Thinking of Going North To Canada

[RUSSELL5000]

The family, for reasons I cannot begin to comprehend, just does not seem to be that interested in a big trip out west. My younger son (13) would rather stay home next summer so he can spend a week at scout camp here in Pennsylvania than take a big trip out to Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. My older son (15) does not want to miss cross-country practice in July and August. My wife does not want to drive that far (about 5,000 miles round trip). This is all up to them because I will be at work and cannot go the entire time. Makes no sense to me - I would be gone the day school was out next summer if I was them.

Anyhow, my older son says to me this morning - what about going north to Canada? Apart from Labatt and Molson beer, I never think about Canada.

So, has anyone been around in Canada directly north of the states of Pennsylvania and New York? I see that Algonquin Provincial Park is about 350 miles from where I am at in northwestern Pennsylvania. Has anyone done the RV trip up that way?

Thanks!

 

[jhenderson]

I can't speak about that area but my wife and I recently went to the Bay of Fundy. Years ago( don't ask how many) we honeymooned in Prince Edward Island. I always found the people to be quiet, polite and friendly. Camping areas and parks are clean and well kept, and I enjoy the scenery and solitude. Roads are usually in good shape and low traffic. In general, I like the place.

 

[jelag]

We've been to Canada many times from the pacific northwest... its a nice trip and we're going to do it again... find a debit or credit card that will not charge you a foreign exchange fee each time you use the card.... fuel is 25-35% more costly... before you go learn the rules of what you can and can't take across the border... we travel with our dog and carry a letter from our vet... I shoot and clean all the guns and ammo out of the vehicles and have had issues in years past when they found some empty brass on the floor of the truck...

Each time we go... we go to their customs web site and get whats currently on the "no no" list... one trip dog food was an issue... other times there was a problem with fresh fruit... each time it seems different based on what we're nicking their people for... or at least it seems that way....

If your going for several weeks, make sure that your health care policy is good there... and of course your vehicle policy...

And last... Have a great trip... I've traveled to Quebec on business and frankly would never take my truck and 5er into that province... too many who don't speak English... and if you don't speak French they won't give you the time of day... at least that's my opinion....

 

[mfurrh55]

And last... Have a great trip... I've traveled to Quebec on business and frankly would never take my truck and 5er into that province... too many who don't speak English... and if you don't speak French they won't give you the time of day... at least that's my opinion....[/QUOTE] Yeah stay out of Quebec, especially Montreal, They won't speak english if there life depended on it, used to haul freight in there and hated it every time, finally found a young lady at the delivery place that spoke english and she was nice looking and dressed in a business suit, and her english made you cringe, she said every nasty word i ever heard and some i hadn't, Couldn't believe them words came out of such a pretty face, They do not like us up there, Monte

 

[S.Morris]

I live about 2hrs from the Quebec border (in ONtario) and don't ever go near Montreal. Out in the Quebec country side folks are pretty much like country folk anywhere else and will help you out if they can EVEN if there English is not so good. (Just not in Montreal, unless you are in the english area on the island).

The province of Ontario is larger than any other state or province in NA but gets pretty sparce the farther north you go. There are many provincial parks or St. Lawrence parks to camp at if thats what you are looking to do.

 

[Shadrach]

Come on up eh. You get to travel at 110 on our highways That works out to just under 70 MPH. When you buy diesel just remember a litre is almost the same as a US quart ( 3.79 l = 1 US gal ) The nice thing about most of our Dodges is the overhead computer has a US/Metric button so you can check outside temperature for example.

If you come up thru Buffalo you could check out Southern Ontario and do a circle trip and go back down thru Detroit.Or you could head East and enter Canada thru Maine. Some things are different and many are the same. It's interesting to discover what they are, for example Ritz Crackers are a slight different colour and also a slight different taste. When I travelled to Columbus In last year I had to figure out how to make my Canadian credit card work at your pumps since I can't enter my Zip Code. MasterCard told me how to do it.
David

 

[mwilson]

Come on up eh. You get to travel at 110 on our highways That works out to just under 70 MPH. When you buy diesel just remember a litre is almost the same as a US quart ( 3.79 l = 1 US gal ) The nice thing about most of our Dodges is the overhead computer has a US/Metric button so you can check outside temperature for example.

If you come up thru Buffalo you could check out Southern Ontario and do a circle trip and go back down thru Detroit.Or you could head East and enter Canada thru Maine. Some things are different and many are the same. It's interesting to discover what they are, for example Ritz Crackers are a slight different colour and also a slight different taste. When I travelled to Columbus In last year I had to figure out how to make my Canadian credit card work at your pumps since I can't enter my Zip Code. MasterCard told me how to do it.
David

Coca-Cola tastes different and has a different calorie count in Canada. Weirds me right out.

BUT other than that little issue it is a great place to spend time.

We just spent 10 days on Campobello Island which contains the towns of Wilson's Beach and Welshpool, NB., nice place, nice people....that's why we keep going back.

If it was good enough for FDR then it is certainly good enough for me....

 

[mwilson]

I live about 2hrs from the Quebec border (in ONtario) and don't ever go near Montreal. Out in the Quebec country side folks are pretty much like country folk anywhere else and will help you out if they can EVEN if there English is not so good. (Just not in Montreal, unless you are in the english area on the island).

The province of Ontario is larger than any other state or province in NA but gets pretty sparce the farther north you go. There are many provincial parks or St. Lawrence parks to camp at if thats what you are looking to do.

Montreal and Quebec City are a PITA. They do not like us as mentioned above.

