Canada is a vast landscape full of stories, natural wonders, and some amazing landmarks to see. And the best part is all of this is accessible by car. Below are a selection of 18 unforgettable Canada Day road trips in six cities as selected by our writers. For each round-trip, we’ve included the time, distance and fuel costs (calculated assuming an average fuel economy of 10 L/100 km and the price of fuel at $1.15 Cad).
So what are you waiting for? Hop in the driver’s seat, set your GPS and hit the open road.
Also read: Five great Canadian drives you need to take this summer
Montreal
By Jim Leggett
Montreal is a road-tripper’s paradise with a wonderful variety of roads and landscapes waiting at all four points of the compass. The mountains to the north, the rolling hills of the Townships to the east, New England just one hour south and Eastern Ontario to the west. All this plus thousands of lakes and the mighty St. Lawrence River that slashes across on the diagonal.
I’ve chosen three routes easily covered within a day based on my own experiences and each offers a variety of terrain and highlights while allowing plenty of time to stop to browse antiques, vistas and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Where: The mountains and lakes of the Laurentians
Distance: 286 km
Time: Four hours, 14 minutes
Cost: $32.89 in fuel
If you like a rugged mountain landscape with twisty two-lane roads, head north from Montreal. While most people head straight up Autoroute 15 (A15) to the resorts of Mont-Tremblant, I suggest you head westward after clearing metropolitan Montreal on A13. You will soon arrive in the foothills of the Laurentian Shield on Route 148, hard rocky mountains covered in fragrant forests and dotted with thousands of lakes.
Beautiful sights and luxury resorts abound at the foot of the Laurentians.
Supplied, Postmedia
Route 327 North is one of the best kept secrets for a classic sports car road. Smooth asphalt and endless curves bring out the Steve McQueen in any driver. At the town of Weir turn right on to Rt 364 to the ski village of Morin Heights. Just before the edge of town, Rt 329 to your left will take you further north to Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts and a plethora of factory outlet stores and restaurants. I’ve included an optional tour around Lac des Sables.
It’s time to head back south towards Montreal but why join the race down the A15 when you can meander back home on the older Rt 117 that follows a roughly similar path?
Where: The River Routes
Distance: 265 km
Time: Four hours, 18 minutes
Cost: $30.47
On this trip you will follow the two busiest highways in Quebec … wait, what? I know road trips are supposed to avoid such heavy traffic routes but the pace has slowed since their heyday in the 1600-1700s. The St. Lawrence and Richelieu Rivers interconnect the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain to New York City and the Atlantic Ocean. The natives used them as trade routes for centuries before the Europeans arrived and the first roads followed their shores.
We leave Montreal and cross the Jacques Cartier Bridge to the south shore and head eastward along Rt 132. You can hop on and off to stay as close to the shore of the St. Lawrence as you wish, passing through the small towns with their towering silver church steeples. Eventually you will reach the port city of Sorel-Tracy, where there is still a strong nautical feel with tug boats and ferries plying the waters. Take a moment to park down at the docks and watch some massive ships sailing out to sea.
The port city of Sorel-Tracy in Quebec.
Jim Leggett, Driving
From Sorel the route heads due south from the outlet of the Richelieu River. Rt 133 hugs the eastern bank amongst the farms and small villages. A great place to stop for a picnic is in Saint-Ours where the site of an old grist mill is now a lock for recreational boats as they get by a flood control dam. The Parks Canada runs the site on Île Davard and there are plenty of picnic tables and trees to offer shade while you watch the boats go by.
At Iberville take the bridge across to St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and continue south on Rt 223 until you nearly reach the border with the United States. There are a dozen small towns and even a couple of old forts from the American Revolution and the War of 1812 (Fort Chambly and Fort Lennoxville).
It is time to head back towards Montreal so take a right on to Rt 202 and then another right on Rt 221 which passes through rich farmland until you reach Napierville, famous for its drag racing strip. Turn right on to Rt 217 unless you’re in a hurry (if so try A15) and you will soon see the Montreal skyline.
Where: The Eastern Townships
Distance: 284 km
Time: Four hours, 19 minutes
Cost: $32.66
This route takes you into the heart of the “Townships” now referred to as La Montérégie. These lands still have a strong English and Scottish influence as it was the home of the Loyalists, people who remained true to the British during the American War of Independence. The land is a spectacular mix of farms and forests with some hills and mountains that make the roads quite twisty. Be forewarned, the suggested route that follows does include some gravel roads but nothing requiring all-wheel-drive.
