Many Great Stops On Our Road Trip From Toronto To Vancouver
Our fall trip to Western Canada started with a long road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. We had many interesting stops along the way.
We did the trip between Toronto and Vancouver before. On our first trip we travelled through the U.S.A. in the late summer. And returned on a similar route as winter set in.
On this trip west, we planned our travel through the Canadian provinces – Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia (BC). We did a mix of one and two night stops until we arrived for our extended stay in BC. Our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver by the numbers:
Days: 10
Stops: 3 one night, 3 for two nights
Distance: 4,500 km (~2,800 miles)
Hours Travelled: 62 hours (includes driving and stops along the way)
We Started Our Road Trip Through Northern Ontario
The alarm went off at 5am. So we were on the road by 6am and escaped the Toronto rush hour traffic. We had our first break when we were well out of the city.
The forecast for our stay in Sault Ste Marie was rain and thunder storms. On our first visit to Sault Ste Marie, we drove through blinding rain for much of the drive. And did not want a repeat adventure. So all of our stops along the way were quick ones.
While we hit some rain on the drive north, we arrived at the Delta Sault Ste Marie earlier than planned. And even managed a walk along the waterfront before rain came again. We knew when we planned just a one night stop that we would not do much exploring.
Not every stop on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver was a fun one.
The Waterfall Route Out Of Ontario
It was another early start the next day. We planned an 8 hour drive and several waterfalls stop along the way to Thunder Bay. On our first visit to the Sault Ste Marie area, we enjoyed several of the waterfalls close by.
On this trip, our first waterfall stop was along the Magpie River in Wawa. We saw Silver Falls from the hiking path. And then wandered along the shore for another view of the lower falls.
Our research showed us the spot to park to view the Mink Falls. This local spot was not easy to find. But we were glad we did our research before we arrived.
Our final waterfall stop on the way to Thunder Bay was at the Aguasabon Gorge and Falls. We walked to the viewpoint and got a view from above of this steep canyon.
We were so glad we planned the waterfall route from Toronto to Thunder Bay. So many great outdoor spots along the way. We were sure that these stops would be even more spectacular with fall colours. But heading out on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver, we were still a bit early for fall colours in Ontario. But we sure got some great fall colour displays on our travels when we explored BC in the fall!
A Great One Night Stop In Thunder Bay
We planned only one night stops on the three day trip out of Ontario. When we checked into the Delta Thunder Bay and got a large suite that overlooked Lake Superior, we wished we planned a longer stay on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. This was the first of many great sweet suite upgrades our loyalty status got us on this trip.
With a late arrival and early departure, we enjoyed the hotel and the great restaurant on-site. It was a lovely rest from being on the road.
But we never explored the area around Thunder Bay. It was a good nudge to plan a longer stay on our return trip from Western Canada.
A Short Stop In Winnipeg
The next day we finally left Ontario and arrived in Manitoba. Winnipeg was the first of our two night stops. We enjoyed our upgraded suite at the Delta Winnipeg. But we had a full day planned for our short stop in Winnipeg.
We wandered to the Manitoba Legislature Building and enjoyed the sights along the way.
From there we followed the walking path along the Assiniboine River to The Forks in Winnipeg. We found a large area with food markets, walking paths and much to see.
We got a quick view of the sights on our short stop in Winnipeg. Although we did miss out on enjoying the vast open spaces at the Assiniboine Park,
A Luxury Break In Regina
We planned another two nights stop in Regina in the next province of Saskatchewan. We had a couple of options for accommodations but chose the elegant Hotel Saskatchewan. There was little planned for our luxury stop in Regina. We fully intended to enjoy the upgraded suite and beautiful hotel.
But when the sun came out, we headed off and explored a little of Regina. We headed for Wascana Lake and the Saskatchewan Legislative Building. The Queen Elizabeth gardens and the various statues decorated the space.
Green spaces and gardens in bloom greeted us as we wandered along the path by the lake. Statues and even a totem pole gave us stops along the path.
When we wandered around Regina, we were delighted when we found such an interesting display of street art and murals.
We had a great road trip break in Regina and left refreshed.
First Mountain View On Road Trip From Toronto To Vancouver
We left Regina and the path continued west on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. The flat plains changed to rolling hills and oil rigs appeared in the fields with the cattle.
We arrived on the outskirts of Calgary and stopped for one night at the Element Calgary Airport. There was a steak house on the property. So of course we had Alberta beef for dinner.
It was a quick trip through Calgary and into the Rocky Mountains. The sun shone on the great mountain views. Banff was our coffee stop. Everywhere we looked the town was ringed with mountain views. A short walk worked out the driving kinks before we headed back on the road.
The mountain scenery drew us forward on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver.
