This 3 month road trip in Canada is the road trip of a lifetime! When we created our cross Canada road trip itinerary we wanted to see everything, from wild bears to the Canadian Rockies. On our Canadian road trip, we spent 3 months living in a van and saw so many hidden gems. Vanlife in Canada is an experience we’ll never forget after travelling from eastern Canada to western Canada in the summertime. Let’s find out how to plan a road trip in Canada!
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Planning a 3 month Road Trip in Canada
Canada is a dream for road trips. It has beautiful long roads, campsites in forests and hikes of a lifetime. If you love adventure, this is the country for you! From the Atlantic to the Pacific, Canada has ten provinces and three territories and only borders the United States (with a little bit of Greenland at the top).
Ultimately the best way to road trip across Canada is by using your own vehicle. This will truly give you the ultimate freedom to see places only accessible by vehicle and be completely on your own schedule.
However, even though we recommend travelling by car or van in Canada, there are also other ways of having the best travel experience in Canada, find out more at the end of this post!
Vanlife in Canada
This guide will be based around living in a van in Canada and we’ve included all the places to stay during your cross Canada road trip. We used iOverlander to find our free camping spots whilst living in the van. For a 3 month road trip in Canada, we only paid for 4 nights in campsites! Let us know if you’d like to know more about Vanlife in Canada, you can comment below or find us on Instagram – @thesunrisedreamers
How to plan a 3 month Road Trip in Canada Itinerary?
The best way to plan a cross Canada road trip itinerary is to start adding points of interest to your map! You will start to create your 1, 2 or 3 month Canada itinerary!
Have you always dreamed of seeing Lake Louise in Banff National Park? or have you always wanted to practise your French in Montreal or Quebec City? There is so much going on in Canada. After all, it’s the second-largest country in the world and takes about 60 hours to drive from Halifax to Victoria.
What you need to do:
- Write down all the places you already know you want to visit and mark them on Google Maps
- Read our Canadian road trip itinerary and if you find any more places you want to visit add them to your list too!
- How much time do you have for your road trip? Do you want to travel the east or west of Canada?
- How will you travel? The best way to road trip across Canada is by using your own vehicle.
Once you’ve worked out a few places you’d like to go, you can find your best route or decide if you want to explore the west, central or east side of Canada. If you’re ready to discover some places to visit on your Canadian road trip, carry on reading! We’ll show you our exact itinerary for a 3 month road trip in Canada.
Can I do this Canadian road trip in 1 month or 2 months?
Yes! You will have to change a few things around, but the majority of this itinerary can be done on a 1 month canada road trip or 2 month canada road trip! The only thing you should keep in mind if you’re trip is shorter is that breakdowns do happen if you’re travelling in your own vehicle. If this happens, you’ll just have to make up time and spend shorter days in other places.
You can drive the whole of Canada in less than a week, but if you want to spend time experiencing the country, a minimum of 2-3 weeks is definitely required! This itinerary also works the other way around if you’re starting on the West side of Canada heading east.
Where to start your road trip in Canada?
Depending on what you want to get out of your road trip in Canada, will determine where you start your trip. We started in Montreal as we were living there at the time, after exploring Quebec we headed west aiming for Vancouver Island and our end goal was Vancouver.
If your time is flexible you can head in one direction with a rough plan of places you must see!
Our cross Canada road trip itinerary starts in Quebec and ends in British Columbia. We started in Montreal and ended our road trip in Vancouver where we lived on a working holiday visa.
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3 month Road Trip in Canada Itinerary
We have created this itinerary based on our own experience. Unfortunately, we didn’t visit all the provinces and territories in Canada, although they are definitely worth a visit if you have an extended amount of time.
A brief summary of our cross Canada road trip itinerary: We visited Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba (briefly), Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. We travelled at the end of June – September from Montreal to Vancouver living in our Dodge Ram 2500 Campervan!
2 week Road Trip in Quebec
Montreal – 2-3 days
Our starting point was Montreal as it was our home for a year. Montreal is definitely worth a visit if you’re on the east coast. A few things to do in Montreal: Explore Mont Tremblant, visit the underground mall, shop in mile end, discover downtown and Montreal’s china town. Where to eat in Montreal: Fairmount Bagels, La Banquise, Yuan, and grab yourself a falafel pitta from Yoni’s ($8).
As Montreal was our starting point, we packed up everything from our apartment into our van and hit the road!
Eastern Townships – 1 day
Fo our first day of vanlife in Canada and the beginning of our cross Canada road trip itinerary, we explored part of the Eastern Townships.
We walked a small trail in – Marais de la Rivière aux Cerises and headed into Magog. Things to do in Magog: Plage de Magog, Pointe-Merry Park. 1.5 hours drive from Montreal to Magog.
Where to sleep: Magog Truck Stop (Free wifi and a toilet)
Levis (Outside of Quebec City) – 1 day
In the morning we drove to Sherbrooke and parked up at Parc Jaques-Cartier and had a walk and skate around! It’s possible that you could park here overnight too.
It takes around 2-3 hours to drive from Eastern Townships to Quebec City and we actually chose to visit Quebec City on the way back as we got there pretty late. We visited Montmorency Falls and walked across the bridge before parking in Levis for the night.
Where to sleep: near Parc de l’Anse Tibbits, on the road in our stealthy van (toilets nearby)
Rimouski – 1 day
It rained all day! So this was a good opportunity to drive more into the Gaspesie. It was a 3.5 drive to Site Historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père which is where we also found an awesome place to sleep! The Submarine Quay has beaches, a lighthouse and of course a submarine! There were lots of other campers there so it felt like a free campsite.
