The Ultimate 2-week Toronto to New York road trip itinerary

Would you like to go for a scenic road trip in northeast USA and Canada? You will absolutely love this 2-week Toronto to New York road trip itinerary!

Toronto to New York road trip itinerary

Are you dreaming of an unforgettable road trip from Toronto to New York and back in two weeks? This itinerary is packed with breathtaking sights, vibrant cities, stunning waterfalls, and charming small towns.

This road trip was my first time visiting both Toronto and New York City, and I found it to be the perfect combination of big-city excitement, scenic nature escapes, and lesser-known gems. It’s an ideal mix for travelers who love urban adventures but also enjoy the peace of mountains, lakes, and historic towns along the way.

Since it’s a round trip, you can start wherever suits you best. If you want to save on rental car and parking costs, it’s smart to begin in New York City, as you won’t need a car there. I personally started my trip in Toronto (which is also easy to explore without a car), so that’s where I’ll begin this itinerary. Let’s hit the road!

Day 1: travel to Toronto

On your first day, travel to Toronto. Depending on your arrival time, you might have some time to explore the city.

If you arrive late in the afternoon like I did (I flew from Amsterdam to Toronto), just pick up your rental car, get some groceries, and chill, so you can easily deal with your jetlag. If you arrive by plane, it’s convenient to pick a hotel close to the airport, because there’s a lot of traffic around the airport.

• Best place to stay: Element Toronto Airport – one of the highest-rated airport hotels. A great place to stay when you arrive late and don’t want to drive too far anymore.

Day 2: Presqu’ile Provincial Park and Thousand Islands National Park

Get up early, because your Toronto to New York drive officially begins! You’ll start making your way along the northern shore of Lake Ontario, where you will see lots of beautiful sights.

It might take a while to leave Toronto because of all the traffic, but around Pickering, the roads will clear. During your road trip, Lake Ontario will be on your right side constantly.

A great place to break up the long drive and to stop for lunch is Presqu’ile Provincial Park. This is a park where you can go on some short hikes along Lake Ontario and through the swamps. Don’t forget to bring bug spray since there are a lot of mosquitos. There’s also a beautiful lighthouse in the park.

After visiting the park, it’ll take you about 1,5 hours to reach Gananoque. This is a lovely small town next to the Saint Lawrence River. In Gananoque, you can take a scenic boat tour around the Thousand Islands. Where you will see loads of tiny houses and castles on small private islands. It’s a beautiful trip, and I highly recommend it.

Tip: want to see more of the Thousand Islands? You can also check out the area with a helicopter tour!

• Distance: 315 kilometers / 200 miles
• Driving time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Best place to stay: Ruby Manor Bed & Breakfast – Gorgeous B&B in a historic house in Gananoque.

Day 3 & 4: Lake Placid & the Adirondacks

It’s time to leave Canada! Make sure to cross the border to the United State over the Thousand Islands Bridge. The views are amazing! Crossing the border might take some time, so be patient and stay calm. Before you know it, you’re entering the United States of America.

When you arrive in New York State, drive to Gouverneur. From there you can take the scenic route along the lakes. You’ll see several nice places to stop, like Cranberry Lake, Tupper Lake, and Saranac Lake.

The area you’ll want to stay in for a few days is around Lake Placed and Wilmington. In Lake Placid, you can visit the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. Here you can spot athletes jumping around on their skies. You can take an elevator to the top of the highest ski jump, where you will have an amazing view of the area.

In Wilmington, you can drive to Whiteface Mountain. The road to the top is stunning and has many great viewpoints. From the parking lot, you can either take an elevator or go on a short hike but very scenic hike to the top. From there, you’ll have a beautiful 360-degree view of the Adirondack Mountains.

Read more: This is how you drive up Whiteface Mountain (New York State)

• Distance: 250 kilometers / 150 miles
• Driving time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Great place to stay in Lake Placid: Lake Placid Inn Boutique Hotel – This cute 4-star hotel is located in the center of town, very close to the Olympic Museum.
• Best place to stay in Wilmington: Wolfjaw Lodge – Beautiful complex and the perfect choice if you’d like to stay in a more rural area. The views of the mountains are great.

Day 5: Explore Massachusettes

On day five of this northeast road trip itinerary, you will make your way to the south of New York State. You can either follow the Hudson River down south or head east so you’ll be able to explore a bit of the state of Massachusetts.

