Our family loves adventure! We take off in an RV every chance we get. The great Canadian outdoors is always beckoning, regardless of the time of year. As a family with young kids, we prefer to travel in the shoulder seasons to avoid the inevitable crowds in campgrounds and at attractions during July and August. Some of our best memories are from RV trips in April/May or in September and October when we can watch the changing landscape unfold before us as one season morphs into another.
Last Spring, we found a super
one-way relocation deal from a Canadian RV rental company to take a vehicle from Toronto to Calgary. When you talk to a Canadian about road-tripping across the Prairies, you’re often met with a “Why? There’s nothing there!” But it was another thing to tick off our bucket list so off we went in early May, kids in tow, and found some of the most amazing people, places and experiences to date on our travels.
The Canadian Prairies start where Manitoba begins. Getting there is an adventure in itself. It’s an amazing 2000km road trip, for much of the journey hugging the shores of two of the Great Lakes, glistening in the sunshine through the early thaw of a very mild winter past.
Manitoba: view of Hudson Bay from Churchill (left) and colors of an Indian Summer (right).
Moving westwards, the Great Lakes gave way to plains, lowlands and grassy fields in a province of more than 110,000 lakes. Here the spring brings variable weather - ideal for my fishing mad husband as it’s the best time to find and catch trophy size walleye, particularly in Manitoba.
It’s not my own idea of fun but the kids got some enjoyment out of the experience – as long as the fish were biting.
Catch of the day!
Not long after crossing into the flat prairie expanse of Saskatchewan we were greeted by Mama moose with her new calf, frolicking in a small lake by the side of the road. We’d seen other wildlife on our trip but this was an amazing sight. With miles of highway stretching far to the horizon and not a bend in sight, auto pilot would have been much more appropriate than cruise control, but I guess we have a few years yet before we rent an RV that will drive itself.
Saskatchewan: Mama moose with her calfs; canola fields.
As we reached the Alberta border we began to see signs of more mountainous terrain to the south and west of us. Calgary was but a few hours away as the roads became more twisting with a few ‘hills’ here and there. The mild winter had left few signs of snow on the ground and green grass in the fields created a colourful contrast against an almost cloudless blue sky. Finally we reached the outskirts of Calgary, the billboard on the side of the road inviting us to “Be Part of the Energy”. The early settlers to this area would have difficulty recognizing this city which, in just over 100 years, has transformed itself from being a farming town at the Heart of the New West to a vibrant city focused around the energy sector. The Rockies formed a spectacular backdrop against a city skyline dotted with tall glass buildings nestled in a compact downtown core.
The majestic Rocky Mountains in Calgary's backrgound. The mountains are only 1 hour away.
Our cross-prairies journey was amazing. Traveling in an RV allowed us the freedom to plan our own route, eat where and when we wanted to, spend evenings around a blazing campfire and never have to worry about finding a place to sleep. Most Canadian RV rental companies offer relocation deals on an RV, motorhome or trailer rental before the start of each summer season, so there’s some choice out there. Search for
RV relocations Canada to find the best deals. If you’re looking for an inexpensive RV vacation in Canada in the springtime, a one-way RV relocation is definitely worth considering!
#motorhome, #trailer, #rv, #Canadian scenery, #avoid the crowds, #Canadian Prairies, #Fishing, #family time