Cross Canada trip planning....

[Gilmurr]

Morning all...we are thinking of taking some time to head out on the road this coming summer to travel across Canada from Halifax to Victoria and back through the US. Not having traveled this far before...with or without the AS...we thought that advise form this tremendous source of knowledge would be helpful. Things like...how long should this take? Best routes? Places you must stop and see?...things like that.

Thanks in advance...
David and Andrea

[paiceman]

Depends on how much time you have and how many stops you want to make. In Canada, stop at Neys Provincial Park in ONT, at the top of Lake Superior.

In US, stop at the big one ie Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone, Tetons, Grand Canyon, Glacier et al. Probably count on the summer to pack it all in. Don't want to be a rush trip I am sure.

Enjoy

[scamp]

Take your time , my brother in law went from ottawa to b.c. Then down in the states to California then back to ottawa they went a total of three months , he said they would drive about 300 kilometers in a day stop and enjoy the sites . He also stayed 2 weeks in one place in b.c. Visiting his daughter. They said it was a fantastic trip. His friend did a similar trip to b.c. On his motorcycle and said all he did was drive his trip was three weeks and said he wouldn't do it again do to being rushed. I think you can do this trip and enjoy it if you have at least a month and a half or more . As you don't want to be just driving.
I also had a uncle drive from b.c. To p.e.i. Pulling a boler travel trailer with three kids and his wife ,they drove straight and then stayed in pei to visit relatives for two weeks then drove back to b.c. It took them seven days one way as I recall , and they towed there boler with a 1976 Honda Accord automatic !
Don

[Gilmurr]

We had a Boler before the Airstream...loved it...our son has it in London ON

We are thinking of 2months right now...but that could be flexible. Thanks for the input!!

[RangerJay]

It would probably help to know a bit of your time frame and how far off the beaten path you are willing to go. When I review our own travels across Canada and the Northern States the biggest highlights are:

In Canada - east to west:
- Old Quebec City
- Algonquin Park
- Killarney Park
- North Shore of Lake Superior
- International Peace Gardens
- Banff/Jasper National Parks
- Alaskan Highway/Cassiar Highway
- Dawson City/Tombstone Territorial Park
- Top of the World Highway

Northern U.S.- west to east
- Glacier National Park
- Yellowstone
- Devils Tower
- Black Hills/Custer State Park
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Mackinac Island

One heck of a road trip - you're bound to have a great time no matter what your choices.


Jay

[Gilmurr]

At this early stage we are thinking late June to late Aug or early Sept for travel time. I would think 500 - 600 km/day travel depending on the area. Also thinking of being off the beaten path both for the more relaxing drive and the opportunity to see more than a 4 lane highway. Thanks for the suggestions...keep them coming

[weirdstuff]

If you have 2 months, then go for it and make it work. However, if you have 3 months, all the better.

This past summer we took a 4 month trip. The first 6 weeks took us from San Diego, California, up to Washington, and across the US to Rhode Island. And the longest we stayed in any one place was about 3 days.

Anyways...in the northwest US, some of our favorite places were Craters of The Moon, and Little Big Horn.

So many awesome places to visit in US and Canada...you can't go wrong just hitting the road and seeing where it takes you!

[tjdonahoe]

There are lots to see ,Niagra falls, Banff, Glacier park, too much to list. We are planning to go to your country, Nova Scotia this fall, been to northern Maine and run out of time 2 years ago, very nice trip

[Gilmurr]

Cant beat the fall in Nova Scotia. We do volunteer work at Kejimkujik National Park in the fall releasing Blandings Turtle Hatchlings from protected nests. Fun, educational and camping all rolled into one.

[thefroghouse]

Hi Halifax. Watch for our 94 1000 Excella heading to Newfoundland. We reside on Van. Isl. and you haven't completed the trip until you see Victoria. We are looking at 4 months to go east, the return trip also through the States will be much faster. Give yourself lots of time once you cross the Rockies, the driving becomes more challenging. Don't miss Jasper Nat. Park.

[jfowler218]

In 2012 we drove Camadian Hwy 1 Vancouver to Halifax then spent 21/2 months touring the Maritime provinces. A really great trip. Four months and 16,000 miles.

[scamp]

Originally Posted by Gilmurr

We had a Boler before the Airstream...loved it...our son has it in London ON

We are thinking of 2months right now...but that could be flexible. Thanks for the input!!

You didn't happen to buy your boler in lower saskville Nova scotia from a older couple ,maybe I think 15 years ago , and was it a 1974?if you did it might be my uncles , and taking 2 months for your trip out west should be good for time.

