Plan your trip
Driving times to cottage country
How far each cottage and chalet region is from Canada’s cities, by car in good conditions. Pick your city, then open a region to see cottages for rent there.
Times are approximate, for good weather and normal traffic. Allow more on Friday afternoons in summer, on long weekends and on winter roads, and check provincial road reports (511) before you leave.
Cottage regions near Toronto
Approximate driving times from Toronto to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Simcoe Ontario | 1 h | |
| Kawarthas Ontario | 1½–2 h | |
| Muskoka Ontario | 2–2½ h | |
| Blue Mountains & Collingwood Ontario | 2 h | |
| Southwestern Ontario & Lake Erie Ontario | 2–3½ h | |
| Parry Sound & Georgian Bay Ontario | 2–2½ h | |
| Haliburton Highlands Ontario | 2½–3 h | |
| Prince Edward County Ontario | 2½ h | |
| Thousand Islands Ontario | 2½–3 h | |
| Algonquin & Almaguin Ontario | 2¾–3 h | |
| Land O’Lakes Ontario | 3 h | |
| Bruce Peninsula & Lake Huron Ontario | 3–4 h | |
| Near North (Nipissing) Ontario | 3½ h | |
| Rideau Lakes Ontario | 3½ h | |
| Ottawa Valley Ontario | 4 h | |
| Northern Ontario Ontario | 4–7 h |
Cottage regions near Ottawa
Approximate driving times from Ottawa to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Outaouais Quebec | 15 min – 1 h | |
| Rideau Lakes Ontario | 1 h | |
| Ottawa Valley Ontario | 1–1½ h | |
| Thousand Islands Ontario | 1½ h | |
| Land O’Lakes Ontario | 1½–2 h | |
| Laurentians Quebec | 2 h | |
| Prince Edward County Ontario | 3 h | |
| Algonquin & Almaguin Ontario | 3 h | to the park gate |
| Muskoka Ontario | 4 h | |
| Near North (Nipissing) Ontario | 4 h | |
| Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec | 5 h |
Cottage regions near Montreal
Approximate driving times from Montreal to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Montérégie Quebec | 30 min – 1 h | |
| Laurentians Quebec | 1–1½ h | |
| Eastern Townships Quebec | 1–1½ h | |
| Lanaudière Quebec | 1–2½ h | |
| Centre-du-Québec Quebec | 1–1½ h | |
| Outaouais Quebec | 1½ h | |
| Mauricie Quebec | 1½–2 h | |
| Thousand Islands Ontario | 2½ h | |
| Québec City area Quebec | 2½–3 h | |
| Prince Edward County Ontario | 3½ h | |
| Charlevoix Quebec | 4 h | |
| Bas-Saint-Laurent Quebec | 4½–5½ h | |
| Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Quebec | 5 h | |
| Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec | 5½–7 h |
Cottage regions near Quebec City
Approximate driving times from Quebec City to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Québec City area Quebec | 20–25 min | |
| Charlevoix Quebec | 1–1½ h | |
| Mauricie Quebec | 1½ h | |
| Centre-du-Québec Quebec | 1½ h | |
| Bas-Saint-Laurent Quebec | 2–3 h | |
| Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Quebec | 2½ h | |
| Côte-Nord Quebec | 3–8 h | includes a ferry |
| Gaspésie Quebec | 5–8 h |
Cottage regions near Vancouver
Approximate driving times from Vancouver to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Whistler & Sea-to-Sky British Columbia | 1–2 h | |
| Sunshine Coast British Columbia | 1–1½ h | includes a ferry |
| Fraser Valley & Harrison British Columbia | 1¼–2 h | |
| Vancouver Island British Columbia | 1½–2 h | includes a ferry |
| Gulf Islands British Columbia | 35 min – 3 h | includes a ferry |
| Okanagan British Columbia | 4–4½ h | |
| Cariboo Chilcotin British Columbia | 4½–6 h | |
| Shuswap British Columbia | 5 h | |
| Kootenay Rockies British Columbia | 8 h | |
| Northern B.C. British Columbia | 8 h + |
Cottage regions near Calgary
Approximate driving times from Calgary to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Banff, Canmore & the Rockies Alberta | 1–2 h | park pass needed |
| Sylvan Lake & Central Alberta Alberta | 1½ h | |
| Southern Alberta & Waterton Alberta | 1½–3 h | |
| Kootenay Rockies British Columbia | 3–7 h | |
| Shuswap British Columbia | 6 h |
Cottage regions near Edmonton
