Hello and thanks for posting to r/britishcolumbia! Join our new [Discord Server https://discord.gg/fu7X8nNBFB](https://discord.gg/fu7X8nNBFB) A friendly reminder prior to commenting or posting here:
- **Read [r/britishcolumbia's rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/britishcolumbia/about/rules/)**.
- **Be civil and respectful** in all discussions.
- Use **appropriate sources** to back up any information you provide when necessary.
- **Report** any comments that violate our rules.
Reminder: "Rage bait" comments or comments designed to elicit a negative reaction that are not based on fact are not permitted here. Let's keep our community respectful and informative!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/britishcolumbia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
How long do you have? I would go east through Manning Park, Osoyoos and Nelson, then make your way to Banff and Jasper. You could also take the ferry to the island, go to Tofino, and then keep on going north taking the overnight ferry to Prince Rupert. You could take the ferry to Haida Gwaii from there, which is pretty incredible.
About 17 days on the road. Which of course should be spent relaxing, taking in the scenery and all that goodness.
Thanks for the trip suggestion! I’ll plug it into a map so got a visual on it! Is it possible just stopping somewhere to chill around these spots?
Also, if I go with the campervan, how do I ensure I have enough food for the trip? Is there spots around where it’s possible to buy groceries? I have no idea how much wilderness this will take me through.
There are towns at least every hour or 2 on all these routes. You will be absolutely fine for groceries, gas etc. on any numbered highway in BC. Just have fuel stops planned out so you don't pass somewhere with a quarter tank left and then figure out its 150 km to the next gas station or something dumb like that.
Whats your preferred mode of travelling? Another commenter recommended a car/SUV and I was intrigued. Mostly due to my worries of driving a camper van 1st through the mountains - I don’t have experience with such a veichle. Whats your thoughts on that?
Thanks for your time!
I'll start with a few statements you may or may not find helpful.
1 If the camper is a rental, it will 100% be an automatic transmission and likely gasoline engine. So as far as the controls go, they'll be comparable to a car.
2 There are a few different sizes of camper van. A B class motorhome will be based on a cargo van chassis (Mercedes Sprinter etc) and will be very easy to drive, but may or may not have a shower and/or toilet. There are larger C class motorhomes built on Ford F450 truck chassis that are a little trickier to drive in tight spaces, but have all amenities and a proper queen size bed. There are also companies renting out little camperized minivans, these are just a mattress in the back of a van and may be ideal for you.
3 As far as actually driving the thing, the most stressful thing is going to be navigating towns and cities, especially Vancouver. You will not be able to "look out the back window." Instead, you will have large truck style mirrors with a big convex blindspot mirror. The blindspot mirror should be used in addition to a shoulder check when changing lanes etc, while the large mirror is most useful for judging angles while backing.
4 Driving a heavy vehicle in steep mountains is easy and safe, but there are things you'll have to know. If you don't know, you may die. So, I'll tell you.
5 Uphill: it's an automatic, so just step on it and it'll downshift for you. If it's a steep, long mountain pass (and gasoline engine) somewhere between 3000 and 4000 rpm is about right. You'll likely be going a little slower than the cars, a little faster than the trucks. Keep an eye on the temp gauge, but there shouldn't be a problem.
Downhill: A vehicle this big will try to push you downhill. Use the transmission to provide engine braking to help prevent your normal brakes from overheating. Again, 3000-4000 rpm will do. Ideally, you want to slow down at the top of the hill and be in the correct gear for the hill before you start descending, these are unfamilliar roads to you, so you may need to guess. If you're riding the brakes to maintain speed, that means you are going too fast and you're in too high a gear. Use the brakes to slow down further and shift to an even lower gear. Sooner or later, you're going slow enough that you reach an equilibrium where the engine is holding you back and you may not even need to press the brake at all (or very little.) This is the goal. If you're slower than 60 km/h, put on your 4 way flashers, but a camper shouldn't need to go quite that slow, I'd say you'll be around 60-80 on the steeper hills.
6 Other than on those steep hills, as long as the weather's decent do the speed limit. If the corner doesn't have a speed restriction sign, it's safe to take at the limit. If it has a yellow speed limit sign, say a 50 km/h corner, that speed is super safe and set for big transport trucks. Your camper will happily do that speed. Even doing the limit, there will be angry folks behind you. Don't worry about them, don't let them push you, but understand that they will be dangerously angry if you're doing like 70 in a 90 zone with a line of traffic behind you and they will do stupid shit to get by you. This includes trucks, so don't dilly dally.
7 All numbered highways in BC are truck routes. That doesn't necessarily mean the route isn't a goat trail, it just means that its the only passable goat trail leading to your destination and so you're likely to meet transport trucks on that goat trail. It could also be a freeway. You'll find out when you get there.
The campgrounds around Vancouver get really busy, but I think they’re quieter in other parts of the province (except for the really popular tourist spots like Tofino and the Rockies). Check the BC parks website for reservations. And the ferries good to have a reservation as well - if you end up going that direction.
Sounds like a really fun trip by the way!! I used to drive once a year from Vancouver to Trail to see my grandparents, so I love that part of BC. Nice places to stop along the way to swim in lakes, buy pie, and eat borscht.
You pretty much can’t go wrong. There isn’t enough info in this post to give you anything meaningful but pretty much just point and shoot. Anywhere you go you’ll satisfy your list.
If you get a van you can sleep anywhere so you don’t need campgrounds. What do you want? Rainforest, desert, mountains, coastline? Plains? We got it all.
I appreciate any and all inputs! I think I got some FOMO and wants to squeeze as MUCH as I can into as little time as possible, which naturally isn’t realistic…
I think my main goal is to hike in some beautiful scenery and take a chill pill from every day life for a bit. Mountains and forests is the priority.
With a campervan, can I really just stop anywhere? Is there none paid camping grounds I can find somewhere? Not that I mind paying for the amenities now and again, but that level of freedom would be unparalleled. It would be nice if it was a camping ground, mostly so I don’t accidentally mess up the campervan if the road isn’t suitable.
Thanks for your input!
You can use the BC Rec Site webpage to see the available sites to stay in. They also list what type of vehicle can access them.
http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/
No problem :)
I was born in BC and have travelled almost every inch of the province from top to bottom.
If you have any specific things you would like to see feel free to DM me and I can give some recommendations.
