4 Canadian roadtrips with a luxury twist

O Canada! She’s a beauty but she’s besides astatine your convenience. Hop successful your car, purpose nan GPS northbound and you’ve sewage an world trip.

But wherever to go? We tapped Lonely Planet’s Caroline Trelfer to connection immoderate prestigious destination dupes that sub successful for a fewer of our favourite summertime escapes this broadside of nan border.

Swap nan North Fork for Niagara-on-the-Lake

Drive clip from NYC: About 7 hours.

Vibe: Small municipality Victoriana.

What to expect: This breezily charming, retro-accented mini municipality anchors 1 of Canada’s champion vino regions and comes complete pinch slayer waterfront perches.

Mark connected a map: Niagara-on-the-Lake sits correct connected nan separator pinch America, conscionable crossed nan stream from Youngstown.

Where to stay: Embrace nan maximalist 19th-century vibe of nan municipality by staying astatine nan historical Prince of Wales hotel. pinch wood-paneled walls and overstuffed chairs. Or, opt for nan riverfront Harbour House Hotel, which has a superb spa.

What to do: There are much than 100 wineries here, each specializing successful cool ambiance varietals truthful return your prime (book a circuit pinch nan Winery Guys truthful you tin really indulge). “This is 1 of nan fewer places successful nan world known for crystal wine, made pinch grapes picked and pressed respective months aft nan first harvest while they’re still stiff successful December aliases January,” said Trelfer. Once you’ve sobered up, caput retired to nan Shaw Festival, named aft George Bernard, which runs done nan summertime and autumn drafting a 4th cardinal folks each year. One item for 2025: Cole Porter’s classic “Anything Goes.”

Where to eat & drink: Pick up a Canadian-style, crunchy-topped food tart astatine nan Niagara Home Bakery, Trelfer added, but beryllium down for supper astatine Treadwell Cuisine, a high-end farm-to-table spot pinch a superb locally skewing vino list. “The champion worth is nan three-course meal tasting menu, pinch aliases without pairings,” she said, which starts astatine $84 per person.

Need to know: It’s location to North America’s oldest play club, a nine-holer connected nan shores of Lake Ontario established precisely 150 years agone — and unfastened to nan nationalist for tee time.

Swap nan Adirondacks for nan Laurentians

Drive clip from NYC: Around 9 hours.

Vibe: Canuck state living.

What to expect: This is simply a wintertime skis destination that’s much than appealing successful summertime and fall, pinch much than 16 parks and reserves successful nan region. “They’re known for rolling hills, thousands of fresh-water lakes and cozy log-cabin chalets,” said Trelfer.

Mark connected a map: Val David is nan location hub.

Where to stay: The 7 minimalist A-frame cabins astatine Farouche Tremblant are embedded successful a 135-acre forest, allowing complete earthy immersion, positive there’s a mini Nordic workplace connected nan spot for locavores.

What to do: Bike a agelong of nan 140-mile Le P’tit Train du Nord, a one-time railway statement turned activity way aliases caput to nan Mont Tremblant skis resort, which is quilted pinch biking trails extracurricular skis season. Parc National du Mont-Tremblant features 400 lakes and six rivers, and is nan perfect spot for a hike aliases 2 amid uncommon metallic maples and reddish oaks.

Where to eat & drink: Come for a Quebecois specialty astatine meal aliases luncheon astatine nan 80-year-old diner, Au Petit Poucet — effort nan maple-smoked ham, or pouding chômeur, a syrup-drenched breadstuff pudding. Make judge to walk a summertime evening connected nan terrace astatine nan Archibald Microbrewery.

Need to know: The Laurentian peaks are astatine a overmuch little mean elevation than nan Adirondacks, priming them for families and much amateur outdoorsy types. Try a beginner way astatine Via Ferrata du Diable.

Swap Cape Cod for Andrews-by-the-Sea

Drive clip from NYC: Eight-and-a-half hours to Calais, Maine, past 20 minutes complete nan border.

Vibe: Newer New England.

What to expect: This is Old Country, and overmuch of nan area has remained untampered pinch for centuries. “It retains nan look of an 18th-century British assemblage settlement, pinch galore buildings from nan 18th and 19th hundreds of years intact,” said Trelfer.

Mark connected a map: St. Andrews is nan guidelines for exploring nan full peninsula.

Where to stay: Most rooms astatine the Treadwell Inn successful nan bosom of municipality person backstage balconies, nan perfect perch to beryllium retired and watch nan bay. Otherwise, effort nan much resort-like Algonquin — its red-roofed, mock Tudor creation inspired Stephen King’s explanation of nan Overlook Hotel in “The Shining” after he stayed there.

What to do: There are whale-watching cruises from June to October, leaving from marketplace wharf, aliases you tin simply stroll down nan gift shop-lined Water Street. Visit nan painstakingly restored octagonal Pendlebury Lighthouse, too, making love backmost to nan 1830s. Given nan town’s name, you’d expect superb play here, and indeed, location are plentifulness of courses nearby, including an award-winning 1 astatine nan Algonquin.

Where to eat & drink:  Grab seafood chowder aliases a grilled lobster sandwich astatine nan Niger Reef Tea House, past comparison nan look pinch nan aforesaid chowder astatine nan Gables. Expect a creamy, shellfish-packed crockery astatine both.

Need to know: The waters present emergence and autumn dramatically, meaning there’s a awesome quality erstwhile tide is successful aliases out. The style of Passamaquoddy Bay, and nan tidal resonance, mean they emergence and autumn 28 feet aliases truthful doubly each day.

Swap nan Hamptons for Prince Edward County, Ontario

Drivetime from NYC: Around seven-and-a-half hours.

Vibe: Maple syrup meets Norman Rockwell

What to expect: Think nan East End of nan 1960s aliases ’70s, an artsy enclave wherever nan main entreaty is vineyards, crafts breweries and high-end thrift stores.

Mark connected a map: Look for nan towns of Picton, Bloomfield, and Wellington.

Where to stay: One awesome infinitesimal present was nan opening of an outpost of nan Toronto hipster hub the Drake hotel 10 years agone (many locals mention to life “before nan Drake” and “after nan Drake”). It brought a renewed power to nan area and is still nan premier perch. Otherwise, effort a cottage astatine nan Lake connected nan Mountain Resort.

What to do: Trelfer’s extremity for nan beaches astatine Sandbanks Provincial Park present is crucial. “You request a day-use reservation,” she said, which tin beryllium booked 5 days successful beforehand via nan parkland website, “It’s recommended, particularly for engaged summertime weekends.” The champion family formation is Outlet, though you’ll apt skip nan crowds heading to Lakeshore. The celebrated dunes present are, of course, astatine Dunes Beach.

Where to eat & drink: Scarf caller oysters connected nan lakeside astatine nan Sand and Pearl Oyster Bar and effort immoderate earthy wines astatine Stella’s Eatery. Make judge to carve retired clip for a vino tasting tour, though, and cheque nan Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association website to scheme nan champion way for you (Hillier is simply a awesome starting point)

Need to know: The beaches present tin beryllium rocky alternatively than universally sandy, arsenic they’re connected a lake, truthful bring waterproof shoes.