traveladventurer

Our family of 4 (kids 14 & 11) will do a 9-10 day vacation in early or mid-July, definitely with Banff as last segment of itinerary. Trying to decide whether to:
** Fly into Vancouver, sightsee there & drive to Banff, OR
** Fly to Kallispell (Glacier NP), hike & sightsee there then drive to Banff.
Either way, we'll fly home from Banff/Calgary, so there's no backtracking.

Can anyone comment on either itinerary? We're using frequent flyer miles so airfare is not a huge consideration. Is one drive longer/more tedious than the other? I imagine the drive on either itinerary is very scenic.

We like to do day hikes, and plan to stay in a cabin or lodge in either place, but availability of accomodations in GNP at this late date may be an issue, I suppose. Which of the two would you recommend?

ShelliDawn

I'm guessing you are planning on renting a car? Are you aware that there's usually a huge drop-off fee (hundreds of dollars) if you don't return the car to the place you picked it up at? And I doubt you would be able drop it off in a different country at all.

traveladventurer

We are renting a car, and that didn't occur to me. Guess that determines our choice then. I'm sure there's a one-way drop charge between Vancouver & Calgary, but shouldn't be as bad as the alternative. Good catch, Shelli!

Aramis

Or, fly into Vancouver, sightsee, fly to Calgary, pick up car, drive to Banff and then south to Glacier/Waterton, circling back to Calgary.

No drop charge and the views lost driving from Vancouver to Banff are mead up for by driving south through the Rockies to Glacier

Aramis

I checked some stuff out.

12 hours drive time for the Banff, Invermere, Fernie, Glacier Calgary circle drive - only 1 hour more than the Vancouver to Calgary trip.

$148CAN inclusive for the one way fare from Vancouver to Calgary on Westjet.

Aramis

Oops - your FF miles may let you have a "stopover" in Vancouver on a flight booked to Calgary. That would take the one way airfare right out of the equation.

rivet

I was in Banff this afternoon, and it was lovely there...

If this was my trip I would just do the Vancouver-Calgary leg. Fly in to Vancouver, spend three nights then drive east.

Instead of making the 12 hour drive in one day, stop half way at a little town called Sicamous ( 6 hours from Van), lovely public beach, maybe take the Phoebe Ann cruise (2 hour), get ice cream at the Dutchman Dairy, rent a canoe or a sea doo. Lots for kids to do there. Overnight or maybe 2 nights - its a great spot! Check out the web cams and the house boats!

Next drive to Lake Louise (3.5 hours from Sicamous), hike there, spend the night. My fav is the Post Hotel...do not miss this! Stop for lunch or a picnic at the picnic tables there if you don't spend the night. There are LOTS of nice hikes between central British Columbia and Alberta!

Continue on to Banff (40 min from Lake Louise), lots of great walks in the town or just outside. A drive along Bow Valley Parkway in scenic and may allow you to see more wildlife. Spend a few days exploring

Just outside of the Banff Park Gates is a town called Canmore, famous for the 3 Sisters Mountains. Speaking of the National Parks Gates - just to let you know you will have to purchase a pass if you plan to use the facilities or even stop inside the parks....just bought an annual pass today when we went to Banff for the afternoon. One to seven persons is 136.50. I guess you would need the annual as the daily rate is stiff also, but the facilities are awesome.

Kananaskis Park is right there as well, a Fairmont Hotel handy. Lots of bike paths and hiking in that area. Maps and advise at the visitor centre in Canmore and Kananaskis.

If you get in to Calgary early the museum in Drumheller( 1.5 hours east of Calgary) is a cool spot for kids of your age - lots of interactive stuff and huge skeletons of jurassic types.

Have fun and hope this helps.

traveladventurer

Aramis & Rivet, thank you for your detailed suggestions. I've been away tending to family details so checking back on Fodors & seeing how you've taken time to respond is so much appreciated.

We opted for the Vancouver-Banff route. Here's our itinerary so far:
Day 1-3 Arrive Vancouver mid-day, sightsee in Van & Victoria
Day 4 drive to Canadian Rockies, overnight somewhere (Sicamous?)
Day 5-7 Arrive in Lake Louise, stay at Baker Creek Chalet 3 nights & hike/sightsee in Lake Louise, Yoho or perhaps Jasper
Day 8-9 Open -- decide whether to go to Jasper for one day or stay around Banff & sightsee there
Day 10 Fly out of Calgary 2 pm

We had originally intended to stay in a rustic cabin (simple, no electricity or heat) type of accomodation while in the Rockies so the kids could get a "camping" experience. However, it doesn't appear that this type of "camping" is available in these areas, is that correct? Googling "rustic cabin" yielded places that are really more like the Baker Creek Chalets complete with kitchen, electricity, etc. Which is okay with me, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything in my search.

