The family is going on a two-week road trip to Georgian Bay, but they've only planned the first and last five days of the trip. "I always loved Canada, but I never had a deep appreciation for the beauty of this country until I drove across it," Zarrabi said. Toronto couple Siya Zarrabi and Kristen Sarah travel the world and share their experiences on YouTube and Instagram, as But this year, they're exploring Canada in their 1976 Sovereign Airstream, "Luna", and are bringing along recent additions to the family - two-year-old Kai and dog Atlas. Alternatively, you could rent someone else's RV with an Airbnb-type business like Ottawa-based RVezy. A classic option is to rent a rig from CanaDream, which has all types of vehicles. If you're just trying out this lifestyle or going on a one-time trip, you might want to rent. Aside from going to dealers, you can find used vehicles via online classified ad sites like Kijiji, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. "Really vet them for quality, service and just gut feel," he said. If you're looking to buy, Wald recommends shopping around to find a reputable dealer. The final class of motorhomes is Class A, bus-like RVs with luxurious amenities like bathrooms and kitchens that can cost up to a million dollars. Some of these are vintage Volkswagen buses that show their age, while other campervans have been retrofitted for road trips. Class B RVs are the adventure vehicles you often see on Instagram with the hashtag #vanlife. They offer more space for larger groups or families, usually fit in a regular car spot and often have a bathroom and kitchenette on board. Best times of my life!"Īnother popular option is a Class C motorhome with its distinctive cab-over bunk - it's what my partner has and we love it. "I personally grew up in an old rickety pop-up tent trailer. They can easily be detached at your campsite if you want to drive off and do some exploring.
He says that trailers - whether pop-up, fifth-wheel or similar - are the cheapest and most popular type of RV and are great for families.
Wald is the managing partner of Karma Campervans, a Calgary and Vancouver-based travel outfit that rents out renovated campers. "The cool thing about that was we didn't have to quarantine when we came back," Wald said. They ventured to Waterton National Park, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (a World Heritage Site), and Police Outpost Provincial Park with its epic views of the Rocky Mountains and trails that dip past the United States border. When COVID-19 restrictions began to relax in Calgary, David Wald, his wife Meagan Shultz, and their two kids, aged nine and six, hopped in their SUV with their 1976 Aristocrat travel trailer in tow and explored Alberta. Whether you're renting or buying an RV, here's everything I wish someone told me before heading out. "RVing is particularly appealing right now because all units are self-contained, allowing people to adhere to social distancing guidelines, which will likely stay in place for the foreseeable future," Mahony added. "Interest in RV travel has significantly grown over the past couple of months," said Chris Mahony, President of Go RVing Canada, an industry association that promotes the recreational vehicle lifestyle. With the government advising against non-essential travel abroad due to the pandemic, many Canadians are thinking about embarking on RV adventures of their own. Yet I ended up joining her again just a few weeks later for a loop around Newfoundland, and then going on a whirlwind four-month adventure from Toronto to San Diego through the Deep South. I was used to travelling abroad, but not finding a new place to park every night or pumping out sewage. When my partner invited me on a road trip in her 1987 Chevy RV from Quebec City through Gaspésie in 2017, I had no idea what to expect.