Early planning stages, input invited ref a family touring holiday over there?

Give that man a cigar, VERY useful, thanks.

True for the Hwy 400/Hwy 11 and 401 corridors, not so much between Huntsville and Renfrew....

Good point, I probably should have said something about most lager towns will have one... you wont find a Walmart in the country.

If there isn't a Walmart anywhere near by then you're probably good for some side of the dirt road; pull up anywhere where it doesn't look like you'll be bothering anyone type of over night stay - or find a nice camp ground, private or provincial. There are lots of options with a camper.

If you're really nowhere near a Walmart you're probably in some lovely little slice of paradise and you wouldn't want to stay in a parking lot anyway...

I just spent a couple days on the road with my sister and niece. Luggages....groceries....camping gear, quite crowded in my sort of larger vehicle. And then the constant moving luggage in/out to crowd the cheap motel rooms. And then their constant looking up for "things" they misplaced.

Enough....glad to be home.

Just to say....not bad $2000.00 for 18 days of RVing if you can find the cheap of free campsites. I noticed a few RVs camped for free but that's BC and also noticed a few choice free sites unoccupied.Heck of a long way from Walmart here.

So?

Eh! if you want to camp, was just looking at the Wal-Mart flyer yesterday, something to check out when I cooled off with Ice Cream. They seem to have a deal, 2 sleeping bags/pillows/chairs/ a sunshade and a 4(?) person tent for $98.00+Tax. All in matching Lime green color.

Wife is looking at lodges and cabains etc, I am losing the will to smile and nod anymore.

Quick question, GPS rental for the hire car is more than DOUBLE :huh the amount I can buy a basic Garmin/tom tom at. Does anyone know if I bought a Garmin there if europe mapping could be included? If I buy here the North US and canada mapping is an extra 120 Canadian dollars :eek1

Id rather buy a machine AND NEVER USE IT AGAIN than pay the same amount for renting one.

European maps not included, just NA. A basic garmin gps here at many stores would be 99 bucks.

Bought and installed CAN mapping, and a new upgraded battery in my old tomtom, Im a cheap bastard.

Flying out in just over a week and booked very little so far, first night, 21st August in toronto plaza booked, just a cheap sleep, then from the 24th we have a week near huntsville, Lake cecebe, people seem really nice.

21st Arrive and sleep it off in Toronto Plaza
22nd ? Thinking two nights near collingwood/Wasaga, barrie speedway has a open practice night, just spoke with them and they say we are welcome to take a look, my 8 year old will like it Im sure. http://www.barriespeedway.com/home
23rd ?
24th > 31st a cottage on Lake cecebe
http://rent-cottage-canada.com/cott...ly-frendly-cottage-resort-on-lake-cecebe-714/

31st onwards, Squat at the minute but route from Cecebe across to Ottawa>montreal>kingston then south

4th/5th to the 7th we want to be in/near Niagra going OOOHHH and AAAHHH like deadhead tourists as lots of water tumbles.

If anyone knows of any events near where well be that are worth a look, let us know.

How exciting, booked the Jail in ottawa for 2 nights, Im a correctional 'Prison Discipline' Officer. My Lad is VERY excited.

Night 1- 21st August Toronto Plaza
Night 2&3- '2 nights' 22nd & 23rd Barrie http://uk.hotels.com/hotel/details.html?pa=20&pn=1&ps=20&tab=description&destinationId=1643540&searchDestination=Wasaga+Beach&hotelId=216631&arrivalDate=22-08-2013&departureDate=24-08-2013&children[0]=1&rooms[0].childrenAges[0]=8&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first
Night 4&9 '6 nights'- 24th- 29th Don on lake Cecebe. http://rent-cottage-canada.com/cott...ly-frendly-cottage-resort-on-lake-cecebe-714/
Night 10&11 '2 nights' 30st and 31st at Greystone Cottages on Golden Lake 30th and 31st aug stay
Night 12&13 '2 nights' 1st & 2nd at Ottawa Jail 'how cool is that? http://www.hihostels.ca/ontario/1166/HI-Ottawa_Jail/index.hostel#panel1-1

Need to book Kingston for 3rd & 4th
Need to book Niagra on the lake for the 5th & 6th

Looks like a fun trip and the weather is looking fantastic with high 20s low 30s and high teens at night.