To get out to the countryside quickly, take A20 east from Montreal and then A35 to Iberville. Here is where we leave the major roads behind on Rt 104 for only a couple of kilometres. Look for Rang Kempt on your right and take this die-straight road across some flat farmland to Rt 235 south. Keep an eye open for Chemin de Mystic on your right. This leads you to the quaint little hamlet of Mystic. Like its name implies, this place is merely a crossroads but there is a wonderful artists’ colony in the area and a famous octagon barn on the Walbridge Estate. Now run by a non-profit group, a stop at this amazing structure is well worth the time to visit.
The famous octagon barn on the Walbridge Estate.
Jim Leggett, Driving
Back on Rt 235 south, continue to Chemin de Saint-Armand and turn left towards Frelighsburg, another picturesque village. Just east of town on Rt 213 you take a right on to Chemin du Pinacle giving you a wonderful view of the mountain the area is named for.
Here’s where the road turns into a well maintained gravel surface for just two kilometres. But the bumpy drive is worth it for the next stretch on Route Scenic, Chemin de la Vallé Missisquoi and Chemin de Vale Perkins. This is the area known for the Owl’s Head ski resort and it is very beautiful country.
At Vale Perkins turn north on Chemin du Lac which runs along the western shore of Lac Memphrémagog. There are a couple of boat launching docks along the way that offer spectacular lakeside views. The last view of the lake is at Bolton landing where the road bends to the left and becomes Chemin Bolton Pass (Rt 243). Follow this to the town of Knowlton, a place of quaint boutiques and good food such as the world famous Brome Duck. Continue north past the estates and mansions of Montreal’s wealthy families on the shores of Lac Brome until the A10. Head west into the setting sun and back to Montreal.
Ottawa
By Derek McNaughton
It’s summer and time to get out for a drive. But where to? Here are three of the more interesting drives you can take from Ottawa.
Where: Highway 511 to Calabogie
Distance: 250 km round trip
Time: Four hours driving time round trip
Cost: $28.75
Few ribbons of tarmac are as splendid as Highway 511 north from Perth.
Rolling hills dotted with sheep, a splendor of green and lush forests, big trees and cheese — yes, cheese — are part of what makes this route great.
Head west from Ottawa on Highway 7 to Perth. Stop in Perth and take in some of the neat shops. Just west of town, past the Tim Hortons, turn north on Highway 511 and begin the run to Calabogie but stop at Balderson to check out the cheese shop. After reaching picturesque Calabogie, turn right at Highway 508 and head into Burnstown where two cafes serve great food and lattes. Head back to Ottawa via Highway 52 south, hooking up to Highway 2 and then Highway 417. The route is a driver’s paradise and a foodie’s delight.
Where: Downtown via Gatineau Park to Old Chelsea, then Wakefield via Chemin de la Riviere
Distance: 90 km round trip
Time: 2.5 hours driving time, there and back
Cost: $10.35
Cyclists aside, many drivers know how glorious it is to loft through Gatineau Park just outside Ottawa on the Quebec side. And while stopping in Old Chelsea for fresh-baked cookies is a treat, so too is heading east to old Route 105 and heading north.
The old covered bridge outside Wakefield, Quebec.
Chris Mikula, Ottawa Citizen
With the Gatineau River on your right, the scenery and the winding road are ideal for a two-seat convertible. At the La Vallee restaurant, veer right and down one of the most exhilarating twists of tarmac your car will ever enjoy. While the road is narrow, sometimes rough and spotted with people walking dogs, it follows the Gatineau River and finally into the old town of Wakefield, where shops and restaurants can fill out a perfect drive. The speed limits will keep you going slow, but there’s no need to speed here, just soak up the bends and glorious Quebec riverside.
Where: Ottawa to Westport
Distance: 230 km round trip
Time: Three hours driving time, there and back
Cost: $26.45
Few towns in Ontario are as pretty and quaint as Westport — still without a single Tim Hortons or stop light.
Perched on the edge of Upper Rideau Lake, the drive to Westport begins with the long and straight Highway 10 off the 416. The road might border plenty of farm fields and more than a few beaver-rich swamps, but this road is more about taking the opportunity for good in-car conversation rather than go-fast driving enjoyment.
View of Westport, Ont., from Foley Mountain.