A Great Outdoor Stop In Revelstoke
The mountain views and bright sunshine continued until we crossed the border into British Columbia. By the time we went through the Rogers Pass, clouds started to gather.
Our 2 night hotel stop at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Revelstoke gave us a great view of Mt Revelstoke. When the weather cleared, we headed up to the summit of Mt Revelstoke. We got amazing views at the lower viewpoints. And then ran into a snowstorm as we climbed.
We waited out the snow and went for a walk to the summit with snow on the ground. Our persistence was rewarded with great views. And when the sun set, we got an even better show.
The mountain views in Revelstoke were stunning. We were so glad we headed high to the summit of Mt Revelstoke and got that different perspective.
Revelstoke Waterfalls On Road Trip From Toronto To Vancouver
We had four waterfalls sights on our list of things to see in Revelstoke. Advance research provided us with maps and some idea of where to find the waterfalls around Revelstoke. Not all of them were well marked.
First we headed towards the Revelstoke Dam. We watched for a small dirt road and found the Moses Creek Falls. We were glad we had our SUV for the drive down the dirt road.
Next we headed back south towards Blanket Creek Provincial Park. We drove down through the park and found a sign that got us to the Sutherland Falls.
The last waterfall on our plans for the day was at Begbie Falls. We found the hiking path and set off for many different views of these waterfalls.
We missed the chance to visit the Akolkolex Falls on our tour of the waterfalls in the Revelstoke area. It would be a new treat if we went back to Revelstoke.
Checking out waterfalls was something we did a lot of on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver.
Heading Into Vancouver
We were not yet finished with waterfalls. When we passed by Bridal Veil Falls on our drive into Vancouver, we did not resist the chance to see yet one more waterfall.
As we drove through British Columbia, we got more great mountain views in all directions. Gradually they got rounder and lower. By the time we hit the Fraser River Valley, we were finally back down to sea level.
But as we approached Vancouver, the peaks along the coast appeared. And we even saw Mount Baker in the U.S. at a distance.
On the back end of our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver, we got so many amazing mountain views.
Finishing Our Road Trip From Toronto To Vancouver
It was a long drive from Revelstoke with stops along the way. But we finally arrived at our AirBnb in Port Moody outside of Vancouver.
Port Moody was the first of many stops on our extended visit in BC. We had a mix of places planned – enjoying the False Creek area, North to Whistler on mainland BC, over to the Sunshine Coast and from north to south on Vancouver Island. And we were excited when we began our explorations.
Have you done a road trip from Toronto to Vancouver? What did you discover along the route?
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This is super cool. I’m first gonna send this to my friend living in Toronto. It is a good idea indeed to start that early to avoid peak hour traffic. A road trip with so many waterfalls on the go? The Waterfall route of the trip sounds awesome. Love those mountain views as you reach Vancouver. Perfect finishing touch.
There were indeed so many amazing sights on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. A long trip but worth it.
This looks like a neat 10-day road trip with a lot of waterfalls and different weather conditions. Blue skies in Winnipeg and snow in Revelstoke. I love the architecture of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights – I bet the exhibition is quite interesting too!
We loved all the different things we saw on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. Overall we were surprised at how great the weather was on the way to Vancouver. And most of our trip back home later in the fall. So many places to stop along the way.
I have travelled small parts of this 10 day route on a trip to Canada in the 1980s (as a kid, with my parents) but I really want to do those bits again plus the rest of it , with my husband. I suspect it’ll take us a few different visits to cover the whole route, along with off-shoots! I’d love to self drive it though so it’s rally helpful to read your suggested overnight stops and info on distances, and your accommodation choices too.
I hope you do get back to do this road trip one day. We sure loved all the stops we found along the way.
Wow, what an ambitious road trip! It certainly looks like a great way to experience so many beautiful stops along the way. I really loved that you stayed in better hotels – I bet that would be rejuvenating after a long day on the road without creature comforts. I especially liked your accommodations in Delta Thunder Bay with the view to Lake Superior.
We were glad we picked better hotels to really relax when we stopped. A great way to enjoy the many lovely stops along the way.
This is a part of the world I am totally unfamiliar with. It is breathtaking! Someday….
I am glad to introduce you to some views of road tripping through Canada.
We haven’t gone all the way to Vancouver, but made it out as far as Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan last summer. It was incredible watching the landscapes change. We also drove from Calgary to Jasper to Edmonton, so we have enjoyed the mountain views as well.
All of the sections of this road trip from Toronto to Vancouver were interesting. And the different segments can be done on multiple trips. Lots to see all along the way from Toronto to Vancouver.
Great pics and destinations. If you can, I think any trip should be planned along a waterfall route. Thunder Bay looked amazing.
We were definitely amazed with all the natural beauty we found on our stops along the route from Toronto to Vancouver. And there were indeed so many amazing waterfall stops!
