Just go for it or reservations?

[marla]

First time to tent camp with grandkids 13 &11. Good kids. Idaho, Montana and Canada. I have passports and travel docs for them. I want to be free to travel when I want but wonder how busy it gets and if most people make reservations??

And does anyone know if you can bring food into Canada except fruit?

What do most of you do?

:tinysmile_hmm_t:

 

[northernbushape]

Just saw that no one answered, so I can at least address the Canada part. To the best of my knowledge you can bring store-packaged food into Canada, but fresh produce is generally a no-no. I would check with customs before you depart and make sure, but we sometimes will go down into Washington and bring back groceries if we have time, and we have never been hassled at the border for it.

As far as camp sites go, if you are staying in a provincial campground, it is best to call ahead and check as some take reservations and some don't. During summer months it is advisable to try and get reservations unless you are going off highway to a remote rec site or wilderness area. Anything within easy access to a highway is generally full all summer.

If you have specific questions about Canadian destinations, I can offer what I know about the area, so feel free to ask.

 

[Ilovelife]

Wow, sounds like it will be a good time! I think it is always good to call ahead if you can. If not at least know 2 or 3 locations. That way if you are adventuring you know how far the next camp ground is.

 

[Bradsalex]

Well we "just went for it" on our last camping trip and 2 of the 3 nights we didn't have any issues. On the last night we had to drive to three local campsites to find one that would accomadate our needs. So depending on your availability of camping areas I would still recommend going for it, because we didn't end up making it as far as we had anticipated each night. We could have lost money on campsites we never would have made it to if we reserved.

 

[peanut]

I have "winged" it many times and been lucky enough to find some place to stay but it's not for everyone. With kids in tow I'd recommend making some kind of reservations.

 

[Charlene]

I can be whimsical myself, but with the children on board, it's probably better to have some plans set up ahead of time. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Yab9]

I usually don't make reservation but then again, I usually camp outside the high season. I have a rather small tent so finding a spot is not that difficult for me.

 

[dinosaur]

I agree with Yab9. I have a tendency to wander like a stray dog. I'd have to make reservations at a hundred places and hope I hit one at the right time.

 

[shaun]

You can bring certain types of food but they are very strict, fresh produce will not be permitted. My parents just came back from a holiday in Canada and Alaska, they had a great time and ate lots of wild salmon! I'm sure the kids will love it.

 

[hummingbird]

We have had some spontaneous trips and have been lucky enough to find spots with the camper and with tents. However, last year our kids took their camper out and couldn't find a spot anywhere. Of course it was during the summertime and at peak time. I think it's just depending on the time you choose to go.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Haven't traveled across Canada in quite a while. When I did, the thought of reservations never even entered my mind. There were several occasions that I had to 'find' my own camping spot for the night, though.

Another thought...Canada also has/had regulations requiring a certain amount of vehicle insurance (if you get into a crash). U.S. insurers would issue you a 'yellow' card for proof that your insurance met Canadian standards. Have you asked your insurance provider about this?

On some occasions I was also asked by Canadian Customs how much cash I was carrying. A minimum amount was required for entry.

Lastly...some of the smaller Canadian border crossing stations would close for the night...opening again in the morning. On at least one occasion I ended up camping in front of the border crossing station for the night.

Wishing you all a pleasant travel vacation.

 

[ppine]

Outside of National Parks, I can count the amount of times I have reserved campsites ahead of time on one hand in 50 years.