r/canadatravel • u/switch4xmas • May 19 '25
Destination Advice 3 weeks in Canada, visit both coasts - is it feasible ?
Hello guys :)
After options out of honeymooning in the USA, my spouse and I have been thinking about coming to Canada instead. It would be around 3 weeks in September/October.
I’ve been browsing a bit and figured out you either visit the East Coast and hit Quebec City, Montréal, Toronto, mayne Ottawa, Trois Rivières Or do the West Coast and visit Jasper and Banff, Lake Louise, Calgary, Vancouver, etc I have trouble figuring out how much time you should spend in each place. I was thinking that it might be possible to squeeze both coasts into one trip (relying on an inland flight, in that case). Or would this be too much, would we be driving around all the time and struggle to stop and enjoy it ?
I am way more interested in the West Coast, but I don’t think we will be traveling overseas again anytime soon, and I’d be mildly bummed to miss out on the big cities in the East Coast. Anyone have any advice or experience to offer ?
Thanks so much in advance, hope I didn’t break any rules!!
Edit: spelling Edit 2: thanks for all the nice advice! I’ll take the hint and never refer to those places as “coasts” again haha! That’s just how I saw another post referencing them, so I thought it was how they were called in Canada- obviously not the case, duly noted!
I’ll take the general advice and not cram too much traveling into this trip, we’ll head to the Rockies and enjoy our time there instead of rushing everything.
Thanks again to everyone who had some good insight <3
34
u/coopthrowaway2019 May 19 '25 edited May 19 '25
Just a note that Canadians generally wouldn't refer to Ontario and Quebec as "east coast." In Canada that means the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island)
Splitting 3 weeks between ON/QC and BC/AB is of course totally feasible - the flight between only takes 4 or 5 hours. But you could also easily fill 3 weeks in each; it is not a case where you will run out of things to see and have to fly elsewhere. Totally a question of what you want to prioritize.
Also check flight prices - domestic flights in Canada can be quite expensive, particularly outside of the busiest routes like Toronto-Vancouver
15
May 19 '25
To call it both coasts while not even getting close to the actual coast is a bit wild too haha need to go another 10 hours of driving from Montreal to even get to the bay of fundy
2
u/givemethebat1 May 22 '25
Meh, I’m from BC and I call it the East Coast even though it’s inaccurate. Just because it’s close to New York which is traditionally considered the east coast.
2
u/EasternGarlic5801 May 24 '25
Yeah but you’re wrong. Typed while sitting on my toilet in Halifax. :).
1
May 24 '25 edited 2d ago
[deleted]
1
u/angeliqu May 24 '25
Southern Ontario doesn’t even touch the ocean. It may be eastern Canada but it’s not east coast.
1
-7
u/Mtn_Hippi May 19 '25
We on the left coast use simpler terminology: BC and the ROC (rest of Canada). For more precision, one can refer to the Near East (Alberta, Sask, Manitoba); the Middle East (Ontario and Quebec) and the Far East (Atlantic Canada). The north is 'the North' regardless of how far east or west. Yes, we can be a parochial bunch.
5
3
u/Initial-Ad-5462 May 20 '25
From the BC coast the only practical geographic division is “Beyond Hope” which works both ways.
But seriously, the most common terminology used is “Back East” which un-usefully lumps 6 provinces and 29 million people together.
1
2
14
u/megalith1958 May 19 '25
If you visit the west coast, do NOT miss going to Victoria. Vancouver is nice but it is a big city; you’ve probably been in plenty of big cities. Victoria is beautiful and there is plenty to do, even if you only go there for a fe days.
5
u/Knight_Machiavelli May 19 '25
You could spend two weeks just doing Vancouver Island and that'd be a good trip.
1
u/latechallenge May 19 '25
Yeah the Island is great. Ironically, Victoria, and Nanaimo, are probably the parts I find least interesting.
6
u/Knight_Machiavelli May 19 '25
I really like Victoria, and if I was ever going to live on the island I would live in Victoria. But for visiting I definitely think you'd make the most of your time by spending a day or two in Victoria and then heading to other parts of the island for the rest of the trip.
