You can read part one (about sights and boondocking in Colorado) here and part two (about the Midwest and meeting a TV celebrity in Iowa) here. The last stretch of our trip east from Kanab, Utah to Newburyport, Massachusetts started in Ontario, Canada.
Niagara Falls
Lake Erie, Ontario
Part of choosing this route, was to check out some of the Great Lakes, which I’d never been to. We found a nice-sounding boondocking spot along Lake Erie, before our real city tripping started. If it wasn’t for the hordes of biting flies chomping on our flesh, we would have stayed an extra day to relax. (Click on or hover over photos to enlarge and read the captions.)
Niagara Falls, Ontario
When I grew up (in Belgium), we knew of three attractions in “America” (the United States): New York City (statue of Liberty), the Grand Canyon, and Niagara Falls. Ever since then, these sites spoke to my imagination. Manhattan and the Grand Canyon were “checked off the list” over a decade ago (with a recent visit to the North Rim of the canyon), but the Falls were still unconquered. Back in the day, I had no idea there was a Canadian side to these falls. Based on Mark’s experience and advice from other travelers, we chose the less Vegas approach. Although one could barely argue that the crowds in Niagara Falls in Ontario were small!
We found a decent overnight spot (in the only free parking lot around) a ten-minute walk from the falls and stayed two nights. Our intention: gaze at the rushing water during the day after we settled, and watch the light display the following evening. Shade from the trees was welcome as we sat outside.
Little did we know about the nightly firework display at this massive tourist attraction. It took one BOOM to have Maya cower and pant from anxiety the rest of the night. The following evening, we did return to the famous falls, but rushed home right before the next explosion of sounds at 10pm. From then on, every day around dusk, Maya became stressed.
Toronto, Ontario
Two of my blogging pals – Debby at D.G. Kaye Writer and Natalie at Natalie the Explorer – live in the biggest city of Canada and the capital of Ontario, Toronto. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out to meet them on this Canada Day weekend. Partly because of other plans, partly because Mark and I had no foresight, and partly because it was extremely hot and humid. Plus, I didn’t have daily internet.
Normally, we would have dropped Zesty somewhere on the edge of town and walked everywhere. But, because of the heat, in which we couldn’t walk Maya long distances nor leave her in the van, we decided to park in three different areas (not cheap) and explore those quickly on foot.
We paid for one hour in the city center and remained as much as possible in the shade. Then, we moved to the university area with the intention to cool off in Queen’s Park, possibly meet Debby, and ideally spend the night. None of this worked out. The park was closed, Debby was away for the weekend, and Zesty was parked in the blazing sun, so wouldn’t cool off for ages.
We drove to a dog park, where we’d noticed parking along the street during the quiet morning hours. We lucked out with a spot, but not until braving crowds, construction, and traffic at the stadium where the Blue Jays would play that evening. What were we thinking, driving our tall RV in the hectic city center?
Blue Jays Stadium as we drive by
By then, Mark had enough of the city (any city) and the heat, so he and Maya stayed in the shade of a harborfront park, while I walked along the waterfront. Calculating the sweaty jaunt to and from the harbor, I had about half an hour to explore the shores of Lake Ontario and Toronto’s Inner Harbor. I didn’t even last that long and preferred to sit on my bum in the shade for part of it. (20,000 steps.)
Ottawa, Ontario
I looked forward to visiting the capital of Canada, it being a more breathable and quieter city. We found a great boondocking spot for two nights, across the Ottawa River in Quebec, along pleasant Lake Leamy. It was popular with other frugal campers!
For most of the first day, we watched the shade pattern of the parking lot, as we planned to leave Maya in the camper for a few hours at some point and take our bikes into town. Plenty of amazing trails crisscross the area and one leads straight to the Parliament Buildings! Eventually, we decided to walk to Ottawa’s center with Maya, four miles each way.
Again, not the brightest idea. From the moment we left our breezy lounge seats under the trees, we realized just how hot it was. But, we persevered, stopping for water and shade often along the way. It took us two hours to reach downtown, where we hoped to relax in Major’s Hill Park. As we started crossing the sun-drenched, closed-to-traffic Alexandra Bridge, the white-and-red cladded crowd thickened. What were we thinking, taking our anxious dog into Canada’s capital on Canada Day?
Concerts, honking miniature trains, thousands of people, noise, 90-degree weather… The three of us lasted ten minutes, before we returned the long way we came. (30,000 steps.)
