Canada has been high on the wish list for a long time but when we received an invite to a wedding in Montreal, we knew our time to visit Canada had finally arrived.

I love a good road trip and it had been four years since we last did one so we decided to make our trip into a three week adventure to really explore the area. It was a great idea until I started researching and try as I might, I could not come up with a plan that I was happy with. Even though I had a general plan, I couldn’t decide what to prioritise and how much time to spend at each place so I did something I had never done before and decided to go without a plan. We had to start and end in Toronto with Montreal in the middle, but the rest we left to our gut.

At times it was very uncomfortable not knowing where we were going to go next but it turned out to be very rewarding as it took us to some places we would never have seen otherwise and so the route we ended up taking was this:

Stop 1: Toronto (2 nights)

For the first couple of nights we decided to stay at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel which was conveniently close to Union Station allowing us to literally roll off the UPS express train and into bed after our flight which we did, rising early the first morning due to the time difference adjustment.

Even though we were in Canada’s biggest city for only one full day, we managed to achieve quite a lot, starting our day with Canadian classic, a Tim Hortons coffee and a donut.

Then dropped by the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square.

We walked through the Eaton Centre on our way down to the CN Tower and the Roger’s Centre where we grabbed some lunch at the Steam Whistle Tap Room finishing with another coffee down the Harbour Front.

We finished the day watching the Toronto Blue Jays lose to the Chicago White Sox which Rob was not happy about (especially as they then went on to have a three week winning streak for the remainder of our trip).

Stop 2: Kingston (1 night)

On day two, we got up early and picked up our car from the airport and headed east around Lake Ontario. We were given a brand new Hyundai Venture, who we nicknamed Vinnie, and headed to Kingston. It was the perfect stop between Toronto and Ottawa at just under 3 hours with Toronto traffic.

Ultimately what drew us to Kingston was Fort Henry, an historical site where we could learn a little bit about Canada’s history and the War of 1812.

We didn’t really know what to expect but it was a really interesting museum with live re-enactments of military drills and detailed exhibits. It took us a good couple of hours to go through everything and we even left with a free ticket for the Fort’s sister museum Upper Canada Village as part of promotion to encourage more domestic tourism.

Stop 3: Ottawa (4 nights)

Our next stop was Ottawa but we decided to stay just outside in Kanata to avoid expensive parking fees. It turned out to be the perfect location to slow down a little and really enjoy being on holiday. We spent a day doing some retail therapy at the Tanger Outlet Mall.

Followed by a delicious meal at the Cheshire Cat Pub where we got to have some British food we had been missing in Sweden. I had the loaded yorkshire pudding whilst Rob had a steak and kidney pie.

Another day was spent in Ottawa visiting the Canadian War Museum. It is an incredible place full of information ranging from the battles of the first indigenous peoples through to the 1812 War, the World Wars and even the modern day conflicts that Canada had been called to. It was interesting to see how what we learned at Fort Henry fit into the full timeline of Canada’s history and it took up most of the day to explore the four main sections of the museum.

After some lunch we ventured out into central Ottawa walking all the way up to Parliament Hill but due to a heatwave hitting Ontario at the time (with temperatures ranging from 32 to 34 degrees) our venture had to be cut short but it was nice to see parts of the capital city.

Kanata was the perfect place to base ourselves for a few days. There was plenty to do in the area and our hotel was close to a range of restaurants meaning we had plenty of choices around and we were less than 30mins outside the city. It was quiet and relaxed, which I loved, compared to Toronto (and Montreal, we soon found out), which seems strange as it is the capital city but it was for that reason it was our favourite stop on the trip so far.

Stop 4: Montreal (4 nights)

Montreal was the only certainty of our entire trip and we knew we had to be there around the 28th June for the wedding. We decided to arrive a couple of nights before so we could explore the city and find our way around. Our hotel was conveniently located next to Namur metro station which allowed us to get into the city centre within 30 mins. We spent our first morning exploring the old part of the city stopping for a coffee at Bonsecours Market before walking up past Notre Dame which was under some construction.

We finished along Saint Catherine’s shopping street where we grabbed a surprisingly delicious lunch at Escondido Drummond.

