[Roadcrew]

Wife and I are planning a road trip in September. Tentatively looking at going north to Calgary, CA and then Canada 1 West to Vancover, Canada. Re-entering US traveling south to Bellingham, WA. Hwy20 to Fidalgo Island to Port Townsend and eventually picking up Hw 101 and then PCH at Leggett California. Then Route 66 back east.

It a long road trip and we would like to do it with out a schedule which means few to no reservations at Vrbo/Hotels etc. September should be a bit slower season I'm thinking. The plan is to drive less than 4 hours or so each day of travel.

Is it feasible to travel Hwy 101 and PCH without reservations?

Also I don't want to put my winter tires on for Canada. Looking at weather averages for Calgary and Banff area it seems like the weather would be fine. But I don't know, anyone with experience driving Canada Hw 1 In September?

I'll post something in a travel forum as well, any travel forums recommended?

Thanks for taking the time to response

Regards

[ezaircon4jc]

We did a n0-reservations road trip once or twice in July... NEVER AGAIN! We made our 1st mistake of returning to SLC from Banff pre-cell phone days. Seems it's IMPOSSIBLE to just show up at a hotel in Calgary in July and get a room. Something about the Calgary Stampede. Next was going from NE to Santa Cruz to see our son, also in July. We thought we'd stay in Wyoming...HA! Seems July is rodeo month! Because there weren't rooms available, we ended up driving 930ish miles to get a room.

I don't care when we go anymore, I'm making reservations!

[UncleWede]

You need to further define "room" You can almost always find something along the lines of Motel-6. I haven't traveled your route, so not sure of those.

Used to be dad would pile us all into the van, and head either to Oregon via 1, or Iowa via 80. We'd drive until he got tired, then look for an exit sign that indicated hotels. Find a cheap one, sleep, then get up and head out again. We even put quarters in the bed shaker a few times!

As recently as about 2010 we traveled to the Grand Canyon and just came over some rise and found a town spread out before us. That's where we stopped. Wife had tried to call a few hotels that were indicated on the Around Me app, but she isn't very good at map reading and kept calling places that were not along our path of travel.

[bagekko]

LOL, your SO sounds like mine. On trips its common she will tell me a restaurant, gas, hotel, etc that is behind us, to far, or 20 miles off the highway.

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You need to further define "room" You can almost always find something along the lines of Motel-6. I haven't traveled your route, so not sure of those.

Used to be dad would pile us all into the van, and head either to Oregon via 1, or Iowa via 80. We'd drive until he got tired, then look for an exit sign that indicated hotels. Find a cheap one, sleep, then get up and head out again. We even put quarters in the bed shaker a few times!

As recently as about 2010 we traveled to the Grand Canyon and just came over some rise and found a town spread out before us. That's where we stopped. Wife had tried to call a few hotels that were indicated on the Around Me app, but she isn't very good at map reading and kept calling places that were not along our path of travel.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You need to further define "room" You can almost always find something along the lines of Motel-6. I haven't traveled your route, so not sure of those.

Used to be dad would pile us all into the van, and head either to Oregon via 1, or Iowa via 80. We'd drive until he got tired, then look for an exit sign that indicated hotels. Find a cheap one, sleep, then get up and head out again. We even put quarters in the bed shaker a few times!

As recently as about 2010 we traveled to the Grand Canyon and just came over some rise and found a town spread out before us. That's where we stopped. Wife had tried to call a few hotels that were indicated on the Around Me app, but she isn't very good at map reading and kept calling places that were not along our path of travel.

We ended up at one of those places on the Canada (eh) trip. My wife got sick drinking the water...

On the Nebraska run, not even a Motel6 was available. We won't stay in a fleabag motel; I'd just rather keep on driving.

[Frostynorth]

Originally Posted by Roadcrew

Also I don't want to put my winter tires on for Canada. Looking at weather averages for Calgary and Banff area it seems like the weather would be fine. But I don't know, anyone with experience driving Canada Hw 1 In September?

You don't need winter tires in September. Also, good luck in Banff without a reservation.

