Motorhome trip Toronto-Vancouver in mid-June

[Leda]

Hi there!

We intend to make a trip from Toronto to Vancouver with a motorhome and we want it to be only through Canada as we want to see as much of it as possible 🙂 We are new to Canada so I was wondering if someone can tell me some tested itineraries... important details and some questions:

1. We are with 2 small kids under 5 - so steep hikes or historical sites with lot to listen to... are not an option as the kids will get bored or tired or both.

2. Vancouver and must-see's very close to Vancouver should not be a part of the itinerary as we will stay in Vancouver for quite a long time and we will have plenty of time for Vancouver and the area out of the time frame of this road trip

3. Speaking of time frame - we really thought of giving it 2 weeks... But I have been told it is not enough... Well, then I need to say we have the option to make it longer, but we prefer the trip not to take more than 2 weeks.

4. So I need to know only the things that I should not miss to see on this route according to you (I guess each will have an different opinion, but this is the priceless thing in the forums :)) ... I am reading now about Banff and Jasper and I will read about Calgary but what about everywhere else, like "the prairies"? Is there on the road somewhere a famous kite surfing spot or I heard wrong?

5. Which mobile operator has good network coverage (phone+net) on this route? Are there many uncovered spots and how long you don't have coverage the longest?

6. Do we need cash at all - can you think of somewhere or something that a card won't work for?

For the next few questions I need to explain that we are new to Canada, but in Europe we had a motorhome and loved the lifestyle. So please, don't get angry on the next questions - I am comparing to Europe cause I don't know how are things here. Also I am not trying to avoid paying, or to break the rules, I am trying to understand better the rules and to behave like a respectful RV person :)) Also I am not familiar with most of the abbreviations and specific terms (like I just learn about boondocking and overflow parking) so please, write as if a I am the nubie I really am in Canada RV 🙂


7. The motorhome has generator and water tank, bathroom and kitchen - my point is that we might need water for sure to fill for washing but we do not need the usual hydro stuff offered by the camp sites. So is it an option to use some public places - like in Europe there are public outside fountains, or at gas stations you can fill water..

8. We thought that with a motorhome we could sleep practically everywhere where we can park overnight, so this would not be an issue, but I was told by friends that in Canada I have to use campgrounds. Don't get me wrong - I don't mind to use them... Just as we have decided this trip in the last moment, I don't have much time for reservations, etc. and if there are no spots available at campgrounds or no campground nearby when we get tired... is it really forbidden to stop and sleep anywhere else... In Europe if we get tired on the road we used to stop in a village on the way... at the end of the village, still near the houses to avoid some intruders but not on the center of the village and had our rest... without chairs outside, not camping, just sleeping. Here... I understand you call that boondocking and I really don't know the rules in Canada - is it an option at all... IF I get tired and I haven't reach available campground - where can I stop and sleep safely? Truck parkings? OR if in a village for what signs do I need to look?

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to avoid misunderstandings. Thanks in advance for all the answers!

[Leda]

Great advices! Thank you all!

Something else - do you have CAA and what is the difference with the one Good Sam is offering? IS there a difference? In general what kind of incident insurances do you use?

Also - have you used Good Sam's route planning? For example, CAA prepare for you for free a booklet with your route and give you a special booklet for each province you pass through... (it's quite a book - about 100 pages with all kind of information and useful phones and directions there - they gave to a friend of mine who was going to Louisiana last summer - I was impressed)...

[cross_country]

Going to Tyrell museum campgrounds; take lots of mosquito repellent. In fact do not even open the door at dusk. Animal whistles may be found at Canadian Tire etc. and they simply stick on the front bumper , very worthwhile in my opinion. Driving with 4 children growing up; best mileage made at night from 6pm to 2am. rule of thumb; 15 minute stop equals almost an hour lost driving time.

Had main overnight stops planned for rest and relaxation throughout the trip, hit the road for the time in between. Play by ear; see a lake, go for a swim. see a park, use the slide and swings etc.

[Little_Kopit]

Moose Range Map

Black Bear Range Map

Wolf Range Map

Coyote Range Map pre 1985 Coyotes moved into Newfoundland while I was there, ie. 1985.

Deer Range Map

Deer in very populous part of Nova Scotia this weekend.



Every one of these can do in a car just by location and speed of impact. Most I have seen in person.

Others will be better than me re. entertaining children. I've only raised fur kids.

:C

[Little_Kopit]

oops

[Leda]

I see... But what what night-walkers can we expect on our route - in July... We are speaking about South-West and Central-South of Ontario, South Manitoba, South Saskatchewan, South Alberta and South BC... I thought mouses are more in the Northern parts of the provinces...

Regarding the children's exercise time... Unfortunately even if we start driving at 5pm or 6pm, they will be awake and they can get bored in the motorhome... This is the issue with them - you have to keep them entertained and relatively tired of playing to have a nice trip 🙂 So they need their time for playing... We will surely shorten it when we can - we will try at least.

[Little_Kopit]

Having lived in Newfoundland for 24.5 years, I've coped with the idea of sharing the road with moose.

So, if traffic is low, keep your speed down, no more than 80 km to give you reaction time for a moose coming up out of the ditch.

When transport trucks are numerous, get between them and stay at their speed. That's the best time to drive at night.

Generally, stay away from night driving and competing with wild life. & keep your camera handy for day time photos of those wild life. Shorten your children's exercise time in the day and increase it in the early evening. Daylight should last quite awhile for playing after you're off the road.