Supplied, Wikimedia Commons
Past Perth, however, the road gets more interesting and once at Westport, the long haul will prove worth it: Interesting shops, restaurants, an ice-cream parlour and more than a couple of good bakeries will have you high-fiving your driving partner and thinking about buying into cottage country.
Toronto
By Nick Tragianis
One of the best aspects of Southern Ontario is how many seemingly hidden pockets of natural beauty are scattered throughout the region. The destination possibilities are virtually endless, but if you’ve got just one day to spare, these are my top three choices.
Where: Toronto to Elora, Ont.
Distance: 232 kilometres
Time: Three hours and 10 minutes (round-trip)
Cost: $26.68
Bet you didn’t know there’s a gorge about an hour and a half from Toronto, did you? It’s not as vast as the one Homer Simpson launched a skateboard from, but the Elora Gorge is easily one of the most spectacular sights in southwestern Ontario. Once you’ve completed the hike into the gorge and back up, Elora has no shortage of cutesy shops, restaurants, cafes and bakeries to spend the rest of the day.
Where: Toronto to Prince Edward County
Distance: 434 kilometres
Time: Four hours and 47 minutes (round trip)
Cost: $49.91
No matter how you slice it, Prince Edward County is seriously beautiful. There’s quite a bit to see and do there, but if you just have time for one sight, make sure it’s Sandbanks Provincial Park. Isolated and breathtaking, Sandbanks is home to some of the clearest Lake Ontario water you’ve probably ever seen. If you’re heading there (or back home) via the 401, stop by Port Hope and grab a bite to eat at Jim’s Pizza & Pasta. You won’t regret it – especially the garlic bread – one bit.
Where: Toronto to Port Colborne
Distance: 327 kilometres
Time: Three hours and 57 minutes (round trip)
Cost: $33.92
If quaint towns on the shores of Lake Erie are your thing, Port Colborne is as good as it gets. Like Elora, Port Colborne doesn’t skimp on the quaint shops and restaurants. If you can stretch your time to an extra day, book yourself into a local bed and breakfast. That ought to give you enough time to have dinner in Niagara Falls, stargaze at night on the drive back to Port Colborne and then stop by Niagara-on-the-Lake the next morning.
Calgary
By Greg Williams
Where: Calgary to Canmore/Banff/Lake Louise and back
Distance: 362 km
Time: Four hours
Cost: $41.63
Leave Calgary heading west on Crowchild Trail — this road turns into Highway 1A. Continue west and travel down the long hill into Cochrane (and just think of all the old-time drivers contending with this route when it was clay and gravel).
This isn’t a fast road; it’s non-divided two-lane with minimal shoulders, but it’s a refreshing change of pace from the Trans Canada. The road goes through Exshaw before hitting the town of Canmore, which has many small restaurants and shops to visit before heading back. If you choose to go further, Hwy. No. 1, the Trans Canada, will take you to Banff where if you plan to visit the townsite proper you’ll have to stop and purchase a park pass at the East Gates.
A view of Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park is shown in this undated handout photo.
Handout, The Canadian Press
A park pass is also required to continue on the Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise. The parkway starts about six km west of Banff, and is another slower route that travels along the north side of the Bow River to Lake Louise, where the historic Chateau sits lakeside.
Where: Calgary to Black Diamond/Turner Valley/Bragg Creek loop and back
Distance: 167 km
Time: Two hours
Cost: $19.20
This is foothills country at its finest. Get on to Highway 22X, and turn south at 37 Street. Turn right at 226 Avenue, and left at 112 Street to carry on south to Hwy. 549. A great side trip is to the Leighton Art Centre; watch for signs on 112 Street. At Hwy. 549 turn right and head west past the historic Millarville church, and then turn left at 192 Street at the Millarville Race Track (if you do this on a Saturday, stop here for the farmer’s market).
This road will bring you to Cowboy Trail – turn left to visit Black Diamond, and then turn around and head west to Turner Valley. Plenty of shops and restaurants, including the Blue Rock Gallery in Black Diamond and the interesting Moto Burrito trailer in Turner Valley. Drive north out of Turner Valley on Hwy. 22, and turn left at Hwy. 549 and the hamlet of Millarville. Follow 549 west and turn right on twisty Hwy. 762 and follow the signs to Bragg Creek. To get back to Calgary, travel Hwy. 22 north and then turn right at the traffic circle onto Hwy. 8, which becomes Glenmore Trail as it heads into the city.
