About the roadtrip adventures
What types of people are on the trips?
People that love adventure, exploring and discovering new things. Open minded, positive and love having a good time.
How old are people who travel on Out Here?
Travellers are normally between the ages of 18 and 39. Every trip varies, but usually it is a mix, with veer towards the younger side of things. On occasion we will allow someone to join if they are a bit older than the restriction - this is fairly infrequent. Contact us for details if this is the case for you.
Do people travel solo or come in groups?
There are lots of solo travelers as well as small groups of friends (one to three). Occasionally we have larger groups, but they are usually doing custom trips.
How many people are on each trip?
We allow a maximum of 18 people on our road-trips. We do have more seats available in our vehicles than the maxumum number of people allowed on the trip.
Is it a "party" trip?
Many people enjoy a pint, glass of wine, going out and having a good time. Lots of places do have their nightlife perks, whether in a bar withi a local band or out on the town. Folks do go out - but there is no pressure. So in that sense it isn't a "party" trip, however, you can enjoy nightlife if you would like.
Does the Almost Big One, Maritimes, Haligonia trips join another trip?
Yes. Our core trip is the Big One - our 26 road-trip adventure loop throughout central & eastern Canada. The other routes are portion of the trip to allow flexibility based on the time you have available and budget. We always do recommend for joining the entire canoe ride, as each place we visit is unique and awesome.
I'm ready! What's the booking and setup process like?
Awesome! Thanks for deciding to join us.
First you go to the "book" page and fill in the relevant information and place a deposit. You will get an automated email confirming that your deposit was successful.
Payment is possible by credit card, interac transaction (Canada bank transfer) and Transferwise. If you would like to place your deposit through the latter two methods, select "offline" when at the deposit payment page.
After placing your deposit, within 24 hours we will:
i) confirm that there is space on your trip
ii) send you a welcome email sharing some important things to know
iii) send you an invoice with the remaining balance due.
As you get closer to the trip we will send additional info and a form to gauge interest in a few activities that require some pre-booking.
If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to email us!
What type of shape do I need to be in?
With general fitness you'll be all set. The trips are flexible and provide variety. You don't have to be a marathon runner, professional rock climber, wilderness expert or anything of that sort. If you have general fitness you'll great time.
Do you visit Niagara Falls?
Our trips do not go to Niagara Falls. The reasons are because Niagara Falls is quite easy to visit to from Toronto, and many would have already visited beforehand. While it is a nice place to visit, you don't need us to check it out! There are lots of ways to get there by train/bus for a minimal fee, and day trip focused tour companies (check out our Niagara Falls How To Guide blog post for more). We don't go because of this, b. We also think it makes more sense to get out there with us.
How the trips work
How long do we stay in each location?
The majority of the time we stay in each place for two to three nights. We do this because there is a lot to do, and we want really experience a place vs. driving place to place. This also provides you with the flexibility to do different things and relax when you feel like it. For the super active, you can be busy all the time.
How do activities work in each location?
During the trip we will recommend some great things to do from hikes, adrenaline activities, or places to explore. We will get you to lots of awesome stuff. We believe that you should be able to choose what you want to do, so if there is something else that you would like to do, you can go do it on your own or the group might head there with you.
Can I do a different activity not on the list?
If you don’t need a ride - do what you want! If you want our help getting to the activity, we will do our best to help you as long as it follows the general driving schedule and doesn't impact the rest of the group.
What do we get up to during the drives?
When we drive to a new location, we take breaks to see natural wonders, go on short hikes, cool towns, restaurants, grocery stores and more. Sometimes there will be multiple options, sometimes only one, but you can always hang out if you want to relax. There are a few big driving days. To get to our destination we try and push through them quickly, to get you to a new, unique and amazing destination.
Do I have to participate in the activities?
Your choice. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to. There are some activities that we highly recommend and will let you know - including rafting, via ferrata and kayaking.
Could you share more about free and paid activities?
There are lots of free things to get up to in each location. There are entrance for some national and provincial parks and a few other spots that are covered through your local fees payment. We outline this fee payment separately so that it is transparency to you.
Some other activities do have an additional fee - such as whale watching, rafting and via ferrata. You can choose to do that, or relax. Before your trip we will send you an interest/sign-up form followed in most cases by us or the activity provider. Some will allow you to pay on arrival.
You can see a list of many activities that you can get up to on our activities page.
How do meals and food work?
Many of our accomodations have have kitchens for cooking. We will be stopping at grocery stores on the way, or they will be nearby. In some places we will help to arrange optional group meals - but usually someone on the trip takes the lead, or people do their own thing.
Many places will have nearby restaurants - especially the cities - and we will share our favourite spots. Sometimes the group goes out together - other times it splits up. It really is up to you.
You are free to do what you would like.
