travel there as a woman alone – I did last summer! Atlantic Canadians are extremely friendly and helpful 🙂

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Hi, thank you for all of the info. Ten of us rented an RV and have booked our trip for Sept 3-10. We want to eat fish, do a lot of water activities and sightseeing. Since we have only a week and have no wish to see Montreal. Can you help me choose best places. We are from Toronto and are so tired of being on lockdown.

Hi! Without stopping somewhere in Quebec it will be a long drive to New Brunswick (14 hours) but doable if you guys don’t mind a long day of driving. I would recommend spending most of your time in Nova Scotia by the coast, they have tons of water activities and delicious seafood.

Hello Lora! Your blog is so informative and what beautiful pictures! I want to plan an East Coast trip this summer but I’m waiting (and hoping) for some travel restrictions to loosen up so we can visit from Ontario. If not, then I will save this information for 2022! I have a question for you. I know you said that Newfoundland shouldn’t be missed but we only have 3 weeks and when I followed most of your itinerary that didn’t leave me much time for Newfoundland. Is there a place for whale watching in the other 3 provinces?

Thanks so much! Yes for sure, there are lots of places to go whale watching on the East Coast. You can go in St. Andrews by-the-sea in New Brunswick, as well as Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. I do think Newfoundland is the best place for it though! Really hope you can make it out to the east coast this summer!

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This is very informative.

Was just wondering if you could suggest a perfect Canada East Coast road trip itinerary with RV Camper that last up to 16 days (3 adults)? I have seen and read many but l just don’t know how to manage that. The idea is to do a road trip from Montréal – Nova Scotia (16 days) or just Nova Scotia (16 days) suggesting probably “must see” places and camping possibilities. The road trip is planned for next year 2021 summer (hopefully by then the pandemic is under control). Wouldn’t mind if you can email me your ideas also per email.

Thanks for your time.

Cheers Mitch

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Hi Mitch. You can definitely plan a great road trip from Montreal to Nova Scotia with 16 days. You’ll have to drive through New Brunswick anyway so I suggest spending a night or two there on the way and back. Fundy national park is a great place to visit! That should still leave you with 10 or more full days in Nova Scotia, so for the rest of your itinerary, it depends on what you are interested in seeing. I love Cape Breton island for the Cabot Trail, I’d recommend 3-5 days to do that. The Halifax area is great too, and there are a lot of fun day trips to small towns you can take from there.

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Hi Lora, Thank you for such an informative post! You’ve helped me narrow down most of the places I wanted to go as I’m currently planning an Eastern road trip! I wanted to know what your estimated budget was for the entire trip, if you don’t mind my asking. Thank you again 🙂

That’s awesome, glad to hear! That’s so variable depending on how long your trip is, if you’re renting a car, camping or staying in hotels, solo etc. If you give me more details I can try and help!

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I live in Vancouver and have never been to the east coast so this is all high on my bucketlist! Looks beautiful 🙂

Vancouver is a beautiful spot too!! Hope you can visit the East Coast sometime 🙂

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I love all those rugged coastal views with the reflections in the waters and the lighthouses. I already love the West side of Canada, but I do really like the idea of exploring the Eastern coast as well. It looks like SUCH a fantastic area to hike, and then eat icecream.

p.s. My mum loves Anne of Green Gables…I wonder if telling her that would be a good way to lure her to Canada!? 😉

I love the West coast of Canada too, but the East coast is a completely different experience! Haha I think that would definitely get her there if PEI is on the itinerary!

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This is a very informative guide. Definitely will refer to it in future when I go.

Glad you found it helpful! 🙂

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Yay for road tripping! I haven’t had a chance to explore too much of Canada but would love to someday! I wanna visit the national parks!

Hope you can someday! We are lucky to have so many beautiful national parks 🙂

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Your photos alone make me want to pack a bag and hit the road! I’d love to do a coastal drive of Eastern Canada and PEI has always been on my radar!

Happy to hear that!! PEI is gorgeous, hope you can visit sometime!

TheTravel

13 Key Stops Along The Great Northern Road Trip

  • Start the Great Northern Road Trip in Olympic National Park in Washington, where you can hike, explore a temperate rainforest, and enjoy stunning views.
  • Stop in Spokane, Washington for city attractions, including downtown shops, wineries, and beautiful parks like Riverfront Park and Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden.
  • Explore Glacier National Park in Montana, where you can hike through glacier scars, drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road, and spot wildlife.

Road trips are one of the most unique ways to tour the country. Some adventures on wheels are road trips that explore the many national parks around the US , while others let travelers enjoy the wide open spaces or simply make the most of a Spring Break getaway. Route 2, dubbed the Great Northern Road, follows in the footsteps of the old railroad tracks and is filled with history and natural beauty. Four different National Parks rest along the road, and historically and culturally significant cities fill any space left in between.

The Great Northern Road Trip is a true cross-country venture and, in fact, an international one as well. The 2,115-mile road starts in Washington before heading through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The road trip then heads even further north into Canada and ends back in the United States through New Hampshire, Vermont, and finally, Maine. The route and two countries have many more than the following worthy stops, but the ones below offer the ideal starting point for any traveler preparing to undertake this cross-country odyssey.

The distances provided are based on the distance between stops along the US Route 2 roadway. Several of these stops have more efficient driving options for those hoping to cut down on time but still follow the overall path of the Great Northern road trip map.

UPDATE: 2023/12/07 00:25 EST BY NICOLE HANSEN

Time for More Great Northern Road Trip Stops!

When the road trip is over 2,000 miles long, narrowing down the stops can be a challenge. This article has been updated with three more stops to consider along the Great Northern Road Trip. Applicable fee information has also been updated to reflect current prices.

Related: 10 National Parks With Scenic Roads For Motorcycle Road Trips

Olympic National Park, Washington

Start the trip with plenty of hiking and scenery, with views of the only temperate rainforest in the us.

Olympic National Park speaks for itself in terms of natural beauty. The first major stop along US Route 2, the temperate rainforest with miles of walking trails and cascading waterfalls, sets the tone for a truly breathtaking road trip and highlights one of the most unique experiences in US national parks .

Considering free highlights such as Lake Crescent, Kalaloch and Ruby Beach, and Hurricane Ridge each beg for their own day of exploration, the hardest part of starting here is leaving for the open road with any time left.

