Canada

Trying out the RV Life with CanaDream

Article and photography by Jennifer Merrick

Life is a highway…

As a long-time road trip aficionado, I’ve often dreamed of owning an RV. But a part of me had doubts. What if we couldn’t drive it? What if we all drove each other crazy? What if we couldn’t figure out the sewer system like in the Robin Williams’ comedy movie?

So we decided to try it out before investing and hit the road with a Midi Motorhome from CanaDream. This Canadian-based company has a fleet of over 1000 RVs in cities across the country, including Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Whitehouse, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Their vehicles range from Van Campers designed for two to the Maxi Plus Motorhome that fits four adults and three children comfortably. We chose the Midi Motorhome, which was roomy enough to give our teenage daughter some privacy and had everything our own home had but on a smaller scale: air conditioner, furnace, shower, toilet, refrigerator, freezer, a queen-sized bed, two twin beds and dining table.

1000 Islands

Our first destination was the beautiful 1000 Islands, located three hours east of Toronto. We picked a private campground, the Ivy League KOA, both for its location and amenities, particularly internet as my daughter still had three days left of classes. With its outdoor pool, huge bouncy ‘pillow’ trampoline, hiking trails and store, it felt like a family-friendly resort. Highlights included:

Biking the St. Lawrence Recreational Trail. Running along the 1000 Island Parkway, this scenic off-road route stretches from Gananoque to Butternut Bay, near Brockville. It was an absolute pleasure to ride with views of the St. Lawrence, attractions en route and even wildlife sightings. We were thrilled to encounter a fox one of our rides. The bike path was accessible from the campground, and it was approximately 15 km to the pretty town of Gananoque, where we had lunch at Stonewater Pub.

Hiking at Landon Bay. Only a 20-minute bike ride from our campsite, this 225-acre property is part of the 1000 Island National Park, which consists of 26 islands and parts of the mainland. The trails took us through all the features of the UNESCO-recognized Biosphere Reserve: old growth forest, ancient granite outcroppings and marshlands. The Lookout Trail led us to a huge granite slab atop a hill looking over Landon Bay, the St. Lawrence River and a few of the region’s 1864 islands. The Avalanche Pass lived up to its name with boulders big and small strewn along it and a wooden platform provided a view of an osprey nest, a majestic eagle-like bird native to the region. It was everything we could have wished for in a hike, including a wishing tree, circa 1850. My wish came true watching my teenage daughter climb the tree.

Merrickville

On the road again, we headed to Merrickville, an endearing village on the banks of the Rideau Canal about 80 kms south of Ottawa. The small town charmed us immediately with its main street lined with boutiques, artist studios and cafés as well as its locks surrounded by picnic-table-dotted parkland. And our campsite, The Lions Club of Merrickville Campground, was located right on the canal and smack dab in the middle of it all.

Walking on Main Street, ice cream and coffee from local purveyors were first on the agenda. Treats in hand, we wandered over to watch a boat navigate the locks on the canal. We picked up a few provisions, including some freshly baked sour dough bread and scones at Nana Bs, a family-run bakery that came highly recommended. Next, a patio dinner and people watching at Main Street Family Restaurant. An evening stroll watching the sunset from the shores of the river finished off our day.

Ottawa

After a morning paddle board jaunt, we followed the Rideau Canal, driving up to our nation’s capital. Our home for the next two nights was the Wesley Clover Campground. Though it was just a 20-minute drive from downtown, you’d never know it. Our site was surrounded by forest, and as we breathed the oxygen-rich air, we felt more relaxed than we had for a long time. Highlights included:

Biking the Rideau Canal Promenade. Ottawa has an impressive 980 kilometres of bike trails. We parked our RV at the Canadian Food and Agricultural Museum and cycled along the canal to the city center to see the parliament buildings. Since every good bike ride deserves a reward, we stopped for succulent desserts and a cappuccino at the Canal Ritz, a patio overlooking the canal.

Exploring the Ottawa River. On this yet another stellar bike ride, we were able to access the trails straight from our campsite and traversed sections of the trans-Canada trail before pedalling along the Ottawa River. We stopped often to enjoy some of the parks along the way. Once again, I was struck by the vastness of Ottawa’s green spaces. We even saw deer on the trail.

There was so much more we wanted to do in Ottawa, but our week was over, and we reluctantly drove back to Toronto and handed over the keys.

Verdict?

We thoroughly enjoyed our first RV adventure with CanaDream. What we appreciated most was having such a high level of comfort so close to nature. If the temperature dipped, we turned on the furnace. Too hot? The air conditioner worked in minutes. When the bugs got bad at dusk, we played cards inside for a bit until it was safe for a campfire and s’mores. We slept well, which meant we had the energy to make the most of our active vacation.

None of our worries materialized. Driving was a challenge at the beginning but got easier as we learned to take our time and stay off the busier highways. The interior was spacious and well-designed with more than enough room for our family. And there were no Robin-Williams-like moments disposing the waste.

So, are we buying an RV? We’re seriously thinking about it.

Would we rent a CanaDream again? Absolutely!