Approximate driving times from Edmonton to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Lake & Central Alberta Alberta | 1–1¾ h | |
| Alberta Lakeland Alberta | 2½–3 h | |
| Northern Alberta Alberta | 2½–5½ h | |
| Jasper Alberta | 4 h | park pass needed |
| Yellowknife & Great Slave Lake Northwest Territories | 15–17 h |
Cottage regions near Winnipeg
Approximate driving times from Winnipeg to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Interlake Manitoba | 30 min – 1½ h | |
| Lake Winnipeg beaches Manitoba | 1–2 h | |
| Whiteshell Manitoba | 1½ h | |
| Northern Ontario Ontario | 2 h | Kenora and Lake of the Woods |
| Riding Mountain & Clear Lake Manitoba | 3 h | park pass needed |
| Northern Manitoba Manitoba | 7–9 h |
Cottage regions near Saskatoon
Approximate driving times from Saskatoon to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Diefenbaker Saskatchewan | 1½ h | |
| Waskesiu & Prince Albert National Park Saskatchewan | 2½ h | park pass needed |
| Northern Lakes Saskatchewan | 4 h |
Cottage regions near Regina
Approximate driving times from Regina to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Qu’Appelle Valley Saskatchewan | 1–1¼ h | |
| Lake Diefenbaker Saskatchewan | 2½ h | |
| Cypress Hills Saskatchewan | 4½ h |
Cottage regions near Halifax
Approximate driving times from Halifax to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Shore Nova Scotia | 30 min – 2½ h | |
| South Shore Nova Scotia | 45 min – 1½ h | |
| Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia | 1–2 h | |
| Northumberland Shore Nova Scotia | 1½–2 h | |
| Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Nova Scotia | 3 h | |
| Shediac & the Southeast New Brunswick | 3 h | |
| Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia | 3–4 h |
Cottage regions near Moncton
Approximate driving times from Moncton to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shediac & the Southeast New Brunswick | 20–40 min | |
| Bay of Fundy New Brunswick | 1 h | |
| Miramichi New Brunswick | 1½ h | |
| Saint John River Valley New Brunswick | 2 h | |
| Acadian Peninsula New Brunswick | 3 h |
Cottage regions near Charlottetown
Approximate driving times from Charlottetown to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cavendish & North Shore Prince Edward Island | 40 min | |
| Eastern P.E.I. Prince Edward Island | 40 min – 1¼ h | |
| Western P.E.I. Prince Edward Island | 45 min – 2¼ h |
Cottage regions near St. John’s
Approximate driving times from St. John’s to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avalon Peninsula Newfoundland and Labrador | 30 min – 1½ h | |
| Bonavista & Trinity Bay Newfoundland and Labrador | 3–3½ h | |
| Central Newfoundland & Twillingate Newfoundland and Labrador | 5 h |
Cottage regions near Whitehorse
Approximate driving times from Whitehorse to the nearest cottage and chalet regions, closest first.
| Region | Drive | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Whitehorse & Southern Lakes Yukon | 45 min | |
| Dawson & the Klondike Yukon | 6–7 h |
Getting to every region
The full picture for all 81 regions, including the ones you reach by ferry or plane.
Ontario
- Muskoka — About 2 hours north of Toronto by Highway 400 and Highway 11; Huntsville is about 2½ hours. Ottawa is about 4 hours away.
- Kawarthas — About 1½ to 2 hours north-east of Toronto by Highways 115 and 35 or Highway 7; Peterborough is the main gateway.
- Haliburton Highlands — About 2½ to 3 hours north-east of Toronto; Minden and Haliburton village are the main stops.
- Algonquin & Almaguin — About 3 hours from Toronto to the park’s West Gate; the East Gate is about 3 hours from Ottawa. Burk’s Falls is about 2¾ hours from Toronto by Highway 11.
- Parry Sound & Georgian Bay — About 2½ hours north of Toronto by Highway 400; Honey Harbour and Port Severn are under 2 hours.
- Blue Mountains & Collingwood — About 2 hours north-west of Toronto by Highway 400 and Highway 26.
