Canada’s east coast, from Ontario to the Maritime Islands, is best explored by car. Winding roads, pristine wilderness, thriving cities, and plenty of towns and countryside in between, demand a week or two of attention with a slow cruise through the best of the region.
Here’s a short list of top attractions to help you plan your East Coast road trip.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and (arguably) the center of business, culture, and capitalism, Toronto is filled with historic sights, cultural events, and great dining, shopping, and nightlife.
Montreal is widely regarded as one of the most fun cities in Canada, Montreal has an Old Town that will appeal to history and architecture buffs, botanical gardens loved by nature lovers, and a great pub and club scene for the night owls
Take the North Coast route past quaint towns and villages to Quebec City, a historic city definitely worth a night or two. This is the best place to soak up authentic French-Canadian culture.
Deschambault is a 19th-century town in western Quebec, with a beautiful setting on the St. Lawrence River.
Trois-Rivières is the second oldest French city in the province and features a wealth of architecture. You can also take a short drive to the community of Cap-de-la-Madeleine and Our Lady of the Cape, Canada’s national shrine to the Virgin Mary. The stone chapel sanctuary was built in 1714 and has been considered ‘miraculous’ since 1888.
The drive to and from Fredericton is especially beautiful with interesting fishing villages, a rugged coastline, and the huge tides of the Bay of Fundy.
Moncton is a convenient stopover, and families enjoy the wonder/tourist trap of Magnetic Hill, where cars mysteriously seem to roll uphill.
Halifax offers a more laid-back kind of culture, but the friendliness of its locals and the beauty of its quaint streets are legendary.
Take these suggestions with a grain of salt, as the best of eastern Canada (particularly the Maritimes) reveals itself unexpectedly… In the small towns or cities you never planned to stop at.
