With non-essential travel outside Canada officially frowned upon, the opportunity is again ripe for exploring Canada. Vaccinations may be underway, however social distancing and masking will still be encouraged until at least the Fall.

Fortunately, there are many options for a socially distanced vacation within Canada this summer. Should you rent a cottage or Air BNB? Should you take an RV vacation? Let's take a look at each option to help you decide what’s right for you.

Cottage/Air BNB rentals come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in both urban and rural locations. Cottage rentals are ‘stay put’ vacations. You can usually travel to the cottage in your own car – saving transport costs and avoiding contact with others. Once there, you can have as much or as little contact with others as you choose.

The main advantage a cottage rental has over a hotel or RV vacation is space. If your family likes to have room to spread out on holiday, a whole house gives you that luxury. Everyone can have their own room, and a full-size kitchen enables you to prepare great meals. There’s no need to ration water for showers and no need to empty waste tanks, as you would need to do in an RV. Cottages are often located in scenic locations so you may enjoy great views, but the view won’t change on a daily basis. Opportunities to explore are confined to a limited area around you. However, if your vacation style is laid back and relaxed and you prefer to holiday in one spot, the cottage option is worth exploring.

Like cottage rentals, RV rentals come in many sizes, ranging from 20-40 feet, and include all the amenities of a cottage rental, albeit in a more compact space. When you rent an RV, you control your surroundings. Your destination can change on a daily basis or you can choose to stay put in one place. Your morning view one day might be a beautiful lake and the next day snowcapped mountains.

RVs also tick all the boxes for a safe and physically distanced vacation. Your motorhome is your bubble and the degree to which you venture outside it is completely up to you.

When you rent an RV, you have the ability to be completely spontaneous with your holiday destination – to travel to places where traditional accommodation doesn’t exist. Family bonding through shared experience is more likely within the confined space of an RV than it is with a cottage vacation. RV travel speaks to the adventurer in you, to that thirst for a variety of experiences on a vacation. Your choice of campsites can range from luxury to rustic, private to provincial/national park or just finding an out-of-the-way place to call home for a day or two. If you have an adventurous spirit and enjoy moving around when you travel, an RV vacation might be the answer.

Regardless of which type of holiday you prefer, there are many companies to book with online. Cottage rental sites can provide you with Canada-wide options while RV rental companies are found in most major Canadian cities. So, what type of traveller are you? Once you have the answer to that question, you’ll know whether a cottage rental or an RV vacation is right for you.