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Parks Canada Discovery Pass — worth it for families
A family/group Discovery Pass covers unlimited entry to 80+ national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas for a full year. Cost: ~$145 for a family. Break-even is visiting 2–3 national parks (individual entry is $10–25/person). If you plan Banff + one other park, it pays for itself.
Buy Discovery Pass ↗
Before you go
Tips for Canadian family travel
Book early — really early
Ontario Parks campsites open 5 months ahead and sell out in minutes. Popular hotels near national parks in July/August book out 3–4 months in advance. Don't wing it.
Food that fits your taste — plan ahead
Every major Canadian city has diverse cuisine — Indian, Middle Eastern, East Asian, Caribbean, and more. Research food stops in advance for long drives. Rural stretches often have very limited variety — pack home-cooked food. Cities are always covered.
Fuel up before rural areas
Gas stations disappear fast once you leave the 400-series highways. Fill up before entering national parks, Cape Breton Highlands, Gaspé, or northern Ontario. Fuel costs significantly more in remote areas.
July–August is peak for a reason
The best weather window for most of Canada is Canada Day weekend (July 1) through Labour Day (first Monday of September). Outside this window, expect closures, cold evenings, and fewer services.
Parking in old cities
Quebec City, Old Montreal, and Halifax have limited parking in their historic cores. Research paid lots in advance. Arriving by 9am usually secures a spot; arriving after noon can mean 20-minute searches.
Drive distances are deceptive
Canada is enormous. Halifax to Cape Breton is 3.5 hours. Quebec City to Gaspé is 5 hours. Toronto to Ottawa is 4.5 hours. Always add 30–45 mins for kids, washroom stops, and food. Never plan more than 5–6 hours driving on a travel day with kids.
🍁 Ontario
Canada's most accessible province for family travel — world-class parks, Great Lakes, historic cities, and the most diverse food options of any Canadian province.
🍽️ Finding food that fits your taste: Ontario has Canada's most diverse food scene. Toronto (Scarborough, Brampton, Mississauga) has exceptional coverage of virtually every global cuisine — Indian, Tamil, Caribbean, East African, Filipino, and more. Ottawa has good diversity in the Glebe and Centretown areas. Beyond major cities, variety reduces quickly — bring packed food for rural stretches.
Ottawa — National Capital
1–2 days
Canada's capital is surprisingly great for families — world-class free museums, Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, and Byward Market all within easy walking distance.
- Canadian Museum of History (free for kids under 3)
- Parliament Hill — free tours, changing of the guard (summer)
- Rideau Canal — skating in winter, boat tours in summer
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum — kids love it
- Byward Market — food, souvenirs, lively atmosphere
- Gatineau Park — easy hikes, swimming, fall colours
From Cornwall: 45 minutes. Perfect day trip — no hotel needed. Or stay one night for a relaxed two-day experience.
Toronto + Niagara Falls
3–4 days
Combine Toronto's urban energy with Niagara — the two most visited destinations in Ontario, easily paired on a single trip.
- CN Tower — views are genuinely spectacular, book in advance
- Toronto Islands — ferry ride, beaches, skyline views
- Kensington Market / Distillery District — walkable, vibrant
- Niagara Falls — Hornblower boat tour gets you closest
- Niagara-on-the-Lake — charming historic town 20 min from Falls
- Scarborough and Brampton — exceptional diversity of global cuisines
Tip: Stay in Niagara for nights 2–3 — cheaper than Toronto hotels and the Falls are best in the evening when lit up.
Bruce Peninsula — Tobermory + Grotto
3–4 days
The most dramatic scenery in Ontario — turquoise Georgian Bay water, white cliff faces, and the famous Grotto sea cave. A genuine bucket-list Ontario experience.
- The Grotto (Bruce Peninsula NP) — pre-book parking at Cyprus Lake
- Indian Head Cove — stunning cliff views, accessible trail
- Flowerpot Island (ferry from Tobermory) — sea caves, lighthouse
- Inglis Falls near Owen Sound — beautiful stop en route
- Tobermory harbour — glass-bottom boat tours over shipwrecks
Season: Late June–August only. The Grotto trail closes October. Flowerpot Island ferry is seasonal — verify dates before booking.
Muskoka Lakes + Algonquin Park
3–5 days
The iconic "cottage country" of Ontario — lakes, forests, canoes, and loons. Algonquin is Canada's oldest provincial park and one of the best wildlife-watching destinations in eastern Canada.
