US & Canada East Grand Loop

A cross-border long-haul route from New York via Washington, D.C., Niagara Falls to Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City.

A classic US-Canada itinerary from established travel agencies, modified to ensure daily driving times do not exceed approximately five hours. Spend a night in the Finger Lakes region after visiting Pennsylvania Amish Country, then head to the Falls. The US segment focuses on famous cities, while the Canadian segment takes you through the Thousand Islands to the French-speaking region. Chartering a vehicle for the entire journey is the most hassle-free option, but hotel changes are frequent, and entry documents for both the US and Canada are required.

Thousand Islands cruises and Maid of the Mist/Hornblower cruises operate mainly from May to October, with peak autumn foliage from late September to October.

Day by day

Day 1 · Arrive in Midtown Manhattan, New York

New York City（Times Square / Broadway）

Airport pickup or take the AirTrain and transfer to the subway to Manhattan (approx. 1 hour); walking in the evening.

Stay: Midtown Manhattan

Day 2 · New York Highlights in One Day

New York City（Statue of Liberty、National September 11 Memorial & Museum、Brooklyn Bridge、Central Park、The Metropolitan Museum of Art）

Connect sights by chartered car or subway; take the ferry to Liberty Island in the morning, and head to Midtown and Central Park in the afternoon.

Stay: Midtown Manhattan

Day 3 · To Washington, D.C. via Philadelphia

Philadelphia（Independence Hall、Liberty Bell Center） → Washington, D.C.（National Mall & Lincoln Memorial）

Drive from New York to Philadelphia (approx. 2 hours), stop for lunch, and then drive another 2.5 hours to Washington, D.C.

Stay: Penn Quarter and Chinatown

Day 4 · Washington, D.C. Capitol & Museums

Washington, D.C.（United States Capitol、National Air and Space Museum、The White House、Arlington National Cemetery）

Use a chartered car to transfer between Capitol Hill, the White House perimeter, and Arlington; walk for the rest of the day on the National Mall.

Stay: Penn Quarter and Chinatown

Day 5 · Gettysburg to Amish Country

Gettysburg（Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center & Cyclorama、Soldiers' National Cemetery） → Lancaster & Amish Country（Bird-in-Hand、The Amish Farm and House）

Drive from Washington, D.C. to Gettysburg (approx. 1.5 hours), then drive another 1.5 hours to Lancaster County.

Most shops and buggy rides in Amish Country are closed on Sundays, so try to schedule this visit on other days.

Stay: Bird-in-Hand

Day 6 · Corning Glass to Finger Lakes

Ithaca & Finger Lakes（Corning Museum of Glass、Ithaca Falls）

Drive from Lancaster to Corning (approx. 3.5 hours), then drive another hour to Ithaca.

Stay: Ithaca Commons

Day 7 · Gorge Waterfalls to Niagara

Ithaca & Finger Lakes（Taughannock Falls State Park） → Niagara Falls, New York（Goat Island、Terrapin Point、Rainbow Bridge）

Drive from Ithaca to Taughannock (approx. 20 minutes), then drive another 3 hours to the Falls, and walk across the Rainbow Bridge.

Have your passport, visa, or eTA ready before crossing into Canada, and budget time for border queues.

Stay: Niagara Falls and Clifton Hill

Day 8 · Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian Side

Toronto & Niagara Falls（Niagara City Cruises (Voyage to the Falls)、Journey Behind the Falls、Skylon Tower、Niagara-on-the-Lake）

Walk around the Falls area; take a 25-minute drive in the afternoon for a round trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Stay: Niagara Falls and Clifton Hill

Day 9 · Toronto City Center Highlights

Toronto & Niagara Falls（Royal Ontario Museum、St. Lawrence Market、CN Tower）

Drive from the Falls to Toronto (approx. 1.5 hours); walk or take the streetcar between downtown attractions.

Stay: Downtown Entertainment District

Day 10 · Thousand Islands Cruise to Ottawa

Kingston & Thousand Islands（Thousand Islands Cruises） → Ottawa（ByWard Market）

Drive from Toronto to Gananoque (approx. 3 hours), take a 1-hour boat cruise, and then drive another 2 hours to Ottawa.

Stay: ByWard Market

Day 11 · Parliament Hill to Old Montreal

Ottawa（Parliament Hill、Rideau Canal & Ottawa Locks） → Montreal（Old Montreal & Old Port、Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal）

Walk in Ottawa in the morning, then drive about 2.5 hours after lunch to Old Montreal.

The Centre Block on Parliament Hill is undergoing long-term renovations; you can only view the exterior and the surrounding lawns.

Stay: Old Montreal

Day 12 · Mount Royal to Quebec City

Montreal（Mount Royal Park、Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal） → Greater Québec City（Rue Saint-Jean）

Explore Montreal by car in the morning, then drive about 3 hours after lunch to Old Quebec.

Stay: Upper Town

Day 13 · Strolling Old Quebec

Greater Québec City（Old Québec、Château Frontenac & Dufferin Terrace、Old Quebec Funicular、Quartier du Petit-Champlain、Place Royale & Notre-Dame-des-Victoires）

Walk through the Upper and Lower Towns of Old Quebec; you can take the Old Quebec Funicular to navigate the steep elevation change.