Eastern Promises

There’s a lot to see, do and eat between Toronto and the Maritimes. Mapping out a road trip that’s doable within a week necessitated some painful omissions. (Dear PEI, Cape Breton, Newfoundland and Labrador: Can we still be friends if we promise to come next year?) We also skipped routes that dip into the US because, well, you know. Here, our 1,826-kilometre guide, featuring stargazing, whale-watching and Halifax’s best donair.

Day 1: Toronto to Montreal

Approximately 543 kilometres (or six hours)

The Big Apple
262 Orchard Rd., Colborne, ON

Who can resist a 12-metre-tall red apple with a goofy grin? “Mr. Applehead” may be the beloved photo op here, but the real reason to stop is to load up at the kitschy market, which has been churning out everything apple since 1987. Food trucks dispense treats outside, and littles—and their already-exhausted parents—will appreciate the free petting zoo, carousel, mini golf and kiddie train that chugs around the property.

Thousand Islands Boat Museum
125 Water St., Gananoque, ON

Take a 30-minute spin on the St. Lawrence River around the pretty Thousand Islands in a vintage mahogany boat or aboard Little Toot, the museum’s steel tugboat. If you’d rather stay landlocked, you can get your nautical fix by checking out the museum’s handsome collection of antique boats, which includes a skiff putt from 1890.

Related: From Toronto to Tofino With Love—Our epic seven-day road trip across the country

Boutique Pop-up VerdunLuv
3804 Wellington St., Verdun, QC

A wander through Promenade Wellington (or “la well”) in Verdun is a time-honoured way to rack up cool points, especially during the annual car-free summers. Score indie products from Quebec brands at this popular pop-up that highlights a different local company or gallery every month. The 2026 vendors haven’t been announced, but brands that have set up shop in the past include Bkind (vegan, eco-conscious skin care), Selfish Swimwear and Bref Gallery Boutique (cool design-y gifts).

Related: Ten new restaurants, bars and cafés that are worth the drive to Hamilton

Restaurant Beba
3900 Éthel St., Verdun, QC

This snug Iberian Italian neighbourhood joint has landed both Michelin recognition and a coveted spot on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The menu changes weekly, but expect clever dishes like lightly marinated mackerel on crusty sesame bread smothered in garlic and horseradish butter or octopus with oyster and pancetta, all complemented by a hearty selection of natural wines.

Day 2: Montreal

Chez Greenberg 5159 Park Ave., Montreal, QC

Jake Greenberg’s great-grandparents ran a hotel-restaurant in Sainte-Agathe from 1946 to 1986. After turning his dad’s smoked salmon recipe into a booming Covid side-hustle, Greenberg has followed in their footsteps. He’s slinging latkes, knish poutine, and of course, lox and schmear bagels at this hip ode to Zaidie’s kitchen.

La Librairie D&Q
176 Bernard St. W., Montreal, QC

Fans of comics and graphic novels can make a pilgrimage to this cozy temple of cartooning from iconic publisher Drawn and ­Quarterly. This is the place to stock up on all the latest offerings from an international coterie of masters of the form including Moomin creator Tove Jansson and Canadian Jillian Tamaki. There’s a well-curated selection of fiction and non-­fiction and a robust assortment of less-edgy graphic novels for kids.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
1380 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, QC

Come for the rotating ­exhibitions—2026’s roster includes shows from famed fashion photographer Richard Avedon and a solo show by Montreal native Allison Katz—but stay for the impressive permanent collections. A brutalist pavilion houses one of North America’s largest decorative arts assemblages, which includes everything from a bright-yellow Bombardier Ski-Doo to an eye-popping collection of modernist chairs.

Rôtisserie La Lune
391 Saint-Zotique St. E., Montreal, QC

Can’t get into the famous Vin Mon Lapin? This casual bistro from the same team focuses on a simpler menu with elevated takes on Quebec rotisserie dinners. Perfectly spit-roasted poultry (chicken or duck) is accompanied by classic sides like crispy fries and coleslaw and bookended by a snappy selection of appetizers and desserts. Save room for a door-stopping slice of the famous carrot cake.

Day 3: Montreal to Quebec City

Approximately 260 kilometres (or three hours)

The Battlefields Park 835 Wilfrid-Laurier Ave., Quebec, QC

Even if you don’t give a toss about the whole Wolfe versus Montcalm beef, this grand urban park encompassing the Plains of Abraham is a wonderful free hangout zone with walking trails, summertime music at the bandstand, public art, the epic Joan of Arc Garden and miles of green space for easy picnicking. And if you’re here for military history, you’ll find it in spades at both the Plains of Abraham Museum and the nearby Citadelle of Quebec, which has some features—such as the footprint of a rampart—dating back to 1693.