- Algonquin Park — moose sightings along Highway 60 (especially dawn)
- Canoe Lake — beginner canoe routes, stunning scenery
- Huntsville — charming town with good restaurants
- Muskoka lakes — boat tours, swimming, waterfalls
- Fall colours — Algonquin peaks 1st–2nd week of October (world famous)
Best value: Book a cottage through VRBO or Airbnb rather than resort hotels — much more affordable for families and gives lake access.
Kingston + Thousand Islands
1–2 days
A beautiful and underrated stop between Cornwall and Toronto — historic limestone city with a stunning waterfront and the famous Thousand Islands archipelago just offshore.
- Kingston waterfront — Fort Henry, Market Square, excellent food
- Thousand Islands boat cruise — 1–3 hour tours, stunning scenery
- Boldt Castle (US side) — takes a passport, day trip from Kingston
- Kingston Penitentiary tours — fascinating Canadian history
From Cornwall: 1.5 hours west. Perfect stop between Cornwall and Toronto or on the return leg.
Long Sault Parkway — Local Camping
1–2 nights
The closest campsite to Cornwall — 15 minutes away along the St. Lawrence River. Perfect introduction to Canadian camping before attempting longer trips.
- McLaren Campground — family-friendly, electrical sites, beach
- Calm St. Lawrence swimming beach — ideal for young kids
- Causeway cycling — flat, beautiful, 2km island hops
- Sunset views over the river — genuinely beautiful
Note: Mille Roches Campground remains closed as of 2026 — McLaren is the active family campground. Book at ontarioparks.com.
⚜️ Quebec
Canada's most culturally distinct province — European architecture, French language, exceptional food, and landscapes ranging from dramatic fjords to the St. Lawrence coast.
🍽️ Finding food that fits your taste: Quebec City has diverse options — Indian, Middle Eastern, and halal restaurants around Rue Saint-Jean. Montreal has one of the most culturally diverse food scenes in Canada — Parc-Extension and NDG neighbourhoods have exceptional coverage of South Asian, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Rural Quebec (Gaspé, Charlevoix, Saguenay) has very limited variety — bring packed food for remote stretches.
⚠️ Our honest take — worth planning carefully
Quebec is best split into two separate trips
Quebec City + Montreal is a perfect 3-day road trip from Cornwall (doable as a long weekend). Gaspé + Tadoussac + Charlevoix is a completely different trip — wild, remote, coastal, and needs 5–7 dedicated days minimum. Trying to combine both into one trip means rushing both and enjoying neither. Our suggestion: Quebec City/Montreal first (any season), Gaspé coast as a dedicated summer adventure.
Quebec City
2 days
The most European city in North America — walled Old City, cobblestone streets, Château Frontenac, and stunning views over the St. Lawrence. 3.5 hours from Cornwall. A perfect family road trip.
- Château Frontenac — iconic, walkable, free to photograph from outside
- Terrasse Dufferin — boardwalk with spectacular river views
- Old Quebec Funicular — kids love it, connects Upper and Lower Town
- Petit-Champlain — charming lower town shopping district
- Montmorency Falls — 30 min from city, higher than Niagara, suspension bridge
- Plains of Abraham — large park, good for kids to run around
Parking tip: Use the top parking lot at Montmorency Falls (Stationnement Supérieur). In Old Quebec, book a hotel with parking included — street parking is nearly impossible.
Montreal
1–2 days
Canada's most culturally vibrant city — food scene, festivals, bilingual energy, and neighbourhoods that each feel like a different world. Combine with Quebec City for a 3-day road trip.
- Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) — cobblestone waterfront, Notre-Dame Basilica
- Mount Royal Park — easy walk up for city views, free
- Jean-Talon Market — best farmers market in Canada
- Biodôme + Insectarium (Olympic Park) — kids love it
- Parc-Extension and NDG — most diverse neighbourhood cuisine in Quebec
- Plateau-Mont-Royal — murals, cafés, neighbourhood walking
Combine with Quebec City: Drive Cornwall → Quebec City (Day 1–2) → Montreal (Day 3, stop for lunch and dinner) → Cornwall. A perfect 3-day weekend loop.
