FROM CITY TO COAST: CANADA
A ROAD TRIP THROUGH EASTERN CANADA PROMISES HISTORY, STUNNING LANDSCAPES, AND ADVENTURE AROUND EVERY BEND.
If you find yourself yearning to venture the highway and have a few days to explore, consider taking a road trip from Montréal to Québec City and then on to Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) in Northeast Canada – a memorable journey that nature lovers, history buffs and modern-day travelers alike will truly enjoy. The direct drive from Montréal to Charlottetown, the capital city of P.E.I., is 720 miles and can be traversed in a little more than 12 hours. But with so much to see and do in between however, why would you want to?
MONTRÉAL
Canada’s second largest city, Montréal is a cosmopolitan community situated on an island at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. Jam-packed with thoroughly modern attractions, it is home to a plethora of annual festivals, music events and acclaimed international restaurant scene. Montréal is also home to North America’s largest concentration of historic buildings stretching back more than 400 years to its European settlement, including over 50 National Historic Sites. In Old Montréal, take a tour of Saint-Paul Street, the Grande Roue de Montréal, the Pointe-à-Callière museum, and Notre-Dame Basilica.
To experience the true flavor of Montréal however, check out the city’s historic Old Port neighborhood. Located adjacent to Old Montréal, French fur traders used it as a trading post as early as 1611. Stretching for over one mile along the Saint Lawrence River Old Port is home to numerous historical sites and funky storefronts with trendy shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants including the world-famous Schwartz’s Deli, a Montréal landmark since 1928.
QUEBEC CITY
While Autoroute 140 will take you from Montreal to Québec City in under three hours, opting for Route 138 East, also known as the Chemin du Roy (King’s Road), offers a scenic and adventurous five-hour journey along the north shore of the beautiful St. Lawrence River. Opened to traffic in 1737, it’s one of the oldest highways in North America and still includes hundreds of years of history and spectacular river views at lookouts along the shore. Historic sites of New France line the route including numerous charming towns and villages with centuries old stone houses, chateaus, and churches. Lush wineries, quaint shops, farm-to-table fare, and the uniquely Québécois culture offer a slower pace through Québec’s countryside.
Québec City sits on the mighty Saint Lawrence River in Canada’s mostly French-speaking Québec province and you could spend a month here and never run out of things to do. With cobblestone streets, fortified walls and castles, it’s North America’s most European city. Split into the Upper Town and the Lower Town connected by a funicular, visitors love Québec City for its deep history, buoyant culture, fabulous cuisine, and fascinating attractions. The only remaining walled city north of Mexico, Old Québec, the historic heart of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the third oldest city on the continent.
Just eight miles northeast of Québec City is Montmorency Falls, a spectacular waterfall that is one-and-a-half times taller than Niagara. At 272 feet high, it’s an imposing sight. Heading north via A20 East 125 miles to the city of Rivière-du-Loup (RDL), nature lovers will also want to check out Saguenay Fjord, located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Carved by glacier forces thousands of years ago, the fjord stretches over 62 miles, surrounded by steep cliffs. It is so deep, it attracts over 13 whale species at its mouth of the river including humpback, minke, and fin whale, making it one of the finest Leaving RDL, head east to Charlottetown, P.E.I., an approximate 10-hour drive via Trans-Canada Highway/NB-2 E. Approximately five hours from RDL lies Grand Falls, a quaint town and comfortable overnight stop featuring a zip line that travels over the falls of the same name. Also, midway between RDL and P.E.I. is Miramichi, a charming city on the Miramichi River, one of the most notable salmon fishing rivers in the world.
The final leg of the journey is highlighted by crossing the Confederate Bridge from the mainland to the Province of Prince Edward Island. Opened May 31, 1997, the eight-mile bridge is the world’s longest over ice-covered water, and continues to endure as one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the 20th century.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Colonized by the French in 1604, Prince Edward Island, known as the “Garden of the Gulf” offers a milder maritime climate than the nearby mainland. The coastline has a combination of long beaches, dunes, red sandstone cliffs, red-sand beaches, saltwater marshes, lighthouses, and numerous bays and harbors. North Atlantic right whales are known to gather off its coast, and inland, the land consists of beautiful rolling hills, pristine forests, fertile farmland, and numerous historic buildings dating as far back as 1768. P.E.I. is best known, however, as the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s world-famous novel, Anne of Green Gables! Released in 1908, its legacy still offers an enchanting and romantic prelude to this maritime province’s past.Charlottetown, the capital city of P.E.I. is a charming and historic seaside town with a beautiful waterfront and plenty of restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Designated as a Cultural Capital of Canada, the city is a historical hub of culture, festivals and event artisan shops, and the home of the longest running theatrical performance in the world, Anne of Green Gables – The Musical.
Victory Row, found in the heart of downtown Charlottetown, is a vibrant street serving as a cultural hub, showcasing the best of the local arts scene with live entertainment from talented musicians and performers. Home to the Culinary Institute of Canada, Charlottetown has also established a reputation for exceptional culinary experiences with a restaurant scene that is as diverse as it is delicious. Add to this its low cost of living, and it’s easy to see why Charlottetown and the Province of Prince Edward Island continues to grow in popularity with visitors – and is a great place to retire.
