canadian_bacon_boy

We are planning to land and have a reccie trip in feb 2011. Previously we have staying in hotels and hired a car to get around. This time we are bringing our three children 13, 11, 9 are thinking about hiring a RV and driving from place to place to make things a little easier/cheaper.

Has anyone done this and/or can offer any advice.


We will be visiting Vancouver, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Kelowna

lins and Stef McLachlan

Hi
We have done the drive across the Rockies from Calgary to Vancouver and it was an epic drive, the scenery was spectacular. On the way over we did an overnight at the Sandman in Revelstoke, so broke the journey. On the way back we did the whole drive, stopping only for a Timmies and Wendys and door to door it was 12 hours in a car.

I have not done it in an RV though. It would have to have special consideration as February is snowy season and I believe that some of the roads could close unexpectedly along with the weather. On the drive over there were barriers which they could shut and loads of lorry runoffs incase of problems on the roads. There are parts which are allegedly prone to avalance too.

A Summer drive....gorgeous....but a winter one could be Hazardouse especially in a large vehicle like an RV. I personally would not want to make that trip. I am sure that some will have done so and they will be best placed to advise on its suitability for your family in an RV in February.

Good luck whatever you do decide to do.
lol
Stef

el_richo

The only problem you may encounter is parking and commuting around these areas in a decent sized RV.

Other than that, the drive from Vancouver to Kelowna would be lovely.

I'd personally stick with the hire car and planned motels to allow yourself more movement during the day when scouting the areas.

hellcats

Have driven from Calgary via Drumheller to Vulcan, Banff, Lake Louise, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Chilliwhack to Vancouver. Loved it. Was in a small RV with my husband and son. Did it last Septmeber so I don't know how it would be in Winter as some of the roads may be shut but email me for more details.

Aviator

Have you researched to find out if you can rent an RV in February?
What campgrounds are open in Feb for you to park at?
There will be a lot of rocks on the road and you are responsible for rock chips to the windshield. Could be a problem on the route to Kelowna.
With a motorhome, this is your only transport, unless you also rent a car, so wherever you go the motorhome goes to. A small motorhome can take 4 parking spots.

The roads being shut is extremely unlikely. The Coq and OK connector are shut down occasionally, but only for a short time. Snow on the Coq can be heavy in Feb.

When you are on a scouting trip there is a lot to do. Will you have time to do this using an RV. There is a lot more to do than staying in motels. Motel rates are cheaper in Feb and you may be able to negotiate for two rooms.

Piff Poff

We have done some rv'ing - in the summer. As others have said, there are fewer campgrounds open many of them being seasonal May-Oct. The year round ones can be a bit rougher from what I have seen. It can also get very cold in a RV, I would go the hire car and motel route for the time of year you are thinking of coming.

Aviator

Many of the year round ones seem to cater to people who live in their RV or trailer. The many of the provincial ones are closed through the winter.

Piff Poff

Yeah accepted, also around here, many of the year round ones are full of rigpigs (no offence anybody, MMC) or at least the single rigpigs that haven't decided where to move to yet. There are of course really nice ones too.

mark gr

Hi,

I am currently three months into a four month RV trip around BC (plus Yukon, Alberta, Alaska, Montana & Idaho). I'd echo what others have said about doing it in Feb. Even in early May there were restrictions on campgrounds on Vancouver Island.

One resource to look at (if you haven't already) is www.camping.bc.ca. It has a listing of winter campgrounds (Page 45 in the 2010/11 "Super Camping" guide).

Good Luck!

Mark

canadian_bacon_boy

Wow loads of opinions, thanks guys (just to be clear, I am not being sarcastic).

So I guess from what you have said either


Go in feb but hire a car and book motels

or

Change the date of landing to somtime warmer.

Given me something to think about

kamikaze

We find that when we travel in the winter in lower BC Mr Walmart is very friendly, they have huge carparks and you will find more than a few large RVs in a corner of the parking lot, most stores have 24hr security so it very safe, I stayed a night at the Naniamo walmart and met a guy who had been there for 9 weeks with his wife, real good looking rig mind you, if there is going to be 5 of you remenber to hire something big enough that everyone gets a seat belt and that you dont all get cabin fever.

el_richo

Actually, for a reccie where you'd be looking at neighbourhoods, housing, schools, etc, i would go with the hire car every time. Purely for ease of accessibility reasons.

Leave the RV for holidays.

dbd33

This may be an old fashioned sentiment but there is such a thing as society and our individual actions do affect the lives of our fellow men. The decent thing to do with an RV is to park it at WalMart and to stay there. Dragging a behemoth over ordinary roads inconveniences other drivers by causing traffic jams and gushing pollution, chugging a device as quick and manouverable as a dustcart up small roads to scenic places is more antisocial than running a meth lab and distribution network; at least the meth users have a choice in the matter.

If you must operate an RV please at least stick to the 400 series highways and WalMart car parks, think of yourself in terms of an HGV and a Cornish village, a beautiful place marred only by the presence of the truck. And, for God's sake, don't have it painted with images of the wild places you're preventing everyone else from enjoying.

el_richo

canadian_bacon_boy

I think I will go with the car + motel option before you tar an feather me. It is a valid point you are making which to be honest I had not considered.