Ontario & French Canada

TOUR DETAILS

Overview

Welcome to Ontario and Québec—where exciting cities and breathtaking scenery await you on this eastern Canada tour. You'll spend two nights in Toronto, Ottawa, and the Québec City area, and one night in Montréal. On your sightseeing tour in each city, you'll see the must-see sights, such as the 1,815-foot-tall CN Tower in Toronto, Canada’s largest city; the Canadian Mint in Ottawa, Canada’s capital; Québec City's Place Royale, the historic square known as the birthplace of French America; and Montréal's Mount Royal, designed by the same designer as New York City’s Central Park. In Québec, visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Cap, with its fine stained-glass windows, and Cap de La Madeleine, made a national shrine in 1888. Also enjoy time to explore Québec City, Canada’s only walled city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But that’s not all…you’ll enjoy stunning scenery on this eastern Canada tour. Board a sightseeing boat for a thrilling ride to view breathtaking Niagara Falls. You’ve seen photos of Niagara Falls, and now’s your chance to see it up close. These falls are nothing short of spectacular! Also enjoy a cruise that takes a scenic route through the many islands of Thousand Islands National Park. From the vibrant cities to the beautiful scenery, this eastern Canada tour designed for the value-minded traveler is a wonderful vacation!

ITINERARY

DAY 1 TORONTO

  • Welcome to Ontario’s capital and the largest city in Canada. Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.

DAY 2 TORONTO. EXCURSION TO NIAGARA FALLS

  • Skirt the shores of Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls, one of the most loved landmarks in the world. Board your Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise for a thrilling ride to view the thundering falls up close. Return to Toronto, where sightseeing includes the city’s major landmarks, such as the banking district, City Hall, the CN Tower, and the University of Toronto. This evening, enjoy an optional outing to the top of the CN Tower for dinner and spectacular views.

    NOTE:
    Operation of the Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise is subject to favorable, ice-free weather and/or river conditions. Favorable conditions usually exist from May to October. When conditions are unfavorable, a visit to the Journey Behind the Falls will be substituted.

While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options for your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.

    • CN Tower Dinner Experience

Your dinner location this evening, high atop the CN Tower, features unforgettable food combined with a magnificent revolving view of Toronto and Lake Ontario.

DAY 3 TORONTO–KINGSTON–THOUSAND ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK–OTTAWA

  • Leave Ontario’s capital and stop in Kingston, a city with an exciting history dating back more than 300 years. Proceed along the St. Lawrence River with splendid vistas of Thousand Islands National Park. At Rockport, board your boat for a cruise that takes a scenic route through the many islands that are sprinkled with charmingly simple to opulent summer homes. Next, head to Ottawa, Canada’s beautiful capital.

DAY 4 OTTAWA

  • This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of this lovely city on the banks of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal. See the Canadian Mint, the embassy district, and stately Parliament Hill. Suggestions for this afternoon include a visit to the magnificent Canadian Museum of History or the array of restaurants and shops at lively Byward Market.

DAY 5 OTTAWA–QUÉBEC CITY AREA

  • Drive into the French-Canadian province of Québec for a sudden change in language and tradition. Follow the historical King’s Highway along the north shore of the mighty St. Lawrence River. Visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Cap de la Madeleine before arriving in Québec City, the heart of French Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tonight, join a unique optional excursion to the Érablière le Chemin du Roy Sugar Shack. Visitors to the sugar cabin will enjoy a typical Québec dinner, along with a guided visit and presentation to explain the process of maple extraction.

While we include select excursions on your trip, you may wish to explore other options for your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.

    • Traditional Maple Sugar House Experience

Experience a a family owned 'sugar shack' with a traditional Quebec meal, a taste of maple syrup and a short lesson in the history of Maple Syrup making in the region.

DAY 6 QUÉBEC CITY AREA

  • Enjoy a guided tour of Canada’s only walled city, crowned by the turrets of Château Frontenac. Until the British victory of 1759, Old Québec was the center of New France; today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the walls reside Place d’Armes, Laval Seminary, the star-plan Citadelle, and ancient Place Royale. Also, see the stone houses crowding the narrow streets of Lower Town by the St. Lawrence River. The afternoon and evening are free—your Tour Director will have suggestions for sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

    • Dining in the Quebec Countryside and Montmorency Falls (optional)

Enjoy an evening outside of the city with a visit to Montmorency Falls followed by visit to the Western tip of Ile d'Orleans for a dinner at Le Moulin Saint Laurent, originally a water mill dating back to 1675 and featuring local cuisine.

DAY 7 QUÉBEC CITY AREA–MONTRÉAL

  • This morning head south for ultra-modern Montréal, named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006. Major attractions on this afternoon’s guided tour include once-walled Old Montréal, the Seminary of St. Sulpice, and majestic views of the city from the top of Mount Royal.

DAY 8 MONTRÉAL

  • Your vacation ends this morning.