September is a great time to visit the East Coast for the fall colors, and Collette Tour’s “Best of Eastern Canada” did not disappoint in that regard. We were a little early for the full-blown display of fall colors, but the colors of the trees were definitely luscious and postcard-worthy.
A small group from the Santa Ynez Valley enjoyed all the fall weather, plus a rainy day, beautiful green hills, and views of waterways like lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.
We left early morning from Solvang by chartered bus on 22nd September. Hot Danish pastries and mimosas were served on the bus to help deal with the utter chaos at LAX airport, which just finished another renovation project.
Fortunately we had a direct Air Canada flight to Toronto, the capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada.
After a good night’s sleep, we woke up to amazing sunny California weather and drove just over an hour to stunning Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls is a group of waterfalls located along the border between the United States and Canada. We embark on a boat cruise to the base of the falls and witness the roar of the water up close.
Niagara Falls is located along the border between the United States and Canada, with six million cubic feet of water flowing over the Falls every minute.
Despite our rain gear, we all got wet! The falls are beautiful and it is almost impossible to comprehend that six million cubic feet of water flow over Niagara Falls every minute, offering what is one of the most spectacular views in North America. They also offer a cave walk that goes behind the falls which is also a lot of fun to do.
After getting off the boat everyone headed to the little shopping area for some hot chocolate and coffee to warm up and get cozy for our short ride to Niagara-on-the-Lake.
This is one of my favorite cities in eastern Canada and is considered by Canadians to be the “loveliest city in Canada”. If you want to stay near Niagara Falls, I would definitely stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It is approximately 20 minutes from the falls and the most charming and romantic city with parks, beautiful planters, twinkling lights and magnificent horse drawn carriage rides. They also have wonderful shopping here as a bonus!
The next morning we set out for Rockport, which is the gateway to the spectacular Thousand Islands National Park. We enjoyed a memorable cruise through the wilderness along the St. Lawrence River.
We then continue to Ottawa, the culturally rich capital of Canada, which is a mix of French and Canadian customs. We explored Ottawa, seeing the Prime Minister’s residence along with multiple embassies and gothic parliament buildings along the Rideau Canal. The canal becomes the world’s largest skating rink during the winter.
The National Gallery of Art was also impressive with huge spider sculptures to draw the eye in that direction.
We said bonjour to Quebec City, the heart of Canada’s French heritage, for the next two nights. We explore Old Town which is a UNESCO site which is very picturesque with cobbled streets and 17th century buildings, the provincial parliament, St. Louis Arch and the beautiful Chateau Frontenac.
Quebec City is a bit like being in Paris with amazing restaurants and local jazz musicians playing late into the night. It’s fun to fall in love with the area as you experience the beauty and history of Quebec’s Old and New World.
The next morning we paid a visit to the impressive Montmorency Falls, about 10 feet higher than Niagara Falls, on our way to a local sugar shack for lunch in the heart of the Quebec countryside.
Brunch was delicious and we learned about the traditions of making maple syrup and enjoyed samples of traditional foods, including maple icing! What I learned here is that Canadian put maple syrup on literally everything, and we all had a complete sugar rush on the bus as we headed to Montreal.
The Parliament of Canada is located in Quebec City.
We spent our last two nights in Montreal. The city is a mix of everything old and new, including skyscrapers and cathedrals, running waters and lush gardens. We visited Jacques Cartier square and McGill University, as well as Mount Royal, which is a small mountain in Montreal that offers an amazing view.
Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal’s oldest Catholic church built in 1656, is known for its intricately designed interior featuring stained glass windows recounting the city’s history.
They also had a Barbie doll exhibit that most of us visited that was amazing. The Barbie Expo consisted of a huge collection of Barbie in outfits from many different genres, from designer couture to movie celebrities, historical figures and all the nationalities of the world. We all took a photo in the Barbie Box, which was unique and fun.
Eastern Canada is a beautiful journey and an area that should be on your bucket list. Niagara Falls is definitely a must see, and getting to Canada is not that difficult of a journey. They also offer cruises on the St. Lawrence River, which is another way to explore the area a bit.
Many travel restrictions have been lifted and airfares have dropped in price, so I suggest you make up for lost time caused by the pandemic, and get back out there and start living again!
Tourism has been deeply affected by the ravages of COVID-19 over the last two and a half years, as has the emotional and physical spirit of all of us.
