Exploring Hidden Gems In Beautiful Saskatchewan. TWT Goes International!

Today we take our first steps outside of the US, heading to the Saskatchewan province in Canada. Along the way, we share our experiences with Canadian border services, driving on Canadian “highways”, and Canadian gas stations. We also check out the scenery and taste Canadian fare in Indian Head, Regina, and other points of interest along the way!

North to Saskatchewan! But First, a Word about Canadian Border Inspection…

This part of our trip was probably the one that we were the most anxious about. As Louie so kindly puts it “We low-key freaked out”. One reason for this is the giant list of regulated foods that authorities do not allow across the border. This wouldn’t have been such a bad thing by itself. But we also watched multiple videos of fellow RV travelers about their experience with Canadian border inspections. Stories ranging from smooth crossings to officials unloading and searching entire travel trailers!

One of our biggest concerns was dog food and treats. Canada is very particular about the meat you bring into their country. This includes the meat found in dog food. In the past, this issue wouldn’t have been anything for us to worry about. But, when we went to Canada, all three of our boys were on hydrolyzed dog food.

This is a prescription food to help Tommy with his allergies, Winston with his digestive issues and Louie was just on it because we didn’t want to bring more food. Since we planned to travel for a month, we had to have a month’s supply of food and treats. Canadian Border Services allows no more than 44 lbs. of dog food and treats to cross over the border. We were pretty close, so this was definitely a source of worry.

One Big Monkey Wrench!

Our other big concern was getting the actual dogs back across the border. For those of you who don’t normally travel with dogs, the CDC announced a huge change to the requirements for importing dogs back into the United States. This included dogs that normally lived in the US and only went to Canada to visit.

The new requirements included multiple pieces of paperwork. We needed to fill out and print multiple online forms. The vet also had to fill out multiple forms, which meant multiple trips to the vet. Of course, authorities scheduled the enforcement of all these new regulations for August 1, 2024, the day we left. And, to throw another monkey wrench into things, the CDC didn’t release the paperwork until 10 days before that. So, we had very little time to get all of this paperwork done.

Thankfully, the day before we left, the CDC decided to lift most of the restrictions. So, while we had all the paperwork done and with us, we shouldn’t need it to get our boys to and from Canada.

Nothing to Worry About!

It turns out, we worried for nothing! Our experience crossing the Canadian border was very easy and quick. They asked us several questions, which Danny talks about in the video, checked our passports and the dog’s rabies certificates and sent us on our way! The whole stop probably wasn’t more than about 5 minutes and then we were in Saskatchewan!

If you are reading this for tips on how to make your border crossing into Canada easier, we highly recommend that you visit the Canadian Customs website, which will have all the information you need for your border crossing into Canada.

Getting Gas in Saskatchewan (Or Anywhere in Canada)

Once over the border, we noticed a few differences between the United States and Canada. The road signs immediately changed from MPH to KPH, and English and French were on every sign along the road. They also calculate weights and measures using the metric system. So they use liters instead of gallons.

But, the difference is most apparent when you pull up to the gas pump. Thankfully, Danny’s Dad prepared us for this ahead of time, or else we would have spent a lot of money on gas that first time!

When we pulled into the single gas station in the tiny town of Stoughton, an attendant was waiting to help us. Yes, Canada still has people who pump your gas for you. Most of the larger gas stations have two sections- one that offers this service and the other that is self-serve. Unfortunately, our attendant was barely out of high school and had no idea how to convert gallons of gas into liters of gas.

In the video you see the second time that we get gas, when Danny uses the self-serve option at a different gas station, but he went through those same calculations with an attendant standing there patiently waiting for him to tell him how much gas to pump!

On to Indian Head, Saskatchewan!

Another big difference between the United States and Canada are the roads. In the United States, when Google says you are on a highway, it means a paved road. In Canada, highways mean pretty much any road. So, when Google said to turn on a highway, we had no idea it would very quickly turn into a dusty dirt road. That lesson was learned very well once we pulled into the campground and saw what happened to our camper as a result!

We stayed at the Indian Head Campground. This is a great campground in the town of Indian Head, which is about 20 miles outside of the capital of Saskatchewan, Regina. The campground offers lots of great amenities, including a former grain mill that they remodeled and turned into a recreation room. This recreation room has lots of games, videos, books and quiet areas for visitors to use.

Unfortunately, before we could make use of any of the amenities the campground had to offer or even go check out area attractions, we had to deal with the mess in the camper. Danny and the boys did a good job of showing just how unhappy I was with this situation.

Unfortunately, Danny is not good at deep cleaning. He tends to wipe a wet wipe across the area and say it’s clean. It’s not necessarily his fault, he just doesn’t see dirt the way I do, probably because he doesn’t have the allergies that I do. So, that being the case, I was the one who cleaned up most of the mess. Needless to say, lesson learned! DON’T leave your vents open while driving- you never know when a highway will suddenly turn to dirt!

Finally Some Fun!

After cleaning up the mess in the camper, we went into town and explored everything Indian Head had to offer. One of the highlights in the area is the Bell Barn. Built in 1882 and restored in the early 2000’s, the barn houses a museum detailing the farming history of the area and event space.

We also got to check out a Canadian grocery store, sample the Canadian dish “poutine” and take a walk around the town before heading back to the camper for the evening.

The Qu-Appelle River Valley

The next morning, after enjoying our first taste of Tim Horton’s breakfast, we took a drive to visit the Qu’Appelle (kuh-pell) River Valley. This is a very picturesque scenic drive through Saskatchewan, famous for its rolling hills, farmland, rivers, lakes and small towns. One of my favorite stops was at the Sacred Heart Church in Lebret. First established in 1865, the church sits on the banks of a beautiful lake. Turn towards the highway, and you will see the cemetery and chapel situated on the side of a hill with a switchback patch leading towards it.

Regina, the Capital of Saskatchewan

Regina (pronounced “Ray-jy-nuh”) is the capital of the Saskatchewan province. Known as the Queen City (Regina means Queen), the city is very dog friendly with lots of walking paths and restaurants with outdoor dining. One of our favorite places was the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens. These gardens are part of the Wascana Center, a giant park in the middle of Regina. Wascana Park is larger than Central Park, and the Queen Elizabeth Gardens bloom with over 30,000 flowers each year!

Goodbye Saskatchewan

After grabbing a delicious bite to eat at one of the many bars and restaurants along the main street in Regina, we headed back towards Indian Head. After one more night and a mini-adventure the next morning with one of the campers next door, we headed east towards Manitoba. But, more about that on our next episode!

In the meantime, check out the full video of our Saskatchewan adventure below.

Don’t forget to check out our other Travel-a-Long, Drive-a-Long, Hike-a-Long, and Top 5 Tips and Tricks videos, as well as our other Behind-the Scenes Blogs . For all your TWT swag and to get a copy of our newly released book, check out our Merch store!

Until next time, happy traveling!