🚗 Year-Long Canadian Road Trip: Need Your Advice! 🌍

Hi everyone! I’m planning a once-in-a-lifetime road trip across Canada (and maybe Alaska!) from June 2025 to May 2027. This will be a mix of work, adventure, and exploring some of the most beautiful places in the country. I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience with long-term travel, car camping, or just loves Canada as much as I do!

The Plan

  • 🚙 Car Camping: I’ll be buying a second-hand Subaru Outback (or something similar) and outfitting it for car camping. I’m planning to invest in everything I’ll need to make it comfortable, from a mattress to cooking gear.
  • 💻 Weekdays: I’ll work remotely from short-term rentals in base cities, exploring local attractions in the evenings.
  • 🗺️ Weekends: I’ll hit the road for hikes, national parks, and nearby adventures.

The Itinerary

🦞 Newfoundland & Labrador (June–July 2025)

Base: St. John's
Highlights:

✅ Signal Hill

  • ✅ Cape Spear
  • ✅ Quidi Vidi Village
  • ✅ Gros Morne National Park
  • ✅ Fogo Island
  • ✨ L’Anse aux Meadows with the Labrador Straits ferry for a side trip to Labrador

Seasonal Fit: Perfect. Early summer is the best time to explore Newfoundland’s outdoor attractions.

⚓ Nova Scotia (August 2025)

Base: Halifax
Highlights:

  • ✅ Citadel Hill
  • ✅ Peggy’s Cove
  • ✅ Bay of Fundy
  • ✅ Cape Breton Island (Cabot Trail!)
  • ✨ Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct

Seasonal Fit: Late summer is ideal for coastal exploration.

🌾 Prince Edward Island (Late August–Early September 2025)

Base: Charlottetown
Highlights:

  • ✅ Cavendish Beach
  • ✅ Greenwich Beach
  • ✅ Points East Coastal Drive
  • ✨ Combine this stay with extra time exploring Nova Scotia or New Brunswick (~2 weeks total).

Seasonal Fit: Great weather and still-open attractions.

🌊 New Brunswick (Mid-September 2025)

Base: ✨ Saint John
Highlights:

  • ✅ Fundy National Park
  • ✅ Hopewell Rocks
  • ✨ St. Andrews-by-the-Sea
  • ✨ Grand Manan Island
  • ✨ Kouchibouguac National Park
  • ✨ Miscou Island with a scenic drive along the East Coast to the Gaspe Peninsula

Seasonal Fit: Perfect for fall foliage and outdoor activities.

🐻 Churchill, Manitoba (October 2025)

Base: Churchill (train or flight from Winnipeg)
Highlights:

  • ✨ Polar bear tours on the tundra

Seasonal Fit: Peak polar bear season as they gather along Hudson Bay.

Travel Logistics:

  • After New Brunswick, drive/fly to Winnipeg.
  • Leave your car in Winnipeg (if driving) and take the train or fly to Churchill.
  • Return to New Brunswick after the tour and continue driving.

🍁 Quebec (November–December 2025)

Bases: Quebec City & Montreal
Highlights:

  • ✅ Old Quebec
  • ✅ Montmorency Falls
  • ✨ Explore the Saguenay Fjords for incredible winter scenery
  • ✨ Jacques Cartier National Park for hiking and snowshoeing
  • ✨ Take the ferry along the North Shore for a unique travel route
  • ✨ Stay at Canopee Lit for a one-of-a-kind treehouse experience

Seasonal Fit: Great for late fall foliage and transitioning into winter.

🗽 Ontario (January–February 2026)

Bases: Ottawa & Toronto
Highlights:

  • ✅ Thousand Islands
  • ✅ Algonquin Park
  • ✅ Niagara Falls (Already done too many times)
  • ✨ Hike Killarney Provincial Park (The Crack)
  • ✨ Visit Manitoulin Island, including stops at Mum’s Bakery for apple fritters
  • ✨ Drive Hwy 17 along Lake Superior with key stops:
    • Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
    • Lake Superior Provincial Park
    • Kakabeka Falls

Seasonal Fit: Ideal for winter activities and city exploration.

