Canada Cross-Country Road Trip in April
July 21, 2023 11:23 AM Subscribe
My husband and I live in the US and are thinking about a Canada road trip in April, partially to gain information about places for us to potentially move to, and partially to visit a friend and see the solar eclipse.
The current thought is, we'll fly to Toronto YYZ, pick up a rental car, and drive to a friend's house about an hour away. They are in the eclipse path. We stay with them for a few days and then a day after the eclipse, we start driving the rental car across the country, stopping in Winnipeg and Calgary (and...?) on our way to Vancouver, where we can drop off the car. We have already confirmed this possibility and pricing for picking up the car in Toronto and dropping it off in Vancouver. Then we take the train or a plane home to the US. We're alloting 10 days for the drive with the thought that we can average about 5 hours a day.
How crazy is this plan? What kind of travel conditions might we encounter on the drive? Maybe a road trip in April is cuckoo and should really be reserved for June or some warmer time of year?
I would also be interested in specific areas to visit, keeping in mind that this trip is about potential places to live and work, moreso than nature/wilderness or tourism in general. We do have the ability to move to Canada permanently, so this is not dependent on an industry that has employer sponsorship.
Additionally, if you have recommendations for lodging along the way (motels or budget hotels, airbnb, etc. - not 4-5 star hotels and not hostels but something in between), please share those. Thank you!
The current thought is, we'll fly to Toronto YYZ, pick up a rental car, and drive to a friend's house about an hour away. They are in the eclipse path. We stay with them for a few days and then a day after the eclipse, we start driving the rental car across the country, stopping in Winnipeg and Calgary (and...?) on our way to Vancouver, where we can drop off the car. We have already confirmed this possibility and pricing for picking up the car in Toronto and dropping it off in Vancouver. Then we take the train or a plane home to the US. We're alloting 10 days for the drive with the thought that we can average about 5 hours a day.
How crazy is this plan? What kind of travel conditions might we encounter on the drive? Maybe a road trip in April is cuckoo and should really be reserved for June or some warmer time of year?
I would also be interested in specific areas to visit, keeping in mind that this trip is about potential places to live and work, moreso than nature/wilderness or tourism in general. We do have the ability to move to Canada permanently, so this is not dependent on an industry that has employer sponsorship.
Additionally, if you have recommendations for lodging along the way (motels or budget hotels, airbnb, etc. - not 4-5 star hotels and not hostels but something in between), please share those. Thank you!
I have driven this route, though not consecutively and not recently. It is a lot of driving, but is scenic and beautiful (though I will admit a love of slowly changing rural scenery).
It takes about 20 hours of driving to get out of Ontario if you are going north above the Great Lakes. This is beautiful! I would ensure your rental car has snow tires for the Rocky Mountains (and I would carry chains) if you are making this trip in April. In the summer, all-weather tires are likely fine for the mountain passes.
posted by Sauter Vaguely at 12:11 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
It takes about 20 hours of driving to get out of Ontario if you are going north above the Great Lakes. This is beautiful! I would ensure your rental car has snow tires for the Rocky Mountains (and I would carry chains) if you are making this trip in April. In the summer, all-weather tires are likely fine for the mountain passes.
posted by Sauter Vaguely at 12:11 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
I’d maybe take an extra day or two in front of this and not miss Montreal (east of Toronto)
Banff is amazing and the Squamish area near Whistler and Blackcomb are amazing. Whistler is actually open for mountain biking over the summer so it can be active and open.
posted by bitdamaged at 12:20 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Banff is amazing and the Squamish area near Whistler and Blackcomb are amazing. Whistler is actually open for mountain biking over the summer so it can be active and open.
posted by bitdamaged at 12:20 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
You say you're interested in exploring places to live and work, but this road trip will be large empty stretches interspersed with a lot of places that aren't on the top of anyone's list of places to live (no offense Wawa, Sault Ste Marie, Regina, etc.). If the objective is exploring future homes, you'd be better served by doing a thorough exploration of Southern Ontario (where almost 40% of all Canadians live), driving up to Montreal, visiting the East Coast, maybe flying out to Vancouver and driving out to Calgary if you really want a road trip.
posted by Gortuk at 12:54 PM on July 21, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by Gortuk at 12:54 PM on July 21, 2023 [12 favorites]
Buy a road map.
Do not rely on GPS.
I met a couple in Mont Laurier who were shocked to discover the GPS was taking them from Montreal to Calgary via the Northern Route .
Do not take the Northern Route.
It's miles of nothing.
Do not go via Hearst Kapuskasing.
