If you are thinking of taking a road trip in Canada you are spoilt for choice. There are numerous breathtaking and inspiring routes waiting to be explored.
You might decide to take the ultimate Canadian road trip and head along the Trans-Canada highway, or hit the Pacific Rim highway and head for Canada’s surfing capital. The Sea to Sky highway is yet another example of the sheer diversity that Canada has to offer.
Explore the longest national highway in the world
Covering an incredible 7,800 kilometers, the Trans-Canada highway offers a network of routes. It also offers a wide variety of different sights and experiences.
A vehicle like the Jeep Grand Cherokee would be a good companion if you were going to take on the Prairie Ramble. This is one of the several suggested routes that will take you about a week to complete and covers nearly 2,000 km.
You can create your own itinerary based on how much time you have for traveling and what sights you want to see along the way. There is even an app available to help you plan your journey. It will still take you a long time to explore the entire length of the longest national highway in the word, but the app is the perfect partner if you want to head to the Rockies or visit the Bay of Fundy.
Hit the Pacific Rim highway
The way to start this awesome journey is to start in Vancouver. From there, you will need to take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo.
This gets you on BC Highway 4, which is the Pacific Rim highway. Your journey really comes to life once you head away from Nanaimo. You will enjoy amazing coastal views and epic encounters with inspiring mountains and lakes.
There will be the opportunity to Cathedral Grove along the way. This is a forest of majestic Douglas fir trees. This is just one of the highlights to consider when you travel along the Pacific Rim highway.
Once you arrive in Tofino a visit to the famous surfing HQ of Chesterman Beach is a must, even if you are not a surfer and just want to take in the view.
Highway 99 has it all
There is a reason why Highway 99 is known as the Sea to Sky highway.
The journey starts on the outskirts of Vancouver in Horseshoe Bay. It then takes you on a 125km route that covers virtually everything, from a coastal rainforest to the iconic mountain peaks that line the route to Whistler.
Highway 99 is an excellent weekend route offering you enough time to take a break in one of the provincial parks along the way. Bring your camera as the designated lookouts and waterfalls are highlights you want to capture and remember.
Other routes to consider include the Icelands Parkway in Alberta and the country routes of Quebec.
If you want to explore Canada and take a memorable road trip, you are unlikely to run out of inspiration and ideas anytime soon. You may well find yourself planning the next great adventure.
Ella Pearce enjoyed a road trip around Canada just last year. Ella is an adventurer who loves exploring new places and trying new things, particularly if they involve a little danger such as skydiving.
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