- Bruce Peninsula & Lake Huron — About 3½ to 4 hours from Toronto to Tobermory; Sauble Beach is about 3 hours. The Chi-Cheemaun ferry links Tobermory to Manitoulin Island.
- Near North (Nipissing) — About 3½ hours north of Toronto by Highway 11, and about 4 hours west of Ottawa by Highway 17.
- Northern Ontario — Sudbury is about 4 hours from Toronto; Sault Ste. Marie about 7 hours. Kenora and Lake of the Woods are about 2 hours from Winnipeg.
- Land O’Lakes — About 3 hours from Toronto, 1½ to 2 hours from Ottawa and about 1 hour north of Kingston.
- Rideau Lakes — About 1 hour from Ottawa, 45 minutes from Kingston and about 3½ hours from Toronto.
- Ottawa Valley — About 1 hour west of Ottawa to Calabogie or Arnprior; Pembroke is 1½ hours. Toronto is about 4 hours away.
- Thousand Islands — About 2½ to 3 hours from Toronto, 1½ hours from Ottawa and 2½ hours from Montreal by Highway 401.
- Prince Edward County — About 2½ hours east of Toronto, 3 hours from Ottawa and 3½ hours from Montreal; the Glenora ferry links to the Kingston side.
- Lake Simcoe — About 1 hour north of Toronto by Highway 400 or Highway 404.
- Southwestern Ontario & Lake Erie — Grand Bend is about 2½ hours from Toronto; Port Dover about 2 hours; Point Pelee about 3½ hours. London is the main city nearby.
Quebec
- Laurentians — Saint-Sauveur is about 1 hour from Montreal by Autoroute 15; Mont-Tremblant is about 1½ hours. Ottawa is about 2 hours away.
- Lanaudière — Rawdon is about 1 hour from Montreal; Saint-Donat and Saint-Côme about 1½ hours; Saint-Michel-des-Saints about 2½ hours.
- Eastern Townships — Bromont and Knowlton are about 1 hour from Montreal by Autoroute 10; Magog and Orford about 1¼ hours; Sherbrooke about 1½ hours.
- Outaouais — Chelsea and Wakefield are 15–30 minutes from Ottawa; Montebello is about 1 hour from Ottawa and 1½ hours from Montreal.
- Mauricie — About 1½ to 2 hours from Montreal and about 1½ hours from Quebec City; Trois-Rivières sits halfway between the two.
- Charlevoix — Baie-Saint-Paul is about 1 hour east of Quebec City; La Malbaie about 1½ hours; Montreal is about 4 hours away.
- Québec City area — About 2½ to 3 hours from Montreal by Autoroute 20 or 40. Lac-Beauport and Stoneham are 20–25 minutes from Old Quebec.
- Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean — About 2½ hours north of Quebec City through the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve; about 5 hours from Montreal.
- Gaspésie — Percé is about 7½ to 8 hours from Quebec City along the coast; Sainte-Anne-des-Monts about 5 hours. Plan at least a week for the loop.
- Bas-Saint-Laurent — Rivière-du-Loup is about 2 hours from Quebec City by Autoroute 20; Rimouski about 3 hours; Montreal is 4½–5½ hours away.
- Abitibi-Témiscamingue — About 5½ to 7 hours from Montreal via Route 117 through La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve; Témiscaming is about 5 hours from Ottawa.
- Côte-Nord — Tadoussac is about 3 hours from Quebec City (with a free ferry over the Saguenay); Baie-Comeau about 5 hours; Sept-Îles about 8 hours.
- Magdalen Islands — The ferry from Souris, Prince Edward Island takes about 5 hours; there are also flights from Montreal and Quebec City.
- Montérégie — Most places are 30 to 60 minutes from Montreal; Venise-en-Québec is about 1 hour and the U.S. border is close by.
- Centre-du-Québec — Drummondville is about 1 hour from Montreal; Victoriaville about 1½ hours from both Montreal and Quebec City.
British Columbia
- Okanagan — Kelowna is about 4 hours from Vancouver by the Coquihalla Highway; Penticton is about 4½ hours. Kelowna International Airport has direct flights across Canada.
- Shuswap — Salmon Arm is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Kamloops and about 5 hours from Vancouver; Calgary is about 6 hours.
