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Canadian RVing for newbies

barbhertz
Explorer
Explorer
We are relative newbies and want to take a trip in eastern Canada from Sault Ste.Marie area east across the top of Lakes Huron and Ontario, up the St Lawrence Seaway, across to New Brunswick and the Bay of Fundy to see the tides. We would like to make it to PEI, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton before heading south through New England.

As newbies we have a few general questions about RVing thru Canada:
1. Are there a lot of low clearance bridges like in the eastern US to worry about? We are tall at 13'5.5".
2. Are the roads generally good?
3. We don't know how to boondock yet, so we need 50 amp and full hookups. Is that difficult to find?
4. Is there anything about the above general route that would be a problem?
5. In the French speaking part of Canada can you get around OK not knowing any French?

Campground and sight-seeing recommendations also welcome!

Thanks!
18 REPLIES 18

barbhertz
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks so much everyone for all the great information! We have learned a lot from all of you.

Little_Kopit
Explorer
Explorer
Maine, Campobello Island via Lubec International Bridge

NB
Via ferry Grand Manan Island
Tidal Bore - NB and NS
Fundy national park
St. John's City Market

NS
think it is Five Islands cg.
Interesting Museum in Yarmouth
Citadel in Halifax - very good on NS and CA history
Historic Properties in Halifax
Farmer's Daughter, Whycocomagh, NS google this rather different type of store and history + cg nearby I really like
****Fortress Louisbourg, Cape Breton. reconstructed, staff in period clothes. google for more.
Meat Cove, northern Cape Breton.
IMHO Cabot trail is nice scenery, but I liked it so little I only went once

PEI Take Ferry to and Bridge from. Pay once on leaving
Charletown, for history
Charletown Farmer's Market go with empty fridge and empty tummy, crafts also
Orwell Corner Historic village and neighbor
Sir Andrew MacPhail Homestead

& if you can find 2 weeks Newfoundland
Gros Morne National Park, both north and south of Bonne Bay
L'Anse aux Meadows historic village. World Historic Site and neighboring tourist construction of more Viking related at Ingstead
St. Mary's Bird Sanctuary walk included, but very unusual
St. John's is quite historic

:C
& I, I took the road less travelled by.

My Photo Album, featuring Labrador 2006

barbhertz
Explorer
Explorer
This is all great information. Thanks so much everyone.

Someone asked in one of the replies and I neglected to answer about what our sightseeing interests are.

We love the out of doors and nature scenery (take a lot of photos). Not too much hiking (health issues) but we have taken up kayaking. We mostly have done smooth lakes and rivers.

We also like history and museums, tours, etc. Not much into big cities but will drive in for something worthwhile.

We also like golf if there's any good courses to recommend.

And we love to eat out!

Any suggestions on sightseeing spots and nice campgrounds would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

Little_Kopit
Explorer
Explorer
Re. diesel fuel.

Hey, what in the world do you think fuels most transport trucks??????

Diesel is easy to find on and near the highways, natch!

Where you would have problems would be in cities, just because of many streets.

Fuel prices are regulated in Atlantic Canada.

:C
& I, I took the road less travelled by.

My Photo Album, featuring Labrador 2006

Z-Peller
Explorer
Explorer
Try to include the Gaspe' Penninsula in your itinerary if you can. It is beautiful and much to see. I found that travelling in Quebec is all about attitude. Being a Western Canadian and never knowing a word of French all my life I always beefed about my tax dollars paying for road signs I couldn't even read in my own country, and swore I would never visit Quebec. Well, in 2008 I travelled across the country by RV to Newfoundland and in my older age softened my stance on Quebec. We spent about 2 weeks travelling Gateneau, Montreal, Quebec City, Gaspe' Penninsula and are so glad we did. I actually ended up embarrased that I didn't know any French. First thing I would do upon speaking to someone was put my hand on my heart and say "I am sorry, but I don't know how to speak any French".....wow, we were treated so good by everyone we dealt with. Even got invited to family beach bonfires on Baptiste' Day on the Gaspe'...(one jerk parking lot attendant in QC, but she would have been a jerk anywhere)
Anyway, the French Canadians are great people, and I humbly admit that I learned it was me that had the problem with attitude.
Bill..
2017 Bigfoot 10.4 camper...2016 GMC 3500 4x4 Xcab Duramax Dually...

barbhertz
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks so much for all the great information! This is a good forum. We will be making decisions soon and this will all help very much!

Our fridge is a 2-way, 110 and Propane.

A couple of other questions I thought of:

- Is diesel fuel easy to find?
- If RV repairs are needed, are there a lot of repair places around?

