Best route: Chicago to Newfoundland

Canadian Campers checking in, re. little Kopit's comments above.

If I was going from Chicago, I would definitely NOT cross at Detroit or Port Huron, unless you are just looking to get from Point A to Point B quickly... From Detroit/Windsor, to pretty far down Hwy 401, you'd be dealing with huge traffic etc etc. Having said that, for some, Toronto is a main tourist attraction and offers tremendous things to see/do. I'm just not a huge fan of the traffic or the city (unless the Blue Jays are involved).

I would travel up the east coast of Lake Michigan, Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore is gorgeous, Traverse City, Petosky, Macinaw City, side trip to Mackinac Island (we camped on the north side of the bridge, in St. Ignace) cross the border at Sault Ste. Marie and head east from there, following the routes and tourist info provided in other posts including Science North and Dynamic Earth and the Big Nickel in Sudbury.

We're headin East on June 19th, and will be crossing central Ontario to visit my mother in Trenton, Ontario and heading east from there... Gaspe Peninsula for several days and catching the ferry to Newfoundland on July 1st.

As for booking your ferry, you can check the Marine Atlantic website for availability and prices for any given day.

doublev wrote:

Little Kopit wrote:
No I'd drive to see the west coast of Lake Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa area, Montreal, Quebec City, Gaspe, and over. 1000 km from eastern side of Quebec to ferry at N. Sydney, NS, but you can see lots of interesting places along the way.

Very nice route. It is definitely longer but seems much more enjoyable...

Is west coast of lake michigan worth the detour or should i just take I75 up? I have been to milwaukee and dont recall the drive being anything special along the lake.

Any issues with a tall and heavy MH on the roads past Sault Ste. Marie? I cannot even find a road on google maps. maybe i need to just wing it when I get there.

If we want to come back through Quebec, go to maine, niagra falls -- any recommendations on where in maine to stop and visit or the route to take? not sure if vermont has anything worth stopping by to see?

I was through there last summer, Sault to Ottawa, with a one day detour down to Manitoulin Is. They have changed a lot of it since 2004, (worked that area in the 70s). Many fewer towns to drive through, thus, in some ways less scenic. Much of Manitoulin was very like it was in the 70s.

BTW member, Canadian Campers, live in that part of the world.

Re. west side of lake Michigan last passed through in 2004. But ye know, I've this online rv friend who puts his camper van on GPS outfit which shows the shortest route. He says he likes to take those routes, they may be more winding, but they are always interesting.

Is Vermont like to have anything to see. Me son, is sure does. Vermont and New Hampshire have Appalachian mountains. Give yourself a day on foot at some place the current locals suggest. Part of Maine I loved when living in Montreal, road called 'Aaron Burr Trail'.

That coast north of Ellsworth is slow, but relaxing. Lots of rocky shores and fishing centers. Mainland is Maine, offshore islands are New Brunswick. Campobello, Deer Is., Grand Manan. Grand Manan population more than doubles in the summer. Fundy tides.

Report back, s.v.p.

Ferry to NL reservation, call them and ask what's going, but maybe a week ahead July, Aug. More of a must for public holidays, ie., July 1, 1st weekend in Aug., Labour Day..... CA TKSgiving.

:B

Any issues with a tall and heavy MH on the roads past Sault Ste. Marie? I cannot even find a road on google maps. maybe i need to just wing it when I get there.

If your rig is taller and heavier than a semi-trailer truck, or a Greyhound bus, then yes, you will have issues:) Better check your settings on Google maps or check out GPS maps....better yet use google Earth and go to street view for any and all roads you plan to travel....not too much you can't see actual pictures of....

MudChucker wrote:

Book your ferry ride in advance and stay at the camp ground in Sydney for a couple days to unwind.

Is booking ferry in advance mandatory? Is it OK for us to book 3 days in advance? I think we will know when we are 3 days away (i guess as we get moving we will know when we are a week away too)...

Just want to make sure you are suggesting we book days in advance and not a month?

