ronmon

Hi, We are two Aussies (adult ) who will be in Canada (west Coast ) in early June 05 after 'doing ' the inside passage and the Rocky mountain train tour. We expect to have 8 -9 days in which to hire a car and travel to Calgery and Edmunton areas and return to Vancouver. Has anyone any
1) recomendations of a reliable car hire firm in Vanvouver (airport if possible ) and
2) Are B&Bs OK and cost effective compared to Hotels.
3) any special spots to see in the Rockies which the tourist buses don't go to.

Thanks Ronmon

taggie

Any of the major car rental firms like Budget, National, Avis or Hertz have counters at the airport and in downtown Vancouver. Their rates may vary somewhat, but they all have websites where you can check rates and make reservations. So I'd recommend that you do some research there - make sure the rate includes unlimited kilometres. In the past I have found National and Budget provided the best rates for my needs.
B&Bs are certainly an alternative to hotels, sometimes good, sometimes not. It really depends on the particular property... if you are thinking of a specific B&B you should post the name here and ask for advice. B&Bs are not quite as common here in Canada as they are in, say, the UK, but they are available and in many cases a nicer place to stay than a hotel/motel.

I'm sure Judy in Calgary will post with one of here excellent itineraries but in the meantime, try a search on this forum - lots of folks travel the areas you'll be in so there has been much past discussion. You should turn up some good info.

I'm curious about the route which you'll be taking for your train tour - you could end up covering some of the same ground on your driving tour.

kodi

B&B's are definately more cost effective. We were touring the Rockies last summer and really enjoyed staing at B&B's. In the Banff area, the B&B's are a more resaonable price in nearby Canmore. The website is www.bbcanmore.com
YOu can have a look and see the prices. We stayed at the Riverview and were very happy there. Be sure and book early . The area gets very busy.
There are many side roads where the tour buses do not go. I think you will see LOTS more once you get your car rental.
Judy from Calgary posted a near perfect itinerary of thing not to be missed. I'll do a search and try to find it. YOu'll also get lots of advice from Bob Brown and Borealis.
Good luck.

Judy_in_Calgary

Hello Ronmon,

It would help if you let us know which rail tour you're taking. The Rocky Mountaineer has a couple of options from Vancouver. One goes to Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary (but some passengers disembark at LL or Banff). Another goes to Jasper. In addition to that, some of the Rocky Mountaineer's itineraries involve added-on bus rides to popular attractions that cannot be reached by train. So, if you could tell us your itinerary, or even if you could give us a link to the web page describing it, we would be in a better position to suggest the sights to see when you're on your own.

Also, it would be helpful to know the date on which you will finish your Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tour. If you are going to be disembarking from the train very early in June, I'll probably suggest seeing Calgary and Edmonton first, to buy a few more days while the mountain lakes complete their thaw and give you a better chance of seeing them at their turquoise best.

kodi

Hi ronmom. I jsut topped a post called MUST SEES, Jasper,Lake Louise, Banff.
In it Judy lists the must sees, so it might help you plan. See what ayour tour is doing and see what else is on the lisst that you won't have seen.
Good Luck. It sounds like a great trip.