*This post is about a trip taken back in October. As such, it followed each province’s Covid regulations at that time. Be sure to keep your self updated and informed on current laws in regards to any future trips*
Considering the hassle of the extra health measures that go into planning an international trip, many people have opted to satisfy their wanderlust through national travel within their home country. While I was busy planning my escape to Greece, my sister and brother-in-law began their cross-country road trip honeymoon. Upon comparing notes with them, their trip seemed like a much more desirable method of travel for those looking for a relaxing vacation.
While I was subject to a series of Covid tests as I country hopped, and also constantly finding myself confronted by several closures of popular attractions and businesses, the two of them were easily able to drive from Windsor, Ontario, to Vancouver, British Columbia, with only the minor inconveniences of having to wear masks. At the same time, stores and restaurants remained open with limited capacities.
With that being said, with its low population density and beautiful hikes, Canada is definitely a country that is easy to travel while avoiding crowds and the associated risks of spreading the virus. Now that we are both home from our trips and locked up for the remainder of the lockdown, I have had the opportunity to collect the information from her experience to help you plan your cross-country, Covid-friendly road trip.
General Route
Ontario
Two days after their wedding, and with their dog in tow, Carly and Matt packed up their car and hit the road with only a basic plan on how to get from Windsor to Vancouver. However, it wasn’t long before the influences of the Corona Virus had their way with their itinerary. Since the Canada-US border closure kept them from taking the shortcut through Michigan directly to Sault Ste, Marie, they were instead forced to drive their way around the Great Lakes. Even while driving throughout the night, it took the couple an entire day to work their way out of Ontario and into Manitoba, with only a quick stop in the Thunder Bay/ Kenora region for a brief photo op.
Manitoba
The first stop on their Itinerary was in Brandon, Manitoba, where after having driven through the previous night, they rented a room in a hotel for a night of rest. Going into their trip, the one thing that had concerned them was involved in the provincial travel restrictions of Manitoba at the time, as they had heard that the province was really cracking down on all forms of travel.
While only staying one night before heading on, the first thing they noticed upon entering the hotel was the lack of travelers, which did not bode well for them as it lined up with what they had heard. However, they were able to book a room and had met up with the only other people in the hotel, a couple moving to Vancouver with their three dogs.
Having met their first fellow travelers lifted the stress of not knowing whether or not they’d be able to complete their trip from their thoughts. This brief stop in Manitoba saw them driven with anticipation as they moved on to Saskatchewan the following morning.
Saskatchewan
Carly and Matt again only stayed a single night in the province of the Great Plains. However, they did make a few more stops than they had in Manitoba. Arriving in Saskatchewan at night, the two found themselves a dispensary and spent the night in their room, preparing for their long drive across the vast prairies. Stopping for quick photos in the Wheat Lands, where they caught their first glimpse of the Canadian wildlife as two baby coyotes frolicked through the seas of wheat. The two continued their drive through the province.
Alberta
As their first big stop on their road trip, Carly and Matt arrived in Calgary to spend the following three nights. While Calgary is a large city that can see the formation of large crowds, the couple was worried about what Covid measures they would find within the city borders. Fortunately, they were able to experience all of the draws of the big city. From experiencing the shopping scene to eating out at some of the cities finest restaurants, they found that the local businesses were quite effective at remaining open while accommodating to the new standards.
Talking to Carly, she also stresses how easy it was as a tourist to enjoy the city while remaining socially distanced with the plethora of outdoor options. One restaurant in particular she mentioned was “The Dog and The Duck,” which had an outdoor, dog-friendly patio perfect for people looking to get out while also allowing us to bring along the pets that we have all bonded with over our long confinements.
After a quick visit with an old friend living in the city, the couple headed west to Banff, where they stayed at the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. With its various activities within the nature of the area, this is the perfect place to get away while maintaining social isolation.
While some of the hiking trails and the downtown area can see an influx of people, Banff is such a large area that it is easy to break away from the crowds. Another thing Carly stressed about the area was the amount of dog-friendly businesses. She highly recommends the “Bear Street Tavern,” where their outdoor patio offers views of the mountains, while the patio itself offers menus for both their human and canine patrons.
And of course, when finding yourself in the Banff area, it is almost essential to make the drive over to Lake Louise for a day trip taking on one of the Lake’s various hiking trails. The couple suggests The Plain of Six Glaciers, which is advertised as moderate, but not being frequent hikers, they described as laborious at times.
