With temperatures heating up in Ontario, there's no better time to hit the road for a quick getaway.

After all, Toronto is surrounded by some absolutely gorgeous hidden-gem locations and many are less than a two-hour drive away. That's plenty of time to take a leisurely drive, discover a new area and try some cool activities.

No vacation fund? No problem! If you're thinking of exploring on wheels but worried about expenses, we got you covered. Here are 6 easy tips to help you get more bang for your buck this summer.

Staycation Tax Credit for Ontario

Did you know that you could be eligible for a refundable credit if you're planning an excursion from Toronto? Thanks to the Staycation Tax Credit for Ontario, eligible recipients can save on short-term accommodation such as hotels, motels, rentals and even campgrounds in Ontario.

Travel mid-week

There are loads of perks to planning your next road trip mid-week as opposed to the weekend. You can get cheaper car rentals, beat surge pricing, have popular Ontario tourist spots relatively empty, beat traffic… need we go on? So, if you have a couple of extra vacation days lined up, you know what to do.

Use the GasBuddy app

Monitoring gas prices when fuelling up is a relatively simple way to save big bucks when you have a long drive ahead. And thanks to apps like GasBuddy, you can check out the prices across various cities and see which stations are offering the best prices. An absolute win!

Did someone say free?

Do your research and look for free local events while you're in town like street festivals, fireworks displays, and Movies in the Park programs. There are so many in and around Toronto like the Jazz Festival and Big on Bloor. Don't forget to pack your own snacks to avoid marked-up concessions.

Avoid marked-up prices and grab some snacks before your big event.

Drive Smart

It's a well-known fact that constant acceleration and deceleration can eat up gas, especially when it comes to long drives. Once you hit the highway, let cruise control kick in – an easy way to make the drive more effortless and fuel-efficient!

Abrupt accelerating and decelerating are just the tip of the iceberg, there are loads of small ways to be more economical when driving. For starters, keep idling to a minimum – it's best to simply turn off your car if you're waiting for a friend. Close windows when the AC's on. And finally, map out that route beforehand so you can get more efficiently.

Save at the pump at Petro-Canada

Five years ago, RBC and Petro-Canada teamed up to help Canadians save as they pump. Since 2017, program members have saved over $100MM on fuel.

Earn more points with Petro and RBC.

It's super simple to take advantage of this cool loyalty program too. If you're an RBC client, simply link your card to your Petro-Points card through your RBC Online Banking account. Then, pay with your linked RBC debit or credit card at any Petro-Canada and save 3 cents per litre, instantly. No minimum or maximum litres. That's right - no delay or cash counting, and you'll see the savings instantly reflected on the receipt.

Plus earn 20 per cent more Petro-Points and 20 per cent more RBC Rewards, which can then be redeemed on other products and services that you love. (Like some road trip snacks perhaps?)

To sweeten the deal, they also have a limited-time offer where you get $25 in free gas (or 25,000 Petro-Points) when you link a new eligible RBC card within 30 days of approval.

Stop leaving money at the pump and link today! Happy travels!