If it's hiking you're interested in, focus on the Kootenays and the Island. Unpopular opinion since other areas are stunning, but so much of the Coast, the Okanagan and the Caribou is indigenous or privately owned land (even seemingly remote areas) and they are active in preventing trespassers. Without knowing the local area, you may unintentionally go on private property.
Other tidbit - be bear aware. The back country will be waking up, so make sure you stop by a local outdoors shop in the interior or the island so you're ready. Have trip plans that people know about, and be sure to know where will (and where will NOT) have cell reception.
Edit: grammar
You can’t just sleep on the side of the highway but yeah you can stay pretty much anywhere that’s safe. Walmart allows you to stay over night in the parking lot. Usually there’s signs where they really don’t want you to camp overnight.
As another user said, check the rec sites. Most are free!
Consider buying BC Backroads Mapbook for whatever area or region you plan on going to...you'll get the opportunity to see & visit BC's "real wilderness". I don't remember the last time I paid for a campspot.
Yeah, especially where you're going. People who talk about reservations and paying for spots are city people who don't want to drag their nice campers into the best camp sites.
I just went on a 6000 km trip from southern BC to Los Angeles/Grand Canyon/Zion National park towing a camping trailer. I stayed in exactly one paid RV campground and it was in LA. the rest of the trip I camped at beautiful sites all through the US for free. BC has many sites like this.
One thing to be concerned about is logging trucks on those backroads. Expect them to be moving, fast. Look both ahead and behind you and get the hell out of their way.
Sites and Trails BC is the website that shows the forestry campgrounds and hiking areas. It will also tell you if they are 4x4 access only. Don't get lost, those logging roads go for hundreds of km and can be a maze.
Wow, sounds incredible!
Is it feasable in your opinion to go by car, then consider a cabin somewhere for ease of access to day-hiking spots? What do you do for food? Got a fridge?
Thanks for the site recommendation, I’ll check ‘em out.
My travel trailer is like a house. It has everything, full kitchen, bathroom, dining table, A/C and Furnace, queen size bed... It's basically a complete, tiny portable house.
There are cabins for rent all over the place, google maps is your friend for finding places like that. It may be cheaper than a camper van/motorhome rental.
For extra food on your trip, I recommend just getting a cooler. Gas stations sell bags of ice, hotels have ice machines for free as well. A rental car, a portable little gas hotplate/stove and a cooler could have you very well fed in the woods.
BRMB also have their own app. Which GPS apps offer BRMB layers for sale through them? I know Gaia has a couple of layers, which are free, but none of the points of interest.
A fun trip if you’re interested is a circle that Includes Inside Passage Ferry. Up to Prince Rupert, across to Port Hardy, down the coast of the island and back across to Van.
I did it last year and we did it over 10 days, with tons of stops for day hikes along the way. Honestly could’ve afforded an extra couple days just on that route, but there’s some side routes that could go even longer.
We did it just by car (SUV, idk if that matters). We actually did it relatively cheaply too, but keep in mind I own my vehicle and didn’t rent:
With this particular trip, you’re never quite in the middle of nowhere, so accommodation (hotels/motels for us) wasn’t an issue. As for food, we stopped at Costco’s along the way combined with a cooler, and were pretty set. All in all, with gas: we spent ~$2500 for the two of us and 10 days (keep in mind the ferry was $1000/2). It was pretty incredible with tons of varying scenery and great hiking.
My suggestion for this type of trip is always to do it in a loop, if you can. Meaning, for example, if you're going from Vancouver to Banff, take Highway 3 one way and Highway 1 back - you'll get to see much more diverse areas of the province this way.
From Vancouver, take Highway 3 to Cranbrook, head north up through the Kootenays, scoot East through Kananaskis Country to Banff. Highway 1 back is a faster trip with still lots of great sites to see. It's most common for people to take the Coquihalla Highway to Vancouver but the Highway 1 route through the Fraser Canyon is way, way more scenic. Takes longer but well worth it in my estimation.
If you want to visit Vancouver Island, same idea. From Vancouver take the ferry to Victoria - visit the Island - then return to the mainland from Nanaimo. From there, it's a short drive to Whistler, then back to Vancouver.
Awesome!! That sounds doable! Is it possible to grab groceries on this route along the way? I can rent a fridge for 300 CAD, but if I could go with few fresh food items to cut down that would be ideal. Is that insane to do?
Another even longer way than the Fraser Canyon is Duffy lake road. I travel between the interior and coast multiple times per year and at least once will take the Duffy when I’m not in a rush. Goes through Lilooet, Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish and then into Van. It’s beautiful, I often see lots of wildlife too.
Rent a car. Drive from Vancouver to Victoria, taking a BC Ferry through the gulf Islands. Drive up Vancouver Island to Port Hardy, and take the BC Ferry through the inside passage to Prince Rupert. Take the BC Ferry to Haida Gwaii. Join a 4 day tour through south island UNESCO World Heritage Site through Moresby Explorers and see dozens of abandoned Haida villages. Explore Haida Gwaii and then return to Prince Rupert. Drive east to Prince George, then south through Kamloops ( optional 2 day trip from here to see the Rockies) then south through Kelowna and down to Osoyoos ( Canada's only desert, rattlesnakes and cactus) Lots of good wineries to see. Then head west through Manning Park to Vancouver. You will not regret it.
I know you put tent out of the equation right away, but maybe you could reconsider that. It is extremely easy to get a spot for a tent at any camping, and it is a lot cheaper. You can get really comfortable in a tent if you travel in a car. Also the money you save on the day you are camping, can be used for a few days of hotel in location that are worth it. I did a road with 3 days in tent, one in hotel a few years ago and would not recommend anyone to do it differently.
You can already look at glamping option on https://www.hipcamp.com/en-CA that might also help reduce your cost. Also getting off the beaten path might help reduce your cost. The west Kootenay is little known by the tourist, and absolutely beautiful place to go to. You have north of jasper, in between McBride and prince George some amazing rain forest with gigantic trees that are thousand year old. The ferry between prince Rupert and Port hardy is also quite an amazing trip (to do during the day).