Where to stay: Submarine Quay (with lots of campers)
Gaspesie National Park – 1 day
It’s a 2 hour drive to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts before turning off into the Gaspesie National Park. The drive really starts to get beautiful now as you follow the coast and enter the area of the National Park. We chose to hike up to Mont Ernest-Laforce, which was a short trail with a high chance of seeing moose! You can also stop at Saint-Anne Waterfall on the way through the park.
We stayed overnight in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts and spent the evening on the beach, it really made us think ‘how is this Canada?!’
Where to stay: Not a popular car park (not sure if 100% allowed) As it was near to the beach there was a toilet and outdoor cold shower
Forllion National Park – 1 day
It’s a 2.5 to Forllion National Park. We parked at Grande-Grave and followed a trail to the stunning Cap-Bon-Ami viewpoint! Forllion National Park is one of the best places to see whales in Canada. We didn’t get so lucky whilst we were here but there are chances of seeing them from Gaspe – Perce.
It costs CA$15.80 to enter Forllion National Park for 2 people and you also have to pay or reserve a campsite if you want to stay here. Tip: If you have a National Park pass (which you’ll need for the Canadian Rockies) this park is included!
Where to stay: A car park at a community centre near Gîte Pétales de Rose (outside of the national park)
Gaspe – 1 day
It’s only a 30 minute drive to Gaspe and there are many lovely stops to make on the way. We managed to spot some seals in the ocean! Gaspe town is worth a visit on your Canadian road trip itinerary, especially if you’re visiting the Gaspesie. There’s a lot of Canadian history to learn about in this cosy town. There are also a few more shops here and restaurants if you’re interested in trying out some Quebec cuisine!
Where to stay: La Commune-de-Douglastown – Beach area it was quite bumpy to get here on this long strip of sandy dirt but very isolated and you can make a fire! You can also walk along the beach here!
Coin-du-Blanc – 1 day
After half a day relaxing on the beach near Douglastown we headed to Sentier de la Chute Rivière du Portage, a beautiful waterfall! It’s a short hike down to the waterfall but once you’re there you can swim and it’s also a good chance to refresh your body (Vanlife in Canada problems). It’s less than an hour drive to Coin-du-Blanc!
Where to stay: Sentier de la Chute Rivière du Portage – Beach area (toilets nearby)
Perce – 1 day
Cap Mont Joli and Perce rock are two highlights of visiting Perce. Perce Rock is also iconic for travelling the Gaspesie Route! There are a few things to do in Perce and you can find out about more of them here – Perce Toursim. In the summer it’s also possible to catch a boat trip to see Northern Gannet Colonies on Bonaventure Island!
After Perce, we headed to Newport Chandler to find a place to free camp and chill on the beach.
Where to stay: Plage des Beaux Sables (Small beach parking lot, sleep to the sound of the waves)
Quebec City – 1 day
From Newport Chandler, we chose to make the long 7-hour drive back to Quebec City. We could have done this in two trips by spending some time in Carleton-Sur-Mer and Parc régional du Mont Saint-Joseph, however at the time we were happy to continue driving to carry on with our 3 month road trip in Canada!
We reached Quebec City at 8 pm and spent the evening admiring the capital of Quebec. We had actually already visited the city in the wintertime so we just ran around seeing all the hot spots again. We’d definitely recommend spending another day here if this is your first time in Quebec City.
Where to stay: Walmart (free wifi and toilets in Walmart)
Montreal – 1 day
Stopped back off in Montreal for one last time, before heading west for the rest of our cross Canada road trip. It’s a 3 hour drive from Quebec City to Monreal and we then headed to a Walmart in Vaudreuil-Dorion to stay for the night.
Where to stay: Walmart (free wifi and toilets in Walmart)
Ottawa – 1 day
Ottawa is Canada’s capital city and it’s actually in Ontario. It’s not as big as Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal but it’s still the capital! After a 1.5 hour drive, we spent the morning here walking around the city and then headed to Gatineau Park which is back in the Quebec province. Ottawa lies on the border between both provinces. We then drove 1 hour to Shawville to find a free campsite.
Where to stay: Mill Dam Park (a hidden gem!! free toilet & electricity)
That’s officially the end of our 2 week Quebec road trip, but only the beginning of our long cross Canada road trip itinerary!
10 day Road Trip in Ontario
Ontario surprised us so much! It’s full of lakes, hills and very friendly people!
We don’t actually visit Toronto on this Canadian road trip route. If you do want to go to Toronto this would be done at the beginning straight after Quebec, before continuing the rest of this itinerary. We have a 3 days in Toronto guide if you’re interested in visiting this urban city!
Golden Lake – 1 day
After a lot of driving over the last week, we decided to have a very chill day. We came across Golden Lake at 2pm, and when we realised it was named Golden Lake due to its sunsets it made us want to spend the day! It was amazing to enjoy Canadian nature in the best way. Here’s the exact location for the rest stop at Golden Lake, near Golden Lake Chinese.
From Shawville to the edges of Algonquin Provincial Park it’s about a 2-hour drive.
Where to stay: Tom and Mick Murray Millennium Park (We stayed next to a lake, looked like a locals free camping spot with pit toilets
Algonquin Provinicial Park – 1 day
We arrive at Algonquin Provincial Park early to explore in the quieter moments. We picked up a map and chose a few of the shorter hikes. There were SO many mosquitoes at 7 am, mosquitoes are pretty bad in Canada especially in the east. One of the trails we did was the Two Rivers Trail.
