Here Comes the Sun

Driving to Florida doesn't have to be a slog. Here's how to turn the 2,400-kilometre journey into an epic four-day road trip

- SIMON LEWSEN

The Itinerary

The quickest way to drive from Toronto to Miami is to travel as the crow flies, heading south through the Rust Belt and Coal Country to join the I-95 through the Old South. But everyone knows that the best road trips are as much about the journey as the destination. This route has something for everyone, including bargain and ghost hunters, audiophiles and shopaholics, and lovers of all things eccentric, tasteful or simply tasty. Here, our picks for the best places to stop.

EAT HERE Five Points Bakery and Toast Cafe 44 Brayton St., Buffalo, New York

Five Points Bakery and Toast Cafe, in Buffalo's arty Five Points district, is the place to fill up for the ride ahead. The best bets are challah French toast with mascarpone and fig syrup or a classic breakfast sandwich with smoked salmon and house-made pesto. Espresso at Remedy House, a sunlit coffee bar in a historic flatiron building across the street, is the ideal digestif. fivepointsbakery.​com

SHOP HERE Meadville Market House 910 Market St., Meadville, Pennsylvania

Built in 1870, Meadville is the oldest continuously running farmers' market in Pennsylvania. It's a great place to shop not only for local cheeses, spreads and road snacks but also for curios like beeswax candles, goat's milk soap, alpaca hats and hand-crafted leather goods.meadvillemarkethouse.org

EXPLORE HERE Mattress Factory 514 East Ohio St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania