CarlPost2

Hi,

We are planning on a trip to the Canadian Rockies in August for around a week. We will be flying into and out of Calgary. We are a couple in our late 20s and will be traveling with our son who will be 6months old by then.

Can anyone suggest what would be a good itinerary ? With the newborn most of our trip will be driving around and small short walks and hikes. We are also considering going to Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Is this a good idea ?

Any suggestions on what to do, what route to drive, where to stay etc, will be most appreciated and helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Carl

Judy_in_Calgary

Hello Carl,

If you have only a week, you pretty much have to decide whether to go to Banff and Jasper National Parks on the one hand or Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks on the other hand. It's unrealistic for two adults to cover both areas in a week, in my opinion, much less two adults with a baby.

With your baby being six months old and needing to eat "real" food (albeit pureed), I imagine you'd appreciate a place that had kitchen facilities (and laundry facilities probably wouldn't hurt). Fortunately there are some self-catering places in the mountains. Canmore is particularly well supplied with them.

Day 1 - Land in Calgary. Drive to a base in Canmore, Banff townsite or Lake Louise.

Day 2 - Explore the area around Banff townsite. Overnight at the same base as Day 1.

Day 3 - Explore Lake Louise and Moraine Lake from the same base as Day 1.

Day 4 - Drive to Jasper.

Day 5 - Explore Jasper area.

Day 7 - Drive to Calgary.

Day 8 - Fly home.

Out of Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise, Canmore has the most reasonably priced accommodation. Borealis, who is a regular poster here, recently gave Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge a good review.

The disadvantage of Canmore is that it's situated towards the eastern end of the Rockies, so is not as centrally located as Lake Louise is, and therefore is not QUITE as convenient as Lake Louise is.

Lake Louise's position would allow you to use it as a base for visiting Banff townsite to the east and Yoho National Park to the west. Lake Louise also is a destination in its own right, and nearby Moraine Lake is very beautiful too.

Lake Louise's disadvantage is that it's a small village with limited and therefore expensive accommodation. If you're interested in the kitchen idea, Paradise Lodge and Bungalows, Lake Louise Inn and Baker Creek Chalets all offer kitchen facilities. Of these properties, Baker Creek Chalets, while not cheap by my standards, seems to be the most reasonably priced of the three. All of these places have received good reviews here.

There are several self-catering chalets in or just outside of Jasper townsite. Becker's Chalets consistently gets rave reviews here. It is said that the owners are very nice people. A couple of other spots that have received complimentary reviews here are Jasper House Bungalows and Pyramid Lake Resort.

For your last night in Calgary you might consider the Marriott Residence Inn Calgary Airport, which has suites with kitchen facilities. The word "Airport" in the name does not mean it's in the airport complex. However, it's situated close to the airport. I've never stayed there, but on the other hand I've never had a bad experience at a Marriott property. Being in a commercial district, the location is not the most charming that Calgary has to offer, but it's safe and convenient for getting to the airport to catch a morning flight.

Hope that helps.

bob_brown

give me a direct email and lets kick this one around.
I have some ideas, but probably not what everybody else wants to hear.
I know Judy lives out there, and she has a finger on the pulse, but I have gone there many times in the last 15 years and we are headed back this summer, if I recover from being carved on.
But let's discuss. I love to talk about it.
I can get my wife in on it too.

Borealis

Judy has given you some excellent ideas. I am tempted to say - with a small baby, don't drive around too much, find one home base, and plan day trips from there. My suggestion for a home base is Banff; there is quite a variety of accommodation available for all tastes and budgets.
If you bring one of those new heavy-duty three-wheeled strollers with you, you can go for walks along Bow River, to Banff Hot Springs, along the forest path to Banff Springs Hotel, along Tunnel Mountain Road, etc., as well as walking along Banff Ave (the main street).
You can do short drives (Vermillion Lakes - better in evening; all the way along Tunnel Mountain Road, Lake Minnewanka) and day trips to Lake Louise (walk along the side of the lake until the path starts to "switchback&quot, Moraine Lake, Johnston Canyon, and even as far north as Bow Summit and Peyto Lake.