This state is filled with cute small towns, and you won’t see a lot of other tourists. I chose to stay in Massachusetts because hotels are half-price compared to hotels in New York State. If you enjoy shopping, Massachusetts is a better choice due to its lower sales tax. In this area, you’ll also find some nice State Parks if you like to go for a hike.

Stay in one of the many towns, there are hotels everywhere. We chose to stay in the city of Pittsfield, and we really liked the vibe there. Fun detail: we were the only tourists.

• Distance: 285 kilometers / 175 miles
• Driving time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Best place to stay: The Central Downtown Inn Suites – In a great location in the city center of Pittsfield. It’s an all-suite hotel, which means the rooms are very spacious and have a kitchen.

Day 6, 7 & 8: New York City!

It’s just a couple of hours’ drive from Pittsfield to New York City. There are a few waterfalls on the way, that are a fun place to stop while you’re getting closer to New York. We visited the one in the High Falls Conservation Area and did a short hike there.

You have around three days to explore New York City. This is not enough time to see everything, but it’ll give you a good impression of this amazing city. Is it your first trip to New York? In that case, I would recommend visiting the following places:

• Visit the Top of the Rock for an amazing view of the skyline. This is also one of the best instagrammable places in NYC. We went just before sunset, so we could see the view by daylight, but also after dark. The lights are magical!
• Walk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
• Take the free ferry to Staten Island for beautiful views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.
• Go cycling in Central Park.
• Take a helicopter ride over Manhattan.
• Visit the impressive 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

Extra tip: with the New York CityPass you can save big if you are only in New York for a few days and want to see as much as possible.

• Distance: 240 kilometers / 150 miles
• Driving time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
• Hotel tip (with parking): LIC Hotel in Queens. There are of course numerous places to stay in New York. We ended up staying in this hotel as it was more affordable than the ones in Manhattan and it was easy to park the car. We also loved the view from the rooftop and it was only a short metro ride to get to Manhattan.
• Travel guide: New York is epic and huge. To get the most out of your stay here, it’s smart to get a dedicated travel guide, like Frommer’s New York City.

Day 9: a road trip in Pennsylvania

When you leave New York after a couple of days of fun, you’ll probably want to visit a destination that’s a little quieter and has fewer tourists. It’s time for your road trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, but not before a few fun stops on the way.

After leaving the city, you’ll drive through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. Make sure to take the smaller roads, so you’ll be able to stop at some viewpoints. Other fun and interesting stops are Waterloo Village Historic Site and the Pocono Premium Outlets if you like shopping.

There are also several places to go for a hike. For example, there’s the Mt Tammany Red Dot Trail for beautiful views of the Delaware River and you can check out waterfalls at the Bear Creek Preserve.

• Distance: 200 kilometers / 130 miles
• Driving time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Best place to stay: Hampton Inn & Suites Wilkes-Barre – One of the many chain-hotels in the area, but definitely one of the best-rated and the most comfortable.

Day 10 & 11: Watkins Glen & the Finger Lakes

It’s time to relax for a couple of days, and Watkins Glen at Seneca Lake is one of the best places to do it! There are several roads you can take to reach Watkins Glen from Wilkes-Barre. I suggest taking Highway 118 in western direction and then head north on Highway 487 (which turns into Highway 220). This way, you’ll pass Ricketts Glen State Park, which is a great place to see waterfalls and go a short hike.

You’ll arrive at Seneca Lake, this is one of the finger lakes and it is surrounded by vineyards. You can go on a wine-tasting tour, hike the Gorge Trail in the amazing Watkins Glen State Park (which has 19 waterfalls!), or just relax in one of the parks surrounding the lake.

• Distance: 200 kilometers / 125 miles
• Driving time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Best place to stay: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel – In a great location with lake views.

Day 12: Niagara Falls

On the twelfth day of your journey, you’ll be going back to Canada. At the border between the United States and Canada, you’ll see one of the highlights of this road trip: Niagara Falls. With its many neon-lit hotels and attractions, the area has a slightly Vegas-like atmosphere. However, visiting Niagara Falls is one of the best things to do in Ontario.

Niagara Falls is a must-see, with breathtaking viewpoints on both the American and Canadian sides..Walk around, and certainly enjoy the views. And if you don’t mind getting wet, I highly recommend taking a boat trip with either Hornblower or Maid of the Mist to the falls. Going on a boat trip to Niagara Falls should definitely be on your Canada bucket list!