In total, we drove 2 hours through the park and to Huntsville where we luckily found a spot to stay.
Where to stay: Huntsville – in one small spot next to a lake, nearby there were lots of parking spots that say no overnight camping, so luckily we were okay!
Huntsville – 1 day
We explored Huntsville for a couple of hours and enjoyed the walk near the lakeside. They have big outdoor shops here along the high street if you need any extra gear for your van or camping set up. After wandering around Huntsville, we drove 3 hours and stayed near Lorne.
Where to stay: near Lorne – (a remote lake near the highway, very bumpy to get to but beautiful! The exact location is on iOverlander)
Sault Ste Marie – 1 day
From Huntsville, we headed to Sault Ste Marie which took under 3 hours drive. Sault Ste Marie is on the border for Canada and the United States. There’s lots of shopping to do here, but we mainly stocked up on our supplies and walked along the boardwalk
A short drive north and you’ll reach Pancake Bay and also Lake Superior, one of the worlds largest freshwater lakes! It actually holds 10% of the world’s surface freshwater. In total, we drove 3.5 hours to get to Lake Superior and Pancake Bay
Where to stay: Free spot near Pancake Bay (near a lodge that serves food and groceries)
Lake Superior Provincial Park
When we woke up, we headed back over to Batchawana bay to The Voyageur’s Lodge and Cookhouse which we passed on on the way to Pancake Bay yesterday evening. They boast about their world-famous apple fritters, so we had to give them a try! They were actually pretty good, but beware they are HUGE.
Next, we headed to Lake Superior Provincial Park which cost CA$7.50. We recommend seeing Katherine Cove and the Agawa Rock Pictographs! There are lots of spots to swim in the lake here and there will be more opportunities over the next few days as Lake Superior is so big. From Pancake Bay, it’s less than a 2 hour drive to Wawa.
Where to stay: Sandy Beach (lots of free spots in Wawa)
Wawa – 1 day
The only driving we did today was to a new ‘camping’ spot next to the lake. So this is another one of our chill days and actually one of our favourite days of the whole road trip in Canada. We chilled to the max and blew up our rubber ring. It was a super hot day so we did our laundry in a bucket and hung it out to dry on a thick rope we brought with us.
Where to stay: Dr Roses Beach (we spent the whole day here and there’s a toilet block)
Nipigon – 1 day
After a relaxing day, we drove from Wawa to Nipigon which is a 4-hour drive.
On the way, we visited the hometown of ‘Winnie the Pooh’! In White River, there’s a very sweet Winnie the Pooh Memorial that explains the story of Winnie the Pooh.
A black bear cub in White River was named Winnie after the person’s hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was taken to London Zoo, which is where Christopher Robin saw the bear! They also have a monument and gift shop/museum. After White River, we stopped at Aguasabon Falls and saw the sunset at Nipigon Marina.
Where to stay: Carpark at Nipigon Lookout
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park – 1 day
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is located on the west side of Lake Superior. It cost us CA$15.50 to enter Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and we hiked up to Top of the Giant. It was long but very rewarding! They do actually have a campground inside the provincial park if you’re interested in staying there.
We then drove to Thunder Bay and in total Nipigon to Thunder Bay with a stop in the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park will take 2.5 hours.
Where to stay: Walmart (free wifi and toilet)
Kakabeka Waterfall – 1 day
After arriving in Thunder Bay the night before all we did was sleep, so we decided to check out a few things to do in Thunder Bay. Kakabeka Waterfall was a highlight and cost a small price of CA$5.25.
From Thunder Bay, we drove 1.5 hours to an area near Raith. When we reached the Truck Stop there were so many beavers!
Where to stay: Central Time Zone Truckstop (toilets)
Driving day – 1 day
We took the day very chill and sorted a few things out, there weren’t as many things to do in western Ontario so we drove a lot on this day. We did stop by Dryden to see the huge Moose statue and also visited Kenora for some lake views and deer! From Raith, it’s a 5-hour drive to the Ontario Border.
Where to stay: Ontario border stop (toilets)
Just like that, we’ve finished our road trip in Ontario! Ontario is a very long province to road trip through, but it does honestly have some hidden gems and so many places to just unwind next to a lake.
2 days in Manitoba
Important information about Manitoba – we travelled in the year 2020 and Manitoba were asking travellers not to stay in the province and to just drive straight through. It is possible to drive through Manitoba in one day as it only takes a few hours. However, as we were set up in our van we decided to stop over in a park once to sleep.
Winnipeg – 1 day
From the Ontario border, we drove a total of 5 hours to Russell.
Even with the travel restriction, it was actually raining for the whole day that we arrived in Manitoba. We drove through Winnipeg and had a look at the city from the inside of our van. We then carried on driving to a spot we found on iOverlander that claimed to have free electricity.
Once we got to Russell Peace Park it felt like a campground, however, it was free! We don’t think the toilets were working anymore but free electricity when you’re in a van is awesome. Manitoba holds a very special memory for us as it’s the first time we’ve ever seen the Northern Lights! (they were magical).
Where to stay: Russell Peace Park (free electricity)
Russell – 1 day
After the surprising experience of seeing the northern lights, we chose to hang around the free campground the next morning and also cooked lunch here! We drove 3 hours across the border to Lanigan in Saskatchewan.
