Attention Canadians: Need Travel Advice

[gprsh924]

My friends and I are driving from Illinois up to Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario on tuesday. We can get directions easily on Google Maps, but I was wondering if any of you have any first hand knowledge about what might be the best route to take. Is it better to cross the border in Detroit or up at Point Huron/Sarnia? If we took the northerly route, would it be best to follow 21 up along lake huron the whole way, or cut back down to 401/6, go through Toronto, then head up north? Is 21 2 lanes or 4? Here are a couple of possible routes I thought of. Any tips on what might work best for us would be greatly appreciated.

Through Detroit:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=batavia,+il&daddr=42.269179,-82.935791+to:HWY-407+E+to:collingwood,+ontario,+canada&hl=en&geocode=%3B%3BFdDimgIdWi5A-w%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=7&via=1,2&sll=43.651975,-81.265869&sspn=3.759621,9.887695&ie=UTF8&ll=42.642041,-83.83667&spn=3.822215,9.887695&z=7

Through Port Huron and up 21:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=batavia,+il&daddr=collingwood,+ontario,+canada&hl=en&geocode=&mra=pr&sll=43.028745,-83.924561&sspn=3.798387,9.887695&ie=UTF8&ll=43.810747,-82.672119&spn=3.749674,9.887695&z=7

Through Port Huron and towards Toronto:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=batavia,+il&daddr=43.22119,-80.672607+to:collingwood,+ontario,+canada&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=7&via=1&sll=43.468868,-81.123047&sspn=3.771057,9.887695&ie=UTF8&ll=43.468868,-81.123047&spn=3.755112,9.887695&z=7

[stealthn]

Garrett,

Post over in the Canada forum to get more responses.

Cheers

[Christien]

Hey Garrett, I can help.

First, avoid Windsor/Detroit like the plague. It's the busiest border crossing in the world - literally. Port Huron/Sarnia is much easier.

21 is a 2-lane highway (i.e. one lane in each direction). Our family cottage is right off 21 in Grand Bend, so I know the area very well. It's a much nicer drive than the 401, but much slower, and at this time of year much more subject to snow. It's a major route so plowed frequently, but not as often as the 402. It's a really nice route if you're doing top-down cruising, and not in a rush, but will be really long and slow.

In Ontario, the 400 series highways are all 4 lanes minimum (2 in each direction) though through the entire Toronto area most if not all are 6 lanes, some up to 8, even 10 or 12 in some stretches.

Toronto area traffic is awful at pretty much any time - avoid it like the plague, though you'll have to deal with some.

If I were doing the drive, I'd go with your 3rd route, absolutely for sure. But if you're taking a Garmin or Tomtom, use it to find alternate routes if traffic is brutal. Listen to 680 am - they have traffic reports every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, and it can be a life saver. 400 north is particularly bad on any given Friday afternoon, as Toronto's cottage country is north of the city, and the 400 is the only major route north.

I might suggest you stick with your planned route until Guelph or Brampton, then take back roads north to Collingwood, depending on the time and day you pass through the Toronto area. If it's a weekday after 10am or before 2pm, go ahead with the 400, you should be fine. But morning/evening rush hour (6am-9am, 3pm-7pm) or pretty much any time on a Saturday or Sunday I'd avoid it.

Hope this helps!

[gprsh924]

Christien, that is exactly the kind of response I was looking for...thank you very much. The plan is to leave around 3am from batavia, which would put us in the Toronto area around 12 or 1 after the time change and border crossing. If that is the case, we would likely be able to stick with the 400, yes? Overall, we prefer to stay on the major highways to keep the pace up as well as increase the chances of the roads being in good shape in poor weather.

[Christien]

No problem, glad I could help. You *should* be ok at noon on a tuesday. But there are no guarantees, especially if it's snowy. Torontonians are the WORST winter drivers I've ever encountered! At least once a year a major accident in snow closes the 400.

[whiskyb]

I am not far from Blue myself. If you don't mind the toll you can pick up the 407 at the west end of Toronto which will take you over to the 400 North. No toll booth's just a bill by mail. I use to drive the 400 from toronto home everyday. Its not to bad if you can be out of the city by three pm. You must be coming for the skiing i take it. Lots going on over their and some pretty decent bars for the apre ski.Weather calls for around o celcius (32 farenheit) on Tuesday and light snow on Wednesday. Anything I can help with let me know

[Oh Haha]

+100 on thePort Huron crossing. I grew up there and they rarely have the traffic Detroit does.


Blue Mountain is freakin' awesome , too. You guys will have a great time on those slopes.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by Christien

I might suggest you stick with your planned route until Guelph or Brampton, then take back roads north to Collingwood, depending on the time and day you pass through the Toronto area. If it's a weekday after 10am or before 2pm, go ahead with the 400, you should be fine. But morning/evening rush hour (6am-9am, 3pm-7pm) or pretty much any time on a Saturday or Sunday I'd avoid it.

Hope this helps!