While the whole trip seems amazing, my favorite is the nature and waterfalls near the beginning. Sadly I have only been to the Niagara Falls area of Canada, but the whole country looks so beautiful.
There is so much to discover in Canada. We loved all the new spots we found on our road trip across the country. Hope you get to see more one day.
What a fun Canadian road trip! I’ve been to Toronto before, but have no explored much of Canada other than that. I’d love to visit Vancouver, this seems like a great itinerary for seeing Canada between the two spots. Thanks for sharing!
The last time we did this trip we travelled through the US. So this time it was great to road trip from Toronto to Vancouver in Canada. Lots of great spots found along the way.
Whoa – what an amazing road trip! I love seeing all your photos and how the terrain changed as you travelled across the country. I would love to take a road trip like this through Canada one day, I still haven’t even visited. I feel like this would be a great way to see the country. Thanks for sharing!
Taking a road trip across Canada is definitely a great way to see the diverse nature of the country. We were glad we had the time to do this trip.
We are actually planning to go on a road trip in this route. We’d love to take the Waterfall Route as this is really beautiful. Thank you for this wonderful idea. Will check family if we can do 10 days. It would be nice to maximize the trip and have these stopovers. Bookmarking your as reference.
A road trip is always a great way to see so many new sights. Hope you get a fun one planned for the summer.
What a beautiful road trip! Definitely I enjoyed all the waterfalls stopped you made along the road. My favorite are the Aguasabon Gorge and Falls and Sutherland Falls. And the towns around the Rockies reminded me of mountain towns in Colorado.
It was great to see such a variety of sights and natural beauty on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. We sure did find some amazing waterfalls along the way.
I haven’t been to Canada yet but once I go, I’ll probably go on a road trip. I think that’s the best way to explore such a huge country full of amazing nature and sceneries. Your itinerary is such an amazing inspiration – it shows that it comes from a couple – literally – of experts 😉
A road trip is a great way to explore Canada and see the variety of sights and natural beauty that we have. We do love to explore!
An impressive road trip of 4,500 km. I was also thinking about a similar route. I would gladly use your tips because I do not know Toronto and this part of Canada.
If you had more time – and energy – there are so many other stops along the route from Toronto to Vancouver going through Canada. Our trip home was a faster one so we did not pick up many new spots. But lots to discover along this great route.
I love road trips and this one sounds great! I love that it begins and ends with waterfalls, Aguasabon Falls and Bridal Veil Falls look gorgeous. It is nice to see information about Winnipeg, I don’t know much about the city.
It was indeed fun to start and end this trip with waterfalls. So many lovely stops along the way that we got to learn more about.
So many beautiful waterfalls and amazing architecture! You make me want to pack my bags and start a road trip!
It was indeed a great road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. Loved all the stops along the way.
Another great itinerary! I loved Winnepeg and would like to visit again but now you have me interested in the Thunder Bay area! Looks amazing. I love Vancouver too, being from Seattle have visited many times and expect to again soon. Thanks for the great tips.
We loved all the great stops on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. We too need to go back and spend more time in Northern Ontario. Sadly the weather was really bad there on our return visit and we did not hang around. Hope you get to do some parts or all of this trip one day.
This was such a beautiful journey. Haven’t been to Canada as yet but when we do we would certainly plan for this road trip. Waterfalls are so beautiful anyways and a route with so many just can’t be missed. Thanks for this guide.
I hope you do get to plan a long road trip when you finally get to Canada. It is a wonderful way to see the vast diversity across this country.
Wow, I would absolutely love to do this road trip. Canada is definitely on my travel bucket list but I never considered doing a road trip. Great idea stopping in nice hotels along the way, that would definitely break up the journey a bit.
Canada is a great place to do a road trip. But they are often long road trips. A great way to see how different the country is. We loved stopping along the way to enjoy some of the places along the path.
This is a lifetime adventure! A fantastic road trip! I had the chance to make some road trips but not so long! Canada has so many gems and places to discover! very inspiring!
I hope you get to visit Canada and explore by road. So many amazing spots. But it is a large country so you can even break the trips up for more than one trip.
Oh my goodness 60+ hours in the car, but what a cool experience to see SO much! All those waterfalls alone would be enough motivation for me. I’d love to do a cross country trip sometime. It’s truly the best way to see everything and take your time to really enjoy it. Beautiful post!
It was indeed a great trip and a wonderful way to see Canada. We were glad we planned a slower pace with shorter days and some longer stops.
You have so many amazing photos! I loved the details you provided about this trip. It sounds incredible 🙂
Thank you so very much 🙏 We sure loved our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver and the great stops along the way in Canada.
Wow, that is a lot to pack into 10 days! Revelstoke looked stunning, especially the sunset. We are going in about a month and are super excited. We should be arriving in town in the late afternoon and we will see how tired we are, but we might have to see if we have time to make it up there for a sunset. Only one night there, so makes sense to make the most of it.