I have to make a short notice trip to Halifax from the 22nd to the 26th, but if you need anything my wife and kids will be home. I'll PM my phone and address.

Have a safe trip... and good luck with the job hunting.

Well we are here, third night tonight, days inn in barrie which is good. Was not keen on Toronto but this area seems more our cup of tea. Rained yesterday so had a look around the Georgian mall. Went to wasaga and Collingwood today, very pretty. Heading up to lake cecebe for a week tomorrow. My initial observations are, isn't your food expensive-? I cannot believe how rusty some of these pickups have got, even recent looking stuff. No beer in the super markets? Wtf?

I spent a year in southern Ontario while doing my trades training. East of Toronto is really nice, west is nice, north is nice. Toronto itself, definitely not my cup of tea. Nice place to visit as it does have some world class attractions but its stuff you can see in any other major city.
Did some canoeing in the cottage country north of Barrie. really beautiful up there.
My roommate in Kingston bought a brand new Chevy car, noticed rust on the rocker panels within a month.

Man, wish I was there.. could be having a beer on the deck being eat by mosquitoes. LoL
Don't find food expensive and its cheaper than most of Canada. Is it restaurants of grocery stores?
You can get ready cooked meals at grocery stores as well and cheaper than Wendy's or MacD.
Cars rust out quickly here unless prepared for. crazy amount of salt on the roads in winter. Some makes and models are more prone than others.
No beer in supermarkets.. Newfoundland and Quebec beer at every gas station and corner store. Ontario gotta be a beer store or liquor store.

Not sure how far it is from you guys, we are staying at rice lake on the 3rd and 4th September, its near Peterborough. Maybe a few beers there?

Nice! That's the old family homestead....Rice Lake, Keene, Lang Village... our 40 was on the SE corner of Hope Mill Rd and David Fife Line.

Are you staying at the cottages near Hiawatha or at Elmhirst?

One of my recollections of travelling in the UK was the exorbitant cost of food - paying the equivalent of $25 for a Burger King BK Broiler combos near the Lakes District...and the equivalent of about $12 for a pint. That's when exchange rates were 2.25 dollars to the pound...they're what, 1.4 now?

I'm headed back over there for work in October - a week in beautiful Shrivenham! Also planning a side trip to the Borders to scatter my Dad's ashes back at the ancient homestead near the Annan Water. Would the weather be suitable for renting a motorcycle at that time of year or am I better off in a car?

Well we are now just east of Barrys bay in a cottage overlooking golden bay, just on highway60, here until Sunday morning, then onto Ottawa jail. If anyone is near here and fancies a chat and a cuppa, let US know. Kingston was a place i really wanted to see but looking at the route down from Ottawa to rice lake,Peter borough, i am struggling to make sense of how, without making the day a bit long for the boy wonder.

So how is your trip going so far, and what vehicle did you decide to rent?

I just got back in the Barrie area yesterday, if you're back this way let me know.

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we have a 2013 chevrolet sonic lt whatever that is.... Its a Shitty fake American car.... Four cylinder but not sure what size it is but Shitty gas mileage at 41mpg imperial given we haven't been over a hundred kmph

Too easy - if you haven't left yet - from Ottawa, go through Smith's Falls and take Hwy 15 SW to Kingston. Do the Kingston thing. They jump back up to Hwy 7 at Napanee or Belleville from the 401 - or any other country road going north from 401. Might make a 3 hour drive (Ottawa to P'boro) a 4 hour drive...bit longer if you stop or tour around K'ton.

I myself just got back into Ottawa - missed meeting you for a bevvie. Hope you had a good visit and the weather wasn't too sucky.