  • Things to Do in Olympic National Park, Washington: Hiking, Biking, Guided Tours, Visitor Centers, Beach Walks, Hoh Rainforest
  • Olympic National Park Entrance Fee : $30/vehicle

Spokane, Washington

Enjoy city attractions, downtown spokane, and wineries and parks.

After enjoying the natural landscape of Olympic National Park, travelers can enjoy some more steady terrain and indoor attractions in Spokane, Washington. Window-shop through downtown, enjoy the local wineries, or catch a show at the Martin Woldson Theater.

For those who aren't quite ready to go inside, the wide variety of things to do in Spokane , including Riverfront Park, Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden, and Green Bluff Farms, all offer beautiful natural scenery in the middle of the big city.

  • Things to Do in Spokane, Washington: Waterfall hikes, Riverfront Park, Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden, Green Bluff Farms, Winery Tours, Martin Woldson Theater, Walk Downtown Spokane

Glacier National Park, Montana

Hike through glacier scars, drive the going-to-the-sun road, and view wildlife.

Any travelers going through Glacier National Park have to stop and take in the majesty of one of the 10 most-visited national parks in the US. Visitors can start by driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which offers enough stops to take a full day. Depending on the season, drivers may find themselves driving under a waterfall, surrounded by wildflowers and wildlife.

Off the scenic route, travelers can also enjoy Swiftcurrent Lake or Lake Mcdonald, some of the most picturesque lakes in the water-filled park. Another hotspot for travelers of all abilities and interests, Glacier National Park, is a must for anyone hoping to see all the natural beauty the northern states have to offer.

  • Things to Do in Glacier National Park: Hiking, Biking, Scenic Drives, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Wildlife Watching, Birding, Camping
  • Glacier National Park Entrance Fee : $35/vehicle

Related: Here's Why It's Worth The Incredibly Scenic Drive To Glacier National Park

Lewistown, Montana

Get back to the city for history, art museums, and shopping in lewistown historic district.

Hopping back to another historical center along Route 2, Lewistown, Montana, is a window into multiple parts of the past. The Central Montana Historical Museum and the Bear Gulch Pictographs both bring the unique history of the area to life, with helpful staff at both places to answer questions and add depth to the experience.

Paired with a variety of food and drink options, the historic Judith Theater, and unique local shops and farms in and around the Lewistown Historic District, Lewiston offers the perfect escape back in time.

  • Things to Do in Lewistown, Montana: Central Montana Historical Museum, Bear Gulch Pictographs, Walk through Lewistown Historic District, Biking, Hiking

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

See wildlife, stay at the historic lodge, and hike through this northern state.

This next area is one of the most unique road trip stops between Washington and Maine, as it's super otherwordly. Still, The Badlands in Theodore Roosevelt National Park are amazing not only for the views but for their impact on the National Park system. It was these lands, filled with prairie dogs and bison, that inspired then-president Teddy Roosevelt to create the system that exists today.

Visitors hoping to follow his footsteps can drive a 36-mile scenic loop along the South Unit, visit Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin, or simply count Prairie Dogs in Prairie Dog Town. Those looking for more of an adventure can trek to Elkhorn Ranch, Roosevelt's retreat during his later years.

  • Things to Do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota: Hiking, Biking, Camping, Wildlife Watching, Birding, Scenic Drives
  • Theodore Roosevelt National Park Entrance Fee : $30/vehicle

Related: North Dakota: Why Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Bison, And Badlands Are Worth It

Duluth, Minnesota

Enjoy the port city experience, stroll big parks with large waterbodies, and shop local streets.

As the port city for Lake Superior, Duluth is full of land and water activities alike. The city itself is full of reminders of its history as a shipping town, including the Aerial Lift Bridge, which connects the tourist and industrial sides of the town.

Restaurants and local shops give guests a feel for the city's unique feel, and the many districts offer a chance to explore different aspects of the city. The Lincoln Park Craft District, Skyline Drive, and Canal Park Neighborhood each offer unique walking paths and urban and lake views; there is nothing missing in this lakeside city stop.

  • Things to Do in Duluth, Minnesota : Walk through Duluth Neighborhoods, Boating, Paddleboarding, Aerial Lift Bridge, Lincoln Park Craft District

Canyon Falls Roadside Park, Michigan

Year-round access to hiking trails, with summer swimming areas, and deep canyon views.

Michigan is one of the last state-side stops before this road trip goes international, and the Canyon Falls Roadside Park offers some amazing last views of the United States. With year-round hiking trails, waterfalls, and swimming holes, this getaway is perfect any time of year.

The park offers both a fairly level four-mile hike along the Canyon Gorge Trail or a more intense 19.4-mile hike along the North Country Trail. The Canyon Gorge itself is a sight, reaching 300 feet deep and a mile wide at some points. With so much to see, this is the perfect last look at the US.

  • Things to Do in Canyon Falls Roadside Park, Michigan: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Guided Walks, Birding, Wildlife Watching
  • Canyon Falls Roadside Park Entrance Fee : FREE

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Get out of the car and enjoy this small island with no vehicles.

This road trip stop might be a bit of a stretch when it comes to Mackinac Island on Lake Superior in Michigan. Cars aren't actually allowed on the island, but that doesn't mean this stop isn't worth pulling over for. Round-trip ferry rides start at just $34 per adult , and there are a number of places to stay on Mackinac Island itself.

With the car back at the port, Mackinac Island is the perfect place to enjoy hiking, boating, or even a horse-drawn carriage through the timeless towns. A true reprieve from the monotony of the car, there is no doubt that Mackinac Island is the perfect side trip along the Great Northern road trip.

  • Things to Do on Mackinac Island : Visit the Mackinac Island Arch Rock , Horse-Drawn Carriages, Hiking, Biking, Boating, Walking Tours of Mackinac Island

Related: You Can Visit Mackinac Island In The Winter, Here's What To Expect

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Go international to the capital of canada, tour historical buildings, museums, and public spaces like parks.

As the national capital of Canada, Ottawa is home to National Hill, where visitors can enjoy daily sound-and-light shows, changing-of-the-guard ceremonies, walking, rollerblading, or biking around the unique buildings. An afternoon at any of the museums, including the Canadian Museum of Nature , the National Gallery of Canada , and the Canadian War Museum , offers a great indoor look at the history of the region.

Despite being the country's capital, Ottawa is not as much of a tourist destination as several of Canada's nearby areas, meaning that Ottawa's amazing must-try foods and unique places to stay are often more affordable than some other stops along the road.