One night will be a short time to visit. But if you get in and have time, the drive up to the summit is lovely. The waterfalls in the other post all need a bit longer to see. But that will be a tease for a longer return visit.
Wow the trees along the Waterfall Route are stunning – this is a great roadtrip itinerary! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was indeed an amazing road trip itinerary. We were glad we planned so many great stops. And left enough time to add new ones as we drove along.
Woooah that is a road trip and a half! What an epic (and long) adventure! I have also visited a lot of those waterfalls along the way (on various road trips) it looks like you found so many good uns! I love your style of stopping off for mini adventures along the way.
It was great to have the time to do some stops along the way on our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. Lots of great small detours that made each day fun.
What a fantastic road trip this looks! So much packed into 10 days! I love the mountain views you get as you cross into BC – stunning! I’d love to do a roadtrip in Canada one day and this certainly sounds like a great itinerary so I shall be saving this to refer back to 🙂
Doing a road trip in Canada is a great way to see so many different things. We were glad we planned to drive for this visit to the west coast of Canada.
Wow! What an epic road trip! I read with interest as I am returning to Canada next year. Skiing with friends in Vancouver & looking for tips on what else to do while I’m there. Your photos are stunning as always & got me excited to plan my trip. And obviously some of those waterfalls will be included too!
I am sure you will have an amazing visit to Vancouver. Lots of new blog posts coming up about our most recent visit to BC and much more on the site as well. Waterfalls and outdoor sites are everywhere in BC!
Great post and details on your road trip, very helpful. We used to road trip from Victoria to Edmonton every month, but haven’t done this in about 4 years. We’re road tripping to Calgary in the next two weeks (via Edmonton to see family and hockey playoffs hopefully) and are really looking forward to it. There’s something about the casual nature of driving, stopping every so often to take in the lovely views all over Canada. Thanks for sharing!
We were definitely happy that we chose to drive for our longer visit to the west coast. The trip out was quite peaceful. The trip back a little more challenging as winter approached. But it was great to meander and stop when something interesting was on the path. Enjoy your road trip to Calgary. So many great spots to enjoy on that trip.
Your trips are always so interesting! I was actually contemplating doing a cross-Canada road trip at some point this year, so this post has made me very excited!
I hope you do plan a cross Canada road trip. We did the east coast on one trip and then headed west a few weeks later. Our visit to BC was in the fall so we left before the snow hit. But the trip home was still a little rougher.
One of my favorite things about your blog are your photographs, and this article is no exception! You make it so easy and inviting to imagine taking a similar journey. And wow what a journey this 10 day road trip is. I would love to get to see Canada like this, especially your stops at waterfall and gardens. Thanks for another helpful and inspiring article!
I am glad this post gave you some great ideas (and images) about travelling across Canada from Toronto to Vancouver. We sure were glad we chose to drive for this visit.
I love all the waterfalls you got to see on your stop! How was the availability in the hotels? Ideally it would be nice to be able to book as you go then you wouldn’t have to worry as much about weather.
On the way there and most of the way home we booked all our hotels in advance. On the way home we left a few open bookings because we were worried about weather.
Great article this has given me lots of ideas for a road trip we want to do across to New Brunswick from Vancouver. We can’t wait to go through Vancouver and revelstoke to enjoy the waterfalls and views. Especially bridal veils
It would be an awesome road trip from Vancouver to New Brunswick. So many amazing things along the way.
Every time I read your posts, I feel the urge to head to Canada! There are so many great places on your road trip from Toronto to Vancouver! I’d love Thunder Bay, Banff and Revelstoke for sure!
I hope you do get to visit Canada one day. A long road trip is a great way to see the country.
We have roadtripped in both eastern and western Canada’s but not the middle. So it is Winnipeg and Regina that are the stops. And there is nothing to see between these two?
There were indeed more detours and stops to do in the middle of Canada. If we planned a slower trip we would have tried to see more of the prairie treats.
I would love to get to Toronto one day to do this road trip as I love seeing lots of different things in one trip. The waterfalls, gardens and street art would definitely seal it for me and as for those mountain views, well they speak for themselves.
We sure loved our road trip from Toronto to Vancouver. It was great to plan enough time for some great stops along the way.
Wow, 10 days to do this road trip, looks so rugged and wild and all those amazing waterfalls. I would love to try doing this some day since i haven’t really gotten a chance to see the middle part of Canada and nature there looks spectacular.
I hope you do get to visit Canada one day. A long road trip is a great way to see so many different aspects of the country.
With such postcard-perfect scenery, this road trip is something to die for. I am super excited to take this road trip from Toronto to Vancouver.
We sure did love our road trip across Canada!