Calgary/Banff
Jan 31st, 2004, 05:27 PM
#1
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Calgary/Banff
We will be traveling to Calgary/Banff in June. We do not like to hike, etc. We enjoy looking at the scenery, restaurants and shopping. In Banff we will be staying at the Rimrock & in Calgary the Sheraton Suites. We have read the posts on this board. For someone who does not like hiking is this agenda reasonable? I worry that we have too much time. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Day 1 - Arrive in Calgary in the afternoon- drive to Banff
Day 2 - Icefields Pkwy.
Day 3 - Lake Louise
Day 4 - Banff
Day 5 - Calgary
Day 6 - Calgary
Day 7 - Return home
Day 1 - Arrive in Calgary in the afternoon- drive to Banff
Day 2 - Icefields Pkwy.
Day 3 - Lake Louise
Day 4 - Banff
Day 5 - Calgary
Day 6 - Calgary
Day 7 - Return home
Jan 31st, 2004, 05:52 PM
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Hi S3,
The Icefields Parkway is not between Banff and Lake Louise. Rather it is between Lake Louise and Jasper to the north. So I think you would need to adjust your itinerary to look something like this:
Day 1 - Arrive in Calgary in the afternoon, drive to Banff.
Day 2 - Look around Banff, drive to Lake Louise.
Day 4 - Drive from Lake Louise along the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefields, where you can ride in a Snocoach on the Athabasca Glacier. (This will take you about half way to Jasper, not all the way.) Return along the Icefields Parkway and then drive westwards on the TransCanada Highway to Emerald Lake.
Day 5 - Look around the Emerald Lake area and Takaka Falls, drive to Calgary.
Day 6 - In Calgary.
Day 7 - Return home.
Hotels:
Banff - your choice of Rimrock is good
Lake Louise - I recommend Post Hotel rather than Chateau Lake Louise. A Fodorite who visited Chateau Lake Louise over Christmas 2003 and New Year 2004 said it was clean and friendly, but the decor was tired and worn, and the place looked as if it needed TLC.
Emerald Lake - Emerald Lake Lodge
Calgary - Your choice of Sheraton Suites is good.
Restaurants:
Banff - I'm not that familiar with restaurants in Banff. There are many old discussion threads here. You could do a search. Or perhaps someone else will come along and give you advice. If all else fails, I'm sure the Rimrock would be fine. I've had breakfast but not dinner there.
Lake Louise - Post Hotel's dining room is exceptionally good. Deer Lodge's dining room is excellent too.
Emerald Lake - I don't know. I suspect Emerald Lake Lodge is good.
Calgary - River Cafe on the shores of Prince's Island, within EASY walking distance of the Sheraton, is excellent. Don't let the "Cafe" in the name fool you. The place is housed in a wooden log building that affects a rustic atmosphere. Don't believe the rustic appearance for a second. It's a top class restaurant.
Weather should be good, but in the mountains you never can tell. Clouds can move in quickly, and it can get cool. So bring a fall / spring jacket just in case. Bring sensible walking shoes (even if all you do is saunter along the path around Lake Louise). You'll certainly need sensible walking shoes if you ride the Snocoach on the Athabasca Glacier.
Dress in the hotels and restaurants in the mountains is casual, because people come in from the skiing or hiking activities (depending on the season). In even the most upscale restaurant, smart casual dress is adequate.
Smart casual dress is adequate in most dining establishments in Calgary too. In the small handful of restaurants in Calgary that are on the more formal side, a man will want to have a coat and tie.
Calgary activities: They're grouped on 8th Avenue (Stephen Avenue) Pedestrian Mall: Glenbow Museum, The Bay department store, Western outfitting stores, Devonian Gardens in Toronto Dominion Square.
Hope this helps. Enjoy.
The Icefields Parkway is not between Banff and Lake Louise. Rather it is between Lake Louise and Jasper to the north. So I think you would need to adjust your itinerary to look something like this:
Day 1 - Arrive in Calgary in the afternoon, drive to Banff.
Day 2 - Look around Banff, drive to Lake Louise.
Day 4 - Drive from Lake Louise along the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefields, where you can ride in a Snocoach on the Athabasca Glacier. (This will take you about half way to Jasper, not all the way.) Return along the Icefields Parkway and then drive westwards on the TransCanada Highway to Emerald Lake.