The day of the wedding was the only day of rain we had all trip. The morning was grey and dark with blustering winds and rain but by the time we set off, the sun had come out and it turned out to be a much brighter day. The wedding was held in a secluded winery on the outskirts of Montreal. It was a picturesque location for a beautiful wedding and we were so honoured to be there.

The bride looked stunning but the most memorable part was how two multilingual families with differing home languages delivered their speeches in a mix of all three (French, Swedish and English), stepping out of their comfort zones to invite everyone into each other’s families. It was incredibly moving to watch and a special part of the day.

Our last day in Montreal was a day of rest, that we desperately needed after such a big event, but we managed to find the energy to go back into the city to source our very first poutine which we found at Montreal Poutine, a restaurant located along Rue Saint Paul.

It was not at all what I was expecting but was the most delicious hangover food I have ever had. For my fellow Brits, think chips, cheese and gravy but better, where the squeaky cheese melts into the gravy making it thicker.

Montreal is a beautiful city that was packed during our stay as it happened to coincide with the city’s Jazz festival. I found it to be a city of two halves; the people, so relaxed and care free but the unrelenting traffic and noise was a stark contrast making the overall experience one of mixed feelings. Although I enjoyed my time in Montreal, I craved something much quieter and slower so I was quite excited to move on.

Stop 5: Cornwall (2 nights)

Before leaving Montreal we had a decision to make and it was a tough one but we decided that Quebec was just too far in the wrong direction and so took the controversial decision to miss Quebec completely opting for a slower return to Toronto, stopping at some smaller towns along the way instead.

The first one was Cornwall which we chose for its proximity to the Upper Canada Village. From what we could see, Cornwall is a standard small town where the people were friendly if not mildly confused by tourists our age stopping through but it had more to offer than the locals believed.

First was Upper Canada Village which is an open air museum- an entire village preserved to reflect life during the 1800s not too dissimilar to Beamish in England or Skansen in Stockholm. Once you leave the ticket office, you can wander around the life size village, dipping in and out of different building where actors explain what is happening in each.

Just a short drive to the west there is a small town called Long Sault which is the starting point of a very scenic drive called the Long Sault Parkway that hops across 9 different small islands, some of which have designated swimming areas and water sport activities. Once you reach the end, you are only 5 minutes away from a small town called Ingleside where you can make a stop at Ingleside Gourmet food and bakery. It offers the most delectable pairing: a cappuccino and a hot apple, cinnamon scone served straight out of the oven.

Our favourite spot in Cornwall was only a 15mins walk away from our hotel called Archies. It was a driving range, mini golf course and ice cream hut all in one small little area and somewhere we enjoyed going in the evenings as the sun was going down.

The ice cream flavours were incredible with a huge selection I had never even seen before including the black cherry which we had to try. It was incredibly rich but was filled with frozen half pieces of cherries which was delicious.

We happened to be in Cornwall for Canada Day which was surprisingly fun for such a small town with a big festival held in the town park. We headed down, enjoying the food trucks and the live music throughout the day. I even picked up my free Canada flag to fit in.

It was a strange place to stop but turned out to be great fun and a great choice for us.

Stop 6: Port Hope (2 nights)

Our next stop was based on a recommendation. I really wanted a beach day and had heard that Cobourg was a perfect location so stopped in a hotel in the next town over at Port Hope.

Both towns were very quiet and quaint offering a range of boutique shops, restaurants and cafes. Port Hope was slightly smaller and a large chunk of the town centre was closed for road works but the main street was open and was a really pretty place to get some food.

Cobourg is bigger and a lot busier due to the beach area which is a good size and a popular place with the locals. We parked up next to the beach in Victoria Park and spent a good couple of ours sunbathing and paddling in the very, very cold lake water.

As we started to get hungry we headed inwards a couple of blocks to the main street where we had an all day breakfast at the Buttermilk Cafe. We were warmly welcomed by the staff as we stepped back into the eighties at this old school diner and enjoyed some huge pancakes. We then explored the small shops in this quaint little town before heading back to the beach for a little more sunshine.

Stop 7: St. Catherine’s (2 nights)

A trip to the East side of Canada is not complete without a trip to Niagara Falls so we braced the Toronto traffic and made our way round from Port Hope to another small town called St. Catherine’s. The hotel prices in Niagara Falls itself are ridiculously expensive but just 20 minutes away you can find the same quality of hotels for half the price which is what we decided to do.