Where to stay: A parking lot just off the highway
2 days in Saskatchewan (plus 7 days broken down)
We drove into Saskatchewan in the evening and were blessed with views of these yellow fields.
Saskatoon – 1 day
Leaving Lanigan we headed straight for Saskatoon, we were more interested in visiting Saskatoon over Regina and we also chose this as our Canadian road trip route because we wanted to visit Jasper first.
Saskatoon was a small city and we actually had our first meal out on the road trip so far (and also in a few months due to restaurants being closed in 2020). From Saskatoon, it was only a 1 hour drive to North Battleford where we chose to stay for the night in a Walmart and also grab some supplies. Overall we drove a total of 2.5 hours from Lanigan to North Battleford
Where to stay: North Battleford Walmart
The Big Vanlife Breakdown – 7 days
Unfortunately, road trips in Canada aren’t always smooth sailing. When we tried to leave North Battleford our van wouldn’t start! 🙁 We were stuck and had to call our breakdown service to come help! This turned out to be a stressful process and a very stressful day of travel.
We’re including these days in the total of our road trip because within a 3 month road trip in Canada you really never know what’s going to happen. After making it to a garage we stayed in North Battleford for 6 more nights and even slept in a tent for two of those nights at a house (when our van was in the garage). Thankfully the van was fixed and we were able to hit the road again!
The positive part about this breakdown is that we reached the Rockies for the most perfect rain and cloud-free weather which apparently can be quite uncommon! We also had a lot of laptop time in Tim Hortons and booked a volunteering project to do in the next few weeks.
Saskatchewan fields – 1 day
From North Battleford, it’s a 3 hour drive to the outskirts of Edmonton, Elk National Park.
After a very long week, we were SO excited to be in our ‘working’ van and on the road again continuing our Canada road trip. We knew how close we were to the Canadian Rockies and the mountains. Here’s the next part of our cross Canada road trip itinerary!
Where to stay: Rest stop near Elk National Park
2 Week Road Trip in Alberta
We spent a total of 15 days in Alberta on our Canadian road trip and could have spent much more! If you’re on a road trip from east to west, Alberta is going to be your first glimpse of the beautiful Canadian Rockies! Get ready for the amazing views!
Elk National Park – 1 day
Our first stop in Alberta was Elk National Park, we highly recommend visiting Elk National Park on your Canadian road trip because you’ll have the opportunity to see bison! From Elk National Park it’s around a 1 hour drive to Edmonton where we stayed for the night.
Where to stay: Walmart in Edmonton
Edmonton – 1 day
A visit to Edmonton isn’t complete without visiting the largest mall in Canada and North America – West Edmonton Mall, they even have a water park inside! You can spend hours browsing even if you don’t need anything!
We parked our van in West Edmonton Mall for free and took a local bus into the city centre. Edmonton city will only take 2 hours to look around. Honestly, we were much more excited about the mall. After finishing up in Edmonton we hit the road for 1.5 hours to a rest stop near Nojak.
Where to stay: Rest stop in Nojak area
1 Week Road Trip in the Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies are a must-visit on a cross Canada road trip itinerary! A lot of travellers in Canada only visit because of the Canadian Rockies and they are so worth it.
Jasper East – 1 day
After staying near Nojak, we drove 1 hour to Hinton, a smaller town in Canada. Hinton is a great base for campers to explore Jasper National Park. There are lots of free camping spots opposite Jasper East Cabins. A local grocery store – Freson Bros – also lets you sleep in the car park and they have free wifi, a cafe and fresh food!
It’s important to note that it’s illegal to camp in any national park in Canada unless you have a dedicated spot at a campsite which you have to pay for. Usually, these camping spots book up really fast, but it’s possible to get walk-in spots. Double-check your options before turning up at a campsite in Canada.
After arriving at Hinton, we met up with a friend and had a fire in the evening. This was the first time we ever saw shooting stars! It was the perfect conditions to star gaze as there were no clouds and it was very dark at 1 am.
Where to stay: Hinton (forest spots opposite Jasper East Cabins)
Jasper National Park – 4 days
Jasper National Park is one of the main highlights of a Canadian Rockies road trip, you can definitely spend a few days here.
Hiking & Jasper Town – Day 1
Our friend took us on our first hike in Jasper National Park, sadly we can’t remember the name of it, but there was a small parking lot and you have to walk through a bush to get to it…very awesome views from the top though!
Later in the day, we visited Jasper town for the first time for an evening meal!
Lake Annette – Day 2
The weather was perfect on this day, so it was a great opportunity to relax in Lake Annette. We spent almost all day in Jasper National Park and Lake Annette but still travelled back to Hinton to stay near Jasper East Cabins for free.
Where to stay: Hinton (forest spots opposite Jasper East Cabins)
Maligne Canyon & Lac Beauvert – Day 3
To save ourselves the 1 hour roundtrip journey back to Hinton for a free camping spot we decided to stay in our first paid campsite of the trip. The spots were easy to book online and luckily there was availability! (The summer of 2020 was a unique summer for Canada due to low-tourism)
Maligne Canyon is an amazing experience on a road trip through the Canadian Rockies. The Maligne Canyon trail is a single large loop with several optional side trails and can take around 2-4 hours. The water is so powerful here, and there are many waterfalls to prove it!
In the evening we went to Lac Beauvert to admire the views. You can kayak on the lake here, or there’s a circle loop. We chose to stay at our very first paid campsite and it was lovely! The atmosphere of other campers was amazing and the views of the mountains in the Overflow Campground were impressive.