We live in the east Kootenay. Historically you would have to expect the last frost day by mid may and a lot of rain. The last two years have been very different. We have gotten our last frost day in early April with temperature in the 20C in May, and sadly no rain. This year, seems to look like the last two. Seems we had our last frost on the 1st of April and the forecast is currently above freezing for the next 2 weeks. Hard to say for the rain. I would love to get as much as possible as that would help with the fire season. Banff is usually colder and Jasper being further north is usually even colder. So for those I would not recommend the tent. The west is usually warmer. The west Kootenay is supposed to be wetter, but has been in a drought mood than the east Kootenay. At least we got a normal snow pack this year in the east.
Basically I think it is likely the weather will be nice west of Golden for a tent and that east might be better to be in an hotel/ motel/ structure.
Good for you!
Our province is amazing.
You won't be able see it all, so don't t try
Do you want to see the ocean?
Big mountains?
Beautiful to see lakes?
Do you want to see wine tours and go golfing?
Where you go depends on what you want to see.
Where are you from?
Will you be comfortable driving pon mountain roads?
There is so much to see and do here.
I haven’t driven a camper van before, so that feels a little daunting. The freedom of having a camper van makes it easier to plop down wherever though, which seems to be the main selling point for me, currently.
I want to take a quick dip in the Pacific Ocean (yes, I know, it’s cold) - just to say I swam in it. But then it would mostly be exploring the scenery and hike in the forests that are the main points with this trip.
I’ve driven on mountain roads in the Canaries with a normal car - not for the faint of hearts - but never in snow, so I’m unsure of what to expect in that regard
May should be ok, you might hit a snow storm or two, but for the most part the roads should be dry.
I would recommend
Vancouver then north up HWY 99 through the howe sound (whistler/Squamish/liloet)
Then up to Kamloops and over to the Okanagan Valley (Vernon/Kelowna) down to Penticton and over HWY 3 back to Vancouver.
You will see the ocean, big mountains, lakes and other gorgeous scenery. Plenty of easy camping spots that don't need 4 wheel drive. And you can get from one spot to the next in just a few short hours.
I did that years ago and would do it again.
Thank you for that recommendation! I've plotted it in and will taking that into consideration!
The more I look around on Google maps, the more I realize you really can't go wrong!
Do you have any recommendation for kayaking? Any special landmarks that's a must see besides the one you just mentioned?
If you go the RV route, just make sure to budget for fuel, it's expensive as shit right now.
I take mine throughout the province, you'll likely get ~10mpg = ~24l/100km at best and a little bit worse in the mountains.
Gas is currently about $2.10/l around Metro Vancouver but a little cheaper in the interior.
You should probably budget for about $50 fuel for every 100km driven. If you end up a bit cheaper, can just have more fun somewhere else!
Awesome info! Thanks, I'll put that consideration into our budget!
I think we are maybe going with the car-route this time around, mostly due to the worry of driving a larger van through the mountains.
My suggestion is to rent an SUV that is big enough to sleep in. It’ll be cheaper than a camper and you can take it anywhere.
Most areas of the province (the exceptions being in official parks) it’s pretty easy to find a logging road that has a nice pullout by a beautiful river where you can camp for free and enjoy nature the way it was intended to be enjoyed - with piece and quiet and without anyone else around to bother you
my 2 cents, BC is freaking huge, like really huge. I would say you are going to waste a lot of time just driving and although the sights are great you will find they are mostly similar for long stretches of time. Not that that's a bad thing. I would say if you stick to a region, like say this trip I'm just doing the island. You would still have a huge amount of area to explore but have a little more time to explore it in detail. I moved here 12 years ago and rarely leave the area I live in because there is so much to explore in such a small area. For example I have yet to even get to the island, or the coastal forests. I live in the Okanagan area, Kelowna to be exact and I would highly recommend this area. It's very central has a lot to explore/do/ big beautiful lake. But say you want the really big mountain experience like Revelstoke. it's a fantastic car ride from Kelowna to Revi and it is only 3 hours away. Vancouver is 4 hours in the opposite direction. Nelson is 6 hours from Kelowna. But lots of chill things to do here.
Sweet! You are helping with the FOMO with that view :) Thanks!
I think we might plan a route along that way, actually. Manning area has popped up quiet a bit. Considering to take that route down, up to Banff, the Skywalk (gotta see that glacier before they are all gone), then back down to Vancouver.
What are you interested in seeing or doing? How much time do you have? Hotels and camping (even in a van) offer really different experiences, including where you can go/stay.
Hiking in beautiful scenery is a must. Forests and around mountains. I can understand mountains might not be ideal this time of the season. But if I go with a car, I’m honestly unsure if I can drive around mountains, hike and have time to get back to point where I would be staying?
Thank you for submitting to r/BritishColumbia!
Unfortunately your submission was removed because it was found to be promoting content through the means of spam.
Please read Reddit's guidelines on [self-promotion](https://www.reddit.com/wiki/selfpromotion) and [content](https://www.reddit.com/help/contentpolicy).
Posting job offers or selling of personal items will be removed and considered spam.
Accounts found spamming are at risk of being permanently banned. Consideration will be taken if the account can show they contribute constructively to all communities of Reddit.
If you have any questions, you can [message the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/britishcolumbia). Replies to this removal comment may not be answered.
Forget the campervan-expensive slow and you'll end up in an 'overflow lot' that is to say a gravel parking lot with hundreds of other units-and forget trying to park it in town!
But unless you have reservations in hand you're too late for most places except the cheapest most run down motels.
Air B&B capacity has been greatly reduced by recent legal changes do your research on that and start preparing for Next Year.
So you’d go with the car + rundown motel option?
Other people have said I can stop anywhere with the campervan, so surely I could just avoid those types of campground?
>*'I can stop anywhere with the campervan'*
Those people must not live & travel here in BC.
It's true that a person can camp free for two weeks on what's called Crown Land-**if they know where Crown Land is** and are sure it isn't rangeland or a native reserve or a park or a timber lease or good old fashioned private property that's why it's an option for locals but rarely tourists.
Land use is tightly controlled here as are fire permits that's another important point.
Also rental vehicles cannot be taken on dirt roads-well they can be taken but that invalidates your contract and if you end up in a ditch you pay 100% of the tow & repairs and whatever other charge the rental company cooks up to fatten their bottom line. *(Note I have done this anyway just been Really Careful and I knew where I was going)*
Do yourself a favour and spend some time doing 'dummy bookings' in places you want to visit and see for yourself how busy it will be this summer.
