30 days of open road covering continually changing landscape and culture can be yours on this Toronto to Vancouver road trip.
Canada is a huge and largely empty country. In land, it's about the same size as the United States but it only has about 11% of the population. A road trip is the best way to really see the land, the geography, and the culture as it varies from province to provinc and town to town, and to meet the people. This trip was done in a small RV which is why campgrounds are referenced rather than hotels. And, to be clear, going east from Toronto is just as interesting.
Toronto to Vancouver is about 3,400 km or 2,100 miles. Moving to Vancouver after university, I believe I covered the distance in 4 days. But that gives no time to explore. That's a lot of driving. To really enjoy it, this trip takes about a month.
Below is an itinerary for a solo road trip across Canada, sticking mostly to the TransCanada Highway. It's a one-way itinerary. For the route back, I would travel British Columbia highways north to Edmonton and then go across the northern portion of the prairie provinces.
Toronto to Vancouver Road Trip Day 1- a long day of driving, 1 day exploring
It's a long haul to Sault Ste. Marie, but it is doable in one day. If you want to do it in two days, stop in Sudbury.
So, what is a sault? It's simply a rapids. (A series of somersaults look somewhat like rapids.) The Sault (as the city is known) is at the connecting water between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. It was a meeting place for Indigenous people and traders in centuries past. St. Marys River runs between Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA. The lock on the Canadian side is for leisure craft. On the US side, the river is naturally deeper and there are canals and locks for freight ships that are used by both countries. You can walk across the lock on the Canadian side to South St. Marys Island and then to Whitefish Island.
The city of Sault Ste. Marie has a pretty waterfront, a small city gallery, a main street with excellent coffee at Mane Street Co., and a few good restaurants. The Agawa Canyon Tour Train departs from The Sault and is famous as a way to see the vibrant fall foliage of Northern Ontario. (Book early.)
Leg 2: Sault Ste. Marie to Lake Superior Provincial Park – short drive, 3 days exploring
Just over 2 hours west of The Sault is Lake Superior Provincial Park at Agawa Bay. It is one of my happy places. In fact, when I meditate each morning, I listen to the sounds of a campfire and imagine myself on the beach there. In Ojibway, Lake Superior is called Gitchigumi, meaning great sea. A few nights camping in the park, even though it is not far off the highway, is restorative. Make sure that you take a break at Chippewa Falls en route and enjoy some of the hiking trails in Agawa Bay when you're there.
Leg 3: Lake Superior Provincial Park to Thunder Bay – 1 day driving, 2 days exploring
Taking off from the campground, Wawa and their Big Goose will be the first major stop. It's a very small town that is fine for lunch. Surprisingly, Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver starred in film called Snow Cake that features the town.
Beyond Wawa is, for many, the most beautiful stretch of the highway along the north shore of Lake Superior. There are many beautiful vistas that show up around bends in the road. Before reaching Thunder Bay you'll see the Sleeping Giant rock formation. In Thunder Bay, there is the marina area to enjoy and Fort William Historical Park.
Leg 4: Thunder Bay to Winnipeg – 1 day driving, 3 days exploring
This stretch is more of an endurance test than a pleasure. It has its moments but, generally, the view is of trees and more trees for about 7 hours. It is the part of this Toronto to Vancouver road trip route that I'm not keen on but it is necessary if you want to experience the magnificence of the north shore of Lake Superior.
Outside of Winnipeg but close by is Birds Hill Provincial Park, a massive park for hiking, cycling, and beaches. It is also where the famous Winnipeg Folk Festival is held each summer. In Winnipeg I would recommend the Canadian Human Rights Museum, which I consider to be an important, must-visit site; The Forks for food, festivals, and markets; and the Thermea Spa to treat yourself.
Leg 5 of Your Toronto to Vancouver Road Trip: Winnipeg to Moose Jaw – 1 day driving, 1 day exploring
And I'll eat your nose
And I'll eat your toes
In Medicine Hat and Moose Jaw.
From the poem, In Kamloops, by Dennis Lee
The prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta) are known for being flat. They are flat enough for the horizon to be very long and the sky very big. But they also include surprises like Chaplin Lake (see below), Canada's second-largest inland saline water body. You will pass by it on your way to Moose Jaw.
