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Vol. 52 No. 2 268-44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement # 43638025 Campground Campground www.rvlifemag.com $14.95 Plus: SPOTLIGHT: 2023 RV MODELS TOWING TECH EXCITING DESTINATIONS OVER 160,000 CANADIAN CAMPSITES COAST TO COAST! Summer ACCESSORIES GUIDE SPECIAL ANNUAL EDITION DirectoryDirectory Guide for TENTERS RV’ERS HIKERS 2023 RV Cover 52-2 CG KOA 2.indd 1RV Cover 52-2 CG KOA 2.indd 12023-06-01 4:36 PM2023-06-01 4:36 PMBUILDING DREAMS ...ONE DETAIL AT A TIME. (800) 768 - 4016 Go. Camp. Live. K Z-RV.com At KZ, we build RVs that last. Our team of dedicated technicians perform full system checks on all our units, as well as an extensive 300-point inspection on randomly selected units. Our attention to detail is how we make your dream RV a reality. Visit a dealer today and experience the KZ difference. Untitled-4 1Untitled-4 12023-05-09 12:32 PM2023-05-09 12:32 PM3 How to use the directory D1 Alberta D2 British Columbia D17 Manitoba D37 New Brunswick D43 Newfoundland D48 Northwest Territories D51 Nova Scotia D52 Ontario D57 Prince Edward Island D83 Quebec D85 Saskatchewan D107 Yukon Territories D118 Campground Update Form D120 2023 Canadian Campground Directory Departments 6 HITCH HINTS ~ Andy Thomson Are we there yet? Camping with your kids… 12 RV TIPS ~ Garth Cane Camping Logistics – Getting the most from your RV experience. 18 THE COOKING LADIES ~ Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay Campfire friendly desserts! Features 22 CHOOSING A CAMPSITE How to pick your perfect place in paradise. 26 RV DESTINATIONS ~ James Stoness Discover Ontario’s Wakami Lake Provincial Park 32 RV PRE-TRIP CHECKLIST Our Road Test Teams share their most important suggestions. 34 FISHING TIPS Patrick Campeau discusses the electrifying future for fishing. 38 RV PRODUCTS – NEW AND HOT ITEMS! Check out these cool camping accessories, available at your local RV dealer… CONTENTSCAMPGROUND DIRECTORY VOL. 52 NO. 2 Follow us on Facebook! @ RVLifestyleMagazine Follow us on Instagram! @rvlifestylemagazine ON THE COVER Main cover image courtesy KOA Vol. 52 No. 2 268-44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement # 43638025 Campground Campground www.rvlifemag.com$14.95 Plus: SPOTLIGHT: 2023 RV MODELS TOWING TECH EXCITING DESTINATIONS OVER 160,000 CANADIAN CAMPSITES COAST TO COAST! Summer ACCESSORIES GUIDE SPECIAL ANNUAL EDITION DirectoryDirectory Guide for TENTERS RV’ERS HIKERS 2023 RV Cover 52-2 CG KOA 2.indd 1RV Cover 52-2 CG KOA 2.indd 12023-06-01 11:13 AM2023-06-01 11:13 AM RV Lifestyle Magazine archives are open for your viewing pleasure – check them out at www.rvlifemag.com Click on MAGAZINES, and use the password RVLFREE2017 Watch our road test videos at our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube. com/rvlifestylemagazine SUBSCRIBERS: e-mail editor@rvlifemag.com for FREE access to the latest digital edition! RV52-2 CONTENTS.indd 3RV52-2 CONTENTS.indd 32023-06-01 12:38 PM2023-06-01 12:38 PM4 With the world getting back to normal after three very challenging years, it’s time to cast off the stress of your daily routine by embarking on a voyage of discovery on the RV roads to adventure. Canadian families are gearing up for a spectacular season, exploring the many scenic and historic destinations that abound from sea to sea. Whether you travel in a luxury motorhome, a trailer, or simply pack a tent into your family car, there are campgrounds across the country offering a range of outdoor experiences from “glamping” in the lap of luxury to “roughing it” in a wilderness retreat. This issue is RV Lifestyle Magazine’s 52nd annual Canadian Campground Directory. In the pages that follow, we provide expert tips for camping and RV families, to help you enjoy your leisure time to the fullest. Our team includes Andy Thomson, Canada’s 2022 RV Dealer of the Year, and the nation’s leading expert on towing travel trailers and fifth wheels; Garth Cane, whose experience as an RV expert was recognized by his induction into the RV Hall of Fame; Patrick Campeau, one of Canada’s leading professional fishermen; James Stoness, our intrepid travel editor; and Norm Rosen, who brings more than 50 years of experience to the magazine and our website at www.rvlifemag.com . As publisher, I have had the privilege of bringing the thrill of RV touring to three gen- erations within my family, and, in some cases, even more generations of readers. We enjoy every opportunity to go camping – and it has been a favourite leisure activity that we are happy to share with readers. This issue encompasses more than 160,000 campsites across Canada, with listings of more than 4,000 campgrounds. As a complement to this print edition, we have uploaded the full content of the directory to our website as a digital edition. There are many advantages to the online version – every website URL in the digital edition is hot-linked to the appropri- ate website – one click and a new browser window will open at the site, and you can simply click the back arrow to return to the online magazine. The digital edition is fully searchable, so you can enter the name of a campground, or a town you would like to visit, and you will see a list of links to take you to the directory listing… click on the website URL in the listing to open the campground website, where you can see the facilities, contact the