That night, real distress arrived. We thought to be located far enough away from town during the fireworks, but it stressed Maya out beyond grasps; a pretty terrible night. During the rest of our stay in Canada, “rogue” fireworks would take place everywhere.
The following morning, we were totally covered in regards to shade and temperature. Mark and I hopped on our bikes and followed the same path into the city. Much quicker this way. We briefly checked out a few sites and returned after a couple of hours away. All was fine with Maya and we hit the road again.
Montreal, Quebec
Mark was ready to skip Montreal, especially after the long drive there, being stuck in traffic for hours, and failing to secure the overnight spot we had in mind, north of the city. Late in the afternoon, we then arrived at our back-up boondocking option: Angrignon Park. It even featured shade that time of the day, lots of walking trails under the trees, a metro station within walking distance, and a dog park!
Overnight parking in Angrignon Park – a 20-minute metro ride from downtown Montreal
The next day, we hunted for shade for the van by moving a lot and made sure Maya had fun – with walks and dog interactions. In the afternoon, we hid in a cool part of the park. Once our shady parking spot from the previous night was available, we left Maya with a full belly and plenty of water. Then, Mark and I rushed to the metro station and explored downtown and Old Montreal for a couple of hours. (20,000 steps.)
After a blitz visit, we took the metro back to its end station and basically ran back home. There, we found Maya had eaten an entire loaf of bread, which she had retrieved from a hidden cubbyhole… For some reason – a Jazz Festival? – another big firework display took place that night. Challenging times, but at least we managed to get a glimpse of some of Canada’s famous cities.
Newport, Vermont
The big, green, quiet Vermont property of our friends Zach and Heather (whom we met in the Tetons last summer) was the PERFECT location after a couple of very rough weeks for all of us. It was still hot, but trees on the grassy field brought reprieve. We canceled our initial July 4th plans (enough fireworks and crowds already) and relaxed in other good company.
We had a mellow Independence Day BBQ, recovered from little sleep and much stress, and enjoyed our surroundings in the form of lakes and solitude. Oh, and Mark and I celebrated our 12th anniversary in the company of our friends with take-out Thai at Lake Memphremagog. This way, Maya could join us. One thing is certain: our dog loves grassy fields much more than busy cities and doesn’t care for patriotic celebrations.
If you are Canadian or American or French (or Belgian), how did you celebrate (or plan to celebrate) your country’s birthday?
Fun long weekend with friends!
July 18, 2019 at 13:12
Hi Liesbet – Good shots of the Canadian sights that you visited. I’m so bummed that we didn’t meet while you were in Toronto. We celebrated this year’s Canada Day with a pancake breakfast (pancakes with Canadian maple syrup and Ontario strawberries) and a walk along the waterfront to see the tall ships that were in town.
July 18, 2019 at 15:15
Sounds like you had a wonderful Canada Day celebration with yummy food and special sights, Natalie. I hope our paths will cross elsewhere at some point in the future!
July 18, 2019 at 13:55
What an incredible journey, Liesbet! Your photos help tell your wonderful story. I have to feel sorry for Maya with her stress over the fireworks and other booming noises. We experienced the same problem with Brodie (fireworks are sold all over Sacramento County the week before July 4). The problem was so many illegal fireworks going off all night long over several nights! Aero would bravely run into the backyard and bark but Brodie just shook and panted for hours. Like Maya, he balks at going outside when it gets dark even now! We are usually at the delta where we are far away from suburban knuckleheads on the holiday. Next year, we will be sure to be at the delta if for Brodie’s sake! Sorry to read that you were thisclose to meeting up with Debby and Natalie–how fun would that have been?
July 18, 2019 at 15:24
Oh Terri! I’m so sorry that Brodie is scared of fireworks as well… (and funny how Aero reacts in a very different way). It’s incredible how nobody seems to think about the fear of pets (and probably wildlife as well!) when fireworks are on display. If it’s only once or twice a year, sure, we can try to go and hide somewhere, like we will do for the Yankee Homecoming celebrations here in the beginning of August. But, it’s all the other times, when knuckleheads – as you phrase it so nicely – are shooting them off (daily this summer) or surrounding towns have different celebrations every weekend. Even here in Massachusetts (where they are illegal), we’ve heard them every night for a week. Yikes!
With our other dogs, we tried to avoid New Year’s Eve and July 4th events wherever we would be, but on an RV trip through Mexico, there was no escaping as locals shoot off firecrackers every day and there are many a saint or patron celebration!! I hope you’ll get to be at the delta again soon, once your foot is healed!
