Decided to Visit St Jovite
Woke up last Tuesday craving mountains, remembered St Jovite from Instagram. Grabbed coffee, spread maps all over the kitchen counter. Googled “best time for St Jovite” – turns out autumn means fewer crowds and cheap deals. Perfect! Chucked my planner in the backpack.
Step 1: Locked Down Dates & Budget
Checked my bank app first. Ouch. Set $800 max including gas, food, stay. Scrolled through September weekdays – picked Tuesday to Thursday to dodge weekend prices. Texted my buddy Mike: “Yo, wanna split a cabin? Three days, $200 each max.” He replied “YOLO” in 2 seconds flat.
Step 2: Booked Sleep Spot First
Opened three booking sites side-by-side. Filtered: under $100/night, near downtown, free parking. Found this log cabin with a fireplace photo that looked cozy. Read reviews mentioning “rustic charm” (code word for squeaky floors). Booked instantly before prices jumped. Got confirmation email while eating leftover pizza.
Step 3: Planned Activities Around Cheap Stuff
- Hiked Mont-Tremblant trails (free trail maps from park website)
- Scouted farmers market days for cheap picnic lunches
- Saved $$ by skipping fancy tours – just walked along Lac Mercier
Saw ads for $100 canoe rentals. Laughed. Borrowed Mike’s fishing rods instead.
Step 4: Packed Like a Pro (Kinda)
Dumped gear on my bed: hiking boots, rain jacket, instant noodles stash. Forgot bug spray like an idiot. Stopped at dollar store halfway – bought spray and a hideous neon hat. Threw in extra socks after remembering last year’s blisters. Filled thermos with coffee so we wouldn’t buy $7 café cups.
Step 5: Nailed the Drive & Flexibility
Took backroads avoiding tolls, saved $15. Playlist was essential – blasted 90s rock whole drive. When it poured rain Wednesday, swapped hike for brewery tasting ($10 flight special!). Ended up chatting with locals who told us about secret sunset spot. Best detour ever.
How It Actually Went
Total spend: $742 for two people. Cabin floors DID squeak but the fireplace cracked perfectly. Ate peanut butter sandwiches overlooking mountains. That free sunset spot? Magnificent. Only regret: should’ve packed more socks. Next time I’m buying that neon hat in bulk.