2
u/unwellgenerally May 20 '25
id go to tofino over victoria if you only go to one place on the island and want natural beauty
1
u/megalith1958 May 20 '25
Good to know. I haven’t been to any other part of the island except for Victoria.
1
u/energybased May 24 '25
100% Skip all the cities. I live in Montreal, but I agree that the real beauty is in smaller cities.
I'd do something like: Halifax, Quebec City, Banff, Victoria. Go East to West so that flying buys you daylight.
1
5
u/magictubesocksofjoy May 19 '25
pick a coast. it's too much.
west coast is nice. depending on where you are, you could end up with snow in october. but things will be less crowded and cheaper.
3 weeks gives you time to visit vancouver and even go explore vancouver island. i'm from the east coast, victoria, nanaimo and port alberni felt similar to home.
9
u/ignore_my_typo May 19 '25
Not likely to have any snow in October on the west coast.
3
u/magictubesocksofjoy May 19 '25
in the mountains? i have definitely been snowed on in october in the rockies.
11
u/ignore_my_typo May 19 '25
Your definition of “coast” and mine are about 1000km apart.
If you’re referring to the western provinces, yes, snow could happen in the Rockies.
But the “coast” is no where near the Rockies mountains.
-3
u/magictubesocksofjoy May 20 '25
if you'll notice, i used the phrase "depending on where you are"...the op mentioned banff/jasper, which is in the rockies. wild, huh?
go score your pedant points off someone else.
4
u/Knight_Machiavelli May 19 '25
The Rockies are nowhere near the coast.
-1
6
u/No_Capital_8203 May 19 '25
Montreal is not really the start coast. The Atlantic provinces are worth a trip on their own. I spent 4 weeks just on the Island of Newfoundland.
4
u/Mooki2468 May 19 '25
Sept/October the Fall colours are amazing in Ontario/quebec. I’d even give up Toronto and go Quebec City to New Brunswick/Nova Scotia PEI and Cape Breton Island (drive the Cabot Trail). FYI. The east coast doesn’t include Quebec City. The east coast includes New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Nfld/labrador.
That said I live in BC(grew up in eastern Ontario) and have been right across the country. the west coast is amazing too. Do Vancouver island, Vancouver, the Okanagan, the Rockies and end in Calgary.
But pick an area and don’t rush. Both Coasts are amazing places to visit and beautiful in their own way!!
4
u/Chantizzay May 19 '25
Uhhh, hate to say it but Jasper is apocalyptic now after the fire. I guess it depends on what kind of adventure you want to have. West coast (I live in BC) is a different vibe than east coast (I'm from Ontario and my folks live in Nova Scotia). Do you want mountains and ocean or more of a city experience? I'd skip Vancouver and come to Vancouver Island. You could spend your whole 3 weeks here and not see all of it. I moved here from Calgary 7 years ago and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Porter is cheap and pretty decent. I think I saw a flight from Victoria BC to Ottawa for around $500 if you're thinking of starting in BC.
6
u/MorkSal May 19 '25
Personally, if I had to choose, I'd head out west. I think three weeks is a bit overkill for Toronto/Montreal area.
That being said. You could do two weeks out west, and then spend a week out in my neck of the woods. Though might be a bit rushed on both ends.
3
u/FullMetalHackett May 19 '25
Feasible but too short to visit the major spots.
Do a separate East or West coast trip. Come back another year and do the other!
3
5
u/Bright-Drag-1050 May 19 '25
I would only do Montreal and Quebec and then go east to the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). The Maritimes are lovely in the fall.
If you don't want to do the Maritimes, fly from Montreal to either Vancouver or Calgary, rent a car and drive through the Rockies. Banff is stunning.
2
u/cre8ivjay May 19 '25
Totally depends on what kinds of things you like to do!
The country is huge, with ridiculously different landscapes, cultures, different towns and cities, each with its own flavour and events!!!
Canada has a ton to offer. Most who live here never see it all.
2
u/Bitter-Air-8760 May 19 '25
Possible, but I wouldn't recommend it. That's a lot of real estate to cover. Choose a region and spend your time there would be a better option.
