Is it cheaper to book car or rv rental or just turn up on the day? Vancouver Canada

You need to post this on the Canada Branch, this is Central America, as in Guatemala to Panama.

Hi and welcome to Thorn Tree dangrav!

As @mrmoto has recommended, I've moved this one over to the Canada branch for you so our experts can help you out.

Cosima1

Thanks!
I didn't realise.
I blame Iphone screens

Book a car in advance. Then either tent, stay in hostels, or sleep in the car (if feasible).

RV's are not really budget friendly. Cost more to rent, use much more gas, and a campsite costs as much as a hostel bed. There are cheap/free forestry campgrounds all around BC, but they often have nasty access roads and small sites not suitable for RVs.

Would the nasty access road be nice on a adventure bike or sturdy SUV? Just curious...sounds nice, I really like limited access tent sites, even if you have to walk-in 15 minutes. Are there crazy mozzies up there too like Minnesota/Wisconsin or does it vary depending where you are, time of year and elevation?

Remember that April is still very early in the spring. Vancouver is likely to be cold and damp, but up in the mountains it will still be winter. It won't be biking season - it will still be ski season. The higher resorts can be open until May, depending on the weather. Certainly in the far south areas it may be warmer, but it's not going to be full on spring anywhere. And so no, mosquitoes won't be an issue - still well to early for them.

I believe the requirement for winter tires is only through March 31, but you don't want to be driving an RV in inland/mountain areas of BC in early to mid April unless you are comfortable driving in the snow. Early April can be a bad time for avalanches, which can shut or cause major delays in the high mountain passes. So a bike or SUV isn't going to do you any better - most of us drive regular sedans. If the weather is too bad to be out in car with solid snow tires, you probably shouldn't be on the road anyway.

You also need to check to see what campsites will actually be open - because of the weather, many (most?) don't open until at least early May or the May long weekend (mid to late May). Those that are open are likely to have limited services - i.e. pit toilets and no hookups or running water. Free camping is forbidden other than on crown land, and I suspect that in April, many of those locations will not be accessible or will still be very mucky/muddy/wet from the spring melt.

I think BC is fairly similar to AB - if so, you're not going to find campsites that are more than a minute or two walk from a car park unless you are in the backcountry. Certainly there are places with tent only sites, but they are set up so you can easily carry stuff from your car. And as mentioned, many, if not most, campgrounds will likely be shut.

april possibly worst time of year for just travelling around. not much going on anywhere. if the buck no worries then sure RV but rule out any camp site, in snow season the ins rule is 4 matching snow tires or your not covered. in bc. if a tires blows then you must replace with same type.

Okay thanks for the info.
So will it be hard to find open campsites in April. How about early May? I'm flying in to Toronto in the first week of April and I'm thinking of being around Quebec area for around 2 weeks. I'm considering getting the greyhound bus over to Vancouver or booking a flight if it's not much more expensive so I'll probably be in BC in early May.
Will it be a bit extreme to camp in a tent in the mountains due to cold weather?
I'm not bothered about tours etc I'm going to experience the outdoors and see the country. Hmm

only experienced winter campers would camp in the mountains in april in a tent. you'll need to bring along alll the required winter gear and an excellant sleeping bad and something to keep you off the ground. many campsites don't open until the 3rd week of may. check out average temperatures and check lows for the various places you are considering visiting. also, if you are renting a car, are you experienced driving in winter snow / ice. while it can be nice and warm some days, we can still have blizzards in april.