You know you're camping in Canada when…


1.  …You wear a toque at breakfast.


2. …After it rains heavily for two consecutive days, you bundle the kids into the car and drive to the nearest Hudson's Bay store.


3. …You don't even flinch when you step on moose droppings.


4. …Most of your camping gear is wrapped in Canadian Tire bags.


5. …The car-ride snacks of choice are a box (or two) of Timbits and a few double-doubles.


6. …The lining of your sleeping bag matches your mom's favourite camping shirt and the tablecloth on your picnic table: red plaid. 


7. …In the quiet of the night, the youngest member of your family pipes up and asks, "Dad, can people really have sex in a canoe?"


8. …After the kids are asleep, you really do have sex in a canoe.


9. …At least one camper at your site knows the lyrics to at least five Anne Murray songs by heart.


10. …The expression "Look out, deer!" isn't a term of endearment but rather a warning of four-legged creatures invading the campsite.


11. …After five days of burgers and beans, you find yourself saying, "Man, I really wish we could have some poutine."

12. …You wake up at 3 a.m., hop in the car and drive four hours to get poutine.

13. …Drinking lukewarm white wine isn't considered a breach of etiquette.

14. …Late-night conversation becomes deeply profound: "I just don't get why they shut down the Shania Twain museum. Makes you wonder what the world is coming to."

15. …You run out of toothpaste and chew cedar as a form of oral hygiene.  

16. …You mistakenly step on a bear's paw while hiking and say, "Sorry."



17. …The bear responds, "Oh, nonsense. I'm the sorry one. It's my fault. Pardon me. Yup."

18. …You're awakened early every morning by a camp warden who knows every word to Sharon, Lois & Bram's famous song, "Skinnamarink."

19. …At least one member of your camping party is named Doug or Bob.

20. …Confusion ensues because five campsites are registered under the names "Doug and Bob."

21. …You turn to Kraft Dinner as your back-up food source when you run out of fresh grub.

22. …Grandpa says he's got a mickey in the trunk of the car and the kids are disappointed to learn it isn't the Disney mouse.

23. …Wearing grey tube socks with Birkenstocks is considered OK—until the day you head home. Then it's forbidden.

24. …You converse politely throughout your trip until someone innocently inquires, "So tell me, why did Céline Dion move to the U.S.?"

25. …Your favourite reading material is the American licence plates in the parking lot.

26. …At least half of all campers at your site are wearing hockey jerseys.

27. …You notice two campers—one wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball cap, one wearing a Montreal Canadiens baseball cap—meeting on a hiking trail. No words are spoken.

28. …You see numerous pairs of long johns hanging on makeshift clotheslines because, folks, YOU'RE CAMPING IN CANADA!

For more awesome summer activities, camping tips and Canadian travel destinations, visit our guide to the great Canadian outdoors.

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