Tip: Get the best view of Niagara Falls during a helicopter flight.

• Distance: 250 kilometers / 160 miles
• Driving time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
• Best place to stay: Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls – Check out the Niagara Falls from your hotel room!

Day 13 & 14: Toronto

During the last two days of this trip, you’re back in Ontario and you’ll finally have some time to explore Toronto. Things to add to your Toronto itinerary:

• With sunny weather, it is wonderful to explore the many beautiful parks in the city.
• Discover all of the most beautiful places in Toronto in only three hours with this fun and scenic guided cycling tour.
• Go to the top of the famous CN Tower (553 meters high!)
• Visit the fun Distillery Historic District. The best way to learn about Toronto’s history is to go on this Distillery District Historic Walking Tour.
• Take a boat trip to the Toronto Islands.

Are you short on time? Even if you only have one day in Toronto, you’ll have a blast!

• Distance: 130 kilometers / 80 miles
• Driving time: 2 hours
• Best place to stay: Ace Hotel Toronto – A beautifully decorated 4-star hotel in a great location (Fashion District) in the city center. Within walking distance of many highlights.
• Travel guide: As Toronto is such a big city and there’s so much to see, it’s recommended to get a dedicated Toronto travel guide, like Fodor’s Toronto. This also has information about the Niagara Falls & the Niagara Wine Region.

Toronto to New York road trip Map

This northeast road trip itinerary has a length of approximately 2000 kilometers (about 1250 miles).

Click here to zoom in (links to external website).

Where to get your rental car?

At the airport in Toronto, you’ll find all the big rental car agencies. It’s best (and usually cheaper) to reserve a rental car beforehand. Check Rental Cars or Discover Cars to find the best deals.

Tip! You can save some money if you start in New York City. There it’s easy to get around without a rental car. After you’re done exploring the Big Apple, you can pick up your rental car and start a New York to Toronto road trip.

Parking

Parking is free in most places, but not when you go to big cities like Toronto and New York. It can be convenient to stay in a hotel that has parking available. Otherwise, you can check the website BestParking for the best Parking rates.

Crossing the border between the United States and Canada

During this road trip from Toronto to New York, you’ll have to cross the border between the United States and Canada with your (rental) car. Take your time and make sure you’ve got all your paperwork ready (passport, and ESTA or ETA, if you’re not from the US or Canada, etcetera).

The best time for this Toronto to New York road trip itinerary

Of course, you can make a road trip from Toronto to New York at any time of the year. However, Winters can get really chilly, and roads in the Adirondacks might be closed because of snow. So if you’d like to go hiking, I would recommend going during Spring, Summer, or Autumn.

Driving around in New York State during Autumn will be very beautiful, during Indian Summer the trees get all kinds of colors. I went on this road trip during the summer (in July), which was great. It only got really hot when I was in New York City, but overall we had fantastic weather. Perfect for hiking and exploring.

More things to do during a road trip in northeast USA

Do you have more time or are you just a fast traveler? You might check out these sights during a road trip between Toronto and New York.

• Discover Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. Especially recommended during Summer and Autumn.
• Visit the capital of Canada: Ottawa.
• Imagine being in France while you visit the gorgeous city of Montreal.
• Visit Boston before driving to New York.

Book your Toronto to New York road trip!

Did you feel like a Toronto to New York road trip after reading this article? These are useful websites for booking your trip:

• Check WayAway to find the cheapest flights and get cashback on plane tickets.
• At every stop on this road trip, I added a recommendation of a place to stay (I stayed in most of them myself). But of course, there are many more great places to stay. It is easiest to book overnight stays via Booking.com. You get a discount if you book through this platform more often.
• Don’t forget your travel insurance! Check Insubuy to find the insurance that fits your needs.
• You can book fun tours and guided tours through Get Your Guide or Viator.

Read more about USA road trips!

Would you like to learn more about road-tripping in Northeast USA? Check out these amazing travel guides:

Lonely Planet New York & the Mid-Atlantic’s Best Trips

DK Eyewitness Canada

I myself have been on road trips in the USA several times, which is why you can find a lot of information about traveling in the United States of America on this website. You might like to read these articles as well:

• The best unknown places to visit in the USA
• New York State road trip: 6 beautiful sights
• 5 amazing USA road trip itineraries

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This article was published in October 2017. Last update: Februari 2024

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