News

Rising fuel prices have been sending ripples of concern through the tourism industry in Canada for a couple of years, but do they really pose a serious threat to that great Canadian institution, the road trip?

Road trips have been part of our way of life since George Moodie reputedly began the whole thing with a tour from Hamilton to Toronto with Mrs. Moodie in the passenger seat of his American-made Winton in 1898. The car could do about 40 kilometres an hour and got about 25 km per gallon of gasoline. Fuel sold for seven cents a gallon then. Would the Moodies have cancelled their trip if gas jumped to eight cents a gallon? Not likely.

And it isn't happening today, either. According to the Conference Board of Canada, 43 per cent of Canadians are planning holiday trips in their vehicles this year, up significantly from a year ago, according to the board's Greg Hermus. He points out, however, that a survey found that among those who said they do not intend to travel, 19 per cent cited the cost of gas, compared with 9 per cent last year.

So cost is a concern, but arguably it's the idea of high fuel costs rather than the reality that may be frightening some off our roads.

Family sedans such as the Honda Accord, Chevrolet Impala or Toyota Camry equipped with a V-6 engine get EnerGuide ratings of about 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway. At that rate, fuel costs for a 1,000-kilometre trip with gas at a loonie a litre would be $75. At $1.10, that rises by only $7.50. Enough to make you park your car and sit on the couch all weekend? Probably not.

For most of us, a few extra dollars in fuel costs aren't going to keep us home this summer, particularly when there are so many great drives waiting out there.

The Cabot Trail

A perennial favourite of any road trip list – though it just squeaked in at No. 7 in CBC's recent Seven Wonders of Canada contest – Cape Breton's Cabot Trail is a 300-kilometre loop along the island's rugged northern region.

Whether you drive it clockwise or counterclockwise, most people choose to start the journey in Baddeck, recognized as the beginning and end of the Cabot Trail. It's an adorable – interpret that however you will – town on the north shore of Bras d'Or Lake, which is really an inland sea. Famous as the summer home of Alexander Graham Bell, Baddeck is a good base for hitting the trail, with plenty of restaurants and shops along its main street.

From there, take Highway 105 west, then northwest onto the trail just past the bridge at Nyanza Bay.

When you hit Margaree Harbour, the trail turns north sharply, hugging the west coast and offering stunning views of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Just imagine living in one of the small houses perched high above the sea along the trail.

About 25 minutes later, you'll come to Chéticamp, a town that managed to preserve its crab fishery while other communities in the region saw theirs wiped out. Chéticamp is steeped in Acadian history, with many of its 4,000 francophone residents able to trace their ancestry to the families that settled there in 1782 after the Great Expulsion. Today, it's somewhat of a tourist hub, with a string of clean, comfortable motels, whale-watching tours and good seafood restaurants.

Be sure to grab a Tim's on your way out of town – you won't see another one for a while – before entering Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the real drive component of the trip. A tight, twisting road rising and falling along near-vertical walls of rock and trees opens occasionally so you can stop at various “lookoff” points, with views of forested valleys, rivers and the seemingly infinite Atlantic. Just get out of the car and don't say anything.

The way south takes you through lovely seaside communities such as Ingonish and the great Keltic Lodge, which seems to appear miraculously out of the wilderness. Whether you stay at the upscale resort and spa, play the five-star Highlands Links golf course or just frolic on the white sands of Ingonish Beach, it's one rest stop you won't forget.

For more information, visit www.novascotia.com and search “cabot trail.”

Massimo Commanducci

Targa Newfoundland Rally

One road trip that might not come immediately to mind adds a dash of excitement to a tour of Newfoundland – consider taking part in one of Canada's major motorsport events, the international Targa Newfoundland Rally this September.

The sixth annual Targa Newfoundland will be held Sept. 8-15, just missing the busy season on the roads. It caters to three types of entrants. The event comprises 2,200 kilometres of paved roads, with about 500 kilometres of closed stages for the serious go-fast types who compete in the Targa class in specially prepared rally cars.

Grand Touring class competitors follow the same route in a variety of vehicles, ranging from classic sports cars to everyday sedans, and at a saner pace, in a time/speed/distance navigation-based event.

But a third group, the Targa Tour, allows those interested in experiencing the fun and excitement of a major international rally to take part without actually being involved in the competitive aspect of the event. Targa Tour entrants follow the same route over open roads at normal traffic speeds. You could use the family minivan or fly out and rent a vehicle. No modifications or special skills are required.

Tour entrants take part in all the special events of the rally and get decals for their cars, Targa clothing and route books. They also get to see a big chunk of Newfoundland along the way, at their own pace and with the option of taking side trips.

The route takes Targa cars from St. John's in the south to Leading Tickles and Gander in the north. It includes the Avalon and Burin peninsulas, with special stages along the Osprey Trail and through towns and villages such as Clarenville, Placentia, Musgrave Harbour, Greenspond, Path End, Burin, Brigus and Spaniard's Bay.

The roads, the views and the people are awesome, and being part of the Targa Newfoundland Rally makes this a truly unique driving adventure.