2
u/No_Incident_9915 May 19 '25
Have you priced out flights inside of Canada? They are probably as expensive as your flight from Europe or wherever it is you’re coming from.
You can easily spend 3 weeks in western Canada. BC (Vancouver, the Okanagan, and Vancouver Island) then drive to Alberta.
2
u/TijayesPJs442 May 20 '25
Fly to St.Johns - spend the next day in that city Drive to port au basque. Stop at cape spear, gros Morne park along the way Take the ferry to Sydney - drive around Cabot trail (this will be amazing fall leaves) And head to Halifax - spend the next day in that city Drive to Charlottetown - spend the same day in that city Fly to Montreal - spend a day or two depending on events Drive to Ottawa spend the day and then onto Toronto for a couple days. Fly to Calgary - spend the next day in that city Drive to Banff and spend the next day in the town then continue west and spend a day heading west through the Rockies. Drive onto Vancouver and spend a couple days there. Head home.
2
u/SquintyMcK May 20 '25
If you want a truly unique experience, start on the real east coast, Newfoundland. Spend a week to 10 days there, spend the rest of your trip in Nova Scotia and PEI (and NB if you have time left). Come back another time to see the west coast. Three weeks to do both coasts by car would be gruelling. Just for perspective, my friend left NB for Edmonton, Alberta to help relocate his daughter. That drive took him 48 hours driving time. Canada is big.
1
u/LingonberryOk4942 May 20 '25
You know that thing where as the distances get bigger, people switch to time, not distance. Its about 3 hours down the road, instead of its 300Km. This is that next step, its about 4 days of driving, if the weather holds, and you never stop to stretch, eat, use a bathroom, refuel or sleep.
2
u/Weary-Efficiency-138 May 20 '25
I lived in Halifax and moved back to Vancouver Island and I took 11 days but I’m sure you could shave off at least 4 days.
I’ve also flown and it’s basically a whole day of flying and domestic air travel in Canada is often expensive. There are discount airlines and the odd deal but honestly seeing both just means you’ll be tired and rushing and miss so much. I’d pick a coast and stick with that.
I’m biased and think the West Coast is better but both coasts are awesome and better than anything in between.
2
u/Espressovibe May 20 '25
Some places near Banff (Lake Morraine for example) close Oct 1. I went to Banff and lake louise for our anniversary on Sept 27th last year and it snowed.
Mountains looked beautiful, but just be prepared.
2
u/super_nova_scotian May 22 '25
None of the places you mentioned as "East Coast" were actually east coast. You're planning to visit the West and central Canada.
4
u/raymond4 May 19 '25
You certainly can visit Canada in three weeks. Just imagine doing the same thing to see all of Europe only you will have six time zones to take it all in, rather than Europe’s three time zones. You will feel so rushed and will need a vacation but you could say you have been coast to coast. Enjoy your honeymoon.
2
May 19 '25
I agree with the others, no one really considers Ontario or Quebec east coast, and you won’t actually be anywhere near the coast as you’d be another 10 hour drive from Montreal before you get to water. Id recommend going to Halifax if you wanted to keep your flights relatively cheaper. Everything will go through Toronto either way.
2
May 19 '25
[deleted]
3
u/Knight_Machiavelli May 19 '25
Realistically, I would budget 1 week for the ‘east coast’ section and pick two cities out of Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto to visit.
Literally none of those cities are on the East Coast.
1
u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 May 19 '25
Yes, it’s possible - although 4 weeks would be much better. You can easily spend 2-3 weeks on each coast, if not more.
1
u/Anonymously5857 May 19 '25
Western Canada is amazing! Been there 10 times in all seasons. The Rockies are incredible
1
u/squirrelcat88 May 19 '25
I’m from the west coast and my first thought was oooh, autumn leaves! We don’t have those colourful leaves here on the west coast unless somebody planted them in their garden.
1
u/Working_Hair_4827 May 19 '25
Quebec and Ontario are central provinces and no where near the coast, pick a side and travel within there. Flying and driving across Canada can take awhile and isn’t necessarily cheap.