- Kootenay Rockies — Nelson is about 8 hours from Vancouver and 7 hours from Calgary; Invermere is about 3 hours from Calgary. Castlegar and Cranbrook have airports.
- Whistler & Sea-to-Sky — Squamish is about 1 hour from Vancouver and Whistler about 2 hours by Highway 99; Pemberton is 30 minutes past Whistler.
- Sunshine Coast — A 40-minute ferry from Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) to Langdale, then 10 minutes to Gibsons or 40 minutes to Sechelt. Book the ferry in summer.
- Vancouver Island — BC Ferries from Vancouver reach Nanaimo or Victoria in about 1½–2 hours. Parksville is 30 minutes from Nanaimo; Tofino is about 3 hours from Nanaimo.
- Gulf Islands — BC Ferries from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) or Swartz Bay (Victoria); crossings take 35 minutes to 3 hours depending on the island. Float planes fly from Vancouver.
- Fraser Valley & Harrison — Cultus Lake is about 1¼ hours from Vancouver, Harrison Hot Springs about 1½ hours and Hope about 2 hours by Highway 1.
- Cariboo Chilcotin — Williams Lake is about 6 hours from Vancouver; 100 Mile House about 4½ hours. Williams Lake and Quesnel have airports.
- Northern B.C. — Prince George is about 8 hours from Vancouver and has an airport; Prince Rupert is 8 hours west of Prince George. Haida Gwaii is reached by ferry from Prince Rupert or by plane.
Alberta
- Banff, Canmore & the Rockies — Canmore is about 1 hour west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway; Banff is 20 minutes further and Lake Louise about 2 hours from Calgary. A Parks Canada pass is required in the national park.
- Jasper — About 4 hours west of Edmonton by the Yellowhead Highway; about 3½–4 hours from Lake Louise along the Icefields Parkway. VIA Rail stops in Jasper.
- Sylvan Lake & Central Alberta — Sylvan Lake is about 1½ hours from Calgary and 1¾ hours from Edmonton; Pigeon Lake is about 1 hour from Edmonton.
- Alberta Lakeland — Lac La Biche is about 2½ hours northeast of Edmonton; Cold Lake about 3 hours.
- Southern Alberta & Waterton — Waterton is about 3 hours south of Calgary; the Crowsnest Pass about 2½ hours; Drumheller about 1½ hours northeast of Calgary.
- Northern Alberta — Slave Lake is about 2½–3 hours northwest of Edmonton; Peace River about 5½ hours; Fort McMurray about 4½ hours. Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray have airports.
Saskatchewan
- Waskesiu & Prince Albert National Park — About 1 hour north of Prince Albert and 2½ hours from Saskatoon. A Parks Canada pass is required in the park.
- Northern Lakes — La Ronge is about 4 hours north of Saskatoon; Meadow Lake Provincial Park is about 4 hours northwest of Saskatoon.
- Qu’Appelle Valley — Fort Qu’Appelle is about 1 hour northeast of Regina; Katepwa about 1¼ hours.
- Lake Diefenbaker — Elbow is about 1½ hours south of Saskatoon; Saskatchewan Landing is about 50 minutes north of Swift Current; Regina is about 2½ hours.
- Cypress Hills — Maple Creek is about 1½ hours west of Swift Current and 4½ hours from Regina; Medicine Hat, Alberta is about 1¼ hours away.
Manitoba
- Lake Winnipeg beaches — Grand Beach and Winnipeg Beach are about 1 hour north of Winnipeg; Gimli about 1¼ hours; Victoria Beach and Hecla Island about 2 hours.
- Whiteshell — Falcon Lake is about 1½ hours east of Winnipeg on the Trans-Canada Highway; Kenora, Ontario is about 45 minutes further.
- Riding Mountain & Clear Lake — Wasagaming is about 3 hours northwest of Winnipeg and about 1 hour north of Brandon. A Parks Canada pass is required in the park.
- Interlake — Oak Hammock Marsh is about 30 minutes north of Winnipeg; Lundar Beach about 1½ hours; Twin Lakes about 1½ hours.
- Northern Manitoba — Flin Flon and The Pas are about 7–9 hours north of Winnipeg by road. Churchill has no road: travel by VIA Rail from Winnipeg or Thompson, or by plane.
