What to expect when cross country driving from Halifax to your new home



    Moving cross country is thrilling because there are so many things to look forward to, starting with the trip itself. Also, it’s unique compared to other moves you can do. To make it happen without a hitch, a significant amount of preparation must be done in advance. The biggest challenge of moving cross country is not the moving of your belongings, but the trip itself. You will have to spend many hours driving and being on the road. One thing you definitely don’t need to worry about is moving your items. Centennial Moving Canada services are one of the best for any type of relocating including cross county. Your belongings will be packed properly, stored in a moving truck, and transported to your new home safely. Now, all is left to prepare for your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home.

    What do you need to do before you are cross country driving from Halifax to your new home?

    Canada is the second largest continent in the world. This means that you can spend a couple of days on the road when moving cross county. For example, if you are moving from Halifax to Vancouver, you will need to spend about 60 hours on the road which is almost three full days. Therefore, the biggest dilemma is to choose between flying or driving to your new home. Both options have pros and cons. Traveling by plane will save you time and you can always ship your car with one of the best car shipping companies in Canada. However, the biggest con of this option is the cost. Plane tickets are expensive, and they can cost a little fortune when a family of four and more is traveling by airplane. For this reason, driving might be a better option for bigger families and people that want to save money.

    photo of orange truck

    Driving cross-country in Canada can be very fun

    The first step is to check your car

    As you will be traveling long distance with your car, you need to make sure that the car is in perfect condition. Take your car in to have the fluid levels, brakes, tires, and anything else that could give you trouble checked about a week before you intend to depart. Nothing can make a cross-country relocation sour more quickly than getting stranded somewhere you’d rather not be while your car is being fixed. In addition to having jumper cables, a jack, and any other tools you might require in the case of a flat tire, also make sure your spare tire is adequately inflated. Luckily, you won’t have to worry about the condition of a moving truck or how to properly drive it. Long distance movers Halifax will make sure that your belongings are safely transported to your new address with a moving truck in the best condition.

    Make a plan when cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    Starting a cross-country drive without a plan equals disaster. You are probably making plans when you need to run errands around the town. So, a cross-country relocation shouldn’t be an exception. A moving plan can’t be made in one or two days. There are a lot of things to consider and organize. For this reason, you need to start planning in advance. First, find a good moving company that has long distance moving services. After your belongings are taken care of, you can now start planning your trip. First, you need to check the condition of your car. The best way to do that is to go to a mechanic. You can’t even think about starting this trip without a car in perfect condition. Other things you should plan are the following:

    • Finances
    • Essential bag
    • Food and drinks
    • Rest stops
    • Overnight sleeping accommodations
    • Best route and navigation
    plan your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    Plan your relocation

    Think about your finances

    Cross-country relocation is not cheap. It can cost from $2,000 up to $8,000 and more depending on many factors. Just your travel will cost a couple of hundred dollars. You also need to think about the cost of Canadian moving services, pay tolls, etc. Additionally, the cost of living will probably be different in your current city and future. For example, the average living cost in Halifax is around C$3,252/month for one person that rents a home while in Vancouver is around C$4,830. Vancouver has a higher cost of living than Halifax and you need to prepare your finances and see how much you currently have and how much you can spend. The next step is to set a budget for your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home. The gas prices will be different along the way.

    Pack an essential bag for your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    You are probably going to hire a moving company to pack and transport all your belongings and that’s a great idea. Driving a fully moving truck is not easy at all and requires experience and certain knowledge. For this reason, hiring professional movers is one of the cross Canada moving solutions. However, you shouldn’t move all your belongings with a moving truck. Some items you should pack in your essential bag. For example, you will need to have a couple of different clothing options when traveling cross-country. Weather will not be the same throughout the whole trip and you need to be prepared for colder or warmer temperatures. Additionally, you will need to have toiletries, documents, neck pillows, charges for your electronics, medications, etc.

    woman packing suitcase

    Don’t forget to pack your essential bag

    Prepare food and drinks

    You shouldn’t rely on snacks from convenience stores and gas stations to keep you full during your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home. While it won’t be a problem to eat a chocolate bar or other snacks sometimes, your whole diet shouldn’t be based only on them. You can simply stay away from things like soda, candy, and other convenience store snacks that are made entirely of simple sugars and carbohydrates with a little planning. Plan your road snack pack before you head out on the road, just like you would pack an overnight bag with your essentials from home. For a road trip, you should have a small insulated cooler, as well as small food storage containers or resealable baggies to keep food from spoiling. Some of the best snacks for road trips are nonperishable food.

