Canada in Feb 2016

Old Sep 25th, 2015, 11:49 PM
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Canada in Feb 2016

Hi,

I'm planning to do a solo trip to Canada on Feb 13-27, 2016. I'd like to seek your help in fixing my itinerary. So far, here's what I have:

Feb 13-17: Vancouver (have a friend in Vancouver)
Feb 18-19: See Northern Lights in Banff? Jasper? Edmonton? (I want to see the Northern Lights but don't want to join a tour, and I'm not a wilderness kind of person so I don't think I can "rough it" in the forest)
Feb 20-22: Montreal
Feb 23-27: Toronto (have a friend in Toronto)

Now if you are asking why Feb, well, it's when the plane tickets are the cheapest. I fly in at Vancouver and fly out from Toronto.

Now I've been wanting to see the Northern Lights for some time now and read in blogs that Feb is a good time to see it. My friends in Canada have all not seen it yet and all they know is that I have to go up north to see it. They are recommending as well that I see the Rockies but as I mentioned above, I am not that outdoorsy so outdoor sports won't be my thing. I like to just stand and watch. Is it possible to see the Northern Lights where the Rockies are?

The # of days per city isn't cast in stone yet but I am super set on visiting Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Do you think this itinerary is reasonable?
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:42 AM
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Try to add Quebec City for two nights... It's magical in the winter... Steal the days from Toronto... Most of the Toronto fun is during the summer with its festivals and outdoor attractions... Montreal and Toronto go "underground" into tunnels during the month of February, but QC celebrates its winter festival... Have fun
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Old Sep 26th, 2015, 07:47 AM
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The Winter Carnival ends Feb 14th, but it's still nice there...
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Old Sep 28th, 2015, 06:23 AM
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If you only have a night or two, I'm not sure it's really worth making a stop in the Rockies.

The Northern Lights can sometimes be seen in the mountains (we've had a lot this summer), but there are absolutely no guarantees. If you are only here a night or two you chances are quite slim - it could easily be cloudy those two nights, no lights or the lights come when you are asleep.

Also, the chance of having a travel delay or cancellation due to winter weather in February is not insignificant. So, I would minimize your travel time - i.e. pick a few destinations and spend 4+ nights each place. That way if you are delayed, you don't lose most of your stay at one location. You also reduce the number of flights where you could have weather issues.

Unless you can do at least 3-4 nights in Banff/Lake Louise, I would suggest just flying from Vancouver to Montreal.

Note that February 15 is a holiday in most provinces (February 8 in BC), so you want to avoid travel on that weekend, particularly the Friday and Monday. Roads will be busy and ticket prices may well spike since it's a very popular time for families to head off for a long weekend of skiing etc.
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Old Sep 28th, 2015, 03:19 PM
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The weather could be anything during February, and that logic about minimizing your destinations is probably a good one.


Relatively speaking, Vancouver is likely to be work-able, weather-wise, at that time of year, so don't hesitate to go there, to what is typically a fantastic destination.


(deep breath) I can see flying to Edmonton, and if the outside temperatures are inhospitable, then spend lots of time at the massive mall there.

It would be a 4-hour drive to Jasper from Edmonton, and it is really a longshot to encounter the Northern Lights (particularly when you are searching for them.

But I think if you had to, you could skip the Alberta leg of your journey in favor of making the others more comfortable.


And what about luring your Toronto friend to meet and spend time with you in Montreal and Quebec City???

(or do you need the Toronto destination to reduce lodging costs??)


I don't know where you're from, so I don't know how rare a trip to Canada is/will-be for you.

But in snowy, winter weather, I would suggest that priorities might be best listed as Vancouver, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, with Alberta last among them.

NOT that you can't find grand winter scenery in Alberta... it's just that the temperatures there can be frighteningly low, even relative to the rest of the destinations.
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Old Sep 29th, 2015, 02:11 AM
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Your chances of seeing the northern lights in Edmonton or Jasper are close to zero. When your friends said that you would have to go north, I hope they meant WAY north, like Yellowknife. If not they have given you false hope.