Mont-Tremblant
2–3 days
Quebec's premier four-season resort destination — ski resort in winter, outdoor adventure centre in summer, stunning fall colours in October. The pedestrian village is beautiful and family-friendly.
- Ski resort (winter) — one of eastern Canada's best mountains
- Gondola (summer/fall) — ride to summit for views over the Laurentians
- Village Piétonnier — car-free resort village, very family-friendly
- Parc National du Mont-Tremblant — hiking, swimming, canoeing
- Diable River — kayaking and tubing in summer
Combine with: Montreal (2 hrs away) for a 4–5 day trip covering both. Mont-Tremblant is better as a dedicated resort stay than a rushed day trip.
Tadoussac + Saguenay Fjord
2–3 days
One of the most dramatic landscapes in eastern Canada — a massive fjord cutting through ancient mountains, meeting the St. Lawrence at Tadoussac where beluga whales feed all summer.
- Whale watching (Tadoussac) — belugas year-round, blue whales in summer
- Saguenay Fjord National Park — kayaking, hiking, dramatic cliff scenery
- Cap Trinité — a 300m cliff face above the fjord, stunning viewpoint
- Chicoutimi — regional city with good food, base for fjord exploration
- Free ferry Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine — crosses where fjord meets river
Keep separate from Gaspé: Tadoussac is 5 hrs from Quebec City on the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Gaspé is on the south shore. Combining both in one trip requires 10+ days.
Gaspé Peninsula — Gaspésie
5–7 days
The wild, remote east end of Quebec — dramatic cliffs dropping into the St. Lawrence, moose on the highway, and the famous Percé Rock rising from the sea. This is a road trip destination, not a city break.
- Percé Rock — iconic 88m-tall limestone arch rising from the ocean
- Bonaventure Island — world's largest Northern Gannet colony, boat tour
- Forillon National Park — hiking, whale watching, historic fishing village
- Parc de la Gaspésie — moose, caribou, skiing at Mont-Albert
- Matapédia Valley — salmon river, beautiful Appalachian landscape
- Drive the coast — every headland reveals a new dramatic view
Do this as its own trip. The full Gaspé loop from Quebec City is 1,400km. Rushing it loses the point. Give it 5–7 days, stay in small inns, and drive slowly. Best in July–August.
Quebec travel tips for families
- Most tourist staff in Quebec City and Montreal speak English — don't worry about the language barrier. A simple "Bonjour/Hello" opens doors.
- Quebec has some of the best poutine in the world — kids almost universally love it (fries, cheese curds, gravy). A cultural must-try.
- Driving distances in Gaspé and Saguenay are longer than they look on a map — roads are winding and speeds are slower than Ontario highways.
- The ferry at Tadoussac (Baie-Sainte-Catherine to Tadoussac) is free but can have long waits in July/August — plan to arrive early or late.
⚓ Nova Scotia
Atlantic Canada's most accessible province — dramatic coastlines, the world-famous Cabot Trail, lobster culture, and a warmth that newcomers consistently describe as life-changing.
🍽️ Finding food that fits your taste: Halifax has a growing diverse food scene — Indian, Middle Eastern, and Asian restaurants are findable in the downtown core. Outside Halifax, variety drops significantly — bring packed food for the Cabot Trail and rural Nova Scotia. Atlantic seafood is world-class and widely celebrated — worth trying regardless of your usual preferences.
✈️ Worth the distance
Nova Scotia deserves a dedicated trip — don't rush it
Driving from Ontario (13+ hours) is possible but hard with kids. Flying to Halifax and renting a car is the better call for families. Give it at least 7 days — Halifax (2 days), South Shore (1–2 days), Cape Breton/Cabot Trail (3–4 days). The Cabot Trail alone justifies the trip.
Halifax
2 days
A compact, walkable, genuinely beautiful harbour city. More manageable for families than Toronto — everything is close, parking is easier, and the pace is relaxed.
- Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk — free, stunning, great food stalls
- Citadel National Historic Site — fort overlooking the city, kids love it
- Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 — powerful, relevant for newcomer families
- Public Gardens — free Victorian-era gardens, beautiful for walking
- Peggy's Cove — iconic lighthouse, 45 mins from Halifax, essential stop
- Maritime Museum of the Atlantic — Titanic artifacts, fascinating
Note for newcomer families: Pier 21 is where millions of immigrants arrived in Canada — deeply moving and personally relevant visit.