August is the height of the tourist season, there will be crowds of people in all the popular places, everything will take longer to do, and with a little one (who might be teething right around then) it might be better to pace yourself slowly to enjoy the magic of the mountains instead of trying to do too much. One week is not that long if you have to spend part of your time around a baby's routine.

Judy_in_Calgary

>>>>>>I have some ideas, but probably not what everybody else wants to hear.<<<<<<

I find your ideas interesting, Bob. I've learned a lot from you.

>>>>>>I know Judy lives out there, and she has a finger on the pulse<<<<<<

I don't have my finger on the pulse as much as you might think. Most of our family members and friends who visit Calgary from out-of-town don't experience local hotels, because they stay at our house! Also, I've lost count of the number of times we've taken visitors to the SAME places, i.e., after all these years they're the same places from our point of view but still are new from the point of view of each set of first time visitors. Luckily those same places (Moraine Lake et al) are gorgeous no matter how many times one sees them. That said, reading Fodors has increased my ambition to try places that are new to us this coming summer.

>>>>>>we are headed back this summer, if I recover from being carved on<<<<<<

Ouch. May be force be with you!

Judy_in_Calgary

>>>>>>I am tempted to say - with a small baby, don't drive around too much, find one home base, and plan day trips from there.<<<<<<

Borealis, I'm glad to see you've suggested an itinerary that's even slower than mine. I suggested the slowest one I dared suggest but, since Carl will be coming with a baby, I would not have been averse to the idea of a single base.

Carl, to put this into context for you, the itineraries I suggest often are slower than the itineraries other posters around here suggest. After posting here for a while I started to think I was some sort of travel wimp.

If you take Borealis's very valid advice to use a single base, and if you make Banff townsite that base, you also might venture into Kananaskis Country, which is south and east of there (if you have time left over after you've seen Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and all that other good stuff).

Here's a map of the Kananaskis area.

http://www.kananaskisvalley.com/mapbg.html

A scenic trip is a looped drive starting from Canmore. Take the unpaved Smith Dorien Trail past Spray Lakes till you meet the paved road near Lower Kananaskis Lake. Explore Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes, perhaps as far south as Highwood Pass. Return via Hwy 40 and Hwy 1.

The only thing I don't know is what rules, if any, apply to driving a rental car on a gravel road (Smith Dorien Trail). When we've done this we've used our own car.

bob_brown

I should be more specific about "carved on" if I am going to mention it.
In this case, "carved on" = right hip surgery.

CarlPost2

Thanks all for the great tips and advice !

I had a couple of other followup questions - what are the typical driving distances and times between Calgary-Banff, Banff-Lake Louise, Lake Louise-Jasper, Jasper-Calgary ? I know this may sound like a trivial question - but I read someplace that there is a lot of construction going on in these areas and that even covering 250km might take an entire day. Is this true ?

And I understand that doing Glacier NP and the Canadian Rockies might be too hectic, but for someone who may not be back to the area for a long long time (due to time and $$ pressures), I'd like to be able to do as much as I can in the area - is this being unrealistic and\or downright stupid ?

Thanks again for the kind posts. Bob, I will send you a direct email - but I'd recommend against kicking anything just after being carved upon ;-)

Thanks again in advance !
Carl

Borealis

Hello Carl,

Driving times -

We have driven Calgary-Banff many many times and it usually takes us just over an hour, but others have written (on Fodors) that it takes longer. Assume about 1.5 hours.

Banff-Lake Louise is about 45 minutes (slower than Calgary-Banff because the speed limit inside the National Parks is lower). There has been talk of twinning the remaining un-twinned section of the Trans Canada between Banff and Lake Louise, so if construction starts, it will slow the traffic considerably. Usually however, there is a lot less (construction) activity on Sundays.

Lake Louise to Jasper should take approximately 2.5 hours if you don't make any stops along the way. But you WILL make stops, trust me - there are lots of scenic viewpoints and interesting places along the way. So add the time of those stops to the driving time (I would say at least another 1.5 hours) for your total driving time.

Jasper to Calgary = you'll probably drive back the same way that you came, that is, Jasper-Lake Louise-Banff-Calgary, it's the shortest route, so just add up the driving times for your total.

bob_brown

I kick with the other foot.
If I drop something, I cannot pick it up. So I kick it to make it stand up where I can reach it.

