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Soon we will be RV camping in a 20.5 foot travel trailer. Don’t ask me to convert that to meters! Just spent the day scouting for places to go.
My New RV
We are the proud new owners of a 2017 Crossroads Zinger Z1 211RD!
We found this gem at a place called Bella Vista RV Centre on Highway 11 just north of Barrie. Peter and Bruno were excellent and we can’t wait to get on the road. Now to find a vehicle to pull it with and where to go!
Vehicles To Tow A Travel Trailer
Now, there’s a challenge! When I was younger, I had a 1970 Buick Electra Convertible that would have been perfect. Alas, the don’t make cars like they used to. My 2013 Chev Impala is considered a full size car and can only tow 1,000 pounds. My small SUV, a Suzuki Grand Vitara, only pulls up to 1,500! What the heck!
I checked into some of the mid-size SUV’s like the Buick Enclave or the Chevy Traverse. They can tow up to 5,000 pounds but that’s really limiting and I’m advised I should have capacity for almost double the dry weight of the trailer to allow for full tanks etc.
I have always consider pickup trucks as vehicles for “rednecks”. Sorry for the generalization but I’m just not a pickup guy! Never say never. I hope to end up with a full size SUV like a Suburban, Yukon or Tahoe but I suspect there is a high likelihood I’ll end up in redneck territory. And trailer trash to boot!
Finding Overnight RV Camping in Central Ontario
I was surprised at how much RV Camping there actually is! There are numerous Ontario Provincial Parks in the area with RV friendly sites. I’m betting availability may be an issue during the prime camping season. So, we went scouting for private overnight RV Camping sites not more than a couple of hours away. Ironically, we spent about 10 hours doing it!
We left Barrie about 10am and headed north through Orillia and Ramara to Monk Road which took us across to Highway 35 at Norland. North through Minden and Dorset to Highway 60. Then west to Huntsville to Highway 400 South and down to 141 to go across to Parry Sound. By the time we reached Parry Sound, we were ready to head home.
We found a few places to consider:
- Algonquin Highlands Trails
- Silver Sands, A family campground
- Lagoon Tent and Trailer Park
- Horseshoe Lake Camp and Trailer Park
There were others but I forget the half of them! Bottom line is there are many places you can tow a trailer without having to travel too far.
Many friends and family have advised that I stay close for a couple of trips to get used to a new vehicle and the weight behind it. Sounds like sage advice to me.
I’m looking forward to blogging about some of our adventures.
Happy trails everyone!
Barry
P.S. What am I thankful for today? Our parents exposed both of us to camping life in Ontario and we both love it. Our kids still want to come with us and our granddaughter is excited for our next road trip!
What are you thankful for today?
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