Toronto to Calgary Road Trip

[zzibradleyizz]

Hey Everyone, hoping some of you could chime in on this with your experience!

I am driving from Toronto to Calgary in the next couple weeks and am starting to plan out my trip. This is the first time I will be doing this dirve. I will be going through the US and am looking at doing the trip in the shortest amount of time possible. Preferably with one night in a hotel, no more then two nights.

What I am hoping some of you could suggest is:

What city I should stop for a one night trip in a hotel?

What cities I should stop for a two night trip in a hotel?

I am not asking particularily where to crash, but what are good places to stop for the night to stager the trip. Like where would be a good half way point for a one night trip?

Thanks in advance!

[TinyTank]

why not just pull over at a rest area to sleep.

[l69norm]

Unless you have multiple drivers, don't think a single driver can make Toronto to Calgary in just two days, especially if you have limited long distance driving experience. It's about 19 to 20 hours per day actual driving time before breaks for eating, fueling and rest, so you would be looking at about 23 hours per day on the road.
I
Its probably still too cold to sleep comfortably at a rest stop as well

3 days is about 13 hours per day actual driving, 7-8 hours per night sleeping and 3-4 hours per day for eating, fueling and rest breaks

[zzibradleyizz]

Just want to reitterate that I just want to know about recommended stops for the two stated scenarios.

I have two passengers to share the drive with, but we don't want to drive through the night. And yes, sleeping at a rest area would not be comfortable for us.

[l69norm]

Two night, Madison Wi and minot ND (assuming route via weyburn SK to Regina).

One night , Fargo nd .. if you start at 4am, you should be able to make Fargo by midnight. Sleep 6 hours, start at 6am and make Calgary by midnight.

[Arrgh]

Two night, Madison Wi and minot ND.

One night , Fargo nd .. if you start at 4am, you should be able to make Fargo by midnight. Sleep 6 hours, start at 6am and make Calgary by midnight.

Good recipe for accidents by sleepy driver/passenger.

[zzibradleyizz]

Thanks for the suggestions. We will most likely be doing a two night trip. I just wanted to get an idea of recommended stops.

[l69norm]

Are you going via weyburn sk or via Winnipeg?

Via Winnipeg is longer distance, but divided highway all the way for faster speed.

Via weyburn is shorter but has some 2 lane hwy so its slower

Minot nd is a big usaf military base, so it has all the standard hotel and food places

[feet_]

this is the route we took a while back.
take note a plane tix from detroit to calgary is about $450 via united.com

trust me there is nothing to see in the midwest, until you start hitting the mtns, by then you are 3/4 of the way there.

since this is RFD.
and gas and food is much cheaper in the states, you ll want to travel as much as possible in the states.

also these hwys are like the 401, 2 lane hwy. and i believe montana has no speed limit during the day.

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http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Toronto,+ON&daddr=43.45827,-96.79752+to:46.22525,-111.46268+to:Calgary,+AB&hl=en&ll=42.195969,-88.659668&spn=3.24748,8.432007&sll=46.732331,-110.516968&sspn=3.004559,8.432007&geocode=FWoYmgIdcLVE-ymlO8bXkMvUiTF3xLQqUFU1Mg%3BFd4elwIdsPw6-imvFRNf88iOhzFYYjK7cgCRuQ%3BFWJXwQId6DZb-Snri-s_-sREUzHCWfMIEyDozg%3BFYjiCgMd-p8z-SnVP4SfA3BxUzE6tlK2sTttJg&oq=calgary&mra=dvme&mrsp=2&sz=8&via=1,2&t=m&z=8

[Arrgh]

The OP is going to Calgary, not BC, so won't get to the Rockies.

The driving in AB and SK are awfully boring. Flat highways with nothing to see. Very few houses, very few human beings, and easy to fall asleep. I've drive there.

It's much better to have 2 nights sleep in this trip. Doing just 1 night sleep is way too tiring, and dangerous.

[b166er1337]

I just drove from TO to Calgary for 5 days 4 nights last week. Honestly even with a couple drivers 3d/2n is too rushed. Anyway, I stayed in Chicago, Minneapolis, Bismarck and Great Falls, MT. The scenery in North Dakota/Montana is incredible. The drive near Teddy Roosevelt National Park is quite breath taking.

[zzibradleyizz]

Thanks for all the suggestions and information!

I plan on staying on the American side for as long as possible to save on Gas/Food/Hotels.

No need for flying information as I am moving to Calgary and need to take my vehicle out there and shipping my vehicle plus a plane ticket is far more expensive then driving out there myself.

[everylittlecent]

why not drive through yellowstone national park (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/yellowstone-national-park-west-coast-driving-trip-1031128/) (It might be early and road closed at this time of the yr.) up north past glacier national and into Alberta. The 3rd page of the thread gives you a google map of the route we took.

talking about driving from T.O to Calgary, a buddy of mine is a few hrs away from Calgary as I write this. should be there at lunch time. He started in the wee hrs of Monday morning. So technically 2 nights and 2.5 days of driving. many yrs ago when we were younger we did 1600 kms in one day between the both of us and I know he can drive for long hrs. I cant do it now so its not for everyone and certainly not driving alone.

[bomba]

My buddies and I did a road trip through the US to get from TO to CGY a few years ago. We stopped at a bunch of US universities along the way. Didn't know anyone and no place to sleep, but were always offered a roof over our heads as we met people at the campuses. Showered and ate at the campus gyms and cafeterias

IIRC our stops were

University of Notre Dame
Wisconsin University
University of Lacrosse Wisconsin
Minneapolis
University of North Dakota
WPG -> CGY