I still need to find a place for the other 2 nights on the tail end of our trip before we fly out from Calgary. Question: Given 3 nights in Lake Louise, is it worth it to drive up to Jasper to sightsee & overnight 1 night before returning to Banff for our final night? Or is that too ambitious and too much driving?

traveladventurer

Aramis & Rivet, thank you for your detailed suggestions. I've been away tending to family details so checking back on Fodors & seeing how you've taken time to respond is so much appreciated.

We opted for the Vancouver-Banff route. Here's our itinerary so far:
Day 1-3 Arrive Vancouver mid-day, sightsee in Van & Victoria
Day 4 drive to Canadian Rockies, overnight somewhere (Sicamous?)
Day 5-7 Arrive in Lake Louise, stay at Baker Creek Chalet 3 nights & hike/sightsee in Lake Louise, Yoho or perhaps Jasper
Day 8-9 Open -- decide whether to go to Jasper for one day or stay around Banff & sightsee there
Day 10 Fly out of Calgary 2 pm

We had originally intended to stay in a rustic cabin (simple, no electricity or heat) type of accomodation while in the Rockies so the kids could get a "camping" experience. However, it doesn't appear that this type of "camping" is available in these areas, is that correct? Googling "rustic cabin" yielded places that are really more like the Baker Creek Chalets complete with kitchen, electricity, etc. Which is okay with me, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything in my search.

I still need to find a place for the other 2 nights on the tail end of our trip before we fly out from Calgary. Question: Given 3 nights in Lake Louise, is it worth it to drive up to Jasper to sightsee & overnight 1 night before returning to Banff for our final night? Or is that too ambitious and too much driving?

Aramis

travel;

You might have some driving time issues to sort out.

It is 3 hours from Lake Louise to Jasper. That is quite a distance to go for 1 night. It is also 5 hours from Jasper to the Calgary airport, so staying for 2 nights means a big nervous trip back on the day you leave. Traffic on the highway can be slow in the summer - 90 km (55 mph) speed limit, single lane, and always a slow RV or camper trailer to create the big conga line.

It sounds like you have your Baker Creek (nice place) accommodations booked already, but if that is not correct and you want to see Jasper, it would make more sense to go to Jasper first and then visit Banff.

There is so much to see in the lower portion of the Park that I don't think a trip to Jasper is "required". I suggest you just research the Banff/Lake Louise area and find things to do to fill 4-5 days there, maybe staying in or around Banff for the last 1-2 days. Calgary has the Stampede on in early July, which can be fun, too.

Since you are going to stay around Lake Louise I can recommend one of my favourite places on earth - Takakkaw Falls, in Yoho NP. It is the runoff from the Daly glacier that pours through a crack in in a cliff and is Canada's second highest waterfall (really) with a 254 meter free fall and 380 meters overall. You visit it from the valley, not the top and can get as close as you want/dare to walk. It is only about 25 km from Louise and the drive in is pretty spectacular itself. If you want a real treat, don't google it to find pictures, or at least don't show your family - just go and be surprised.

To be honest I don't know of any cabins like those you mention. I am sure there probably are some, but most people just "camp" who want that experience. You could contact Banff or Yoho NP and ask them.

Have fun.

dfr4848

Lots of good suggestions and comments. The only comment I'd make is that the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper is one of the most beautiful drives anywhere. It's truly stunning. The trip on the Athebasca Glacier in the Columbia Icefields about halfway is very much worth a stop. We've seen lots of wildlife (bear, fox, owls, moose, deer, etc) everytime we've driven it. If you could find the time to do that with an overnight in Jasper then return, I think it's very worthwhile - and you won't forget that drive.

laverendrye

I agree with dfr48448. A trip up the Icefields Parkway should not be missed, even if you only have one night in Jasper. You won't have a chance to see many of the sights in Jasper NP, but if you are returning to Banff for a night before heading to Calgary, you will have lots of time to see the sights along the Parkway.

Aramis

Agreed - the Icefields Parkway is superb, but as you mention, Columbia is only halfway to Jasper. Do the 1.5 hours a s a day trip and you can avoid 3 hours of driving and packing and unpacking for one night just to see Jasper for an evening and a morning and the same highway vista for a second time.

They will see lots of animals with out the need to do the whole drive to jasper for one night.

traveladventurer

Thank you Aramis, I was a bit concerned about the length of drive to Jasper, but didn't want to miss the Icefields Parkway for reasons mentioned by dfr4848 & lavenrendrye. I do agree it's a lot of driving, considering we will have already driven from Vancouver.