Where to stay: Overflow Campground – CA$16.05
Jasper Town & Hiking – Day 4
In the daytime, we explored more of Jasper Town and did some much-needed laundry. We also tried our first Beaver Tail after many months of being in Canada!
In the late afternoon, we hiked the Valley of the Five Lakes Trail. It’s a beautiful walk that takes around 2 hours and gives you the opportunity to see five lakes all different shades of green and blue. Wabasso Campground is right around the corner from this trail, so we headed over there to make some dinner! It’s located in the forest and we even saw wild foxes in the evening.
Where to stay: Wabasso Campground – CA$21.97
Icefields Parkway – 1 day
The Icefields Parkway is one of the best things to do on a trans Canada road trip! The Icefields Parkway is a long stretch of road that joins Jasper National Park and Banff National Park together. It takes about 3 hours to drive but with many stops, it will take you all day!
Seeing the mountains from your car windows is one of the best sights on a road trip in Canada and you’ll definitely want it to be a clear day.
Icefields Parkway Itinerary
- Athabasca Falls (1 hour)
- Sunwapta Falls (30 mins)
- Athabasca Glacier (1 hour)
- Wilcox Pass Trail (1 hour hike)
- Parker Ridge Trail (2-3 hour hike)
- Waterfowl Lakes Viewpoint (10 minutes)
- Peyto Lake (30 mins)
- Bow Lake Viewpoint (10 mins)
We didn’t get to do all of these activities, we missed Peyto Lake due to it being closed in 2020, and we didn’t hike the Wilcox Pass Trail. We also actually stopped at the Saskatchewan River for a night of free camping, but there is no service.
Where to stay: Saskatchewan River Crossing (no service)
Banff National Park – 2 day
Banff is the oldest National Park in Canada and also the most famous one! It’s definitely a highlight on any Canadian road trip and it was definitely our highlight of a 3 month road trip in Canada.
Banff Town & Lake Louise – Day 1
We were a little worried as we hadn’t reserved a paid campsite in Banff and wanted to stay in the National Park. We drove 1 hour straight to Protection Mountain campground as they had first come first serve spots. We were extremely relieved to find had many spots available, so we put our name down for 2 nights. Our friend from Jasper was also joining us for this trip!
After securing our place to stay, we drove to Banff town and explored the village for the first time. There are free spots everywhere to park, and many things to do. Later that evening we met our friend and visited Lake Louise for the first time. It is honestly better than the photos, such a beautiful lake to see and a must on a western Canada road trip itinerary.
Where to stay: Protection Mountain – CA$51.80 for 2 nights with a fire permit with free firewood
Moraine Lake & Teahouse Hike – Day 2
After lots of research on the best time to visit Moraine Lake, we decided to see what the famous sunrise at Moraine Lake was like. So, we woke up at 5 am to drive 30 minutes to the parking lot of Moraine Lake and it was so busy!!! We arrived at 5:50 am and were lucky to get one of the last parking spaces, although it is pretty small.
Another great time to see Moraine Lake is late afternoon. They usually block off the road if there are no spaces at the top of the lake. It’s also possible to hike at Moraine Lake, however, we chose to do a different hike this day.
We then headed to Lake Louise to hike the Lake Agnes Tea House and Big Beehive. This was one of our favourite hikes on our cross Canada road trip route and it was definitely because of the views at the top! It takes about 4-5 hours for a roundtrip hike and you get a beautiful view of Lake Louise from above.
Where to stay: (Mentioned above)
Banff Town & Canmore- Day 3
After experiencing some major highlights on our 3 month road trip in Canada bucket list, we explored the village again and saw the Fairmount hotel from a distance on a local trail from the town. We then drove to Canmore for the evening which is only a 30 minute drive away. Canmore is quieter than Banff Town and as it’s not in the National Park anymore it’s not illegal to camp for free!
Where to stay: Safeway Carpark in Canmore (lots of other campers)
Canmore – 1 day
The next morning we woke up early to hike the Grassi Lakes trail which takes up to 2 hours. The lakes are such beautiful colours of green and blue! We also spent the afternoon walking around Canmore before driving to Drumheller! As it was quite late we found a place to stay at one of the best sights in Drumheller.
Horsethief Canyon was our favourite place to stay on our 3 month Canada road trip! It was also another place we saw the Northern Lights which were once again, so beautiful. It’s a 2-hour drive from Canmore to Horsethief Canyon
Where to stay: Horsethief Canyon
Drumheller – 1 day
In the morning we woke up to the view of the impressive Horsethief canyon and chose to walk down into the lower area. Drumheller is a whole new version of Canada and is actually located in the Canadian badlands and nicknamed the dinosaur capital of Canada.
Popular things to do in Drumheller are Royal Tyrrell Museum (Dinosaur museum), see the statue of the World’s Largest Dinosaur, hike the Hoodoo’s trail, visit Horseshoe Canyon and walk on the Star Mine Suspension Bridge.
These activities can take anywhere between 1 or 2 days in Drumheller, we managed to fit everything in 1 day and even managed to drive back to Calgary as it’s only 1.5 hours from Drumheller to Calgary and we watched the sunset over the city at Scotsman’s Hill.
Where to stay: Walmart in Calgary
Calgary – 1 day
A day in Calgary can be done in many ways! We headed out into the centre of the city to see the Calgary Tower up close, we then walked through Chinatown and chilled in Prince’s Island Park. If you have time check out Mt Pleasant View Point for another view of this skyscraper city.