Used to have to run up to Quebec City and pick up equipment...I dreaded it every time.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Just make sure that your passport and any paperwork is in order, COMING BACK, our side can be a PITA, I think its because the border people are trying to look like they are doing their Government jobs, sort of a job justification so to speak

 

[S.Morris]

Montreal and Quebec City are a PITA. They do not like us as mentioned above.

Used to have to run up to Quebec City and pick up equipment...I dreaded it every time.

Not Americans they don't like (the separatists....) it's anyone who does not speak french. My wife is fluently bilingual (french) and also hates Montreal

 

[mwilson]

Not Americans they don't like (the separatists....) it's anyone who does not speak french. My wife is fluently bilingual (french) and also hates Montreal

Yes, that seemed to be a huge part of the issue. They figure if you are there that you should speak the lingo.

Most of then can speak english but refuse to do so when in Quebec.

I may have told of this before, if so I apologize..

Went to Quebec City with a 35 ton lowbed one day to pick up a used excavator that my employer had purchased from the Q.C. John Deere dealer. Went inside to present the check and get the sales paperwork plus extra copies needed to cross back into the USA. Went from person to person asking for whomever did the bill of sale and so on. Blank looks or a stream of French was what I was getting back.

Got up in the middle of the night to get there, not in the best of moods for that kind of action.

Walked out in the center of the showroom, held up the check (25,000.00) and announced that "IF SOMEONE DOES NOT START SPEAKING ENGLISH THIS CHECK, THAT TRUCK AND MY *** ARE GOING BACK TO MAINE RIGHT ****ING NOW.

Well lo and behold all kinds of people starting talking in English. Damndest thing you ever saw.......

 

[mwilson]

The French that they speak to my understanding is a far purer French than what is spoken in Northern Maine and New Brunswick. We have many employees from the County that can speak both but have a very hard time trying to communicate with truck drivers from Quebec.
A lot of slang in the Northern Maine version I think.

 

[mwilson]

We refer to the Northern Maine french as "Speaking upside down".......

"comment ça va ?"

 

[BIGNASTY]

Turn about is fair play Right? they come down here and ask a question I act like I don't understand a damn word their saying, and when I give them directions they always seem to misunderstand cause they go in the wrong direction

 

[mwilson]

Speakin' of Quebec some of our friends and customers went to the uphill, loaded truck drags this weekend...

Crap, can't get it to link. Will try again later.....they sent me a few nice videos

 

[Wayne M.]

I couldn't believe the amount of Canadians when I visited Lake Placid.

 

[Regcabguy]

I've found the English speaking Canadian snowbirds to be quite pleasant. However,the wife and I were at Bryce Canyon and a bunch of French speakers were jabbering away and bogarting the trail. I politely said "excuse me" to the group twice and they were oblivious. We finally just brushed them aside and continued our journey. One of the members of the group had a Canadian maple leaf t-shirt on. I don't know if the group was French with a Canadian shirt on or from Canada. Whatever,they were rude.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I will take the maples leafs any-day over ORNAMENTAL'S, They come to Glacier by the bus loads the most inconsiderate, obnoxious, smell like **** A** H***s on the planet. Penny was looking at some little do-dad in a gift shop in Glacier some Slope came up took it out of her hands and started squawking like a chicken to another fish head. The bus load of them were still talking about the cowboy that told them to **** off and get the **** away from me with breath that smells like they have been eating **** and as they all cackled like a bunch of chickens running back to the bus so was the cowboy flapping his wings and clucking like a chicken just like they do before I cut their heads off for dinner. Damn I hate those people if you can call them that!!!

Same with the rag heads, they get in line and are standing there they cant leave a little room they stand RIGHT ****ING next to ya, Damn back off Ive had Doctors that didn't stand as close to me as you are and they were checking my Prostate, I have to ask WHAT THE HELL IS IT THAT YOU RAG HEADS EAT THAT MAKES YOU SMELL LIKE **** ? Damn Dude Back off ya smell, and then I noticed that I was talking to a woman :-laf

BIG

 

[BIGNASTY]

I will take the maples leafs any-day over ORNAMENTAL'S, They come to Glacier by the bus loads the most inconsiderate, obnoxious, smell like **** A** H***s on the planet. Penny was looking at some little do-dad in a gift shop in Glacier some Slope came up took it out of her hands and started squawking like a chicken to another fish head. The bus load of them were still talking about the cowboy that told them to **** off and get the **** away from me with breath that smells like they have been eating **** and as they all cackled like a bunch of chickens running back to the bus so was the cowboy flapping his wings and clucking like a chicken just like they do before I cut their heads off for dinner. Damn I hate those people if you can call them that!!!

Same with the rag heads, they get in line and are standing there they cant leave a little room they stand RIGHT ****ING next to ya, Damn back off Ive had Doctors that didn't stand as close to me as you are and they were checking my Prostate, I have to ask WHAT THE HELL IS IT THAT YOU RAG HEADS EAT THAT MAKES YOU SMELL LIKE **** ? Damn Dude Back off ya smell, and then I noticed that I was talking to a woman :-laf

BIG

Penny here I just read what BIG wrote, HE'S NOT KIDDING HE DOES THINGS LIKE THIS!!!

 

[Cooper_D]

Went to Niagara Falls a couple years back and at the border of Canada they asked are you carrying this, that, the other thing - do you own guns? If yes where are they? Pepper spray? Yes! Well you can't have that up here pull over there & surrender your pepper spray.

They acted as if we will keep asking you questions until we find something you did wrong.

Wife sat in truck while I went inside, filled out paperwork and surrendered pepper spray. I got back in truck & she found the whole thing funny. I did not.

Coming back to USA a real hard butt tried to rattle my chain with attitude, but all I could think about was he was just doing his job and I am on vacation and he is not!

Glad to get back home and not eager to go back although watching videos of some of the parks might tempt me back some day.