USA vs Canada - 5 Big Concerns Nobody Talks About (RV Living)

[@HappilyEverHanks]

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[@mjb7517]

Hi guys, being a Canadian living out west. Here is an alternative route you might want to take. For future American travelers who want to save some fuel money and drive the most scenic road in Canada, enter Canada at Sweetgrass Montana and head towards Banff, Lake Louise and take the Columbia Icefield Parkway towards Jasper, then head west to the Alaska highway from there. Fuel is about 25 to 35% cheaper in Alberta than BC.

[@livinginthenow]

Fantastic information. Thanks. 😀😀😀

[@BucketQuestRV]

That’s the route we took last year. Totally agree. Still will have to deal with Destruction bay to Tok, but the rest of the road is not bad at all.

[@bairdo44]

Currently driving back from Alaska to Michigan by way of Montana and taking that exact route. Having passed though Tok to Destruction Bay a couple days ago, I can say that it is WAY better then last year, they filled most of the massive frost heaves and potholes with gravel and it appears to be recent. Between Tok and the border crossing however has been the worst of the roads so far, by a long ways.

[@joesutherland225]

Yeah and the people are rig pigs and cowboys too no environmental conscience in alberta its not allowed lol their govt has been in oils pocket for decades Oklahoma north almost literally 😊

[@Podcastforthewin]

Not only is the gas a bit cheaper, the Alberta roads are well taken care. For the most part 😄

[@jerrydaminato743]

As Canadians, we would like to point out that the Cassier Highway is one of the most remote areas in BC/Canada. Your experience travelling there does not apply to all of Canada in regards to fuel costs/availability, campgrounds & services. We love the beauty & remoteness of YK and NWT etc. Other provinces may be more like your U.S.A. experience. Just saying'. 🇨🇦

[@SarahNPal]

Was just coming to say this same thing 😊

[@jayneubauer3401]

As an American living in Canada, and also being a full-time RVer snowbird, I cross the border 2x per year with my RV. I have found exactly as you say - be polite, be upfront, don't hedge, don't lie. I have had my trailer searched 2x in 5 years, and it doesn't matter if it is a large or small border crossing. We arrive at the border with a list (on paper) that we hand to the Border Control officer of all the alcohol we carry. The last time I crossed the border I was searched, and they had the list in hand and checked my stock against the list. So, it does happen. They were really nice about it, especially when the list matched what we had.... I guess I am fortunate that since I live in Canada (my wife is Canadian) we have bank accounts in both countries, and try to use the appropriate account in country. Some rest stops have dump stations! That is awesome! They are 2 big, beautiful countries worth exploring.

[@JustinPratt1]

Did that exact drive right at the beginning of the pandemic. It was the best drive ever. Crossed the border in Washington. The border agent said “do not go to any stores, gas pumps only, stop and camp at any rest area.” It was such a great trip. Absolutely no one on the roads, think we saw 15 bears. It was the most relaxing road trip ever.

[@janetzathureczky1766]

Just a note about camping in “Canada”. Every province is different and It is important to note that in Southern BC getting a site without a reservation is next to impossible and often book out within minutes of being released 3 months in advance. In the North, where you were, things are very remote and not like the rest of the province. Happy travels !!!

[@cindygaudet1390]

Agree and rest of Canada! I suggested watching you tube overlanding sophia. They did the maritimes. Then down to states. Also an American couple are doing NS and great accurate videos as I am in Nova Scotia. They are keep your daydream.

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

To get those “fancy” extras you most likely will have to go to a private campground. We do have those fancy RV park(ing lot) places & KOAs. As @janetzathureczky said, in areas where there’s a large population or popular provincial & national campgrounds, reservations are needed. Even up in northern Alberta! There is a first come first served campground along the Icefields Parkway, it is a no services place, with central water taps, & pit toilets. We love it!

[@shiftfocus1]

Came to say exactly this. Also, BC and Alberta are, in my experience, the most expensive provinces for camping fees - especially BC. As you go east, the campgrounds get cheaper.

[@samanthagregson984]

Yeah, I don't camp but from what I understand from friends who do and family who worked for the parks, that with the Ontario parks, good luck finding a spot if you didn't book right when things opened months in advance. And any walk-in spots a park might have gets filled up right as they can start booking them that day. Sometimes even with a line of people waiting for them to start accepting people for a walk-in spots.

[@juniperdog5523]

@@shiftfocus1oh I don’t know about that. Provincial park campgrounds in BC are $22 to $25 and in Ontario $40 to $45.

[@gailthompson4102]

You really can't generalize rving in BC & the Yukon with the rest of the country.. The RV parks on the way north in BC are definitely different from the rest of the country.

[@goodisnipr]

For quick calculations: 1 gallon of water = 8lbs 1 gallon of diesel = 7lbs 1 gallon of unleaded gasoline = 6lbs

[@ma6ha77er]

Just wanted to mention that having worked in the fuels business, that diesel is not lighter than gasoline, it's right about 15% heavier...not that important unless you're driving a tractor trailer..I just had to mention it.

[@sharonsmith5106]

For a credit card to use while traveling outside of the US, we have a Bank of America credit card that has 0, that’s “zero”, foreign transaction fees. I’m sure there are other companies out there that have offers for similar cards, but we were already BOA customers on another credit card so adding a card with no foreign transaction fees was the way to go for us. All we did was contact our credit card company and they helped us find the right card for our foreign travels.

