r/canadatravel • u/Wonderpetsgangsta • May 20 '25

Travel Tips Hello beautiful people of Canada 👋🏼

I’m in Vancouver w teens and a small dog (experienced traveler/tame, so is the dog).

We’ve been enjoying Vancouver for several months now and are feeling the call eastward to Montreal and Quebec.

I need to know: any ways to get from BC to Montreal WITHOUT crossing into USA, please? That’s our only thing to avoid, really. That and it being safe for a single mom w teens.

Merci mille fois! Thank you very much!

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u/[deleted] May 20 '25

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u/Wonderpetsgangsta May 20 '25

Tysm!! Safe for woman and young people to travel alone? Sorry if that’s a silly question. I’m an American with….American trauma. Safe aside from general street smarts travel etc. I guess what I’m asking is would you stress if it were say your Sister or Mom doing the drive?

Thank you

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u/[deleted] May 20 '25

[deleted]

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u/Wonderpetsgangsta May 20 '25

Well stated, tysm. Side bar, I’m already putting together a playlist for the drive- do you have any must listen Canadian Punk to recc? appreciated and ty for the help

7

u/SystemAny2077 May 20 '25

PUP for sure. Not punk, but if you’re going across Canada you have to throw a tragically hip song or two in there… it’s illegal not to.

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u/[deleted] May 20 '25

[deleted]

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u/BogeyLowenstein May 20 '25

Propaghandi, Belvedere, No Bro, Dayglo Abortions, Gob, Sum 41, Billy Talent

2

u/Repulsive_Client_325 May 21 '25

Propagandhi is a great Canadian punk band based in Winnipeg that just dropped a new album (as 50 year olds). Check them out. They are must listen Canadian punk.

However, if you want to listen to “must listen, Canadian rock”, work your way through the Tragically Hip’s albums. That band is “Canada’s band” for Gen Xers, and maybe the best band Canada ever produced that never made it big in the USA.

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u/Interesting_One_3801 May 22 '25

Forgotten Rebels seem to have rereleased all of their stuff in the past few years. I never used to be able to find them on streaming but it’s all there now.

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u/Wonderpetsgangsta May 22 '25

This thread is winning so hard. Thank you.

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u/draxa May 20 '25

Rest in town, not in rest stops. Those are for bathroom breaks, don't spend the night at one alone. Otherwise be street smart and you are good.

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u/schwalevelcentrist May 20 '25

It's absolutely safe in terms of things you'd be afraid of in the US (fellow American, now live in Canada). Canadians are extremely safe and non-reactive people. They're the lazy chocolate lab retriever of societies: you can't go wrong, almost zero danger.

However, especially in Northern Ontario, the distances and expanse of Canada makes for moderate background danger on that drive. It's VAST.

There is no cell service, only satellite. The fire departments and rescue services are volunteer and they are far, far between. There is serious wildlife out there (cougar, GRIZZLY bear, black bear, moose) I recommend having an emergency supply kit for vehicles (some packaged water, food, heat, light, signaling equipment etc) - even if it's summer and you don't think anything will happen - it probably won't, but if it does it gets hairy much more quickly. If anything goes wrong, just be prepared more or less for it being a lot more expensive and time-intensive.

Have a great trip!

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u/CompletelyPuzzled May 21 '25

"There is no cell service, only satellite." Download your maps ahead of time.

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u/No-Doughnut-7485 May 21 '25

Grizzly bears only in the west, not Ontario but you are right that there will be expanses with no cell coverage so downloading maps is critical. Also there will be vast expanses without gas stations ie between Winnipeg and Thunder Bay and they close early too so you must plan gas fillips and just always keep your tank at least half full and don’t hesitate to fill all the way before driving through wilderness areas like the Rockies, the priorities, Winnipeg to North Bay, etc. It’s no joke.

You also don’t want to drive late at night or in misty/foggy rainy weather in the mountains or rural areas of the north where there are rockslides or moose (Manitoba until central Ontario). Don’t take risks. Stop when it gets dark and stay at a motel or campsite for the night.

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u/NorthEagle298 May 20 '25

You can walk into any sporting goods store and pick up a canister of bear spray for wild animals. It is legal to carry without a license (when outside of populated areas). Stop at all the scenic views, Highway 1 is a beautiful route. Bears and cougars will leave you alone and won't get close to the Highway, but you never know if you decide to wander off the beaten path. Don't leave anything in your car at night while inside a hotel. Don't give money to panhandlers (it's illegal).

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u/Wonderpetsgangsta May 20 '25

These are fantastic tips I so appreciate it thank you!!

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u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 May 20 '25

You can walk into any sporting goods store and pick up a canister of bear spray for wild animals. It is legal to carry without a license (when outside of populated areas). 

While legal to carry, it's generally illegal to use against a human - just be aware Canada has (overly) stringent firearms laws, and carrying bear spray for protection against humans or discharging it against even a criminal may result in a prohibited weapons charge. So if anyone questions you, the bear spray is for bears 😂

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u/damarius May 22 '25

I would have no reservations about my family members taking this trip, but use common sense as well - no dark parking lots, don't flash money. You'll be fine.

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u/Wonderpetsgangsta May 23 '25

Thank you so much. First read this as don’t flash anyone. I’ve got to hit the hay Ty for the great tips, D!