Let me just add one general comment here.
6 days goes very fast.
Traveling with a baby is an experience of a new an different kind.
The adage that Youth Must Be Served will be very clear to you. You may think it is now, but it will be clearer.

Doh

We did a similar trip with a 4 month old last year so I'll put in my 2 cents, for what they're worth.

First, it was a great trip, and I highly recommend it. We split our time between Banff (Buffalo Mtn. lodge) and Lake Louise (Paradise Bungalows). We did a drive partway up the Icefields Parkway and saw some great sights (I think we stopped at Bow Lake (?)), but we tried to keep driving to a minimum (because the baby did not appreciate being strapped in for any length of time) and did not go all the way to Jasper.

Staying near Lake Louise for part of the time allowed us to see a bunch of great places with minimal driving-- Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Moraine Lake, and even into Yoho (Takkakaw falls). We also enjoyed Johnston's Creek (on the way back to Banff), and, in Banff, the Cave & Basin and just walking along the river.

We used both a carrier (snugli/bjorn) and a stroller. We actually used a universal carrier stroller, where the infant seat we used on the plane (and in the rental car) fit into the stroller base, and that was much more convenient than bringing both a stroller and a car seat.

There were a number of trails (considered "wheelchair accessible&quot that we actually used the stroller on (although to be honest, the stroller was a littler worse for wear at the end of the trip). Some of these were actually paved (or planked) paths, while some were gravel or simply well-trod paths.

We found a book (which I think is called "easy hikes in the canadian rockies&quot that was very helpful in terms of identifying hikes we could do with the stroller, or easy hikes we could do with the carrier.

We did appreciate having a kitchen at both Paradise Lodge and Buffalo Mtn. One nice unexpected benefit of Buffalo Mtn. Lodge is they have two good restaurants on the premises (one casual, one more formal), so it worked out well for us to have several meals either at the restaurants or as takeout from the restaurants.

Hope that helps, I'd be happy to post more info. if it would be helpful.

CarlPost2

Thanks a ton for the great info Doh ! How were the hotels that you stayed at ? Did they have a crib for the baby ? Also, if you dont mind, what were the rates that they were charging - I've been calling a few places and they charge an arm, a leg and an eye !! I guess August is peak season and this is to be expected, but if you have some tips, I'll appreciate it.

Also, if you can give me some tips on what sights were NOT worth the trouble. I want to make sure we see all the things that there are to see, but I dont want too hectic a trip with the baby, so any pointers will help.

Thanks again for the help !

CarlPost2

One more quick question for Doh. What kind of a stroller do you have ?

We have one of those travel systems from Graco. Here is the link:

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/pro...avel%20Systems

Do you suppose this will come in handy and we should carry it with us ?

Thanks again !

laurafromtexas

We are going this summer too and have found the accomodation prices to be exhorbitant. To save money, we are staying about 45 minutes away from Banff & Lake Louise at the Kootenay Park Lodge. (www.kootenayparklodge.com)
We've reserved a cabin for 4 with bath, small fridge, hotplate and BBQ for under $100 Canadian per night. In Jasper, we're staying at a B&B to save money.

Molly2

You might want to also consider lodging in the small town of Field, not far from Lake Louise. There are a number of folks that rent out reasonably priced units.

Think about mid-day siestas, saving hiking/walking for early morning and evening. Much cooler, fewer crowds, and much better wildlife viewing. Nothing worse than a grumpy, hot, infant {been there, did that!}.

Molly2

Another thought - an evening drive up Mt. Edith Cavell {Jasper} and short hike to Angel Glacier was one of our most rewarding jaunts. We saw a bear and her cub on the drive, and the scenery was among the most spectacular, especially given the minimal physical exertion required.

Where NOT to go has me a bit stumped!

CarlPost2

Hey Laura,

The kootenayparklodge looks cool and pretty affordable. Can you point me to the b&b you are staying in in Jasper ?

Thanks !

Doh

Hi Carl,

What we had was more of a stroller frame that the car seat fits into, see
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B00009VE20
It's a little less bulky than bringing a whole stroller; I'm not sure it's worth getting just for the trip, but it might be worth considering if the alternative is no stroller at all (IIRC, most of the trails weren't paved, so using the stroller was a little awkward, but a six month old can get heavy in a hurry).

