Canada travel tips

Where is Flash when you need her?

 

Whitewater rafting excursion down the Kicking Horse River.

One of my very favorite memories.

Spent four days going through the Canadian Rockies on a train. Gorgeous scenery all around.

Someone already mentioned Lake Louise. My buddy and I did a canoe ride on the lake. Perfect conditions with a huge glacier as your backdrop.

It's an awesome area to visit. Moose, Caribou, and Elk roam the streets in town.

 

There's also Canada Olympic Park, where many of the venues used during the 1988 Winter Games are still in use. You can go to the starthouse of the Nordic skiing tower and, at least during the summer, they were offering rides down the bobsled (or bobsleigh) track. Nice museum there as well dedicated to the '88 Games. If you're heading downtown or to the Saddledome, the mass transit system is good, especially the "C-Train."

 

He said Canada.

 

Do not pass up a chance to visit Lake Louise.

Also, in Banff (or anywhere, really), eat at least one meal at Earl's. All-world waitresses.

 

Every now and then, customs can be a 2-hour pain when leaving Calgary. Just a heads-up.

I don't know much about Banff, but if your stuck in Calgary for a short bit, I'd say you could do worse than a stroll in Kensington or along 8th Avenue to Olympic Park.

 

By all means rent a car and drive to Lake Louise but stay on Trans Canada Highway until you reach Castle Junction. That way you can stop at the large viewpoint and take in one of the iconic views in all of the Rockies, and that is Castle Mountain. Take the turnoff to Castle Junction and stop at the store/gas station for a muffin and coffee. Take Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise, very scenic. Hang out at the Chateau and look at the glacier. You won't be sorry. On the way back to Banff take the Bow Parkway all the way until it connects with the TCH (#1) then stop at another large viewpoint area and admire Mt. Rundle. In one day you will have seen 3 of Canada's finest sights (4 if you count the Banff Springs Hotel) At the Springs is a nice little lounge that overlooks the Golf Course and the Bow River Valley. Try to squeeze in a gondola lift up Sulphur Mountain. What a view!

I was fortunate enough to live in Banff for parts of 2 years.

 

I figured there would be a thread on Banff and I'm not disappointed; misterbc's advice about the Bow Valley Parkway is something I've read elsewhere and intend to do when we visit the region in late July.

Any new advice from SJ.comWesternCanada is welcomed.

After finally figuring out when all our family's schedules aligned, we're scrambling to make plans/reservations. It helps that we live in the Inland Northwest, within a day's drive of Banff. We've wanted to go there for years.

Our hope is we can find a hotel that's only moderately expensive (rather than bank-account-breaking expensive) so we can spend on activities, like the gondola ride, kayak/canoe rental, etc. And if we can find something with a small kitchen, that would help with food expenses ...

Also, $1 Canadian is about 77 cents in U.S. currency. Hooray!

 

The advice on this thread is still really accurate.

This place is about a 5 minute drive from the main town site and they have shuttles. I have stayed a few times and the kitchenette and fireplaces are handy. It also has an enormous outdoor hot pool that a lot of people can get into.

About The Banff Rocky Mountain Resort Hotel and Conference Center

July is high season so it will be busy and expensive but still fun. Book asap as a lot of places will have low availability, especially with the crap Canadian dollar. If you can't find something in your price range have a look at booking at The Sandman or 4 Points Sheraton on the Western edge of Calgary, will be considerably cheaper than Banff but you are a 75 minute drive away. I would say you could try Canmore as well but probably as expensive as Banff.

Depending how adventurous every one is you can try some comfort camping. Think they may have it at Lake Minnewanka as well.

Parks Canada - Banff National Park - oTENTik

The Safeway in town is a decent supermarket for stocking up. There are grocery stores on the West end of Calgary if you are driving thru the city.

Lots to do and see in Banff but The Columbia Icefields are worth seeing if you have some time. You can combine it with this if you don't mind heights.

Glacier Skywalk | Brewster Travel Canada

There are some raft rides you can do down the Bow River that are fun if you have a wide age group, iirc they launch just down stream from Bow Falls by the Banff Springs Hotel.

I follow Tanya Koob on Twitter, good website for family adventures in the Rockies.

Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies

 

An update: It was too hard to find any type of reasonable lodging in the Banff area (apparently it's the Yellowstone of the Canadian Rockies. You should book your hotel/cabin at least six months in advance).

So we're heading to Vancouver B.C. instead ... found a good place to stay just outside the downtown area, near public transportation. Plenty of things to do that even two teenagers would enjoy.

Quick question for anyone who's been there: We're looking at a day of whale watching. There's a couple of companies we like online, and they leave from Granville Island (not far from our hotel). Anyone have recommendations from past experience?

Thanks in advance for any advice, tips, etc.

And no, we're not planning a trip to Vancouver's nude beach ...

 

Advice? Take a jacket.