We also stocked up on some essentials at Dollarama and grocery stores whilst we were in a big city so we could continue our cross Canada road trip route! After Calgary, we headed to Canmore which is only a 1 hour drive. On the way to Canmore, we walked the Grotto Canyon Trail which was a great way to get back into nature.
Where to stay: A parking lot in Canmore
Canmore – 1 day
In the morning we headed to Rundle Forebay to do our very first Sup Boarding. Get there early to grab a sup board as it’s first come first serve. In the morning the Canadian Rockies are actually quite cold, even in August!
After enjoying Alberta one final time, we headed back West to Golden which was a 3-hour drive.
Where to stay: We actually stayed at the house we volunteered at, heading back west.
1 Month Road Trip in British Columbia
British Columbia is an amazing province to explore and great for vanlife in Canada. There is so much to do in both Alberta and BC on a cross Canada road trip that you can spend 3 months just creating a western Canada road trip itinerary!
Note: We spent 2 Weeks in British Columbia volunteering with a few day trips, plus a full 3 weeks exploring the province. So we’ve made this a 1 month itinerary.
Field – 1 day
From Banff, we said goodbye to our friend and hit the road for Field in the morning before heading to Golden in the afternoon. It was about a 2-hour drive from the Protection Mountain campsite.
Workaway in Golden – 2 weeks
Volunteering is something we really want to do more of on our travels. During our 3 month road trip in Canada, we had the opportunity to do a Work Away!
Back when we were in North Battleford we set up Work Away account and were messaged by a British couple building a house on their newly bought property. We arranged to volunteer with them for 2 weeks helping to build their new sustainable house in exchange for a place to stay and food.
Yoho National Park – 1 day
Another great park on our 3 month road trip in Canada is Yoho National Park! We spent one day here seeing some of the hotspots. We saw Emerald Lake, Takakkaw Falls, Natural Bridge, but we missed out on Wapta Falls and Lake O’Hara (as at the time you needed to reserve spots to see this lake).
Where to stay: Unfortunately we don’t have any recommendations here as we stayed at our Work Away site.
Thompson Falls Hike – 1 day
Thompson Falls hike was a great way to stretch our legs again after working on the house at our Work Away. It takes about 2-3 hours and we even took a huskie dog with us!
Cedar Lake – 1 day
We hung out with the other volunteers for the day at Cedar Lake! They have floating docks so you can jump into the lake, and on a sunny day, the lake is actually quite warm. Lakes in Canada are amazing!
Tip: All Provincial Parks in British Columbia are free!
Revelstoke – 1 day
We explored a few small trails in Mount Revelstoke National Park and explored Revelstoke town. Then we made our way to Salmon Arm and stopped by Rutherford Beach on the way which has amazing views of the Three Valley lake! We also found a spot to chill near the Rubberhead Trail System that gave great views of the town.
From Golden, we drove a total of 3.5 hours to Vernon!
Where to stay: Vernon (next to a lake)
Kelowna – 1 day
Before leaving Vernon we visited Davison Orchards Country Village for some fresh fruit and bakery snacks! Then headed to Kelowna, which impressed us! Their harbour area is lovely! We parked down a residential street nearby and walked into the city past a local man-made beach on the waterfront.
We arrived in Summerland in the afternoon and met one of our friends who was working there! We parked up along the river and took a dip in the warm Okanagan lake. Sadly, the Okanagan Valley was on fire during the time we were there. It’s around 1.5 hours from Vernon to Summerland
Where to sleep: Summerland campsite parking lot (stealthy)
Kamloops – 1 day
Before we hit the road, we grabbed some fresh Okanagan peaches to take with us. From Summerland, we drove 3 hours through Kamloops and to the area near Savona to find a spot to sleep. (We always use iOverlander to find out free camping spots) We didn’t look around Kamloops too much as we didn’t need anything from a city, however, Riverside Park is a great place to chill.
On the way to Savona, we stopped at Kamloops Lake View Point which gives you an amazing view of the dry plains.
Where to sleep: Savona area near wild horses
Whistler – 2 days
If you’re on a cross Canada road trip, Whistler has to be on your list! It’s so popular in Western Canada and it actually holds one of the largest ski resorts in the world and is the largest in North America. In the summer those slopes turn into hiking opportunities and Whistler village is always full of good vibes.
Cache Creek & Seton Lake – Day 1
It takes about 3.5 hours to make it to Whistler from Kamloops. We were so excited to reach this point after hearing about Whistler so many times from other travellers. There are a few stops you can make on the way:
- The iconic view of the U shaped road bend, on the east side of Seton Lake.
- Duffey Lake Viewpoint for more amazing lake views!
- North Arm Farm to pick all the fruit you can handle!
- You can also visit Joffre Lakes which needs around 4 hours of hiking time (however it was closed at the time we were there)
We arrived in Whistler in the evening and walked around Whistler village until finding our spot to sleep. (mentioned on day 2)
Whistler Village & Atla Lake – Day 2
We woke up early and headed into Whistler Village to walk around the Lost Lake! In the afternoon we walked the Train Wreck trail, where you can discover abandoned and graffitied old train carriages in the middle of the forest. In the evening we headed to Alta Lake and watched the sunset.
Where to sleep: Residential street parking in Whistler (Not actually allowed, so we’re not advising this. However we only parked there overnight to sleep straight away after cooking somewhere else). There are free camping spots outside of Whistler Village.