On the same topic, I recently heard from a traveler who lives in Vancouver that this city is looking into ways of making fireworkds soundless. How cool would that be?
Our stop in Toronto was extremely rushed, mostly because of the heat (and the dog), and we never have any idea when we arrive, except maybe a day early, so it’s hard to plan things. Debby and Natalie are both travelers, so we might catch each other elsewhere in the future. 🙂
July 18, 2019 at 13:56
Hi, Liesbet – I slept through most of Canada Day this year. Richard and I arrived home from Italy just after midnight on July 1. I slept until 3 pm! Kindly, our neighbours invited us over for a Canadian Day BBQ – so all was not lost! What a bummer that Canada caused the three of you some distress — and that you missed seeing Natalie and DG. I believe that a do-over is in order! 🙂
July 18, 2019 at 15:28
Hey Donna, catching up on sleep is a wonderful thing and it did make your Canada Day memorable. 🙂 Well-deserved as well. Plus, it sounds like you had a wonderful social evening to make up for the rest of the day. The do-over meeting friends would have to happen elsewhere, as visiting cities with a dog on hot days is not ideal. Although, I’d love to go on a “real” city trip to any of the cities we visited recently and stay in a hotel in the city center. That would be very enjoyable. 🙂 We hope to return to Canada (the Maritimes), mid-August,
July 18, 2019 at 15:03
I’m amazed by the number of miles you guys have logged in this summer. Thank you for sharing your incredible photos with us. You need to work as a travel photographer! Happy 12th anniversary to you and Mark! Safe travels.
July 18, 2019 at 15:30
Thank you, Jill! I’d love to make photography my hobby or profession, but… not enough hours in one day. As it is, I don’t even have enough time to write and read. And, I already spend many hours filing hundreds of photos a week. How will I ever find something back? After my blogs are done, they all disappear into the archives. 🙁 No more travels for a few weeks. Time to take a break, and do some writing again. 🙂
July 18, 2019 at 15:52
Happy 12th Anniversary to you both and lovely you were able to celebrate with your friends Liesbet! Sorry to hear about the stress caused by the fireworks – having them sound-free would be a wonderful thing. It seems you were doing a lot of rushing around these sights and hopefully you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the places you want to see for a bit longer and catch up with your friends next time. Enjoy your time in Massachusetts and please give Maya a big pat from us all xxx
July 29, 2019 at 06:09
If I could ever petition for sound-free fireworks… 🙂 Maybe we should start that movement, Xenia! Sorry for the late reply to your comment. We had a little hiccup with Maya last weekend and I had heaps of translation work after that.
Yes, we did rush through the Canadian cities – it’s one of the “sacrifices” we make for our dogs. They love nature much better, so that’s where we will spend our time. 🙂
Maya thanks you for the pat and sends you a massive wag!
July 18, 2019 at 17:42
We visited those same cities – and sites – a few years ago and had a great time. I think it may have been just after the Canada Day celebrations because I don’t remember any fireworks. Poor Maya. Some dogs seem fine with the loud noises but many (most?) freak out a bit. Just don’t take her to Mexico!
July 29, 2019 at 06:13
Hi Janis!
Good tip about Mexico. We actually took our two previous dogs there (for six months) and that’s when we realized how many saints are celebrated and how many firecrackers are popped every night. Once, we actually left a campground, because firework residue ended up on the roof of our truck camper. No Mexico for Maya! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed these Canadian cities. To do a city justice, one should really spend a few days in its center on a true city trip. Maybe we will do that one day, but not soon.
July 18, 2019 at 17:50
Lesbit, your friends T-Shirt slogan “Hike more worry less”, is a good mantra to heed. 🙂 Your night photography is brilliant
July 29, 2019 at 06:15
Thanks for the compliments, Suz. This must have been the first time night shots actually came out with my camera. Maybe I finally selected the correct setting for this. I hope I can remember which one it was for the future! I saw that slogan on Zach’s T-shirt when I posted the photo. A good mantra, indeed. 🙂 Nature is a soothing and inspiring place.
July 19, 2019 at 03:29
I love the pics of Maya swimming. She must have loved that after the stress of the fireworks. Congrats on your anniversary!
July 29, 2019 at 06:16
Thank you, Jim and Tracey! Maya looked a little bit funny when she swam. We think she must not have done it often. Hopefully, there will be more opportunity to get in lakes this summer!
July 19, 2019 at 07:36
Oh, poor Maya! This whole segment of your trip sounds stressful, not just the fireworks but the constant search for shade and the ability to leave Maya to do some sightseeing. Dogs definitely add complications! I remember plenty of long car trips where having our dog made everything more complex and stressful, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I’m sure you wouldn’t either. Glad you are set now for a while and hope you are staying cool and quiet these days!