  • Things to Do in Ottawa, Canada : Canadian Museum of Nature, National Gallery of Canada, Canadian War Museum, Walk through Downtown Ottawa, Ottawa River Cruises

Related: 10 Things You Can Fit Into A Weekend In Ottawa, Canada

Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Enjoy a cultural center of canada with museums, science and learning centers, and tasty canadian food.

Full of architectural, botanical, and cultural wonders, the French-speaking Montréal is a hotbed for every interest. Wandering Old Montréal, travelers can enjoy the unique food and activities that fill the area . The Notre Dame Basilica and St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal both offer insight into the religious influences of the area throughout history while also offering breathtaking art and architecture to explore.

Back outside, the Montréal Botanical Garden , part of Montréal's Space for Life Natural Sciences Museum Complex, allows visitors to walk through over 22,000 different types of plants from all over the world. With so much history, culture, and language to explore, Montréal is a perfect finale to Canada before re-entering the United States to finish the trip.

  • Things to Do in Montréal, Canada : Montréal's Space for Life Natural Sciences Museum Complex, Walking tour of Old Montréal, Notre Dame Basilica, St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal

Related: 10 Best Montreal Hostels To Save You Money During Your Trip

Burlington, Vermont

Add a scenic drive, visit the free museum and public galleries, or walk through the classic vermont parks.

Vermont is best known for its scenic fall drives , but there are plenty of reasons to include this compact state on a road trip along a US 2 road trip. One of the best road trip stops in Vermont, Burlington has lots of activities to enjoy, even for those with just 24 hours (or less!).

Burlington has a variety of museums and galleries to explore, including the free-to-visit Fleming Museum Of Art at the University of Vermont. These indoor attractions, paired with the year-round natural beauty of Burlington and its surrounding area, make this charming town a must-visit along the Great Northern road trip.

  • Things to Do in Burlington, Vermont : Shelburne Museum , ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain , Park Walks, Scenic Drives, Hiking, Biking

Montpelier, Vermont

The capital of vermont, access to the green mountains, walkable downtown with a variety of shops.

Vermont is one of the safest tourist destinations in the US (according to statistics) , so even for road trip travelers who are unfamiliar with the region, this small Northeastern state is a great place to spend a little extra time. Montpelier is the capital of Vermont and the smallest state capital in the country.

Despite its small size, Montpelier offers a variety of activities to enjoy , both indoors and outdoors. Whether enjoying a scenic drive through the Green Mountains or satisfying a sweet craving at Bragg Farm Sugar House , Montpelier promises plenty of reward for those who take the time to pause in this tiny but mighty capital city.

  • Things to Do in Montpelier, Vermont: Bragg Farm Sugar House, The Vermont Historical Society Museum , Hiking, Mountain Biking, Scenic Drives, Visit The Coburn Covered Bridge

Acadia National Park, Maine

Scenic hiking, biking, and drives with forests, beaches, and coastal maine food.

The Great Northern Road Trip ends as it began - in one of the most popular national parks in the US. Those not tired of the car can drive Acadia National Park 's 27-mile Park Loop Road, which offers amazing views and easy access to other favorite spots, such as Sand Beach, Otter Cliff, and Wildwood Stables.

For travelers more interested in stretching their legs, Acadia National Park offers multiple hiking trails , from easy strolls such as Jordan Pond Nature Trail to more intensive hikes like the height-defying Precipice Trail (aptly named, so those afraid of heights should steer clear).

For a grand finale, Cadillac Mountain’s summit sets hikers and drivers alike atop the highest point not only in the park but also the highest summit along the Northeastern seaboard, offering a perfect last view of a true cross-country road trip. Overall, Acadia is easily one of the best stops on the Great Northern Road Trip for outdoor enthusiasts, so plan a couple of days to spend exploring the park to round off the ultimate Washington to Maine road trip route!

  • Things to Do in Acadia National Park, Maine: Hiking, Biking, Scenic Drives, Guided Walks, Wildlife Watching, Birding
  • Acadia National Park Entrance Fee : $35/vehicle

13 Key Stops Along The Great Northern Road Trip

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Updated travel information for Mexican citizens coming to Canada

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

News release

Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world’s most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. To support travel and people-to-people connections between Canada and Mexico, while also preserving the integrity of our immigration system, the Government of Canada is adjusting its travel requirements for Mexican citizens.

February 29, 2024, 8:30 a.m. – Ottawa – Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world’s most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. To support travel and people-to-people connections between Canada and Mexico, while also preserving the integrity of our immigration system, the Government of Canada is adjusting its travel requirements for Mexican citizens.

As of February 29, 2024, at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time, Mexican citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years and are travelling by air on a Mexican passport will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA). With the high number of Mexican citizens currently holding US visas, the majority will continue to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa. This responds to an increase in asylum claims made by Mexican citizens that are refused, withdrawn or abandoned. It is an important step to preserve mobility for hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens, while also ensuring the sound management of our immigration and asylum systems.

The application process for Mexican citizens seeking a work or study permit will not change. Mexican citizens who want to work in Canada will continue to have access to a wide number of existing labour pathways, including the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program.

Canada supports ongoing travel, tourism and business with Mexico. We will continue to work with the Government of Mexico to strengthen our regular pathways to immigration, and with our provincial and territorial counterparts to support a system of managed migration as well as to support those in need of protection. Canada is expanding its network of visa application centres in Mexico to better serve these clients. Today’s action will relieve pressure on Canada’s borders, immigration system, housing and social services, while preserving mobility for Mexican citizens who want to come to Canada.

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is a vital example of the mutually beneficial migration that we seek to promote regionally and globally. Canada is ready to work with Mexico to build on this program, through the modernization of a new SAWP bilateral agreement, to offer Mexican workers new opportunities, through the incorporation of year-round primary agriculture and seasonal fish, seafood and primary food processing into the program. This will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of the Canada–Mexico relationship.

Canada is continuously monitoring the impacts of its visa policies for both visa-exempt and visa-required countries, as well as asylum claim trends. These challenges are not limited to one country. Any adjustment to Canada’s travel requirements are made to preserve the integrity and sustainability of our asylum and immigration systems.

More information about these changes, including for people in transit or with upcoming flights, is available on IRCC’s website .