[@sissinoklahoma2057]

For those that think of Canada as a solid monolith, please note there are provinces (what we would call "states" in the US.) So, there's Federal (Canadian) rules and parks and there are States (province) rules and parks. Just Think of all the variations in laws, costs, and campsites available from state to state in the US and apply that same variety to your thoughts about Canada. When I refer to laws, I'm mostly referring to sales tax here as once you cross the border, that's the next thing you'll encounter (besides currency exchange rates.) Québec has a whopping 14.975% sales tax. There are sin taxes in Canada, as well. Think flat rate fees added to purchases such as alcohol or tobacco, and shopping bags (the big meanie shopping bags.)

[@juniperdog5523]

Thank you for stating this so well. The fact that Canada is not differentiated at all by most Americans drives me nuts.

[@LowLightMike]

@@juniperdog5523 Agreed. It's a pet-peeve of mine when watching some KZbin videos of some American RVers driving the "Long Canadian Speed-Bump to Alaska." I think the "Drive from the lower-48 through Canada to Alaska" is a special kind of international travel, where it's easy for people to not have a regular "rest of the world" attitude about doing international travel. It's international travel that people maybe aren't approaching like other international travel, where you embrace being in a different land and culture and system. I think because people are driving/towing their homes with them, it makes it easy to remain in an at-home mindset. In any case, watching KZbin videos of Americans driving to Alaska is an interesting social study. :)

[@JacquesPPage]

You should specify Northern Canada. All of the limitations you had to cope with are very specific to Northern Canada's campgrounds and pretty much all of what you had to adapt to. Travelling to the North IS a complicated thing, not much related to what you will encounter in the Southern part of the country.

[@yoseflaurent3376]

In Canada, most anywhere you will make it to legally park your vehicle for free, including rest areas, you take for granted that you will be able to spend the night there, including suburban street sides, church parkings, shopping malls parkings, Walmart parkings. If ever that is not allowed, someone will tell you and the worst that could happen is the necessity to look for another spot where to sleep in the middle of the night. Why you may sleep in a rest area even if it is officially prohibited ? Well, they just don't want to encourage it since campgrounds would then complain of unfair competition from the government's highway department. But really cops just don't care to check which vehicles are parked there and how long have they been there, so, in most instances, it is really tolerated even if officially forbidden.

[@timbuckingham6734]

Here is a tip that may help get per paid visa in Canada, Canadian Tire for example has visa that can be loaded up to $500. Buying these with cash could save a lot.

[@chrisandersonCR16]

I've installed auxiliary fuel tanks in my diesel trucks for the past 25 years and never had any inspections. Also, you can get an aluminum RDS 100 gallon fuel tank, and it only weighs around 75 lbs. Make sure you buy the installation kit for your vehicle.

[@dontwantnospam]

you are right about the weight. I'd really like to know where they got their information an auxillary tank weighs in at 1000lbs? Cast iron?

[@grega2362]

@@dontwantnospam full. Over 700lb in fuel alone, then add weight of tank and hardware. 1k is a but high, but for total full weight which is what matters 75 is way to low

[@BaddDukk]

Some random observations as a Canadian in BC.. I live just 5km (3miles) from the Sumas border. We have a holiday trailer in Washington near Mt.Baker. As such, I cross the border 35-40 times a year each way so I found the segment about your border escapades entertaining and amusing. For sure our provincial parks are not as swanky as state parks but consider population density. Something like 85-90% of our population lives within an hour of the US border, and our total population is about 1/10 that of the US. Where you were makes backwoods Montana look like an urban center! As such, there are not as many tax dollars per unit area for things like provincial parks so they can be pretty.....rustic.. $200CAD per day sounds pretty reasonable; especially when half of that was fuel. Not bad IMO. I have found this adventure very entertaining. Consider the other route back so you can report on the difference.

[@miss.campbell1103]

Province to province things are different. Don’t generalize all of Canada each province and territory is different. All the stuff you said Canadian campgrounds don’t have we have all of in abundance in Ontario!

[@SCMartin1948]

Adding a 50gal Transfer Flow fuel tank to my F350 was one of the best purchases ever. F350 only has a 26gal tank so this has made a huge difference! We average 10mpg towing our 38' fifth wheel. Made the trip to Alaska four years ago and we were able to drive the Casiar without fueling up. Consequently we were able to be choosy about when and where to fuel up. We do a lot of 4,000+ miles trips out West where fuel can be much more expensive in isolated areas. Made a huge difference on the trip to Alaska. With a 760 mile range never have to stop for fuel on a driving day.

[@arc2226]

Agree 100%, I added a 51 gallon auxiliary fuel transfer tank/tool box to our F250 to support the stock 28 gallon tank. We now have extended our range to around 700 miles pulling our 31' toy hauler / travel trailer. A lot less worries about finding fuel nowadays. And, as you stated, we can take advantage when we see the better fuel prices. We have a back flip tonneau cover, so you can't even see it, and it takes up less space than you'd think. We still have plenty of bed space available. One of the best purchases ever made. Also note: you can install this tank easily yourself if you're a DIYer or handy with tools. Don from Florida

[@luminousveiws]

We just did 12,000 miles with our new 60gal tank. Huge money saved and lots of time too!