Cape Breton Island + Cabot Trail
3–4 days
One of the most scenic drives in the world — the Cabot Trail loops around the northern tip of Cape Breton through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with ocean on both sides and Celtic culture throughout.
- Cape Breton Highlands National Park — world-class hiking, moose sightings
- Skyline Trail — 9km trail ending at a cliff headland over the Gulf of St. Lawrence (sunset is unforgettable)
- Cabot Trail drive — plan 2 full days to drive and stop properly
- Baddeck — charming lakeside town, Alexander Graham Bell Museum
- Ingonish Beach — the most beautiful beach in Nova Scotia
- Celtic music — live sessions in local pubs most evenings in summer
Don't rush Skyline Trail: It's 2.5–3 hours return. Start by 3pm for sunset at the headland — one of the most memorable experiences in eastern Canada.
South Shore — Lunenburg + Mahone Bay
1–2 days
Nova Scotia's most photogenic coastline — colourful fishing villages, UNESCO-listed Lunenburg, and the three churches of Mahone Bay reflecting in the water.
- Lunenburg (UNESCO World Heritage) — most colourful town in Canada
- Mahone Bay — three church reflection, perfect photography stop
- Bluenose II — Canada's famous racing schooner, docked in Lunenburg
- Kejimkujik National Park — dark sky preserve, stunning canoeing
Easy 1-day loop from Halifax — Mahone Bay, then Lunenburg for lunch and the waterfront, back to Halifax by evening.
🏔️ British Columbia
Canada's most dramatic province — mountains meeting ocean, world-class skiing, ancient rainforests, and Vancouver as the most visually stunning major city in the country.
🍽️ Finding food that fits your taste: Metro Vancouver has the most diverse food scene in western Canada — Surrey, Abbotsford, and Burnaby have exceptional coverage of South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean cuisines. Vancouver's global food diversity rivals Toronto. Beyond the Lower Mainland, options thin out quickly — plan ahead for rural BC and the interior.
Vancouver + Victoria
4–5 days
Two of Canada's most beautiful cities — Vancouver with mountains and ocean, Victoria with its British charm and flower-lined harbour. Easily combined via BC Ferries.
- Stanley Park — 400-hectare old-growth park inside the city, seawall walk
- Capilano Suspension Bridge — kids love it (paid attraction)
- Granville Island Public Market — best food market in western Canada
- Whistler (2 hrs north) — summer gondola, mountain biking, hiking
- BC Ferries to Victoria — the ferry itself is an experience
- Victoria's Inner Harbour + Butchart Gardens — stunning floral gardens
Surrey and Burnaby for diverse cuisine: Some of the most authentic global cuisine in western Canada is found in Surrey and Burnaby — Indian, Filipino, Chinese, Caribbean and much more.
Whistler + Sea-to-Sky Highway
2–3 days
The Sea-to-Sky Highway (Hwy 99) from Vancouver to Whistler is one of the most spectacular drives in North America — mountains, ocean, waterfalls, and the resort village at the end.
- Shannon Falls — massive waterfall just off the highway, free
- Stawamus Chief — iconic granite monolith, hiking trails
- Whistler Peak 2 Peak Gondola — the world's longest free-span gondola
- Whistler Village — car-free, excellent restaurants, family-friendly
- Lost Lake (Whistler) — free swimming, trails, beach in summer
Best combined as an add-on to Vancouver (Day 3–4). The drive itself is the attraction — don't rush it.
🏔️ Alberta
The Rocky Mountains at their most accessible — Banff, Jasper, and the Icefields Parkway are among the most spectacular road trips on Earth. Worth the flight from Ontario.
Banff + Lake Louise + Icefields Parkway
5–7 days
The most iconic road trip in Canada — turquoise glacial lakes, snow-capped Rockies, and wildlife around every corner. This is a bucket-list trip for any Canadian family.
- Lake Louise — the most photographed lake in Canada, turquoise and dramatic
- Moraine Lake — even more stunning than Louise, must book shuttle in advance
- Icefields Parkway (93N) — 230km of the most spectacular mountain scenery on Earth
- Athabasca Glacier (Jasper) — walk on a glacier, guided ice walks available
- Banff townsite — charming mountain town, excellent restaurants
- Wildlife: elk in Banff townsite, bears along Icefields, bighorn sheep everywhere
Moraine Lake booking critical: The road to Moraine Lake requires a shuttle reservation from late June–early October. Book months in advance — it sells out in minutes of opening.