It's flat boring miles of muskeg. Services are few and far between.
Go just north of Lake Superior Sudbury, Sault St. Marie, Wawa Thunder Bay, Kenora.
It's pretty and there are services.
posted by yyz at 1:02 PM on July 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
Do not rely on GPS.
I met a couple in Mont Laurier who were shocked to discover the GPS was taking them from Montreal to Calgary via the Northern Route .
Do not take the Northern Route.
It's miles of nothing.
Do not go via Hearst Kapuskasing.
It's flat boring miles of muskeg. Services are few and far between.
Go just north of Lake Superior Sudbury, Sault St. Marie, Wawa Thunder Bay, Kenora.
It's pretty and there are services.
posted by yyz at 1:02 PM on July 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
If you’re interested in places to live and work, you might be well served by going east to Halifax. This is a more approachable 10 day trip in April.
(fyi - April is not summer in Whistler, those are spring skiing conditions)
posted by shock muppet at 1:06 PM on July 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
(fyi - April is not summer in Whistler, those are spring skiing conditions)
posted by shock muppet at 1:06 PM on July 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
Don't count on being able to find a decent hotel when you get tired of driving. Book your rooms in advance, because a lot of Canada is pretty empty unless you're in or near a big city, which are significantly more than 5 hours apart.
Seconding buying a road map. You'll also probably want something with more power than an economy class rental or you'll be puttering along at 40 up some of those mountains. I'd also wait til May for this trip, unless you don't mind snowy conditions.
Banff is just as pretty as it looks in pictures. Don't miss Nelson (cute little town, has a nice hotel and good restaurants) and check out Bridal Falls on the way to Vancouver. If you have an extra week, I encourage you to go out to Cortes Island for the old growth cedars, orca sightings on the ferry rides, and plentiful oysters.
posted by ananci at 1:39 PM on July 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Seconding buying a road map. You'll also probably want something with more power than an economy class rental or you'll be puttering along at 40 up some of those mountains. I'd also wait til May for this trip, unless you don't mind snowy conditions.
Banff is just as pretty as it looks in pictures. Don't miss Nelson (cute little town, has a nice hotel and good restaurants) and check out Bridal Falls on the way to Vancouver. If you have an extra week, I encourage you to go out to Cortes Island for the old growth cedars, orca sightings on the ferry rides, and plentiful oysters.
posted by ananci at 1:39 PM on July 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
Just as a datapoint, winter tires are required on all highways in the BC interior up to April 30th each year. If you're driving from Calgary to Vancouver then you'll need those on your rental car.
posted by tinydancer at 2:13 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by tinydancer at 2:13 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Save yourself the boredom; fly YYZ to Calgary and then drive to Vancouver.
Ontario/Manitoba/Saskatchewan is not the desolate beauty you might think.
If you want to see the Canadian highlights, do this
- YYZ then drive east to Halifax (hit Montreal and PEI), return the car in Halifax
- fly to Calgary rent another car and drive to Vancouver
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:15 PM on July 21, 2023 [7 favorites]
Ontario/Manitoba/Saskatchewan is not the desolate beauty you might think.
If you want to see the Canadian highlights, do this
- YYZ then drive east to Halifax (hit Montreal and PEI), return the car in Halifax
- fly to Calgary rent another car and drive to Vancouver
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:15 PM on July 21, 2023 [7 favorites]
As a prairie girl I love Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and points between, but in April the landscape will not show to its best advantage and driving weather is still a bit chancy. Highway 1 is a two-lane two-bit road for a bunch of the drive. If you are actually interested in living in Western Canada it's a great idea, but if you are really only interested in the major cities I would arrange the trip differently.
It's 14 hours driving between Winnipeg and Calgary with not much to see unless you love pothole lakes and farmland. (I do! But it's prettiest in July.)
Also I agree with everyone about the northern Ontario part. Heed the advice in yyz's comment above.
Stay off Air Canada whatever you do. It was so bad this summer. I flew through Toronto and am determined never to do it again.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 2:33 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
It's 14 hours driving between Winnipeg and Calgary with not much to see unless you love pothole lakes and farmland. (I do! But it's prettiest in July.)
Also I agree with everyone about the northern Ontario part. Heed the advice in yyz's comment above.