“Mexico is an important partner to Canada. We will continue to welcome Mexican temporary workers, students, visitors and immigrants who bring diverse skills and important contributions to our economy and communities. We strive for balance between the movement of people between our two great countries, and the need to relieve pressure on our immigration system so we can provide protection to those who need it the most.” – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

Asylum claims made by Mexican citizens reached a record high in 2023 at a time when Canada’s asylum system, housing and social services were already under significant pressure. The majority of these claims (approximately 60%) were either rejected by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, or withdrawn or abandoned by the applicant.

In 2023 alone, asylum claims from Mexican citizens accounted for 17% of all claims made that year from all nationalities around the world. The country’s asylum claim rate has risen significantly since the visa was first lifted in 2016 (from 260 claims in 2016 to 23,995 claims in 2023). 

All eTAs issued to Mexican passports before 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on February 29, 2024, will no longer be valid—except for eTAs linked to Mexican passports with a valid Canadian work or study permit. Mexican citizens travelling to Canada without a valid work or study permit will need to apply for a visitor visa or reapply for a new eTA —if they are eligible.

Mexican citizens holding a valid work or study permit can still travel by air to Canada with their existing eTA as long as it remains valid, and they can continue to study or work in Canada based on the validity and conditions of their permit. Mexican visitors who are already in Canada on an eTA can stay for as long as they are authorized (up to six months from the date they arrive in Canada). However, if they plan to leave Canada and wish to return, they must have the proper travel documents (visa or new eTA). 

Most approved visa applicants receive multiple-entry visas, which allow them to visit Canada as many times as they want, for up to 10 years, or until their passport expires.

The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air. IRCC first began expanding its eTA program to eligible citizens from visa-required countries in 2017. Mexico will now be among 15 countries whose citizens can to fly to Canada on an eTA, instead of a visa, if they meet certain requirements .

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  • Link to News Release in Spanish

Contacts for media only:

Bahoz Dara Aziz Press Secretary Minister’s Office Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [email protected]

Media Relations Communications Branch Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 613-952-1650 [email protected]

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Road trips in Canada

Western conquest.

Explore the must-sees of Western Canada. The natural beauty of Vancouver Island, the waterfalls of Wells Gray Park and the awe-inspiring peaks of the Rockies will blow your mind!

Wonders of Canada

Each stage of this escapade reveals unique wonders, from captivating metropolises to natural splendors, creating an unforgettable adventure in the heart of America.

Explore Toronto, Niagara Falls, the charm of the Eastern Townships and Charlevoix on this captivating road trip through Ontario and Quebec.

The West by RV

From nights under the stars in Rocky Mountain campsites to the beauty of Vancouver Island, come and enjoy a unique experience in the heart of Canadian nature.

Legendary landscapes

Embark on an unforgettable escape along Canadian roads from the Rockies to Vancouver. You'll be captivated by the natural treasures at every turn...

West with the family

Embark on unforgettable family adventures from Vancouver to the authentic charm of historic Hat Creek Village. Finish your road trip in style in the heart of the majestic Rockies.

Passionate by nature

Drive from the Rockies to Wells Gray Park, soak up Vancouver Island and taste the delights of the Okanagan. Immerse yourself in the nature of Western Canada !

Legendary splendour

By car! The spectacular roads of this road trip through the varied scenery and must-see attractions of Western Canada are sure to leave a lasting impression on you.

The Rockies by train

Cross the majestic Rocky Mountains from Vancouver to Jasper aboard the Rocky Mountaineer. From snow-capped peaks to lush valleys, you'll enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Ontario & Quebec

From Toronto to Niagara Falls, experience Ontario's bustling cities and explore Quebec's wilderness. The perfect adventure between culture and nature.

Dream destinations

Discover breathtaking landscapes and majestic mountains in unspoilt wilderness. Each day offers a new dream destination for an unforgettable experience.

Us, ye, and the Islands !

From the beaches of the Islands to the charms of Gaspésie, discover picturesque villages and soak up the rhythm of the waves. A journey that connects us, you and these enchanting islands.

The Maritimes by RV

Discover the tides of the Bay of Fundy and Kouchibouguac and the breathtaking scenery of Cape Breton on this road trip that promises rich experiences and a memorable maritime escapade.

Discover the Lakes Route. From the unspoiled beauty of Waterton to the iconic village of Banff, you'll experience a real immersion in Alberta's dreamy scenery.

Authentik Quebec by the sea

Discover Gaspésie and the Côte Nord, combining ecotourism and maritime discoveries, and stay in eco-responsible accommodation for an authentic adventure in the heart of Québec maritime.

  • Eco-friendly

From Toronto to New York, explore the culture of Montreal, the charm of Quebec City and the energy of Boston. Each stop adds a new dimension to this journey to the heart of North America's cities.

Immerse yourself in the unspoilt nature of Parc des Grands Jardins and Parc du Fjord du Saguenay, and explore Île aux Lièvres. Destinations that invite you to reconnect with nature!

From glaciers to geysers

From glaciers to geysers, dense forests to endless meadows, this road trip crosses borders, soaking up the majestic grandeur of the Rockies from country to country.

Family vacation in Quebec

Discover the treasures of Quebec with your family on this road trip that offers authentic immersion and rejuvenation in an exceptional natural setting.

The New World

Travel through Ontario and Quebec by motorhome. From picturesque villages to the calm of nature and the authenticity of the Gaspe Peninsula. A fascinating mix of scenery across our wide-open spaces.

The Green Odyssey

Quebec's ubiquitous nature awaits you on this road trip, where Quebec's most beautiful parks reveal their charms and their finest treasures.

Explore Western Canada aboard the Inside Passage. A delightful blend of fjords, lush forests, typical villages and unique natural scenery, each stop reveals an unforgettable adventure.

Once in the West

Explore Western Canada from Calgary to the majestic Rockies, from Wells Gray to Vancouver, ending at legendary Lake Louise! An epic journey through the heart of Alberta and British Columbia.

Warm Canadian Welcome

Explore Canada with your family from Niagara to Quebec City! Discover the majestic Falls, the excitement of Toronto, the authenticity of Seigneurie du Triton, and the splendor of the Saguenay Fjord.

Back-country roads

Travel the scenic backcountry roads from the comfort of your motorhome. At every turn, the diverse landscapes of the Rockies will leave you in awe!

Indian summer

Travel to the rhythm of the colors of Indian summer. An enchanting journey where each destination reveals the splendor of the vibrant colors of this unique autumn season.