[@Steph18844]

As a Canadian now living in the USA, people here should also note that you cannot bring mace.

[@lorrainehinchliffe5371]

Weapons are not restricted to guns it also refers to stun guns, brass knuckles, mace and others. Please check before coming to the Canadian boarder. If your driving thru to Alaska you must register guns first. Check before coming!

[@canaguy]

A thought about two weeks total expenses: You guys would have spent at least 55% of that, staying at home, with routine activity around your home town, at work each day or eating, living in one place. Overall, the cost of this part of travel is very fair. Enjoy the view, the wildlife, and more hot springs.

[@cindyj9014]

Hi Hanks, as a proud Canadian I’m going to chime in as well. You travelled a very specific route and it’s unfair to lump all of Canada in your comparison. On your next trip to our beautiful Country, I would suggest you reach out to one of your loyal CDN subscribers to clarify your information before you leave. In regards to border crossing, we go through the exact same thing that you do when entering the US - we welcome all to experience the beauty across all of our provinces and you’ll find that some areas will cost significantly less. 😀🇨🇦😎

[@psjoden]

Totally agree with you….I live in the area of Northwest BC and have traveled the Cassiar Hiway multiple times all seasons…including the winter. In summer there are more opportunities to fuel up as in the winter some of the guide/tourist operations close and therefore you will not have the opportunity to fuel up. (By the way I drive a 1ton diesel with a camper) …However in the summer…..plenty, be smart….fuel up at the junction of Hiway 16 and the Cassiar Highway (Kitwanga) I always Fuel up at Meziaden ( junction of the Stewart Hiway and the Cassiar.) then if I feel that I should I have Bell 2 to fuel up, ( winter time hit and Miss for fuel here.) and /or Iskit Villiage, great small store with Coffee and Snack food and ready made sandwiches…(never had issues with them being out of fuel here summer or winter) …I always fuel up at Dease Lake, ( this summer they installed pay at the pump 24/7 service!) no more Watch checking hoping to arrive during business hours !!! Then again at the junction of Cassiar and Alaska Hiway….late fall and winter May have to travel into Watson Lake 40 km. As fuel may or may not be available at the junction. As for traveling through this northwest area…well yes it is more sparsely populated but that is the reason you should be travelling…seeing new spectacular scenery, wilderness animals, and lakes without hundreds of seadoo’s on them engines screaming… if you expect to pay the prices as you find in the lower parts of bc or us…then what are you thinking! It cost money, time, and equipment to travel up and deliver commodities to these sparsely populated areas. You want cheap prices, stay south in the heavily populated areas, … come north where the welcome is warm and the views are spectacular! (I have travelled most of the coastal and central US states..as well as Alaska…I always enjoy what they have to offer, and not worry about what they charge, I have my home on my truck…with full facilities. I use my own shower. And as for laundry…well it cost money for me to wash cloths at home also soooo……you folks have a beautiful huge rv trailor! Why are you spending money on showers, and taking motels, and eating out? … if I don’t use what I have, the next time it stays home…just saying! The road conditions in Alaska equal those of the Yukon as folks…you are traveling on roads built on permafrost…as it melts because of the roads..it becomes a never ending issue…allow yourself time to travel slower 70-8o km. Enjoy the scenery you will on average only be an extra hour on the road to your arrival area, and your equipment will thank you for it as well as your own sanity! Relax in the North you are in “Gods Country” Enjoy! And yes in BC rest areas you are okay to overnight, just do not stay longer than overnight…roughly 8 hours by the signage, however we would rather rv’s use the rest areas to rest so they are safe drivers on the road… NO multi night stay overs in rest stops, sleep wake and move on. Happy Travels!

[@jonmasselink4214]

I too, agree that Americans need to stop describing Canada based on your very very limited experience in 1x province and 1x territory. Come on! We have 3x territories and 10x very different provinces!!!

[@susana5052]

I didn’t hear anything rude about Canada. It was clear to me that they were giving their opinion on that “particular” journey and not the whole of Canada. There are pros and cons to every part of the United States, Europe and Asia, etc. Things of all sorts are just different everywhere you go as well as when you go. Example: I love checking out supermarkets every place I go. They’re different in every part of a country or state and I find it fascinating and fun to shop wherever I go. It’s a little challenging when you’re trying to figure out if you’re buying canned tuna, vs canned salmon or toothpaste vs hemorrhoid cream.😂 Obviously that happens in places where there’s multiple languages spoken. That’s part of the fun of traveling no matter where you go…it’s the experiences you have that makes it worth going. Sending love to Canada, to my Canadian friends and my other friends in other countries. Sending my best from America!🙏🏻💖🙏🏻 ❤🇺🇸❤️🇨🇦❤🇯🇵❤🇬🇧❤🇮🇹❤🇫🇷❤🇱🇺❤🇳🇱❤🇮🇷❤🇩🇪❤🇧🇪❤

[@THEBossSound]

I didnt hear anything against Canadians.