campground, or make a reservation. Check it out at https://www.rvlifemag.com/magazines/ - scroll down to select the issue of your choice and click on the cover. The first time you visit the digital editions page, you will be asked for a password – please use RVLFREE2017 – if you need assistance, email editor@rvlifemag.com and Norm will be happy to help you. Over the past 12 months, we have brought the thrill of the RV experience to more than 25 million website readers across North America. To keep the excitement growing, please take a minute to sign up for our FREE e-newsletter – use the form that pops up when you visit the website at www.rvlifemag.com or send Norm an email requesting the newsletter. If you enjoy this issue, and you would like to join our family of RV enthusiasts, please use the magazine subscription link on page 49 for a super deal on a one, two, or three-year subscription. See you on the RV roads to adventure! IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT CAMPING SEASON! Publisher’s MESSAGE William E. Taylor, Publisher TMTM TM TM volume 52 number 2 Publisher: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR bill@rvlifemag.com Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS melanie@rvlifemag.com Editorial Director: NORM ROSEN nrosen@rvlifemag.com Technical Editors: GARTH CANE gcane@taylorpublishinggroup.com Art/Production Manager: GISELLE BANSAL Design: TAMARA TAYLOR Contributing Writers: PHYLLIS HINZ JAMES STONESS ANDY THOMSON Advertising Sales: info@rvlifemag.com 1-800-354-9145 EXECUTIVE OFFICES: TORONTO: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032 MONTREAL: Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790 VANCOUVER: Bob and Carole Taylor, 1745 Rufus Drive North Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8 ADMINISTRATION: President/CEO: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS VP/Special Projects: NORM ROSEN Advertising Sales: TODD TAYLOR, Accounting: NANCY MUELLER Camping Canada’s RV Lifestyle Magazine is published seven times a year by Camping Canada Magazine Ltd. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Subscription rates: Canada 1 year (7 issues) $35+tax: 2 years (14 issues) $50+tax. U.S. subscriptions:1 year (7 issues) $50 US. Single copies are $9.95 for regular issues, and $14.95 for the annual RV Buyer’s Guide and the annual Campground Directory issues. Subscription inquiries 1-800-354-9145 Advertising rates available on request. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return post- age and will be handled with reasonable care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of safety of artwork, pho- tographs, or manuscripts. Camping Canada Magazine reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements of facts made by its advertisers or inde- pendent columnists. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #43638025 Undeliverables to: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 MONTREAL, QUEBEC © 2023 CAMPING CANADA MAGAZINE PRINTED IN CANADA RV52-2 CONTENTS.indd 4RV52-2 CONTENTS.indd 42023-06-12 2:17 PM2023-06-12 2:17 PMEnergizer.indd 1Energizer.indd 12023-05-11 11:05 AM2023-05-11 11:05 AM6 RV Lifestyle | Volume 52 Number 2 www.rvlifemag.com HITCH HINTS by Andy Thomson Many of our customers enjoy travelling with their chil- dren, and it is increasing- ly common to see them travel with grandchildren. I have seen this lifestyle from two perspectives. My parents purchased our first trailer when I was a year old so I grew up travelling in an RV. My own children started travelling with us when they were only a few months old. Not that this is unusual, it is pretty common for kids to follow their par- ents’ penchant for RV travel. My kids will tell you that what they remember most from their childhood is the trips we took and all that they learned on our travels. There is something about driving across a continent that puts the world into perspective. We sometimes hear from young par- ents who think they should wait until their children are a bit older to travel, but with an RV travel with very young children is possible and relatively easy. When you take your home with you, it is never a problem to find a clean bath- room and change area. You can pre- pare bottles or food any time you need it. I think it’s an ideal way to travel with young children - certainly much easier than trying to get everything onto an airplane or trucking everything in and out of hotel rooms. On long travel days, we would stop for lunch at a quiet park, a school yard, or pay the daily use fee at a provincial/ state park or conservation area. This let the kids get out, run around or play on a playground. This is where it is good to stay flexible because sometimes you stumble upon some really great places. A few years ago we were trav- elling along the north shore of Lake Michigan and we pulled off the high- way into a small town on a Peninsula. There on the shore was a beautiful park with a huge wooden fort called “Kids Kingdome” equipped with every climbing and swinging apparatus you could imagine. We spent the whole afternoon there. The girls had a blast! When our kids were young, elec- tronics were not nearly as common as they are now. If you wanted video in the car it meant putting a TV on the console and hooking it up with a DVD player powered by an inverter. While I could have done that, I never wanted the