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Old 05-09-2010, 05:54 PM   #1
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Update on Travel Costs in Canada!

Just a heads up for anyone planning to travel in Canada this summer. Unless the exchange rate tanks (currently CAD$1.00=US$0.98), you better be prepared to open your wallets up here. Gas is about $1/litre = $4.00/U.S. gallon, and campgrounds are charging $35-$40 for a basic site with 2-way hookups! Wi-fi and hot showers may be "extras"! I'm sure there are bargains around like provincial campgrounds, but many of them have limited or no services. It will cost us 40% more to go to PEI through Canada as opposed to through the U.S.
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Old 05-09-2010, 07:31 PM   #2
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A good friend of mine who lives in Kelowna, B.C. greatly prefers to vacation here in the states. He doesn't own an RV so he usually looks for campgrounds that have small cabins for rent (like KOAs). I don't know if the prices have anything to do with it but I'm sure they are part of it.
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Old 05-09-2010, 08:01 PM   #3
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Beer and liquor is double the price here as well but you do save on bullets as guns are not necessary in Canada. (Just adding some humour).
Any medical treatments are probably much cheaper in Canada but I would not know as I have never had to pay for any.
We use many State parks and find they are almost 1/2 of what we pay at Provincial campgrounds but they usually have 30 amp service as opposed to 15-20amp.
Private parks have similar fees on both sides of the border in my experience.
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Old 05-09-2010, 09:22 PM   #4
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Beer and liquor is double the price here as well but you do save on bullets as guns are not necessary in Canada. (Just adding some humour)
I know my friend appreciates the lower cost of beer but on his first trip to Moab for some Jeepn' I forgot to tell him that Utah is a 3.2 state. He asked "what is a 3.2 state?" I told him the beer alcohol content is limited to 3.2% and anything higher had to be bought in a liquor store in that state, at much more cost. Wow was he ticked off. My fault, I should have warned him.

Guns aren't necessary down here either but many of us like to shoot. My friend from Kelowna owns more than I do. Looks like he is mobilizing for Iwo Jima when he loads up.
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Old 05-11-2010, 07:38 PM   #5
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Just my opinion here but isn't it about time the U.S. population experience what we have been putting up with for years because of the exchange rate?

With more Canadians travelling south this year because of the dollar, there should be no problems for the rest of us to find good camping sites. Maybe less nights in the overflow camping this year.

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Old 05-12-2010, 01:44 AM   #6
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I think it is much cheaper and easier to camp in United States and have better camp places to stay and enjoy. The Arizona and Virginia and many more places have good campsites to visit and enjoy a better time there.
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Old 05-31-2010, 05:54 AM   #7
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Expensive in Canada

Thanks Piscesman for the headsup. My wife and I love Cape Breton Island and had planned to go there and to PEI this summer. Fuel prices seem to be dropping around southern Maine ($2.75 gas and $3.05 for diesel).
My wife read on line that the Provincial parks are banning alcohol use between Friday and Mondays?? To enjoy a wee dram on the weekends are we going to have to hide in our campers?
Where would you recommend staying on PEI? Is it worth it to visit Isle De La Madelaine?
Thanks for your input
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Old 06-02-2010, 10:19 PM   #8
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We live in central Canada, and so we travel to both ends of the country. My experience is that no matter where we have gone there are both expensive and cheaper parks. It takes a bit of searching but nice sites are there for a reasonable price. One hint, is that we have found that a lot of the small towns have a "town" campground where they charge just a few dollars to stay, or even free. And they do have electrical and water, just not sewer, so it is worth looking.
P.S. In California and Las Vegas, we were charged $75. per night for camping, when there were $30. hotels available . . . but we loooove our trailer.
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Old 06-04-2010, 04:33 PM   #9
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I think both countries have their expensive and cheap campgrounds. I live in southern Alberta and the most I have seen for a full service spot is $35.00 and under. Most are around $30.00. There's Waterton Lakes National Park and many little campgrounds in the Crowsnest Pass this side of the Rocky Mountains. On the flip side, there is a campground in Montana which we love that charges $50.00 power and water based on two people. Add more money for kids, dogs and getting your black tank sucked out. They just made more spots by halving some of the bigger spots in the campground. RV's are close together like sardines. But the lake is warm (for a mountain lake) and it's near shopping. I have heard that state parks are cheaper. This year we are driving down to Farragut Park in Idaho so the kids can experience Silverwood. I am expecting to pay quite a bit. Hopefully the canadian dollar will hold it's own.
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Old 06-06-2010, 12:36 AM   #10
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. This year we are driving down to Farragut Park in Idaho so the kids can experience Silverwood. I am expecting to pay quite a bit. Hopefully the canadian dollar will hold it's own.
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Idaho State parks are exceptionally well priced, looked up Farragut and it looks like between $20-35 usd./night
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Old 06-25-2010, 02:13 PM   #11
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gizzys what park in Montana (sounds like one to avoid) and do you have suggestions for Southern Alberta campsites? We've been to dinosaur (nice interpretive guides and museum) and to Peter Lougheed in Kananaskis).
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Old 06-26-2010, 08:37 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by George View Post
Thanks Piscesman for the headsup. My wife and I love Cape Breton Island and had planned to go there and to PEI this summer. Fuel prices seem to be dropping around southern Maine ($2.75 gas and $3.05 for diesel).
My wife read on line that the Provincial parks are banning alcohol use between Friday and Mondays?? To enjoy a wee dram on the weekends are we going to have to hide in our campers?
Where would you recommend staying on PEI? Is it worth it to visit Isle De La Madelaine?
Thanks for your input
George

George....