Little Kopit wrote:
No I'd drive to see the west coast of Lake Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa area, Montreal, Quebec City, Gaspe, and over. 1000 km from eastern side of Quebec to ferry at N. Sydney, NS, but you can see lots of interesting places along the way.

Very nice route. It is definitely longer but seems much more enjoyable...

Is west coast of lake michigan worth the detour or should i just take I75 up? I have been to milwaukee and dont recall the drive being anything special along the lake.

Any issues with a tall and heavy MH on the roads past Sault Ste. Marie? I cannot even find a road on google maps. maybe i need to just wing it when I get there.

If we want to come back through Quebec, go to maine, niagra falls -- any recommendations on where in maine to stop and visit or the route to take? not sure if vermont has anything worth stopping by to see?

re, visiting Quebec;

If you don't speak French you are despised in many places.

That's just not so!

... Eric

bsinmich wrote:
I avoid Quebec since my last experience there. If you don't speak French you are despised in many places.

S'il vous plait, Take an interest and the Quebecois won't think you such a snob!!!!!!!!

I've been treated as if I am God's gift to Canada by les Quebecois, and I can assure you that it is because I speak some French. I don't pretend to know it all, but I ask about what I need to know and I do so with what French I have. As I said this shows I have made an effort to learn.

For example, when I did my trans Labrador and Quebec highway 389 trip and I took the tours of the hydro electric dams, Manic V and Manic II, les Quebecois came to me and asked me 'could we manage to go to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, etc. and get by everywhere, not just the French speaking areas'?

:C

I question going to Canada quick from Chicago. You will have to go through Michigan to get to Ontario quickly. There is a lot more on the East (Michigan) side of Lake Michigan. We have sand dunes all the way from Indiana to the Sleeping Bear Dunes Nat. Lakeshore, See Mackinac Island, and then cross to Canada at Sault Ste. Marie. Sudbury has Science North and the nickel mine, Petawawa has a large military museum (free) Pembroke has murals on any vacant wall in downtown. Renfrew has Rocky Mountain Schnitzel House for a great meal. Ottawa is the National capital with museums, changing of the guard at Parliament Hill, and all the Embassies. I avoid Quebec since my last experience there. If you don't speak French you are despised in many places. I have been to most provinces in Canada and been treated great in all of the rest. If you enjoy lobster you will find many great places by small creeks and rivers with reasonable lobster meals. My daughter had lobster for 5 meals in a row, including breakfast. I want to get to Newfoundland myself but haven't been able to put together enough time, I have only been retired 23 years and it is rough to get time.
Last week I was in Algonquin Prov. Park and saw 2 moose in daytime. They are definitely a road hazard worth watching for. If you hit a deer your car is getting damaged. If you hit a moose someone is going to a hospital.

Howdy!

One thing to consider is the cost of fuel on the Canadian side, if that matters to you. I always feel like I gotten a pay raise when visiting Canada and crossing back into the US.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

I wouldn't go MudChucker's route, never in a 100 million years. Too heavily populated that way, much to heavy.

No I'd drive to see the west coast of Lake Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa area, Montreal, Quebec City, Gaspe, and over. 1000 km from eastern side of Quebec to ferry at N. Sydney, NS, but you can see lots of interesting places along the way.

Then coming back you take the ferry across to Blanc Sablon and across Labrador then down Quebec, 389 see links in my signature for my Labrador trip. The difference is that the Trans Labrador Highway was completed in 2009. Then you go along the north shore of the St. Lawrence

See, there are 2 sides to the St. Lawrence River.

& BTW Gros Morne National Park in comparison to Cabot Trail is 1000 to 1.

You did say you have lovely amounts of time didn't you? So much to see and do.

:B

& btw, did cross continent last late summer to early fall and picked up t'other sea at Skagway, AK. One route going, ie. up by Saguenay then to Timmons and over to Thunder Bay and worked north so as to pick up Hay River, NWT then back and over to Yukon. Yeah, a bit north. Had Tyrrell Dinosaur Museum as MUST SEE. Right about that. Lots more, 'course. Don't let anyone say Canadian side has more expensive gas. When are you likely to have the chance? Haven't finished photos... drat.