New RVer needs help

saunts · 03-05-2013, 04:05 PM

We are brand new RVers and plan to travel across Canada this spring.
We have a 2013 Tracer model 235FBS. Any helpful advice on travel along the Trans-Canada Hiway would be very helpful. Also I am very new at this "forum stuff" and, am having trouble navigating this technology. I am very computer challenged so bear with me.....ha ha.
We really want to stay at rest areas to save money but, would enjoy staying once or twice a week at a nice scenic campground.....NOT a "glorified trailer park". Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

bakken · 03-05-2013, 04:28 PM

Welcome to the forum!

If you can tell us your route, some of the Canucks on the board can probably give you some good ideas.
Sounds like a fun trip!

Campingnut · 03-05-2013, 04:37 PM

It is my understanding that in BC and Alberta that staying overnight in a rest area is not allowed. A little more details and I might be able to help you out, in Alberta at least.

bakken · 03-05-2013, 04:45 PM

There aren't many rest areas in western Canada to begin with, and I think you are correct about not being able to overnight at them.
But there are enough reasonably-priced campgrounds, and some quite nice spots to stop.

puff · 03-05-2013, 04:54 PM

Your best bet is going to be staying at the Provincial Parks along the way. Most if not all the rest areas only let you stay for short period of time and I do not think any allow overnight stays.

As a side note you can always stay in parking lot of the local Walmart..! As long as you are self contained and not making a mess I have even seen rigs stay in the same spot for multiple days.

Hope you have a great trip..! Try this for some more info...it is link to a web site..!

Tourism British Columbia | Official Travel Website of BC Canada

myredracer · 03-05-2013, 05:47 PM

What about buying a membership with one of the campground organizations like RPI, Coast to Coast, Thousand Trails, etc? You can find them for sale on Craigslist sometimes at greatly reduced prices. Just need to look closely at the benefits and restrictions and eligibility of each one.

This way you can book up to 30 days or 60 days out, depending on what you buy. Great way to ensure you get a place to stay when travelling long distances into unknown territory. And depending on what you buy, the cost is quite low. I think we pay around $10/night typically. Sometimes nothing, and if at your own local cg org., should be free for each night. Can pay off the membership quickly if you are going to camp a lot. Still annual dues though.

Sorry, can't help you on places in Canada except I do know that there are lots of great campgrounds just east of Vancouver. We like to go into the US. I guess just do a lot of online searching for private or public campgrounds.

caper · 03-05-2013, 06:35 PM

The TC highway is 8030km (4990mi). What section are you planning of traveling. There are vary few rest areas and what are available do not allow over night camping. I have traveled the TC from the east coast to the west coast. There are a lot of CG that do not cost an arm and a leg. You will not find many Walmarts in Northern Ontario. If you would give more info on where you want to go and when you you are going it will help. Many of the CG in Northern Ontario do not open till May 24.

saunts · 03-05-2013, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakken

Welcome to the forum!

If you can tell us your route, some of the Canucks on the board can probably give you some good ideas.
Sounds like a fun trip!

we will be travelling the Trans Canada Hiway from Quebec to B.C.

saunts · 03-05-2013, 07:17 PM

We will be starting in Late May and, traveling from Montreal Quebec to B.C>

saunts · 03-05-2013, 07:20 PM

Sooooo the rest areas are really "snooze areas" ??
That's good to know, Don't want any trouble with the mounties !!!

caper · 03-05-2013, 07:52 PM

At North Bay you can take the Northern route which is flat and as the name states goes north. There are many area that have no phone service and vary few towns. This is the route most truckers take. You can take the southern route. It follows the shore of Lake Superior. There are many large steep hills on this route. The drive from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa is a long distance with only one gas station 1/2 across. The gas is on a down hill run with a small hand panted sign. The first year out I did not see the sign till I was beside it. Too late to stop and can not back up. Ran out of gas 20 miles from Wawa. Now I fill up at Sault St. Marie, no problem. There are many provincial CG along this part of the highway. We usually only travel 300 miles per day. At this rate it takes us 10 days to get to BC from Ont. We are 1 hour south of Ottawa. Most provincial CG in Ont. have hydro but not water at the site. Plus we have found that the hydro post usually is a long way from the trailer at Provincial parks, we carry a 50' 30 amp cord for this reason.

extremebike · 03-05-2013, 07:57 PM

In Ontario your Provincial park pass is good for the whole day so you can stop and just show the pass at the gate. you don't have to go in.

bakken · 03-05-2013, 08:37 PM

I am from Manitoba, so will give local info.
There is a really nice campground at Falcon Lake, just over the Ontario/Manitoba border. There are actually two campgrounds, but the one closest to the townsite is the most convenient.
There is a Flying J truck stop one mile west of Winnipeg on the TC, and I am pretty sure you could stop there for the night. Or about another 5 miles further west, there is a nice little KOA on the south side of the highway, right by the river. Although with all of the snow we have had this winter, it might flood and they could still be cleaning up when you pull through.
In Saskatchewan, we usually stop in MooseJaw. There is a really good private campground just off the highway. I think it is at the second exit.
Further west, the campground at Cypress Hills Provincial Park, just south of Maple Creek, is very wooded and quiet. There is another campground in the same park on the Alberta side, but don't stay there. Don't get me started!
Once you get into BC, the options are limitless! I could recommend a whole bunch of places, but you know what you are interested in. Just do lots of internet searches.
Happy travels!

saunts · 03-06-2013, 09:41 AM

Know anywhere I can get the locations of Walmart's along the Trans-Canada
Hiway ?

caper · 03-06-2013, 11:07 AM

If you go the the Walmart.ca site and look up by province you will find some of the Walmarts along the TC. There also are a Husky Truck stops along the TC that you could stay at. The Husky stops also have great meals. You can also find some towns offer municipal CG that are less expensive then the private CG. This will be a long trip that will take several weeks to complete. There are a lot of things to see and do along the way. You will also find that gas is expensive in Northern Ont. We found prices to be a high as $1.55/liter or $5.80/gal.

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