Leave Brampton around 6:30 AM for Montreal, taking Highway 401 east and then Autoroute 20 toward the city. Allow roughly 6–7 hours with two charging and meal breaks; a fast-charging stop near Kingston is a sensible midpoint, followed by another charger in or around Montreal. Check live availability in PlugShare or ChargeHub before leaving, since busy summer chargers can add waiting time. Aim to arrive around 1:00–2:00 PM, and confirm that your hotel has overnight EV charging or a nearby public charger. From central hotels, walking or a short taxi ride to Old Montreal is easier than trying to park throughout the afternoon.
Start at Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, where the richly decorated Gothic Revival interior is best appreciated with about an hour inside. Admission is typically around CAD $15–20 per adult, and hours can change with services or special events, so check the official schedule before setting out. Afterwards, walk downhill through the historic streets to the Old Port of Montreal for an unhurried 1–1½-hour stroll along the waterfront, Place Jacques-Cartier, and the quays. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water—the stone streets and exposed waterfront can feel hot in August, while the area becomes much livelier toward evening.
Use the Montreal Science Centre as your late-afternoon stop, especially if the weather is warm or rainy. Its interactive exhibits are a good change of pace after sightseeing; allow about 1½ hours and verify the day’s opening hours and admission prices online, generally around CAD $25–35 per adult depending on exhibitions. It is within easy walking distance of the Old Port sights. Finish at Lola Rosa for a relaxed vegetarian-friendly dinner, budgeting roughly CAD $25–40 per person before drinks and tax. Reservations are worthwhile for four adults in August; after dinner, wander briefly through Old Montreal or return to the hotel to rest before the next day.
Start at Mount Royal Park, aiming for the Kondiaronk Belvedere before the day warms up. From the lower entrance near Monument Sir George-Étienne Cartier, the uphill walk takes about 25–35 minutes; the full visit is roughly 1½ hours. The lookout gives you the classic view over downtown and the St. Lawrence River, and the trails are comfortable in the morning. There is no admission fee, but parking near the park is limited and metered, so arriving by taxi or rideshare is easier for a group of four.
Continue to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in the Golden Square Mile, about 15 minutes by car or 25–30 minutes by transit. Allow around two hours for the Canadian, European, and international galleries; the museum is generally open from late morning into the evening, but check the 2026 exhibition schedule before leaving. Admission is typically about C$### Late Morning and Lunch
After the museum, drive or take transit roughly 15 minutes southwest to Atwater Market in Little Burgundy. Browse the produce stalls, Québec cheeses, pastries, and prepared foods, then have an informal lunch here for about C$15–30 per person. Indoor vendors usually operate from morning through early evening, though individual counters keep different hours. It is a good place to pick up snacks and drinks for the road rather than committing to a long restaurant meal.
From Atwater Market, walk or cycle along the Lachine Canal for about an hour. The stretch toward Griffintown is especially easygoing, with broad paths, old industrial buildings, and benches beside the water; bike rentals are available nearby if everyone wants to cover more ground. Return to your car by about 2:45–3:00 PM, then leave Montreal on Autoroute 40 toward Quebec City. Plan on roughly 3–3½ hours of driving plus a 30–60-minute DC-fast charging and meal stop—check live status in PlugShare, FLO, ChargePoint, or Electrify Canada before departing, since a busy station can change the timing. On arrival, use the hotel’s garage or a reserved central garage rather than trying to find street parking, and keep the EV plugged in overnight if charging is available.
Start around 9:00 AM with Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City’s unmistakable landmark. You do not need to be a hotel guest to admire the public areas, and the best exterior views are from Dufferin Terrace, where you can look over the St. Lawrence River and the rooftops of Lower Town. Allow about an hour. If your hotel is outside the historic center, leave the EV parked and take local transit or a taxi to Upper Town—parking in the area is limited and expensive, often around C$20–35 for several hours.
Walk a few minutes along Rue Saint-Louis to Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral, generally open to visitors from late morning, though hours can change for services. Admission is usually free or by donation, with a small fee sometimes requested for special areas. Continue on foot through Old Quebec to the Morrin Centre, where a guided tour of the former prison, college, and English-language heritage site takes roughly an hour. Tours are scheduled rather than continuous, so check the August 15 timetable and arrive 10–15 minutes early; expect approximately C$15–25 per adult.
