Vancouver to Toronto - end of August - 6 days

[gerionimo]

Hello!
I'm moving my stuff across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto in my little Nissan Sentra; I've got 6 days to complete the trip, and am hoping to sneak in a few sights here and there. From my initial research it looks like I will have to cut through the US to save on time. It'll be nice to stretch out my legs. My sister will help take turns behind the wheel which is nice. If anyone already has an itinerary like this, your wisdom would be great! I'm looking to spend maybe $50 night per motel.

Cheers

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

To visit the US, you'll need to make sure you have your passports as a first step since that's require for all border crossings. However, since you are moving all of your stuff, you will also want to make sure you bring some sort of documentation showing that you are moving to Vancouver. Something like a lease or a job contract or something of that nature. Basically, you'll need to show that you do in fact plan to be returning to Canada, since if Border Patrol/Customs thinks there is a chance that you are planning to illegally move to the US they can and will deny your entry into the US.

Route wise, you are correct, it will be fastest to go through the US. Heading to Chicago and then across I-90 and/or I-94. It is a very full 5 day drive, so having 6 days will allow you to make some stops, but you'll have to watch the time. A few of the things you could stop and see would include the Badlands, the Black Hills, or possibly Yellowstone or maybe Glacier National Parks. Of course, you've also got cities like Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Seattle that could be stops if that's more your thing.

$50 is kind of a minimum number for motels. You may be able to find a room every night at those prices, but you will be looking at budget places, and may end up paying more some nights. You'll likely have the best luck in the suburbs and in smaller cities. You can use the Reservations section of RTA to get a better idea of the costs you'll see on the road, and book a place if you find a deal you like.