Jasper National Park
2–3 days
Less crowded than Banff but equally spectacular — bigger elk herds, darker skies (UNESCO Dark Sky Preserve), and the Athabasca Falls.
- Athabasca Falls — powerful waterfall, 10 min from townsite, free
- Maligne Canyon — dramatic slot canyon, easy walking tours
- Spirit Island (Maligne Lake) — iconic view, accessible by boat tour
- Northern Lights (fall/winter) — among the best viewing in Canada
- Elk in town — literally wander the streets of Jasper townsite
Combine with Banff via the Icefields Parkway — the 4-hour drive between them is the main attraction.
🌊 New Brunswick
The gateway to Atlantic Canada — the Bay of Fundy's world-record tides, bilingual culture, and rugged wilderness make it a natural stop on any Maritime road trip.
Bay of Fundy + Hopewell Rocks
1–2 days
The world's highest tides — up to 16 metres difference between high and low tide. At low tide you walk on the ocean floor between towering rock formations. At high tide the same formations are submerged to their necks.
- Hopewell Rocks — walk the ocean floor at low tide, watch it flood at high tide
- Fundy Trail Parkway — coastal hiking, waterfall views, suspension bridges
- Tide schedule planning — essential, tides shift ~50 min daily
- Whale watching (St. Andrews) — humpbacks and finbacks from July
Check tides before visiting: Plan your Hopewell Rocks visit around low tide — the walk on the ocean floor is the whole point. The Parks Canada website publishes the tide schedule.
🦞 Prince Edward Island
The smallest province, the warmest ocean swimming, and the most relaxed pace in Canada. Red sand beaches, lobster suppers, and Anne of Green Gables country.
PEI — The Island
3–4 days
Small enough to explore end-to-end in a few days — red sand beaches, lighthouse drives, lobster suppers in church halls, and the warmest swimming water on the east coast.
- Cavendish Beach (PEI National Park) — red sand, dunes, family-perfect
- Confederation Bridge — drive across the 13km bridge, stunning views
- Lobster suppers — church halls serve full dinners for ~$35/person (June–October)
- Anne of Green Gables Heritage Place (Cavendish) — kids enjoy the story
- Confederation Trail cycling — 470km converted rail trail, flat and paved
- Basin Head — "singing sands" beach, unique squeaking sand
Best combination: PEI + Nova Scotia as a 7–9 day Maritime loop — cross the Confederation Bridge, loop Cape Breton, return via ferry to Pictou NS or drive back through NB.
🧊 Newfoundland & Labrador
The most remote and most rewarding province — icebergs, puffins, Vikings, moose, and a Newfoundlander hospitality that will genuinely surprise you.
St. John's + Avalon Peninsula
3–4 days
Canada's most easterly city — colourful "Jellybean Row" houses, Signal Hill, and the most concentrated puffin colony accessible to visitors in North America at Cape St. Mary's.
- Signal Hill National Historic Site — where Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal
- Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve — 60,000 gannets and puffins, no boat needed
- Quidi Vidi Village — oldest fishing village in North America
- George Street — most bars per capita in North America, very lively
- Iceberg viewing — April–June from Signal Hill or ferry tours
Gros Morne National Park
3–4 days
A UNESCO World Heritage Site — ancient fjords, the Tablelands (orange lunar landscape from Earth's mantle), and some of the best hiking in eastern Canada.
- Western Brook Pond Fjord — boat tour inside a landlocked fjord, stunning
- The Tablelands — walk on Earth's exposed mantle, genuinely alien landscape
- Gros Morne Mountain — challenging but rewarding hike to the summit
- Green Point campground — camping right on the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Combine both: St. John's + Gros Morne as an 8–9 day NL trip is the standard recommendation. They're 700km apart — fly into one, out the other if budget allows.
🌾 The Prairies — Manitoba & Saskatchewan
Often overlooked, genuinely rewarding — polar bears in Churchill, dark sky preserves, the most remarkable northern lights in Canada, and an unhurried pace.
Churchill, Manitoba — Polar Bears
3–4 days
One of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences on Earth — polar bears gather on the shores of Hudson Bay each October/November waiting for the ice to form. A bucket-list trip unlike anything else in Canada.