For more information, visit www.targanewfoundland.com.

Bob English

The Gaspé Peninsula

Rivière-du-Loup: For vacationing Canadians bound for the wonders of the Maritimes, the Quebec town on the shores of the St. Lawrence is a major waypoint, the spot where you finally point the car south into the summer sun.

But those who can afford a few extra days on the road can savour the rewards offered by continuing east along the shores of the Gaspé Peninsula, to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, then back south to the Bay of Chaleur, with its sheltered bays and inlets.

Awaiting at every turn in the road are a rich collage of seascapes, rolling hills, verdant farms and low, ancient mountains that form the bitter end of the Appalachian range.

About four hours down Highway 132 from Rivière-du-Loup, Ste-Anne-des-Monts offers food and lodging in a picturesque seaport setting. It's also where those pressed for time can turn south for a more direct route to the Bay of Chaleur.

Another fork in the road comes at L'Anse Pleureux, where drivers can continue east on Highway 132, as it winds down to Forillon National Park and eventually to the town of Gaspé, or turn south for a more direct route to the town and its beautiful bay.

As the highway turns south and southwest, the scenery becomes the stuff of picture postcards – literally. Percé Rock, in particular, is even more beautiful than its photographs suggest. The mighty rock, with its distinctive arch, rises out of the sea like a refugee from Monument Valley.

The name Gaspé is said to derive from the Mi'kmaq name Gespeg, which means the place where the land ends. It's also the place where the beauty never ends.

For more information, visit www.riviereduloup.ca.Sam Bufalini

Oceanside in b.c.

When BC Ferries dumps its tourist payload on the shores of Nanaimo this summer, many visitors will immediately point their cars toward Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It's a great drive – but a long haul. If your vacation days are dwindling, head north instead toward Nanoose Bay, Parksville and Qualicum Beach, where you'll find beaches and botanical beauty in droves, all within an hour's drive.

Retirees have long favoured this area, recently dubbed Oceanside, but as housing prices climb ever higher in Vancouver and Victoria, there are more young families and empty-nesters relocating here and revitalizing the communities in the process. In the past few years, even long-established resorts such as the venerable Tigh-Na-Mara have reinvented themselves to appeal to a new demographic, now boasting deluxe suites, high-end spas and upscale dining.

From Nanaimo, take Highway 19 north and exit right at Northwest Bay Road for Nanoose Bay. Follow the scenic shoreline drive to Parksville, where a dip in Tigh-Na-Mara's grotto-like indoor mineral pool followed by a tapas luncheon in your spa robe is highly recommended. Twenty minutes farther down the Old Island Highway is quaint Qualicum Beach, with an abundance of charming antique stores and a really good bakery, Elena's. If you're staying the night, give over the rest of the day to strolling a nearby beach. If you're hurrying, head west along Memorial toward Coombs, where young and old alike will get a kick out of the goats grazing on the roof of the well-stocked farmers' market.

From there it's a half-hour drive south along Highway 4A back toward Nanaimo – but factor in a stop at Bamboozle (watch for roadside signage), the funkiest home and garden shop this side of Manhattan and worth the drive all on its own.

For more information, visit ww.oceansidetourism.com or call 1-888-799-3222.

Julie Ovenell-Carter

The Icefields Parkway

“Twenty Switzerlands in one,” Banff's Crag and Canyon newspaper raved when the Icefields Parkway opened 67 years ago. Not quite, but there's no denying that the 230-kilometre Highway 93 linking Alberta's Banff and Jasper National Parks ranks among the top alpine drives in the world.

Following the shoulder of the Continental Divide, the road boasts close encounters with postcard icons such as jewel-blue Peyto Lake, 17 glacial areas and thundering Athabasca Falls. Every kilometre is framed by the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains' eastern slopes as the road winds over two major passes and crosses paths with the headwaters of three of Western Canada's major rivers – the Bow, Mistaya and North Saskatchewan.

Wildlife sightings are almost guaranteed as the highway slices through one of the largest protected wilderness habitats on the continent for moose, bears and bighorn sheep.

The visual highlight of the route is its namesake, the Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier, which descends from it in Sunwapta Pass.

The icefield, perched atop the Continental Divide, is the largest accumulation of ice in the Rockies, blanketing about 320 square kilometres to depths of 300 metres. Visitors can walk onto the glacier or be driven high on its back in large, specially designed vehicles from the Icefield Centre at the foot of facing Mount Wilcox.

Athabasca Glacier, almost six kilometres long and one kilometre wide, is also an ideal illustration of the effects of global warming – over the past century, it has retreated almost two kilometres, shrinking at a rate of three to 15 metres a year.

The drive from Lake Louise to Jasper takes about five hours. You can do the return trip in a day or break it up with an overnight in Jasper or in one of the motels or inns along the way. But reserve well in advance. This is a popular route and is very busy in the summer.

For more information and a good overview of what to expect on the drive, visit canadianrockies.net/icepwy.html and pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/visit/visit14_e.asp

Laszlo Buhasz