Where: Calgary to Drumheller/Wayne and back
Distance: 300 km
Time: Four to eight hours
Cost: $34.50
Everyone usually heads west to the mountains, forgetting that although the roads and topography east of the city tend to be straighter and somewhat flatter, this is still stunning country. Head east on Highway 1 to 201 north, turning right at Hwy. 564 to connect with Hwy. 9 to Irricana and Beiseker.
Look for Hwy. 21, and turn left to go north to Hwy. 27 and head right (east). This road includes many elevation changes and some twists, and will drop you down through the Red Deer River valley. At Morin, turn right and head south on Hwy. 56 into Drumheller. In Drumheller, turn right onto North Dinosaur Trail to the world famous Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology to learn about the area and its dinosaur heritage.
One can turn around and head back, or go further north and cross the Red Deer River aboard the Bleirot Ferry to head east into Drumheller on South Dinosaur Trail to Hwy. 10 and Rosedale. Turn right onto Hwy. 10X and cross the 11 bridges (another slow, meandering road with some single-lane bridges) to the hamlet of Wayne and the Last Chance Saloon/Rosedeer Hotel. Wayne was once a busy coal-mining town, and the family-friendly saloon offers food, drink and a history lesson.
Edmonton
By Tim Yip
Where: Edmonton to Elk Island National Park and back
Distance: 170 km
Time: Easy 2.5 hours
Cost: $19.55
This is the “back door”, scenic route to Elk Island National Park.
From Edmonton drive east on the Yellowhead Highway #16 and exit North to Hwy #830. En route you’ll see two oil upgraders and hobby farms, remnants of the homesteads established in pre-Confederation times.
Is it art or whimsy? Alberta's Cadillac Ranch is a sight to see.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Elk Island National Park.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Angle northeast on Hwy. 15 towards into Lamont County, which claims the highest number of churches per capita of any place in North America. Turn south on Hwy. 831. Stop to take pictures at Alberta’s own “Cadillac Ranch” where a quartet of white limousines is planted into the earth at a local scrapyard. Is it art or just whimsy? You decide.
Drive into Elk Island National Park (there’s an admission fee) and enjoy 18 km of meandering road through the facility. With luck, you’ll see free-range wood and plains bison, elk and Trumpeter Swans. Return to Edmonton via the Yellowhead Hwy. 16 west.
Where: Edmonton to Wetaskiwin and back
Distance: 160 km
Time: One and a half hours (excluding museum visit)
Cost: $18.40
The drive from Edmonton south to Wetaskiwin is among my favourites. Head south on the QE2 and take Hwy 2A to Wetaskiwin, a route that showcases scenic rural Alberta.
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum. RAM houses an outstanding collection of cars (460), motorcycles, tractors/engines (361), and the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame with more than 100 purpose-collected vintage airplanes.
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Wetaskiwin is home to an under-recognized Canadian national treasure, the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
On July 2nd, “Stan Reynolds: The Original Canadian Picker” exhibit opens. Reynolds’ collection was the impetus for the museum, and the exhibit gives a rare opportunity to join a ‘behind the scenes’ tour to see some of the museum’s vast collection that is NOT displayed to the public.
The in-house Cruiser’s Café, headed up by Chef Branden Mitchell, delivers delicious fare that’s a cut above that found in many museums, and is highly recommended. (Order the Loaded Burger!) Return to Edmonton on Hwy 2A.
Where: Edmonton to Genesee and back
Distance: 170 km
Time: 2 hours
Cost: $19.55
This route loops south and west of the city and it’s one of my favourite drives. Take Whitemud Drive west until it peters out and becomes a two-lane county road, and continue west. At Hwy. 60 turn south and drive through Devon. Two kilometres farther south is the Leduc #1 Energy Discovery Centre (a not-for-profit facility run by the local historic society) that tells the story about the discovery of oil in 1947 and of Alberta’s oil industry.
One of the sights near Genesee, Alberta.
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
The massive Genesee Generating Station
PHOTO: Tim Yip, Driving
Turn west onto Hwy. 39 which takes you through Calmar. A couple of minutes west of town, stop at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church (on your right) for a photo. Turn off at Hwy. 622 west (exit for St. Francis).
At Hwy. 770, turn north where you’ll drive past the massive Genesee Generating Station and then cross the North Saskatchewan River. When you reach Hwy. 627, turn east and return to Edmonton.
