Canadian Rockies, locations to stay

[Canada2025]

Going to be driving from Vancouver to Calgary early September. Looking for recommendations of 2 towns to stop at to use as a base. We’d aim to stay 3 or 4 days in each to let us do day trips to main sights in the rockies.
Thought about Kamloops area and Canmore area?
Would they work or anywhere else we should look at?
Lake louise looks great but out of our price range!

We did that journey last year. Kelowna is a good stopping point. We stayed there for a few days. It’s right on a huge lake. Don’t miss the Maya Canyon Trestles - a path high up over the city which follows the route of an old railroad. You can hire bikes to travel over the trestle bridges and back. We also did an e bike winery tour, which included lunch and tastings at different vineyards. Mostly on cycle paths or quiet roads.
We also stayed in the lodge at Lake Moraine. You have the lake to yourself in the evenings after the last shuttle bus leaves - though that may not work with your budget. Lake Moraine is much nicer than Lake Louise in my opinion.
It’s a long old drive from Vancouver to Calgary, though. I don’t think just two stops are going to be enough, given the distances.

Thanks I’ll take a look at those.
Lake Moraine looks beautiful

Banff is stunning, genuinely one of the nicest towns I’ve ever visited. Views of the mountain from the high street. Make sure you take a walk along the river and stroll over the budge to the Fairmont hotel which you will probably recognise from a million internet pictures.

I agree that Banff is beautiful.Take the cable car up to the top of Sulphur mountain for stunning views.

We did this drive a few years ago but had a lot more stops and did it over 2 weeks so we had a few days at each location. We drove all the way up through the rockies stopping at Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff then ending at Calgary. We stayed just in a basic hotel in Kamloops, but it was Canada Day weekend and there was loads of celebrations and street parties going on in the town, it was lovely. I'm not sure what it would be like normally. That was our shorted stop, we were only in Kamloops for one day.

We did this very trip last year (but added Vancouver Island in too).
We had 3 nights in Vancouver, 3 nights on Vancouver Island (Tofino), 2 nights in Kelowna then 6 nights in Banff.
It was the best holiday we have ever had and I would go back in a heartbeat.
Yes, there was a lot of driving. But, the roads are good, massive and the scenery is breathtaking and awe inspiring.
The biggest journey we did in one day was Kelowna to Banff, stopping in Revelstoke for lunch.
You’ll have the best time 😊

Thank you everyone. This is all very helpful.
Looks like Kelowna would be better than Kamloops @ThenextMrsHemsworth is there anywhere you think would be worth staying at along that route to Banff?

We did Kelowna to Banff in one go, with a lunch stop in Revelstoke (worth a longer stay), a stop at the Giant Cedars Boardwalk and then a pit stop in Golden.
The whole drive was about 6 ish hours. But, it went so fast as the scenery is breathtakingly spectacular. The roads are quiet and it is a chill journey.

I go on my 2nd trip to the Rockies next week.. it’s stunning. I suggest stopping at Kelowna or Kamloops, Revelstoke and Canmore or Banff. Banff is really expensive to stay in, Canmore less so but not cheap!! We are staying in Canmore this time and then driving to Revelstoke for a week as my son is living there. The driving is fine as the roads are good and the scenery amazing. Have a wonderful trip 😊

We stayed at Patricia Lake Bungalows near Jasper, and also the lovely lodge at Moraine Lake. We also stayed at a hotel overlooking the glacier on the Icefields Parkway, not the most luxurious hotel but unique view.