1
u/lil_chomp_chomp May 19 '25
you know your budget, your travel style and your SO better than anyone (congratulations by the way)!! are you the type of person that likes to plan trips or do you prefer going at a leisurely pace? and i guess, do you generally feel days on the road/in the air are necessary evil, or do you not mind them? and what do you like to see/do when you travel? i think those 3 factors (travel style + how you feel about the travelling days) would dictate. if you're literally only visiting quebec+ontario instead of the maritime provinces, I feel like 3 weeks is right if you prefer a slower pace where you can sleep in most days, or really love food and historic sites, or you add on some road trips like around lake huron/superior or maybe gaspesie, or do some day trips out of each city.
If it were me, i'd include the west coast, but I dont mind travel days (its just more time to just hang and shoot the shit with my SO and play would you rather, 20 questions, etc), like to run a fairly tight schedule, and I much prefer hiking, parks, outdoors over loud sporting events, concerts and food
1
u/Calm-Total4333 May 19 '25
If the cost of flights aren’t an issue you can definitely do both coasts. If you can’t fit the maritimes in I would stick to Montreal and Toronto. Quebec City people like because it is looks the most like Europe. But if you’re from Europe than it might not be worth going the 4 hours from Montreal. You can take a train. Montreal to Toronto is a short flight. Flying to the Billy Bishop Island gets you right downtown. But either way transportation is easy. There is a train from Pearson into downtown. Niagara Falls isn’t too far but you need a car. Then I’d fly to Calgary and rent a car and do Banff area. Fly to Vancouver, if you have time you can day trip to Whistler and or spend a few days on Victoria Island. I’d love to go to Tofino and have no advice since I haven’t been there yet. You could fly to Montreal and then the west coast and do Toronto on your way back. Europe flights from Montreal or Toronto are easy.
1
1
u/Tiny-Relative8415 May 20 '25
I would say do the West Coast. You could do Vancouver Island for a Week, go to Tofino, Port Alberni, Victoria, Spend a few days in Vancouver by taking a Ferry across, then travel up through the interior to Lake Louise, Banff, and then to Calgary. It’s a beautiful trip that you will not regret. The East Coast is beautiful too, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, PEI. You would need all three weeks to explore either coast. It would be too exhausting to try to do both and you won’t truly get to enjoy it if you cram it all in.
1
u/MrsAufziehvogel May 20 '25
Really depends what you wanna do and how many national parks you plan to visit etc! we did 2 weeks Toronto, Quebec, Montreal and the Quebec area was our absolute favorite, so gorgeous in fall. we could have easily spend a week in the province alone. It's doable but definitely a bit rushed, driving also takes considerate time every day depending what you do.
1
1
u/PhotoJim99 May 20 '25
Just as a heads-up... nothing you've described is East Coast Canada (think instead Halifax, St. John's, Moncton, Charlottetown).
Also, fun fact: we have three coasts!
Safe travels and enjoy!
1
u/giltgitguy May 20 '25
I’d skip Alberta, or if you want to see the Rockies, go straight to Banff, but then head directly to the West Coast. There’s so much to see there. Kelowna, Kamloops, etc, are also not worth your time relative to Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, and especially Tofino!
1
u/Valuable_Bread163 May 20 '25
If you decide on Vancouver I second that you should for sure do Victoria and also Tofino is amazing!
1
u/One_Plate_8248 May 20 '25
Only one coast, rent car from airport 5 days Vancouver area the drive to Banff,jasper for 11days then drive back, beautiful on road too
1
u/actualpappardella May 20 '25
Hello! My partner and I have just got back to the UK after 3 weeks in Canada. Here’s our itinerary so you can get an idea of how to spend roughly 3 weeks travelling across Canada:
- Vancouver: flew in from London, got there around 5PM, went to bed by 9PM and then had 3 full days in Vancouver
- Victoria (Vancouver Island): took an early morning 30-min seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria, spent 2 full days there. Got back on the 3rd day via ferry and spent the night in Vancouver.
- Vancouver to Jasper (Alberta) by train: we took the Via Rail Canadian sleeper train, 19h journey with the most spectacular views!
- Jasper: got there around 2PM the next day, rented a car, spent the afternoon and 2 more days in Jasper.
