Is Cross country driving a good idea?
 

I am on a road trip and will be in Toronto in mid July and want to continue across Canada to the west coast and then down to Seattle. Someone has told me that the roads are not good.Should this be a concern and should I come back to the US and travel across? Also I am interested in stops on the way across Canada.......any suggestions?

The roads are fine.<BR><BR>Whether you should travel in the USA or Canada depends on what you want to see, and where you are going after you get to Seattle.<BR><BR>If seeing Canada, a foreign country, is a big reason for the trip, stay in Canada. If you want to get to the west coast and don't care what you see, an argument can be made for going the USA route.<BR><BR>And if you want to see a variety of interesting thngs, well, now you've got a problem and need to make decisions.<BR><BR>If you are going to end up in Atlanta ...<BR><BR>Here's what I'd do.<BR><BR>Toronto to Windsor, cross into the USA at Detroit, go to Chicago, head north and go into Canada in southern Manitoba.<BR><BR>This gives you the chance to see Detroit (I think the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is a great place) and Chicago, and you miss Sudbury and Thunder Bay, which is not really too much of a sacrifice.<BR><BR>From the Manitoba border go to Winnipeg, and then head west across the flat prairie to Regina. From Regina, head to Moose Jaw and then work your way through the back roads south of the Transcanada highway, through the Cypress Hills, and then back onto the TransCanada near the Alberta border, and on to Calgary.<BR><BR>Calgary to Bannf to Lake Louise to Golden and into British Columbia and the to Vancouver. Go to Vancouver Island and visit Long Beach, if time permits, and Victoria.<BR><BR>Depending on ferry service, back to the B.C. mainland, or south to Washington State and down to Seattle.<BR><BR>The above is all stuff I've done,a nd it's a grt combiantion of scenary, interesting urban, and more.<BR><BR>Below is just theory and a trip I'd like to take.<BR><BR>Head east through the mountains to Spokane, or south to Portland, and then east.<BR><BR>Try to get to the Black Hills and the Badlands and Mount Rushmore and some of the US parks in that general part of the USA, and then about two-thirds of the way back east angle yourself south-east, follow the Mississippi for a while, then cross over and head for Atlanta.<BR><BR>Cities in Canada: Winnipeg and Regina are good for a day each. Calgary is good for two days.<BR><BR>Baff, LAke Louise, and a day's drive north on the road to Jasper is worth two or three days. Vancouver is worth two days. Victoria is worth a day, and other parts of Vancouver Island are worth another day.<BR><BR>Anything less than these stops is a real shame, considering how far you are driving. Anything more depends on your interests, hobbies, etc. Of the cities, with all due respect to Regina and Winnipeg, spend your time in Calgary, in the mountains, and in Vancouver.<BR><BR>If you have time before you head west, Montreal and Ottawa are very intereting places, too.<BR>BAK<BR><BR>Have a good time. <BR><BR>BAK<BR>

You'll save a few hundred dollars in fuel costs if you drive through the U.S. instead.

Just for the record, the roads are the same as the U.S. inquality. The Trans Canada west of Toronto is good. Just remember everything is in metric. 60 miles per hour is 100 Kilomtres per hour.<BR>Gas is expensive. 70 to 80 (Canadian) cents per litre. <BR>Have a good safe trip which ever way you go.<BR>Mandy

Brian's itinerary is a good one. I would suggest though hooking up with the Yellowhead after Regina and head up to Edmonton as opposed to Calgary (been to both liked Edmonton better..it is built on a big ravine and has nice European historical flavour) and then on to Jasper then take to parkway down to Lake Louise and on to Vancouver. You will see more rugged beauty this way and the road is excellent and less congested with traffic.