After 2 summers of being sick, and not being able to do shit I am wanted to live it up this summer! Does anyone have plans yet? I think I am going to go camping for the first time in my life! (besides one-night drink fests) what are some good places Ns, NB, Pei what else is everyone doing!
What kind of camping are you looking to do? I'm assuming since you're looking to go as a beginner, you're looking for car camping in a campground. I haven't lived in Nova Scotia for about 5 years but have been to almost all of the campgrounds in NS, PEI and NB - my list: 1. Kouchibouguac in New Brunswick is by far my favorite campground in the Maritimes. Amazing beaches, loads of biking trails, great campground, great selection of hiking trails. One negative can be bugs depending on time of year but you get that pretty much anywhere. 2. Kejimkujik is also a great National Park - has some beautiful hikes, lake swimming, canoe-ing, etc. 3. Twin Shores in PEI is a private campground and I tend to stay away from private but this is actually a beautiful spot with an amazing beach. Ask Scott about it. 4. Graves Island Provincial is one of my favorite parks closer to Halifax. There isn't a *ton* to actually do there but it has beautiful campsites with a great view of the ocean so it is a great spot to bring a comfy chair or a hammock and just zone out. Other options as well but those were always my top ones.
I have more summer plans this summer than I have summer time off even though I have roughly 5 weeks I'll be taking off. At the moment, it's more of a wish list and I'll figure out how to schedule / get things on the list done: 1. This one is booked - I'm spending the first week of July rafting the Dechutes River in Oregon with my daughter and a Venture crew she's involved in. Will be a blast! 2. Spend a week or so in Nova Scotia at my cottage - hopefully my brother will be coming down from Montreal and my sister will have time off. 3. Spend a week hiking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail. I do lots of backpacking trips but I'd like to do something a bit longer - this trail is incredibly beautiful. I'd like to do the entire thing at some point. 4. A 4-5 day bikepacking trip. I'm not sure where yet but loads of places to go. Trying to get my wife into doing this with me so probably not as adventurous as I'd originally thought so she'll like it and not complain about biking up a mountain pass for a full day. Similar to the PCT, I'd love to do the GDMBR (Great Divide Mountain Bike Route) from Banff down to the Mexican border some day and doing trips like this is training. This is all on top of getting out hiking/backpacking/trail running whenever we can. I'm running a 50k trail race in April and am now looking for a 100k race to run in the fall so need to be training/keeping my fitness levels high. I'm hoping for an epic summer. It's had to change so many times as we think about it - the pandemic could be over or it couldn't so original plans that included travel to Europe have been cast aside. My kids are both in high school and one wants a summer job while the other will be doing many other adventures on top of the river rafting so keeping all of that aligned is a bit tricky.
If you want to go camping this summer, book as early as you can. Like today if you can. The pandemic has meant a huge boost in camping, so the dates you want to go may not be available.
I'm booked camping for a week in upstate NY in May (working from the campground during business hours as it has internet access). I have another week booked of in upstate NY in June (no internet access), and another 4 days upstate NY in August (kayak camping). I'm hoping the border remains open. I'm trying to book a week in Ontario for July or September (working from the campground). Ontario provincial parks has a booking window, and the booking window for the dates I want in July opens up next Tuesday. This whole working remote because of the pandemic has had its advantages for me.
It's different for provincial vs. National parks. I think booking for national started beginning of January but I'm out of the loop - 2 different systems.
Most private campgrounds are all about trailer life and jamming as many in as they can - not really camping in my opinion. Twin Shores even does this to a certain extent but it's nicer than most and the beach is worth it. Potentially on the cottage. It's not really set up for short term rentals yet but that's the ultimate goal.
I really want to do this one. I don't know where you are but the Top of the world is amazing as well. We did the Alaska Hwy detoured over to Dawson City then across the Top of the World Hwy then back onto Alaska Hwy up to Fairbanks back down the AH to White Horse... Watson Lake Down the Cassiar Hwy 37 South to the Niaga'a Hwy ( I used to work in here) There are huge lava beds in here. Went into Terrace and then back Home on Hwy 16 West 3 weeks it was an amazing trip I had only known my now wife a short time and it was a great test This summer I am hoping we finally get to have a celebration of life for my nephew, god son, who passed away in Dec 2019 just before all hell broke lose. I am also planning on doing some shooting no other big plans we sold our trailer last fall so no camping. I don't do weekend tent sleeping on the ground thing I have a wall tent but is't too much work for a weekend trip. Oh I almost forgot my step daughter is getting married my wife would slap me but the wedding is in the spring. In my defense not the summer.
i plan to do that on a future trip -- when i do the Alaska Ring + potentially the Dalton Highway (assuming I have a good experience on the Dempster)
We had a hard day on the highway there was a motorhome in the ditch and we had to sit for 8 hrs and we were first in line so just missed the window to get through. This was about 20 km from Chicken. Since we were the first in the line there was a string of traffic backed up all along the top of the world highway and they were all in a hurry to get out to Tok so as soon as we got to Chicken we pulled in and got a camp site and got to know the locals I even got my picture taken on my way out of "Town"
Definitely "town" in quotes. I did love the little bar they had there and the restaurant - had some of the best pancakes I've ever had!
ok I got it!!! booked 3 nights, thought it would be good for my first time Riverside Retreat? anyone been
Annual family camping trip for sure! We brought Raiden last summer and he had a blast. Should be interesting now that his mom as a XL Pitbull... who is probably going to be about 100 pounds like her parents. Should be a good time.
no real plans yet. will be on parental leave for the rest of the year beginning in May, so likely just lots of hanging out at the beach with the fam and working on the homestead.
I'm spending the summer in NS. Like, the whole summer. July 1 to Aug 31. Haven't been home for more than 8-10 days before so the family and I are looking forward to it.
With my out of country vacation now cancelled for the third year in a row. Going to stay closer to home this summer. last summer was my first trip to the Cape Breton highlands. Just a long weekend “glamping” trip. The whole time I was there exploring I had wished we brought our dog along because some of the hiking trails kicked ass. So the plan this summer is an extended trip to the highlands to explore some more, bring the dog and new pup. By then the pup will be big enough to keep pace. But next year….I hope…I hope….i fucking well hope to be back on a cruise ship sailing the fuck out of here
