Looking for a way to travel the provinces and territories of our beloved country on a budget? The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA), along with GoRVing Canada and RVDA of Canada, has just released a study in early 2021 that highlights RVing as the most cost-effective travel option available for any Canadian who wants to go on vacation.
Over the course of 2020, the study by The Portage Group demonstrated that RV travel was significantly less expensive than any other means of travel through Canada. Curious to know more? Camping in Style, located in Whitby, is Ontario's #1 Keystone® RV dealer. Read on to learn about how affordable RV travel can be, especially here in Canada.
What Trips Were Analysed?
The study analysed several long-distance trips throughout the country for durations from three to ten days. Travel costs were based on a family of four, with two adults and two children. The five trips analysed were:
- Montreal, QC, to Algonquin Provincial Park, ON (3 days)
- Toronto, ON, to Sturgeon Falls, ON (3 days)
- Vancouver, BC, to Banff National Park, AB (7 days)
- Halifax, NS, to Quebec City, QC (10 days)
- Brandon, MB, to Drumheller, AB (10 days)
How Much Money Can I Save?
On average, hundreds of dollars can be saved by traveling in an RV when compared to staying in a hotel or an Airbnb. Air travel is the most expensive of all the options by far. The least expensive trips were in travel trailers and tent campers, with larger RVs being a little bit more expensive. All the trips had an estimated cost of RV ownership factored into the prices as well.
Compared with staying in an Airbnb, these five trips offered savings between 7% and 27%. With hotels, the savings were 32% to 44% and with flying, the savings were a whopping 48% to 71%. For example, the Toronto to Sturgeon Falls trip here in Ontario costs $396 per day via travel trailer, but $889 a day via airplane. That’s no small chunk of change!
Ways to Save Even More Money
Traveling by RV is extremely affordable, but there are always ways you can keep more cash in your pocket. Here are a few tips:
- Purchase groceries along your route and cook your meals in your RV’s kitchen instead of eating every meal out at drive-thrus or restaurants.
- If you go to restaurants, eat breakfast or lunch instead of dinner and look for buy-one-get-one-free or kids-eat-free meal deals.
- Conserve power by avoiding unnecessary electronic usage and insulating your RV to keep the interior temperature more comfortable.
- Seek out free or low-cost attractions to visit.
- Travel during the off-season to get lower campground fees.
- Avoid weighing down your RV with excess cargo, since every little bit of weight adds to your fuel consumption.
Save Money On an RV
Of course, to go RVing in Canada, you’re going to need your own RV! When it comes time to search out your perfect RV, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:
- Look into smaller towable models that let you use the car you already own for towing.
- Investigate used models because they’ll save you thousands of dollars compared to buying new.
- Make sure that your chosen RV is four-seasons friendly to deal with our country’s temperature extremes.
- Keep up with maintenance at home so that you can keep your RV out of the repair shop.
Ready to find your perfect RV? Visit our dealership in Whitby today to take a look at our fine selection of new and used RVs for sale. We’re the home of fair prices, great service and smiling faces, so you’ll always be welcome here with any RV questions you may have. We even provide financing options to help you get the RV you need for your Canadian adventures. Camping in Style proudly serves the cities of Oshawa and Mississauga, ON.