Winnipeg to Petawawa - where to stop on TTNL?

[Cpl4Life]

My wife wants to stick to Canada, while I'm thinking going through the US would be easier as far as finding lodging and gas, rest stops, etc.  Wife's concern is taking stuff across the border.  We won't have any fire arms or pets with us.  The only thing I am a bit concerned with our booze.  We have a fair number of open bottles and I don't want to have to dump them or pay a huge amount of duty and tax on bottles we've already bought and paid for if we can avoid it.

 

[Gunner98]

One piece of advice, book your accommodations before you start out.  It is nice to where you are going and that a room/bed is waiting.  4 years of Shilo to Ottawa, 3 times per year will ensure you plan the route in advance.  Searching for a room after dark with an exhausted family in a car and finding unexpectedly busy locales is not fun for your or your kin.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

One piece of advice, book your accommodations before you start out.  It is nice to where you are going and that a room/bed is waiting.  4 years of Shilo to Ottawa, 3 times per year will ensure you plan the route in advance.  Searching for a room after dark with an exhausted family in a car and finding unexpectedly busy locales is not fun for your or your kin.

Especially, if you are doing the Canadian route during the summer. Accommodations between Thunder Bay and The SOO are few and far between so plan ahead.

 

[Strike]

Especially, if you are doing the Canadian route during the summer. Accommodations between Thunder Bay and The SOO are few and far between so plan ahead.

And there always seem to be hockey tournaments going on too!

 

[navymich]

Good advice on the pre-booking of lodging.  We booked ours a few weeks ago.  Between the fact of having a dog, 3 kids and driving on the long weekend, we were definitely not going to take chances!

 

[The Bread Guy]

If you want completely away from the planes, there's the Ramada, and it has a waterslide for kids.

It's still in operation, but it's not a Ramada anymore:
http://www.landmarkinn.ca/

PM me if you want some ideas re:  where to get a bite to eat in Thunder Bay (depending on how long you'll be staying).

 

[Cpl4Life]

We've decided to go through the US.  First night is at Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, then Country Inn & Suites  in Marquette, Michigan and third/last night in Sudbury at the Fairfield Inn & Suites.  That should work out to 6 hrs/6hrs/8hrs then 5 hrs drive on the last day right into Petawawa.

 

[Gunner98]

I don't know if you thought about this but you will want to check the speed limits (range 55-80 mph) and toll roads along your route.  We miscalculated on our first few trips and ended up arriving earlier than expected on some legs of the trip.  Later trips resulted in only two night stops along the route Shilo to Ottawa.  If you want to use your entitlements shorter days can be more enjoyable. In my past experiences, some toll roads were not specifically signed, however, with the on/off time stamps you could be fined for speeding. 

 

[Cpl4Life]

I don't know if you thought about this but you will want to check the speed limits (range 55-80 mph) and toll roads along your route.  We miscalculated on our first few trips and ended up arriving earlier than expected on some legs of the trip.  Later trips resulted in only two night stops along the route Shilo to Ottawa.  If you want to use your entitlements shorter days can be more enjoyable. In my past experiences, some toll roads were not specifically signed, however, with the on/off time stamps you could be fined for speeding.

Thanks for this information.  Did you cross at Sault Ste Marie?  Where did you find most of the toll roads? I'm not sure if it's very clear on google maps, I'll have to double check.

 

[Gunner98]

Toll Roads: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tollpage.htm

Speed limits: http://www.iihs.org/laws/mapmaxspeedonruralinterstates.aspx

SSM or Sarnia were trusted weigh points, depending on the season of travel.