Pub L’Oncle Antoine
29 Saint-Pierre St., Quebec, QC

This charming 18th-­century brick cellar turned tavern serves one of the best French onion soups in town, and the fireplace, cozy vaulted ceilings and stone walls really bring the “old” in Old Quebec to your dining experience. The drinks selection features Quebec craft beers, including offerings from micro­brasseries like Le Castor. Try some Caribou—an especially boozy French Canadian mulled wine ­concoction—or something from the entire menu section dedicated to getting “drunk with a coffee.”

Old Quebec

Old Quebec is admittedly a tourist trap, but it’s one of the most delightful kinds, where you can wander the pretty cobblestoned streets for days. La Boutique de Noël de Québec (47 Buade St.) takes year-round Christmas obsession to the next level with a mind-boggling collection of ornaments, decor, tableware, collectible Christmas villages and knick-knacks. Artisans Canada (30 Côte de la Fabrique) is packed with homegrown brands including cozy fur hats and mitts from Audet Furs, illustrated stationery by Geneviève Andersen and colourful artisanal soaps from Mambo Coco.

Restaurant Tanière
7 Don-de-Dieu St., Quebec, QC

Only two restaurants in Canada have two Michelin stars, and this gastronomic laboratory nestled in the historic vaults of the Petit Champlain district is one of them. Chef and co-owner François-Emmanuel Nicol is focused—some might say fixated—on elevating local terroir, working exclusively with Quebec farms, producers and foragers to create his unusual 12-to-18-course tasting menus that feature lesser-known local ingredients. Think pickled matsutake slices, sunflower cream, Quebec Wagyu tataki, morels, wild rose and roasted onions. Be sure to book ahead—reservations get snapped up months in advance.

Day 4: Quebec City to Saint John

Approximately 690 kilometres (or seven hours)

Hartland Covered Bridge
365 Main St., Hartland, NB

Pull over for some classic Canadian Instagram bait at the longest covered bridge in the world. New Brunswick is famous among bridge enthusiasts (they exist!) for having the country’s largest collection of these charming rustic enclosed ones. This baby, which opened in 1901 and clocks in at nearly 400 metres, is the crown jewel.

New Brunswick Botanical Garden
15 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., Edmundston, NB

If the weather is warm, take a refreshing tiptoe through the tulips (and roses, rhododendrons and peonies) at the 12 themed gardens across more than 20 acres. Cheeky topiary sculptures, comfortable walking paths and multiple benches along the way make this an ideal place to stretch your legs. From May to August, grab lunch during the week or brunch on the weekend at Café Flora before you get back on the road.

Area 506 Container Village
85 Water St., Saint John, NB

You can easily lose an afternoon wandering among the nearly 40 refurbished shipping containers in this seasonal waterfront mini city. Pick up cute Maritime stickers, keychains, magnets and pins at Memory Made Gifts. The burgers at Big D’s Smash Box were voted the best in the province two years in a row. Adorable Chocolat, from Shediac, New Brunswick, is here with their haul of artisanal treats. And the Docks Container Lounge specializes in dispensing local craft brews that you can sip while taking in a glorious view of the harbour. Visit Graffiti Alley to check out murals and public art installations by international street artists, including Ledania (Colombia) and Eelco (the Netherlands).

Day 5: Saint John to Lunenburg

Approximately 235 kilometres (or four and a half hours, including the ferry)

Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises
223 Water St., Westport, NS

The area around Digby and its peninsula is one of the best places in the world for whale-watching. Its unique geography features a deep V-shaped underwater canyon close to the shore that draws in a diverse collection of marine mammals, including humpbacks, finbacks and dolphins. Plus, the constant churn of the Bay of Fundy’s famously high tides turns the waters here into a whale’s dream of all-you-can-eat plankton, krill and herring. You can also cut down your time behind the wheel by taking a relaxing car ferry from Saint John to Digby. Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises has been running tours for more than 40 years and offers either a faster, wetter ride on a Zodiac, where you’re more likely to spot some pods, or a more civilized cruise on a 50-foot Cape Island–style boat, where you’re more likely to spot a washroom and a comfortable seat.

Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
3005 Main Parkway, Maitland Bridge, NS

Kejimkujik is a gorgeous protected forest packed with lakes and trails. It’s also ­hallowed ground to the Mi’kmaw people, who have called this region home for thousands of years. The skies above Keji were designated a Dark-Sky Preserve in 2010, which makes this an epic spot for stargazing. You can rent a kit that includes binoculars, a red light and reference materials, or pull up a camping chair for the Stories of the Stars program (included with park admission), where local Indigenous guides share traditional tales about the constellations.