For lunch, walk downhill toward the Old Port and reserve Chez Muffy in advance. Set inside the historic Auberge Saint-Antoine, it is polished without feeling overly formal, and a seasonal lunch is typically about C$35–60 per person before drinks, tax, and tip. From there, spend the afternoon wandering Petit-Champlain and Place Royale. Follow Rue du Petit-Champlain slowly rather than trying to rush through the boutiques, then pause around Place Royale and the nearby waterfront streets for photographs and a coffee. The funicular can save the steep walk back to Upper Town, but walking is free; allow about C$5–10 per person for the funicular if you use it. Keep the evening unstructured—Quebec City is particularly pleasant after the day-trippers leave, and dinner near your hotel will be easier than moving the EV again.
Start around 8:00 AM for Montmorency Falls Park, about a 15–20-minute drive east of Quebec City via Autoroute 40. Park in the main lot near the cable-car area; parking and attraction fees vary, but budget roughly C$8–15 for parking, with extra charges if you take the cable car. Spend about two hours walking to the lower viewpoints and across the suspension bridge—the bridge gives the best sense of the falls’ height, and sturdy shoes are worthwhile because some paths and stairs are uneven. Check the park’s summer opening times and trail conditions before leaving, especially if weather is windy or wet.
From the falls, continue onto Île d’Orléans for an unhurried two- to three-hour loop. Follow Chemin Royal through villages such as Sainte-Pétronille, Saint-Jean-de-l’Île-d’Orléans, and Sainte-Famille, stopping at roadside farm stands for berries, cider, or cheese and pulling over only where parking is clearly permitted. The western tip around Sainte-Pétronille has especially lovely views back toward Quebec City and the river. Charge the EV in Quebec City before the loop—or after returning—rather than relying on rural chargers, and keep the battery comfortably above 20% since charging availability on the island can be limited.
Return to Lower Town for a relaxed break at La Maison Smith – Place Royale, generally open through the afternoon; confirm the exact Sunday hours before setting out. Order coffee and a pastry, then take 45 minutes to enjoy the atmosphere around Place Royale and the nearby cobbled lanes without trying to fit in another major attraction. Later, walk or drive to the Plains of Abraham—allow roughly 10–15 minutes by car from Lower Town, with paid garages or street parking farther from the central areas. An hour here is enough for an easy green-space walk and broad views toward the river; bring water and a light layer, as the open park can feel breezy.
Finish with dinner at Le Chic Shack in Old Quebec, a convenient, casual choice for burgers, fries, and shakes at approximately C$20–35 per person before drinks and tax. It is popular in summer, so arriving around 5:30–6:00 PM usually makes seating easier. After dinner, leave the EV parked overnight if possible and set up the next morning’s long return: check live fast-charger status, charge to the level your route requires, and aim for an early departure via Autoroute 20 toward Ontario and Highway 401.
Leave around 5:00 AM from your Quebec City accommodation to get through the Montreal and Toronto approaches before the heaviest traffic. Follow Autoroute 20 west toward Montreal, then continue on Highway 401 west toward Brampton; this is the straightforward non-toll route. Allow about 9–10 hours including charging, breakfast, lunch, and comfort stops, and expect roughly C$70–130 in EV charging. Before leaving, check your vehicle’s real-time range and confirm DC-fast charger availability in PlugShare, FLO, or Electrify Canada—some stations may be busy or temporarily offline.
Plan two or three charging stops rather than arriving at each charger nearly empty. Good practical stopping areas along the corridor include Drummondville, Brockville, Kingston, Napanee, and Cobourg; choose based on your vehicle’s range and live charger status. A 20–40-minute DC session is usually enough while everyone stretches and grabs coffee, but allow extra time if the station is shared or your car’s charging rate slows above 80%. Keep meals simple at highway plazas or nearby fast-casual restaurants, and avoid unnecessary detours—the day is already long.
With an early departure and normal summer conditions, arrival should be in the mid- to late afternoon, though construction, weather, and Toronto-area traffic can shift that considerably. As you approach Brampton, stay on Highway 401 and follow your navigation for the final local connection; traffic commonly thickens near Highway 410, especially later in the day. Once home, plug in if convenient, unload, and keep the evening quiet—after a full day behind the wheel, a nearby takeaway dinner and an early night will be much more enjoyable than adding another stop.