Where should I go to vacation in Eastern Canada’s six provinces?

Eastern Canada can pack a remarkable variety into a single trip. You could stand behind Niagara Falls in Ontario one week, and fall asleep beside an iceberg in Newfoundland the next. In between, there's the cobblestone charm of Québec City, the record-breaking tides of New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy, the Cabot Trail curling around Cape Breton in Nova Scotia and the warm red-sand beaches of Prince Edward Island. Six provinces, six distinct accents, six unique culinary scenes. Whether you're chasing festivals, foraged dinners, a quiet spa escape or a properly wild coastline, you’re certain to find the perfect place. Here's where to go in each province.

This is a vacation guide for any traveler to any of Eastern Canada’s six provinces: Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador. This guide outlines what to experience and do, how to relax, and what to eat in each province!

Quick facts

Ontario

• Big city fun: Toronto's multicultural festivals, Niagara Falls, Ottawa's Winterlude
• Outdoor adventures: Canoeing the Great Lakes, 1,100 miles of hiking trails, rafting and kayaking
• Retreat and relaxation: Holtz Spa in Ottawa, Grail Springs Retreat in Bancroft
• Foodie highlights: 7,500+ Toronto restaurants, ByWard Market, Essex County Wine Trail Ride

Québec

• Big city fun: Old Montréal's Notre-Dame Basilica and MTL Zipline, Québec City's European charm
• Outdoor adventures: 27 national parks, 3,700 miles of trails, fat biking, via ferrata
• Retreat and relaxation: Luxury hillside hideaways in Charlevoix, historic B&Bs in Bas-Saint-Laurent
• Foodie highlights: Gourmet driving routes, farm-fresh produce, craft ciders, celebrity chef restaurants

New Brunswick

• Big city fun: Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton, boardwalks in Bathurst
• Outdoor adventures: 1,400 miles of coastline, Bay of Fundy flowerpot rocks, whale watching
• Retreat and relaxation: St. Andrews-by-the-Sea cottages, spa packages at the Algonquin Resort
• Foodie highlights: Fiddleheads, Acadian specialties, Moncton's Wine Expo

Nova Scotia 

• Big city fun: Halifax Busker Festival, Celtic Colours Festival in Cape Breton
• Outdoor adventures: Surfing, sea kayaking, bluefin tuna fishing; 26 Cape Breton Highlands trails
• Retreat and relaxation: Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa, geodesic domes at Blue Bayou Resort
• Foodie highlights: Dining on the Ocean Floor; lobster, salmon and scallops; Annapolis Valley wines

Prince Edward Island

• Big city fun: Solar pedal bus tours of Charlottetown, axe-throwing at Chuck Hatchets
• Outdoor adventures: 90+ beaches, 25 golf courses, 23 provincial parks, PEI National Park
• Retreat and relaxation: Points East Coastal Drive, five-star retreats near Confederation Bridge
• Foodie highlights: Island Flavours Culinary Bootcamp, craft breweries, restaurants, food festivals

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Big city fun: St. John's unique shops, Quidi Vidi Brewing Company
• Outdoor adventures: 18,000 miles of coastline, kayaking, 8,000 shipwrecks to dive, winter snowmobiling
• Retreat and relaxation: Fogo Island Inn, 'Ome Sweet 'Ome luxury tents overlooking Iceberg Alley
• Foodie highlights: Raymonds, Mallard Cottage and Fogo Island Inn among Canada's 100 Best; Point Amour Lighthouse dining

Ontario: Water, wine and Winterlude

Big city fun

Stay in Toronto, Canada’s largest and most multicultural metropolis. Catch eye-opening experiences like the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, one of the largest cultural festivals in North America; June’s Indigenous Arts Festival; or the Toronto International Film Festival, which turns the provincial capital into a 10-day party every September.

About two hours away, take a Journey Behind the Falls, descending 125 feet to witness a once-in-a-lifetime view: one-fifth of the world’s fresh water crashing down before your eyes. This is the 13-story-tall Niagara Falls. 

Then take a trip northeast to Canada’s capital, Ottawa, where you can enjoy festivals like the Tulip Festival, dine on some outstanding food and have fun. In February, you can even attend winter's three-week long high-spirited Winterlude festival.