Stay off Air Canada whatever you do. It was so bad this summer. I flew through Toronto and am determined never to do it again.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 2:33 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
A sample 10 day itinerary eastern itinerary with some bonus Ontario content:
- Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
- Huntsville (may substitute for other cottage or lake town), ON
- Ottawa, ON
- Montréal, QC
- Québec City,QC
- Fredericton, NB
- Charlottetown, PEI
- Ingonish, NS (ok this is a tourist stop)
- Halifax, NS
Remember that Vancouver is $$$$$ and might not be in your budget.
posted by shock muppet at 3:27 PM on July 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
- Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
- Huntsville (may substitute for other cottage or lake town), ON
- Ottawa, ON
- Montréal, QC
- Québec City,QC
- Fredericton, NB
- Charlottetown, PEI
- Ingonish, NS (ok this is a tourist stop)
- Halifax, NS
Remember that Vancouver is $$$$$ and might not be in your budget.
posted by shock muppet at 3:27 PM on July 21, 2023 [3 favorites]
In some parts of Canada we don't have spring or fall.
We have break up and freeze up.
The eclipse is April 8 and in the Niagara , Toronto region that should be ok weather.
Northern Ontario could be anything.
Mid march canoe trips, (Victoria Day ) I can find snow in shaded bush which means cold beer.
End of March canoe runs mean high water from spring run off . Less portaging , more fun.
I' ve been in Timmins early April and had rain , freezing rain, and a foot and a half of snow in one day. Could not proceed, had to overnight.
I've been the last car up Roger's pass in B. C. ( they closed the highway behind me )
Had to overnight at the summit.
That time of year you have to be flexible.
Do not get fixated on getting there
carry a blanket, some snacks.
Always gas up.
Be prepared to alter your plans and spend the night , take an extra day
Distances here can be deceiving. Some places are just a name on the map.
A gas station if you're lucky.
Early spring is always a dangerous time .
In fall you will have clothing etc.
Spring ... tee shirts
posted by yyz at 5:25 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
We have break up and freeze up.
The eclipse is April 8 and in the Niagara , Toronto region that should be ok weather.
Northern Ontario could be anything.
Mid march canoe trips, (Victoria Day ) I can find snow in shaded bush which means cold beer.
End of March canoe runs mean high water from spring run off . Less portaging , more fun.
I' ve been in Timmins early April and had rain , freezing rain, and a foot and a half of snow in one day. Could not proceed, had to overnight.
I've been the last car up Roger's pass in B. C. ( they closed the highway behind me )
Had to overnight at the summit.
That time of year you have to be flexible.
Do not get fixated on getting there
carry a blanket, some snacks.
Always gas up.
Be prepared to alter your plans and spend the night , take an extra day
Distances here can be deceiving. Some places are just a name on the map.
A gas station if you're lucky.
Early spring is always a dangerous time .
In fall you will have clothing etc.
Spring ... tee shirts
posted by yyz at 5:25 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Agreeing with those who say that if you’re looking for a place you might move to, go East. If you have, say 20 hours of driving time, there might be like 15 towns or cities to see going East, and maybe 4 going West.
The 401 highway, the major east/west route in southern Ontario, does not run through most city centers. So if you want to check out Port Hope, Belleville, Kingston, Brockville, Cornwall, etc, which are all worth a look, you’ll have to get off the Highway and drive 5-10 mins into town and walk around.
You could also spend 2-3 days making a loop going west of Toronto, and check out Guelph, London, Kitchener/Waterloo, Stratford. Maybe go up to the lake and see Collingwood.
Maybe drop another question with criteria of your ideal place and we can recommend some options?
posted by thenormshow at 6:19 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
The 401 highway, the major east/west route in southern Ontario, does not run through most city centers. So if you want to check out Port Hope, Belleville, Kingston, Brockville, Cornwall, etc, which are all worth a look, you’ll have to get off the Highway and drive 5-10 mins into town and walk around.
You could also spend 2-3 days making a loop going west of Toronto, and check out Guelph, London, Kitchener/Waterloo, Stratford. Maybe go up to the lake and see Collingwood.
Maybe drop another question with criteria of your ideal place and we can recommend some options?
posted by thenormshow at 6:19 PM on July 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
Kelowna, Penticton and the Okanagan region in general are a great last stop before you reach Vancouver.
posted by skwm at 10:02 PM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by skwm at 10:02 PM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
I would ensure your rental car has snow tires for the Rocky Mountains (and I would carry chains) if you are making this trip in April. In the summer, all-weather tires are likely fine for the mountain passes.
Legally you are required to have winter tires on the BC highways you would be driving on until April 30th.
I wouldn't bother with chains, at least for the AB and BC portions. If conditions deteriorate to the point you need chains at that time of year you are better off just stopping and waiting it out. I must have made several hundreds trips in the winter between Calgary and Kamloops or Kamloops and Vancouver and I've chained up exactly once while driving a light vehicle.
posted by Mitheral at 4:05 AM on July 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Legally you are required to have winter tires on the BC highways you would be driving on until April 30th.