[@PersonalBestOutdoors]

Wow. I thought the Hanks were pretty clear about the route choice they took... that the specific stretch they traveled is desolate and takes time etc... I understand that they weren't making a generalization about Canada as a whole. It appears these "Proud Canadians" are a prickly folk. I've traveled Canada a fair bit, and in my experience they are very friendly, which definitely fits the stereotype most of the world has. A very nice demographic of people. You guys shouldn't feel the need to defend your beautiful country against a remark that was never made.

[@Smoothfonzo]

Provincial parks definitely do have reservations. Some of the busier ones fill up rather quickly and the only way to get spots is by reserving them. I'm guessing the more remote areas don't have to worry so much about crowds, hence the first-come-first-serve, but honestly it's the first time I've ever heard of one like that, and I'd consider it outside the norm.

[@StephaneDemers]

Provincial parks vary by province. If you are east in Ontario you need to pre-book your stay online.

[@MatthewFordVictoria]

Many of the Rest Areas in Canada don't permit spending the night there, but if there's a serious storm, I'm sure you're allowed to spend the night and continue on the next day.

[@rrrrkoop2776]

well as an electrical contractor I would never even think to have someone install something as simple as an auxiliary fuel tank. especially in a pickup. but you don't have to have it ties into your diesel system. simply pump it from the aux tank into your truck tank when you need to. as far as regulations, If you buy an aux tank it should already be DOT approved. that's my opinion. and also experience. also from farm country and no farmer would think to hire someone to put in an aux tank. again just my opinion. but yes they are costly. But i'd rather pay $800 for a tank and pump than run out of diesel out in the middle of nowhere.

[@Cooking_Patty55]

The amenities you want are private campgrounds , our provincial parks are rough, people like that here

[@itsfig5872]

Where's the fun stuff you did on the trip?

[@josephhsu6791]

Love you guys. We live in Wasilla Alaska and will be heading south the lower 48 next week. We just sold our house and moved into a 2023 39ft Thor Challenger. If you have any questions about Alaska let us know. Safe travels

[@johncharlton4069]

Travel through Alberta there is no provincial tax on fuel.I would grab a couple jerry cans for fuel in case you run short. In Ontario fuel up at native gas stations you will find it cheaper.

[@rhark25]

A good rule of thumb for liquid weights: Gasoline- 6 lbs/gal, Diesel/Kerosene/Jet fuel- 7 lbs/gal, Oil- 8 lbs/gal and Water- 9 lbs/gal. These will keep you in the ballpark and are easy to remember

[@jonbowles7480]

As a Canadian and frequent RV traveller I cross the US Canada border around 7 times a year with the trailer. Be polite, open your passports to the picture page, have other documents ready if needed but remember to only answer asked questions. Ask and answer and you will be fine.

[@dmfraser1444]

18:00 - About bringing cash. You may save card transaction fees but at a currency exchange store you will spend about 3% in fees to get that cash anyway. You may spend a bit less in fees by taking your US debit card to a Canadian bank ATM and taking out Canadian cash there. Never use a Canadian ATM that is not from one of our top banks or credit unions. My bank in Canada charges about 1.5% to 2% to dispense cash to visitors though your bank may also add on a fixed fee on the withdrawal as well. Regardless, the savings from taking Canadian cash is an illusion because even in getting Canadian cash, you pay a similar service charge. Therefore , there is no sense worrying about those fees. They were such a small part of your total costs to be irrelevant. If that small an amount is a make or break factor then for such a person, they will not do much international travel. We Canadians face the same thing all the time when we travel to the USA. My point is that for your food, fuel and camping fees and other larger purchases, if your credit charges just a flat 3% transaction fee, just pay that and do not worry about it. Just have a few hundred in Canadian cash for minor purchases.

[@curvechaser2345]

I’m sure it’s been mentioned but there are many credit cards out there that do not have foreign transaction fees. I travel outside the country quite a bit and I love not having to worry about those fees. I have traveled from the US to Anchorage and back via the ALCAN and loved every minute of it! Your video brought back that amazing scenery, good times and an incredible experience!! Keep up the great work! P.s. you always make me smile during your videos :)

[@HappilyEverHanks]

You are on top of the ball with the credit card! We unfortunately dropped the ball and had to take the hit with those stinking foreign transaction fees. Thank you for all your wonderful support and kind words ❤️

[@pauldem544]

Gasoline weighs LESS than Diesel at just over 6 lbs for gas. If you do a Midship fuel tank replacement (like replacing the stock tank with a 60 gal tank), then you can DIY the replacement without any legal issues. Also, there are some US Credit cards (like Capital One) that have no Foreign exchange fees. Also, it's usually cheaper to use an ATM to get your Canadian currency since Currency exchange locations and even US banks will give you a worse exchange rate than just using an ATM in Canada.

[@graygoose739]

In Canada we can get US $ credit cards. No transaction fees. You might be able to get a Cdn $ credit card. Worth looking into.

[@thomasbrown5386]

I upgraded the 28 gallon tank on my F350 to a 60 gallon. That and the 12 volt fridge in our camper are the 2 biggest and best upgrades we've done. Solar is next.

[@ryanparkington9254]

You'll be very hard pressed to find 50AMP service in Provincial or National Parks in Canada. It's not unheard of but not common either. 30AMP is the standard. You won't generally find sites with water service either so you need to use your tanks. Again, sewer hookups are generally not available at the Provincial and National Parks either. If you want full hookups, you need to go Private. That said, my experiences with State Parks in the USA are similar. You get electric but nothing else!