Thanks for the reality check, naked orca! How can I explore and hike in more remoteish lands while having a car? I’ll be going in May, does that change in regards to the crowds?
Head north along Highway 99 -beautiful Howe Sound to your left then past Whistler up, through & over the Coast mountain range into the Cariboo ranch country then north on 97 to the Fraser benchlands-turning west @ Williams Lake and Highway 20.
In May you'll see some sportfishermen a few campers and little else apart from animals & locals *(often indistinguishable)*.
You can drive all the way to Bella Coola or stop at one of the small campgrounds along the way maybe rent a cabin if it's still chilly at night.
You want remote that is it.
https://drivebc.ca/
https://landwithoutlimits.com/
Heading back take another route south through the fabled Fraser Canyon and the lush Fraser Valley-easy to navigate.
Amazing trip! Thank you so much for your suggestions!
We're considering perhaps going down south toward Manning, then up towards Banff through the Rockies up to the Skywalk and then back down to Vancouver in a circle...
Going your route, how feasble would it be to pick up the Skywalk 'along the way' ?
If you’re not from here, bring more money then you’re expecting to spend. Particularly if you’re getting a van. Gas prices were around $2.09/L this morning. Additionally if you want to visit the island, make a reservation for the ferry and bring patients and even more money. While there is tons of camping available, don’t plan on getting into every place you want to get into. Some campgrounds are booked a year in advance.
“Chill” and the Lower Mainland are not two words that go together. You’re going to need to go much further North then here. Depending on your duration, remember that outside of the lower mainland this is a vast province with huge stretches of… nothing. Like there’s tons of nature and shit to see but you also might not see anyone or anything for an hour and that gas station you have to stop at knows this and charges accordingly so like our unofficial moto says “BC- Bring Cash.
Thanks for the reality check! Any idea how much money is ideal for a van trip like that?
In regards to the camping, if I go no mans land, can I just drop anywhere appropriate to sleep?
Would it be better to rent a car and then find lodging instead, considering the gas prices?
Purchase a backroads map book and use that to best plan your trip. The highways are also a huge variable that you need to anticipate. For example: once you leave the lower mainland the highways are no joke. The Coquihalla Highway literally has a section referred to as “The Smasher”. The trip from Vancouver to Kamloops is 3-4 hours on a good day, but a bad day can add hours. Same with all the others. Definitely worth really putting together a list of places you absolutely want to see and plan accordingly to avoid no vacancy’s or no short term rentals.
A lot of places have hostels, once you work out where you are going I would check out hostels for cheaper accommodation and also maybe a few people to chat to while travelling around.
I love Vancouver island but I also love the (Alberta) Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper loop which is close to the border of BC. It might be a bit much to do with 17 days here though I like to meander and take my time when on driving holidays.
Yeah! Looking at all these amazing places, FOMO really sets it. I've tried squeezing a ton of things into my previous travel, and while I saw a lot it was also exhausting.
This trip is gonna be about experiencing some new, amazing landscapes: but most importantly, relax while doing it.
A few people have mentioned going to Vancouver island ferry to Prince Rupert and then drive back to Vancouver. If you decide to do this route, from Prince Rupert to Prince George it’s a long stretch with a lot of small bland towns. Smithers is a nice place to stop at, it’s one of the few towns along the way with a bit of character. Also if you do this route, stop in for a day at Barkerville by (I think) Quesnel.
Have fun.
Why does it need to be a road trip? The alpine roads will require snow tires and can be dangerous, especially with camper vans. Why not just camp somewhere, if that's what you want to do?
What if I avoid the mountains and drive around the low-lands, valleys and forests? Appreciate your word of caution. I have no idea what to expect.
And about camping somewhere: I’d like to explore as much as is realistically possible, so just plopping down in one place and staying there wouldn’t satisfy that itch.
You will always have to drive through mountains in BC unless you never leave the lower mainland around Vancouver or stay along the shore on Vancouver Island.
I wouldn't bother with the campervan. Rent a SUV and drive. If you really want to try your hand at camping then you can hit some cabin rentals or rough it for a few nights in the back of the SUV when accommodations are far away. How much time do you have? Are you traveling in a group?
Google is your friend, but I imagine these days most are on AirBNB unless it's part of a "resort". I use the term loosely as many aren't much more than a campground anyway. I haven't rented one in a long time.
With that much time, I would divide it into two options. One is to loop through the Rocky's and the Kooteneys and the other is to loop through the coast. This is assuming you actually want to see everything and so stuff rather than a quick drive through.
On the coast I would do the Vancouver Island, visiting Victoria and Tofino. Make your way up to Port Hardy and to the ferry to Prince Rupert. Then maybe Haida Gwaii or not depending on your planning. Along highway 16 to Prince George. Heading south along highway 97. Visit Barkerville. Past Williams Lake and 100 mile house. Lots of those cabins in that area. At Cache Creek head east go to Kamloops and the Shuswap then south through the Okanagan all the way to Oosoyoos and then west again along highway 3 back to Vancouver.
If doing the Rocky's then head east from Vancouver on highway 3 and go to Banff and then Jasper. Then head south to Kamloops and do the Okanagan similar to above. You probably have time to do a loop on the island as well. Just won't do the ferry and the Northern run etc.
Cheers!
Thank you very much for your elaborate suggestions!
If doing the Rockies (strongly considering doing that), do you know how the alpine roads are like these days?
By May it should be snow free. However, it's possible to get a late storm with snow when in the Rockies. It shouldn't last long though. There may still be some snow on the ground on the mountain trails if it's a cold spring.
Hello and thanks for posting to r/britishcolumbia! Join our new [Discord Server https://discord.gg/fu7X8nNBFB](https://discord.gg/fu7X8nNBFB) A friendly reminder prior to commenting or posting here: - **Read [r/britishcolumbia's rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/britishcolumbia/about/rules/)**. - **Be civil and respectful** in all discussions. - Use **appropriate sources** to back up any information you provide when necessary. - **Report** any comments that violate our rules. Reminder: "Rage bait" comments or comments designed to elicit a negative reaction that are not based on fact are not permitted here. Let's keep our community respectful and informative! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/britishcolumbia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
How long do you have? I would go east through Manning Park, Osoyoos and Nelson, then make your way to Banff and Jasper. You could also take the ferry to the island, go to Tofino, and then keep on going north taking the overnight ferry to Prince Rupert. You could take the ferry to Haida Gwaii from there, which is pretty incredible.