I wouldn't bother with chains, at least for the AB and BC portions. If conditions deteriorate to the point you need chains at that time of year you are better off just stopping and waiting it out. I must have made several hundreds trips in the winter between Calgary and Kamloops or Kamloops and Vancouver and I've chained up exactly once while driving a light vehicle.
posted by Mitheral at 4:05 AM on July 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
April in even southern parts of Canada will be varied as you cross the country, but will have a lot of cold overcast weather, cold weather, and probably mosquitos. I've spent time in the Colorado Rockies; even the major Interstate roads can be closed for a day or even more. Driving in serious snow/ ice, even with chains, is not a vacation. I'm not unhappy to hang out in an adequate hotel and read; you may differ. Plan to drive longer days through less interesting parts, and take enough time to visit Montreal and/or Quebec City, and other places with lots to see.
April has longer nights, and we are coming up to solar maximum, so get an app that will alert you to a high KP Index, and you may see Northern Lights.
posted by theora55 at 9:07 AM on July 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
April has longer nights, and we are coming up to solar maximum, so get an app that will alert you to a high KP Index, and you may see Northern Lights.
posted by theora55 at 9:07 AM on July 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
Driving across Canada is, yeah, less likely to meet your goals for this trip. Canada is like space: small vivid areas of urban life punctuated by vast expanses of howling nothingness. (Hyperbole for fun not because I’m anti-rural!)
April is probably going to be chillier than you expect but it’ll be a good dose of realism for you: while you’re here, imagine this coming after five months of winter.
I agree that Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver are going to be the most useful places to visit.
Calgary-Vancouver (or vice versa) is a spectacular drive and would give you excellent road trip vibes! Check out Kelowna maybe too.
Toronto-Montreal is a decent drive, you could stop in Ottawa and check out big galleries or extend to Quebec City. Montreal should be on your list to scout even if you don’t speak French.
Skip the prairies, IMO.
And Halifax is awesome!
posted by sixswitch at 5:35 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
April is probably going to be chillier than you expect but it’ll be a good dose of realism for you: while you’re here, imagine this coming after five months of winter.
I agree that Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver are going to be the most useful places to visit.
Calgary-Vancouver (or vice versa) is a spectacular drive and would give you excellent road trip vibes! Check out Kelowna maybe too.
Toronto-Montreal is a decent drive, you could stop in Ottawa and check out big galleries or extend to Quebec City. Montreal should be on your list to scout even if you don’t speak French.
Skip the prairies, IMO.
And Halifax is awesome!
posted by sixswitch at 5:35 AM on July 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
In the last five years, I have driven the following: Calgary - Montreal, Montreal-Calgary, Calgary-Montreal, Calgary-St.John's Newfoundland. I have done Calgary - Squamish/Whistler about four times as well. As such, I have some feels about some of the opinions in this thread!
- Ontario is a surprisingly large portion of this trip. It's more than 20 hours of the 37 hours it takes to get from Calgary to Montreal. Do you like lakes and forest ? Because if you do, you're in luck! I happen to love this portion of the trip - but I've mostly done this in warm months, so the key is making time to swim in as many lakes and rivers as you can. In April, that's not happening. I'm fond of Ignace, Kenora, Nipigon and Moonbeam as places to stop. If camping, Rushing River near is terrific. Red Rocks is a small town near Nipigon with great hiking - waterfalls, canyons - and a really cool old historic hotel that's a welcome break from the generic roadside hotels.
- The 'northern route' has been panned badly in this thread. It is not as scenic as going along Lake Superior (though the stretch from Nipigon to Beardmore is stunning). But it's fine. Just get behind a freight truck (they'll clear the moose and deer for you) and let the kilometers roll. Most of the towns are no great shakes, but I'll put in a plug for Moonbeam. In the summer, this is a nice way - if you're headed to Montreal - because the southern route is very congested with RV traffic.
- So many people dissing on the prairies! I'm a mountain person, but find the prairies absolutely beautiful. And it's not that much of the trip - Ontario/Manitoba border to Calgary is two easy days. We've loved staying or stopping in Falcon Lake / Whiteshell. Again - more of a summer thing. I also have a soft spot for the smaller prairie towns, and have tried to stay away from hotels directly on the highway. The Qu'Appelle valley and the Cypress hills are lovely.