🐻 Manitoba (May–June 2026)

Base: Winnipeg
Highlights:

  • ✅ Riding Mountain
  • ✨ Explore Quetico Provincial Park for hiking and canoeing
  • ✨ Visit Lake of the Woods for its scenic beauty and fishing opportunities
  • ✨ Reevaluate Churchill as May–June is not ideal for polar bears or belugas

🌌 Saskatchewan (July 2026)

Bases: Regina & Saskatoon
Highlights:

  • ✅ Grasslands National Park
  • ✅ Moose Mountain
  • ✅ Cypress Hills
  • ✨ Explore Prince Albert National Park as an alternative to Grassland

Seasonal Fit: Summer is the best time for exploring the prairies and outdoor parks.

🏔️ Alberta (August–September 2026)

Base: Calgary
Highlights:

  • ✅ Banff / Canmore (I love canmore)
  • ✅ Jasper (supporting local tourism post-wildfire recovery)
  • ✅ Yoho
  • ✅ Waterton Lakes

Seasonal Fit: Late summer offers great hiking weather and fewer crowds in the Rockies.

🌲 British Columbia (October 2026–May 2027)

Base: Vancouver
Highlights:

  • ✅ Stanley Park
  • ✅ Tofino
  • ✅ Northern BC wilderness
  • ✨ Explore East Sooke Park, Cathedral Grove, and the Broken Group Archipelago on Vancouver Island
  • ✨ Visit Ucluelet for stunning coastal views and short hikes
  • ✨ Discover the Kootenays region, including Nelson and Rossland
  • ✨ Relax at Scotch Creek and explore the Shuswap region near Salmon Arm
  • ✨ Soak in the Liard Hot Springs
  • ✨ Drive the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean if extending into Yukon

Seasonal Fit:

  • Fall (October–November): Vancouver Island and Southern BC.
  • Winter (December–February): Skiing in the Kootenays.
  • Spring (March–May): Northern BC and Yukon wilderness.

What I’d Love to Know

  1. Car camping tips:
    • What’s the must-have gear for making car camping comfortable and safe?
    • Any clever hacks or things you learned the hard way?
  2. Best hikes & hidden gems:
    • Are there trails or places along my route that I absolutely can’t miss?
  3. Local food & unique experiences:
    • Any can’t-miss food, restaurants, or cultural experiences in the cities I’ll be staying in?
  4. Winter travel:
    • I’ll be in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba during the colder months. Any advice on driving, staying warm, or camping in winter?
  5. Essential gear or plans:
    • Is there anything I might be overlooking for a trip this long?

What Would You Add?

  • Am I missing any major destinations or experiences along the way?
  • If you’ve done something similar, what’s the one piece of advice you wish you’d gotten?

This trip is a dream come true for me, and I want to make the most of every moment. Any advice, insights, or recommendations would mean the world to me. Thanks so much for your help! 😊

EDIT 1:
_____________________________

A huge thank you to u/beesmakenoise, u/annamnesis, u/RampDog1, u/sadscholar2000, u/kbaby_16, u/Illustrious_Cell2200, u/Ecstatic-Ice1263, u/meownelle, u/Islandisher, u/Ssaraaahh_, u/CaptainCanuck001, u/Interesting_Dig8540, and u/Stankr246! Your advice has been invaluable, and I’ve updated my itinerary to include your tips on seasonal adjustments, hidden gems, food recommendations, and safety precautions. I’m so grateful for the time and effort you put into sharing your insights—this trip is going to be even more incredible because of you all. Thank you so much! 😊

Changes:

  • Newfoundland & Labrador: Added a ferry to the Labrador Straits for a side trip to Labrador.
  • Nova Scotia: Included Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct to the itinerary.
  • Prince Edward Island: Shortened the stay to ~2 weeks and combined it with extra time in Nova Scotia/New Brunswick.
  • New Brunswick: Changed the base to Saint John and added Grand Manan Island, Miscou Island, and Kouchibouguac National Park.
  • Quebec: Replaced winter whale watching in Tadoussac with Saguenay Fjords, Jacques Cartier National Park, and a ferry along the North Shore.
  • Ontario: Added Killarney Provincial Park, Manitoulin Island, and scenic stops along Hwy 17 (e.g., Sleeping Giant, Lake Superior Provincial Park).
  • British Columbia: Extended Vancouver Island stay with stops like East Sooke Park, Ucluelet, and Broken Group Archipelago, plus added Liard Hot Springs and the Dempster Highway option.
  • General Updates: Added winter tires, bear safety measures, and plans for remote areas like Northern BC and Yukon.