Some trips need a passport and a long-haul flight. This one needs a full tank of gas. Or a train ticket and a good book.
Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa sit on the same stretch of Ontario, only a few hours apart, and yet they feel like three different countries. Toronto is big, loud and always hungry. Kingston is limestone and lake breezes, with more history packed into its downtown than seems fair for a city its size. And Ottawa? Ottawa surprises people. Every time.
This 10-day Toronto to Ottawa itinerary gives you four days in Toronto, two in Kingston and four in the capital. It works if you’re travelling solo, as a couple, or with kids in the back seat asking how much longer. We’ve left a little breathing room in each day too. Nobody comes home from a vacation wishing they’d rushed more.
How to Get Around: Road Trip or VIA Rail?
Honestly, you can’t lose here. Both options are great, they just give you a different kind of trip.
The road trip
The drive follows Highway 401 east out of Toronto. Kingston is roughly 260 km away, so plan on two and a half to three hours depending on how Toronto traffic is feeling that day. From Kingston to Ottawa, skip the fastest route and head east along the 401 to Brockville, then turn north on Highway 416. It adds a little time, but it lets you stop at Canada’s very first railway tunnel (more on that on Day 7).
A car gives you freedom. Pull over for a butter tart or an apple pie at the Big Apple. Detour to Gananoque for a 1000 Islands cruise. Drive past the Prime Minister’s house at your own pace. For families with lots of gear, it’s also just easier.
The splurge: VIA Rail Business class
If you’d rather someone else did the driving, take the train and treat yourself to VIA Rail’s Business class (their version of first class). You get access to the Business lounge before you board, and VIA has lounges in Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa, so every leg of this trip starts with a comfy chair and a coffee. Once you’re on board there’s a meal served at your seat, drinks, more legroom and big windows with a great view of Ontario’s countryside.
Each leg (Toronto to Kingston, then Kingston to Ottawa) takes roughly two to two and a half hours. Book early. Business fares can be surprisingly reasonable if you grab them well ahead, and they climb as seats fill up. It is definitely the way to travel on VIA.
One thing to know if you’re travelling by train: a few Kingston-area stops (Boldt Castle and the Brockville tunnel) are much easier with wheels. Consider renting a car for your second day in Kingston, or book a 1000 Islands tour that includes transportation.
Toronto: Days 1 to 4
Four days sounds like a lot until you’re here. Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, and each one has its own personality, its own food, its own vibe and its own crowd. Wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to walk.
Day 1: Hello, waterfront
Start where the city meets the lake. The Harbourfront stretches along Queens Quay, and on a sunny day it’s the best free show in town: sailboats, ferries, street performers, and people-watching for hours. Grab a coffee and just wander.
If you feel inclined, jump on a ferry and venture over to Toronto Island to get an amazing view of the city skyline, rent a bike or a canoe and explore the island, visit one of the four beaches and if you have little ones, visit Centreville Amusement Park.
When you’re ready for the big view, the CN Tower is right there. Yes, it’s touristy. Go anyway. Kids love the glass floor, and so do adults who pretend they don’t. Ripley’s Aquarium sits at its base if you’ve got little ones (or a shark fan of any age). Across from the CN Tower is the Roundhouse Park, that houses the John Street Roundhouse and Toronto Railway Museum.
Day 2: Old Town, a famous market and a big night out
This is where Toronto began, back when it was the Town of York. The Old Town area around the St. Lawrence Market still has that 1800s feel, with brick buildings and quiet side streets that most visitors walk right past.
On your way to St.Lawrence Market, travel south along Church St and just below south of Front Street, you can visit a public artwork that identifies where Lake Ontario shoreline once existed before the city expanded. It is an interesting piece of work that is worth a stop to see.
The St. Lawrence Market is a great market. Come hungry. The peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery is practically a Toronto rite of passage, and you’ll find cheese, fresh bread, pastries and about a hundred things you didn’t know you needed. Heads up: the market is closed on Mondays, so plan around that. Afterwards, poke around St. James Cathedral and Toronto’s First Post Office, which still sells stamps and lets you write a letter with a quill pen. The kids will think it’s hilarious.