Outdoor adventure

Surround yourself with nature by canoeing on Lake Ontario with the beautiful 13 Toronto Islands, secluded beaches and bird sanctuaries on your doorstep, or tackle a wild river from a perch in a raft or kayak. After all, this is where one-fifth of the world's fresh water sparkles in some 250,000 lakes—including the Great Lakes—and waterways. 

If you find yourself wanting to do something else, the province has almost 50,000 miles of hiking trails for all to enjoy. Whether you wind down in cottage country, a rural inn or a busy city, you're never far from your next outdoor adventure.

Retreat and relaxation

Get a Maple Luscious Body Scrub and Wrap at Holtz Spa in downtown Ottawa, or head 137 miles west to the Grail Springs Retreat for Wellbeing. Founded in 1993, this privately owned retreat sits in the Canadian Shield town of Bancroft. You’ll find Chalice Lake here, one of the last remaining purest water sources in the world. Or check out more hot spots for relaxation on your Eastern Canada trip. 

Foodie delights

Get a tasty snack at one of Toronto’s thousands of restaurants or check out the many specialty food shops and bistros at Ottawa's bustling ByWard Market. Head out for a local wine tour, like the Wine Trail Ride through Essex County along the Lake Erie coastline, and fall in love with Canada’s southernmost region.

Québec: Old-world charm, new-world amenities

Big city fun

Three hours apart are Québec's two urban hubs of Montréal and Québec City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can easily visit them both on the same trip. In Old Montréal, check out the first Gothic Revival Church in Canada, the nearly-200-year-old Notre-Dame Basilica. Or soar 1,200 feet over the island on Canada’s largest urban zipline, the MTL Zipline.  Then see for yourself why European-like Quebec City ranks amongst the world’s top travel destinations.

Outdoor adventure

With 26 national and provincial parks, more than 6,800 miles of hiking trails, and three million lakes, Québec's backyard promises year-round fresh-air fun. Try fat biking along Jacques-Cartier National Park's glacial valley, one of the most beautiful glacial valleys in Québec. 

Explore the Saguenay Fjord in the summer on a via ferrata course where all levels of difficulty are supervised by certified guides. Or sea kayak through the fjord, carved by 65,000-year-old glaciers and stretching more than 62 miles.

Retreat and relaxation

Stay somewhere cool or cozy. Along the St. Lawrence River north of Québec City, head to the late-19th-century French-chateau style luxury hillside hideaway at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu with a living green roof. The hotel is located in Charlevoix, a place that was shaped by a meteorite. It offers 405 stylish rooms, dining options, a top golf course and more just 90 minutes away from Québec City, or four hours from Montréal. 

Or stay at a National Historic Site-designated B&B in the Bas-Saint-Laurent countryside, a place that comes alive with a multitude of festivals every summer.

Foodie delights

From farm-fresh produce and artisan chocolate to crisp craft ciders and fine wine, Québec's gourmet driving routes showcase the province's natural and handmade bounty, with stops in at more than 50 farms, orchards, fruit stands, tasting rooms and artisan producers' cottages. Whichever Eastern Canada road trip you choose, visit both celebrity-chef-driven restaurants and up-and-coming bistros along the way, or maybe try one of the 500 varieties of renowned Québec cheeses!

New Brunswick: Seaside treasures

Big city fun

Home to eight cities, the world's highest tides, and Canada's warmest saltwater beaches New Brunswick also hosts 400+ musicians every year at its fall Harvest Music Festival in the capital of Fredericton.

Walk on 74 miles of trails, browse boutiques or watch for the rare North Atlantic right whales (with only around 400 known to still be swimming) in Bathurst, the biggest city on New Brunswick’s north coast.

Outdoor adventure

Explore 3,400 miles of coastline by foot, car or boat. Wander among the Bay of Fundy's famous flowerpot rocks or stop at one of Canada's warmest saltwater beaches at Parlee Beach Provincial Park. Catch a glimpse of gannets and puffins, or even humpback and minke whales, aboard a tour vessel with the Province of New Brunswick’s longest-running eco-tour, originally launched in 1969. 

Retreat and relaxation

Stay in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, Canada’s first seaside resort town, 80 miles south of Fredericton on calm Passamaquoddy Bay. Maybe in a charming cottage with a heated pool and horseshoe pit, or perhaps at the Tudor-style Algonquin Resort, where you can relax with a spa package. Or maybe even check into a unique accommodation.