distraction in the car. I felt the kids had enough “screen time” at home and at school, so vacation time was time without screens in the vehicle or trailer. There is something about a car trip that gets kids to open up and talk about things they never talk about at home. Maybe there just isn’t time any- where else. There are always interesting things to see as you travel that the kids would not notice if they were glued to a screen all the time. We stopped at most historical markers and scenic lookouts, which are often good ARE WE THERE YET? continued on page 8 PHOTO COURTESY GO RVING Andy Thomson has been writing for RV Lifestyle Magazine for more than 25 years. He also owns and operates Can-Am RV Centre located in London, ON. Hitch Hints 52-2.indd 6Hitch Hints 52-2.indd 62023-06-01 12:03 PM2023-06-01 12:03 PMDISCONNECT TO RECONNECT. Formed out of a desire to build a better RV by building a better RV company, Ember set out to blaze an uncharted path by crafting innovative products backed by an industry-leading warranty, giving every adventure-seeking, memory-chasing owner the confidence to enjoy every mile. For more information, visit EmberRV.com Overland Series Touring Edition DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT. Formed out of a desire to build a better RV by building a better RV company, Ember set out to blaze an uncharted path by crafting innovative products backed by an industry-leading warranty, giving every adventure-seeking, memory-chasing owner the confidence to enjoy every mile. For more information, visit EmberRV.com Overland Series Touring Edition DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT. Formed out of a desire to build a better RV by building a better RV company, Ember set out to blaze an uncharted path by crafting innovative products backed by an industry-leading warranty, giving every adventure-seeking, memory-chasing owner the confidence to enjoy every mile. For more information, visit EmberRV.com Overland Series Touring Edition Ember.indd 1Ember.indd 12023-05-03 11:47 AM2023-05-03 11:47 AM8 RV Lifestyle | Volume 52 Number 2 www.rvlifemag.com HITCH HINTS by Andy Thomson continued from page 6 for a conversation afterwards. Being a bit of a history junkie, I could often dig up some facts about the spot we were look- ing at. Sometimes we would pass a book around, and read it aloud as we trav- eled, on one trip to BC we went through two volumes of Harry Potter. On a trip to California it was a Sherlock Holmes adventure from start to finish. As soon as the kids were old enough I taught them to read the Rand McNally road atlas and how to relate city, prov- ince and national maps to each other. This was before GPS, so pretty soon I had two very good navigators. If the kids asked the proverbial “are we there yet”? I would hand them the map and sug- gest that they figure it out (this is not an effective technique with their mother). Today, a GPS in theory makes that some- what obsolete but I still like the paper road atlas - maybe it is my age, but it still makes it easier to know where you are, I think mainly because you can see the overall area and the detail view on the same page. One of the great things we stumbled upon as the kids got older was that they started to plan our trips. This kept them very involved and excited about where we were going, and we never went through the “I don’t want to go on the family vacation stage”. In fact, one or both of our girls were coming on some trips with us well into their 20’s. Now they bring their own RV if they come on our family excursions. By planning the trip, we found that a flex- ible schedule was best - not a rigid schedule PLEASURE WAY There are so many different activies you can do to keep the children busy while travelling. SETTING UP YOUR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING HITCH During the pandemic, while we sheltered in place and waited for the “all clear” to get back on the road, our Hitch Hints expert, Andy Thomson, from CanAm RV Centre in London, Ontario, took the time to record what we feel is the best video describing the process of setting up a weight distributing hitch system. Andy’s long-term efforts on behalf of the RV community, the RV Dealers Association of Ontario, the RVDA of Canada, and the community at large, contributed to his selection as the 2021 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year. Here is the link to the 2021 Canadian RV Dealer of the Year profile feature on Andy Thomson: https:// rvldealernews.com/andy- thomson-2021-canadian-rv- dealer-of-the-year/ Watch Andy’s video on “Setting up your weight distributing hitch” – click on the QR code, or visit the RV Lifestyle Magazine website at: https://www.rvlifemag. com/how-to-set-up-a- weight-distributing-hitch- system/ SCAN QR CODE SCAN QR CODE Hitch Hints 52-2.indd 8Hitch Hints 52-2.indd 82023-06-01 12:03 PM2023-06-01 12:03 PM• MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 4X4 • 400-WATT SOLAR PANEL PACKAGE • 4 X 100AH ECO-ION LITHIUM (LIFEPO4) BATTERIES • DUAL 10-INCH TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL PANELS • XANTREX™ 2000-WATT PURE-SINE WAVE INVERTER • TRUMA VARIOHEAT 11,500 BTU FURNACE • TRUMA AQUAGO® COMFORT PLUS WATER HEATER • 2.1 CU. FT. TRUMA PORTABLE FRIDGE/FREEZER • 124 CU. FT. GARAGE STORAGE AREA • MURPHY BED SYSTEM 70” X 72” • 40 GAL. 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