The hotels we stayed were nice, but we did spend more than we would have liked (!). We got some sort of internet deal on the rate at Buffalo Mtn., but I still think you are paying a little extra for the fact that they have a nice lobby/common area and nice restaurants. On the other hand, we did like having a fireplace in the room (at least until the forest fires made the whole town smell like smoke ). There are 2 or 3 places to stay right around that area of Banff (it's a little outside the downtown, not really walkable), and I think the others are a little less expensive-- Douglas Fir and Hidden Ridge are two nearby that also have apt.-style units I think.

Another place I'd consider that's partway between Banff and Lake Louise that's less expensive is Johnston Creek Resort and they also have cabins. Canmore is the other side of Banff (towards Calgary) and I understand has some other less expensive options, including apartments.

Paradise Bungalows is in a great setting and a great location (although not so close to Lake Louise that you could walk to the Lake comfortably), but my expectations (based on the rate, which I think was about $200 CDN) were a little higher than reality. Basically it's like a 1930s motor cabin -- very cozy and nice but not fancy. I readjusted my expectations , chalked up the rate to the location, and was very glad for the US-CDN exchange rate (also don't forget you can get the GST tax on lodging refunded to you when you get back to the states). It did occur to me that staying in Field might be a nice compromise to save money.

Both hotels did give us cribs (more like "pack and plays" but perfectly fine).

Sorry, can't think offhand of any place not worth the trouble-- it's all beautiful up there.

p.s. Peyto Lake was as far as we got on the Icefield Highway-- definitely worth it and some nice short trails to stretch your legs.

Judy_in_Calgary

The cost of accommodations during the high tourist season in the Canadian Rockies appalls me.

On the other hand, the price of accommodation is a function of supply and demand. The national parks were created primarily to provide a safe space for the non-human species that live in them. Consequently, development of infrastructure to accommodate humans is restricted.

The upside to prices in the Rockies is that, once one has paid for one's accommodation, food, rental car and entry fee to the national parks, one can enjoy the area without spending any further money.

There are a few opportunities to buy special rides (the SnoCoach ride on the Athabasca Glacier, the boat ride across Maligne Lake, the gondolas or cable cars to the tops of mountains in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, and so on).

It is entirely possible to enjoy the mountains without buying any rides, however. The views of the lakes, the use of walking and hiking trails, the views of waterfalls, etc., are all free.

When we travel by car we cut down our costs by bringing a collapsible cooler and having picnic lunches. At this latitude it stays light well into the night in summer, so we also have picnic suppers approximately every other night. We usually have an evening meal in a restaurant every other night. We find that, for us, this is more or less the right compromise between being too extravagant on the one hand and feeling deprived on the other hand.

Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper all have nice, free spots for picnic lunches and suppers. The one that springs immediately to mind just outside of Jasper is Pyramid Lake or Patricia Lake. Sorry, those two lakes are close to each other, and I always forget which is which. Anyway, the last time we were in Jasper, we took our B&B hostess's advice, bought prepared foods from a deli in town, and had supper at the beach at the lake. There were some nice picnic tables there, and we were the only people on the entire beach, in the height of the summer tourist season. Later, when we'd finished our supper and were sipping the last of our wine, a family with young children and two dogs pulled up and went paddling in the lake. It was actually quite a lot of fun to watch the children throwing sticks for the dogs to fetch. Then a beaver tentatively swam up from one side and surveyed this whole scene from a little distance. It was quite a dramatic little moment watching the beaver, the dogs and the kids, and having the beaver watching all of us with equal or greater interest. We thought it was priceless.

laurafromtexas

CarlPost2, we are staying at Crayston's B&B in Jasper. For $85 per night (for 2), we get a 500-square-foot suite with private bath, bedroom, sitting room with cable TV, and fully-equipped kitchen. You can peruse all the Jasper B&B listings at www.stayinjasper.com. Crayston's does not have its own website, but many of the B&B's do and the links are provided on stayinjasper.com so you can see for yourself what the accommodations look like. (FYI, most B&B listings do NOT offer breakfast, but do have free coffee and some sort of kitchen arrangement so you can make your own breakfast.)