Also, any nice campground recommendations along this route would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

SideHillSoup
Explorer
Explorer
Good catch on the metrics issue.
My Cuz was up from Oregon a while ago and we were out looking at his new truck. I noticed he had a piece of masking tape on the dash with the metric equivalent of the height of his 5th Wheel. He said he didnt want to screw up spending down the Hwy and co e to an overpass that was in Metric, so he wrote it down and stuck it to the dash in front of him.
He also has printed a cheat sheet ( metric conversion) that showed how many feet in a meter, liter to gals etc...
Back to the 50 amp service that you say your rig has:
Is your fridge:
A two way fridge, 110 and Propane
A three way , 110, Propane , and 12 volt
A one way, 110
2018 Northern Lite 8-11 EX Dry Bath
2017 Sierra SLE, 3500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Trans
Torklift Super Hitch 20K, 48" Super Truss, front and rear frame mounted tie downs
Fast Gun Long Range SS Turnbuckles, Fast Gun locks

D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Explorer
Everything everyone has said(I haven't looked at the link for clearances)so far. Canada is much like the US, almost every person up there is great to talk to and ask for help. We found that when we ask about their Country and specifically about their area, they will answer and then ask about the US and our area of CA. So here is some of what we learned,

1. We entered from North Dakota and pretty much followed where you want to go. The only what I felt was a very low clearance tunnel wasn't. You might find it too low but we were 11'6" and it was fine. The local was just a block or two from the COSTCO store in Quebec City heading out of town was a tunnel and lots of scars on the arch and keystone. A very nice man I'm sure, came running from his little kiosk yelling at me in French and waving his arms to get going that it would be fine. He was right and that night I read up on and wrote down feet to meter conversions. My helper note on the dash was
2. Our trip was mostly in Canada from our crossing to the Maritime's and then down to Maine. I thought that the roads back in 2011 were fantastic. That is until we got to Quebec. It is enought to say we could carry on a conversation again when we rolled in to NB.

3. Boon docking is pretending your tent camping with a mattress and inside camp stove etc. The big difference is watching your Battery SOC(state of charge) and your tank levels. It's kind of nice when you are sitting in the middle of nowhere and you can see the milky way and even som things like N42 which is a Nebula in Orion. But if the shower pan suddenly fill with soapy water after you drain the kitchen sink, you will never again pass up a dump station if you have been out for a couple of days. As for electrical, I don't have 50 amp never have looked for it but judicious use of 30 amp will get you through almost everything.

4. The big problem will be in going home. I found crossing the bridge from Novas Scotia to Maine to be as distressing as leaving a week at a campground where everything was as close to perfect as you want it. Another thing I found was that we didn't spend enough time stopping at the side of the road to take pictures. Another thing was we did it off season and there weren't as many Canadians camping as there would have been and so our campfire conversations with locals was limited.

5. YES! While all signs are supposed to be in English and French, it is not true. They just aren't. Also and it is their way, on the West Coast(BC) it is English-French in Quebec it is French-English and not always easy to read at 90KPH. We found that most folks who speak french everyday, will help you with learning key phrases like please and thank you, where is the toilet or is there a toilet. Then they might even as you to translate and explain American English to them. The french speaking are just like us and really like us, so ask real questions about them and their fantastic country and they will reciprocate.

Now to places you mentioned, Bay of Fundy, a few kliks East of there we found a beautiful two story home that had been abandoned and to a very small degree vandalized. There was no paint left some of the glass was broken and the yard was choked with vegetation. There were sheer curtains blowing in a breeze and billowing out through the broken windows. It was beautiful and on a moon lit night it would have been spooky. We used one of my photos for Halloween cards this year. Removed the power lines accented the shadows and we had a photo for our card and have gotten a lot of where did you get the photos. Another in NS, leaving that area the next day heading for Maine, you climb up onto a lovely plateau covered with arctic tundra and ringed by a piney forest. It was Mid-October then and the trees were decked out in their brightest colors and the tundra looked like some vandals had taken buckets of paint and thrown it on the plants. There was red, and blue and green and yellow and even purple and orange splotches all over the ground covering tundra. If you like to remember trips you take, enhance your journals with pictures you take and post cards you buy. My final and one of my favorite spots is Peggy's Cove NS. I won't even try to say what is the most interesting part there. It is just a place you will remember forever.

