2 weeks in Canada, where would you go?

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Hi all,

Looking at Canada summer 2026, would love 3 weeks but realistically we can probably only afford 2, and that's fine, we are very lucky.
We were thinking a week each in Banff and Vancouver Island. Has anyone done this? 2 children aged 15 and 10.
Any other recommendations would be appreciated, accommodation etc.
Thanks all!

Lake Louise & Jasper

Canmore- and you can use it as a base to get to Banff.
Shuswap (BC) is pretty awesome. You can hire houseboats for a few days.

I would do one or the other. Plenty to do on Vancouver Island for at least 2 weeks, 3 would be better. Likewise for the Rockies, fly into Calgary then you can go to Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Jasper and you could also go to Golden, Revelstoke etc.

I spent 2 weeks on Vancouver Island in 2022 plus 5 nights in Vancouver, April 2025 I spent 17 nights in Alberta and went to Calgary, Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Drumheller (the place to go to for dinosaurs!) and Edmonton. Next year going back to the island for 5 nights then 2 weeks in BC.

We did a road trip from Vancouver island to Banff a while ago. Great fun but lots of driving. If I remember rightly We stayed 4 or 5 nights on Vancouver island, 1 night en route to the Kamloops. 3 nights on a Ranch, a night in Golden and then 2 nights in Banff (but we had been there several times in winter) it was a fun road trip and followed the Rocky Mountineer rail for a lot of the way. We keep talking about doing Quebec & Montreal for a change - supposed to be fab!

I’ve done 2 weeks in Canada. Did most of the west coast. Started in Vancouver, then onto Vancouver island, did Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Calgary and more. It was AMAZING! Can highly recommend!

If I could afford it, I'd love to do the Rocky Mountaineer and cruise package. http://www.google.com/search?q=Rocky+Mountaineer+and+cruise+package&mrq=1&mrqri=0&mrqei=0sfraLqaMO2fhbIPiqCfsAc&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi6y8DO-56QAxXtT0EAHQrQB3YQyO0OKAB6BAhiEAU

Love Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec. Montreal was a bit so -so apart from the old town area.

Lake Louise is horribly expensive. The accommodation in other places can be part of somebody's house. Some of them are interesting!

Check prices carefully. There are usually state and local taxes on everything and that will add maybe 20%. When you eat out prices are quoted minus tax and you are also expected to tip at least 15% so meals are massively more expensive than they look. We were also not greatly impressed by the food, they overcook their salmon and some of our best meals came from food trucks! Vancouver Island is quite big, we spent 2 weeks there and could well go back. When we drove the rockies (separate trip from Calgary) we stayed at Canmore and Jasper rather than Lake Louise. Jasper is small but had interesting wildlife and it suited us better than the other places. It was an interesting trip but I was bitten to pieces and we saw more bears on Vancouver Island.

Your children might be interested in the Calgary Stampede - decide if you want to attend or avoid.

Unfortunately the best place we stayed no longer seems to be available on the main booking sites.

We’ve been to British Columbia this summer. Spent a week in Vancouver and then a week in Whistler. Best holiday we’ve been on.

We stayed a few nights in Patricia Lake Bungalows near Jasper, they were great. I recommend a fly drive, the distances are such that you'll appreciate not having to keep,driving back to one base.

One thing I forgot - in the summer the Rockies are crowded and any half decent accommodation will already be booking out now. We were booking 6 months in advance and ended up mainly in accommodation I would not have chosen. Book soon.

I live on Vancouver Island, am going to sleep now. Can work out an itinerary for you tomorrow.

what do you like doing?

Ok so I’d do two weeks on the island personally, that way you aren’t wasting days of your holiday travelling between provinces, if you really want to switch it up add a week on an Alaska Cruise from Vancouver.

Airlines:-
BA
Air Canada
westjet
air transat
Alaska air
iceland air

this Is an excellent grizzly bear watching company in the North island
https://seawolfadventures.ca/all-inclusive-packages/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22357354261&gbraid=0AAAAApd-526v3rPfTrK2TpObYZEYzaj4W&gclid=CjwKCAjwxrLHBhA2EiwAu9EdM1d8KOx6P3-Xp_ohc5OW0r7kwa1SO-o30XXzhs-_NVg-o1P_dubM0BoCAMYQAvD_BwE

places to visit

botanical beach
french beach
sooke potholes
downtown Victoria is fun too

places to stay

https://www.magnoliahotel.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23075723919&gbraid=0AAAAADpqRtuc-jtmS-bA5NS1j1TyDFJ0m&gclid=CjwKCAjwxrLHBhA2EiwAu9EdM5HXqxCav-Gs5_xDIImEK4HsldYORG9MupIbfumHUPTMarXzLy41MxoCJdcQAvD_BwE

https://www.facebook.com/tugwellcottage/

Places to eat
https://www.redfish-bluefish.com

https://jamcafes.com

https://www.pagliaccis.ca

https://bin4burgerlounge.com

you can also eat in the legislature building for breakfast and lunch

We did two weeks on Vancouver Island, amazing. End of the summer there is the Salmon run to see, bear watching, hiking, sea plane rides and the best thing I’ve ever done is a three night kayaking trip out of Telegraph Cove, camping on the little islands we saw whales everyday, plus so much other wildlife. Memories for life

Forgot Tofino… we normally stay here as it has a kitchen.

https://www.pacificsands.com

Would you mind sharing where you stayed in Vancouver and Whistler? We’re looking at doing this trip in summer 2027!

Following as also planning Vancouver island for 2 weeks this summer!

Cool, where are you staying

I think Moraine Lake is just as nice and less touristy than Lake Louise so consider that.

If you can possibly fly out to Calgary in time for the Stampede I would do! It’s great fun and a great city.

We found it easy to fill three weeks around BC. We visited Head Smashed In buffalo jump UNESCO site and the Badlands - recommend. We also spent a week in the Rockies - trip of a lifetime - we did some white water rafting and lots of hiking. Loved it.

Dont want to hijack but we are going for 2 weeks at Easter (2nd of April) Vancouver, Vancouver Island, whistler, sun peaks, jasper, banff…. We dont ski or snowboard or anything… have we booked the wrong time of year? Yes we will beat the crowds which is great but will it be very frozen?

Did two weeks in Canada last September. We flew into Calgary , got a coach to Banff spent 4 days there - fabulous place and easy to get trips out to places like Lake Louise etc . Handy if you don’t want to drive yourself. Then took the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver, spent 2 days there and then took a trip to Great Bear Lodge to see bears of course. Really recommend it - it’s a floating lodge in a beautiful part of the country. Previous years I’ve taken a floatplane from Vancouver to Vancouver Island and then got the ferry back . Great fun . Canada is a great choice for a holiday. Hope you have fun

Yes, the Rockies , Whistler, Sun Peaks will be very frozen. Lake Louise typically doesn't thaw until the first week of June and ski session normally runs till May. I went April last year and it was full on winter gear and it snowed.

Vancouver will be warmer, so shouldn't have snow.

Thank you all. We have narrowed it down now. We will give toronto a miss and fly straight to calgary. A few days around the rockies, staying in canmore, and then fly direct to vancouver island. We will then spend 10 to 12 days there, with a car, parksville, campbell river, kayaking, surfing lessons etc. Ferry to vancouver for a couple of days then home. Very excited 😊

I hope you don't mind me hijacking this thread! We've just booked ten days flying in and out of Toronto for summer. Going to have a week in Toronto/niagra falls but would like to get out of the city for a few night, maybe to a local lake. Has anyone got any reccos, probably needs to be less than 2 hrs from the city. Was looking at Barrie? Thanks!