This post is a part of a my series of coffee shop reviews of those visited during our Canadian Road Trip. This is not a proper coffee shop review like the others, however, this is one coffee stop you MUST plan for on your Canadian road trip.
Every good road trip begins with coffee. Especially a 5-week living-in-a-van kind of road trip. Especially if that road trip is going to take you north of the Arctic Circle. Especially if you are going to get married while you’re there.
You definitely need coffee.
See the full list of coffee shop stops visited on our cross Canada road trip.
Coffee Date With Family or Friends
Canada may be a big country, but we are a small population. Chances are you have friends, family, or both along the way and you absolutely should plan to a coffee date (or two, or three) along the way.
I’ll give you 5 reasons why setting up coffee dates are the perfect fit with your cross-Canada road trip:
1. The Wander’s Way
If you travel like we do…you wander.
It’s hard to predict when you will be arriving in any given place which makes it a bit hard to plan when and where to sync up with family. The last thing you want is for your sister to spend the day prepping for a BBQ only to find out you are still 8 hours away come meal time!
You can let family know ahead of time when you are getting close to their vicinty. No matter what time of day you end up rolling through, you can grab a coffee, tea, Italian soda, or frozen lemonade.
It’s a low stress way to plan a meet up without having to committ to an exact time of day.
2. A Happy Host
We all love to have family visit, but sometimes it means we have to corral the chaos and crack down on the cleaning to make the house presentable. On top of that, socializing over food is just the Canadian way. Figuring out what to serve guests takes planning and preparation.
Suggesting that you meet at a coffee shop nearby means your host can enjoy your visit without stressing over how presentable their home is on any given day or what they have in the pantry to serve you.
3. Ambiance by Design
With so many people working from home, sharing spaces with adult children, and just the general interruptions that seem to be constantly with us during our daily lives, home isn’t always the best place for a peaceful visit.
Coffee shops come naturally with an environment made for slowing down, relaxing, and enjoying the company of others. Seating is usually very comfortable, and you are welcome to sit and catch up with old friends for as long as you would like.
4. Budget Friendly
If you are doing the Canadian Road Trip you are going to be on the road for a while. While heading out to dinner with family is always enjoyable, you are likely working within a travel budget and restaurant meals are really expensive.
For the price of a cup of coffee, you can spend quality time with relatives – and even treat them – without blowing your travel budget…keeping you on the road longer!
5. Making Memories Matters
I’ve probably saved the best reason for last. When you are on an epic roadtrip like crossing the country it can be really easy to get focused on the next destination on the map.
Visiting new places is a great way to make memories, but so is visiting with old friends.
Even though detours may be required, this is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with schoolmates, long-lost cousins, and colleagues based in other cities. People you may not have seen in person for years.
We always go to Sweetie’s brother’s house for a coffee with him and his wife when we pass through, past, or near Quebec City. Even though there are emails and calls in between, it’s a rare opportunity to re-connect in person and it’s an opportunity that we don’t want to miss.
On this trip we even made it as far as his brother’s in Calgary but we skipped the coffee and just moved in with them for a few days to attend the Calgary Stampede!
Happy travels to you all, and remember to plan a coffee stop with family or friends along the way!
