Avoiding Toronto bottlenecks

Moved from Roads and Routes to RVing in Canada for more input.

susseandchris wrote:

What is the best way of avoiding white-knuckle driving on our way to Muskoka?

Probably the two most important factors are a) avoid at all cost, peak traffic times, and b) if you're on vacation and out to enjoy your province, do it! Take a slightly circuitous route to avoid the worst of traffic and road conditions.

As to timing, mid-week travel means far less traffic, if you have to travel weekends, try getting a VERY early start. The few lost hours of sleep and lingering over your second coffee will be more than made up for by a calm smooth enjoyable drive. Besides, it's Canada, there's a Timmies every 5 minutes, you can still get your coffee.

For routes from where you are, I'd suggest you look at say going up to Guelph, on to Orangeville, to near Collingwood and then east on 26 and depending on traffic, maybe on up 12 to Waubaushene. By the time you get that far north the traffic on the 400 will be maneagable, even on a holiday weekend.

Lots of options, but they are all busy. 27 is not bad, north of Woodbridge and actually quite pleasant north of Nobleton (King Rd) until Barrie. Look at QEW to 403 in Oakville to 410 to Brampton, take Queen St (RR107 formerly Hy7) to 27 and then north.
Once you get north of Brampton on 410 it heads north west to Orangeville, with no easy connection to 27, (unless you know the backroads (GPS ???).
When we go from home (8kms from Hy27), to the Niagara area, we will take back roads to join up with 410/403 or even go further west to Trafalgar Rd or Guelph Line and then south. (the GPS suggests 400/401/427/QEW as the shortest and fastest). Traffic anywhere through Oakville/Mississauga/Brampton is bad anytime of day, but especially avoid rush hours.

Have a safe trip

Beverley and Ken