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The Fabulous Esurance “Hit the Road” Giveaway!

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I consider myself extremely lucky that I get to write for a living, and not only that, be able to take my friends and family on crazy fun adventures when the time comes. This time around it’s going to be a crazy adventure with one of my long time best friends, Kandice. She and I have been friends since we were 16. I actually disliked her immensely for two years beforehand, until we both realized that actually who we disliked was a mutual friend. We ditched said mutual friend and were solid sister friends ever since.

What can I say, we were 16? Merciless, heartless and wrinkle-free.

We are not 16 here, so there’s really no excuse for us other than our awesomeness.

two women wearing Minnie mouse hairdress

Kandice and I have had numerous family vacations together, including the obvious one to Disneyland where our goofy photo was taken. We take the kids with us, do the required parenting and have a blast doing it.
However, we haven’t had a solid girls vacation without our darling children since we were 19. I won’t even tell you how long it’s been since I was 19, but I can tell you that the road trip was to Vancouver. And oh, what a good time that road trip was! We even met an actor off of our favorite TV show at the time, the X-Files, at the bar in Kitsilano of course.

Here’s where we get back to how lucky I am. Since I am an avid traveler and write a lot about it on this website, I was chosen to take a road trip sponsored by Esurance this summer – WITH my best friend! Not only that, but because I’m a local Alberta girl that travels all over, I get to introduce you all to Esurance, which is an online auto insurance company that launched in Alberta in 2015 – and Alberta is the only province in Canada where Esurance is available!

This little ol’ Alberta travel writer + Esurance = Besties Summer Road trip!

esurance an Allstate company Logo.

Let’s talk a little about this company that is sending me on a fabulous road trip with my bestie. Esurance is all about providing insurance for the modern world, taking care of people the way a modern company should. Esurance works hard to continually innovate, leveraging the latest technology, offering competitive prices and a simple, efficient experience, while providing customers with personal care from knowledgeable experts. Albertans can now save time and manage their insurance easily and efficiently – online! That works for me!

We also all think about savings when it comes to insurance and Esurance was born online and by nature was built to save their client money. It has smart online tools, fast, efficient claims and services (which we all know can be very hard to find!) and when Esurance saves money, it passes the savings on to its customers. Their rates are competitive and they also offer personalized discounts for their customers. Going back to the information about claims, they also offer a hassle-free claims experience so that you can feel confident that it will be solved quickly. Their licensed insurance experts are available 24/7 for you! They can help you understand your coverage options and help you find the right coverage for you.Now, I am going to be writing a series of posts about road trips, how I prepare for them, how I plan them and you guys know how serious I am about my road trips. This is the perfect time for me to talk about how I plan my road trips. I have been (literally) from one end of the US to another, but I’ve never written about it!

I can hear you now…. MAGPIE!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! (stop yelling, I hear you!)

You are most likely wondering how I actually planned where I was going on this trip. Other than the typical throwing a dart at a map attached to the wall, I have wanted to go back to Victoria, British Columbia for a while now. I only had a couple of days to spend there in the fall of 2014 – and that was my very first time there- so when it came time to pick a Canadian road trip adventure, I knew that it was going to be there. I fell in love with the island instantly and can’t wait to head back.

Victoria's beautiful inner harbour, Vancouver Island

How do I plan the route?

Well, Kandice lives in Calgary and I live in Edmonton, so I knew that my very first stop was going to be my parent’s house on July 1st. I’m going to sleep over there, then pick up Kandice first thing in the morning Saturday. This was important, because we are missing the July Long Weekend travel rush on the mountain highways. We have a week together and it wasn’t imperative to leave right away. I don’t like driving on the long weekends through the mountains, so I am glad that we can leave the Saturday. In my many road trips, I’ve learned that you really have to plan ahead when it comes to long weekend traffic!

We are going to travel as far as we can without exhausting ourselves on Saturday (most likely reaching Vancouver)  then be up bright and early for the ferry to Victoria first thing in the morning!

Cowichan Bay with the fishing village and bakery

Once we are there, we are going to spend four days playing it by ear and doing what we like. I loved visiting Cowichan Bay, so I am sure that I am going to take a day trip out there to eat at their fabulous bakery and listen to the sea birds. We are going to do some wine tours (where someone else drives!) and take it easy. Then it’s time to drive home, slowly again without rushing, and that’s that!

So while Esurance wants to send me on a road trip with my bestie, they also have a fabulous giveaway for YOU!