The Distillery District is a short walk east. Cobblestone lanes, Victorian industrial buildings, galleries, chocolate shops and patios. Very pretty, very photogenic.
Tonight, catch a sports game or a show. Toronto is a serious sports town. Depending on the season you can cheer on the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, the Maple Leafs or Raptors at Scotiabank Arena, the Argonauts or Toronto FC at BMO Field. Not a sports person? Massey Hall is one of the most beautiful concert halls in the country, and there’s live music, dance or theater somewhere in this city every night of the week.
Day 3: Kensington Market and the art side of town
Kensington Market is not a market in the usual sense. It’s a whole neighbourhood, a jumble of vintage shops, cheese mongers, spice stores, murals, taco counters and brightly painted Victorian houses. No chains, no pretense. It’s weird in the best way. Give yourself a few hours to get lost, then drift over to Chinatown on Spadina for dumplings.
In the afternoon, pick a museum. The Art Gallery of Ontario (the AGO) is a short walk away and the building alone is worth a look. The Royal Ontario Museum is a quick subway ride north, with dinosaurs that tend to win over anyone under twelve.
Finish on Queen Street West and duck into Graffiti Alley, a long laneway covered wall to wall in street art. Bring your camera. Bring your patience too, because everyone else brought theirs.
Day 4: The Beaches, the boardwalk and Queen Street East
Slow down today. Head east on the Queen streetcar to the Beaches (locals will also call it The Beach, and yes, people have strong feelings about which is right). The boardwalk runs for kilometres along Lake Ontario, and on a warm morning it’s full of joggers, dog walkers and families building sandcastles.
When you’ve had enough sand, wander up to Queen Street East for some window shopping. It’s lined with independent boutiques, bookstores, ice cream shops and cafés with the kind of patios you’ll want to linger on. Work your way west toward Leslieville for dinner. The restaurant scene there punches well above its size.
Still have energy? Casa Loma, a real-life castle in the middle of the city, is a fun bonus stop for families and anyone who ever wanted to explore secret passages.
Kingston: Days 5 and 6
Kingston was Canada’s very first capital, and it hasn’t forgotten it. The downtown is full of grey limestone buildings, the lake is never far away, and there’s a genuinely relaxed pace here. After four days of Toronto, it feels like a deep breath.
Day 5: History on wheels, city hall and a fort at sunset
Once you’ve checked in, hop on the Kingston Trolley Tours hop-on hop-off. It’s the easiest way to get your bearings, and the guides pack each stop with stories. Hop off wherever something catches your eye.
Stop at Kingston City Hall, the grand domed building facing the water, and take a guided tour. It was built when Kingston was still the capital, which explains why it looks far too fancy for a city hall. Then step out back to Springer Market Square. On market days it fills with farmers, bakers and makers, and it’s a lovely place to grab lunch and sit in the sun.
In the late afternoon, head across the causeway to Fort Henry. Built in the 1830s to protect the harbour, it comes alive with costumed soldiers, drills and cannon fire. If you’re visiting in summer, check the schedule for the Sunset Ceremony. Fireworks, music and marching as the sun goes down over the lake. It’s one of those things you’ll talk about for years.
Day 6: Behind prison walls, then off to a castle
Start early at Kingston Penitentiary. It was Canada’s oldest maximum security prison, open from 1835 until 2013, and the tours are led by storytellers, some of them former staff who actually worked there. You’ll walk through cellblocks, workshops and yards, and hear about escapes and riots and daily life behind the walls. It’s fascinating, and it’s surprisingly good with older kids. Tours run from April through the end of October and they sell out, so book ahead.
Then make the 30-minute drive to Gananoque, the gateway to the 1000 Islands. Take a boat tour through the islands. Some are big enough for a mansion, some barely fit a cottage and a flagpole, and every one comes with a story.
The highlight is Boldt Castle on Heart Island. A wealthy hotel owner started building it in the early 1900s as a gift for his wife, then stopped the work forever when she died suddenly. It sat unfinished for decades. Today it’s been beautifully restored, and walking through it is equal parts romantic and heartbreaking.