July 29, 2019 at 06:22
Hi Lexie!
We are staying cool these days in a room with air-conditioning when we need it. Staying quiet… that’s another conundrum. I was actually just thinking today that if there’s one thing our life will never be – especially with a dog – it’s quiet or boring! 🙂
We traveled extensively with two big dogs before by camper and sailboat (Central America, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean), so I remember it makes life a tad more challenging. Yet, after eight years of being dog-free, the adjustments come as a surprise.
Also, our previous two dogs were as good and easy as dogs could be… But, I agree with you: dogs enrich our lives and we wouldn’t want it any different. That being said, I hope you are taking advantage of that extra freedom, although I’m sure you missed your four-legged companion on your recent road trips.
July 19, 2019 at 09:00
Yikes Liesbet your time in Canada sounds completely anxiety inducing. Yes the July 1st weekend is not a great time if you don’t like crowds or fireworks. Hopefully Maya has no lasting issues from all of the noise.
July 29, 2019 at 06:34
Hi Sue! The good thing about Maya is that she does get over the fireworks anxiety after a few hours. I remember one of our other dogs was cowering the entire evening and night. On the other hand, Maya was a bit nervous for weeks, around sunset, while Kali never had that issue. Luckily, there seem to be no lasting issues from her experiences this month. She seems mostly OK with less loud cracks and occasional bangs and thunder. It’s the big displays that freak her out. Next weekend, our town has Yankee Homecoming fireworks, so we will visit friends away from here. 🙂
July 19, 2019 at 11:03
We might we visiting Toronto this fall depending on what direction we take when we leave Cabbagetown – so I may have many questions for you come September.
We spent the 4th of July with a frightened dog also. Unfortunately the house we were sitting is right next to the park where the fireworks were going off – actually there were fireworks going off in three different places in the neighborhood and just about everywhere else in the city on the 4th so there was no escaping them.
It looks like Maya is going to be directing your travels for a while. Hopefully she will take you to some lovely cool peaceful spots.
Happy anniversary!
July 29, 2019 at 06:39
Poor dog that you were sitting for over July 4th! When the fireworks are that close, it is super loud and frightening. I’m sure he was a mess! What a cacophony of explosions!
Yes, Maya will be our priority and guidance during our upcoming travels, just like Kali and Darwin were ten years ago. Sometimes, it’s good to have restrictions (it makes decisions easier), but often – so far, anyway – it has been somewhat of a hindrance. Maya has some issues that are hard to overcome. Patience and training. And luck, I guess, when she gets in “flight mode”.
I’m sure as time goes by, we will find a healthy balance! Cool and peaceful destinations sound really nice right now! 🙂
July 19, 2019 at 15:32
Poor Maya! Fireworks start here about the end of October (Guy Fawkes is Nov 5) and seem to carry on till the New Year. One of our cats wasn’t bothered, the other jumped every time there was a bang. It’s tough on pets.
July 29, 2019 at 07:40
Wow, Anabel, your end-of-the-year fireworks start early that way. Poor cat! And, poor all animals! I wonder how wildlife deals with that intrusion of sounds as well…
July 20, 2019 at 06:46
Hi Liesbet, I forget about the flies and bugs living on the West Coast. We have minimal bugs. Flies/mosquitoes can make or break an adventure. We were in Niagara Falls about 20plus years ago and then 2 years ago. A significant different in crowds. Great photos, again! We were in Toronto last week, and VERY hot and humid! Back to lakes and solitude. Yeah:)
July 29, 2019 at 07:52
It sure looks like we just missed you on Toronto! Sorry to hear that you had to endure that heat and humidity as well. Not something we thought possible in Canada. I assume whenever we return in August and September, it will be a tad cooler and more pleasant. Or maybe even too cold again?
I’m sure the crowds at Niagara Falls have changed over the last 20 years. Everyone travels these days and it is harder to find places off the beaten path. Yet, lots of forests and parks are big enough to find some peace. Enjoy your lakes and solitude! Vancouver Island has it all. 🙂
July 23, 2019 at 13:31
Oh my gosh, Liesbet. I love your adventures. You are so lucky! Happy 12th Anniversary, my dear!
Beautiful photos as always, Liesbet. You walked 4 miles each way to Ottawa? In the heat? Yikes! My feet hurt just thinking about it. Not to mention the heat exhausts me always.