[@Technocrat.]

Also, depending on Province, you must have a driver's license and insurance for your vehicle and trailer. No insurance can get you a 5k ticket, depending again on the province.

[@jeremythebeer8609]

As a Canadian (from Ontario), I'm using your video series to educate me. ;p Thumbs Up! (Exchange rate is brutal right now.)

[@dusttodust4295]

Add the cost for medical/travel insurance for those on Medicare. Medicare only covers US. I priced out this cost for a 10 day vacay to Netherlands (approx. $600 US)

[@trentond3703]

There are many provincial parks in Canada with 50A service, full service, pools, and many many other amenities, it all depends on where you are as each one is different. Also, nightly rates are different at provincial parks from province to province, and Canadian national parks are different again.

[@shannonbarthelette4749]

Live in bc, I know of only 2 provincial parks with hook ups and none with pools. It varies greatly

[@shannonchadwick8534]

Where? I’ve never seen a Provincial Park with any power or water. We always go to a private campground if we need power or city water. Lived in BC my whole life.

[@trentond3703]

@@shannonchadwick8534 I didnt say in BC specifically said "provincial parks in Canada" as this video is about Canada in general not just BC. I have experience with parks in AB, SK, and MB with several that offer water/sewer/pool.

[@shannonbarthelette4749]

@shannonchadwick8534 alice Lake and porta cove are 2 provincial parks in bc with full hook up, also manning park just opened a full service this year. those are the only 3 in bc I know of. My friends in Ontario tell me there are lots there, it's the norm.

[@glennred4830]

Your 13 days in Canada is a cost as would be expected. FYI : It is an EQUAL amount of MILES (travel) from the US border going north to Whitehorse, Yukon, as is the distance from that same border (BC/WA) to the Mexico border to the south. Approx 1400 miles for either direction of driving. The cost of fuel in Canada is slightly higher but offset with the 25-30% exchange rate savings for US travellers. Hope you can use another highway on the return south, through more National Parks, waterfalls, hot springs and glacier landscapes in the rocky mountains.

[@wgb_jd]

I guessed it pretty close. It depends on your means, but to me, in this day and age of insane prices, travelling through some of the highest prices in North America, 2k seems like a pretty good deal for such an epic 2-week adventure. You guys did very well. Of course, the accountants would say you also have to add in the depreciation on your truck and fifth wheel, but screw the accountants.

[@habigscrapbooks]

We just spent 4 days in BC (loved it!) but learned the hard way not to use our debit card. That was the only fees we incurred. Our credit card showed a conversion amount and no fees. Make sure before you go you have a credit card that doesn’t charge fees and don’t use a debit card. That was probably the one thing we forgot to check before crossing the border. And we didn’t need cash at all. Been fun to watch this journey.

[@65Max]

By way of comparison - I recently completed a solo round trip in the US through 34 states lasting 28 days & tracked miles, hours driving, MPG, food, lodging & fuel costs. From Alabama up east coast to NY then west to SD and back to AL. My only real concern was driving solo and getting "sleepy eyes" while driving (rest, power-nap, cold drink & snack... continue) Here ya go... Miles 5410 Hours 100 (avg 54 mph) MPG 10.8 (60-65 mph, '05 Silverado 1500, big engine, crew cab, "new" 2021, 22' travel trailer) Food $450 Camp $590 (avg $20/nt, includes mooch & boon docking) Fuel $1658 (gasoline) Total $2766 (includes some incidentals) Would I do it again - ABSOLUTELY, hopefully with a travel partner next time

[@lloydbrown9327]

Hi...I am from the east coast of Canada. I am planning on going south for the winter.I have a chev.Silverado and a 20' travel trailer. What advice would you like to give me? I haven't done this before. Some questions.....Are the camp sites expensive, can I pull over at rest areas for the night, what are places I should stay away from? Thanks. I enjoyed your videos! Stay safe!

[@65Max]

PLAN and PLAN again. I spent a month in advance checking for prices and places to stay along my itinerary as well as expected fuel costs. I prefer state campgrounds to commercial properties. I did not use any rest areas but on three occasions Cracker Barrel - called in advance to obtain approval AND purchased breakfast at each one. I limited myself to 300 miles per day with a target speed of 60 mph. Longest active driving was about 7 hours. Use a tire pressure monitor and bring tools to change tire and other common maintenance chores. Brought enough frozen and refrigerated food for the month long trip - some left over. If you tire of driving - STOP, REST & REFRESH before continue - power-nap! AND ENJOY!

[@leannebrown5993]

So happy to see Canadians chime in about some of your questions or remarks. We love our country and so excited to see you come for a visit but want to a make sure you have good info. Btw, I go over the border via car a lot with our dog. All they need is a rabies for a healthy dog. The only time they have asked for it was while flying and they asked every time. Hopefully, Going through parts of BC has wet your whistle to visit the other provinces as well. I have made it a goal to see all our provinces (only one more to go) and each of them is quite beautiful. From coast to coast. Cheers!

[@dorisbetts3012]

As a Nova Scotian I have been to 7 provinces, lived in three, but have not been up north. We have an extraordinarily beautiful country, diverse in geography and cultures!