Bring your passport. Heart Island is on the American side of the St. Lawrence River, so a stop at Boldt Castle means clearing U.S. customs. Everyone in your group needs proper ID, kids included. Boldt Castle is also seasonal, so check dates before you go.
Ottawa: Days 7 to 10
Ottawa is a beautiful city filled with weekend festivals throughout the warmer months. Canada’s capital is beautiful, walkable, packed with free things to do, and can be just a little bit spooky once the sun goes down.
Day 7: A train tunnel, a market and a ghost story
If you’re driving, stop in Brockville on the way. The Brockville Railway Tunnel is Canada’s first railway tunnel, finished in 1860 and running about 500 metres right under the downtown. Today it’s a walking path with coloured lights and music playing along the stone walls. It’s free (donations welcome), it takes about half an hour, and kids think it’s magic. It’s open seasonally, usually spring through fall.
Once you reach Ottawa, head straight to the ByWard Market. It’s one of the oldest markets in Canada, with outdoor stalls, food shops, patios and a good pub or two. You also have a job to do here: eat a BeaverTail. It’s a flat, fried pastry covered in cinnamon sugar (or whatever topping you pick) and it’s practically a national treasure.
After dark, join a haunted walking tour. The Haunted Walk of Ottawa is led by cloaked guides carrying lanterns who’ll take you through the city’s dark side: murders, hangings and ghosts that apparently never checked out. Fun for teens and brave grown-ups. Maybe a little much for the very little ones.
Day 8: Parliament Hill, the locks and the last public hanging
You can’t come to Ottawa and skip Parliament Hill. Guided tours are free, but you’ll want to reserve tickets online in advance. The main Centre Block is closed for a massive renovation (it’s expected to last into the 2030s), so tours take you into the House of Commons in the West Block and the Senate of Canada Building instead. In summer you can also tour the heritage rooms in the East Block. Bring ID and arrive about 30 minutes early for security.
Visiting from late June to August? Catch the Changing of the Guard on the lawn in the morning. The red tunics and bearskin hats get everyone.
From the Hill, walk down to the Rideau Canal. Right beside the Château Laurier there’s a flight of eight locks that drops boats down to the Ottawa River. Grab a bench and watch the lockmasters crank the gates open by hand, the same way they’ve done it since the 1830s. It’s weirdly relaxing. The canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the pathways along both sides are perfect for walking or biking. There are rental shops near the locks if you’d like to cover more ground.
This evening, take a tour of the old Carleton County Jail, now the Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel. Yes, people actually sleep here, in real cells. In 1869, more than 5,000 people gathered outside to watch Patrick Whelan hanged for the assassination of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, one of the Fathers of Confederation. It was the last public hanging in Canada. You’ll see death row and the gallows, which are still standing. Chills, guaranteed.
Day 9: Museum day and shopping on Bank Street
Ottawa has a whole lineup of national museums, and you really can’t see them all in one trip. Pick one or two:
- The National Gallery of Canada: stunning glass building, huge Canadian art collection, and a giant spider sculpture called Maman out front that makes a great photo.
- The Canadian Museum of History: across the river in Gatineau, with the best view of Parliament Hill in the region and a Grand Hall full of towering totem poles.
- The Canadian War Museum: moving, well done and thoughtful for all ages.
- The Canadian Museum of Nature: dinosaurs, a blue whale skeleton and a live insect gallery. A big winner with kids.
- Ingenium, the Canada Science and Technology Museum: hands-on everything, including a crazy kitchen that’ll leave you dizzy.
- The Royal Canadian Mint: see where Canada’s gold bullion and collector coins are struck, then try lifting a real gold bar on the guided tour.
In the afternoon, shop your way down Bank Street through the Glebe. This is a neighbourhood strip full of cute independent shops, bookstores, cafés and bakeries. Continue down to Lansdowne, right on the canal, for dinner and maybe a CFL game if there’s one on.
Day 10: Drive past where the power lives
Save this for your last morning. Hop in the car (or book a cab) and follow Sussex Drive, the most important street in the country.