July 29, 2019 at 07:56
Hi Victoria, we did underestimate that 4-mile walk into Ottawa a bit. Not necessarily for us, but for our dog in her furry coat. Once at our home base in Massachusetts, we gave her a haircut and rinse and bathe her often.
I wouldn’t call it lucky to be hitting these amazing Canadian cities during a heatwave and heavy firework displays… Quite the opposite, actually. 🙂 Maybe if and when we return, we get more lucky with the weather. And, we will avoid Canada Day.
July 23, 2019 at 17:41
Hi LIesbet. Thanks for showing off my beautiful city and other parts of the country. Arg, you couldn’t have picked a worse weekend to come to Canada, lol. Canada weekend is fireworks every night in most places, and yes, you hit our gross heatwave, lol. But it seems you soldiered on and managed to get to a lot of places despite the obstacles. Hopefully we’ll connect somewhere in the not so distant future. <3
July 29, 2019 at 07:59
I sure hope we will bump into each other somewhere at some point, Debby. But, maybe a bit of planning is required. 🙂 We did hit your town during an extremely special period, as in hot, humid, and loud. But, we did know about Canada Day, so we should have taken precautions. We had this route “planned” so stuck to it and saw and experienced what we could. It’s not that we drive through southern Canada often. 🙂
July 29, 2019 at 08:27
Yes, we will plan better next tine. 🙂 I guess you figured it wasn’t a big deal as you encountered lol. And yes, the heatwave didn’t help. 🙂
July 24, 2019 at 00:28
There’s nothing like learning the hard way, Liesbet! Excess heat and cities go together as well as dogs and fireworks. But those Falls did look wonderful :)) 🙂
July 29, 2019 at 08:01
I love that expression you came up with, Jo. By the way, we are very good at learning things the hard way! We could easily write a book called “Experiences 101 – Learn by Example”. 🙂
July 24, 2019 at 12:17
Oh, poor Maya! And poor you, trying to see and do anything in that heat. I’m sorry your Canadian experience was so stressful. I’m not a ‘city’ person at all, and Toronto gives me the heebie-jeebies even in the off-season, so I can only imagine how awful it was. I’m glad you had a chance to decompress afterward.
Our Canada Day celebration was wonderful. In Parksville, BC, they set off the fireworks from a barge in the middle of a huge crescent-shaped bay, so you can join the celebrating crowd on one side or sit on the sand on the other unpopulated side. The firewords are equally glorious from all locations. We sat on the beach enjoying the peaceful sunset while a few children and dogs played in the water; and after the fireworks we slipped away to our car and were home in a few minutes. Ahhhh.
Congratulations on your 12th anniversary! 🙂
July 24, 2019 at 19:05
Oops, that should be ‘fireworks’, not ‘firewords’. Firewords would be what I’d utter if I got stuck in downtown Toronto in July… 😉
July 29, 2019 at 06:46
I didn’t even notice! What happened to my typo-detection gift? Trouble…
July 29, 2019 at 06:45
I think there’s only one way to visit a big city like Toronto: mentally prepare for the city life and then immerse yourself in it by staying in the center of town and walking (or taking the metro) everywhere. Mmmm… That’s totally NOT what we have been (and will be) doing, the way we travel and live. 🙂
Your Canada Day celebrations sound wonderful, Diane. I would have picked the quieter beach side as well. Parksville has a nice waterfront. I wish I “knew” you last summer, as Mark and I spent a few days in your town, visiting a fellow blogger.
July 26, 2019 at 18:29
Cliff’s brother used to live in Toronto, so we visited him and his family there long ago. I don’t remember the city being so stylish, but your photos show a lot of gleam. Sorry you didn’t get to see Debby. I’d definitely try to hunt her up too. I see she connected with you here.
Niagara Falls has been a honeymoon destination for years, especially for couples from the east coast. Again, Happy 12th Anniversary!
July 29, 2019 at 06:55
Aha! I guess we did Niagara Falls pre-anniversary, which is pretty cool. Mark and I never went on a honeymoon in those twelve years. I doubt it will still happen at this point, especially with Maya.
We just never know when exactly we visit certain places and towns, so it would have been hard to meet Debby. We tried, but she had other plans for Canada Day weekend. A negative about always winging it. I’m thinking now that we didn’t pick a good time to do this city hopping, what with the heat and the fireworks. Hindsight…
Toronto is a very modern city. It sounds like it has changed a bit since Cliff’s brother lived there. It’s hip and clean and quite fancy… in certain parts. 🙂