[CamasM3e93]

Can’t speak to canada lodging but agree tires should be fine in September. With 4 hours of travel each day you can usually use a travel app to find something the day before you arrive and those inconveniences that arise can turn into memorable adventures. That island before you hit the Olympic peninsula I would definitely have a reservation for but in September along the rest of your US west coast route you are fine without reservations so long as you’re flexible. I’d have a few key spots in mind, like Ventana in Big Sur. I’ve done that California section in the fall a couple times since 2020 and wouldn’t hesitate with your approach

[2000cs]

Have been stuck on summer tires in a snowfall at Yellowstone in late September, so there is some risk in the northern climes on that. But it just created a delay and caused us to miss some time in the park.

I prefer to drive without reservations, so we can stop and see what we want without worrying about getting somewhere we are already committed to staying at. The exception is if there is someplace we really want to stay (like a lodge at a national park that pretty much requires reservations), then we plan around that. We goof off and drive until 3 ish in the afternoon, and then we discuss how much farther/time we want to continue to drive. Based on that the navigator looks ahead to see what hotels exist in the desired range, picks something that looks good (reviews, points, etc), and calls the property (not the 800 reservation line) to get a room secured. Always has to be guaranteed with a credit card. If the hotel doesn’t have room, we ask them if something is going on and where they recommend we check. Have never had a problem traveling this way.

[Bruuuce]

use to live in the PNW and my experience during that time of year is many hotels, on weekends especially, want a multi night stay. That is what I run into when I go back and want to put around the Oregon coast and stay here and there. I get stuck in one place for a couple days. Stuck is a relative term, but something to be aware of.

With all the internets and stuff now, thinking reservations are easy to get same day or next day as long as you can stop early or late.

oh, no snow tires IMHO.

you can also skip most all of the WA 101. Again my opining, its not along the coast and its just a drive in the forrest. That is all well and good, but not all that interesting to me.

[Roadcrew]

Thanks everyone for the insightful replies. This helps.

I think we'll be playing it by ear and make reservations at places a day or 2 in advance. As long as I don't have to plan every single stop prior to even leaving the house I can probably cope. I just don't want to have to be somewhere on a schedule every day.

All travel and routes are in general and will probably develop as we travel, again nothing set in stone.
Basically just want to get in the car and go, no schedule, no time frame a day at a time. Most likely we'll spend multiple days at some stops.

When we traveled Ireland and England in September for a month we just got in the car, picked a direction and went. Drove 2 or 3 hours stopping at attractions as needed. Had no reservations at any time except 1st night in Dublin. Was a blast. Hoping for a repeat.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Roadcrew

Thanks everyone for the insightful replies. This helps.

I think we'll be playing it by ear and make reservations at places a day or 2 in advance. As long as I don't have to plan every single stop prior to even leaving the house I can probably cope. I just don't want to have to be somewhere on a schedule every day.

All travel and routes are in general and will probably develop as we travel, again nothing set in stone.
Basically just want to get in the car and go, no schedule, no time frame a day at a time. Most likely we'll spend multiple days at some stops.

When we traveled Ireland and England in September for a month we just got in the car, picked a direction and went. Drove 2 or 3 hours stopping at attractions as needed. Had no reservations at any time except 1st night in Dublin. Was a blast. Hoping for a repeat.

Honestly that sounds like a lot of fun. I think calling ahead 1 or 2 day should be sufficient. As far as PCH, there are plenty of places to stay up and down the coast, it just depends on what you are willing to find acceptable.

[CamasM3e93]

Originally Posted by Roadcrew

Wife and I are planning a road trip in September. Tentatively looking at going north to Calgary, CA and then Canada 1 West to Vancover, Canada. Re-entering US traveling south to Bellingham, WA. Hwy20 to Fidalgo Island to Port Townsend and eventually picking up Hw 101 and then PCH at Leggett California. Then Route 66 back east.

It a long road trip and we would like to do it with out a schedule which means few to no reservations at Vrbo/Hotels etc. September should be a bit slower season I'm thinking. The plan is to drive less than 4 hours or so each day of travel.

Is it feasible to travel Hwy 101 and PCH without reservations?

Also I don't want to put my winter tires on for Canada. Looking at weather averages for Calgary and Banff area it seems like the weather would be fine. But I don't know, anyone with experience driving Canada Hw 1 In September?

I'll post something in a travel forum as well, any travel forums recommended?

Thanks for taking the time to response

Regards

I thought of your post last week as I was driving through the Wyoming Rockies at 8000 feet and facing rain and 56 degree temps in late July. British Columbia mountain passes in September probably ok but I could easily see inclimate weather happening.