During trips that have camping. In some cases it will require group cooking, which we will facilitate. Before the trip we will be finding out about food preferences and anything to be aware of (e.g., allergies).
Can I get a private room?
It is possible for some accomodations, but not all. They are limited where available, and also book up early. We recommend letting us know as early as possible, and well before the trip starts. We will do our best to have that arranged for you.
Where do we get picked up and dropped off at the end of the trips?
For the Big One trip:
- We do pickups around the HI Toronto and Planet Traveller hostels - book early.
- We drop off at Union Station and the HI Toronto (NOT Planet Traveller).
For the Central to Maritimes trip
- We do pickups at the HI Toronto and Planet Traveller hostels - book early.
- At the end of the trip you will need to make your own arrangements from Halifax
For the Central & All Maritimes trip - We do pickups at the HI Toronto and Planet Traveller hostels - book early.
- At the end of the trip you will need to make your own arrangements from Prince Edward Island
For the Maritimes to Central trip
- On some trips you will meet the group at the accommodation near Fredericton where we sometimes spend the night
- On other trips, we will pick you up at a specific location in Fredericton before continuing on to our destination.
- It depends on the trip, season and ferry times
- We drop off at Union Station and the HI Toronto
For the Almost Big One and Haligonia
- You will meet us at our accommodations anytime during the meet-up day - before departing the following morning.
- You will be connected with your driver-guide a few days before your arrival. If you are there a day or two earlier, let us know so that we can all meet-up.
- We drop off at Union Station and the HI Toronto
Prepping for your trip
How much should I budget while traveling?
Please check our budget overview page for all the details!
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. See our T&C for more.
What time do we depart for the trip?
Big One and Central - Toronto: We depart really early to get out of the city before traffic starts and have lots of time in Algonquin. We highly recommend staying near our pick-ups and seting a few alarms!
Almost Big One: We meet at the hostel / town. Make sure to be there early enough to meet the crew and get a debrief on departure details for the next morning.
Maritimes: This varies by trip. We will share relevant information on booking - or contact us in advance.
Haligonia: We meet at the hostel / town. Make sure to be there early enough to meet the crew, check-in before they close, and get a debrief on departure details for the next morning.
What transportation options are available to get to the hostels from Pearson International Airport in Toronto (YYZ).
Public Transportation: The most budget friendly, and a reasonably fast way is by taking advantage of the "Up Express". It will cost you $13 one-way - but doesn't get you right to your destination.
If you are staying near Kensington, you can get off at Bloor. From there you can streetcar and walk a bit, or alternatively take an inexpensive Uber/Lyft/Taxi.
If you are staying at the HI Toronto, you can take the Up Express all the way to Union station and then either walk (~15 minutes), take a streetcar and then walk, or Uber/Lyft/Taxi.
Taking a taxi directly from the airport to either location will run about ~$75. Uber/Lyft can be about $45, but varies.
If I am flying home right at the end of the trip when should I book it for?
If your trip ends in Toronto.
- If you are set on departing ASAP and Toronto, we recommend making your arrangements for the day after the trip ends. This is because traffic from Montreal to Toronto is unpredictable.
- However, if you are merely heading to Toronto to catch a flight, the easiest way is simply flying from Montreal. This way you don't have to go on a big drive on your last day just to get to another airport.
If your trip ends in Halifax or Prince Edward Island? Whenever you would like - just not the day we arrive in Halifax, as it will be late.
Things to bring
What type of clothing and gear do I need?
In your welcome email, we will be including a gear list with more information.
As a general rule, bring clothing that can be layered. For hikes and other active activities avoid wearing cotton (it absorbs water, get’s heavy and keeps you cold). Don't forget to bring a rain jacket.
Laundry facilities are available at many locations - but doing laundry isn't fun! So we would recommend bringing clothing that can be easily be reused without frequent washes (e.g., merino wool) - not to mention exra undies and socks.
How big and what type of luggage should I bring?
We HIGHLY recommend bringing backpack style luggage, because it is easier to carry and more flexible – front-loading will help convience wise. You will be able to get by with a suitcase if preferred, but it will not be ideal at times - especially camping situations.
We do not allow people to bring a significant amount of extra luggage.
Do I need a sleeping bag or air mattress?
Depending on the season/trip, there are a few occasions that you will require a sleeping bag and/or an air mattress (note: small thermarest style).
For trips that require it we will advise you in your welcome emial. If you do not have one, we do provide them for rent at for between $20-$45 each depending on the # of nights required.
Can I use my sleeping bag in hostels?
No. Hostels don’t allow folks to bring or use sleeping bags, pillows or other bedding related items inside. We will have a spot to leave these items for everyone on the bus.
Do I need to bring pots, pans or stuff for cooking?
No.
Hostels have communal kitchen gear.
When at campgrounds, will have all the pots, pans, cutlery, dishes and items needed to cook up awesome meals at campgrounds.