Garibaldi Hike – 1 day
We had been dreaming of hiking at Garibaldi Provincial Park for the whole of our cross Canada road trip. So the excitement was real when we started the hike up to Garibaldi lake! It takes about 6 hours there and back and from Whistler, it’s only a 30-minute drive from Whistler to the Rubble Creek trailhead. If you enjoy hiking, Garibaldi Lake should be on your Canadian road trip itinerary!
Where to stay: Walmart in Squamish
Squamish – 1 day
This day was another big highlight of our dream, we were still so happy from our Garibaldi lake hike, and we were about to hike again! The Chief is a famous hike in Squamish and that’s exactly what we did. It’s only a 1 hour drive from Squamish to Vancouver and Squamish is town is great to explore too!
Where to stay: Walmart in Squamish (we also showered in the Squamish community centre)
Sea to Sky Highway – 1 day
The Sea to Sky highway deserves its own day on a 3 month road trip in Canada itinerary. There are so many things to do in between Whistler and Vancouver. Here’s a few of them:
- Brandywine Falls (30 mins)
- Tantalus Lookout (10 mins)
- Shannon Falls Provincial Park (up to 1 hour)
- Murrin Park Loop Trail (2 hour hike)
- Admire the views of the Howe Sound from Portaeu Cove (20 mins)
- at Horsehoe Bay – Whytecliff Lookout Point (30 mins)
- Lighthouse Park (2 hours)
Where to stay: Walmart in North Vancouver (there are lots of campers staying around this Walmart too)
Vancouver – 3 days
OUR NEW HOME! It’s a strange feeling arriving at a city you’re planning on living in but never visited before…but we actually did this with Montreal too! Vancouver is amazing and definitely worth a visit on your 3 month road trip in Canada. We have a guide on the best things to do in Vancouver, you can check it out here!
One of our favourite things to do in Vancouver is to cycle around Stanley Park. Dan used to cycle this for fun in the morning before work, it’s absolutely beautiful! Vancouver is also filled with amazing restaurants including some of the best vegan restaurants, we’ve also written an ultimate guide to vegan restaurants in Vancouver.
We didn’t drive around too much in Vancouver but we did use public transport, walk a lot and even caught a sea bus!
Where to stay: Walmart in North Vancouver
Where to stay: Spanish Banks beach (free spots next to the allocated parking lot) Cold showers and toilet block open in the daytime
Chilliwack – 1 day
It’s a 2 hour drive from Vancouver to Chilliwack and the main reason we visited was to see a friend. However, it’s a popular place for locals to spend time away from the bustling city of Vancouver. Bridal Falls is a popular waterfall to see in Chilliwack and you can also visit Cultus Lake nearby to walk the Teapot Hill Trailhead. You can even catch a movie at Twilight Drive-In Theatre nearer to Abbotsford and Langley.
Where to stay: Walmart in Chilliwack
Vancouver – 1 day
After spending the day in Chilliwack, it’s another 2 hour drive back to Vancouver where we prepared to catch the ferry the following day.
It’s a short 30 minute drive to Horshoe Bay, but for some reason, we planned to travel on a busy long weekend! BC Ferries has reservable bookings and spaces for first come first serve. We wanted to make sure we grabbed a spot so we aimed to catch the first ferry at 5 am or 6 am, the best way to do this was to sleep in our van at Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
We really don’t know if this is allowed, but there were actually a few others with us! Some of them had missed the last ferry of the day back home so they were stuck in their car anyway!
Where to stay: Horshoe Bay Ferry Terminal
1 week Road Trip in Vancouver Island
Still part of the 1 month road trip in British Columbia, let’s explore Vancouver Island!
Nanaimo to Tofino – 1 day
We caught the earliest ferry of the day to Nanaimo to start a 1 week Vancouver Island road trip. The ferry journey from Horseshoe Bay is only a couple of hours.
Once we arrived we drove a total of 3 hours to reach Ucluelet and Tofino, but on the way, we stopped by the Old Country Market in Coombs. At Ucluelet we browsed around the area and walked a trail at Amphitrite Point Lighthouse!
Where to stay: A logging road near Tofino (about a 30 minute drive away)
Tofino – 2 days
The logging road to camp for free is a 1 hour roundtrip from Tofino, but the other alternative is to pay for pricey campsites!
Tofino Village – Day 1
We visited Tofino Village in the morning and Dan tried out surfing in Tofino at Long Beach in the afternoon! You can rent a board at many places in Tofino village. Our only problem was that you have to take the board with you to the beach and it’s a tight squeeze in our van. There are also lots of lessons you can do if this is your first time surfing in Canada or anywhere!
Where to stay: A logging road near Tofino (about a 30 minute drive away)
Surfing in Tofino – Day 2
We spent the morning surfing back at Long Beach before saying goodbye to beautiful Tofino and driving 2.5 hours to Port Alberni.
Where to stay: Walmart in Port Alberni
Victoria – 2 days
Little Qualicum Falls – Day 1
It’s a 3 hour drive from Port Alberni to Victoria which was our next destination. On the way, we visited little Qualicum falls and made our lunch at Qualicum Beach. In the afternoon we stretched our legs at Chemainus before arriving in Victoria.
A lot of travellers head to Victoria when they’re on a cross Canada road trip as it’s the end of the Trans Canadian highway. When we arrived we parked up near Beacon Hill Park and searched for the totem poles!