[@sandygivens4748]

So we would highly recommend the transfer flow 50 gallon tank. They did the install at their Chico California facility. In and out in a day. Best thing we ever did! We had an original Ford tank, which only held 26 gallons and I felt like I was spending most of our days hunting for the next fuel stop. Doubling the tank size gave us so much more freedom and flexibility, and really did not decrease our fuel mileage that much. Completely worth it! And highly recommend transfer flow.

[@nanettedooley5740]

Transfer Flow is the best! Chico is my hometown

[@markfowler6200]

I just got back from deadheading, Anchorage to San Diego. We spent 3 nights in rest areas, no prob. But… we could only put the large slide out once. This had to do with where we parked. If the driver side was in the lane where traffic had to pass…we couldn’t put the slide out. We had a 60 gal (50 gal usable) and used it all the time to reduce stops (we were in a hurry).

[@1964Challenger]

I just carry a couple of plastic diesel Gerrycans to cover the just in case when I’m doing remote areas - don’t need anything else

[@1964Challenger]

Most of the time you just need to go 50-100miles to reach saviour so the gerrycans cover that

[@geoff2459]

Just to emphasize the point made earlier, that anyone crossing an international border should have a credit card that does not charge transaction fees on foreign purchases. As a Canadian, I heartily endorse "Home Trust Visa." I expect you could find something similar in the USA. Great videos! Safe travels!

[@goththicus]

Agree. I was surprised they were charged, normally your CC company doesn’t charge foreign transactions.

[@JanAllOverNow]

I had to get a card specifically for travel so I wouldn't get charged foreign transaction fees.

[@JustinPratt1]

Yep, most airline cards and some bank accounts (cap one, and Charles Schwab) have cards, both credit and debit, with no foreign transactions fees.

[@andrewfife4404]

Fuel/gas is approximately 2$ more per gallon in BC than Alberta.

[@joesutherland225]

Just an idea but if your going to be in Canada for awhile maybe buying a prepaid card st a Canadian bank on arrival then topping it up as needed from your American account would vanquish those fees and give you e banking as well credit unions would also offer this kind of service .

[@huntandride4026]

We have a 45 gallon auxiliary diesel tank, with the 35 gallon regular tank. Professional installation, it has DOT labels and tags for inspection. From my understanding having a check valve between the tanks and a shutoff switch are required. We've had it for 3 years now on a 2015 ram 2500 cummins. ( also full delete and then some) 17mpg towing 41ft toyhauler fifth wheel

[@maryh3438]

Regarding foreign transaction fees for USA credit card purchases -- I noticed that my CostCo Mastercard states "No foreign transaction fees". I haven't tried it yet but after a $22 fee using my Chase CC, I will try the Costco card in the future.

[@a3a21971]

@15:05. Head-X.. love❤ it!

[@hammer48ful]

Went to Alberta last year, up to to Banff and Lake Louise, the roads were great. One thing threw me was knowing how many liters I wanted to buy to fill the tank at the gas station. We had no problems with phone calls, but problems with the GPS. Many campgrounds had electric fences around them to keep the bears out. A lot to do and see in Alberta with really nice people. Looking forward to going back.

[@JRJones333]

My wife and I are 5 or 6 times a year campers. Mostly within a couple hours from home. We couldn't do what you do with the long trips, so we live vicariously through you two. Thanks for the videos.

[@Maria-lf4js]

Just want to add that a lot of the provincial parks in the more southern parts of BC and Alberta are reservable, it is when you go further north on the Alaska highway that the campgrounds are not reservable. Also we do have full hook up campgrounds but again in the further northern part of the province this is not as common.

[@davidhillman3410]

Great information!

[@ohhmg2130]

There may be "rules" regarding camping in some areas. but our unhoused population is embarrassingly huge and they need to live somewhere, so sometimes the rules aren't applied.

[@stargazer5073]

Where's the travel footage.....mts, lakes, rivers, bears 🐻 😎?

[@ran1234dy]

Hi, great video. I am from Ontario and most Provincial Parks have 50 amp and 30 amp service. Very few except the St-Lawrence Parks have 3 service available. Booking is a must, but most parks here have a space available for those that just show up as they are just passing through. Normally every provincial parks have washers and dryers. Enjoy your videos and really we are pretty much the same Canada/USA.

[@davidmccartney7577]

As always you two, I mean three (Dexter) included do an Awesome job sharing information. Now enjoy Alaska and stay safe😎🇺🇸

[@Barb929]

Awesome info guys!!💕💕👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@RVAmerica]

We have plans to go to alaska in two summers. 2025. We have hopes of spending three months there. Very useful information. Danny asked if you had any damage to your r v and did Star Link start working better? Lynn and Danny

[@scottbowen6514]

So that was 13 days up and back? And give details about the mosquito sitch.

[@kevinwilliams2261]

I had my factory fuel tank replaced before I started full timing. Went from 32 to 52 gallons. There are many companies that offer replacement tanks that fit in the stock location. Well worth the money to have it professionally installed.