Canadian treasures

Discover Canadian treasures, from Niagara Falls to Forillon National Park. On the road, let yourself be charmed by the wide-open spaces and picturesque villages of Charlevoix and Gaspésie.

Trekking in Quebec

Put on your hiking boots and explore trails with breathtaking panoramas, from National Gaspesie Park to majestic Rocher Percé. Each step will guide you into the wilderness.

Vancouver Island

Explore Vancouver Island, from the charming city of Victoria to the wild beaches of Pacific Rim. You won't remain indifferent to the authenticity of Telegraph Cove and the beauty of Quadra Island.

Nomad spirit

Enjoy a touring adventure through Quebec and Ontario in your motorhome. From Montreal to Niagara, explore the Thousand Islands, Mauricie, Tadoussac and Jacques Cartier National Park.

Large as life

From emerald lakes to the Pacific coast, the majestic landscapes of Western Canada will captivate you on this memorable road trip.

Wild refinement

Between national parks, towns and unexpected encounters, this mountain epic promises moments of pure emotion and wild adventure.

From the Rockies to Yellowstone

From the majestic Rockies to the mythical Yellowstone Park, nature reveals a show without borders, with exceptional landscapes and captivating natural diversity!

Family adventure

Board the Inside Passage, crossing majestic fjords. Discover history-filled villages in Prince Rupert, Stewart and Smithers, before concluding in the heart of the Rockies.

La Belle Province

Explore La Belle Province. Discover spectacular coastal landscapes, picturesque villages and enjoy an authentic adventure in the heart of Québec maritime.

Destination Maritimes

From the city of Halifax to the beaches of Kouchibouguac, via the beauty of Cape Breton Island, experience an adventure rich in coastal landscapes, warm encounters and culinary discoveries.

Gaspesie road trip

Enjoy the ultimate adventure in Quebec: from the forests of Mauricie to the Saguenay Fjord, from the whales of Tadoussac to the Gaspesie National Park, each stage promises an unforgettable experience.

Quebec by Motorhome

Travel the roads of Quebec in a motorhome and discover the diversity of the province, from the charms of Quebec City to the natural beauty of Mauricie and the Saguenay Fjord.

Wilderness trail

Discover lakes and forests, where mountains and river intertwine. An unforgettable getaway, revealing the majestic Saguenay Fjord and the unspoiled nature of Quebec !

Heart of Quebec

This convivial trip will let you discover the authenticity of Quebecers at every step, celebrating the beauty, culture and hospitality of Quebec.

Indian summer by RV

Breathtaking panoramas await you in the jewel of Quebec autumn: from the splendor of the Mauricie region to the colorful valleys of Jacques Cartier Park, you'll be amazed by these majestic sceneries.

The nature of Quebec

Explore the diversity of Québec au naturel with this compendium of varied adventures, from the Jacques Cartier trails to the whales of Tadoussac, from Lac Saint-Jean to Parc de la Mauricie.

The grand seduction

Experience the essence of Gaspesie with outdoor activities and rich local cuisine. A perfect fusion of seafood delights and Gaspesian authenticity awaits you.

Family zone

Discover Quebec with your family: its wilderness, wide-open spaces, whales and lush flora and fauna are sure to delight everyone !

Gaspesie family vacation

Bring the whole family and discover the region's treasures: beaches, picturesque villages and the famous Rocher Percé.

My custom road trip

Authentic quebec: gems to visit during indian summer, the best western canada tour, the best vancouver island road trip, the best 10-day itinerary in canada, the best 2-week road trip for exploring quebec and ontario, the best van road trip in quebec, how to use the google maps gps offline while travelling , western vs eastern canada : which to choose , 5 ideas to entertain the kids on a canada road trip, the best 2-week quebec road trip, the best 10-day itinerary in the canadian rockies, 5 good reasons to opt for an rv for your family road trip, the quebec beer route, the ultimate quebec family road trip, the best road trip to experience indian summer, top 10 scenic routes in western canada (with maps + photos), the ultimate quebec rv road trip, top 10 attractions in banff national park, travel guide to the canadian rockies, faq on road trips in canada, when to go on a canada tour .

The best time to go on a Canadian Rockies road trip or Eastern Canada adventure is during the summer months, between mid-June and mid-October .

The high touristic season is between mid-July and mid-August . There are a lot more travelers and the prices are higher.

From mid-September to mid-October , the trees are adorned with red, orange and yellow to offer quite a spectacle. You can sometimes still get nice temperatures. We call it the Indian Summer.

Whatever option suits your desire, make sure to check out our section " When to visit Canada ? " before booking your travel dates.

Driving in Canada

Before leaving for a road trip aboard your Canada car rental, it is best to be aware of the particularities of the Canadian highway code. We have gathered for you the most important information on our " Driving in Canada " page.

When should I book my Canada tour ?

The best time to book your Quebec road trip or Western Canada tour is to book at least 6 months in advance to ensure availability, especially if you plan to travel in July or August.

Indeed, if you book your trip at the last minute, you risk limited availability , not to mention that you can expect the most beautiful places to be full.

Finally, the earlier you book, the more money you will save . There is no good reason to wait before booking your trip.

Consult our section " When to book my trip? " to know more.

What is the Authentik roadbook ?

The Authentik roadbook is a fully personalized Canada travel guide tailored to your individual Canada tour . Your Authentik advisor will start preparing your roadbook as soon as you book your trip.

The roadbook can be delivered to your home prior to your departure or given to you upon your arrival in Canada.

See it as your  personal assistant that will help you discover the most beautiful places in the country so that you don't miss a thing on your trip with us.

See our " Roadbook " section for more information.

Which destination to choose between Eastern and Western Canada ?

Are you planning a Canada self-drive holiday  and hesitating between Eastern Canada and its warmhearted Quebec or a Canadian Rockies itinerary  ?

Consult our " East vs West" section to help you see more clearly.

Should I choose a Canada tour by RV or by car ?

You are wondering if you should explore our great outdoors aboard a Canada RV rental or a  car  ?

Both types of travel have their pros and cons.

And contrary to popular belief, it is not always true that an RV trip costs less.

Consult our section " Car or RV " to know more.

See all FAQs on road trips in Canada

Check out our comprehensive road trip FAQs or our practical information FAQs on traveling to Canada in general.

