In 2009 we embarked on one of our greatest ever road trips — from Toronto all the way to Newfoundland, taking in the cosmopolitan cities, French and British heritage and majestic landscapes of Eastern Canada. We saw traditional Pow Wow dancing in Ottawa, stood in awe at Niagara Falls, explored the gorgeous islands of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and finished in Newfoundland — where the Irish accents stopped us in our tracks and the Irish Loop gave us one of the most unexpected and moving travel experiences of our lives. Canada is vast, extraordinary and genuinely unforgettable. Eastern Canada proved that beyond any doubt.
What this trip gave us:
Toronto to Newfoundland — an unforgettable journey
Eastern Canada in 2009 was one of the great adventures of our travelling lives. We started in Toronto — one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in North America, where French and English culture collide in the most wonderful way. The food, the music, the architecture and the sheer energy of the place set the tone for everything that followed.
Ottawa was a revelation. Canada's capital is often overshadowed by Montréal and Toronto but it is a genuinely brilliant city — the Parliament Buildings are stunning, the museums are world class and watching traditional Pow Wow dancing was one of those travel experiences that stays with you long after you've left. Indigenous culture and heritage is woven into the fabric of Ottawa in a way that is both moving and illuminating.
Niagara Falls needs no introduction — but it still managed to exceed our expectations. No photograph, no video, nothing prepares you for the sheer thundering volume of water going over those falls. You feel it as much as you see it. It is one of the great natural spectacles on earth and we loved every minute of it.
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia gave us a completely different side of Canada — quieter, more intimate, breathtakingly beautiful in a gentler way. PEI's red-soiled farmland and stunning beaches, Nova Scotia's dramatic Atlantic coastline and seafood culture — both extraordinary in their own right.
And then Newfoundland. We had heard about the Irish connection but nothing fully prepared us for it. The accents, the place names, the music, the warmth of the people — it felt like Ireland had been transplanted to the edge of the North Atlantic. Driving the Irish Loop on the Avalon Peninsula was one of the most unexpectedly emotional travel experiences we have ever had. A country within a country, carrying a heritage that has never been forgotten.
Canada's cultural heartbeat — French charm, world-class food, iconic architecture and a nightlife scene that rivals anywhere in North America. The perfect starting point for any Eastern Canada adventure.
The underrated capital. Stunning Parliament Buildings, excellent museums, beautiful Rideau Canal — and the highlight of traditional Pow Wow dancing that gave us one of the most memorable cultural experiences of the whole trip.
One of the great natural wonders of the world — and it absolutely delivers. The thundering, cascading water, the spray, the noise and the sheer scale of it is something that photographs simply cannot capture.
Gorgeous and unexpected — rolling red-soiled farmland, beautiful beaches, charming fishing villages and a gentle pace of life that feels like a different world from the mainland. Utterly lovely.
Dramatic Atlantic coastline, colourful fishing villages, world-famous seafood and a strong Celtic heritage that feels familiar and surprising in equal measure. Halifax is a brilliant city too.
The most extraordinary surprise of the whole trip. Irish accents, Irish place names, Irish music — and the Irish Loop on the Avalon Peninsula, one of the most moving and memorable drives we have ever done.
A coastal driving route on the Avalon Peninsula through communities settled by Irish immigrants centuries ago — and where the accents, place names and culture are still unmistakably Irish. For an Irish visitor, this is extraordinary.
One of the most powerful natural spectacles on earth. You feel the spray on your face, hear the roar from a distance and stand there genuinely speechless. Every bit as magnificent as it's supposed to be.
Watching traditional Indigenous Pow Wow dancing in Ottawa was one of the most culturally rich and genuinely moving travel experiences of the whole trip. Something we had never seen before and have never forgotten.
Cosmopolitan, bilingual, brilliant — Montréal is one of the great North American cities. The Old Town, the food markets, the festivals and the French-Canadian culture make it utterly distinctive.
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are both gorgeous in completely different ways — PEI's red earth and gentle charm, Nova Scotia's rugged Atlantic drama. Both deserve far more attention than they get.
Eastern Canada is vast — the landscapes shift from city to farmland to forest to coastline to Atlantic rock in ways that constantly surprise you. The sheer scale and variety of it all is one of the great things about Canada as a travel destination.
From Montréal and Ottawa to Niagara Falls, the Atlantic islands and Newfoundland — our Eastern Canada road trip captured on video.
Want to experience the very best of Eastern Canada without the stress of planning every leg of a complex multi-province road trip? TourRadar has brilliant guided tours covering Montréal, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, the Maritime provinces and beyond.
Eastern Canada is genuinely one of the great road trip destinations in the world — but the distances involved and the logistics of moving between provinces, islands and ferry crossings make a guided tour a very smart choice. Let someone else handle the planning while you focus on soaking up one extraordinary landscape after another.
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From Ottawa guided tours and Niagara Falls boat trips to Indigenous cultural experiences and Nova Scotia excursions — browse activities here:
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Common questions
What to pack for Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada in summer is warm but variable — temperatures can range from hot and sunny in Montréal and Ottawa to cool and breezy on the Newfoundland coast. Layers are essential. Good hiking boots are important for coastal trails, the Irish Loop and any outdoor walking you plan to do.
Essential for navigating across multiple provinces on a long road trip — keeps you connected without expensive roaming charges across the whole of Eastern Canada.
View on Amazon →Essential for the Irish Loop coastal walks, Newfoundland's rugged terrain and any outdoor exploration in Nova Scotia and PEI — good waterproof boots will serve you well across the whole trip.
View on Amazon →Canada uses Type A and B plugs — the same as the USA. A universal travel adaptor covers all bases for charging devices on a long multi-province road trip.
View on Amazon →Eastern Canada is relentlessly photogenic from Niagara Falls to the Newfoundland coastline — keep a power bank in your bag so you never miss a shot on a long day out.
View on Amazon →Perfect for day hikes along the Irish Loop, carrying layers for Newfoundland's changeable weather and keeping essentials handy on long driving days between provinces.
View on Amazon →Stay hydrated on long driving and walking days — particularly on the Niagara Falls visit and any hiking days on the Atlantic coast where you'll be very active outdoors.
View on Amazon →Always worth having on a long road trip — for blisters from coastal walks, minor cuts and anything that comes up across two to three weeks of active exploring.
View on Amazon →Canadian summers mean black flies and mosquitoes — particularly in forested and coastal areas of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI. A good repellent is genuinely essential for outdoor days.
View on Amazon →Canadian summer sun is stronger than it looks — particularly on open coastal walks and at Niagara Falls where you'll be outdoors for hours. A high SPF is a must.
View on Amazon →Useful for long days at Niagara Falls and the open coastal trails — keeps you comfortable in the sun on active outdoor days throughout the trip.
View on Amazon →Disclosure: These are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These are all things we'd genuinely pack for an Eastern Canada road trip.
We drove ourselves around on this trip and having our own wheels made all the difference — the freedom to stop when you want, go off the beaten track and not be tied to a tour bus schedule. If you're planning to hire a car, Klook has competitive rates worth checking before you book anywhere else.
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Eastern Canada will give you more than you expect at every turn — and Newfoundland in particular will give Irish visitors something they are completely unprepared for. Go. Do the Irish Loop. Stand at Niagara Falls. Watch the Pow Wow dancing in Ottawa. You won't regret a single kilometre of it.
Affiliate disclosure: if you book through our links we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend trips and experiences we'd be happy to stand over.