April isn't a terrible time to do the trip. In the warmer areas, there will be bugs. There will be rain, sleet and snow. Some of the lakes in the North Ontario portion will still have ice on them. The mountains from Calgary west will be the most spectacular they ever get -- tons of snow up high -- but the roads will be mostly ok. No need for chains. No need for true winter tires either - BC highways requires M+S designation for the highways until the 30th - which most rentals with all-seasons will satisfy. Wait out any late season snowfalls on the major passes (Kicking Horse pass, Rogers Pass, Coquihalla). Consider driving the northern route from Kamploops to Vancouver: Cache Creek - Lilloet - Whistler - Squamish - Vancouver. This has to be one of the most spectacular roads in the country.
As far as 'checking out places where you might live', well, that depends on where you see moving to. Are you going to work remotely from a smaller place with great access to recreation ? Or are you looking for a big city ? If the latter, only Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto qualify as 'big' cities, and Montreal is very much not on the way. Even including smaller cities, there are so few centers larger than 250K that it's probably worth just doing research on those places first and then drawing up a road itinerary that makes sense.
It's actually hard to imagine a pleasant road itinerary that would include Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto + Southern Ontario mega-exurbs, London, Kitchner-Waterloo, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, Kamloops, Vancouver and Victoria... Pros and cons of all those places are best left as their own threads (of which there have been plenty on Ask over the years).
posted by bumpkin at 5:25 AM on July 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
- Ontario is a surprisingly large portion of this trip. It's more than 20 hours of the 37 hours it takes to get from Calgary to Montreal. Do you like lakes and forest ? Because if you do, you're in luck! I happen to love this portion of the trip - but I've mostly done this in warm months, so the key is making time to swim in as many lakes and rivers as you can. In April, that's not happening. I'm fond of Ignace, Kenora, Nipigon and Moonbeam as places to stop. If camping, Rushing River near is terrific. Red Rocks is a small town near Nipigon with great hiking - waterfalls, canyons - and a really cool old historic hotel that's a welcome break from the generic roadside hotels.
- The 'northern route' has been panned badly in this thread. It is not as scenic as going along Lake Superior (though the stretch from Nipigon to Beardmore is stunning). But it's fine. Just get behind a freight truck (they'll clear the moose and deer for you) and let the kilometers roll. Most of the towns are no great shakes, but I'll put in a plug for Moonbeam. In the summer, this is a nice way - if you're headed to Montreal - because the southern route is very congested with RV traffic.
- So many people dissing on the prairies! I'm a mountain person, but find the prairies absolutely beautiful. And it's not that much of the trip - Ontario/Manitoba border to Calgary is two easy days. We've loved staying or stopping in Falcon Lake / Whiteshell. Again - more of a summer thing. I also have a soft spot for the smaller prairie towns, and have tried to stay away from hotels directly on the highway. The Qu'Appelle valley and the Cypress hills are lovely.
April isn't a terrible time to do the trip. In the warmer areas, there will be bugs. There will be rain, sleet and snow. Some of the lakes in the North Ontario portion will still have ice on them. The mountains from Calgary west will be the most spectacular they ever get -- tons of snow up high -- but the roads will be mostly ok. No need for chains. No need for true winter tires either - BC highways requires M+S designation for the highways until the 30th - which most rentals with all-seasons will satisfy. Wait out any late season snowfalls on the major passes (Kicking Horse pass, Rogers Pass, Coquihalla). Consider driving the northern route from Kamploops to Vancouver: Cache Creek - Lilloet - Whistler - Squamish - Vancouver. This has to be one of the most spectacular roads in the country.
As far as 'checking out places where you might live', well, that depends on where you see moving to. Are you going to work remotely from a smaller place with great access to recreation ? Or are you looking for a big city ? If the latter, only Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto qualify as 'big' cities, and Montreal is very much not on the way. Even including smaller cities, there are so few centers larger than 250K that it's probably worth just doing research on those places first and then drawing up a road itinerary that makes sense.
It's actually hard to imagine a pleasant road itinerary that would include Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto + Southern Ontario mega-exurbs, London, Kitchner-Waterloo, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, Kamloops, Vancouver and Victoria... Pros and cons of all those places are best left as their own threads (of which there have been plenty on Ask over the years).
posted by bumpkin at 5:25 AM on July 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you everyone. I'm looking forward to flying to Ontario and using that as base camp #1 for driving exploration, then flying to Calgary or Vancouver and using it as base camp #2 for similar activities. I appreciate all the suggestions and perspectives, and will keep referencing them as I get closer to the trip. Thanks so much.
posted by happy_cat at 7:51 PM on August 5, 2023
posted by happy_cat at 7:51 PM on August 5, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mmascolino at 12:09 PM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]