Susan

I have been waiting to post until I did all my homework but I need some guidance now. We (self,husband & our 3 kids) are traveling to Alberta for 12 days in early August,2002. The problem is we will only have 4 days to spend touring the Alberta area. We're spending 7 days at a guest ranch near Cranbrook in BC. My main consideration is what sights & activities should we see/do in those days that the kids (ages 9,14,16)will also enjoy. Of course hiking will be a necessity but I would also like to include some other type of activity, maybe canoeing, to mix in with the sightseeing. Kids somehow don't always appreciate the breathtaking sights as much as adults do. We don't golf,and we'll be getting our fill of horseback riding at the ranch the next week. We will arrive in Calgary at noon on a Weds. We have not made any hotel reservations yet but I know I need to get those done soon. As a college student I always dreamed of one day staying at the Banff Springs Hotel or the Chateau Lake Louise. I looked in to both of those. I was willing to spend up to $650 CA a night to stay there but with 3 kids we would have to get a suite which is $1100 CA. So, I guess that dream will have to wait. The best plan I've been able to come up with is to drive immediately to Banff,(skip Calgary),spend the night in Banff or Canmore,and then Thursday spend the day driving the Icefields Prkwy to Jasper. I'm not sure what we should stop and visit on the way. We can spend 2 nights in Jasper so we can have time on Friday to visit the areas within an hour or so of Jasper. Then Saturday morning we'd drive back to Lake Louise and take in the sights around that area spending Sat night there. Sunday we'll have to start our drive to Cranbrook by around 1:00pm. We'll be returning to Calgary the following week on a Sunday around 3:00pm and will be leaving on a 1:00pm flight Monday. That would give us a little time to see some sights in Calgary (maybe the zoo if its open that late on sunday). From postings here I am looking at staying at the Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, the Buffalo Mountain Lodge in Banff & maybe the Baker Creek Chalets in Lake Louise. But we may continue to run into the same problem of finding a hotel that will either sleep 5 or where we can afford a suite or 2 rooms. If any families out there have experienced this I'd especially love to hear from you. I would really appreciate anyones comments on "not to miss" places since we have such little time.<BR>Thanks!!

janet

It seems strange that you have done homework and yet you don't mention Drumheller!!!<BR>It is the best part of Alberta especially with school-age kids)&gt;<BR>Check it out.

mary

Gee! Drumheller??????? I would not have thought that Drumheller would be better than the Icefield Hwy. Give Calgary a miss and do the Icefield Hwy as it is a not to miss place. The rest of Alberta could be missed without any problem. Stay in the Rockies and see that lovely area. Along the Hwy there are the Glaziers that the kids can go on and then there is plenty of wildlife to see too. I had my own camping gear with me when I was there last ( yes I have been 4 times) so I don't have much idea of accommodation but I did see that there was other places other than the Big hotels. I am pretty sure too that there is a lovely guest place or B&B between Banff and Jasper but someone who knows it better from experience may be able to tell you.

Bob Brown

Before giving Drumheller a dismissive sniff, perhaps one should know what is in Drumheller to be seen and visited.<BR>There is one world class attraction there that I know of!!<BR><BR>There are several places to stay overnight along the Icefields Parkway.<BR>The Crossing Motel is located where the David Thompson Highway intersects the Icefields Parkway. And there is a high priced lodge next to the Icefields Center run by Brewster Tours known as the Icefield Chalet. And there is the Num Ti Jah Lodge near the Bow Glacier.<BR><BR>In the past people have commented on the Head Smashed In Buffalo jump and the Carriage Museum in Cardston.<BR>The Carriage Museum is large, well done, and interesting. I don't know how interesting it is to children.<BR><BR>

jim

I am a life long Albertan. <BR>I agree with the other post-Drumheller is very much worth seeing.Dont miss the Tyrell Museum of Paleontology (one of the best in the world.)Rent the headsets that give you a guided tour for a greatly enhanced experience.Also, drive the dinosaur trail, taking time to see the lookout points, and the hoodoos. If you book in advance, there are day camps for kids in the summer where they actually participate in a dig for dinosaur bones and other fascinating activities. I'm sure the Tyrell Museum has a website. DONT miss it!<BR>The Icefields Parkway is also a must see. It has been rated one of the most beautiful drives on earth by several sources, and I must agree. Definately stop and see the Columbia Icefields, but if you want to go on them GO WITH A GUIDED TOUR. Tourists die here every year falling into crevaces. Dont take a chance. <BR>Calgary is a nice city, but not much different from any other medium size city. The zoo is fist rate, as are Heritage Park and the Glenbow museum.But if you are limited in time and want to see Unique Alberta sites, I would drive straight to Drumheller (about 70 minutes from Calgary) and carry out the rest of your Itinerary from there. <BR>In Jasper try the Pyramid Lake resort for accomadations. A great hike is the Maligne Canyon. Dont miss Athabasca falls. Banff accomadations tend to be quite pricey; the ones you mention are all nice. You are better off staying in Canmore- generally cheaper and just as pretty.<BR>By the way, if you are driving from Cranbrook via the Crowsnest- stop and see the Frank Slide interpretive area. It is fascinating.<BR>Have a great trip- be glad to help with any other advice.

