Gujju Diary

Canada and the USA

Canada & USA/Florida (Part-1)

Two countries, two very different halves: museums, basilicas and Niagara’s roar in Canada, then sunshine, rockets and theme parks in Florida.

May 2018

Duration
18 days, 17 nights
Season
May, late spring
Driving
About 2,000 km in Canada
Getting around
Car and four flights
Stays
Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Niagara, Florida

The route

We stayed with family in Toronto, drove a loop through Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec, spent a night at Niagara Falls, then flew to Miami for the Florida Keys and Orlando before heading home via Toronto.

Canada

  1. Toronto 3 nights with family
  2. Ottawa 2 nights
  3. Montreal 2 nights, day trip to Quebec
  4. Quebec City day trip
  5. Niagara Falls 1 night

Flight from Toronto to Miami

Florida

  1. Miami 1 night
  2. Key West 1 night
  3. Kennedy Space Center day trip
  4. Orlando 5 nights

Flights home via Charlotte, Toronto and Mumbai

How the trip went

If you only read one part of this page, read this. The full day-by-day table is below it.

Days 1–3
Toronto

Starting with family in Toronto

After a long flight via Brussels we landed in Toronto at lunchtime and stayed with family, which made the first days easy. Day two covered the classics: the Royal Ontario Museum, the CN Tower, a boat ride on Lake Ontario from Harbourfront, Sugar Beach and Nathan Phillips Square.

On day three we squeezed in the Ontario Science Centre, the Aga Khan Museum and the Distillery District before driving 450 km east to Ottawa in the evening.

Draft note for Manan: the CN Tower view, or the first evening with family.

Days 4–7
Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City

Capital, cathedrals and a walled city

Ottawa is all grand government buildings and museums: Parliament Hill, Rideau Hall, the Mint, the space museum and the Diefenbunker, a Cold War bunker you can walk through.

Montreal felt European. We took a horse carriage around the Notre-Dame Basilica and Old Montreal, and the next day drove to Quebec City for Montmorency Falls and an open-top bus around the old town. Mount Royal, Habitat 67 and the Biosphère filled our last Montreal morning before the long drive back to Toronto.

Days 8–9
Niagara Falls

Niagara, up close

Niagara Falls is every bit as loud and wet as promised. We stayed the night at a bed and breakfast near the falls, with outlet shopping and a safari park filling the rest of the time.

The next evening we flew from Toronto to Miami.

Draft note for Manan: the first view of Niagara.

Days 10–11
Key West

South to the Keys

From Miami we drove the Overseas Highway, island after island, to Key West, and stayed near Duval Street. The next day was the long drive north to Orlando.

Days 12–18
Orlando and home

Rockets and roller coasters

Orlando was the finale: the Kennedy Space Center, a full day at Universal Studios and two days at Walt Disney World.

Then a long journey home: Orlando to Charlotte to visit friends, Charlotte to Toronto the same night, and Toronto to Mumbai, with an early flight on to Ahmedabad.

Draft note for Manan: Disney or the space centre: which was the bigger hit?

 

Day-by-day itinerary

Distances and drive times are the ones we planned with. Optional extras are highlighted like this.

Day Route and travel Sightseeing Stay Distance
Canada
Day 1 Fly from Mumbai via Brussels, reach Toronto (1 pm) Rest after the long flight Staying with family, Toronto Flight
Day 2 Toronto Royal Ontario Museum, CN Tower, Harbourfront Centre and a Lake Ontario boat ride, Sugar Beach, Nathan Phillips Square Staying with family, Toronto
Day 3 Toronto, then evening drive to Ottawa (4.5 h) Ontario Science Centre, Brookfield Place, Aga Khan Museum, Distillery District, Eaton Centre Residence and Conference Centre, Ottawa 450 km
Day 4 Ottawa Parliament Hill, Rideau Hall, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Royal Canadian Mint, Notre-Dame Basilica, Jacques Cartier Park, Diefenbunker Haunted Walk of Ottawa Residence and Conference Centre, Ottawa
Day 5 Ottawa to Montreal (2 h) Notre-Dame Basilica, horse-carriage ride around Old Montreal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Apartment near downtown Montreal 200 km
Day 6 Day trip to Quebec City (2 h 45 m each way) Montmorency Falls, open-top bus tour of Old Quebec Apartment near downtown Montreal 520 km return
Day 7 Montreal, then drive to Toronto (5.5 h) Mount Royal, Habitat 67, Old Port, Parc Jean-Drapeau and the Biosphère Olympic Stadium Staying with family, Toronto 550 km
Day 8 Toronto to Niagara Falls The falls, factory outlet shopping, safari park Somewhere In Time B&B, Niagara Falls Car
Day 9 Niagara Falls, evening flight Toronto to Miami Visiting family, a last look at the falls Miami Flight
Florida
Day 10 Miami to Key West Down the Overseas Highway to the Keys Duval Street area, Key West Car
Day 11 Key West to Orlando Last morning in the Keys, long drive north Orlando Car
Day 12 Orlando Kennedy Space Center Orlando
Day 13 Orlando Universal Studios Orlando
Day 14 Orlando Walt Disney World Orlando
Day 15 Orlando Walt Disney World Orlando
Day 16 Orlando to Charlotte (8:30 am), evening flight to Toronto Visiting friends near Charlotte Toronto Flights
Day 17 Toronto to Mumbai (6:20 pm) On the plane Flight
Day 18 Land in Mumbai, early flight to Ahmedabad Flight

What has changed since our trip

  • Toronto: The Ontario Science Centre closed its original building in June 2024. A new home is planned at Ontario Place, so check what is open before you go.
  • Ottawa: Parliament’s Centre Block is closed for a multi-year renovation. Tours run in the other buildings.
  • Visas: Indian travellers need separate visas for Canada and the USA. Apply months ahead, as wait times can be long.
  • Prices: Those from 2018 are out of date, so we have left them out.

Last checked: November 2026

If you are planning this route

  • Keep the long drives for evenings. Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal to Toronto are 4.5 and 5.5 hours.
  • Stay at Niagara overnight. The falls are lit up after dark and the crowds thin out.
  • Book theme parks online. Arrive at opening time and plan the rides you want first.
  • Veg food in Toronto is easy. In Florida, plan around groceries and chain restaurants.
  • Old Montreal by horse carriage. Carriages wait outside the Notre-Dame Basilica and cover the old city.
  • Quebec City is a long day trip. Leave early; the open-top bus is the easiest way to see the old town.