Nova Scotia
- Cape Breton Island — The Canso Causeway is about 3 hours from Halifax; Baddeck is about 4 hours and Inverness about 4 hours. Sydney has an airport.
- South Shore — Peggy’s Cove is about 45 minutes from Halifax; Mahone Bay and Lunenburg about 1 hour; Liverpool about 1½ hours.
- Annapolis Valley — Wolfville is about 1 hour from Halifax; Annapolis Royal about 2 hours. The Digby ferry crosses to Saint John, New Brunswick.
- Northumberland Shore — Tatamagouche is about 1½ hours from Halifax; Pictou about 1¾ hours; Antigonish about 2 hours. The ferry from Caribou goes to P.E.I.
- Eastern Shore — Lawrencetown is about 30 minutes from Halifax; Martinique Beach about 50 minutes; Sheet Harbour about 1½ hours; Sherbrooke about 2½ hours.
- Yarmouth & Acadian Shores — Yarmouth is about 3 hours from Halifax. A summer ferry links Yarmouth with Bar Harbor, Maine.
New Brunswick
- Bay of Fundy — Alma and Fundy National Park are about 1 hour from Moncton; St. Andrews is about 1¼ hours from Saint John. Ferries reach Grand Manan from Blacks Harbour.
- Shediac & the Southeast — Shediac is about 20 minutes from Moncton; Bouctouche about 40 minutes; Halifax is about 3 hours away.
- Acadian Peninsula — Caraquet is about 3 hours from Moncton and about 1 hour from Bathurst; Miscou Island is about 45 minutes beyond Caraquet.
- Miramichi — Miramichi is about 1½ hours from Moncton and 2 hours from Fredericton; Doaktown is about 1 hour from Fredericton.
- Saint John River Valley — Fredericton is about 1 hour from Saint John and 2 hours from Moncton; Hartland is about 1¼ hours northwest of Fredericton.
Prince Edward Island
- Cavendish & North Shore — Cavendish is about 40 minutes from Charlottetown and about 1 hour from the Confederation Bridge.
- Charlottetown area — Charlottetown is about 45 minutes from the Confederation Bridge and about 1 hour from the Wood Islands ferry. Charlottetown Airport has flights from Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
- Eastern P.E.I. — Montague is about 40 minutes from Charlottetown; Souris about 1 hour; East Point about 1¼ hours. The Wood Islands ferry links to Nova Scotia.
- Western P.E.I. — Summerside is about 20 minutes from the Confederation Bridge and 45 minutes from Charlottetown; North Cape is about 1½ hours from Summerside.
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Avalon Peninsula — St. John’s has the province’s main airport. Witless Bay is about 30 minutes south; Placentia is about 1½ hours. The Argentia ferry links to Nova Scotia in summer.
- Bonavista & Trinity Bay — Trinity is about 3 hours from St. John’s; Bonavista about 3½ hours. The Trans-Canada Highway goes via Clarenville.
- Central Newfoundland & Twillingate — Twillingate is about 1¼ hours from Gander and about 5 hours from St. John’s. Fogo Island is a 45-minute ferry from Farewell. Gander has an airport.
- Western Newfoundland & Gros Morne — Deer Lake airport is about 30 minutes from Gros Morne; Corner Brook is 45 minutes from Deer Lake. The ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia arrives at Port aux Basques.
- Labrador — The Blanc-Sablon ferry from St. Barbe, Newfoundland reaches southern Labrador; the Trans-Labrador Highway links to Quebec. Goose Bay and Wabush have airports.
Yukon
- Whitehorse & Southern Lakes — Whitehorse has direct flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Carcross is 45 minutes south; Skagway, Alaska is about 2½ hours.
- Dawson & the Klondike — Dawson City is about 6–7 hours north of Whitehorse by the Klondike Highway; there are also flights from Whitehorse.
Northwest Territories
- Yellowknife & Great Slave Lake — Yellowknife has direct flights from Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. By road it is about 15–17 hours from Edmonton via the Mackenzie Highway.
Nunavut
- Nunavut — There are no roads to Nunavut. Iqaluit has flights from Ottawa and Montreal; other communities are reached by plane from Iqaluit, Yellowknife or Winnipeg.