travel4fun_

Ok so we are going to Alberta from August 30th-September 6th. We will be driving early morning of August 30th. Our schedule is like this:

August 30th-Trip begins. Drive for 8-12 hours to Banff, *or 4-6 hours to Kelowna.
August 31st -*From Kelowna we will drive 6 more hours to Banff.
September 1st -Check in at hotel and off to Banff National Park.
September 2nd -Still in Banff. Go to Lake Louise
September 3rd -Drive to Jasper. Check in at hotel and go to Jasper National Park.
September 4th -Still in Jasper.
September 5th-Drive to Edmonton. Check in at hotel and go see Edmonton Mall.
September 6th-Drive Home!
The * means optional.

Do you think we will have enough time for all those? We really want to do all those.
Give me your opinions pls. thanks!!

Vorkuta

Just as a matter of interest - what is your starting point? Vancouver? What is the finishing point? Calgary?

Maybe you've mentioned this on other threads?

BAK

That's an awful lot of driving to see a shopping center, wonderful as that shopping center is.

If you love to drive, maybe. But it is a long, long way from Edmonto to Vancouver, and a long, long way from Vancouver to Banff, and you'd be better off getting no closer to Edmonton than Jasper.

There's a thread about Calgary, Edmonton, Bannf, Jasper that recpmmends to someone else that, if time is tight, Edmonton gets skipped.

BAK

ltt

you could do it. especially if you don't mind driving a lot. it's a very good easy road between jasper and edmonton. however, if you don't have your heart set on the mall, i'd skip edmonton. it's about 3 1/2 - 4 hours from jasper to edmonton.

travel4fun_

Ya, We will be departing from Surrey (Vancouver) Myself and another person will be alternating the driving job...so it won't be that much work Thanks for all your opinions

Judy_in_Calgary

Hello Travel4fun,

If you REALLY want to visit West Edmonton Mall, it might be better to go there on a week day when the stores are open till 9 pm instead of a Sunday when they're open from 12 noon to 6 pm.

Also, in my experience, the highways tend to be pretty busy on Labour Day, as the last of the vacationing families return home in time for school. So I think a drive from Edmonton to Surrey (if that's your end point as well as your starting point), which would be long under the best of circumstances, would be pretty brutal on Labour Day (September 6th). So I think it would be better to get the one long drive out of the way on the first day of your trip, and spread the return drive over two days.

Here's a suggested itinerary.

Mon Aug 30th - Drive from Surrey to Banff townsite.

Tue Aug 31st - From your base in Banff townsite, visit Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and Johnston Canyon.

Wed Sep 1st - Drive to Jasper townsite.

Thu Sep 2nd - Drive to Edmonton in the morning. Check out West Edmonton Mall in the afternoon / evening.

Fri Sep 3rd - Drive back to Jasper townsite in the morning. Visit one of the attractions in the Jasper area in the afternoon.

Sat Sep 4th - Explore more of Jasper's environs.

Sun Sep 5th - Drive to Kamloops via the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy #16).

Mon Sep 6th - Drive to Surrey.

travel4fun_

Hm...its a bit diff...but it might work! I forgot it was labour day on Sept 6th...oops...I hate getting stuck in traffic...so not fun! so i do think Your idea Judy...is much much better thxs