Visiting Vancouver for the first time
We began our journey to Alaska with our very first international border crossing. To say we were nervous was an understatement. We made sure all of our documents were in the truck with us. The rule is, only answer what is asked of you, don't volunteer any more information that you don't have to. The questions that were asked were:
Where do you live?
What is the purpose of your trip?
How many days in Canada?
Where are you going to stop along the way?
What do you do for work?
Are you bringing anything that will stay in Canada?
Do you have any tobacco or alcohol with you?
Any cannabis products?
Any firearms on board?
Do you have anything for self defense?
Do you know the plate for the trailer?
They were very nice and cordial and even offered to move barriers to pass through to make it more navigable. Any time you do a first it is always nerve wracking because you just don't know how it will go. In our case, thankfully it went very well. All the stress was for nothing. So don't let the unknown deter you from doing something new and you might learn something new along the way.
So because there were so many restrictions on what you can't bring into Canada, we thought it was best to not have much food. Foods that you have to declare at the border:
Meats and Poultry - "raw meat and poultry from the US are strictly prohibited depending on the specific state of origin. All meats products must be commercially packaged and clearly labeled as a product of the U.S."
Dairy- You can bring in 44.09 lbs per person which includes cheese, yogurt, butter, milk, ice cream.
Eggs -5 dozen eggs but must in retail packaged and clearly labelled as a product of the USA. Eggs from a farm or backyard flock are not permitted.
Fresh Produce- Up to 44.09 lbs each per person. Potatoes must be commercially packaged and graded US No.1
Nuts, grains, seeds- Products may be restricted or prohinited from entry into Canad depending on the country of origin.
Alcohol-Up to 1.5 liters, which equals two standard 750 ml bottles of wine, 40 fluid ounces of liquor/spirits, which equals 1 large standard bottle. Up to 8.5 liters of beer which equals roughly 24 can or bottles.
So given that everything needs to be declared, we didn't want to mess with any of it, so we didn't bring any of these into Canada. We didn't want to mess up not declaring things when you were supposed to. It just made our life a little more easier to cross into Canada.
Before crossing, always check border restrictions because they do change.
Grocery shopping in Canada
It is safe to say we assumed too much. We thought we would go to Walmart because that is where we shop while traveling because it is so convenient and they are located everywhere. We assumed the same things would be in Canada and we were very wrong. It took us an hour and a half to get our shopping done because we had to figure out what products we wanted that were new to us. It was quite a reality check for us. They don't have the same products.
Playing in Vancouver
After setting up at our RV park, we went out to play for the day. Our stop for the day was the Capilano suspension bridge.
We had heard so much about this incredible place, so we couldn't pass up the chance to see it for ourselves. As soon as we stepped into the forest, we knew this was going to be a memorable stop. Towering trees, beautiful scenery, and of course… the suspension bridge!
Walking across the bridge high above the forest floor was definitely an experience! We took our time exploring, soaking in the views, and enjoying every bit of this beautiful BC adventure.
This is one of those places that pictures just don't fully capture—you really have to experience it for yourself.
Did you know this iconic bridge has been welcoming adventurous visitors since 1889? The original bridge was built by Scottish engineer George Grant Mackay using hemp rope and cedar planks stretched across the Capilano River.
Over the years, the bridge evolved, and in 1956 it was completely rebuilt in just five days!
As we walked across the bridge, we couldn't help but think about all the people who crossed here before us—and how different that very first bridge must have felt!
Beyond the famous walkways, the park features interactive, seasonal highlights like the Raptors Ridge educational talks and oversized rainforest bug sculptures.
There are a series of seven smaller interconnected suspension bridges. These footbridges are built into a canopy walk 110 feet above the forest floor.
This park had so much to offer we could have easily spent all day here. If your in the area, check it out!
Victoria, British Columbia
The commute from Tsawwassen to Victoria is one of those journeys where you almost forget you’re actually going somewhere! The ferry ride is surprisingly smooth, which is great news for anyone who gets a little seasick. Once you’re settled in, just sit back and enjoy the incredible views—beautiful islands, sparkling water, mountain scenery, and maybe even a little wildlife along the way. It’s less of a commute and more like a mini sightseeing cruise before you even arrive in Victoria!
Once you arrive in Swartz Bay, you will need to catch a bus to get to Victoria. The ride is about an hour long with several stops along the way. When you get to downtown, one of your first sights is the Legislative Assembly of BC.
We had a lovely tour of the building a learned a lot along the way. The architecture is worth the stop alone.
After our tour, we had a nice little lunch with the view of the building as we planned our next excursion for the day.
We then took a water taxi to Fisherman's Wharf, if you haven't taken a water taxi it is fun. We walked around the Wharf, had some drinks before we made our way to China Town by Water Taxi again.
China Town is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and one of the oldest in North America.
Before heading back to the bus to catch the last ferry of the day, we got dinner at Finn's Seafood chops Cocktails. The food was very good and a need break to end our tour around Victoria.
So if you ever get a chance to explore Vancouver and Victoria, you won't be disappointed with the many things there is to do. We didn't even do everything that we planned because we wore ourselves out.
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