If you’re planning to find some winter warmth this year, BCAA can help you plan, research and book your next adventure here or around the world.

You can find a variety of trip planning tools here, including the TripTik® Travel Planner, which helps you create customized routes across North America and is packed with info about where BCAA Members can save with our rewards partners. You can also get help booking hotels, car rentals, flights, cruises and international drivers permits.

Now here are a host of helpful snowbird travel tips on where to go, how to get there and ways BCAA Travel Insurance can protect you and help get you ready for a sunny winter.

Choose your destination

If you’re chasing the sun this winter, you’ll want to consider several factors like your unique needs, local activities, distance and affordability.

An increasing number of travellers are heading further afield and jetting off to Mexico, Central America (Costa Rica and Belize are especially popular) and southern Europe. Some of these destinations offer you warmer weather and a low cost of living. Follow YVR Deals (Vancouver flights), YYJ Deals (Victoria flights), or YLW Deals (Kelowna flights) and sign up for their alerts to find flight deals out of BC.

Before you travel outside of Canada, make sure to check the Government of Canada’s travel and tourism page for travel advice, info and advisories.

Know how long you can stay

Generally, according to BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP), you can leave British Columbia for a maximum of six months in a calendar year while still maintaining your coverage. Different rules apply to how long you can stay in each country so make sure you check travel.gc.ca/destinations for the rules around your chosen location. Learn more about leaving BC temporarily on the Government of BC’s website.

Book your accommodations

Have you recently retired and are considering spending winters in a warmer destination? We highly recommend that you rent in a few different destinations before you buy a winter vacation property. This lets you test out different communities and accommodations before you commit to one. Here are a few options: 

Rental condos and homes

Wherever you roam, you should have tons of rental options, depending on your budget, size needs and local activities and amenities. Assuming you’re staying for an extended period of more than around four months, start your search with local apartment rental sites, local community message boards, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or Airbnb, where you can find more cost-effective longer-term rentals.

Hotels and motels

Use your BCAA Membership to save on accommodation costs with our exclusive hotel Rewards Partners. Members save up to 10% on hotels like Hilton Hotels and Resorts, MGM, Hyatt and JW Marriott.

RVs

RVs are popular with BC snowbirds and one of the more affordable ways to travel is by staying in RV resorts. You can rent an RV pad with a view, and you’ll often find they come with swimming pools, recreational facilities and social events. Some quick tips on RV resort living:

• Research your RV resort spot well in advance. Here are some RV resorts to consider.
• Visit TripAdvisor to read reviews from other travellers. Make sure your resort is safe, quiet and has all the amenities you need.
• Always arrive by day. You don’t want to check-in after dark when it’s so much harder to get your RV hooked up to electricity, water and sewer. Here are six things you need to know about late arrival at RV parks.
• There are also how-to blogs on where to find free overnight parking, including this one from Roadtrippers.com. Bottom line: safety is your #1 priority.

Before you hit the road, review your BCAA Membership plan to make sure you’ve got RV coverage added and the right towing distance for your needs in case of a breakdown. Consider upgrading to a BCAA Premier Membership (with RV coverage added), which provides up to 320 kilometres of free towing distance in Canada and the US. We also recommend prepping your RV for your road trip.

Now you’re nearly ready to hit the road. Here are a few more important steps before you hit the road or hop on a plane.

Prep your documents and plan for your return home

Ensure that you have reviewed and understand all re-entry requirements before you depart and get your travel documents in order. Make sure your passport is up to date and won’t expire while you’re away. Need a new passport photo? BCAA Members can save up to 50% on passport photo services in our BCAA Service Locations and BCAA Premier Members get one free set a year. Here’s some helpful info on the Canadian documents you’ll need.

Pro tip: Bring printed and digital copies of all your travel documents.

Check the Canadian government’s useful travel toolkit

The Canadian government shares great tips on travel by planes, trains and automobiles, plus tips on travelling with pets, border wait times, living abroad, health and safety outside Canada, travelling with a disability and how to make your journey through security more efficient.

Get your travel insurance

Getting healthcare outside of the province can be very costly. Be sure to get travel insurance before you leave in case the unexpected happens and you need emergency healthcare.

BCAA Travel Insurance includes emergency medical coverage, plus worldwide virtual care, 24/7, 365 days a year, that you can access from anywhere in the world and whenever possible, we will pay your medical provider directly, so you aren’t out of pocket. Add optional Travel Delay +AutoPay coverage and you will get real-time automatic cash payouts or lounge passes if you have flight delays and cancellations, or baggage delays.

Wherever you go, BCAA has your back

Your snowbird getaway is bound to be a great one, no matter where you’re going. And you’ll travel happier knowing you’re covered by BCAA Travel Insurance and that BCAA Members save 10%. Check travel insurance off your list and get a quote by visiting bcaa.com/travel.

Not a BCAA Member? Join today!