If you would like to see the Rockies anyway, then Banff is probably your best choice as it is only about an hour from Calgary. Very civilized, like Aspen or Vail, so standing around and looking at the mountains is very doable.

As for people trying to get you to abandon Toronto and go to Quebec - I would be really impressed if a friend told me they were coming to visit me and to then have them ask me to travel 6 hours to stay with them in another city because they have changed their plans.
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Old Sep 29th, 2015, 07:35 AM
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While Edmonton is a nice place to live, I can't really see coming here as a tourist. Especially in February. I also would definitely not encourage anyone without significant experience driving in the snow to drive to Jasper in the winter, especially alone. It is a fairly wide straight highway to the park border, but it seems to be a hot spot for bad accidents/black ice. Plus with short days, the 4 hr drive eats significantly into your 'doing something' time.

You can most definitely see Northern Lights in Edmonton and Jasper - they're not uncommon here. It's just that they're often obscured by clouds or city lights and happen when people are asleep. This summer there have been spectacular northern lights in places like Canmore and Banff. You certainly don't need to go anywhere near as far north as Yellowknife.

I have to agree that you should either skip Alberta or allocate 2-3 nights in Banff to get your snow/mountains fill.
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Old Sep 29th, 2015, 07:51 PM
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Can see them in Edmonton? Sure, it's possible. The farther the north, the better, with the best viewing north of 70 degrees latitude.

The OP has two days so I thing probability is more important than possibility.
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Old Sep 30th, 2015, 09:05 PM
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If the aurora are active (and that depends on many factors having nothing to do with the surface of the planet), you will see them in Edmonton, even though the city is light polluted, as long as the skies are clear (and dark, which is why they are more difficult to see in the summertime when the days are longer). As a matter of fact, the past year has been unusually active, and the aurora sightings here have been frequent. The best time to see them is usually close to midnight, but can be seen all night during the more intense displays.

As for the roads and weather, the cold in Alberta is overstated. Our winter last year was much milder and shorter than the winter in eastern Canada and the maritime provinces. And because this part of Canada has a dry climate, snowfalls are nothing like what happens around the Great Lakes, in Quebec, and in the Maritimes.

Our anniversary is in February and we usually drive to the mountains for the long Family Day weekend (Feb 15th in 2016), and have never had problems with the highway conditions or even with the weather. Last February there was little snow in the mountain valleys, which was disappointing for a snow lover like me!!!

The Rockies are beautiful - don't miss the opportunity to see them.
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Old Oct 16th, 2015, 11:35 PM
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Thanks everyone for your replies! I'm sorry to have taken a while to reply though.

@NorthwestMale - I am from the Philippines and so traveling to Canada is rare. Most of my friends go there to migrate, not to just travel as a tourist, most of them are in Vancouver or Toronto. I don't have much friends to ask about going there as a tourist and most of them don't like cold weather. I live in a tropical country but I hate the beach - which is very odd for most people, especially since our country boasts of several of the world's best beaches.

Best points I gathered here is that Feb 15 is a holiday so ticket prices and lodgings will indeed be higher during that period. I will also skip Alberta now. I was hoping to visit a friend in Edmonton but I just found out he'll be flying there on Feb 27th, when I planned to go back to Manila.

@Aramis - "standing around and looking at the mountains is very doable" --> You got what I'm looking for SPOT ON! I've seen photos of Banff and will really add that now to the itinerary.