:C

[Leda]

Thanks Little Kopit! It's seems Drumheller is gathering more and more points to be visited.

Our time for the trip is 2 weeks one way so I guess it will be fine.

Regarding parking sleeping I was also thinking about truck stops or Walmart / Tim Hortons or where we can park within the villages. But this is mostly if we drive till late and we really need only to stop and have some sleep. We will definitely visit some campgrounds so the kids can play and maybe we can enjoy few days near some lake/pool 🙂

I was thinking about our daily driving schedule and I see it like this (in ideal conditions which never happen but still we must always hope for the best :)):
6:00 am - little one wakes up so we start driving while he is feeding
10:00 am - all kids are fully awake and already had a breakfast or two and we need a stop for 2 hours so they can play at some playground on the way at some village
12:00 - driving till they eat and sleep
4:00pm playtime / or arriving at campground
7:00 - kids eating and we driving if we are not at campground - and in this case we can drive till late at night. So my question is - is now the season for some wild life coming on the road... I really want to avoid that, but also this will be the best time to drive with the kids having their night sleep...
Also, what precautions can we take for such cases - I have heard of moose whistles...?!? sounds funny to me but maybe it is mostly because of my lack of knowledge what may happen during summer season.

By the way - due to work our trip is postponed for beginning of July 😞

[Little_Kopit]

What to see. My most MUST: Royal Tyrell Museum, dinosaurs Drumheller, AB

I strongly prefer to drive in areas where side roads get you to some destination, rather than heavily trafficed 4-lane or twinned highways. These will give you and the children more to see as you drive.

Two weeks is a very short time.

I did The Maritimes to Skagway, AK and back in about 6 weeks last year. I did a lot less walking than I had expected. Minimum of 10 days each way!!

Where to sleep. Where you can park. I ddn't try stopping on the side of the road if I was very tired because I had heard you can't do that out there. But anywhere you can park can mean the parking lot of something like Tim Hortons, Wallmart, if they agree. Some will include hospital parking and church parking. I'd rather be with woods around me, because I have dogs. I only used about 5 campgrounds on the whole trip.

Cash, yes, you need some of that in your stuff. Some campgrounds only take cash and have no connections to pay by plastic. Carry at least $100.00 at all times.

Sort out a route 1 way going and another route (way or path) returning. That will make the trip more interesting to all of your party.

Enjoy.

:B

[CoMoCo]

Don't consider the ferry to Manitoulin Island a short cut. It only departs at certain times of the day and it is expensive (at least it was when I last checked for a truck and trailer combo). They measure height and length and charge accordingly.

Manitoulin Island is a great place to visit though.

[Leda]

cross country, just checked what you are talking about... it's a great idea! And it seems more like a shortcut to me ... Thank you!

[cross_country]

To break up the trip a little you may consider heading for the Bruce Peninsula and taking the ferry to Manitoulin Island. Largest fresh water Island in the world. Lots of campgrounds. At Little Current you leave the Island on the largest swing bridge in the world, at least it used to be, and drive through a very scenic example of the Canadian Shield to Espanola where you get back on to the main hwy heading west, Canada;s No 1 or as we used to call it 17 . When you get to Sault Ste Marie, go over to the locks just above St. Mary's River and with any luck you will see the locks work with a 600 foot plus great lakes freighter in it.

There really are many places to see, the ones above take little or no time off your drive and are interesting.

[Leda]

Thanks dkilley! Great advice. I will check Drumheller.

I was thinking what mobile apps (online and offlines) would be of help for the RV community.... Someone told me there is an app that shows you all truck stops for example... Maybe there are more... I would even post it as a different topic.

[dkilley]

Drumheller would be top priority and is close to being along your route. The drive from Banff to Jasper would be the number one thing not to miss but you must stay in campgrounds within the national park boundaries. You can stay in most walmarts along the way. Best to ask as soon as you arrive to avoid having to move. Petro canada truck stops, and other truck stops allow overnights but they are noisy. Casinos sometimes allow overnights, but you have to check unless you see others camping. Having 2 weeks to drive out is lots. Drive slow and have fun.

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Leda, you are most welcome. Bottom line is things have changed and got more and more strict in various "areas of interest" in the past few years compared to when we started back in the late 90's in RVing. More and more restrictions just as there is with everything in life, but we refuse to let it control us more than absolutely unavoidable. With that said, it's no different in the UK. when I took our youngest back in 2011 to the UK to visit her heritage, homestead and so on, couldn't believe the restrictions on parking and having to pay a fortune to pay to park for just a few minutes in places when I lived as a girl/teen and in my twenties = you just pulled up and parked. Now it's all been privatised and the locals are being ripped off royally. Took my hubby back last year as a final trip, his first time back since 18 years prior and he was horrified. Time stands still for no man as they say.

Enjoy your trip and do take the time to smell the roses, it's a trip you likely won't do very often in a lifetime! As I said before you shouldn't have a problem with lesser populated areas, but if governments can make more bucks out of built up or "in demand" areas that's where we've found it more confining in the way we want to travel. However, even when that is said and done, we've "stealth camped" a handful of times over the years when situation has dictated and without any problems whatsoever using commonsense on where we are.

Enjoy, look forward to hearing all about your trip. Some dream, others do, you are making it happen 🙂 🙂 🙂

FTW.