Bob Brown

For Jim: I am flying into Calgary on July 4. You can bet next month's rent that if I make to Calgary, I have every intention of visiting that "bones" museum in Drumheller. It is an absolutely fascinating and educational place, even for a guy who has been there before!! Some of the world's foremost paleontologists work from there as a base. <BR>I have given the CD-ROM virtual tour of the museum to several bright children.<BR>They too are fascinated.<BR>The educational program of the museum is excellent. I stood there and listened to a little skit that was aimed at grammar school children, and found it good enough to attract me, too.<BR>For the youngsters, it was outstanding or better. <BR>

janet

Bob and Jim rock on!<BR>Drumheller os great for adults and kids alike. The 7 year old in this family loves oit as much as Disney (no kidding). I guess the long lines put a damper on Disney. Ha ha!

Susan

Thanks everyone for your responses thus far. I am taking notes on it all. Now the Drumheller comments have me second guessing but I still don't see how we'll have time to do both. That may have to wait for the next trip. <BR>Jim, what is the Frank Slide Interpretive Area? I don't recall having read about it. Looking at the map, I assumed we'd take HWY 93/95 to & from Cranbrook. Is that the same as the Crowsnest? Does anyone have any hotel suggestions in Canmore? Also, when at sites like Athabasca Falls & Maligne Canyon hike, how much time should I expect to spend at these areas? There are so many sights we have on our list to see but I can't tell if they are-- stop, admire, take a picture & drive on, or--spend an hour, or 3 or 4 or a day. I'm not sure what to do at these places. Which ones are best for hiking & which ones should we plan another activity (canoeing, fishing, biking)? Sorry for all the questions. I just like to plan ahead. Probably too much.

Bob Brown

Hi . I have been to the various places you were asking about.<BR><BR>Athabasca Falls are close to the road, and often crowded because of tour buses full of passengers. You can see the falls in an hour or so, perhaps even less if you are content with a look at the main flow.<BR>Maligne Canyon is also done fairly quickly. There is a trail, with informative placques along the way.<BR>I found that looking down in a small crack of a canyon was something that was not all that time consuming. Interesting yes; worth half a day, no.<BR>Marble Canyon in Kooteney NP is similar and more interesting. It is not far from Banff.<BR>Canmore is full of bed and breakfast places and conventional motels.<BR>You can get a list of overnight accommodations in the Alberta Accommodations Guide. It is free from Travel Alberta. Or, email me and I can jot down a few places out of my new copy of the guide. I would not wait much longer before nailing down a place. It is popular to say the least. <BR>I do not know any of the places iin Canmore first hand because I never spent the night there.<BR><BR>Do plan to visit Takkakaw Falls, because it is the most spectacular waterfall in the whole area.<BR>Panther Falls on the Icefields Parkway, which no one knows about, is also spectacular. It can be seen in a few minutes, but you are likely to get wet doing it because of the spray. The time I walked the short trail, I was clad in full rain suit. Taking a picture was hard because of the location of the falls, deeply recessed in the rock, and the spray, which threated to drown my camera. <BR>The Frank Slide is a rock slide that took place in the area of Crow's Nest Pass which is on the BC - Alberta border well south and west of Calgary.<BR>Pincher Creek is also in that area.<BR>I would rate it as less of an attraction than Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.<BR>The museum is a World Heritage Site.<BR>

stephie

Drumheller is a really neat place to visit but it is also a boring drive to get there from Banff. Calgary IMHO is a big city with traffic problems and not a place to visit unless it is Stampede Time. The icefields parkway is awesome.... and will offer easy driving and magnificent views all day long! Lots of hiking trails. Great views. In Jasper, check out Maligne Canyon and Mount Edith Cavell and of course the Columbia Icefields. The Jasper Park Lodge is really nice and has a great lake where your kids can rent canoes or paddle boats. Also hike to the teahouse (or farther) on the plain of 6 glaciers trail that runs behind Lake Louise. In the Lake Louise Area the Post Hotel is nice but the rooms are smaller and more 'romantic'...maybe not for kids.

traveler

Aircanada.ca web saver fares for Chateau Lake Louise were less than $180 canadian. Perhaps that would help. Also entertainment discounts for late May are $149 for 2, add $20 for additional residents in a room with two beds. Good luck.