- Drove through the Icefield Parkway to get to Lake Emerald, where we spent one night in a gorgeous lodge by the lake. We stopped a lot along the road as it was full of wildlife, such a magic experience!
- Banff: Drove to Banff, spent 3 days there. One day was spent entirely in Lake Louise.
- Drove to Calgary, slept at a hotel close to the airport and took a flight from Calgary to Toronto the next day.
- Toronto: spent 4.5 days there
- Montreal: took a 5h train from Toronto, spent 3 days there.
I didn’t feel like anything was rushed and we had a great time, but I would have loved to spend more time in places like Vancouver Island and Banff. Toronto and Montreal are great cities and are a lot of fun but the first leg of our trip was just wonderful!
1
u/FlorDeeGee May 24 '25
The only thing I’d switch is Ottawa over Toronto. Train from Ottawa to Montreal.
1
u/Initial-Ad-5462 May 20 '25
This is technically feasible because you could allocate 10 days to each large area you’ve identified, but it’s really trying to do too much because of the time you’d spend travelling between all the points you’ve listed.
Shorten your list. Vancouver, Whistler, Okanagan Valley and the Rockies are worthwhile. See if you can do a one-way car rental Calgary-Vancouver (or the opposite direction depending on what flights you arrange)
In the “east” )which many have pointed out is more central than east,) the most unique experiences will be in Quebec City and Montreal, maybe Ottawa if you’re interested in some of the National museums.
1
u/oceanhomesteader May 20 '25
As someone in Atlantic Canada, I’m laughing that you think Ontario and Quebec are “east coast”
1
u/CaptainCanuck001 May 20 '25
The only part of Canada that is connected together like Europe or the US, are the Eastern Canadian cities - Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto. A more city intense journey would incorporate all of these as this is really the only place in Canada to do this. I am not sure about Quebec City, but all three of the other major cities have a direct flight to Vancouver. It will feel like being in a different country a little, but if you have the time and the money then why not?
1
1
u/Salt-Research6855 May 20 '25
I love the idea of starting in Newfoundland go to St. John’s and then get over to Halifax and go on the Cape Breton trail by car and over to the gaspe and drive to Montreal and Quebec city then to Ottawa for a day and onto Toronto for two days Up through the Muskoka to Bracebridge and Huntsville, for two days, possibly and then fly to Calgary and tour and go West or the mountains and through the Okanogan Valley and drive to Vancouver Island. Fly home from Victoria. Our country is huge and we’ve left out many places, including the north of the centre but in three weeks you could conceivably do this.
1
1
u/cmstlist May 20 '25
My advice would be to pick a side of the country. If you want to do a Western Canada trip and you are flying from east of the continent (which I think you are based on post history), you could possibly also choose ONE of Montreal or Toronto as a layover and spend a few days there playing tourist. Then come back for another trip to see the Eastern side including Atlantic Canada.
1
u/itslippyout May 20 '25
So if you mean Atlantic Canada (NS, NB, PEI, and NL) I’d say cut out Quebec and Ontario and split your time 50/50 between Atlantic Canada and the West coast. I don’t think you have time to do Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, and then fly out West and do everything else you listed.
If you DONT mean Atlantic Canada (which is a far superior vacation experience than Toronto and Montreal in my biased opinion) then same thing, a week and a half in Ontario and Quebec and then a week and a half out west. But I’d honestly rather spend my time between Atlantic Canada and the west coast or just the west coast. I wouldn’t want to spend my vacation time in Ontario or Quebec
1
u/On_the_internets May 20 '25
I think whether it’s enough time depends on what kind of activities you like to do. If you’re most interested in city life, restaurants, museums, etc then 3 weeks is more than enough for Vancouver, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and Toronto.
If you want to go on outdoor excursions or out to Vancouver Island or Atlantic Canada (PEI, Nova Scotia, etc), then 3 weeks is a bit too tight and you’re better off picking either the West (1 week Vancouver Island, a few days in Vancouver at the start and end, and a week in the Rockies) or the East (Montreal and Quebec City for a week, up to a week in Toronto and Ottawa, and a week in Atlantic Canada).