I definitely have Takakkaw Falls in our itinerary, and thanks for the tip about not googling pictures beforehand... though that's a bit like whispering a secret and challenging one not to tell!

What about this: Is it feasible to take one day and drive from Lake Louise to the Icefields Parkway as a day-drive to sightsee?

We've already booked 3 nights at Baker Creek Chalets, and are considering 2 final nights at Johnston Canyon Resort. One of those days can be a drive up to Icefields Parkway, turn around at some point without going all the way to Jasper town, and return to Lake Louise area for the night. Suggestions for where to turn around along the Icefields Parkway and make the return trip back to Lake Louise would be appreciated. We'd start early to maximize time on the drive, based on your suggestions.

From what I've read on trip reports, you can drive it in as little as 2 hours but should allow up to 6 hours one way then perhaps drive back directly without stops. If we don't intend to overnight in Jasper, where should we turn around to return to Lake Louise while seeing the best (that being relative, of course) sights?

dfr4848

travel - I think Aramis was suggesting driving the Parkway to the Icefields, take the buggy tour on the Athebasca Glacier, then return as a day trip. The tour takes about 1-1.5 hrs if I recall. If that's not what he/she meant, I'll add it as a suggestion.

traveladventurer

Aramis, I re-read your last post at 6:51 pm and I agree it's a lot of trouble to drive up and unpack for just one night in Jasper. It sounds like you suggest driving only up to Columbia Icefields (to the Icefields Centre) then return to Lake Louise? Is that the point at which we will have seen the most worthwhile sights?

dfr4848 -- Your opinion: Is the buggy tour worth the extra money or is it a tourist trap? It seems to me (and I may be wrong, correct me if so) that it's just ice and you can walk on the glacier in certain parts for a similar experience?

Speaking of paid excursions, my family might enjoy a white water rafting experience more than a buggy tour. Any suggestions for a tour operator or which river in Banff/Yoho NP where we can do that? (Perhaps I should post that question as a separate topic.)

dfr4848

travel - I wouldn't quite call it a tourist trap. We thought it was worth it, but we also don't do it everytime we go to the area. It might also depend where you're from and what you're used to - not too many glaciers down here in south Texas these days what with global warming and all! You travel a fair distance on to the glacier where it's several thousand feet thick, get to see the crevasses, taste the deep "blue" water, etc. Think you get a better experience than what you're able to do without it.

Sorry, can't help with the rafting question.

laverendrye

traveladventurer

I disagree with Aramis, in that I think it's worthwhile to drive the length of the Parkway and stay overnight in Jasper before returning the next day. The scenery continues to be spectacular north of the Columbia Icefields and such stops as Sunwapta Falls and Athabaska Falls are certainly worth seeing. You won't have time to see all the highlights of Jasper Park of course, but you will be able to do a few things while there.

The Sno-Coach (hardly a buggy) trip up onto the Athabaska Glacier is an experience not to be missed and I would not call it a tourist trap. Don't think that you can just walk up on the glacier by yourself--it's too far away, and it's too dangerous. Here's some information.
http://www.explorerockies.com/columbia-icefield/

There is no rafting in Banff or Yoho Parks, but there are several companies offering rafting on the Kicking Horse River, one of the top white-water rafting rivers in North America, just outside the western boundary of Yoho. They are all based in Golden BC, but they also pick up guests in Banff and Lake Louise if you don't want to drive to Golden. Glacier, Hydra and Wet 'n Wild are among the top operators. Here's more information:

http://tinyurl.com/mpjyhw

If you do go to Golden, you might consider taking a trip up the gondola at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. The scenery at the top is incredible and there is a first-class restaurant (The Eagle's Eye) at the summit.

Aramis

dfr has it right - do the Icefields as a day trip from Louise.

If you want to drive another 1.5 hours, unpack, have dinner, sit around a fire and then drive the same 3 hours back the next morning stopping at different sites as mentioned by laverendrye, by all means do so. I am not saying their is nothing worth seeing, I am just saying there is more than enough to see without that hustle.

traveladventurer

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Whether to do the Icefields as a daytrip or overnight in Jasper will depend on whether we find lodging for the one night. I'm finding it a bit difficult given our late start on trip planning.

laverendrye. thanks for the info on rafting. We are driving from Vancouver, so the rafting trip might be something we can do on our way to Lake Louise. How far away is it from Golden to LL?

I appreciate all your suggestions, everyone! That's why I love this forum.