About 17 days on the road. Which of course should be spent relaxing, taking in the scenery and all that goodness. Thanks for the trip suggestion! I’ll plug it into a map so got a visual on it! Is it possible just stopping somewhere to chill around these spots? Also, if I go with the campervan, how do I ensure I have enough food for the trip? Is there spots around where it’s possible to buy groceries? I have no idea how much wilderness this will take me through.
There are towns at least every hour or 2 on all these routes. You will be absolutely fine for groceries, gas etc. on any numbered highway in BC. Just have fuel stops planned out so you don't pass somewhere with a quarter tank left and then figure out its 150 km to the next gas station or something dumb like that.
Absolutely! Thanks! Have you ever travelled with a camper van before?
Yes, I have camped extensively. Ask me anything.
Whats your preferred mode of travelling? Another commenter recommended a car/SUV and I was intrigued. Mostly due to my worries of driving a camper van 1st through the mountains - I don’t have experience with such a veichle. Whats your thoughts on that? Thanks for your time!
I'll start with a few statements you may or may not find helpful. 1 If the camper is a rental, it will 100% be an automatic transmission and likely gasoline engine. So as far as the controls go, they'll be comparable to a car. 2 There are a few different sizes of camper van. A B class motorhome will be based on a cargo van chassis (Mercedes Sprinter etc) and will be very easy to drive, but may or may not have a shower and/or toilet. There are larger C class motorhomes built on Ford F450 truck chassis that are a little trickier to drive in tight spaces, but have all amenities and a proper queen size bed. There are also companies renting out little camperized minivans, these are just a mattress in the back of a van and may be ideal for you. 3 As far as actually driving the thing, the most stressful thing is going to be navigating towns and cities, especially Vancouver. You will not be able to "look out the back window." Instead, you will have large truck style mirrors with a big convex blindspot mirror. The blindspot mirror should be used in addition to a shoulder check when changing lanes etc, while the large mirror is most useful for judging angles while backing. 4 Driving a heavy vehicle in steep mountains is easy and safe, but there are things you'll have to know. If you don't know, you may die. So, I'll tell you. 5 Uphill: it's an automatic, so just step on it and it'll downshift for you. If it's a steep, long mountain pass (and gasoline engine) somewhere between 3000 and 4000 rpm is about right. You'll likely be going a little slower than the cars, a little faster than the trucks. Keep an eye on the temp gauge, but there shouldn't be a problem. Downhill: A vehicle this big will try to push you downhill. Use the transmission to provide engine braking to help prevent your normal brakes from overheating. Again, 3000-4000 rpm will do. Ideally, you want to slow down at the top of the hill and be in the correct gear for the hill before you start descending, these are unfamilliar roads to you, so you may need to guess. If you're riding the brakes to maintain speed, that means you are going too fast and you're in too high a gear. Use the brakes to slow down further and shift to an even lower gear. Sooner or later, you're going slow enough that you reach an equilibrium where the engine is holding you back and you may not even need to press the brake at all (or very little.) This is the goal. If you're slower than 60 km/h, put on your 4 way flashers, but a camper shouldn't need to go quite that slow, I'd say you'll be around 60-80 on the steeper hills. 6 Other than on those steep hills, as long as the weather's decent do the speed limit. If the corner doesn't have a speed restriction sign, it's safe to take at the limit. If it has a yellow speed limit sign, say a 50 km/h corner, that speed is super safe and set for big transport trucks. Your camper will happily do that speed. Even doing the limit, there will be angry folks behind you. Don't worry about them, don't let them push you, but understand that they will be dangerously angry if you're doing like 70 in a 90 zone with a line of traffic behind you and they will do stupid shit to get by you. This includes trucks, so don't dilly dally. 7 All numbered highways in BC are truck routes. That doesn't necessarily mean the route isn't a goat trail, it just means that its the only passable goat trail leading to your destination and so you're likely to meet transport trucks on that goat trail. It could also be a freeway. You'll find out when you get there.
The campgrounds around Vancouver get really busy, but I think they’re quieter in other parts of the province (except for the really popular tourist spots like Tofino and the Rockies). Check the BC parks website for reservations. And the ferries good to have a reservation as well - if you end up going that direction.
Sounds like a really fun trip by the way!! I used to drive once a year from Vancouver to Trail to see my grandparents, so I love that part of BC. Nice places to stop along the way to swim in lakes, buy pie, and eat borscht.
Tofino is a national park, same as Banff. Will need to go through Parks Canada for passes to those areas.
You pretty much can’t go wrong. There isn’t enough info in this post to give you anything meaningful but pretty much just point and shoot. Anywhere you go you’ll satisfy your list. If you get a van you can sleep anywhere so you don’t need campgrounds. What do you want? Rainforest, desert, mountains, coastline? Plains? We got it all.
I appreciate any and all inputs! I think I got some FOMO and wants to squeeze as MUCH as I can into as little time as possible, which naturally isn’t realistic… I think my main goal is to hike in some beautiful scenery and take a chill pill from every day life for a bit. Mountains and forests is the priority. With a campervan, can I really just stop anywhere? Is there none paid camping grounds I can find somewhere? Not that I mind paying for the amenities now and again, but that level of freedom would be unparalleled. It would be nice if it was a camping ground, mostly so I don’t accidentally mess up the campervan if the road isn’t suitable. Thanks for your input!
You can use the BC Rec Site webpage to see the available sites to stay in. They also list what type of vehicle can access them. http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/
Nice, thank you!
No problem :) I was born in BC and have travelled almost every inch of the province from top to bottom. If you have any specific things you would like to see feel free to DM me and I can give some recommendations.
If it's hiking you're interested in, focus on the Kootenays and the Island. Unpopular opinion since other areas are stunning, but so much of the Coast, the Okanagan and the Caribou is indigenous or privately owned land (even seemingly remote areas) and they are active in preventing trespassers. Without knowing the local area, you may unintentionally go on private property. Other tidbit - be bear aware. The back country will be waking up, so make sure you stop by a local outdoors shop in the interior or the island so you're ready. Have trip plans that people know about, and be sure to know where will (and where will NOT) have cell reception. Edit: grammar
You can’t just sleep on the side of the highway but yeah you can stay pretty much anywhere that’s safe. Walmart allows you to stay over night in the parking lot. Usually there’s signs where they really don’t want you to camp overnight. As another user said, check the rec sites. Most are free!
