Hey Reader,

We've spent the last month exploring eastern Canada. We had mapped out a big loop through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland, but with wildfires closing trails and creating unpredictable conditions across much of eastern Canada, we rerouted and ended up spending the last month traveling around Quebec instead. While it wasn’t our original choice, I’m grateful we had the chance to discover parts of the province we may not have otherwise prioritized.

A few highlights from Quebec

Saguenay Fjord

Saguenay Fjord was by far my favorite stop. Here, the glacier carved cliffs rise over 1,000 feet up from the water, which is a mix of salty ocean tides and fresh river water. This unique ecosystem is home to one of the largest populations of beluga whales in the world, along with a lot of other sealife. Looking back, we should have stayed in this area longer and road tripped both sides of the Fjord...but we moved through here pretty quickly, because much of the area and trails are not dog-friendly.

For $20 CAD/night, we parked right at the marina in L'Anse-Saint-Jean - and there just happened to be an ice cream shop with vegan soft serve right across the street. A little further west on the fjord, we found a peaceful beachside spot and stayed three nights.

Tip: This area is famous for whale watching. We did a whale watching tour out of nearby Les Escoumins - out on the St. Lawrence river. However, I would have preferred to do in the Fjord, where you have a better chance of seeing belugas, and I also think the views are prettier. We did not see belugas on our tour unfortunately.

Finally, we hiked to the Statue of Our Lady of Saguenay, and while the top portion of the trail was closed, the views partway up were still stunning.

ZEC des Martres

We also spent some time in ZEC des Martres, where we found great dispersed camping. The mountains in this area were more dramatic than other areas we experienced in Quebec.

Montreal

And then there was Montreal, which totally won me over. We stayed at Camping Sogerive next to La Marina de Longueuil. It wasn’t cheap, and we were packed in between large RVs, but the location was convenient for accessing the city.

Montreal’s street signs were a little tricky to navigate, but if you're up for some urban camping, there are actually quite a few legal overnight spots listed on iOverlander right in the heart of town. We’re not doing much stealth camping these days with a toddler and two dogs in tow, but if you’re traveling light and on a budget, it’s a great option.

But the real highlight? The food. If you’re plant-based (or down to try it), here are a few must-visit spots:

• ChuChai – Bold Thai flavors and a killer vegan duck curry
• Sophie Sucrée – Croissants, breakfast sandwiches, and other dreamy French pastries
• Bloom Sushi – Elegant vegan sushi with incredible flavor and texture
• Archway – Brunch vibes with dishes like vegan Caesar salad and eggs benedict

Also, the Botanical Garden was a great place to spend an afternoon!

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Compocloset Cuddy Lite Review

After nearly a decade of road life, I’ve tried a lot of different toilet systems. After being really disappointed with my Trelino, I decided to try the Compocloset Cuddy Lite to see if it was any better.

After 4 months of daily use, I can't believe I ever wasted money and time on the Trelino. The Cuddy Lite is soooooo much better at controlling odors, the design is far superior, and it's so easy to empty and clean. Plus, it's completely portable and doesn't require power or cutting holes in the side of your van. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but for something you use every single day, it’s absolutely worth the price for the convenience, cleanliness, and not having your rig smell like a bathroom.

👉 Read my Cuddy Lite review here 👈

Compocloset also gave me a coupon code to share with you. You can save $30 off the Cuddy Lite with the code "BEARFOOTTHEORY30".

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Ready for fall?

We had originally wanted to stick around Canada through the fall, but we’ve had a change of plans....more on that soon as we figure out where we’re headed next.

In the meantime, if you’re dreaming up a colorful road trip or hiking getaway, here’s some fall inspiration from the blog:

🍁 Vermont Fall Foliage Road Trip​
🍁 Smoky Mountains Fall Guide​
🍁 Best Hikes in New Hampshire​
🍁 Best National Parks to Visit in Fall​
🍁 Colorado Fall Colors Road Trip Itinerary​

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Labor Day Sales You Should Know About

Here are some great deals happening this weekend...

✨ Helinox Sunset Chair – 20% off: These have been my go-to camp chairs for years. They’re durable, comfortable, and pack down small enough to stash in the van or a rooftop box. A little pricey normally, so this is a solid discount if you’ve been eyeing one.

✨ ROKA Rory Sunglasses – up to 35% off: I have these in both prescription and regular versions. The frames are super lightweight, they stay in place (even when hiking), and the optics are crystal clear. I’ve been pretty rough on mine, and they’ve held up great.

✨ AllTrails+ Membership – 50% off: While I wouldn’t say AllTrails is perfect, I do use it regularly for finding new trails and navigating when I’m out of service. The big perk with the Plus plan is offline maps.

✨ Harvest Hosts – 25% off annual membership: Harvest Hosts allows you to park overnight for free at farms, wineries, breweries and more - all across the US. Use the code "RELAX25" at checkout.

✨ LEKI Cressida FX Carbon Trekking Poles – $100 off: These are excellent women's specific trekking poles. They weigh just over 8 ounces per pole and fold down small so they’re easy to stash when not in use.

✨ REI Labor Day Sale – up to 30% off: If you missed last week's email from me, REI’s big Labor sale is on now. You can check out my favorite deals here.

Thanks, and I hope you have a great 3-day weekend!

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