Foodie delights

Head to restaurants in this coastal province, like the seasonal Café Flora, located inside the New Brunswick Botanical Garden visitors’ centre since 2011 and open five days a week. In late fall, sample international vino and vittles at Moncton's Wine Expo that hosts more than 360 exclusive wines from more than 100 wineries in 22 countries. Year-round, try these Acadian specialties.

Nova Scotia: From festivals to foraged fare

Big city fun

Nova Scotia comes alive each midsummer for the six-day Halifax Busker Festival in the colorful capital of Halifax. Cape Breton Island gets in on the action too, with fall's nine-day Celtic Colours International Festival held in communities throughout  the island, like the historic city of Sydney. Discover even more on a vintage double decker bus tour or a walking tour.

Outdoor adventure

On the ocean's doorstep, the province offers more than 8,200 miles of coastline, where you can find surfing for beginners taught by local sponsored surfers Jill and Nico Manos. You can also take a guided sea kayaking tour—no experience necessary—or go sportfishing for giant bluefin tuna. In Cape Breton Highlands National Park, home to the world-famous Cabot Trail, pick from 26 hiking trails, ranging from the easy Skyline to the challenging Franey climb up to 360-degree vistas.

Retreat and relaxation

After a customized facial treatment, settle into a comfy lodge guest room or cottage with fireplace at the seasonal Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa two-and-a-half hours from Halifax and play at an 18-hole championship golf course. Or sleep by the ocean in a sleek geodesic dome with room service at Blue Bayou Resort in the heart of Cape Breton Highlands National Park near the northern tip of the 185-mile Cabot Trail, one of the most famous drives in Canada. 

Foodie delights

Discover foodie trails in Nova Scotia, or sample local seafood, craft beer and wine at The Flying Apron Inn & Cookery on the Bay of Fundy, home to the world's highest tides.  Or relax with a picnic basket filled with freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches and tea in the gardens at Tangled Garden.  Here they host a classical seven-circuit labyrinth with paths of clover and walls of flowers. Enjoy an award-winning Annapolis Valley wine while you take in stunning views of the Grand Pré marshland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site started by Acadians in the 17th century and still maintained today by present-day inhabitants and planters.

Prince Edward Island: East Coast Canadiana

Big city fun

An Eastern Canada visit isn't complete without a stop in the country's smallest but perhaps most beguiling province. Start with a solar pedal bus tour of Prince Edward Island’s capital of Charlottetown that lets you peek at local landmarks with stops for pub food along the way. 

Outdoor adventure

Get wet at the 90+ beaches along more than 620 miles of shoreline to explore some of the warmest waters north of Florida, or swing by one of 25 golf courses and fairways. More adventures await in 21 provincial parks and the giant playground that is Prince Edward Island National Park, where you can hike through woodlands, stroll along boardwalks or cycle along the seashore.

Retreat and relaxation

Embark on a road trip along the quiet 300-mile Points East Coastal Drive for a glimpse at local island life and recharge in a raised wood cottage in the charming fishing village of Murray Harbour on the way. Or step things up on the Central Coastal Drive in a five-star retreat overlooking the 8-mile-long Confederation Bridge. Or relax and relieve stress at Prince Edward Island’s first Nordic spa, Mysa Nordic Spa & Resort, an 18-acre patch of paradise.

Foodie delights

Taste for yourself why Prince Edward Island has been dubbed "Canada's Food Island." Visit restaurants and festivals, as well as cafés and craft breweries. Make sure to check out the annual Fall Flavours festival which runs for three weeks every fall. Filled with some of the best food and drinks on Canada's Food Island, you can find experiences ranging from a lobster party in a barn to trying some of the island's best oysters.

Newfoundland and Labrador: A province with personality

Big city fun

From Newfoundland sea salt to codfish pillows, the character-rich shops in the creative capital of St. John's (the oldest existing city in North America, with rich Irish and British heritage and one of National Geographic’s top 10 oceanside cities), will have you packing unique Newfoundland and Labrador keepsakes. Just a few minutes from downtown, toast your cool finds over an Iceberg Lager or Black Raspberry Milkshake Sofa Sour at Quidi Vidi Brewing, in its namesake fishing village. Quidi Vidi is the province's largest artisan brewer, with seasonal varieties. 