Consider buying BC Backroads Mapbook for whatever area or region you plan on going to...you'll get the opportunity to see & visit BC's "real wilderness". I don't remember the last time I paid for a campspot.
I will absolutely do that! Thanks for the suggestion!
Yeah, especially where you're going. People who talk about reservations and paying for spots are city people who don't want to drag their nice campers into the best camp sites. I just went on a 6000 km trip from southern BC to Los Angeles/Grand Canyon/Zion National park towing a camping trailer. I stayed in exactly one paid RV campground and it was in LA. the rest of the trip I camped at beautiful sites all through the US for free. BC has many sites like this. One thing to be concerned about is logging trucks on those backroads. Expect them to be moving, fast. Look both ahead and behind you and get the hell out of their way. Sites and Trails BC is the website that shows the forestry campgrounds and hiking areas. It will also tell you if they are 4x4 access only. Don't get lost, those logging roads go for hundreds of km and can be a maze.
Wow, sounds incredible! Is it feasable in your opinion to go by car, then consider a cabin somewhere for ease of access to day-hiking spots? What do you do for food? Got a fridge? Thanks for the site recommendation, I’ll check ‘em out.
My travel trailer is like a house. It has everything, full kitchen, bathroom, dining table, A/C and Furnace, queen size bed... It's basically a complete, tiny portable house. There are cabins for rent all over the place, google maps is your friend for finding places like that. It may be cheaper than a camper van/motorhome rental. For extra food on your trip, I recommend just getting a cooler. Gas stations sell bags of ice, hotels have ice machines for free as well. A rental car, a portable little gas hotplate/stove and a cooler could have you very well fed in the woods.
these can be bought inside GPS apps, so you display them as layers inside the app, like satelittle view in g maps. I find this the most helpful.
BRMB also have their own app. Which GPS apps offer BRMB layers for sale through them? I know Gaia has a couple of layers, which are free, but none of the points of interest.
A fun trip if you’re interested is a circle that Includes Inside Passage Ferry. Up to Prince Rupert, across to Port Hardy, down the coast of the island and back across to Van.
How long do you reckon that would take? Thanks for the suggestion!
I did it last year and we did it over 10 days, with tons of stops for day hikes along the way. Honestly could’ve afforded an extra couple days just on that route, but there’s some side routes that could go even longer.
How did you travel? By car or van, or?
We did it just by car (SUV, idk if that matters). We actually did it relatively cheaply too, but keep in mind I own my vehicle and didn’t rent: With this particular trip, you’re never quite in the middle of nowhere, so accommodation (hotels/motels for us) wasn’t an issue. As for food, we stopped at Costco’s along the way combined with a cooler, and were pretty set. All in all, with gas: we spent ~$2500 for the two of us and 10 days (keep in mind the ferry was $1000/2). It was pretty incredible with tons of varying scenery and great hiking.
My suggestion for this type of trip is always to do it in a loop, if you can. Meaning, for example, if you're going from Vancouver to Banff, take Highway 3 one way and Highway 1 back - you'll get to see much more diverse areas of the province this way. From Vancouver, take Highway 3 to Cranbrook, head north up through the Kootenays, scoot East through Kananaskis Country to Banff. Highway 1 back is a faster trip with still lots of great sites to see. It's most common for people to take the Coquihalla Highway to Vancouver but the Highway 1 route through the Fraser Canyon is way, way more scenic. Takes longer but well worth it in my estimation. If you want to visit Vancouver Island, same idea. From Vancouver take the ferry to Victoria - visit the Island - then return to the mainland from Nanaimo. From there, it's a short drive to Whistler, then back to Vancouver.
Awesome!! That sounds doable! Is it possible to grab groceries on this route along the way? I can rent a fridge for 300 CAD, but if I could go with few fresh food items to cut down that would be ideal. Is that insane to do?
Yes, these are two of BCs major transportation routes and have towns every 100 k or so
Another even longer way than the Fraser Canyon is Duffy lake road. I travel between the interior and coast multiple times per year and at least once will take the Duffy when I’m not in a rush. Goes through Lilooet, Pemberton, Whistler and Squamish and then into Van. It’s beautiful, I often see lots of wildlife too.
Rent a car. Drive from Vancouver to Victoria, taking a BC Ferry through the gulf Islands. Drive up Vancouver Island to Port Hardy, and take the BC Ferry through the inside passage to Prince Rupert. Take the BC Ferry to Haida Gwaii. Join a 4 day tour through south island UNESCO World Heritage Site through Moresby Explorers and see dozens of abandoned Haida villages. Explore Haida Gwaii and then return to Prince Rupert. Drive east to Prince George, then south through Kamloops ( optional 2 day trip from here to see the Rockies) then south through Kelowna and down to Osoyoos ( Canada's only desert, rattlesnakes and cactus) Lots of good wineries to see. Then head west through Manning Park to Vancouver. You will not regret it.
I know you put tent out of the equation right away, but maybe you could reconsider that. It is extremely easy to get a spot for a tent at any camping, and it is a lot cheaper. You can get really comfortable in a tent if you travel in a car. Also the money you save on the day you are camping, can be used for a few days of hotel in location that are worth it. I did a road with 3 days in tent, one in hotel a few years ago and would not recommend anyone to do it differently. You can already look at glamping option on https://www.hipcamp.com/en-CA that might also help reduce your cost. Also getting off the beaten path might help reduce your cost. The west Kootenay is little known by the tourist, and absolutely beautiful place to go to. You have north of jasper, in between McBride and prince George some amazing rain forest with gigantic trees that are thousand year old. The ferry between prince Rupert and Port hardy is also quite an amazing trip (to do during the day).
That sounds absolutely amazing! Will look into this! Thanks for the suggestion!
I see that you also mentioned considering a tent. However it will be early May when we get there, what is your experience with the weather in May?
