The major route across Canada, the Trans-Canada Highway, is nearly 5,000 miles long. It provides access to all of Canada’s big cities except Toronto, as well as innumerable small towns and rural areas. Unless you have months to spend on the road, it is unrealistic to expect to drive the entire highway. Instead, focus on a few spots that you want to see. Plan to spend at least three days in each location, and expect RV travel between areas to take 50 percent longer than driving a car. Use the interactive Trans-Canada Highway route-planning website to fine-tune your itinerary.
Packing an RV is an exercise in weights, measures and balance. Each RV sold in the United States carries a Cargo Carrying Capacity sticker. On newer RVs, this sticker is on the main entry door, while on older RVs, it might be inside a cabinet. The Cargo Carrying Capacity is the total amount of weight the RV can hold. This includes water and other fluids, as well as anything your family brings in. Overloading the RV could lead to frame or tire damage. Pack the RV for your trip and then take it to a nearby truck scale. Obtain the Total Weight and the Axle Weight for each axle. In addition, you must balance the RV’s load from side to side. Pack heavier items opposite heavy built-in items, such as the refrigerator or couch. If the RV is a towable, check with your tow vehicle’s manufacturer for information on safe towing limits.
Canada’s camping season is officially open from the third Monday in May through the first Monday in September. The weather during these months is generally mild, although the Trans-Canada Highway website points out that the higher elevations in the western and northern regions sometimes see snow even during July and August. If you plan to limit your trip to the southern regions, the milder weather allows for an extended camping season.
U.S. citizens do not need a passport or visa to enter Canada by land. If you are traveling with children and both parents are not present, bring a consent letter from the absent parent or parents. The letter must provide the absent parents’ names, addresses and telephone numbers. You must declare all goods, including the contents of your RV, at the border. If you, like many RV owners, travel with firearms, self-defense spray, knives or other potential weapons, download the Canada Border Agency’s publication, “Importing a Firearm or Weapon Into Canada,” well in advance of your trip. Also take a look at the Trans-Canada Highway website’s Rules for RVs, which delineates the legal restrictions on RVs in Canada.