You’ll pass the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, whose starry blue ceiling is worth a quick stop. Keep going and you’ll roll right past embassy after embassy, with flags from all over the world flying out front. It’s a fun game for kids: how many flags can you name?
Then comes 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the Prime Minister. Fun fact: no prime minister has lived there since 2015. The house has been empty for years, and in 2026 the government announced a national competition to restore it. The current Prime Minister actually lives in Rideau Cottage, on the grounds of Rideau Hall just across the street. Rideau Hall is home to the Governor General, and its grounds are open for strolling, with free tours of the house.
Next door, the leafy Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood is where you’ll find Stornoway, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition, plus more embassies and ambassadors’ homes. It’s a quiet, gorgeous drive.
If you have a few hours before heading home, cross the river and drive the parkway through Gatineau Park. The lookouts are spectacular, especially in the fall when the leaves turn.
More Ottawa extras, if you have time
- Major’s Hill Park: the big green lawn beside the Château Laurier, with some of the best views of Parliament.
- Diefenbunker: a Cold War bunker built to shelter government officials during a nuclear attack. Four storeys underground. Totally fascinating.
- Mackenzie King Estate: gardens and ruins in Gatineau Park, once home to Canada’s longest-serving prime minister.
- Nordik Spa-Nature: a huge outdoor Nordic spa just outside the city in Chelsea, Quebec. Ideal for couples looking for a relaxing final day.
- Winterlude: if you visit in February, skate the Rideau Canal Skateway and admire the ice sculptures.
- Canadian Tulip Festival: every May, the city blooms in millions of tulips.
When to Go
Late spring through early fall is the sweet spot. Many Kingston attractions are seasonal: Kingston Pen tours run April through October, Fort Henry’s big events happen in summer, and Boldt Castle and the Brockville tunnel both close for the winter. September and early October are especially lovely, with fewer crowds, warm days and fall colours along the 401.
Winter has its own charm, especially in Ottawa, but you’ll trade some Kingston stops for skating and snow.
Quick Tips Before You Go
- Book the popular tours early. Kingston Pen tours sell out, and Parliament tour tickets go fast in summer.
- Pack your passport if Boldt Castle is on your list.
- Stay central. In Toronto, look downtown or near the waterfront. In Kingston, stay downtown near the water. In Ottawa, anywhere near the ByWard Market or Parliament keeps most things within walking distance.
- Leave some white space. Some of the best moments on this trip will be the ones you don’t plan: a patio you stumble on, a street festival, a random conversation with a local.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 10 days enough for Toronto, Kingston and Ottawa? Yes. Ten days gives you time to see the highlights in each city without feeling rushed, and still leaves room for a lazy morning or two.
Is it better to drive or take the train from Toronto to Ottawa? Driving gives you flexibility for side trips like Gananoque and Brockville. The train is more relaxing, especially in VIA Business class. Families with lots of luggage often prefer the car. Solo travellers and couples love the train.
Is this itinerary good for kids? Very. Think glass floors, castles, a prison tour, costumed soldiers, a glowing train tunnel, dinosaurs and a treat called a BeaverTail. Just check age suggestions for the haunted tours.
Do I need a passport for this trip? Only if you visit Boldt Castle, which is on the U.S. side of the 1000 Islands. And if you are flying into Canada.
Ready to Hit the Road?
Three cities. Ten days. A lake, a river, a castle, history and more good food than you’ll know what to do with. This trip from Toronto to Ottawa has something for everyone, whether you’re chasing history, shopping, sports, or just a good excuse to get out of town.
So pick your ride, pack your walking shoes and go.
Still Dreaming?
Here are a few of our other guides to help you plan this trip (and the next one).
Short on time in the capital? If ten days is a stretch, our 3-Day Ottawa Itinerary squeezes the best of the city into one long weekend, with tips for every season.
Packing light for the train? Carry-on travel makes hopping on and off VIA Rail so much easier. Start with How to Find the Perfect Backpack, then read why the Osprey Fairview 55 is still the bag we grab for every trip.
Craving somewhere warmer? When the snow starts falling, our 7-Day Belize Itinerary for Families has beaches, reefs, jungle ruins and plenty of adventure for any age.