    Plan the best route for cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    You can take many routes when you are driving cross-country through Canada. For example, if you are moving from Halifax to Vancouver, you can drive only through Canada or Canada and US. Your route can look like this: Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Chicago, Minneapolis, Regina, Calgary, Kamloops, and Vancouver. Also, you can go from Halifax to Ile d’Orleans where you will be staying overnight. The next stop will be Toronto after 9 hours of driving. You can ask expert movers Toronto to Vancouver for advice on this. The next day you can be in Milwaukee after 9 hours of driving where you can make a small break for lunch. By 12 p.m. you can be in Minneapolis and stay overnight in a hotel. If you want, you can make a stop at Theodore Roosevelt National Park and stay overnight and leave the next day for Butte. After six days, you will arrive in Vancouver.

    road for cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    Find the best route for your trip

    Plan small trips along the way

    As you will be cross country driving from Halifax to your new home, you can take this trip to see explore Canada and parts of the US. Canada is a beautiful county with many parks, lakes, and things to visit. For example, if you are driving cross country to Vancouver, you can stop at Mount Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, Kootenay National Park, Jasper National Park, Banff National Park, etc. All these parks have many outdoor attractions and places for camping and eating. Aside from national parks, you can spend a day in every city you go through. Book reservations in hotels in every city and you can spend a day visiting famous places. The average accommodation cost for six days is around $400 CAD for one person. The next big expense is gas cost which is around $300 CAD.

    How to navigate your trip?

    Nobody knows Canada routes by heart, and everyone needs help from navigation apps. Luckily, there are many navigation apps these days that you can download on your phone. The most used app is Google Maps and most phones already have installed Google Maps. You probably used Google Maps many times before. Google map always shows you the shortest route for your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home. However, you can add different cities of your choice and the map will show you the route you should take. Also, if you missed a turn, a map would find another way to get you back on track. If you are not a fan of modern technology, you can always use paper maps. But, the best option is to have both paper maps and Google Maps on the phone.

    person holding a map

    Navigate your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home with a paper map or mobile map

    Weather changes

    There is a false belief that the weather in Canada is always cold and snowy. While this is true in some parts of Canada, the rest of the country has a different story. The central portion of the country has extreme weather changes such as really cold winters and very hot summers. However, the coastal areas of Canada have more mild temperature changes. Summers are often short in Canada and the best time for cross country driving from Halifax to your new home.

    You certainly don’t want to spend hours on the road while it’s snowing, and the roads are covered with ice. It would be too dangerous and especially if you filled your car with different belongings. For this reason, you should plan your relocation during summer. Also, weather changes are the reason why you must pack different types of clothes in your essential bag, and a good reason to find the best storage solutions Canada to keep your stuff safe.

    Consider camping

    Camping is one of the best methods to reduce costs when relocating cross country in Canada. Also, it allows you to travel to many different places in Canada because you can find campgrounds anywhere, including close to the most important tourist attractions. Finding campgrounds close to the destinations you wish to see is crucial when organizing your cross-country trip. Most contemporary campgrounds offer facilities to make your stay more comfortable. Others even provide small cabins that are more affordable than hotels. While most campgrounds offer outdoor amenities and entertaining activities, along with the conveniences of toilets, running water, and internet access, staying there can be a fantastic opportunity for adventure.

    Camp near water after cross country driving from Halifax to your new home

    Camping is also a good idea for a cross-country relocation

    Make your cross-country trip comfortable and interesting as possible

    It’s not easy to spend 10+ hours on the road, especially for kids or pets. Sure, frequent breaks will help, but there will be times when you will be traveling for 6 and more hours straight in a car. Your back, neck, and knees will start to hurt and you will be bored. For this reason, you should prepare things to make your trip more interesting and comfortable. First, make a playlist of your favorite songs. Time passes faster when you are listing to good music. Next, you should bring different pillows such as neck pillows or for your back. Your kids can watch cartoons and movies on iPad or read books. Also, you can play different word games and games of association.

    Enjoy your cross country move

    Your cross country driving from Halifax to your new home should be a fun experience. If you prepare everything properly, you won’t have to worry about anything and simply enjoy your trip. After all, this is a great opportunity to explore Canada and see many new cities and things. Professional movers will safely transport your belongings to your new home while you are seeing and exploring new things. For this reason, you should be excited about cross-country relocation and enjoy every minute of it.

     

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