I know many travelers take a route to drive from Vancouver to Banff and Jasper and come back to Vancouver. I am considering to add trip to Whisler in this road trip and wonder if this route makes sense.
I just don't want to travel on the same route twice if not necessary.
I have 6 to 7 days (have not booked any rooms yet) to explore Canada Rocky starting May 20 and wonder if you can make some suggestions of better/alternative/ or more scenic route, and where to stop for overnight stay. I am traveling with my son (20 month old) and another childlike husband who both love nature.
We like to make many stops and will drive slow to enjoy mother nature.
Should I prepare winter jacket for my son as well?
Scenic drive from Vancouver -Whisler - Jasper - Banff - Vancouver
Recent Activity
View all Canada activity »
- 1 New to Montreal - want to stay in Plateau area
- 2 Gros Morne accommodations
- 3 Dressing for Dinner on a BC Road Trip
- 4 Almost 2 days in Vancouver....help!!!
- 5 Jasper - a drive too far?
- 6 Hotel for Calgary Arrival?
- 7 Moncton start, Nova Scotia and PEI in 9 days
- 8 Nova Scotia ideas...
- 9 Time Management between Montreal and Quebec City
- 10 Nova Scotia in 10 days - Roundtrip from Bangor, ME
- 11 Two nights in Quebec City - hotel, restaurant, activity suggestions?
- 12 Woody Island Resort in Newfoundland
- 13 Vancouver shopping with teens
- 14 Calgary treats
- 15 Honeymoon in Quebec City
- 16 Best way to get from Quebec City to Boston
- 17 Canadian Rockies - Burgess Shale and rafting
- 18 Best nature options near Vancouver
- 19 Northern Vermont to Sault Ste Marie via Trans-Canada Highway
- 20
Montreal Race Weekend - Grand Prix F1
- 21 Recommendations needed for change of Hotel in Victoria, please.
- 22 Wine Tour - Where to stay, how long to plan for
- 23 Vancouver Whale Watching
- 24 DOG SLEDDING
- 25 Route from Ns to Calgary, side trip to Niagra Falls
where can I get a good driving map from Vancouver to Banff? (I don't like to follow what my gps tells me since I may detour a lot)
Is USA GPS working in Canada? I thought so (when I visited Niagara it worked) but like to make sure...
Our USA GPS works fine in Canada; we use Garmin.
When we have travelled from Vancouver to Banff, it is usually a 2-day trip each way. You CAN do in in one long day each way, but really the whole point of the drive is the breathtaking vistas, lovely park stopoffs and trails, etc.; even 2 days is just a lick-and-a-promise. If you live there, have seen it all, and just want to get from point A to point B, well maybe that is a different story and worth the marathon drive.
Is that 6-7 days just for the Canadian Rockies, not including travel to/from? (With a 20 month old infant, I do hope that is not the total time!) If you are including Whistler just for a diverse route, I can suggest alternatives. What are your plans for the Rockies?
Comment has been removed by Fodor's moderators
Dear Sludick, thank you for your answer to GPS and comments on route.
We have 7 days to explore Rockies this time (but sure I think we will be back in winter time again) including driving time. Maybe we should explore too much on road. My boy is quite good with long drive but still I don't think we will drive more than 8 hours a day.
Whistler is just an option that I thought after hearing people saying we should go there while we are staying in Vancouver. What alternatives can you suggest if we are not driving the same route?
I am still reading/learning about the Rockies. I need to figure out very soon to book a hotel. will that be hard to find rooms without booking in Rockies? I don't like to force myself to drive long to arrive a hotel if this can be a case.
To Cinny_Li, I hate driving though. My friends suggested a month long trip to drive from IL to Canada. I said "no thanks" right away...I believe my husby will drive most of miles.
Will see.
I hate working with google map to draw driving route on my computer. Will that be easy to purchase a good map to Rockies from Vancouver in Vancouver or even in USA? I only have a couple of more days before I travel.
Given that you only have 6-7 days total, and the time of year, my suggestion is not to consider a roundtrip drive from Vancouver to Banff. And especially that you do not wish to spend more than 8 hours a day in the car, you would need to plan on 2 days each way just to get there and back. Not a fun trip by any means with a 20-month-old infant.
Do you live in Vancouver, or just visiting? If you like mountains and nature, there are a number of other options that you might enjoy. Give us a few details.
Sludick, we live in IL, USA and visit Vancouver and around for 10 days of vacation. I have not made any booking for hotels in case we like to explore around and stay wherever we like. I believe May won't be busiest month for hotels.
Way too much driving for 6-7 days: About 2000 km!
Repeating what I wrote to CJAinDC, National will rent a car at the Sandman Hotel of downtown Vancouver one-way to Edmonton or Calgary for C$250 a week, unlimited km & no drop charge or other penalty! So I'd recommend driving to Whistler the first day, then via either Kelowna or Kamloops to Jasper, then Banff, then Calgary to fly home.