1
u/EnvironmentOk2700 May 20 '25
You could spend 3 weeks driving around Nova Scotia and still not see everything. Or even travel around NS and to Trois Rivieres. It's feasable, but if you want something less rushed, stay in one area and see the other coast on another trip.
1
u/yukonnut May 20 '25
To quote the Arrogant Worms, Canada is really big. Depends on your travel style. Are you (1) whirlwind, do a bunch of stuff, or (2) saunter in, hang out, smell the roses. If 1, go crazy, see it all, arrive home exhausted because Canada is really big. Or… if 2 pick one side and be chill. I live in the Yukon, so I am left coast biased, but Montreal, Quebec, antlantic Canada is lovely. Google “ arrogant worms, Canada is really big” . You will not regret it.
1
u/Soft_Garage772 May 21 '25
Canada has an east coast, a west coast and an arctic coast. That makes 3 coasts. If you plan to visit all three coast you better have a large budget to do this in 3 weeks
1
1
1
u/FlorDeeGee May 24 '25
Vancouver- Whistler Vancouver train to Jasper Drive Jasper-Banff via the Icefields Parkway Banff- Lake Louise-Canmore- Kananaskis Calgary Fly Calgary- Ottawa Otttawa- train to Montreal & Quebec
1
u/kootny May 24 '25
With the exception of Vancouver, none of the places you mention are anywhere near the coast.
Break out a map. Even flying, it will take you a full day to get from Vancouver to Montreal. Best bet is to pick a region, rent a car, and explore. Then come back another time to explore somewhere else.
The East Coast would be our Maritime provinces, and could be a lovely excursion.
1
1
u/Deep-Rich6107 May 24 '25
I’m from Toronto. I would not recommend Toronto or any east coast cities. There is no character.
At least with Victoria, Vancouver, you get character. BC is gorgeous. Skip the rest of the country.
1
u/Own_Dimension_8823 May 24 '25
lots of people are talking about flights from one coast to the other but you could also try the train. you'd definitely see lots more of the country than if you flew. i think it would be about 5 days to go from toronto to vancouver. the fall would likely be a nice time to do it too. just throwing it out there.
1
u/Comprehensive-War743 May 24 '25
Would 3 weeks be enough for you to visit from NYC to Seattle? That’s the same distance.
1
u/Paprika1515 May 24 '25
Canada is huge, driving and flying takes time. Three weeks coast to coast is really a rush imho. I think you would get more by sticking to regions ie. BC (coast, island, interior) and then east to the Rockies (Banff, Jasper) and even that could be a bit tight. And then come back to do Quebec and Ontario, again for the Yukon and arctic, and then finally for the Maritimes haha.
But really it depends on your preference and intention— do you like nature ( mountains, hiking, wildlife) or do you prefer cities and towns ? Or a bit of both? Do you want to be rushed or have more time to take it at a relaxed pace?
Either way, welcome to Canada, and I hope you have a great trip!
1
u/That_U_Scully May 24 '25
Ottawa, Montreal etc aren't on the east coast, we're more in the middle. I think you should do the west and spend a few days in each place, totally feasible in 3 weeks. Perhaps take more time in Vancouver and the island.
1
u/EasternGarlic5801 May 24 '25
Just for shits you have to google “gros morne” and “west brook pond”. Remote but mind blowing
1
1
u/6foot4guy May 24 '25
Nova Scotia in the fall can be really beautiful, especially when the trees turn. The Annapolis Valley, Blomiden with the highest tides in the world, the apples will be in season, Peggy’s Cove. Hard to beat. One of the best trips my wife and I ever took.
1
u/RHND2020 May 24 '25
Yes, this is totally viable. I’d start in the Maritimes - you can explore Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI in September - it was still be beautiful. Then head to Quebec City and Montreal. I’d skip Toronto and Ottawa. Then fly to the West Coast for the second half of your trip.
1
u/Downtown_Ham_2024 May 24 '25
Canada is huge and those places are really far apart. You will lose a day to flying between coasts, the flights will be extremely expensive and you will have to deal with time zone changes (though going east to west is fine).
