Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Question re Canada...

25 replies

swimster01 · 16/02/2018 20:53

Which do you think is best for a 2 week family holiday in Canada:

Focus on the Rockies (Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper) with a few days in Vancouver? Or Vancouver and Vancouver Island?

OP posts:
TheFifthKey · 16/02/2018 21:01

I’d do the Rockies - Vancouver/Van island is a bit samey for two weeks IMO.

missmapp · 16/02/2018 21:10

We did a fly drive trip. Started in calgary, drove to the rockies, lakelouise, jacket and then ended up in vancover. wonderful trip

missmapp · 16/02/2018 21:11

Jasper! Not jacket

Merrz · 22/02/2018 10:26

Can i join? missmapp we are planning to do this route this summer. Fly to Calgary then hire a car and drive west ending in Vancouver. We were half thinking about the rockie mountaineer train from Banff to Vancouver but it is quite expensive so might just drive the whole way.
Any advice or tips would be much appreciated.

mummymeister · 22/02/2018 14:21

We did a 3 week trip from Vancouver to Sechelt to Jasper and Golden then home from Calgary. i have a long trip report if you message me i am happy to send it over.

Original poster
swimster01 · 22/02/2018 16:59

Merrz, to cut down on the driving, we are now doing a round trip from Calgary for the Rockies aspect, dropping off car, then flying Calgary to Vancouver for a few days before international flight home. We did a fly drive to California a few years back and found that too much driving detracted from the enjoyment.

BTW, accommodation is expensive in the Rockies in Summer and gets booked up fast, so you need to start booking now.

OP posts:
Merrz · 22/02/2018 20:11

Yeah I am slightly worried it will feel like we're just constantly trying to get somewhere and not enjoying where we are.
I've just realised this about the accommodation Shock we've just booked 2 nights in Banff, do you know if that's a good place to stay for exploring the rockies?

Original poster
swimster01 · 22/02/2018 20:39

We are staying 2 nights Calgary (to take in the Stampede), 3 nights Canmore, 4 nights Jasper, 1 night Banff on our circular trip - Banff is a good base apparently but it is pricey and I couldn't get the accommodation I wanted there for our 3 night stay. Canmore is 15 -20 mins from Banff and looks quite nice.

OP posts:
missmapp · 22/02/2018 22:43

Banff is lovely, the drive from calgary to there was amazing. We stayed in a mix of naive hotels, motels and even had a couple of nights in a lot cabin which was amazing.We stayed at least two nights in each place so it didn't feel like we were always on the move.

Merrz · 23/02/2018 08:23

Great to know guys, thanks. So i'm getting the impression the area around Banff/Lake Lousie/Jasper is lovely. From there to Vancouver any recommendations for a stop off on the way? The rockie mountaineer train stops in Kamloops so i'm wondering if this would be a good place? We're still trying to decide between driving it and taking the train. Have any of you heard about the rockie mountaineer train? It's like a whole tour in itself going from Banff-Vancouver (or reverse)
mummymeister i think i sent you a pm, but let me know if you didn't get it. I've nerer PM's on here before Blush

BestIsWest · 24/02/2018 21:25

We’re doing 5 nights in Banff, flying to Victoria and doing 5 nights on Vancouver Island then 4 nights in Vancouver.
We also found accommodation was getting booked up very quickly.

Didn’t want to do a fly drive but would have loved to have done the train. Just too expensive for us.

Merrz · 25/02/2018 16:13

That sounds good BestlsWest which airport are you flying from to Vancouver? Yes the train is quite expensive, I'm trying to decide whether it'll be worth it or not!

user1486076969 · 25/02/2018 16:26

If you can do try to include some time in the Okanagan Valley/Lake, microclimate with hot summers and vineyards.

rookiemere · 25/02/2018 16:31

I would do Vancouver - Tofino on Vancouver Island- then Whistler. Or the Rockies.

BestIsWest · 25/02/2018 17:18

We’re flying into Calgary from Gatwick and home from Vancouver.

We’re getting the ferry from Victoria to Vancouver.

Need to look into car hire but everything else is sorted.

WickedGoodDoge · 26/02/2018 16:04

This summer we’re doing 7 nights in Vancouver and 7 nights in Whistler. I booked the Vancouver accommodation months ago and even then, didn’t get my first choice of room at our hotel!

We’re going to go to Richmond for a day (where Once upon a Time was filmed) and do the seaplane to Victoria then Butchart Gardens for a day.

I haven’t been since I was five and spent the summer on Vancouver Island- I can’t wait!

CompletelyUnknown · 26/02/2018 16:58

Vancouver is good for a couple of day but a few weeks travelling through the rockies is amazing. Best holiday ever!

Merrz · 02/03/2018 08:45

That all sounds good. Can i ask for those of you who have been what sort of clothes did you bring? Is it proper shorts and strap top type weather or more like crop trousers and cardigans? We'll be Calgary, Banff, Kamloops and Vancouver

FartlekFucker · 02/03/2018 08:56

I lived in Lake Louise in my twenties. Weather in the mountains and Calgary (where I grew up) can get very hot so shorts and strappy tops with sandals are a must. However it gets colder at night and there are mosquitoes so you'll need trousers and a long sleeve light jacket along with lace up shoes. The weather can turn instantly so always bring a jacket.
Whoever it was who wondered about Kamloops as a stop, there's not really much there. I second whoever said to go through the okanagan /shuswap valleys. It is properly summer there with lakes and beaches.

BestIsWest · 02/03/2018 10:17

What about June Fartle? i’ve Been told it can be quite chilly and wet.

FartlekFucker · 02/03/2018 10:35

Yeah, June in the mountains will still be very spring-like so cardis, jumpers, jeans etc but I would bring a pair of shorts too. It's so changeable that time of year, you could get a snowstorm or a heatwave. Definitely bring waterproofs and a warm fleece if you have it! Vancouver and whistles might be quite summery but some years the last of the ice isn't off the high mountain lakes until early June.
Basically, come prepared with layers.

FartlekFucker · 02/03/2018 10:35

WHISTLER not whistles

FartlekFucker · 02/03/2018 10:40

Also, I took my now DH on a driving trip from Calgary, banff, lake louise, jasper, wells grey national park, WHISTLER, Vancouver island (visiting family) and then 2 days at the end in Vancouver in 2009 pre-DS. He wishes we could have had longer in Vancouver city as there is so much to do, especially if the weather is good. This was in June.

rookiemere · 02/03/2018 10:56

Don’t be tempted to stay in the Shuswap lake motel. It’s not as good as the website implies and much further from the lake than you’d think.
I didn’t leave a bad review on tripadvisor as it was cheap and friendly.

We had a lovely couple of nights at Revelstoke in Sutton park hotel. Really luxurious and included cable car up to breakfast which was a unique experience

BestIsWest · 02/03/2018 21:05

Layers is fine by me. I don’t do shorts, don’t want to frighten the locals.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread