SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> The Cafe >> Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1438177270

Message started by stewmills on 07/29/15 at 06:41:10

Title: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by stewmills on 07/29/15 at 06:41:10

My wife and I (no children) are planning a short-notice vacation 8/8 - 8/16 before my new job starts 9/1. She unfortunately didn't renew her passport so that limits our travel options. Some acquaintances of hers suggested that Canada would be a good destination.

So, all of our Canadian savages, if we are planning to spend ~8 days in Canada what would be a good destination (or two if we chose to split it up via a decent rental car ride). We would be flying in from Alabama (USA) but likely rent a car if needed while there to go do stuff. We want to relax and refresh ourselves, but at the same time don't want to just sit in a hotel for a week....we can sit and be lazy at home.

I appreciate your suggestions. We want to have a good time and get the most bang for our buck, and considering neither of us have been to Canada we don't want to miss anything notable that the locals would say we shouldn't. We're not fru-fru people that are too good to try new things and get our hands dirty so that kinda stuff is cool for us. We're young (41) and very agile and able bodied and have no physical limitations in what we can do, so lay it on me.

EDIT: We were also discussing going to Alaska so that's not completely out of the question either.

8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by runwyrlph on 07/29/15 at 07:11:38

My wife, 3 kids and I (ages 9-14) just did a week in Ontario at Grundy Lake Provincial Park/ French River Provincial Park/ Niagara Falls

Canoe camping: Hartley Bay Marina, Alban Ontario to Georgian Bay and back. We did the "Figure 8 loop" in 4 days/3 nights with no trouble though you could easily take an extra day. Only 2 fairly easy portages. This was my favorite vacation ever, kids loved it, wife liked/tolerated ;) (This is not the kind of camping where you have any plumbing - though "Thunder Boxes" could usually be found)

You do not need to be a "pro" camper or canoeist, but you need to be able to read a map and use a compass with some proficiency. (or you might have one of them new-fangled GPS thingys)

(We drove with 2 canoes on top of the minivan, but I know Hartley Bay Marina can completely outfit you - there are probably several other outfitters as well.)

We camped at Grundy Lake Day 1, French River Days 2-5, then stayed at a hotel near Toronto. Checked out Niagara Falls, then drove home.

We all had passports, I thought Canada required passports now?? Might want to double check on that first.

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by spearheadss on 07/29/15 at 07:12:02

Why not do an Alaskan cruise? You get to relax and do things too. I can't help you with Canada. Regardless enjoy whatever you do.

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by stewmills on 07/29/15 at 08:20:45

2F3826282824324B0 wrote:

We all had passports, I thought Canada required passports now?? Might want to double check on that first.

Well crap, you're right. I was apparently reading something that was not current and now see that as of 2009 a passport is required.

Guess we'll have to start looking closer at Alaska.

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by Dave on 07/29/15 at 09:17:14

Last year my wife and I attached the trailer to my car, and we hauled the ST1100 up to Michigan and vacationed in the area just north of Traverse City.....we had a ball!

About 3 years ago we flew to Portland, Oregon and went to the Evergreen Aviation Museum and saw the Spruce Goose (one of my bucket list items), and then drove to the coast and traveled up and down the coast, and then went up the Columbia River to Hood River. We hadn't planned anything and just went where the wind blew us....we found great hotels and food and sights - it was really nice. We need to go back and see Crater Lake next time.....we couldn't have had a better time if we had planned it, and we were incredibly lucky at getting nice hotels rooms wherever we went. The Overleaf Lodge in Yachats, OR was really a hit with my wife....it was a very classy hotel/spa that was right on the ocean and we slept to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks.

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by zipidachimp on 07/29/15 at 13:02:53

I'm a canadian, but fell in love with Monterey/Carmel Calif. 1/2 hour from Laguna Seca. On the Ocean, incredibly beautiful. Big Sur not far. 8-)

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by springman on 07/30/15 at 13:35:14

Hello Stew. I actually just got back from vacation last night. One of our stops was Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and it was absolutely amazing. Pictures and video just do not do it justice. We did present our passports at the border, but I do not really know if they were required as they were not stamped.

We also went to the football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. If you are in to football you will find it to be a great time. Then Cleveland, which is only an hour drive from Canton, has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which was not as exciting to me but still fun. Oh, and Cleveland just seems to be a beautiful city.

Wherever you go, have a great vacation. :) :) :)

Title: Re: Canadians, I need your vacation suggestions
Post by arteacher on 07/30/15 at 17:17:47

If you are into nature Algonquin Park is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in Canada east of the Rockies. Also check out Nova Scotia and P.E.I.