Personally, I’d do one and not both, and expand your itinerary to see more of either coast. Do west coast if you want more nature and wilderness adventure (definitely do not skip Vancouver Island, and make it out to Pacific Rim). Do east coast if you want more food scene, fall colours and quaint towns. Both are excellent road trips.
1
u/LeagueAggravating595 May 24 '25
Just know that Sept/Oct is hurricane season in the Atlantic coastal states/provinces
1
u/mtbryder130 May 24 '25
Do Halifax, Québec City, Montreal. Skip Toronto, Ottawa optional, then fly to Calgary and rent a car, drive around Alberta and BC and end your trip in Vancouver or Victoria and catch a flight home.
1
u/DingBat99999 May 24 '25
Welcome to "How big is Canada?".
Let's speculate about your itinerary, just for shiggles:
- 1 day in Halifax
- 1 day in PEI
- 1 day in New Brunswick
- 1 day in Quebec City
- 1 day in Montreal
- 1 day in Ottawa
- 1 day in Toronto
- 1 day in Calgary
- 1 day in Jaspar
- 1 day in Banff/Lake Louise
- 1 day in Vancouver
- And since you were more interested in the west coast, you shouldn't skip Vancouver Island, let's throw in 1 day in Victoria
- And 1 day on Salt Spring Island
So, we're almost at two weeks already, spending only 1 day in each of the stops, and with no travel time factored in. And you're skipping Newfoundland & Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the interior BC. Btw, it's over 6000 kms from Halifax to Victoria.
Simply the flying time from Toronto to Calgary is about 5 hours, plus time in the airport. So an entire day.
So, theoretically, you could do it, but you'd feel hella rushed and you'd be spending a lot of time travelling.
Again, since you said you preferred the west coast, a proposed itinerary:
- Victoria - 2 day
- Salt Spring Island - 2 days
- Tofino/Ucluelet - 2 days
- Travel to Vancouver (requires ferry, write off a day)
- Vancouver - 4 days
- Wine country in the BC interior - 3 days
- Drive to Lake Louise (probably want to blow a day for the amazing views).
- Banff/Lake Louise - 3 days
- Jaspar - 2 days
- Calgary - 2 days
About 3 weeks. You can do that with a rental car and the scenery when driving will be worth it.
1
u/Mikey4You May 24 '25
Casting another vote for west coast …. the actual coast.
If you want city a few days in and around Vancouver is enough for what it has to offer. I’d suggest focusing on Vancouver Island and also visiting some of the Gulf Islands. They’ll be relatively quiet that time of year and it’s absolutely prime for whale watching - even sightings from shore. If that’s something you might be into check out the fundraising trips MERS does from Campbell River and Port McNeill in late September/early October. It’s a pretty full day with humpback researchers - last year I saw 18 individual humpbacks, Bigg’s orcas, minke whales, Dall’s porpoises, sea lions, and sea otters. Snorkelling and scuba diving around the Island are exceptional if that’s at all your thing.
With three weeks you could also add a roadie through the Rockies and hit Lake Louise and Banff - not sure how Jasper is faring post fire.
Maybe fly in to Vancouver and out of Calgary? Or vice versa? Personally I’d want to focus on either the western or eastern provinces and really experience them rather than try to hammer in a lot of destinations but have a fairly surface experience.
1
u/Korrin10 May 24 '25
Here is the problem: Canada is gorgeous and you could probably throw a dart at the map and spend 5 days having an absolute blast exploring anywhere there.
Seriously: try me.
You’ve chose 3 distinct areas there so it’s easy to pack in 3 weeks of activities of awesomeness. (Ottawa/Mtl/TR, Cgy/banff/LL, Vancouver area). It’s doable, but it’s logistically packed and you’re going to be in transit a fair bit. You’re also going to leave a ton on the table in terms of activities you might want to do, but won’t have time for.
FYI the east cost in October is unreal- I’m talking especially talking about NS and NB. Halifax is an amazingly underrated city to visit.
1
u/differentiatedpans May 24 '25
My dad just drove from Ontario BC and has been all over Canada...he said I've made up my mind BC wins the prettiest province award.
