Road Trip from Maryland to Toronto, Ontario, Canada

[maestro96]

Guys,

I would be taking a trip to Toronto next week. I am hoping to visit a must see attraction along the route. I know the Gettysburg battlefield and museum are right in the path - and I love visiting historical places, but it seems like the visit would not be worth 2 hours? It is the maximum time i can spare on my journey.

Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

Thank you.

[DonnaR57]

I would save Gettysburg for a time when you can spare more than 2 hours. Honestly, we spent over 3 hours just seeing the diorama (fabulous) and the museum. Then another 1-1/2 days doing the road tour through the battlefield and to the cemetery.

How about Niagara Falls? Hershey chocolate tour? (though the latter may not fit into the route you are taking to get up there). On RTA, we don't really do "must-sees" because what one person thinks is a "must see" is someone else's "must avoid". But these two things come up quite often.


Donna

[AZBuck]

Unfortunately, it really is a full day's drive from pretty much anywhere in Maryland to Toronto even with no stops other than for food, fuel, bathroom breaks and the border crossing. And while US-15 is being upgraded to freeway-quality road for the most part, there are still portions that are only two lanes, and the upgrade process itself means that you might run into construction delays.

So, first I'd suggest that you forego any plans to make a 'major' stop such as even two hours at Gettysburg. I also concur with Donna that even two hours is insufficient to get a real taste of what Gettysburg is about. Then I'd suggest that you check with the Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario department of transportation websites to see what construction will be underway on your route as you drive through. Only then would I look for a couple of much shorter stops to take a break from driving while still not eating up a lot of time which you don't have. For one stop, look at Shikellamy State Park on the upper Susquehanna River. For the second I'd wait until I had cleared customs and knew I still had some spare time. Since I don't think at best you'll have time to get to Niagara Falls (the actual falls) with as little time as you have, I'd suggest something closer to the QEW: Fifty Point Conservation Area just to take a second relaxing break from driving.

AZBuck

[maestro96]

Thanks for the wonderful suggestion.

We have decided to go through the Amish country side before visiting the New Jersey Battle ship in Camden NJ en-route to Toronto, Ontario.

From your advise and the little research I have done. This is the route I have planned. I would like to know if this would give us a good road trip through the Amish country side.

This is how I am planning the trip in the GPS: -

Starting from Silver Spring MD > Lititz, PA > Bird in Hand, PA > Intercourse, PA > Camden, NJ

I depend a lot on the GPS entries so please keep in mind while making your suggestion.

Thanks again!

[DonnaR57]

A lot of the regulars here, as well as the moderators, don't set a lot of stock by GPS units. They are just fine for trying to find your way to a specific address within a city, or seeing how long that traffic jam lasts - the one you just slammed on your brakes to avoid crashing. For planning your way across a state, or a country, they leave a lot to be desired. They claim to show the details, when they really don't. Perhaps someday they will be as good as having a paper map at your side, but right now, they aren't.

Paradise and Quarryville are other towns in the Amish country, both not far from Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. Something to keep in mind: while the Amish do not mind if you take pictures of their farms or other landscapes, their beliefs will cause them to turn away if you aim a camera (or your phone) at them personally. Instead, they would prefer that you find one of their small craft-fresh eggs-produce stands, and purchase something. In some areas where the Amish farms and homes are prevalent, you may struggle to get a cell signal, as they have not allowed cell phone companies to place towers near them. (That is what a friend of mine just told me, when she was touring the area last summer.) In Lancaster or York, or the larger communities with non-Amish, you'll have better luck. This is another reason to travel with a paper map and know how to use it.


Donna

[maestro96]

Donna,

Thanks for the heads up and your advice. I would be sure to follow them.

[maestro96]

Greetings,

I had posted this reply by mistake to another thread. Thanks to Donna for pointing it out.

We have decided to go through the Amish country side before visiting the New Jersey Battle ship in Camden NJ en-route to Toronto, Ontario.

From your advise and the little research I have done. This is the route I have planned. I would like to know if this would give us a good road trip through the Amish country side.

This is how I am planning the trip in the GPS: -

Starting from Silver Spring MD > Lititz, PA > Bird in Hand, PA > Intercourse, PA > Camden, NJ

I depend a lot on the GPS entries so please keep in mind while making your suggestion.

Thanks again!

[glc]

Forget your GPS except to find specific addresses.

Take I-95 toward Baltimore, I-695 around the west side of the city, then I-83 to York. Get off at Exit 19, go straight across Market Street onto Hills Road to US-30, turn right. Go to Lancaster and take PA-501 north to Lititz. I would then take PA-772 to PA-340 at Intercourse. Take that to PA-82 back to US-30. Take that to US-202 to I-76 toward Center City Philadelphia. Take I-676 to the Ben Franklin Bridge. Take the Broadway exit south to Martin Luther King Drive west to 3rd Street south to Clinton Street to the battleship.

NOTE!!! Camden is not a safe city, be extra aware of your surroundings and don't go off exploring the neighborhoods.

To get from Camden to Toronto, how do you want to go?