Not to confuse you guys... I just saw this during my research: Vancouver-Toronto train ride via ViaRail. Is it worth the CAD1000? I have never experienced sleeping overnight on a train before. Has anyone tried this out yet and is it nice? It's a 4-day train ride.
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Old Oct 18th, 2015, 03:49 AM
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I absolutely love the Via train ride between Vancouver and Toronto. If you go sleeper class you get all your meals and it is an amazing, relaxing experience. You get to see the wonderful diversity of the landscape across the country and meet other travellers from many different places. I have never travelled it in the winter but hope to someday. You will have less daylight in the winter, but it will be a great opportunity to experience the Rockies and winter landscape without getting cold. I believe there is a short stop at jasper, and again at Winnipeg and one spot in northern Ontario. Travelling by yourself I would recommend an upper or lower birth. That way during the day you would be seated in an open area in the coach rather than shut way in a small compartment by yourself. The beds are comfortable, the meals are excellent, the staff attentive, and the shared washrooms facilities clean and convenient.
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Old Oct 19th, 2015, 07:25 AM
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Thanks eliztravels2! Are the berths comfy? Are the meals included in the fare like in regular airplanes or do I buy them on the train?
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Old Oct 19th, 2015, 11:08 AM
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A bit of confusion?

You are skipping Alberta, but adding Banff to your itinerary? Banff is IN Alberta, so you would be going to Alberta. Banff is generally accessed via flying into Calgary, and taking a bus/shuttle/driving the 2-2.5 hrs from the airport.

Also, if you want to take the train, you have very limited options for getting between Jasper and Banff. The only option within the national parks (i.e. to see mountain scenery) is the once daily SunDogs shuttle. And that road can on occasion be shut for hours to days due to snow or avalanches/avalanche control. If you wanted to do the train and go to Banff, you'd need probably need to have at least 3-4 days stop over - you don't want to be taking the bus back to Jasper on the day the train departs in case you are delayed by weather/road closures.

I would caution about the train in the winter - firstly, the train goes across the Rockies, not through the Rockies. The tracks are E-W and the mountains run N-S. So you go through the mountains in about 2 hrs or so. In the winter, that could easily be in the dark. You will go through other mountain ranges between the Rockies and Vancouver, but again you will be cutting across them relatively quickly.
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Old Oct 20th, 2015, 04:26 AM
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Yes, NissB, the berths on Via rail are comfy, and yes, all your meals are included in your fare if you travel sleeper class. There are complimentary light snacks, (fruit, cookies, tea, coffee) available during the day. The tables in the dining car seat four and you will be seated with other passengers, usually different people each time. The meals are great with usually three choices of entree and dessert and it gives you a good chance to interact with the other passengers. You have to pay for your alcoholic drinks.
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 09:11 AM
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Now, if I can only go to 1, which will you guys recommend - Jasper or Banff? I do think I'll only have time for 1, then from that decision finalize my mode of transport.
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Old Oct 21st, 2015, 11:05 AM
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It depends.

If you plan to take the train, then Jasper makes the most sense because the train only goes to Jasper.

If you are flying, then Banff/Lake Louise would be the obvious choice because of the proximity to Calgary. You would also have a much wider variety of activities there, plus many more options for getting around if you aren't comfortable driving in the snow.

I'd probably choice Banff/Lake Louise given the wider range of accommodations, winter activities and ease of access.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 06:07 AM
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Hi There,

Just to throw something into the mix. Whitehorse is relatively cheap to fly to from Vancouver. If the weather cooperates you could have a great northern lights show. Dog sledding and/or snowmobiling would be something that very few people in Manila have ever experienced. I also love Quebec City any time of year, and in February you could even book in at the "Ice Hotel" if you are brave enough and have a budget for such extravagances.
Also your time is limited so you may want to experience the Rockies up in Whistler area, February could be warming than Alberta as we can have a heat wave in Calgary area or we can have an Alberta Clipper -30C
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 06:49 AM
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Whistler is NOT in the Rockies!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 12:25 PM
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Whitehorse could provide an excellent winter experience, true, but it doesn’t provide the dramatic mountain scenery the OP is interested in.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2015, 01:27 PM
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I stand corrected on both fronts.
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