East Coast Canada Road Trip

Canada’s East Coast - from Ontario to the Maritimes - is best explored by car. Winding roads, pristine nature, thriving cities, and plenty of towns and rural spaces in between, all demand a week or two’s attention with a slow cruise through the best of the region.

Here’s a brief list of top attractions to help you plan your East Coast Road Trip.

Toronto is the biggest city in Canada, and (arguably) it’s business, culture, and capitalism hub, Toronto is full of historic sights, cultural happenings, and really 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 night owls.

Take the North Shore route passing through scenic towns and village 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 village just west of Quebec, with a pretty setting on the St Lawrence river.

Trois-Rivières is the second-oldest French city in the province featuring a lot of great 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 shrine 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 craggy coastline, and the huge tides of the Bay of Fundy.

Moncton is a convenient stop, and families enjoy the geographic marvel/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 prettiness of its scenic 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 tiny villages or towns you never planned to stop in.