We live in the east Kootenay. Historically you would have to expect the last frost day by mid may and a lot of rain. The last two years have been very different. We have gotten our last frost day in early April with temperature in the 20C in May, and sadly no rain. This year, seems to look like the last two. Seems we had our last frost on the 1st of April and the forecast is currently above freezing for the next 2 weeks. Hard to say for the rain. I would love to get as much as possible as that would help with the fire season. Banff is usually colder and Jasper being further north is usually even colder. So for those I would not recommend the tent. The west is usually warmer. The west Kootenay is supposed to be wetter, but has been in a drought mood than the east Kootenay. At least we got a normal snow pack this year in the east. Basically I think it is likely the weather will be nice west of Golden for a tent and that east might be better to be in an hotel/ motel/ structure.
Thank you so much for those insight! That has helped tremendously with our planning!
Good for you! Our province is amazing. You won't be able see it all, so don't t try Do you want to see the ocean? Big mountains? Beautiful to see lakes? Do you want to see wine tours and go golfing? Where you go depends on what you want to see. Where are you from? Will you be comfortable driving pon mountain roads? There is so much to see and do here.
I haven’t driven a camper van before, so that feels a little daunting. The freedom of having a camper van makes it easier to plop down wherever though, which seems to be the main selling point for me, currently. I want to take a quick dip in the Pacific Ocean (yes, I know, it’s cold) - just to say I swam in it. But then it would mostly be exploring the scenery and hike in the forests that are the main points with this trip. I’ve driven on mountain roads in the Canaries with a normal car - not for the faint of hearts - but never in snow, so I’m unsure of what to expect in that regard
May should be ok, you might hit a snow storm or two, but for the most part the roads should be dry. I would recommend Vancouver then north up HWY 99 through the howe sound (whistler/Squamish/liloet) Then up to Kamloops and over to the Okanagan Valley (Vernon/Kelowna) down to Penticton and over HWY 3 back to Vancouver. You will see the ocean, big mountains, lakes and other gorgeous scenery. Plenty of easy camping spots that don't need 4 wheel drive. And you can get from one spot to the next in just a few short hours. I did that years ago and would do it again.
Thank you for that recommendation! I've plotted it in and will taking that into consideration! The more I look around on Google maps, the more I realize you really can't go wrong! Do you have any recommendation for kayaking? Any special landmarks that's a must see besides the one you just mentioned?
If you go the RV route, just make sure to budget for fuel, it's expensive as shit right now. I take mine throughout the province, you'll likely get ~10mpg = ~24l/100km at best and a little bit worse in the mountains. Gas is currently about $2.10/l around Metro Vancouver but a little cheaper in the interior. You should probably budget for about $50 fuel for every 100km driven. If you end up a bit cheaper, can just have more fun somewhere else!
Awesome info! Thanks, I'll put that consideration into our budget! I think we are maybe going with the car-route this time around, mostly due to the worry of driving a larger van through the mountains.
My suggestion is to rent an SUV that is big enough to sleep in. It’ll be cheaper than a camper and you can take it anywhere. Most areas of the province (the exceptions being in official parks) it’s pretty easy to find a logging road that has a nice pullout by a beautiful river where you can camp for free and enjoy nature the way it was intended to be enjoyed - with piece and quiet and without anyone else around to bother you
Thank you for your recommendation! Wouldn't it be a tad too chilly to sleep in at night?
Not in my experience. Often quite the opposite actually. A halfway decent sleeping bag and you’ll be more than OK
my 2 cents, BC is freaking huge, like really huge. I would say you are going to waste a lot of time just driving and although the sights are great you will find they are mostly similar for long stretches of time. Not that that's a bad thing. I would say if you stick to a region, like say this trip I'm just doing the island. You would still have a huge amount of area to explore but have a little more time to explore it in detail. I moved here 12 years ago and rarely leave the area I live in because there is so much to explore in such a small area. For example I have yet to even get to the island, or the coastal forests. I live in the Okanagan area, Kelowna to be exact and I would highly recommend this area. It's very central has a lot to explore/do/ big beautiful lake. But say you want the really big mountain experience like Revelstoke. it's a fantastic car ride from Kelowna to Revi and it is only 3 hours away. Vancouver is 4 hours in the opposite direction. Nelson is 6 hours from Kelowna. But lots of chill things to do here.
Sweet! You are helping with the FOMO with that view :) Thanks! I think we might plan a route along that way, actually. Manning area has popped up quiet a bit. Considering to take that route down, up to Banff, the Skywalk (gotta see that glacier before they are all gone), then back down to Vancouver.
What are you interested in seeing or doing? How much time do you have? Hotels and camping (even in a van) offer really different experiences, including where you can go/stay.
Hiking in beautiful scenery is a must. Forests and around mountains. I can understand mountains might not be ideal this time of the season. But if I go with a car, I’m honestly unsure if I can drive around mountains, hike and have time to get back to point where I would be staying?
[удалено]
Thank you for submitting to r/BritishColumbia! Unfortunately your submission was removed because it was found to be promoting content through the means of spam. Please read Reddit's guidelines on [self-promotion](https://www.reddit.com/wiki/selfpromotion) and [content](https://www.reddit.com/help/contentpolicy). Posting job offers or selling of personal items will be removed and considered spam. Accounts found spamming are at risk of being permanently banned. Consideration will be taken if the account can show they contribute constructively to all communities of Reddit. If you have any questions, you can [message the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/britishcolumbia). Replies to this removal comment may not be answered.
Forget the campervan-expensive slow and you'll end up in an 'overflow lot' that is to say a gravel parking lot with hundreds of other units-and forget trying to park it in town! But unless you have reservations in hand you're too late for most places except the cheapest most run down motels. Air B&B capacity has been greatly reduced by recent legal changes do your research on that and start preparing for Next Year.
So you’d go with the car + rundown motel option? Other people have said I can stop anywhere with the campervan, so surely I could just avoid those types of campground?
>*'I can stop anywhere with the campervan'* Those people must not live & travel here in BC. It's true that a person can camp free for two weeks on what's called Crown Land-**if they know where Crown Land is** and are sure it isn't rangeland or a native reserve or a park or a timber lease or good old fashioned private property that's why it's an option for locals but rarely tourists. Land use is tightly controlled here as are fire permits that's another important point. Also rental vehicles cannot be taken on dirt roads-well they can be taken but that invalidates your contract and if you end up in a ditch you pay 100% of the tow & repairs and whatever other charge the rental company cooks up to fatten their bottom line. *(Note I have done this anyway just been Really Careful and I knew where I was going)* Do yourself a favour and spend some time doing 'dummy bookings' in places you want to visit and see for yourself how busy it will be this summer.