Vancouver
By Andrew McCredie
Where: Vancouver to Whistler and back
Distance: 242 km round-trip
Time: Four hours (round-trip)
Cost: $27.83
Such is the rugged nature of Vancouver’s environs that there is just one road heading north out of the city. But what a road it is. The Sea to Sky Highway connects the West Coast metropolis with the four-season playground of Whistler, and is considered one of the most scenic drives in the country. Prior to a billion-dollar upgrade leading up the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, it was also viewed as one of the most dangerous.
Tesla Model S on the Sea to Sky Highway.
Andrew McCredie, Driving
The drive starts in stunning fashion with a route out of downtown Vancouver along Georgia Street and through Stanley Park. You emerge from Canada’s largest urban park onto the Lions Gate Bridge, affording spectacular views of the North Shore mountains and Burrard Inlet. At the north end of the bridge you hook up with the Trans-Canada Highway (#1) for a 10-minute drive west to Horseshoe Bay, where the Sea to Sky begins its northern march along the iconic shoreline of Howe Sound. As much fun as it is to be the driver on this twisting road, passengers get full value from the snow-capped mountains of the Coastal Range and the shimmering waters of the Sound.
At the north tip of the Sound is the town of Squamish — the halfway point — and from here the Sea to Sky wiggles inland and into the mountains. Before you know it you’re in Whistler, where any number of activities and fantastic restaurants await. Or, you could just turn around and head back down the always-interesting Sea to Sky Highway.
Where: Vancouver to Harrison Hot Springs and back
Distance: 244 km
Time: Five hours
Cost: $28.06
Time was that Harrison Hot Springs was the place well-heeled Vancouverites spent a weekend getaway indulging in the soothing waters of the hot springs, dancing to Big Band sounds and dressing up for dinner. So popular was the place that in 1941 a specially built road for travel between the city and the resort on the south end of Harrison Lake was created.
Harrison Hot Springs
Supplied, Handout
Today Highway 7, better known as Lougheed Highway, serves as a commuter route for the many Metro Vancouver bedroom communities that have sprung up in the last half-century. Most 21st Century travellers to Harrison take the faster — and boring — Trans-Canada Highway. But to recapture the romance of the past, and to learn a lot about the area’s history, the Lougheed Highway is the route to go. It begins life in Vancouver at the corner of Granville Street and Broadway. Start at this famous intersection and head east on Broadway. Given the urbanization along the route, it is difficult to imagine this is actually a highway, but as you make your way east through the varied municipalities and districts (in order running east to west: Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Mission and Kent), the urban sprawl thins out and by the time you’re out of Mission you are driving past farmer’s fields and fruit stands in the heart of the Fraser Valley. Once you’re in Harrison, stop by the main hotel that houses the hot springs for a soak, and then soak up some of the charm of the waterfront town.
Where: Vancouver to Bellingham, Washington, to Mt. Baker and back
Distance: 188 km round-trip
Time: Five hours
Cost: $21.62
I challenge anyone to find a more scenic drive from the ocean to a volcano than this classic Pacific Northwest route along the aptly named Mt. Baker Highway (#542). Mile 1 (no metric down here y’all) begins just off the I-5 on Sunset Drive in the oceanside town of Bellingham (about 20 minutes from the Canada-U.S. border). From here you head east. Ten minutes or so in you leave the urban world in the rearview and enter a world of salmon-bearing rivers, old-growth forests, vineyards, horse stables, U-pick berry farms and small-town charm.
Mt. Baker
Supplied, Handout
The halfway point is Maple Falls, a Bavarian-style village with the last gas station before the steady climb to Mt. Baker. Fifteen kilometres up the road is the community of Glacier, the last slice of civilization before you enter the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. From there it’s a 50-kilometre drive — the last 10 or so punctuated by slow-corner switchbacks — to the highway terminus at Artist Point parking lot, some 5,100 feet above Bellingham. Check out any number of hiking trails that will give you amazing viewpoints of the glacier-capped Mt. Baker, also known as Koma Kulshan, an active glaciated andesitic stratovolanco.
Then it’s back down Highway 542 for great pizza and beer at The North Fork Beer Shrine (6186 Mt. Baker Highway). Conveniently, if you’ve been inspired by the romance of the drive, you can also get married there — the brewmaster’s wife is a justice of the peace.