In Moose Jaw, the city campground in Wakamow Valley is a good option. Evolve is the local coffee shop I really enjoyed and Browns Socialhouse offers standard pub fare with gluten-free options. It's a popular spot. You might also want to explore the underground tunnels that were supposedly used to smuggle alcohol during prohibition.
Leg 6: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park – 1 day driving, 3 days exploring
The next destination is into nature. Going to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park takes you off the TransCanada Highway. The park straddles Saskatchewan and Alberta. It's very large and not flat. It was formed when it was somehow bypassed by retreating glaciers during the last Ice Age which, essentially, scraped most of the prairies flat. It is the highest point between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. Cypress Hills has a resort, camping, day activities, and a dark sky preserve. It's a perfect place to settle for a while.
Leg 7: Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to Medicine Hat, Alberta – 1 day driving, 2 days exploring
Arriving in Medicine Hat, I was flummoxed when trying to find a word to describe the strange gullies and ravines that popped up everywhere in the city. They defied my eastern Canadian understanding of topography. Coulees, the proper word for these formations, are shallow ravines carved out of the land. They are not particularly suitable for farming or building houses but they are amazing for parks. In Medicine Hat there is Kin Coulee Park and East Glen Coulee Park and many small ones causing random cul-de-sacs in the city.
Medicine Hat is nicknamed Gas City. The town was created when engineers for the railway found its location to be the best for crossing the Saskatchewan River. Later, natural gas was found beneath the city and was used to attract industry to the area. The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre is certainly worth a visit. There are numerous parks, restaurants, and breweries.
Leg 8: Medicine Hat to Drumheller in the Canadian Badlands – 3 hours driving, 2 days exploring
Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park are your destinations for the Canadian Badlands in Alberta. Drumheller is the location of the Royal Tyrrell Museum, named for the famed paleontologist. According to National Geographic, “Nowhere on Earth is as rich in quantity and quality of the prehistoric creatures' remains as the Badlands' arid Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where digs are still under way.”
The badlands are not to be missed on your Toronto to Vancouver road trip. Descend into Drumheller and surrounding area for a maze of buttes and coulees and hoodoos. Rise out of it to the flat plains for the prairies. In the town, it's not possible to miss Drumheller's reliance on its fame for dinosaurs and tourism. It also has the biggest dinosaur in the world.
Leg 9: Drumheller to Banff, Alberta – half day driving, 2 days exploring
This is an easy, half-day trip covering only 250 km. But what beauty in the landscape coming out of the badlands, across more traditional prairie land, and then into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and Kicking Horse Pass across the Continental divide!
In Banff National Park there are 2,400 camping sites covering 14 campgrounds. That may seem like a lot but it is an incredibly popular destination. I recommend that you book in advance. If you're having difficulty finding a spot, perhaps Yoho would be a better destination. It is only an additional 75 km. For what to do I suggest that you read our post on Banff.
Leg 10: Banff to Revelstoke – half day driving, 1 day exploring
This part of the crossing is 283 km going through the less-well-known Yoho National Park and Rogers Pass. Definitely stop in at the Rogers Pass National Historic Site. It doesn't have to be a long visit but you will learn a lot about the construction of the pass in the 1880s, the building of the cross-Canada railway, and its impact on the development of Canada. Golden is a good halfway point to poke around and have lunch.
In the town there are galleries and museums and a lovely independent bookstore called Fable. Outside the town, it's all about gorgeous drives and hikes. Go to three waterfalls in three hikes.
Leg 11: Revelstoke to Vancouver, British Columbia – 1 day driving, 3 days exploring
The drive from Revelstoke to Fort Langley (where there is camping near the city) or Vancouver is more than I would usually want to do in a day. However, this is driving day 27 and time for Vancouver is essential.
There is so, so much to do in Vancouver. I've lived there and it is a fabulous city with lots to do. However, I haven't written about it for far too long so I'm pointing you to one of my favorite Canadian travel blogs for Free Things to Do in Vancouver and 38 of the Best Things to Do in Vancouver.
I hope you enjoy this beautiful Toronto to Vancouver road trip. Remember to go at your own pace. The above is just a suggestion of how to cover the 3,400 km in one month. Adjust the itinerary to your pleasure.