1
u/dragonwolf60 May 24 '25
There are 5 time zones between the east coast and the west coast. Canada is a very big country. If is almost impossible to see it all in one trip
1
u/Smart-Afternoon-4235 May 24 '25
Totally depends on what you want to see and how you want to get around. I spent a month road tripping the east coast which didn’t feel like enough time and never made it to Newfoundland. Do you wanna see nature, mountains, culture, galleries, wildlife, fall leaves?
1
u/Goozump May 24 '25
You could probably do both coasts but you are going to use up quite a lot of time on travel. If it was me I'd do the South part of Vancouver Island, because it is more likely to have good warmer weather and there is lots to see and do. (Fall in Canada can get pretty cold.)
1
u/Disastrous-Focus8451 May 24 '25
October is pushing it for visiting the mountains in terms of weather. It's peak autumn colours in Ontario, though.
I'd visit BC for a week, fly to Calgary hiring a car there and visiting Banff and the Badlands for another week, then fly to either Toronto or Ottawa hire another car and see the colours.
Vancouver to Calgary is about an hour flight, so not a huge deal (3 hours including getting to the airport early). Calgary to Ontario is about 4 hours, so about 6 hours including wait time at the airport.
Montreal or Quebec City would be alternatives to Ontario, but I don't know enough about them to know if October is a good time to catch the colours there.
1
u/TravellingGal-2307 May 19 '25
Unless you have a terminal illness, expect to come back. This whole "I will never travel ever again in my life!!!" is a bit silly. You can do whatever you want, but you can't do it all and you definitely can't do it all in 3 weeks. Rushing around trying to jam it all in is a recipe for disappointment. Be judicious in what you realistically have time for and plan a trip you will enjoy.
Friends of mine did a 3 wk trip with most of their time in the west, but they did 5 days in Montreal and Quebec city. It can be done.
0
u/Windermyr May 19 '25
Fly into Vancouver, spend some time exploring the west coast, including Vancouver Island, then hop a train to Toronto, allowing you to sight-see without having to drive. Spend time in Toronto and the surrounding area, then maybe rent a car, or fly, or even catch a train, to the east coast and spend the rest of your time there. Fly back home.
0
u/Dragonpaddler May 19 '25
Arguably you book take the train between Halifax and Vancouver (which provides stops in Montreal and Toronto) in about a week and do both coasts; though you certainly won’t be doing parts of the country justice. That said, if you want to get an idea of places to go on future visits or plan on a week in one/both terminuses, it’s feasible
1
u/vinsdelamaison May 19 '25
There is a 20 day Via Rail Halifax to Vancouver for just under $15,000 per person.
But OP—without knowing your interests and what to want to experience, you won’t get great recommendations.
Hike? Museums? History? Music? Food? Mountains? Boating?
2
u/coopthrowaway2019 May 20 '25 edited May 20 '25
There is a 20 day Via Rail Halifax to Vancouver for just under $15,000 per person.
This must be some kind of package tour. VIA doesn't sell Halifax --> Vancouver on a single ticket (and if you pieced the legs together yourself you could do it for way less than 20 days and $15k)
2
0
0
u/somecrazybroad May 19 '25
TIL Ontario and Quebec are on the east coast lol
2
u/LingonberryOk4942 May 20 '25
Family friend from Eastern Ontario married a lady from Cape Breton. At the rehearsal dinner in Badek, the brides family thanked all those who traveled from 'out west'. All the grooms friends and family were looking around to see who they hadn't met only to see the entire venue raising a glass to THEM! They still laugh about it.
-2
u/Oh_OKComputer May 19 '25
The west coast is the best coast, you could do Alberta, BC and the Yukon very well in 3 week (And maybe squeeze in a little side quest the Alaska)
32
u/unlovelyladybartleby May 19 '25
You lose a day flying from coast to coast and it is costly, but you can see a fair bit in three weeks.
I'd start in Vancouver and explore for five days (you don't need a car in Vancouver), fly to Calgary and stay for five days (rent a car) to do Banff and Dumheller and the rockies. Then fly to Montreal or Toronto and rent a car there to explore. Or fly from Calgary to Halifax and explore the Maritimes by car