THE TRIP New York, Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa

THE ITINERARY Seven days in New York followed by Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa.

In New York, we stay in a hotel in the Upper West Side.  A lovely area that is away from the madness of Times Square but within express subway access of all the tourist sites.  Our first day we wake up  early due to jetlag and explore Central Park at sunrise. Magic time of the day to explore the park before the crowds.  Other highlights are Top of the Rock Observatory (stunning view of Central Park and Empire State Building)and the new One World Observatory, a Mets baseball game at Citi Field,  Jersey Boys on Broadway, a sunset cruise and last but not least the very moving 9/11 memorial and museum.

We fly to Quebec  with only 15 passengers on board,  we can sit where we want and we both get a window seat.  In Quebec City we stay within the walls of the old city in a lovely  hotel within a short walk of the Chateau Frontenac​, the Dufferin Terrace and the funicular which takes us between the upper and lower town. Very walkable city and we enjoy our three days there immensely.

We travel to Montreal with VIA rail. Enjoy the train trip and the staff provided excellent friendly service.  In Montreal, the signs were in French but all the staff we encountered were bilingual.  We travel on the metro  to see a concert at the Olympic Stadium.   We then travel with VIA rail again to Ottawa.  We arrive to a heat warning. Wander along the Rideau Canal and see lots of squirrels, catch a special event bus to a concert at the  Canadian Tire Centre.

BEST BITS  Exploring Central Park and Top of the Rock.  In Quebec City,  horse-drawn carriage around the old city.

WORST BIT Times Square (its chaos) with lots of dodgy costumed characters wanting tips for photos.

BEST TIP  Don't be afraid to use the subway.  The seven-day, $31 unlimited metro card is great value in New York and it covers both the subway and buses.