Sorry to take so long to reply...just catching up on my reading! We just got back from one of the provincial parks in PEI...didn't even notice the drinking ban! The provincial parks are a good bet...located all over the Island, usually well-maintained, not too crowded $24.50/night. The only private park I have much experience with is Marco Polo near Cavendish...very big, well-managed, great for kids...relatively expensive. Check out this link for a Visitor's Guide to PEI Tourism Prince Edward Island (PEI) - Canada - Official Guide
Shoot any other questions you have my way....

P.S. I've never been to Madeline...but unless you are into bicycling, I've heard it's pretty blah... plus I hate ferry rides longer than 20 minutes!
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Old 07-08-2010, 09:40 AM   #13
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We were in Montana over the 4th and pulled into a new Safeway station in Whitefish as their first customers. Filled the all but empty RV tanks at $2.64 a gallon. Far cry better than the typical Alberta $1 a liter (almost $4 a gallon).

Came back through BC and saw signs on roadside burger/ice cream place about the new 7% tax in addition to the GST. $50 for burgers and a shared packet of fries. I wished we'd stopped for food before crossing the border. Next time.
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Old 07-16-2010, 10:23 AM   #14
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We were in Montana over the 4th and pulled into a new Safeway station in Whitefish as their first customers. Filled the all but empty RV tanks at $2.64 a gallon. Far cry better than the typical Alberta $1 a liter (almost $4 a gallon).

Came back through BC and saw signs on roadside burger/ice cream place about the new 7% tax in addition to the GST. $50 for burgers and a shared packet of fries. I wished we'd stopped for food before crossing the border. Next time.
Not quite correct - The new HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) includes the "old" GST and the "old" PST for a new total of 12% HST on most items. Still a very unpopular tax in B.C. and the subject of a tax revolt going on, which will probably amount to absolutely nothing !!!

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Old 07-16-2010, 12:59 PM   #15
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George....

Sorry to take so long to reply...just catching up on my reading! We just got back from one of the provincial parks in PEI...didn't even notice the drinking ban! The provincial parks are a good bet...located all over the Island, usually well-maintained, not too crowded $24.50/night. The only private park I have much experience with is Marco Polo near Cavendish...very big, well-managed, great for kids...relatively expensive. Check out this link for a Visitor's Guide to PEI Tourism Prince Edward Island (PEI) - Canada - Official Guide
Shoot any other questions you have my way....

P.S. I've never been to Madeline...but unless you are into bicycling, I've heard it's pretty blah... plus I hate ferry rides longer than 20 minutes!
My family and I stayed in at the KOA campground. It is within a mile of Marco Polo. Pricey but nice and clean, lot's of kids activities and there is a water park, wax museum and a couple other things you can walk to from a trail in the campground.

Happy camping!
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Old 07-16-2010, 04:10 PM   #16
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My wife read on line that the Provincial parks are banning alcohol use between Friday and Mondays??
Are you sure? I tried checking the PEI torism sites & no mention. Google just found hits talking about Alberta & Ontario banning alcohol in certain parks on the May 2-4 weekend.
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Old 08-29-2010, 07:32 AM   #17
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I think there is confusion in some of what is being said. Ontario PP have put some alcohol restrictions in place but that has nothing to do with policies in other provinces.
As for costs, I find that PP in PEI are extremely reasonable in price. We camped at Brudenell with a pull-through site, full hook-ups including cable and paid less than $30 per night. That was about 18 months back so there may be some change. Last summer we were at Red Point again with a pull-through and three way hook-up and while I don't remember the exact cost I'm sure it was very reasonable.
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Old 08-29-2010, 10:08 AM   #18
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We use many State parks and find they are almost 1/2 of what we pay at Provincial campgrounds but they usually have 30 amp service as opposed to 15-20amp.
I've camped & 2 different CGs in Algonquin & 1 @ Halfway Lake prov' parks & the hydro service @ the electric sites is both 30 Amp & 15 Amp from the same "pole".

If you can list the PPs that don't have 30 Amp service, could you list them? It could help folks for trip planning.
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Old 08-29-2010, 10:50 AM   #19
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lol had one friend up from the usa. he needed gas and saw the sign and was shocked at how low it was! so he filled up his truck and was shocked that it was almost double what he pays back home. he couldnt figure out why it was so much until someone explained to him that it was price per liter and how many liters in a US gallon! lol
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Old 08-30-2010, 10:04 PM   #20
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too funny

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he filled up his truck and was shocked that it was almost double what he pays back home.
If only it was $1 a gallon!
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