I have gone on far too long and only covered the last two or threes days of several weeks up in the North, it is best I think to go without having seen it or heard all about it. The things you will see are amazing. Just keep the windscreen clean and the camera ready with fresh batteries.
"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to go". R. L. Stevenson

David Bishop
2002 Winnebago Adventurer 32V
2009 GMC Canyon
Roadmaster 5000
BrakeBuddy Classic II

Fred_n_Jo
Explorer
Explorer
As someone has already said, know your height in meters. On our first trip into CA several years ago we turned a corner and there about a half block ahead of us was a RR overpass and the sign said 4 Meters. A quick scramble of brain cells told me that since we were less than 13 feet we were ok.

In Quebec all road signs are in French which isn't hard to follow normally but on our last trip in Sept. of this year driving through Montreal our route was totally closed for major reconstruction. Fortunately the French word for detour is spelled d e t o u r.
2017 Host Rainier Truck Camper
2015 F450 Lariat 6.7L PSD CC 4x4

our places camped Map

our rig ready to roll

Veebyes
Explorer II
Explorer II
Never had an issue with low bridges wherever I wanted to take the trailer anywhere in Canada.

Generally I have found the roads to be better in Canada than the US, especially eastern US.

Carry adaptors to step your 50amp right down to 20amp (the genny adaptor). If on 20amp service be sure to put water heater on propane, turn the fridge AC circuit breaker off, turn the microwave breaker off & turn the air conditioning breaker off. This way those who don't understand power cannot turn something on that will trip the shoreside breaker.

Wish you luck when dealing with the French. They seem to have forgotten that the British won the war 200 years ago. The attitude of just one CG operator has kept us from returning to Quebec.

For a really great experience go to Newfoundland. It is like a whole different country. Wonderful people there, even if they are a bit difficult to understand sometimes.
Boat: 32' 1996 Albin 32+2, single Cummins 315hp
40+ night per year overnighter

2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
2006 Chevy 3500 LT, CC,LB 6.6L Diesel

Ham Radio: VP9KL, IRLP node 7995

Little_Kopit
Explorer
Explorer
Acheter un dictionnaire francais.

Pocket sized. The more you show interest, the more help you will receive.

When I drove across Labrador and down a dirt road to Baie Comeau and searched for a hose to wash the mud off and was taking weekly French classes, I spoke what I knew. I got sent for a place that does special washes. The gal who did my truck camper was extremely thorough. It became very clear to me that I was doing very well for myself, that I was being thanked for the effort.

So, when a Francophone area be sure to ask questions in almost every place. That's showing an interest. Of course, you start at the visitor's center, in the grocery store, interest could be as simple as saying: "It's really beautiful here, we've been to........ What are your favourite places?"

Now, take the ferry to PEI and Confederation Bridge from. You pay when you leave. The Bridge costs less. It's also a spot to tour.

Make sure you google "name of province tourism" for every province you are going to. & ask for a provincial map. Provincial maps have reference to things people who live there know.

Some of the most interesting roads are the old ones, ones with twists and turns. Yes, there are buildings around from the 17th and 18th centuries. The less of an overhang to any edge of a roof, the older the building.

Yes, I and anyone who has lived in these parts can make suggestions of places to see. So, ask if you want that.

:B
& I, I took the road less travelled by.

My Photo Album, featuring Labrador 2006

Crowe
Explorer
Explorer
before heading south through New England.

We speak Yankee here but if you ask we'll speak normal. :B

Seriously the only place I've had an issue in Canada with the locals speaking French and not English was Quebec, but that was many moons ago. In the Maritimes English is not a problem at all. Twin Shores campground on PEI has 50 amp-we stayed there a number of years ago and really enjoyed it. While you are on PEI go to the College of Piping and Music in Summerside and enjoy a celidgh if they are having one.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be

Douglas Adams

[purple]RV-less for now but our spirits are still on the open road. [/purple]

camp-n-family
Explorer
Explorer
Clearances shouldn't be a problem on main routes. All bridges are marked. Some highways with older arch type bridges may have signage that says trucks must use left lane.

Electrical will depend on what type of parks you stay in. Most provincial parks don't have 50amp service and many won't have full hookups. Electrical only with water fill and dump stations are more common. Private parks and some conservation areas will have more services. Depending on time of year you will need to reserve sites in advance. In Ontario the provincial park bookings open 5 months in advance (at 7am) and book up quick.

Many people in Quebec speak English so you shouldn't have any problems. You'll find a lot of places to be bilingual. It's only when you get further north and into small towns where people are more French.
'17 Ram 2500 Crewcab Laramie CTD
'13 Keystone Bullet Premier 310BHPR
Hitched by Hensley

mudrat
Explorer
Explorer
FYI,

http://lowclearances.com/