Travelling to Ontario this Summer

[10fusionsport]

I will be travelling back to Ontario this summer to stay for 5-6 weeks and visit some family and friends. I figured rather than purchase an airline ticket, and rent a car while I am back, I would drive my own car out there and not have to worry about a rental car or anything.

I have done this trip before when I moved out to Calgary from Toronto 4 years ago, however that was only one way, and I did not have to worry about the return trip. Also I never saved my gas receipts so I am not sure what the total cost of the trip was.

I am expecting the total cost to drive out there between hotel, gas and food to be around $700 (one way), but wanted to get a second opinion from anyone who has done the trip more recently given the current cost of fuel.

I figure if I chose to fly, and stay for the same length of time, between airline costs and a rental car I would be looking at $2,000 easily (I am under 25 so all of the car rental places burn me on rental costs).

I also wanted to invest in a larger gas can to have as a reserve in the event that I go a long stretch without seeing a fuel station (I would most likely be driving through Canada only, since I will have so much luggage with me and I am not sure how boarder patrol would react to a car filled with luggage bags). The only question I really had about the gas can, is if anyone has experience with a type of gas can that is not going to stink up the car with the smell of gasoline (in particular all my clothes that would be travelling with me).

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Rob

[Supa Dexta]

km per tank? cost to fill? and number of kms to destination? Its pretty simple...

I've crossed to NS over a dozen times over the yrs, generally 1100 or so for me to get there, but I drive a huge truck.

If you dont want to do it in one day you'll need one nights hotel. And a couple meals.

Theres really no where you have to worry about gas, just watch the signs for next towns.

[whydontchathen]

Theres really no where you have to worry about gas, just watch the signs for next towns.
That's right, you def don't need to worry about carrying a gas can. enjoy the trip!

[ExtraSlow]

drive through the states not winipeg and thunder bay better roads, cheaper gas.

[FixedGear]

It's gonna cost far less than $700 one way. Go on google maps, get the distance, use your cars mpg and fuel prices from the web (eg calgarygasprices.com) to estimate the total cost. Should only take 2 minutes for that calculation.

[CompletelyNumb]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
drive through the states not winipeg and thunder bay better roads, cheaper gas.

This. Not much to see between here and ontario.

[suen17]

Originally posted by FixedGear
It's gonna cost far less than $700 one way. Go on google maps, get the distance, use your cars mpg and fuel prices from the web (eg calgarygasprices.com) to estimate the total cost. Should only take 2 minutes for that calculation.

I'd say around 700$ sounds about right.

I did the trip Calgary-Toronto trip in Sept '11 and Toronto-Calgary in July '12. Car was a 6cyl, loaded to the tits, 2 passengers. Mileage approx 10L/100km - never really did the speed limit though.

Calgary to Toronto, Route: Calgary -> Winnipeg -> Chicago -> Toronto. Gas cost: 450$, hotel 200$ (2 nights), food ~100 (3 days).

Toronto to Calgary. Route: Toronto -> Chicago -> Sioux falls -> Billings -> Calgary. Gas cost: 480$, hotel 350$ (3 nights), food ~120 (4 days).

Mind you, gas prices have dropped since then, and if you're not traveling during the summer heat you should see better mileage than me (AC full blast - 100F days in July). I also grabbed a CAA membership for ~120$ (which is also useable in the states IIRC) just in case i needed a tow in the middle of nowhere.

[RickDaTuner]

Use this website.

http://www.gasbuddy.com/Trip_Calculator.aspx

It will map your trip including the cheapest gas stations on the way to Ont. It calculates the cost based on the mpg of your car.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by suen17


I'd say around 700$ sounds about right.

I did the trip Calgary-Toronto trip in Sept '11 and Toronto-Calgary in July '12. Car was a 6cyl, loaded to the tits, 2 passengers. Mileage approx 10L/100km - never really did the speed limit though.

Calgary to Toronto, Route: Calgary -> Winnipeg -> Chicago -> Toronto. Gas cost: 450$, hotel 200$ (2 nights), food ~100 (3 days).

Toronto to Calgary. Route: Toronto -> Chicago -> Sioux falls -> Billings -> Calgary. Gas cost: 480$, hotel 350$ (3 nights), food ~120 (4 days).

Mind you, gas prices have dropped since then, and if you're not traveling during the summer heat you should see better mileage than me (AC full blast - 100F days in July). I also grabbed a CAA membership for ~120$ (which is also useable in the states IIRC) just in case i needed a tow in the middle of nowhere.

I did the calc assuming 25 mpg and $3/gal gas and it came out to $299 fuel cost IIRC

[10fusionsport]

Thanks Everyone for the replies.

My car on average gets around 12l/100KM (This includes all of the city driving I do on a daily basis). If it is mostly highway I would see around 9L/100km roughly.

I checked out a couple of websites and most are in around the $350-$400 range for fuel. So based on everyone's experience, this should be about right.

It would be just me driving out there and back, so no passengers or anything else to worry about, however if it is just me I figure I would need to stop maybe twice for the trip there.

Only other thing I wanted to touch base on was the drive through Canada Vs. the drive through the States. I understand it is a longer trip to go through Canada, however what worries me is having a bunch of luggage and crossing the boarder. When I came out to Calgary I deliberately went only through Canada due to some of my pets that were travelling with me (snakes and lizards specifically). I also had my firearm in the vehicle with me, and even though I had the paperwork and everything, I could just see a complete nightmare unfolding had I decided to take the quicker way.

I will not be travelling with any animals or firearms this time around, but my main question to anyone who has done this drive and packed there car full, is if you have ever had any issues with boarding crossing?

I don't think I will be investing in a gas can given everyone's advice, so I will not be worrying about that anymore.

Are there any other recommendations anyone has who has done the trip? Maybe places to visit in the States should I go that route.

Thanks Again,

Rob

[Supa Dexta]

If I can get to NS in one go, you should be able to make it to Ont with less than 2 nights sleep.. ha

I've been packed up going thru the border.. No real trouble, they may grill you for a while on why you are going thru the US, just say to see something different and make a trip out of it. Know where you will be crossing back in, and where you will stop for the night - they may ask for that.

Its not really any faster to go south, and you run into a lot of tolls east of chicago. But there is more to look at, northern Ont is bruuuutal