Not Canadian, but I drive through that area a lot. I would take his advice and cut up through Guelph. Two lane roads but lightly traveled and pretty scenic. It takes just one accident to pretty much shut down any 400 hwy around Toronto - especially the 401. The cops have no concept of a speedy clean up. A sideways rig will sit across all lanes for hours. Once you do make it to Toronto, it would probably be fine as he says, before 2, but it's still a pita. Terrible, terrible drivers. Frankly, there's not much to see from that part of the Toronto anyway - pretty blah from the highway.

[imcarthur]

Chris has it nailed.

If the weather is clear (as well as the day before) as a scenic route suggestion, I might exit at Guelph & pick up regional road 24. Follow it until Airport Road & head north on that. Then left at Hwy 26 (rr 26 Stayner) & then cut north again (right turn) at Hwy 24 (rr 24) for the final leg into Collingwood.

Scenic Route - Google Map Link

Edit: The 400s are numbingly boring.

Ian

[Dave L]

I vote number 3 as well.

1. Detroit crossing is very slow
2. Highway 21 can and will be closed if there is a snowstorm. Kincardine and area gets a lot of snow off the lake and it really is best to avoid (I lived there for 15 years)
3. the best route and if its clear take Ians short cut.

Enjoy Blue Mountain just dont go with "high" expectations on the "mountain" part.

[Brian 162]

Garrett, if you have a gps this route could work as well.
Take 401 east from Windsor. Before you reach Toronto take the cut-off for 410 north. (Depending when you travel you will avoid the heavy 401 traffic through Toronto.)
Take 410 north to the end observing the speed limit before reaching the end of thec410.
At the end of the 410 go west to Highway 10.
Go north on Highway 10. This route will take you to Collingwood however it jogs a couple of times, and the highway # changes north of Shelburne.
Use this route ONLY if you have a gps unit, and if the weather is half decent.

Brian

[whiskyb]

Although all the scenic routes are great in the summer, they suck in the winter. As a former job I worked at Toronto airport and as I said commuted these roads daily. They are wonderful, however I like to sleep in as much as possible so I was very adamant on keeping track of which roads took more time. I found the 400 series of highways consistently faster as you had the ability to get around ma & pa travelling north to the cottage. Most people will tell you to avoid toronto if at all possible and they are correct. They panic in the rain never mind the snow, but if you can get through the city and up the 400 I still would suggest it. As suggested keep your radio on and have a back-up plan no matter which way you come. Freezing rain here today but still a great base at Blue. Calling for 4-5" Wednesday so not really powder but still fun

[Christien]

Originally Posted by whiskyb

They panic in the rain

This is so true, and drives me nuts. 80 km/h in the rain on the major highways, even with no traffic. Idiots.

[gprsh924]

Thanks for all the tips, we will have a gps with us. What are the typical speed limits in km/h and how does that translate to mph?

[Brian 162]

100 kmh is roughly 66 mph. Hwy 401, 410, 407,400 series highway's. I'm not one to promote speeding however you will be safe if you cruise at 110 kmh.

On the 2 lane highways the speed is 80 kmh or 40 mph. Be careful sometimes when going through small towns the speed limit drops from 80 kmh to 60 or 50 kmh (30 to 40 mph). I would stay close to posted speed limits on the 2 lane highways and small towns.

Be aware around the Collingwood area. The police are always doing speed control at any time day or night.

[Christien]

Ok, I'll be the one to promote speeding Brian's pretty correct though. Outside of rush hour and outside the Toronto area, 400-series highways are usually closer to 120. Hwy 21 will often see 110-120 from me, but only in good weather.

But you should be aware of our gestapo provincial police force (our version of state troopers). We have a new law in Ontario where they can suspend your license and impound your car ON THE SPOT at the side of the road if you're going 50 km/h over the posted limit. I'm totally serious, not a joke. They will leave you stranded, or at best drop you off at the nearest police station. Impound time is one week, minimum fine is $2K. Yes, this goes against due procedure (i.e. cop at the side of the road is judge, jury and executioner) but that's the way it is. Personally, even on an empty road, perfect weather, in a non-descript minivan I won't even push 40 over, in case the cop is having a really bad day. And they won't cut you any slack just because you're not local.

Oh yeah, they have aerial surveillance too. Because you see the police have solved all our other problems they can devote all this time and money to catching speeders. What a wonderful, utopian province we live in.






Seriously, though, be careful with your speed. And please don't judge our citizens by our police force and government!

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by Christien

Seriously, though, be careful with your speed. And please don't judge our citizens by our police force and government!

....or the ass holes at the border crossing shacks checking your passport.

I keep speeds pretty tight on the secondary roads and go with the flow on the 400s - 120-130 kph. You'll see the impound signs on the highway for excessive speed. Your cars speedo should have kph in smaller numbers by the mph. 100 kph is roughly 60 mph.

[gprsh924]

I love you guys...more info than I ever could have imagined. We will keep the speed limits and impounding in mind...good to know though that we should be relatively safe cruising around 75mph.

That is nuts that they will impound the car at 50kph over the limit...150 kph translates to 93 mph. I would be in big trouble driving back and forth to school if I lived in Canada.