Where to stay: Residential area near a park in Victoria
Victoria City Centre – Day 2
The city of Victoria isn’t very big, but there are lots of things to do in Victoria over 2 days. We headed into the city centre to admire the oldest Chinatown in Canada and also checked out Fishermans Wharf Park. The legislative Assembly of British Columbia is a building you cannot miss in Victoria and it’s easy to find in the city centre!
Where to stay: Residential area near a park in Victoria
Sooke – 1 day
The next morning we managed to reserve tickets for the British Columbia museum and learnt a lot about Canadian history. We then made our way to Sooke which is less than a 1 hour drive from Victoria. We watched the sunset at Creyke Point and saw wild deer!
Where to stay: Parking lot for a beach on the coast
Port Renfrew – 1 day
Sooke is known for its famous potholes in Sooke Provincial Park. There are a few trails and lots of rocks to climb over, but the best part is that you can get into the water (if it’s safe!).
In the afternoon we drove 1 hour to Port Renfrew and walked down to China Beach, the trees are so big here! We also checked out Sombrio Beach and walked some of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail in search of the hidden waterfall!
Where to stay: Rest Stop in Port Renfrew
That’s actually the end of our 3 month road trip in Canada! There is still so much more you can do in Canada, we feel like we’ve only just scratched the surface with cross Canadian road trip’s. This trip was truly an amazing experience and we wish we could do it all over again, minus the breakdown!
If you have even more time, The Sunshine Coast is another beautiful area of Canada to explore. You can catch a ferry to The Sunshine Coast from Vancouver Island or Vancouver. Check out our guide to The Sunshine Coast and also our guide to visit Bowen Island, another great island to explore on a western Canada road trip.
Vancouver – 1 day
So after finishing our 1 week road trip on Vancouver Island we headed back to Nanaimo to catch a ferry back over to Horseshoe Bay and Vancouver. It’s only a 2 hour drive.
Where to stay: Walmart in North Vancouver
A few Tips for a Canadian Road Trip
- Bring a big water container with you and make sure it’s filled along the way! (iOverlander has water locations!)
- You can wash in bathroom sinks (if you’re quick and it’s quiet!)
- Tim Hortons Wifi will be your saviour!
- No Frills is usually the cheapest grocery store (but it’s not in all provinces)
- If you’re travelling in summer, bring a mini fan!
- Cities are hard to park in when your van is too tall for underground parking.
- A 3 month road trip in Canada is never long enough!
Best apps for a 3 month Road Trip in Canada
- iOverlander – how to find the best free camping spots in Canada
- Googlesheets (the best way to write down your itinerary and keep it for memories!)
- GasBuddy – a quick way to find the cheapest gas.
- Husky – collect points from the gas station
- Duolingo – learn some french along your travels!
- GoogleMaps – a very obvious one, but download Offline Maps of areas you’ll be going, it will show you roads and restaurants even if you have no signal.
Other travel methods for a Canada Road Trip
It’s possible to use Canadian railways and catch a Train across Canada – Tickets from Toronto to Vancouver can cost from CA$444, find out more information here! Megabus can help you to get around the east side of Canada, it can even take you to Niagra Falls! Find tickets for Megabus here! You can always rent cars wherever you go if you’re staying in a city and want to explore nature. Canadian cities also have their own public transport that can get you to nature parks and lakes nearby.
Flying is another travel method you can use, although you will miss the road trip in Canada part of the journey! Hitchhiking is another way of getting around Canada and it can lead to some amazing adventures! Maybe there’s someone road tripping the same way as you! It’s also extremely budget-friendly.
Thank you for reading our big 3 month road trip in Canada! It’s one of the longest road trip’s we’ve ever been on and the first time we’ve tried out vanlife in Canada. We would definitely travel and live in a van or car again in the future! Please if you have any questions, let us know in the comments or reach out to us on Instagram – @ thesunrisedreamers!
Check out our other Canada posts!
- The Best 3 Days on the Sunshine Coast
- 3 Days in Toronto on a Budget
- The Best Day on Bowen Island
- Camping at Golden Ears in the Rain
- 20+ Vancouver Bucket-List Worthy Ideas
Vegan in Vancouver posts
- Ultimate List of 100% Vegan Restaurants in Vancouver
- Amazing Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Vancouver
- The Best Vegan Bakeries and Ice Cream in Vancouver
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Love this 💕 so many beautiful photos (Banff, the lakes, waterfalls and the trail to China Beach) and lots of memories. Great tips and itineraries. Vanlife was an adventure! Can’t wait to go.
Thank you so much!! There’s so much to do in Canada, such a big country haha 🙂 Excited for you to go!
Hey guys.. great information. We are at the start of planning. Would you have any advice about buying / renting a van x 3 months? We are Australians. Assuming our international licenses are allowed, what about the ownership of a vehicle?
Look forward to hearing from you when you can.
Julie
Hi Julie, thanks for your message! We swapped our UK licences for Canadian driving licences, but buying a vehicle (definitely rent) on an international licence may be possible too.
We bought our van through Facebook Market for around $6,000 CAD in Montreal, QC and sold it in Vancouver, BC. When you take a vehicle into a different province, it has to go through an inspection/MOT (double-check, as this could have changed) and ours needed a bit of work (the screen cracked), so we sold it for around $3,000. We had a breakdown mid-trip which we also had to pay for. We would probably still buy a van again if we did this trip again, but if you are on a specific time frame a rental van could work for 3 months.
I’m not sure about rental prices, but definitely make sure you have car insurance in case anything goes wrong! The Rockies are hot & cold throughout the day and night so windows like to crack!
Excited to hear about your adventure! We want to do it all over again 🙂