The best road trips in Canada

Road trip through Jasper National Park

Things to do

At 9.8 million square kilometres, Canada is the world's second largest country. Which means the best way to see it is to hop in a car and drive . . . and drive. Along the way you'll gape at glacier-carved peaks, bird-filled marshlands and everything in between. There'll be plenty of stops to take in the views, sample local hot spots and rest your road-trip weary head too.

But knowing where to go in such a vast and diverse land might seem daunting. No worries - we've made it easy with this list of best road trips in Canada's 10 provinces and two of its three territories. (To date, there are no roads into Nunavut External Link Title or between its communities). Take your pick, start your engine - the open road awaits!

Crowsnest Highway, British Columbia

The Crowsnest Highway weaving through Keremeos and the Similkameen Valley

Stretching from BC to Alberta, the Crowsnest Highway External Link Title passes through breathtaking mountains and charming towns. After departing from the bustling city of Vancouver External Link Title , head toward the Fraser Valley on Highway 1. Stretch your legs after a few hours of driving with a hike at E.C. Manning Provincial Park External Link Title and then get a good night's rest in one of the rooms or cabins at the Manning Park Resort External Link Title . The next day, make your way to the Similkameen Valley and stroll around the many vineyards in Keremeos External Link Title , before continuing your trip to Osoyoos External Link Title -- which is home to the warmest lake in Canada.

Icefields Parkway, Alberta

The Icefield Parkway in Jasper National Park.

Thinking about the Canadian Rockies for your Canada road trip? Then the 235-kilometre Icefields Parkway External Link Title is your front-row seat to some of the range's most fetching glaciers and turquoise lakes. Leaving the hamlet of Lake Louise in Banff National Park External Link Title , head north along Highway 93 to savor such sights as mirror-like Herbert Lake, the sweeping Athabasca Glacier and double-barreled Sunwapta Falls. Hang your toque at the newly renovated Glacier View Lodge External Link Title on the way up or at Jasper's cozy Chateau Jasper External Link Title in Jasper National Park External Link Title at route's end. Count on a full day but take a few to explore the icefields and both parks during less-busy spring and colourful fall.

Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

The East Block of the Grasslands National Park.

Exploring Saskatchewan's eclectic roadside attractions just got better. Thanks to the 2019 opening of the Badlands Parkway External Link Title , you can now see Grasslands National Park External Link Title on not one but two revealing Canada road trips. From the village of Wood Mountain, drive south to the paved, seven-mile parkway in the park's East Block to glimpse a wild but fragile prairie landscape. Then make tracks to the West Block just south of Val Marie External Link Title to spot plains bison, black-footed ferrets and settler homesteads on the 80-kilometre-loop Ecotour Scenic Drive External Link Title . Take one to a few days; 286 kilometres total.

Interlake Region, Manitoba

view of blue waters at Lake Manitoba

Immerse yourself in history and nature on this 186-mile, one-to-three-day journey through Manitoba 's Interlake region, straddled by the province's two inland seas External Link Title of Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba. From the bustling capital External Link Title of Winnipeg, make tracks north to Lower Fort Garry Historic Site External Link Title , Oak Hammock Marsh External Link Title , Lake Winnipeg's iconic wooden piers, and swim-friendly Winnipeg Beach External Link Title . Detour west for the Narcisse Snake Dens External Link Title - visit in spring or fall for best viewing - before returning to the lakeshore for Viking-rich Gimli External Link Title and Hecla Village External Link Title . End with a round of golf and overnight at the Lakeview Hecla Resort External Link Title .

Toronto to Stratford, Ontario

water view of the Toronto skyline

Take in big-city sights and theater-town delights on this two-day sojourn in southeastern Ontario . Spend a day strolling Toronto External Link Title 's museums and galleries, and a night at the artsy Gladstone Hotel External Link Title or chic Kimpton Saint George External Link Title . Then motor west 150 kilometres for a dose of Victorian architecture and live theatre External Link Title in Stratford, home to the province External Link Title 's annual Stratford Festival External Link Title . Along the way, take a peek at Baden's ornate Castle Kilbride Museum External Link Title .

Montreal to Gaspésie, Quebec

two cabins beside the water at Forillon National Park in Gaspésie

Take a week or more to hit several Quebec External Link Title sweet spots on this charming 975-kilometre drive, which should be on everyone's best road trips in Canada bucket list. Visit Montreal External Link Title and Quebec City External Link Title - voted forth and first top Canadian cities, respectively, in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards 20 External Link Title 21 External Link Title  - before heading northeast along the St. Lawrence River to the Gasp? Peninsula External Link Title and its striking Perc? Rock. Watch for whales, caribou and northern gannets - you can't miss their distinctive black-tipped wings. Alternatively, skip the cities for the full-on Gasp?sie Tour External Link Title or check out these other scenic drives.

Irish Loop, Newfoundland and Labrador

Breaching whale seen along the Irish Loop

Start with a stroll past colourful row houses in Newfoundland and Labrador External Link Title 's capital of St. John's, also North America's most easterly and oldest city External Link Title . Then head south on a 309-kilometre  coastal loop External Link Title packed with outdoor adventure and natural wonders. Spot whales and seabirds on a Witless Bay boat tour External Link Title or hike by sea stacks and cliffs on the East Coast Trail. Pick up fresh sandwiches and lemonade in Lighthouse Picnics External Link Title ' historic 1870 lighthouse, then enjoy them outside while watching icebergs float by.

Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Kayaking in St. Martins, in the Bay of Fundy

Explore the wild ways of water on New Brunswick External Link Title 's Bay of Fundy External Link Title - a hot spot on a top Canada road trip. Here, some 150 billion tons of water flow in and out every six hours, making for the world's highest tides at up to 50 feet. Ease into this four-day 225-kilometre trip External Link Title by taking tea at Moncton External Link Title 's quaint 1883 Thomas Williams House External Link Title , then pad about the ocean floor during low tide at the Hopewell Rocks - eroded tree-topped sandstone formations External Link Title a.k.a. Flowerpot Rocks. Catch August's Rising Tide Festival in Fundy National Park External Link Title , and be sure to kayak St. Martins' red-rock sea caves External Link Title on the route's last leg. See more on these road trips .