[@charliebullio463]

Howdy Hanks, great to see you today. 😀

[@ThePewterPalace]

Gosh. Sorry you guys did not really see much of Alaska! A brief trip is a lot of $ and driving not to really see most of Alaska at all! Tok is really just the start-off point for most Rvers to experience Alaska' only 89.5 miles in. We have been RVing in AK since mid May and will leave into western BC early Sept. We suggest to viewers to plan to have at least a month, preferably 2 to really see the real Alaska-from the cities of Fairbanks and Anchorage to the peaks of Denali. The Kenai Fjords NP, the Chugach, and then the coastal towns and everywhere in between. Plan to come back and really see what you missed! PS lol you also were on the road sections with worse conditions! They get much better after Tok!

[@joaltman36]

I think that you should have taken the route through Prince George, Chetwynd, Fort St John, Dawson Creek and onto the Alaska Highway. It is far less desolate and the roads are much better - all paved.

[@anthonyk8716]

Great video guys! I spent 21 years in the army and one thing, among many I learned is preparation, especially communication. Listening to your lessons learned I think a satellite phone should be considered during this type of trip. Thanks for sharing.

[@smee661]

Since they have starlink they can make internet calls, we do it all the time in bad cell areas. Good idea if they didn't have that option.

[@romancox2186]

Love your videos. Keep up the good/fun work. Thank you!!!

[@TjBruce817]

I replaced my 32 gallon stock fuel tank with a 60 gallon on my 3500 Ram and it only adds couple extra hundred pounds, like about 220lbs with the larger tank when loaded with fuel. It gives you extra range with out all that extra weight. I don't know if that is an option on your Duramax, that larger tank fit in the same spot as my original tank. Kinda the middle ground in range increasing options. But it was just as expensive and needed to be professionally installed. Love the videos guys, your info is going to be super helpful when the wife and I head up there hopefully soon.

[@brendaferrier8132]

Each province in Canada has different camp ground booking systems. In Ontario you book your sites online. There is also provincial parks and conservation parks

[@kristinaschmit8009]

We traveled through the Canadian border headed to Banff National Park. We stayed @ Lewis & Clark RV Park in Shelby MT. they have lockers to store fire-arms and what -evs… We crossed w/ 2 dogs- they never asked for vaccines, asked minimal questions AND my husband crossed (& returned) over the border w/ an expired passport. We were in and 2 minutes. Easy-peasy.

[@sheilacaine]

Yes those roads looked horrible. Glad you showed it. Great information. Thanks Hanks you’re awesome.

[@ThePewterPalace]

That small section of road they took north to Tok is the worst in the entire state. We are traveling all over AK this summer and most of the other main highways are good to great. Yes, watch for wavy lines...that indicates frost heaves or dips, watch for repaired patches or potential potholes here or there but if you stay alert, proceed slowly you have no issue! It's the jerks with huge rigs that fly at 70 mph that break their axels!

[@Jeannie.B]

I've been looking forward to this video

[@kurtelliott1987]

Somewhere around the year 2000, my wife and I took our 25ft. 5th wheel to Niagara Falls. We stayed at a KOA on the Canadian side that had the Falls bus line stop out front, with tickets sold in the campground office. We didn't drive at all once we parked! Great memories.

[@jimdavis3051]

When you stopped to provide medical help I was reminded of a local story. A shock trauma nurse driving to work in Baltimore in 2016 witnessed a fiery crash. She was on the highway going the opposite direction. She pulled over and hopped over the “Jersey” wall to get to the victims. However, there was a space after the wall and she fell 70’ into a river. She survived with injuries. So be careful out there!

[@monihamam901]

Hi ❤ the only bad thing about your videos is they are almost all short ones and not enough of them in a week thank you and God bless

[@rustystrong6816]

Diesel in PA. Right now is $4.49/gal. You have memories for a lifetime. Great time ❤️👍🤗

[@OddsandSods26]

As a Canadian Snowbird, your travel costs are in line with my costs to travel south. You put on a lot of miles (BC is a big province, almost as long as WA, OR, and most of California.) so the costs reflect that round trip distance. It is the same for us going south and returning. That is about 3k miles and my fuel costs are US$1600ish. We tend to dry camp when possible but your observations about the Canadian campgrounds is interesting. I hope you return, there's lots to see in Beautiful BC.

[@JonCox-hp4fw]

I'm not sure about BC, but I do know that the campground west of Rocky Mountain House in Alberta has 50 amp plug ins, as does the Rendez-Vous Rv park in Peace River! Allstays will give a pretty accurate list of campgrounds with 50 amp!

[@diane8885]

I used to buy my daughters skates in Canada always declared them and the scotch for dad when he saw how much they cost! My daughter attended school there and we were searched several times.

[@michaelcertain415]

You guys are awesome! We have really enjoyed your trip to Alaska. It has taught us a great lesson. When going to Alaska - fly! LOL! We took an Alaskan cruise last year and want to return for a land, or maybe a land and sea tour. We'll leave the RV at home. :) Can't wait for a new episode on your travels this week!

[@davidrobertson606]

We find groceries are less in Canada. Costco in Canada is generally less. Alcohol is more in Canada. Wine is less in some areas in Canada. Their are a lot of foods that are restricted entering Canada or the US. Non original packaged food is generally not allowed.