Lightship Brewery
93 Tannery Rd., Lunenburg, NS

This craft brewery and taproom, built on the site of a former shipyard across the harbour from the Old Town, has a postcard-perfect view of Lunenburg’s colourful waterfront houses and, when it’s in port, the famous schooner Bluenose II. Beer nerds will go gaga for Lightship’s list of small-batch beers. (If you know what “noble hops” are, this place is for you.) Brave souls can consider booking the 14-seat party bike guided tour, in which tipsy riders pedal through Lunenburg.

Day 6: Lunenburg to Halifax

Approximately 98 kilometres (or one hour)

Old Town Lunenburg

The colourful swaths of 18th- and 19th-century wooden buildings that make up the bulk of Lunenburg’s historic heart were designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1995. While the waterfront and Montague and King Streets are the main drags, you can walk the entirety of Old Town in about two hours, so it’s worth it to dip into the less well-trodden bits too, especially if you have an architecture buff in tow.

Dory Mates Seafood Shop
242 Lincoln St., Lunenburg, NS

This family-run fish market and café is a classic Lunenburg stop to load up on extra fresh seafood to cook back at Ye Olde Airbnb. Or opt to eat in for house-made classics in the easy, breezy dining room. Soups, chowders and seafood specials rotate daily, but their most famous dish, fish cakes with molasses beans, is always on the menu. The storefront doubles as a cute boutique hawking nautical-themed gifts.

HW WoolWorks Studio
92 Keddy Bridge Rd., Mahone Bay, NS

This knitting, quilting and spinners’ mecca is one of many indie boutiques dotting the scenic streets of Mahone Bay. Most, including Amos Pewter and one of Canada’s oldest gift shops, the Teazer, are clustered around Edgewater and Main Streets, and you can zip through them in about an hour.

Shore Club Lobster Supper
250 Shore Club Rd., Hubbards, NS

This summer will mark the 90th anniversary of this popular family-owned restaurant and dance hall, the site of what’s often dubbed Nova Scotia’s original lobster supper. Come hungry, because every entrée served up in this casual barn-style joint comes with a pound of mussels, an all-you-can-eat salad bar (and by “salad” they mean creamy coleslaw and potato), and blueberry shortcake. If you’re there on a Saturday, stay until the tables get cleared to hear live music for the full Shore Club experience before making the 35-minute drive to Halifax for the night.

Day 7: Halifax

Mystic
1723 Lower Water St., Halifax, NS

The World Culinary Awards named this Halifax spot North America’s best new restaurant in 2025, and it’s not surprising when you reel off the international pedigree of the cooks at the helm. Chef de cuisine Malcolm Campbell and executive chef Bill Osborne have created a sensory trip through the Maritimes with three eight-course tasting menus: Fauna (meat-focused), Biota (seafood-forward) and Discovery (surprise!). Each takes diners on a Nova Scotia–inspired culinary journey using local ingredients, French techniques and dazzling creativity. If you can’t snag a reservation for the dining room, try a mini version of the experience by signing up for a bespoke cocktail-and-plate pairing.

The 7 Virtues Perfume Atelier
1709 Lower Water St., unit 106, Halifax, NS

The flagship boutique of this Halifax-based vegan perfume brand is less store, more immersive experience. Aspiring perfumers can sign up for a 45-minute workshop to create their own one-of-a-kind scents. The class starts by exploring a perfume wall with expert “alchemists” to identify which smells appeal most. Once you’ve selected your favourites from the blends—Cherry Ambition FTW—you use pipettes to mix your own concoction and design a custom label. It’s basically Build-a-Bear but smells much, much better.

King of Donair
6422 Quinpool Rd., Halifax, NS

It would be simply rude to visit Halifax and not partake of its official sandwich: a messy pile of spit-roasted beef topped with tomatoes and onions and smothered in a sugary white sauce made from sweetened condensed milk, vinegar and garlic powder, all wrapped in a pillowy pita.

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
1723 Hollis St., Halifax, NS

Folk-art fans flock here to visit the Maud Lewis exhibition, which includes the tiny painted home the outsider artist used as both a studio and a canvas for more than 30 years. But there are lots of other things to see at the largest gallery in the Atlantic provinces, including works from beloved Maritime artists like Alex Colville and Tom Forrestall. Don’t miss Kent Monkman’s gorgeous, haunting 7.3-metre-wide painting Miss Chief’s Wet Dream.