North Cape Coastal Drive, Prince Edward Island

the westpoint lighthouse with tress around it

It might be Canada's smallest province External Link Title , but Prince Edward Island boasts its fair share of road trips too. Foodies in particular will want to wind their way around the western peninsula External Link Title , sampling the island's fresh bounty on a four-day 350-kilometre drive. Find out why Prince Edward Island's potatoes are so famous at the Canadian Potato Museum External Link Title , then fill up on a fully loaded baked spud - choose from lobster, pulled pork and more - at the onsite PEI Potato Country Kitchen. Slurp back world-renowned oysters External Link Title at the rustic Malpeque Oyster Barn External Link Title  during the summer months, and savor mussels and lobster rolls at the Catch Kitchen + Bar External Link Title . Rinse it all down with a Drag'n Anchor blonde ale at Moth Lane Brewing External Link Title .

Halifax to the Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia

long highway on cape breton island

Get your urban fix in the lively capital External Link Title of Halifax before striking out for rural Cape Breton Island and the world-famous Cabot Trail External Link Title - considered to be not only one of the best road trips in Canada but in the world. Named after Italian explorer John Cabot, who landed on these shores in 1497, the 300-kilometre coastal loop climbs from sea-swept beaches and sleepy fishing villages to forested slopes and cliff-tops. Plan for a full four days to take in Baddeck External Link Title on the shore of Bras d'Or Lake External Link Title ; Cape Breton Highlands National Park External Link Title and its 26 hiking trails; and the traditional Acadian town External Link Title of Ch?ticamp.

Dempster Highway, Yukon

The Dempster Highway in fall

Tucked into the northwest corner of Canada, the Yukon External Link Title is home to few people (population 38,500), many mountains and 4,989 kilometres of maintained roads. Of the territory's go-to road trips, the 737-kilometre, five-to-seven-day Dempster Highway External Link Title delivers the most off-the-beaten-track experience. Load up on supplies and gold-rush history in Dawson City External Link Title (think historic walking tours External Link Title , entertainment and the infamous Sourtoe Cocktail External Link Title ). Then drive north through wildlife-rich tundra, crossing the Arctic Circle and hopping two ferries on the way to Inuvik External Link Title in the Northwest Territories. Catch early fall's red, yellow and orange tundra, winter's ice roads, spring's foraging wildlife and summer's midnight sun.

Inuvik-Aklavik Ice Road, Northwest Territories

The Inuvik-Aklavik Ice Road.

Come winter, some 2,000 kilometres of ice roads are plowed across Canada's vast Northwest Territories External Link Title . Impassable the rest of the year, these frozen waterways connect 12 towns and their residents to the outside world. If you're up for a more off-beat Canada road trip, make like a local and give ice-road travel a go on the 117-kilometre stretch External Link Title - called "pretty and pretty legendary" by the NWT tourism authority - between Inuvik External Link Title and the hamlet of Aklavik External Link Title . Revel in Richardson Mountain views as you cross the Mackenzie Delta. Winter travel in Canada can be unpredictable: drive with caution and be prepared External Link Title .

Trans-Canada Highway

Got the grit for a grand-slam road trip through Canada? Travel the country from coast to coast on the 7,820-kilometre  Trans-Canada Hwy External Link Title . Opened in 1962, the route External Link Title passes through all 10 provinces and most major cities. Start your journey in the west in Victoria, British Columbia, or the east in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Either way, take your time (at least two weeks) on the world's longest national road - it's sure to be a trip of a lifetime.

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COMMENTS

  1. Road Trip Canada: The 5 Best Itineraries + Tips (2024)

    1) Western Canada (13 days) Start your 21-day Canadian road trip in the West for the first 13 days. Day 1 and 2 - Vancouver. Day 3 - Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Day 4 - Whale watching, an essential part of your 3-week Canadian road trip! Days 5 and 6 - Whistler, one of Canada's top ski resorts!

  2. How to plan the ultimate road trip adventure in Canada

    How to do it: My Canada Trips offers the 10-night Klondike Gold Rush Self Drive from £2,859 per person, including flights from London to Vancouver and Vancouver to Whitehorse, car hire ...

  3. 13 of the Best Canada Road Trips That Will Blow Your Mind

    Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia. For those visiting the East Coast, don't miss a scenic drive on Cabot Trail, which is easily one of the best things to do in Nova Scotia. Cradling the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the Cabot Trail has become one of the most famous road trips in Canada and the most famous East Coast Canada road trip.

  4. Canada Road Trip Planning + 12 Epic Itinerary Ideas

    Budget for your Canada road trip should be as follows. National Park Fees: $20 CAD per vehicles ($15.50 USD) City Attractions: Many museums have entry fees start at $7.99 CAD ($6.20). CN Tower or any type of observation towers in major cities, starts at $30 CAD ($23 USD) Food: Minimum $30 CAD ($23 USD)

  5. 7 of the best road trips in Canada

    Best road trip for mountains and glaciers. Lake Louise-Jasper; 230km (143 miles); allow 5-6 hours. The Icefields Parkway - or the Promanade des Glaciers, as it's romantically known in French - is the crème de la crème of Canadian drives. This 230km (143-mile) trip links the nation's two most emblematic national parks, Banff and ...

  6. The best road trips in Canada

    Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. Kayaking in St. Martins, in the Bay of Fundy. Credit: New Brunswick Tourism. Explore the wild ways of water on New Brunswick 's Bay of Fundy - a hot spot on a top Canada road trip. Here, some 150 billion tons of water flow in and out every six hours, making for the world's highest tides at up to 50 feet.

  7. Canada Road Trip: A One Month Suggested Itinerary

    Canada Road Trip: A One Month Suggested Itinerary. Spanning 9,306km (5,780 miles) and six time zones, Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It's home to rugged coastlines, vast prairies, dense boreal forests, towering mountain ranges, and upwards of two million lakes. But what makes Canada special is its people.

  8. How to Plan a Road Trip in Canada

    Road conditions are good in Canadian highways, but it is a good idea to enjoy the trip and go slow (of course no speeding and adhering to traffic rules). Soak in the views, stop if needed to take a break. Eat, stretch your legs, enjoy - that is the fun part of embarking on road trips. 3.

  9. 32 of the Best Road Trip Essentials

    That's why we've created this article to help you pack the best road trip essentials for your next road trip. Road Trip Essentials Packing List. Insulated Water Bottle. Insulated Mug or Bottle. Sunglasses. Snacks. Coolers. Flashlight or Headlamp. Hand Sanitizer.

  10. Canada road trip planner

    Authentik Canada is a canadian custom road trip specialist based in Canada. Customize your 2 or 3 weeks itinerary with map and planner for your all-inclusive holidays packages with a local agent. 10, 14 and 15 days road trips ideas from Toronto, Montreal , Calgary or Vancouver are available in May, June, July, August, September and October.

