Advice about travelling in Canada wanted.

[MiSJAH]

Hi All,

I'm looking at spending a couple of weeks travelling around the Rockies in June 2018.

I would like to rent a motorhome or RV and travel around or rent a car and motel it.

Anyone with experience of either let me know how you arranged it and approx costings?

If anyone feels they have anything at all to contribute, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers.

 

[Bear]

Hi All,

I'm looking at spending a couple of weeks travelling around the Rockies in June 2018.

I would like to rent a motorhome or RV and travel around or rent a car and motel it.

Anyone with experience of either let me know how you arranged it and approx costings?

If anyone feels they have anything at all to contribute, I'd appreciate it.

Cheers.

We are looking to do roughly the same next summer. Flying to Calgary and driving to Vancouver stopping at places like Jasper, Banff Lake Louise etc. I looked at Rvs but wanted a pretty large one for the two of us for comfort but looking at prices it wouldn't be far off from renting a car and staying at hotels.

The bonus with going with a car and staying in hotels is that you can drive into town to eat at restaurants without worrying about being able to park a big Rv. The bonus of an Rv is you can stay right in the heart of the stunning scenery, wake up, open your door and see it all in front of you.

Trailfinders do both types so you can get an idea of prices even if you don't want to go with them.

 

[Kutter]

Hire a car and Buy a big tent and camping gear while your here. Most state park camping places have vault toilets etc. That way you can stay in hotels and visit the more remote places.

 

[MiSJAH]

We are looking to do roughly the same next summer. Flying to Calgary and driving to Vancouver stopping at places like Jasper, Banff Lake Louise etc. I looked at Rvs but wanted a pretty large one for the two of us for comfort but looking at prices it wouldn't be far off from renting a car and staying at hotels.

Yeah that's my issue.

I've found a fly drive for ~£900pp inc flights and hotels for 11 days.
and RV for around the same.

The idea was only happened upon yesterday afternoon.

Still open to further ideas and sugestions.

Hire a car and Buy a big tent and camping gear while your here. Most state park camping places have vault toilets etc. That way you can stay in hotels and visit the more remote places.

You ain't met my Mrs. Tent is not happening.

 

[Participant]

The bonus with going with a car and staying in hotels is that you can drive into town to eat at restaurants without worrying about being able to park a big Rv. The bonus of an Rv is you can stay right in the heart of the stunning scenery, wake up, open your door and see it all in front of you.

Hire a more modest RV and drag a little car around for zipping into towns.

 

[Amp34]

It’s unlikely you won’t be able to find parking spaces for a big RV in the Rockies. Most towns have specific parking spaces for them as they’re very common. The biggest issue you’ll have is just finding a parking spot in the first place in summer. Places like Banff and Lake Louise are rammed July and August.

Presumably you’re not interested in a truck camper? They’ll be easy to park as they’re no bigger than half the other vehicles on the road.

That said campsites are relatively expensive (around $40-60 a night) and you can’t just park and sleep in car parks (excluding Walmart - free overnight, but only in big towns/cities) so if you can get good prices on accommodation it may just be worth getting a normal car and staying in hotels/motels). Most of the RV campsites aren’t exactly wilderness sites anyway - at least ones you’ll want to think about taking a non Truck based one into anyway.

(From a southern Alberta perspective, may be different in Northern Alberta and parts of BC. The latter I believe does have free camping in some places.)

Oh, and if you’re planning on booking flights separately BA have a sale on at the moment with some very cheap flights. £500 return (usually around £650-700).

 

[Kutter]

have a look on freecampsites.net as well.