Al Godon

Calgary to Drumheller boring? If you are bored in about an hour with rolling country side, stay home. <BR>Holy Cripes!! Your boredome threshold must be that of a 3 year old.

GEE

You really need to rethink your approach to answers Al, Calgary to Drumheller compared with the Icefields Highway is like drinking cordial when you can have fine wine. You just have to be joking. <BR>Perhaps the poster who said that was not a blinkered Albertan but someone who has been around a bit. Using derogatory terms when you don't agree with someone is a bit off really. <BR>I lived in Alberta and let me tell you my friend that out of 10 the trip from Calgary to Drumheller rates a minus 5 and unless you are really into bones then the whole exercise is a waste of time.

Jim

Susan-please ingnore some of the ignorant posts above. Some people seem more interested in picking fights and insulting strangers than having a useful travel dialog. Hopefully, they are not Albertans (certainly not in spirit anyway).<BR> The Frank Slide interpretive area is a memorial to the town of Frank, ALberta, which was a mining town at the turn of the century. Around 1910 (cant remember the exact date) the mountain above collapsed, totallly burying the town and killing all the inhabitants. One can still see where the mountain collapsed and even the tops of some of the buildings that were buried. It is located on the Crowsnest highway, which is Highway 3. It is worth a stop if you happen to be going that way, but I wouldnt change my plans to see it. You mentioned you are taking 93/95, so you will miss it. Actually, the 93/95 is a much more spectacular drive anyway, through Kootenay National Park. If you have time, you should stop and see Stanley Glacier, and the Paint Pots, both located in Kootenay close to the ALberta/BC border.<BR>As far as Drumheller goes, I guess one does not have time for everything. Your plans for the Icefield Parkway sounds great. If time is limited, I wouldnt pass this up to see Drumheller. It would be nice if you could do both.<BR>Have a great trip.

Susan

Jim, Thanks so much for your reply. I'm I'm feel pretty good about what sights we want to see, but I'm still working on the hotels.

Susan

I posted to your question on the Alberta site and then found this thread. The room we had at the Post Hotel was a two level suite with 2 twin beds in an upstairs bedroom. There was a master on the main floor plus a sitting area. I don't know if the couch was a pullout. I forgot about the Mt. Edith Cavell hike. We loved it. It takes you right up to a lake with a glacier coming down into it. Get to any of the more popular hikes before 10 am. The parking fills up.

janett

I agree with Al. Stephanie ang Gee have ot wrong. Drumheller is so unique and the drive is hardly boring or awful (an LA commute is!)<BR>Anyway have fun whatever you do and come again to do the rest another time.<BR>I live in Vancouver and I have driven to Alberta twice just to go camping near Drumheller!

Susan

We are traveling to Alberta and camping in the Banff NP. I was curious as to what is Drumheller? Had not heard of this place and what city is it nearby? Thanks, Susan.

Susan

Susan,(there's too many Susan's on these postings A couple questionsid you need advance reservations for the snowcoach tour on the glacier? Was your fly-fishing trip a guided excursion & where did you go? ( My boys love fishing but have never fly-fished and will need some instruction.) Also, how was Pyramid Lake Lodge? Thanks!Susan

Susan

There are too many Susans everywhere! We enjoyed Pyramid Lake. It wasn't the Post but it was very comfortable. It is 10 min outside of Jasper so you are close enough to town but still in the woods. The rooms are standard hotel-size with a queen or king (can't remember) and a pullout sofa. It would probably be worth getting two rooms for your family. There were some cabins that may be larger but I never saw the inside of them. You can rent canoes, other boats, bikes, and I think, fishing equipment. The hotel overlooks the lake so the kids could walk down to the dock and you may be able to see them from the porch of your room. I didn't see fish in that lake but the one next to it had loons so probably more fish. We brought our flyrods and fished at the river you drive along to reach Maligne Lake. No luck but it was a beautiful day. Jasper is a very outdoorsy town so I'm sure there are guides and outfitters there. Look in the Lonely Planets guide. I don't think they take advance reservations at the icefields. I believe their web site is brewsters.com. From what I can remember we only had a 45 min wait. They are very efficient there. As soon as you get there go to the tickets desk. They will tell you when the next boarding time is. I think it was well worth the money. The guides are very knowledgable. Ours was disappointed that we didn't have more questions. I found that a loose itinerary was the best idea with my family. I had everything possible in that area written down and then we did what we had the time and inclination for. You won't be able to see everything but it will turn out as one of the best vacations your family has had.