You can enter to win a Smart Driver Care Package filled with innovative items to keep you safe and connected on the road no matter where you’re heading, including a 4G booster that extends your cellular range and battery life.

I know that I get to go on a road trip and I am SO spoiled – but that 4G booster!! I am drooling, you guys! For those of us that drive in Alberta, that booster is a MUST! I personally would love it for the lake, as we have no coverage out there. There are still so many places in Alberta that we need a booster. I am so excited that someone gets to win the Smart Driver Care Package that is worth approximately $400!

You can enter the contest below, good luck everyone!

Love,
Karlynn

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Esurance. All opinions and language are my own.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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  1. Jonnie Hartling says

    My best road trip was when I was 18 and some friends and I drove across the country from NS to AB and back. One of those friends is now my husband and we started dating on that road trip.

  2. Josh S says

    We went on a road trip out to BC.  It was a blast!

  3. JessicaSage says

    I didn’t go on many road trips growing up so my favorite was the first one I did as an adult in college with two of my best friends at the time

  4. June M says

    The best road trip was with my parents when I was a teen. We travelled from Ontario to British Columbia. Such great experiences and great way to learn

  5. caryn_coates says

    Best road trip has been from Ontario to Newfoundland. The scenery is absolutely stunning. 

  6. JulieBolduc says

    It would have to be a road trip to Toronto this past weekend

  7. JudyC says

    Best road trip would of been from Ontario to Orlando to go to Disney, it was so much fun! (Judy Cowan)

  8. JudyC says

    Best road trip would of been the one from Ontario to Florida to go to Disney, so much fun!

  9. newfiechick says

    The best road trip I’ve taken was when I traveled from Ontario to Newfoundland. Beautiful scenery in the Eastern provinces.

  10. Robyn B says

    The best road trip I ever went on was with my two sisters to New Brunswick from Ontario.

  11. BrendaWitherspoon-Bedard says

    hubby and I went on a road trip to sturgis one year

  12. awesome9619 says

    Windsor ON to SanDiego CA – 3 week roadtrip when I was in my early 20’s

  13. Sarah De Diego says

    We drive to Mexico every winter (and have since 2005) and it never gets tiring. It’s such a gift to get to spend that time with my family and animals. I hope that they say the same 😉

    Thanks for giving.

    Besos, Sarah

    Journeys of The Zoo

  14. CassieFancy says

    My best roadtrip was a family road trip we took to drumheller Lots of fun and games along the way and a great day in drumheller together 

  15. AndreaAmy says

    The only road trips I have ever really been on have either been just up through the Banff area, or out to Vancouver and Victoria. I live in Calgary, so mostly just through the mountains. 

  16. retrophiliac says

    Our road trip to california was the very best!

  17. Anne Taylor says

    Shared this again today! Enjoy your stay here in Victoria!

  18. DouglasGerard1 says

    when I was 17 we went from Portland Oregon to Seattle to Idaho,Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and finally landed in Arizona

  19. jackalJarrod says

    For us, the best road trips are the spur of the moment ones …recently we drove to meet our daughter, who was going to look at a used vehicle. She wanted her dads opinion and if she bought it, she needed me to driver her old car home (She bought it and I now use her car instead of the more expensive truck)

  20. sibley_h says

    The best road trip I was ever on was a trip in New Brunswick with some girlfriends. We stopped at every roadside attraction and had a blast.

  21. jlenhart says

    Hi – I went on a road trip with a friend once from Saskatoon, through Montana, Idaho, WA and Oregon, then back through the Okanagan, Nelson AB and home. It was great. We drank a lot of wine.

  22. cute88sky says

    Great Scout , Marty, best road trip was sea to sky hwy to Pemeberton. Scenic mtn. & blue lake. .  Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest,
    and generosity. :)  Pick me. 

  23. cute88sky says

    Great Scout , Marty, best road trip was sea to sky hwy to Pemeberton. Scenic mtn. & blue lake. .  Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest,
    and generosity. 🙂  Pick me.

  24. ForeverAngel26 says

    Best time are the time my dad & mom would wake us up on a Sat morning say pack a bag, we are going away for the day/night – he would say where ever the road takes us!! Love it 

  25. sfzphd says

    The best road trip for me was when I came back from my internship in Alaska to Michigan to see my boyfriend. We road tripped it to his families for Christmas. It didn’t matter the scenery wasn’t that great because it was all about spending time with him. 

  26. kfloveinme says

    Best road trip was driving up to Lake George for my cousins wedding. It was so much fun and beautiful scenery. Kenya  F

    • Mark Wicklund says

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