Starting at the front of the lake, the hike will bring you around to the other side, where the path will bring you up over the tree line and into the mountains. The hike continues climbing its way up, between cliffs and past waterfalls, until you reach the top of the ridge, where you will find a small tea shop marking the end of the trail and offering a view of the lake in the distance. After taking a break and sampling some homemade tea or hot chocolate, it is time to begin the return trek down the mountain.
The final stop within the province of Alberta was in Jasper. Carly emphasized this part of the road trip as one of the best drives of the entire trip and highly suggested taking the Icefields Parkway.
While another perfect and dog-friendly place to engage in hiking and canoeing alike, the area around Jasper is rich for spotting the varied wildlife of western Canada. Within the two nights they had spent in the area, they could spot moose, deer, coyotes, wild goats, and even wild elk walking the main strip of the town.
As with the other stops in the province, they were able to find another dog-friendly patio on the rooftop of Jasper Pizza Place, which offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. After a couple more days of exploring nature around Jasper, the couple continued their drive through the Rockies, with a quick stop at Mount Robson for pictures, and on into BC.
British Columbia
As the last stop of their road trip, Vancouver was idealized as the Creme de la creme. However, as Carly put it, they could’ve skipped Vancouver and felt like they hadn’t missed much. However, their experience in the city may very well have been hindered by the effects of the Coronavirus.
As the third most populous city in Canada, much of Vancouver’s intracity attractions will usually see large crowds, so as they were avoiding crowds for their road trip, they didn’t quite enjoy their exploration within the city borders as much as they would have. She also added that they experienced the added inconvenience of rain during their entire time in the city.
With that being said, they did still experience the must-do’s of the city, including the famous gondola ride, visiting Vancouver Island, and touring the Olympic Village. However, the highlight of their trip here was meeting up with a couple of old hometown friends who had moved out west and together celebrating Thanksgiving dinner.
On the following day, they rented a boat to explore deeper downriver. As a group of four plus the couple’s dog, Luna, they had to choose whether to take the boat down the river path to the seal colony or down the waterfall route. They suggest taking the latter because, all though they thought they were going to miss out on the seals, much to Luna’s delight, there happened to be a group of seals swimming along the waterfall path, giving the group the best of both routes.
Vancouver marked the end destination of the road trip, and after their four-day stay, the couple began their long drive home. Battling against their first snowfall experience in Western Canada, they were forced to stop for the night in Banff, where they again rented a room at Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. They continued the following morning with their drive directly to Windsor.
Tips
Take your time– While Carly and Matt had planned two weeks for their road trip, they wish they had taken a little longer to explore each of their destinations fully. Having only spent a few days at each stop, they felt that they had missed out on a lot of what each destination had to offer. The two suggest taking at least three weeks to a month to fully appreciate the breadth of what the road trip has to offer.
Do your research– While important during any trip, this tip is even more so when traveling like Carly and Matt; with a dog, while in school, and during Covid. For their trip, Carly and Matt had to research 1. what was still open in accordance to each provinces lockdowns(and I can’t emphasize this one enough), 2. dog-friendly accommodations through the length of their trip, and 3. where they could acquire wifi for their online classes.
Stick to Nature– While more of a nature traveler myself, I couldn’t have agreed more when Carly and Matt told me the highlights of their trip were the hikes through western Canada. While they did make two stops within the cities of Calgary and Vancouver, in retrospect, they wish they had cut those stops from their itinerary to have spent more time in Alberta, namely the Banff and Jasper areas. While they would’ve like to have experienced more nature because that is what appealed to them, it is also a preferable way to travel during Covid to avoid the risks of crowded cities.
Final Thoughts From the couple
Although we had envisioned an international experience for our honeymoon, Covid allowed us to explore within our own borders. We loved seeing all the different provinces that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see otherwise. However, if the borders were open, it would have been beneficial to take the American side home to cut our driving time almost in half.
If we were to make the trip again, we would have loved to spend even more time exploring Alberta as it had an abundance of activities paired with gorgeous scenery, all while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. This trip opened our eyes to the beauty within our own backyard and has encouraged us to explore even more. Next, we would like to travel out East in Canada and visit the Maritimes. Again, we would like to pack up the car and get on the road with our dog, Luna.
Comments are closed.