Canada in August

[MandyFl0ss]

This August!
Family of 4
Where do I start?!

If you're in Vancouver right at the beginning of August, they have a fireworks festival which is lots of fun but will clog up downtown like crazy for the evening. If the family likes Shakespeare, the Bard on the Beach festival shows several plays under small tents in a park near downtown.

We did central Toronto, a lake in the north and Niagara on the lake- was fantastic

You need to decide East or West basically. Then we can help

Okay I have decided, it's going to be East, so Toronto. Then possibly Prince Edwards Island?

Montréal and Québec City are hot and can be muggy in August. But they are both lovely.

The distance to PEI from Toronto is about 1725 km., or about an 18 hour drive. That is without breaks, no traffic construction, accident slow downs, etc. The fastest way is through Montréal-Québec City, then the Trans Canada through New Brunswick.

Anyone going to Banff should take the extra time to travel to Lake Louise. It is spectacular.

I would either do a road trip over about a week or so taking in Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City, finishing in Prince Edward Island or fly from Toronto to Prince Edward Island. You'll need a car in PEI. As a previous poster said, it's a long drive from Toronto to PEI.

We flew into Halifax in Nova Scotia and did a two week road trip around NS and PEI. I could've spent the entire summer there.

Alternatively, Algonquin Park (close to Toronto) is gorgeous if you're outdoorsy type people. Obviously Niagara Falls as well if you're in Toronto.

I have family all over Canada. Yes to suggestions of Algonquin, Niagara Falls. Toronto had the CN Tower and lots of districts that are nice to explore. Ottawa is nice, although I found it a bit quieter.

I've done the ViaRail train West from Toronto to Vancouver. It took three days through the Rockies, saw black bears and Jasper, Winnipeg etc. They do a similar one East to Halifax which I'd love to do one day. They have cabins or just berths, I did the Silver and Blue Class, so had a berth and three meals a day. Then I'd love to do PEI and Green Gables.

Okay so I wonder if it would be possible to fly to Toronto, spend a few days there, then take an internal flight over to PEI, hire a car and spend a few days exploring the area, and then return to the UK from a different airport that we can drive to with the hired car, thus avoiding having to fly back to Toronto first. Is that possible?

Yeah that's possible. You could either do an internal back to Toronto or fly back from Halifax which is probably the closest direct flight back to London.

It’s will be around CDN$260 for a one way ticket to PEI. You would also have to pay a fee to the car rental company if you don’t return the rental to the same location where you picked it up.

Do you think it might be worth contacting a travel company to organise out itinerary and suggest accommodation? This is seriously overwhelming!

Skitters!

I am Canadian
Like other posters have said Canada is very big so it is sensible to pick east or West and go from there.
You can fly from Toronto or Montreal to Halifax,rent a car and go to PEI. There are direct flights from Halifax to London with both Air Canada and WestJet.

There is a travel agency based in the UK called "Candian Affair" I have only used them for flights so I can't comment on how good they are for doing complete holidays.

You could also use something like skyscanner and do a multi stop trip yourself.

I am not sure where in the UK you are but it is usually much cheaper to fly from Dublin to Canada,sometimes hundreds of pounds per person.

We are also going for 2 weeks this August and I am so looking forward to taking my husband to a few different places. It will be nice weather in August.

Don't stay in Niagara Falls itself - it's horrible. Niagara on the Lake is lovely.

The Falls themselves are awesome.

Care to critique this itinerary rough draft?

Toronto, 3 days with a boat tour along Lake Ontario
Drive from Toronto to Niagara Falls, 2 days with boat tour on the Hornblower
Drive to Algonquin Park. 3 days hiking, canoeing (maybe)
Drive to Ottawa. 2 days, markets, amphibus
Drive to Quebec City, 2 days
Drive to Tadoussac, 3 days, hiking, whale watching, sand dunes
Drive to Riviere‐Du‐Loup, 2 days, stay in a lighthouse one night
Drive to Montreal, 2 days
Back to UK

I live near Canada and am ashamed to say I've hardly done any of that stuff, but it sounds wonderful.

Sounds great. We did the first steps of your itinery. Algonquin was lovely & we saw lots of wildlife. DH got bitten badly in shorts.
In Toronto go to a Bluejays match if there's one on. Also get the DC on look out for places you recognise from tv. Toronto often subs for News York in film.