[@sirkilerbee]

They speak like their experience in BC is true of all of Canada. Living in just the Provence over I can tell you it is very different. The provincial parks here have an online reserve tool better power options. And gas in Alberta is always like 20-30 cents cheaper per liter. Is around 30% less. And being right next to bc you could do at least half your way to Alaska from Alberta. It is like saying one state is the same as all of America. It is not. I feel like I should also add the BC has I think a 7% provincial tax on basically everything while Alberta doesn’t have a provincial tax. At least not yet

[@mjordan812]

Long Distance motorcyclist here - a couple of points. Foreign Transaction Fees - WHY do you use a card that has them? There are plenty of cards that don't. Shop around. Fuel - buy fuel when you can - NOT when you need it. The only time you can have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

[@Riverstonesthrowaway]

Small price to pay for years of awesome memories!

[@Mommadukes337]

What about the drug RX you take daily. Do you declare them?

[@janshe3597]

It all depends on which Border Guard you get too. I travel to the USA two-three times per week, this applies to both borders. Some are stricter than others.

[@WSquareTraveler]

I love you two! Grateful for your experience and knowledge 👍🏼

[@jasonsaunders728]

Hey guys! First of all, love your videos!! Very informative and love your light heated twist. As someone who is from Canada, I do have a comment to make. You have only seen one area of Canada, and I might add is one of the most expensive parts of Canada. We live on the east coast and things are generally much cheaper out this way. From our experience, average costs for full service campsites run $25-30 CAD. With full electrical, water and sewer. Access to showers etc. Out here in Newfoundland (eastern Most Province) you can boondock pretty much where ever you want!😃

[@HappilyEverHanks]

Hi Jason! Thank you so much for reaching out. You are so correct in saying that we've only experienced a very small portion of Canada. We hope to make it on the East Coast and experience some of those beautiful places out there! Thank you for your wonderful support, and for taking the time to watch our videos - Kyle and Renee

[@vincevandermaarel7975]

Love the “Let Er Rip” shirt. Would love a sticker for the side of our rig near the black tank handle!

[@gajeep94yj]

In regards to the fuel. I replaced the factory Ford tank with an S&B 60 gallon tank. This was a game changer in our travels. Ignore the fact that it paid for itself in the first year by allowing me to fill up where it's cheaper.... The fact we can go 600 miles with out stopping is amazing. We stop when we want to, not ever 2 hours for fuel. Titan tanks also makes a direct replacement. And the are larger if you have a long bed

[@gajeep94yj]

I also installed it myself in about 1.5 hours. Never had a problem

[@AlaskaErik]

I've driven the Alaska Highway numerous times. The most recent was in April and I was towing a trailer with my Silverado. I have two credit cards that I use on a regular basis. Neither on charges foreign transaction fees or requires any type of travel notification. As for Canadian money, I still have $90 from years ago. Every single business all along the Alaska Highway has a POS terminal. So I just use credit cards for everything. This last trip I only bought food twice. The farmer's bacon wrap at Timmy's and a habanero chicken sandwich at A&W. Neither one in available in the western states, so I always stop at those two places. The rest of the time I prepared food I had with me. Since I just wanted to get home, I was making as much time as I could. I spent three nights in Canada. One night at a Walmart and two nights in a pullout. I normally enter at the Sweetgrass/Coutts crossing coming up I-15, so I'm on the Alaska Highway the entire length. I did one dump at Fort Nelson. They have a great dump station free of charge. Water is also available around May, so it wasn't on yet, but I had enough to get me home. One thing I want to touch on is traveling with pets. Canada only requires proof of rabies. Alaska requires a health certificate issued withing the previous 30 days. There is no one at the border except US Customs. They are concerned with federal law. I have never been asked for a health certificate and most of the time I don't even have one. The only question I have ever been asked about my dog is does she want a treat. I have a Labrador Retriever, so the answer should be obvious. So you can decide whether or not you want to chance it. Personally, I think it's a ridiculous requirement. Proof of rabies is good enough for Canada and most states and should be good enough for Alaska. I'm not aware of dogs bringing disease and pestilence to Alaska.

[@herb7877]

Nice recap. When we traveled from the USA thru Canada we did not exchange our USA cash. I don't like to carry much cash at all (~$100) . It was so much easier to just use our Visa & MC. The transaction cost were minimal if you factor in the cost of the cash exchange & connivence. We had no issue using U.S. $$ in most places as well. I carry a 5g can of gas for "just in case" & use in the generator. I've never used it in the truck & rarely use the generator. I do fill up when ever I had the opportunity if my tank was below 3/4 & wasn't real sure of the next stop.. Your fuel cost was actually less than I would have thought. I would have guessed about 25-35% more. THANK you for the info...

[@dans1741]

Hello my American friends. To start. Good video. Just my 2 cents. If you are driving anywhere on the globe. In the most remote areas. Yes. Cost will be much more, roads will suck. As a Canadian and going south of our border. To the u.s. Holy crap. What an issue. So. I get it. Maybe you guys one day will drive through Canada And experience the whole country. Not just a trail to Alaska. Again m Good video. Just one man's opinion.

[@WeSometimesRV]

Amazing information. We are possibly looking at going to Alaska in the RV at some point so this is really interesting. I do have one question. Was the dollar amounts quoted, just for the 13 days/ 12 nights? spent in Canada?