Thanks for the reality check, naked orca! How can I explore and hike in more remoteish lands while having a car? I’ll be going in May, does that change in regards to the crowds?
Head north along Highway 99 -beautiful Howe Sound to your left then past Whistler up, through & over the Coast mountain range into the Cariboo ranch country then north on 97 to the Fraser benchlands-turning west @ Williams Lake and Highway 20. In May you'll see some sportfishermen a few campers and little else apart from animals & locals *(often indistinguishable)*. You can drive all the way to Bella Coola or stop at one of the small campgrounds along the way maybe rent a cabin if it's still chilly at night. You want remote that is it. https://drivebc.ca/ https://landwithoutlimits.com/ Heading back take another route south through the fabled Fraser Canyon and the lush Fraser Valley-easy to navigate.
Amazing trip! Thank you so much for your suggestions! We're considering perhaps going down south toward Manning, then up towards Banff through the Rockies up to the Skywalk and then back down to Vancouver in a circle... Going your route, how feasble would it be to pick up the Skywalk 'along the way' ?
LOL
If you’re not from here, bring more money then you’re expecting to spend. Particularly if you’re getting a van. Gas prices were around $2.09/L this morning. Additionally if you want to visit the island, make a reservation for the ferry and bring patients and even more money. While there is tons of camping available, don’t plan on getting into every place you want to get into. Some campgrounds are booked a year in advance. “Chill” and the Lower Mainland are not two words that go together. You’re going to need to go much further North then here. Depending on your duration, remember that outside of the lower mainland this is a vast province with huge stretches of… nothing. Like there’s tons of nature and shit to see but you also might not see anyone or anything for an hour and that gas station you have to stop at knows this and charges accordingly so like our unofficial moto says “BC- Bring Cash.
Thanks for the reality check! Any idea how much money is ideal for a van trip like that? In regards to the camping, if I go no mans land, can I just drop anywhere appropriate to sleep? Would it be better to rent a car and then find lodging instead, considering the gas prices?
Purchase a backroads map book and use that to best plan your trip. The highways are also a huge variable that you need to anticipate. For example: once you leave the lower mainland the highways are no joke. The Coquihalla Highway literally has a section referred to as “The Smasher”. The trip from Vancouver to Kamloops is 3-4 hours on a good day, but a bad day can add hours. Same with all the others. Definitely worth really putting together a list of places you absolutely want to see and plan accordingly to avoid no vacancy’s or no short term rentals.
> Coquihalla Highway Sounds dangerous. We can go slow if need be! Do you know how the road conditions are these days?
To BC from where?
Sorry! Flying into Vancouver. I’ll be updating my post to reflect that. Thanks for your question!
A lot of places have hostels, once you work out where you are going I would check out hostels for cheaper accommodation and also maybe a few people to chat to while travelling around. I love Vancouver island but I also love the (Alberta) Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper loop which is close to the border of BC. It might be a bit much to do with 17 days here though I like to meander and take my time when on driving holidays.
Yeah! Looking at all these amazing places, FOMO really sets it. I've tried squeezing a ton of things into my previous travel, and while I saw a lot it was also exhausting. This trip is gonna be about experiencing some new, amazing landscapes: but most importantly, relax while doing it.
A few people have mentioned going to Vancouver island ferry to Prince Rupert and then drive back to Vancouver. If you decide to do this route, from Prince Rupert to Prince George it’s a long stretch with a lot of small bland towns. Smithers is a nice place to stop at, it’s one of the few towns along the way with a bit of character. Also if you do this route, stop in for a day at Barkerville by (I think) Quesnel. Have fun.
Why does it need to be a road trip? The alpine roads will require snow tires and can be dangerous, especially with camper vans. Why not just camp somewhere, if that's what you want to do?
Dude. Winter is over, and the passes had like a grand total of 10ish days they were nasty this year.
Winter's still required on some roads until April 30th. Fresh snow is a hazard for all vehicles. Do you live here?
I do indeed. And I see much, much more snow than the vast bulk of people in BC. Also, May is not April. Drive for conditions, kids!
What if I avoid the mountains and drive around the low-lands, valleys and forests? Appreciate your word of caution. I have no idea what to expect. And about camping somewhere: I’d like to explore as much as is realistically possible, so just plopping down in one place and staying there wouldn’t satisfy that itch.
You will always have to drive through mountains in BC unless you never leave the lower mainland around Vancouver or stay along the shore on Vancouver Island. I wouldn't bother with the campervan. Rent a SUV and drive. If you really want to try your hand at camping then you can hit some cabin rentals or rough it for a few nights in the back of the SUV when accommodations are far away. How much time do you have? Are you traveling in a group?
I’m traveling with my girlfriend, and about 17 days! Also, how do I go about finding cabins like you mentioned?
Google is your friend, but I imagine these days most are on AirBNB unless it's part of a "resort". I use the term loosely as many aren't much more than a campground anyway. I haven't rented one in a long time. With that much time, I would divide it into two options. One is to loop through the Rocky's and the Kooteneys and the other is to loop through the coast. This is assuming you actually want to see everything and so stuff rather than a quick drive through. On the coast I would do the Vancouver Island, visiting Victoria and Tofino. Make your way up to Port Hardy and to the ferry to Prince Rupert. Then maybe Haida Gwaii or not depending on your planning. Along highway 16 to Prince George. Heading south along highway 97. Visit Barkerville. Past Williams Lake and 100 mile house. Lots of those cabins in that area. At Cache Creek head east go to Kamloops and the Shuswap then south through the Okanagan all the way to Oosoyoos and then west again along highway 3 back to Vancouver. If doing the Rocky's then head east from Vancouver on highway 3 and go to Banff and then Jasper. Then head south to Kamloops and do the Okanagan similar to above. You probably have time to do a loop on the island as well. Just won't do the ferry and the Northern run etc. Cheers!
Thank you very much for your elaborate suggestions! If doing the Rockies (strongly considering doing that), do you know how the alpine roads are like these days?
By May it should be snow free. However, it's possible to get a late storm with snow when in the Rockies. It shouldn't last long though. There may still be some snow on the ground on the mountain trails if it's a cold spring.
You really can't avoid mountains if you're travelling any distance in BC.