- Polar bear viewing (October–November) — tundra buggy tours, bears up close
- Beluga whales (July–August) — 3,000+ belugas in the Churchill River estuary
- Northern Lights (November–March) — Churchill is in the auroral oval, incredible
- Churchill Wildlife Management Area — genuine subarctic wilderness
Cost and access: Churchill is remote — fly from Winnipeg (~1.5 hrs) or take VIA Rail (2 days). Polar bear season tours are expensive ($400–600/day) but unlike anything else you can do in Canada.
Riding Mountain NP + Winnipeg
3–4 days
Winnipeg is a culturally rich, underrated city — The Forks (historic junction of two rivers), the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and a vibrant arts scene. Riding Mountain National Park is 3 hours north.
- The Forks National Historic Site — markets, restaurants, river skating in winter
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights — powerful, world-class architecture
- Exchange District — historic warehouses turned galleries and restaurants
- Riding Mountain NP — black bear, elk, clear lakes, hiking trails
Sample Itineraries
Ready-to-use family trip plans with real cost estimates
Four different trips from a short weekend to a week away — all priced for a family of 4 driving from Eastern Ontario.
🏛️ Ottawa Weekend — 2 Nights
~$350–500 total (family of 4)
Day 1: Arrive by noon. Parliament Hill tours are free — book online 24h ahead. Evening at ByWard Market for dinner ($15–25/person).
Day 2: Canadian Museum of History ($15 adults / $12 kids) or Canada Science and Technology Museum ($10/person). Afternoon on NCC pathways along the Ottawa River — free.
Day 3: Morning at Rideau Hall grounds (free) or Bytown Museum. Drive home.
Day 2: Canadian Museum of History ($15 adults / $12 kids) or Canada Science and Technology Museum ($10/person). Afternoon on NCC pathways along the Ottawa River — free.
Day 3: Morning at Rideau Hall grounds (free) or Bytown Museum. Drive home.
💡 Cost breakdown: Hotel 2 nights: $120–160/night. Meals: ~$120. Museums: ~$50–60. Total: ~$370–500.
🌊 Thousand Islands + Kingston — 3 Nights
~$600–900 total (family of 4)
Day 1: Thousand Islands Boat Tour in Gananoque ($20–25 adults / $12 kids). Stay in Kingston.
Day 2: Fort Henry National Historic Site (free with Parks Canada pass). Kingston Penitentiary tour ($25/person) if age-appropriate.
Day 3: Frontenac Provincial Park — canoe rentals ($35–50/day), swimming, trails.
Day 2: Fort Henry National Historic Site (free with Parks Canada pass). Kingston Penitentiary tour ($25/person) if age-appropriate.
Day 3: Frontenac Provincial Park — canoe rentals ($35–50/day), swimming, trails.
💡 Cost breakdown: Hotel 3 nights: ~$350–450. Boat tour: ~$70. Meals: ~$150. Canoe rental: ~$45. Total: ~$615–715 with Parks pass.
🏔️ Quebec City Family Trip — 4–5 Nights
~$1,200–1,800 total (family of 4)
Drive from Cornwall ~3 hours. Old Quebec is a UNESCO World Heritage site — one of the most walkable family destinations in Canada. Plains of Abraham (free), Montmorency Falls (free outside, $10 parking), La Citadelle ($18 adults / $7 kids). Half-day at Aquarium du Québec ($26 adults / $14 kids) for younger kids.
💡 Cost breakdown: Hotel 4 nights (budget hotel near Old Quebec): ~$550–700. Meals: ~$250. Attractions: ~$100–150. Gas: ~$60. Total: ~$960–1,110.
🌊 Cape Breton Island — 7–8 Days (Road Trip)
~$2,500–3,500 total (family of 4)
Drive Truro/Halifax → Cape Breton Causeway → Cabot Trail loop (300km scenic drive, 2 days). Cape Breton Highlands National Park (free with Parks pass) — whale watching at Pleasant Bay ($50–65/adult), bald eagle sightings on the Cabot Trail. Baddeck (Alexander Graham Bell Museum, $9 adults).
💡 Cost breakdown: Gas (1,800km round trip): ~$280. Hotels 7 nights: ~$1,050–1,600. Meals: ~$450. Whale watching: ~$130. Total: ~$1,970–2,520 + Parks pass. Book accommodation 3+ months ahead in July–August — it sells out.