Don

[cndsilvrgurl]

Of course you want to see the Rockies when you are in BC (Banff national park) but if you have time you should make your way to the Okanagan Valley - Kelowna and south to Osoyoss (which has a border crossing into Washington State) It is getting known for its wineries now instead of orchards. Beautiful lakes - Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake and Lake Osoyoss. Definatly some beautiful country to see. We have Provincial Campgrounds and private ones. Highway 97 is the main route through all of the towns/cities. Each one has its own festivals,wine tours, summer concerts, etc.....
Only 4.5 hours from Vancouver.
The towns to google are - Kelowna (big city), Peachland (small little town with main drag right on the lake) Summerland (small town) Penticton ( medium size city with a lake at each end of it) Ok Falls ( village - flea markets everyday in the summer) Oliver ( small town) and Osoyoss ( small town ) .

Hope you get time to come have a look.

[VT Wanderer]

I think RangerJay has a great list. We travel west from Vermont (USA) to the Rockies - Canadian and USA - at least every other year. We usually stay on the Interstates or Trans Canada 1 during heavy travel days just to pick up miles. Due to jobs, we usually only have 2 months to do our summer travels. PS - we love your area and have enjoyed Airstreaming and kayaking from Bay of Fundy, Cape Bretton to PEI.

[jsandrb]

Don't skip small towns in the western half of Canada. Almost every one has a park that offers excellent overnight ( or longer) accommodations for RV-ers passing through. We spent a month making a trip from Iowa to Alaska. Not nearly enough time, plan to spend a whole season.

[cathyjohn]

Map out your trip and roads and your lay overs be for you live and be able to change any time.

[Jim Flower]

Originally Posted by Gilmurr

Morning all...we are thinking of taking some time to head out on the road this coming summer to travel across Canada from Halifax to Victoria and back through the US. Not having traveled this far before...with or without the AS...we thought that advise form this tremendous source of knowledge would be helpful. Things like...how long should this take? Best routes? Places you must stop and see?...things like that.

Thanks in advance...
David and Andrea

Hello Gilmurr,
I can recall seeing only one other Airstream in Halifax when I lived on Fergusson's Cove Rd. and that was on my way up to Clayton Park to visit friends. That is not including the project Airstream in Shubie Park. But clearly you are not alone, given the access to this Forum.
I have done the Canadian portion of the trip many times and have found that the best plan is no plan, other than the potential final destination. Daily driving distances were dependent upon weather and the proximity to destinations usually gleaned from other other campers who had local knowledge. Some stops are obvious, (Quebec City) but the choice of the North shore of the St Lawrence or South shore is not. The North shore is more pokey. The North shore of Lake Superior is riddled with gorgeous spots, so it depends on one's mood on which one to choose. One for sure place that is often overlooked is Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park (day trip only). It is one of Canada's best kept secrets. West of the Lakehead, if you are into fishing, start asking about spots. Don't ignore the prairies, you just have to look closer but, as previously mentioned by others, many small towns have camping spots and that will give you an opportunity to maybe meet some folks who are living at the right speed. I prefer the Yellow Head across the prairies due to the beautiful rolling terrain. I leave it though at Jasper for the Icefields Parkway or continue on the Yellow head for a night at Lucerne Lake if you think you my have an issue with some of the grades. ( you won't). I also usually take the Fraser Canyon route since I am not in a hurry. There is some great exploring to be done here, again ask the locals. Check posts from Masseyfarm for not only local knowledge around Victoria but also expertise on the rest of the country and also on the return trip through the US. Safe trip. Jim


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[thesignlady]

Make use of the courtesy parking of your fellow Airstreamers, talking to the locals along your way is probably the best way to find out where the hidden gem areas are :-)

I believe you search under the community tab and can search by city for who has parking

P.S. and I'm in Victoria, BC

[Len n Jeanne]

Lucky you!

If you haven't been to the Canadian Rockies national parks, we would sure recommend Waterton Lakes, Banff, and Jasper. If you stay put at either Waterton Lakes or its cross-border neighbour, Glacier NP, there are so many beautiful sites/sights to explore. There are also free shuttles on Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier NP.

However, these parks' campgrounds do tend to fill up during the high season, so if you know where you'll be when, I would suggest you make some reservations now.

Do you like hot springs? If so, check out Miette, Banff, Radium, Fairmont, Nakusp, Halcyon, and our personal favourite: Ainsworth Hot Springs on the west shore of Kootenay Lake.

If it isn't too far off your route, one of our favourite places to camp is at the municipal campground in New Denver, BC.

If you drive one way on or near I-90 across northern Idaho, some nice lakeside resort communities are Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint. Also-- anyone with an AS can camp overnight on the lot of Airstream of Spokane (Washington state) for free.

Sigh.... so much gorgeous scenery, so little time!

[Gilmurr]

Thanks all for your hints and sugustions.....keep them coming...I'm sure this will be helpful for others as well!


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