The Rainy Weekend That Made Them Trailer People
A late ferry, a wrong turn, and the wet Vancouver Island weekend that made them trailer people.
Their story
Kim and Ashley's first trailer trip began with a ferry reservation at 6:20 a.m., which sounded reasonable when they booked it. At 5:47, the trailer was still not attached correctly. At 6:05, Kim realized the wheel chocks were under a tire. They missed the sailing and spent two hours in the terminal eating breakfast sandwiches in silence.
The weather on Vancouver Island offered no apology. Rain followed them to Tofino, where they backed into the site after only seven attempts. That evening, dry inside the little fiberglass shell, they listened to water drum on the roof and admitted the day had become funny. They kept the return reservation and bought a permanent checklist.
They now use the Escape for compact four-day trips between design deadlines. Ashley works from the dinette on Fridays while Kim drives after lunch. They have celebrated Lunar New Year with dumplings steamed on a camp stove and Canada Day beside a Washington lake where a neighbor lent them a flag after learning they had forgotten theirs.
Their best modification is not solar or suspension. It is a narrow shoe tray by the door. Their best rule is to stop once either person becomes tired enough to argue about navigation. Someday they want to cross Canada. For now, they are content to learn every ferry route west of Vancouver, arrive early, and never place the chocks where memory can miss them.
The ferry-day checklist that saved the second trip
After missing the first sailing, Kim and Ashley wrote the checklist in departure order, not category order. Hitch and lights came first. Wheel chocks came off only after the coupler was confirmed. Tickets, identification, and the ferry reservation stayed in the truck. Breakfast was packed the night before.
They also stopped treating arrival as a race. The island route to the west coast is part of the trip, with curves, construction, and worthwhile stops. A campground dinner could be cereal if necessary. Reaching the site with daylight mattered more than proving the schedule was achievable.
For now, they are content to learn every ferry route west of Vancouver, arrive early, and never place the chocks where memory can miss them.
Plan the journey
Turn their road into your route.
Use this as a starting itinerary, then adjust it for your rig, weather, pace, and current access rules.
- Trip length
- 9-11 days
- Approximate distance
- About 650 kilometres plus ferry crossings
- Best window
- May, June, or September
- Driving rhythm
- One major ferry day, then short island legs
- Booking strategy
- Reserve ferry and Green Point first; keep the return sailing changeable
- Working budget
- CAD $1,400-$2,200
Follow this route.
Drive estimates are planning numbers, not promises. Fuel, food, road work, and a trailer turn every map estimate into a longer day.
Vancouver to Nanaimo
1 night nearbyFerry plus about 1 hour
Treat the crossing as the day's event. Stay near Nanaimo rather than rushing across the island.
Watch for: Measure the total vehicle-and-trailer length accurately when reserving.
Qualicum or Rathtrevor area
2 nightsUnder 1 hour
Use the first island base to settle in, walk the beach, and shop before the west-coast road.
Watch for: A quick grocery stop with a trailer needs a parking plan.
Green Point and Pacific Rim area
4 nightsAbout 3 hours without stops
Drive in daylight, use one day for beaches, one for forest trails, one for Tofino or Ucluelet, and one for rain.
Watch for: The road is winding and active. Do not rush to make a dinner reservation.
Cowichan Valley return
1-2 nights