I’m going to make a bold prediction here: Winter is not going to last forever. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Soon enough we’ll hear birds chirping, see leaves sprouting, and smell that distinct freshly cut grass. In fact, later this week it’s supposed to reach a high of 3 degrees in Markham! (Hey, after this winter, I’ll take whatever I can get) So to celebrate the arrival of spring, I think an epic road trip is called for. There’s nothing better than packing your car full of friends and snack foods to head out on the open road to parts unknown. Here is a small list I’ve made up of different road trips I would suggest, ranked by distance in relation to Markham. Go explore!

Bluffer’s Park

What better way to celebrate warm weather than by going to a beach! Bluffer’s Park is a beautiful park just half an hour south of Markham that has a nice beach and a great 360 degree view of trees and amazing bluffs. Great for a picnic or family walk along Lake Ontario.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls became a major attraction after it was featured in the hit 1980 film, Superman II (ok, maybe people knew about it before that). The 8th (and newest) natural wonders of the world, Niagara Falls is a fantastic tourist trap/visual spectacle. About 90 minutes south of Markham along the QEW, there is plenty to do around the Falls including Fallsview Casino, The Guinness World Records Museum, and Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks Museum. Apparently, there’s some water falling off a cliff somewhere too but good luck getting to that.

Algonquin Provincial Park

About three hours north of Markham, Algonquin Provincial Park is the oldest provincial park in all of Canada. It’s also one of the biggest parks in Canada, about 1.5x the size of PEI. There are many things to do in the park for the outdoorsy people including hiking trails and canoe trips. And for those of you who aren’t outdoorsy…I wouldn’t recommend coming here.

Sault Ste. Marie

The Soo is a beautiful town on the Michigan/Ontario border that is just over seven hours north of Markham. If you’re an outdoorsy person, this is the place to be. A city surrounded by water and hiking trails, it’s a great place to camp or canoe to your heart’s content. In addition, the drive to the Soo is breathtaking. A trip that takes you around Georgian Bay and through the beautiful city of Sudbury, you’ll have more fun driving to Sault Ste. Marie than you will in the actual city.

Quebec City

Quebec City is an eight-hour drive east of Markham that will take you all along Lake Ontario, past the Kawartha Lakes and through the city of Montreal. Once you’re in Quebec City, you can be entranced with the beauty of the old-time architecture at the Chateau Frontenac or La Citadelle, or visit the Quebec City Summer Festival in July (The Weeknd is playing this summer. Or Neil Young if that’s more your speed).

Winnipeg

This one might be a two-day trip, but totally worth it. The 22-hour drive through Northern Ontario is one of the most beautiful drives I have ever done in my life. There are hundreds of lakes and forests up there that look amazing in the spring with all the buds blooming. Once you’re in Winnipeg, let the culture of the city take over. Winnipeg was named the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2010 with 26 National Historic Sites in the city. Well worth the trip if you can handle the drive.

Banff

Banff is 34 hours from Markham non-stop. But realistically it will probably take you anywhere from 3 to 4 days to get there. But those 3 – 4 days will be filled with great views including the entire trip to Winnipeg and the approach into the Rocky Mountains which will give you goosebumps. Once you’re in Banff, you will be treated to some of the best experiences you will ever get. Whether it’s visiting Lake Louise and Moraine Lake or doing one of the zillion hikes in the area, there is enough there to make the road trip well worth it.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a day-trip, or want to spend as long as possible driving on the open-road, there are plenty of road trips you could, or can I say should, make. These are just some ideas I came up with based on trips I have made in my lifetime. Your experiences may vary.