Outdoor adventure

Explore 18,000 miles of coastline by kayak, and look for icebergs, whales and bird colonies. Stay within the larger Notre Dame Bay for sheltered paddling, or if you’re feeling adventurous, explore the beauty of the exposed Northeast coast. 

Come winter, view the ocean from a different perspective aboard a snowmobile, when 3,100 miles of panoramic trails open up the backcountry.

Retreat and relaxation

Head to a cool or remote lodging, easy to find in Canada's largest Atlantic province. An hour’s drive and a 55-minute ferry ride gets you from Gander to Fogo Island, where its striking white geometric inn perched on stilts offers a peaceful stay. So does 'Ome Sweet 'Ome, with its luxury tents overlooking Iceberg Alley on Newfoundland's north shore.

Foodie delights

Newfoundland and Labrador’s chefs keep raising the bar in places like Mallard Cottage and Fogo Island Inn. After dining, take a glimpse of panoramic views of the land and sea from southern Labrador's Point Amour Lighthouse, Atlantic Canada’s tallest at 109 feet. Or munch on gourmet takeout at the award-winning Lighthouse Picnics in Ferryland, just an hour-and-a-half's drive from St. John's.

No matter what type of traveler you are, Eastern Canada has a vacation for you.

FAQ

What are the six provinces of Eastern Canada?

Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Four of them (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) make up Atlantic Canada, while Ontario and Québec are the big central heavyweights. You can string several together on one road trip, especially in the Maritimes, where the distances are short.

When is the best time to visit Eastern Canada?

Summer through early fall is the sweet spot. July and August bring warm beaches in Prince Edward Island, whale season in Newfoundland and Labrador, and festival after festival everywhere. Fall is quieter and also gorgeous—think Cape Breton's Celtic Colours in October. Winter has its own draw too, with Ottawa's Winterlude and snowmobiling across Newfoundland's backcountry. So it really depends on what you're chasing.

Which Eastern Canada province is best for food?

Prince Edward Island doesn't call itself "Canada's Food Island" for nothing. Oysters, mussels and a culinary bootcamp you can actually cook at. But Québec gives it a real run for its money, with 500+ cheeses and gourmet driving routes, and Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley wines paired with foraged seafood are hard to beat. Honestly, you can't lose here.

Where can I see whales and icebergs in Eastern Canada?

Newfoundland and Labrador is the headliner, with the world's largest population of humpbacks and "Iceberg Alley" running down the coast. Whales peak from May through September. New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy is another strong bet for whales, including the rare right whale. June gives you the best odds at spotting both bergs and whales at once.

Is Eastern Canada good for a road trip?

Very. Some of the continent's most famous drives are here, like Nova Scotia's 185-mile Cabot Trail and Prince Edward Island’s coastal routes. Québec's gourmet driving routes and New Brunswick's 3,400 miles of coastline are made for it too. Ferries connect many of the islands, so a car plus a bit of planning gets you a long way.

Where should I go in Eastern Canada to relax?

Take your pick of spas and hideaways. Québec has the hillside Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in Charlevoix, Prince Edward Island has the Nordic Mysa Spa, New Brunswick has the Tudor-style Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews by-the-Sea and Ontario has the remote Grail Springs retreat in Bancroft. For something wilder, Newfoundland's Fogo Island Inn is peace of a different kind.

What's the most unique stay in Eastern Canada?

For sheer originality, it's a tie between Québec's Hôtel de Glace, a hotel rebuilt from ice every winter, and Newfoundland's Fogo Island Inn, an architectural landmark on stilts over the Atlantic. If you'd rather sleep under canvas, 'Ome Sweet 'Ome's luxury tents overlook Iceberg Alley. Different trips entirely, all unforgettable.

Sources

Cape Breton Highlands National Park – pc.gc.ca 
Destination Canada – destinationcanada.com 
Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu – fairmont.com 
Fogo Island Inn – fogoislandinn.ca 
Mysa Nordic Spa & Resort – mysanordicspa.com  
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism – newfoundlandlabrador.com 
Niagara Parks – niagaraparks.com 
Ottawa Tourism – ottawatourism.ca 
Québec Original – quebecoriginal.com 
St. Andrews by-the-Sea – standrewsbythesea.ca 
Tourism New Brunswick – tourismnewbrunswick.ca 
Tourism Nova Scotia – novascotia.com 
Tourism PEI – tourismpei.com 
Tourism Toronto – seetorontonow.com