  11. Canada's 10 best road trips

    Start - Jasper; End - Lake Louise; Distance - 142 miles (230km) There are amazing road trips, then there's the Icefields Parkway, a 142-mile-long ribbon of asphalt passing through some of Canada's most elemental and pristine landscapes en route. Giant mountains, mammoth moose, craning trees and gargantuan glaciers brood moodily from the ...

  12. Road Trip Canada: Les 5 Meilleurs Itinéraires

    Road trip au Canada: une semaine à l'Est. Je vous propose d'abord un road trip au départ de Montréal pour visiter l'Est du Canada en voiture pendant une semaine.. Au programme de ce road trip d'1 semaine au Canada: Montréal, Les Milles Iles, Toronto, Ottawa, Mont-Tremblant. Ce circuit est un résumé de mon article détaillé: Une semaine au Canada.

  13. Best Canada Road Trips and Canadian Self Drive Tours

    View our Best Canada Road Trips or allow us to design your personalized Canadian Self Drive Tour with expert local insight by Canada's Leading Vacation Company. LIMITED TIME OFFER: Book now and enjoy saving up to $1,200 per couple on your Road Trip. Schedule a Call Email us. 1 800 217 0973 US. United States; Canada;

  14. 17 Best Road Trips In Canada

    From Halifax to Cabot Trail. Distance: 300kms. The Cabot Trail is one of the most famous road trips in Canada. It's best to start this road trip in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, and head northeast to Cape Breton Island on the east coast of Canada. Once you reach the island, you can hop on the scenic Cabot Trail.

  15. 13 Canada Road Trips You Should Really Drive At Least Once

    📍 Distance: 162 kilometers / 101 miles | 🗺️ Google Maps Route | 🚗 Search rentals for this trip on Discover Cars. Stretching up from the coastal city of Vancouver to the mountainous ski town of Pemberton, BC, the Sea to Sky Highway is a scenic Canada road trip that will take you through some drop-dead-gorgeous landscapes — think quaint towns, waterfalls, cliffs, lakes, forests, and ...

  16. The Ultimate Cross Canada Road Trip Itinerary

    With a whole month, you can make a pretty serious dent in driving across Canada! Rather than stretching yourself to drive from coast to coast, save the Atlantic provinces for a future trip and just drive from Toronto (my old hometown) to Vancouver (my current hometown). Week 1: Toronto, Tobermory & Manitoulin Island.

  17. Your guide to the ultimate Canada road trip

    The best road trips in Canada. - Unlimited Adventures. - Whales, Bears and Vancouver Island. - Great Parks of the East. - Beaches, Islands, Lobster, Moose and More. 2. Top tips for planning a road trip in Canada. - Applying for visas. - Hiring a car.

  18. Driving Across Canada On A Road Trip

    4- Klondike Gold Rush: Whitehorse to Dawson City. 525 km / 328 miles. An excellent road trip in Canada, the Yukon brings the excitement of the gold rush. Whitehorse, named for the Yukon River's white rapids coursing past the city, is a bustling northern city full of the hopes, vim, and vigour of Canada's north.

  19. Canada road trip

    4.6. Explore the must-sees of Western Canada. The natural beauty of Vancouver Island, the waterfalls of Wells Gray Park and the awe-inspiring peaks of the Rockies will blow your mind! from £2,029 / adult + vehicle. See the itinerary. Road Trip. 15 days.

  20. An American's Guide To Road-Tripping Through Canada

    Cross-country options include, of course, the expansive Trans-Canada Highway. The journey on this road stretches from the far east to the far west of Canada, covering 10 provinces and connecting ...

  21. How to Plan an Epic East Coast Canada Road Trip [2023]

    An example Canada East Coast two-week road trip itinerary through the Maritimes would be New Brunswick (3 nights), Prince Edward Islands (3 nights), Halifax and Nova Scotia's South Shore (3 nights), and Cape Breton (4 nights). Alternatively, you could do Cape Breton (4 nights) and Newfoundland (8 nights).

  22. This Road Trip Is Canada's Version Of Route 66 & Has Charming ...

    The Cabot Trail, though, is a must-visit for any keen road tripper - having been voted among the best road trips in the world. The iconic road, which winds through Cape Breton Highlands National ...

  23. An Amazing Road Trip to Alberta and BC: Touring the Canadian Rockies

    The official Parks Canada guided tour app is a must to accompany you along your road trip to Alberta and BC as you experience the history, sites, and sounds of the national park at your own pace ...

  24. A Tesla. Northern Ontario. 2,300 km. And the coldest week

    Join us for Episode 1 and a trip 2.5 km underground in one of Canada's oldest mines. ... This Matters' Ed Keenan interviews Road Trip: Electric Avenues' Marco Chown Oved about the

  25. Canada road trip planner

    Authentik Canada is a canadian custom road trip specialist based in Canada. Customize your 2 or 3 weeks itinerary with map and planner for your all-inclusive holidays packages with a local agent. 10, 14 and 15 days road trips ideas from Toronto, Montreal , Calgary or Vancouver are available in May, June, July, August, September and October.

  26. Canada set to have the best EV supply chain in the world

    NextStar, one of three new battery plants in Canada, show us around. ... Road Trip | Season 1: Electric Avenues. Episode 5: Canada set to have the best EV supply chain in the world

  27. 13 Key Stops Along The Great Northern Road Trip

    Passing through 4 national parks, 10 states, and even the capital of Canada, The Great Northern Road Trip route is a true cross-country experience.

  28. Updated travel information for Mexican citizens coming to Canada

    Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world's most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. To support travel and people-to-people connections between Canada and Mexico, while also preserving the integrity of our ...

  29. Canada road trip planner

    Authentik Canada is a canadian custom road trip specialist based in Canada. Customize your 2 or 3 weeks itinerary with map and planner for your all-inclusive holidays packages with a local agent. 10, 14 and 15 days road trips ideas from Toronto, Montreal , Calgary or Vancouver are available in May, June, July, August, September and October.

  30. The best road trips in Canada

    Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. Kayaking in St. Martins, in the Bay of Fundy. Credit: New Brunswick Tourism. Explore the wild ways of water on New Brunswick 's Bay of Fundy - a hot spot on a top Canada road trip. Here, some 150 billion tons of water flow in and out every six hours, making for the world's highest tides at up to 50 feet.