The day we went to see the falls we got up and aimed to arrive at 8am which proved to be the perfect time. The shops and cafes were just opening and we had uninterrupted views of the falls for at least an hour before the crowds started to amass.

What surprised me the most is that is was free. The parking was expensive but the entire access to the falls was free and beautifully landscaped with gardens and benches along the walkway. As it was yet another glorious day, walking along the waterfront was a photographers dream, finding views of the waterfalls from various angles all along the way.

During our visit we also took the time to visit Niagara on the Lake. It is particularly famous for the numerous wineries in the area but we enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the main street. We grabbed some breakfast from a small cafe that sold homemade sausage rolls and enjoyed our coffee on the outdoor veranda. It was a beautiful old town in keeping with its colonial charm and was a lovely way to spend a morning.

Stop 8: Mississauga (1 night)

Knowing Toronto travel can be unpredictable and can be painfully busy, we decided to spend the last night with the car close to the airport so we could hand in back on time, booking a one night stay in Mississauga in the outer area of Toronto. It was pretty uneventful but allowed us to drop the car off early at the airport and get the UPS Express into the city centre.

Stop 9: Toronto (2 nights)

For our last two nights in Canada we decided to stay at the Radisson Blu which is located along the Harbour Front area and is one of the very few hotels that has an outdoor pool.

And beautiful views over the Harbour.

We spent our last full day walking the entire length of the Harborfront, ending at the Distillery District which is a little maze of small boutique shops, cafes and restaurants. Around every little corner we turned, there were more places to explore and we could have very easily missed a lot of it if we had not been looking for a place to eat. We settled on a delicious bakery which sold ‘made to order’ sandwiches and coffee.

That evening I managed to find a Yakiniku place which we hadn’t had since our last trip to Japan in 2022. It was a bit of a walk from our hotel up near the Butterfield Park but it was well worth it. It is a set price for two hours and then it is all you can eat which suited us perfectly and Rob was sold once he saw that the rice was real Japanese sushi rice not the jasmine rice knock off that we are so used to in Europe.

This time round we were not fighting the time difference so we were able to enjoy the night views of Toronto and it is fantastic. It actually reminded me a lot of Ginza lit up at night with only the CN Tower reminding you that you are in Canada instead.

Our last day was spend watching our last live baseball game before heading the airport for our late night flight.

We really enjoyed our time in Canada even though it was not quite what we expected. If I’m honest, I expected more scenic drives and dramatic scenery but it wasn’t quite that dramatic (Niagara Falls aside). I think my lack of planning was really the cause there because we were given some very beautiful recommendations but they were just too far out of our way. However the atmosphere and general all round feel in Canada more than made up for it. Especially the weather… it was glorious!!

The joke that Canadians are really polite is not a joke, it is real and genuine. Every single interaction was simple, yet caring and thoughtful making us feel continuously welcomed and safe where ever we went, whether that was in the middle of busy city or in a small costal town.

It is hard to ignore that Canada is a close neighbour of the US with the sheer size of things; big cars (more like trucks), big shops, big roads but that is where the similarities end because in every other way it is completely different.

We found our time there to be cheaper than in Sweden, especially when paying for meals and hotels; even shopping worked out cheaper, of which we took great advantage. However, something you need to know if you are planning an extended trip around Canada is that every hotel requires a security deposit which is held on your credit card and is released when you check out. This can take anything between 2 days to 2 weeks for the deposit to be released, which can add a substantial amount to your overall budget during your trip. This is something to consider despite it eventually evening out in the end. An example of this was when the Fairmont in Toronto required a $400 security deposit for a 2 night stay which was released 2 weeks after we checked out. Luckily for us we were well prepared and had plenty of room to spare but if we were on a tight budget like we have been in the past, we could have found ourselves in a lot of trouble. It is definitely something to be aware of before you go.

It might seem strange but we have no future trips planned as of yet. It is my (Sam) big 40th next year so I want to do something different next summer but nothing has been decided. I will however be going back home in the UK for my actual birthday; the first one spent with family in a very, very long time and I am quite excited.

Until then…

SP x