Northeast - Has anyone biked from NYC to Toronto?

I'm thinking of biking from NYC to Toronto. Thus far, my only hope of finding a decent route has been Google Maps, which has walking directions. (Keeps one off of the main roads.) Any advice?

I want to avoid the Erie Canal bike path because it adds 400 miles to the trip.

I can't believe the Erie Canal adds 400 miles to the trip. It is only 424 miles from NYC to Buffalo on the Thruway, and it follows the canal route. You could do 9w and rt 5, both of which I believe are designated as bike routes. I've never ridden either so I can't tell you what that would be like. From Buffalo, you could cross the Peace bridge and ride along the Niagara River to the falls, from there I don't know.

When I get quick directions using google maps, from my apartment in Manhattan, to Toronto, it gives me a route that starts with the ferry at 34th Street, runs through New Jersey up to Pennsylvania, north of Scranton and into New York State around Elmira. Then it goes on to Batavia, and finally into Canada around Niagara Falls. The entire route is 442 miles.

Walking time is 6 days 3 hours. I'm guessing Google doesn't sleep.

If there's a way to work the Niagara River Recreation Trail into this, I'd look into it. I was going to use this a few years ago to get to Niagara Falls. Once you've gotten that far, it's just a matter of heading east.

I'm curious about a strip of land called Hamilton Beach, which seems to connect NY State Rt. 20 with Burlington, ON (stop at the Marketplace Buffet while you're there - you will thank me). This little connector seems like it will also dump you out onto Lake Shore Road, which will take you along the water, all the way into downtown Toronto. A good part of this also includes a bike path.

Where exactly are you going in Toronto? I'm very familiar with a lot of the city and some of its bike routes and paths. Be sure to visit Toronto Island while you're there. See the Out-Of-Town Rides section of my web page at www.geocities.com/nyrides .

There are many routes you could take; I think the one paralling Thruway (e.g. NYC to Albany and then due west to Buffalo) would be the flattest, but not the most scenic. When I drive I prefer to go 80W to 380, north thru Scranton, on to 81 up to Binghamton and then thru the Finger Lakes. A simlar route (albeit on state highways, to keep off the interstates) would be really hilly but very scenic. You could also go up through the Catskills to Binghamton. Nice riding in the Finger Lakes.

Thanks everyone!

PT--I'm going to a wedding north of the city, but have a lot of friends there. So, I think I'll be given the grand tour.

The route through Scranton has a million turns and twists to it. Most stretches are 0.3-1km in length, so might take a long time with eyes on the map.

zacster, you are right! According to Google maps, it only adds 80 miles or so. Probably preferable to a twisty route through Scranton. Though, looking at the satellite image, some nice dirt roads on the Scranton route.

I just asked google maps for walking routes from Manhattan to Toronto. I used two different starting zip codes, 10024 and 10034. Look how different the two routes are!