RVING: YOU SET THE LIFESTYLE IN AN RV
For many people, the freedom of the open road is an irresistible draw. In 2017, to celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial, Parks Canada is offering free day admission to its 200-plus national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas across the country. So, this is the year to try out the RV lifestyle—get out and explore this vast nation, from coast-to-coast-to-coast (www.parkscanada.gc.ca).
RV enthusiasts say they love the flexibility and freedom that’s unlike any other holiday experience. Rather than a trip that focuses on the destination, RVING puts the journey at the heart of the vacation, creating memories from start to finish. Downturns in the weather or a sudden change in travel plans won’t derail valuable getaway time. For families, a dry place to wait out a storm can be an on-the-road lifesaver. For seniors, it can be a simple matter of safety and comfort.
Canada is known for its wilderness; a country rich in unspoiled destinations that are often made easily accessible when travelling by RV. The driving routes in the Yukon are tailor-made for travellers interested in Gold Rush history, First Nations culture and quirky small towns like Carcross and Dawson City. In the compact Maritime region, RVERS can easily skip from watching New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy tides, to indulging in a lobster dinner on Prince Edward Island and then moving southwest to explore the music-happening city of Halifax and the artisan-rich small towns like Chester and Lunenburg along the south shore of Nova Scotia. Québec’s Gaspé region was recognized by National Geographic Traveler as one of “Canada’s 50 Places of a Lifetime.” The forests, lakes and rivers of Ontario and Québec call out to anglers, hikers and those who love a good dose of wilderness. In the west, the Rocky Mountain parks are popular destinations for travellers looking for dramatic scenery, wildlife and starsplashed skies. Across the country, travelling by RV can also be a way to explore festivals and special events in large cities by staying in nearby campgrounds.
There’s an RV for every budget and every lifestyle. The most popular RV entry point is with a small tent trailer or camper, something easy to manoeuvre and tow behind an SUV or minivan. Once bitten by the lifestyle, RVERS often “move up” to larger fifth-wheel units or motorhomes, often taking along the comforts of home. With extra space at the push of a button, RVs contain queen and king-sized beds, leather sofas, gourmet kitchens and even fireplaces.
An RV vacation—staying at campsites and cooking meals rather than eating out— can be very budget-friendly. Cooking s’mores and singing songs around a campfire, grilling dinner lakeside or playing board games while staying dry on a rainy day, all create precious family memories.
The Go RVING Canada website is a one-stop resource about RVING, with information on buying and renting RVs, listings of RV dealers and RV parks and campgrounds across Canada, and about the RV lifestyle. Consumer tools include how-to videos, a trip-planning guide, the RV affordability guide and RV camping themed newsletter, along with a chooseyour- RV feature helping users decide what sort of RV and type of trip best fits their travel style (www.gorving.ca).
Kids want to stare at the stars past their bedtime, to play not have playdates,
to wander and roam free.
BRING BACK WILDHOOD