Day 5 - Look around the Emerald Lake area and Takaka Falls, drive to Calgary.
Day 6 - In Calgary.
Day 7 - Return home.
Hotels:
Banff - your choice of Rimrock is good
Lake Louise - I recommend Post Hotel rather than Chateau Lake Louise. A Fodorite who visited Chateau Lake Louise over Christmas 2003 and New Year 2004 said it was clean and friendly, but the decor was tired and worn, and the place looked as if it needed TLC.
Emerald Lake - Emerald Lake Lodge
Calgary - Your choice of Sheraton Suites is good.
Restaurants:
Banff - I'm not that familiar with restaurants in Banff. There are many old discussion threads here. You could do a search. Or perhaps someone else will come along and give you advice. If all else fails, I'm sure the Rimrock would be fine. I've had breakfast but not dinner there.
Lake Louise - Post Hotel's dining room is exceptionally good. Deer Lodge's dining room is excellent too.
Emerald Lake - I don't know. I suspect Emerald Lake Lodge is good.
Calgary - River Cafe on the shores of Prince's Island, within EASY walking distance of the Sheraton, is excellent. Don't let the "Cafe" in the name fool you. The place is housed in a wooden log building that affects a rustic atmosphere. Don't believe the rustic appearance for a second. It's a top class restaurant.
Weather should be good, but in the mountains you never can tell. Clouds can move in quickly, and it can get cool. So bring a fall / spring jacket just in case. Bring sensible walking shoes (even if all you do is saunter along the path around Lake Louise). You'll certainly need sensible walking shoes if you ride the Snocoach on the Athabasca Glacier.
Dress in the hotels and restaurants in the mountains is casual, because people come in from the skiing or hiking activities (depending on the season). In even the most upscale restaurant, smart casual dress is adequate.
Smart casual dress is adequate in most dining establishments in Calgary too. In the small handful of restaurants in Calgary that are on the more formal side, a man will want to have a coat and tie.
Calgary activities: They're grouped on 8th Avenue (Stephen Avenue) Pedestrian Mall: Glenbow Museum, The Bay department store, Western outfitting stores, Devonian Gardens in Toronto Dominion Square.
Hope this helps. Enjoy.
Jan 31st, 2004, 07:16 PM
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For the record, the falls are named
Takkakaw, and they are in Yoho National Park. Top to bottom the total drop is officially listed at 1018 feet.
But you need to walk to near the plunge basin to get the full impact the force of the water striking the rocks.
Too bad you are not a hiker because the wonders of Yoho are not on the road.
A lot of other majestic scenes are not either.
Takkakaw, and they are in Yoho National Park. Top to bottom the total drop is officially listed at 1018 feet.
But you need to walk to near the plunge basin to get the full impact the force of the water striking the rocks.
Too bad you are not a hiker because the wonders of Yoho are not on the road.
A lot of other majestic scenes are not either.
Feb 1st, 2004, 07:31 AM
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I would agree with Judy's itinerary except that I would drive the entire Icefield Parkway and spend one night in Jasper (Try the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge for accommodation).
So my suggested itinerary is:
Day 1 - Arrive Calgary; drive to Banff.
Day 2 - Spend day in Banff and Lake Louise (L.L. is only about 45 minutes from Banff, so you could stay at the Rimrock two nights).
Day 3 - Drive the Icefield Parkway all the way to Jasper (stopping at the Columbia Icefields); spend afternoon and evening in Jasper (stay one night).
Day 4 - Drive Jasper to Calgary (backtracking on the Icefield Parkway, lunch in Banff).
Days 5 & 6 - In Calgary, as you had originally planned.
Day 7 - Return home.
This will give you max time for shopping in each of the places.
Enjoy!!
So my suggested itinerary is:
Day 1 - Arrive Calgary; drive to Banff.
Day 2 - Spend day in Banff and Lake Louise (L.L. is only about 45 minutes from Banff, so you could stay at the Rimrock two nights).
Day 3 - Drive the Icefield Parkway all the way to Jasper (stopping at the Columbia Icefields); spend afternoon and evening in Jasper (stay one night).
Day 4 - Drive Jasper to Calgary (backtracking on the Icefield Parkway, lunch in Banff).
Days 5 & 6 - In Calgary, as you had originally planned.
Day 7 - Return home.
This will give you max time for shopping in each of the places.
Enjoy!!
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