Hello all,

I would appreciate help with the following itinerary and accommodation suggestions. We'll be flying into Calgary on August 7, 2008 and are thinking of staying until August 17, 2008 (but we haven't booked yet so we've got some flexibility).

Just to give you some background, SO and I are in our 30s. We both enjoy beautiful scenery and nature. I don't necessarily want a trip where I'm trying to see it all (I don't want to feel like I'm on the amazing race .

This is what I've thought of so far. Please let me know. Am I spending too much/little in one place. I there any other place I should definitely stay in as well (or instead of one of the places I'm thinking of).

2 nights - Calgary
2 nights - Banff or Canmore
2 nights - Field
4 nights - Jasper

Also, re accommodations, I'm looking for moderately priced places. I'm open to private apartments or b&b's (that have separate entrances), inns and hotels. I do realize that it's peak season and that I need to get onto things and that my options may be limited but I'd appreciate your insight nonetheless.

Thx

Sorry - one further comment. I'm open to staying in other places. I was thinking that Golden may be a also be a good place from which to explore the b.c. rockies (which I'd be interested in seeing). I welcome your thoughts on that issue.

Merci!

Hi,

There have been quite a few posts recently about itineraries in the Rockies and lots of good information in them with accomodation suggestions.

I suggest you make your bookings asap (in the next couple of days). Others were having difficulties finding places with vacancies in the last few weeks and I can't imagine things have gotten any better.

At this date, you may be constrained by where you can find accommodations, particularly in Jasper.

I have stayed in rooms that were in private homes. The experience was fairly satisfactory. In one case we arrived, nobody was home, and I did not know what to do. Finally, after waiting for 2 hours, I started looking around.

There was a note on the back door directing us to the room and bath.
Why it was not on the front door I never understood. Had I not been a little bold I would never have seen it.

I had paid for the room by sending Canadian money via post well in advance, and we left the following morning without ever seeing the owner of the house.

Golden has several commercial motels. The only one I have used is not an older motel called the Rondo. I do not know how far down it has gone since I was last there.

There are several places along the Trans Canada which passes slightly north of the shopping areas of downtown Golden.

From there you can do what you suggested. Glacier National Park is not far away to the west. The Trans Canada highway crosses the park at Rogers Pass where there is a motel and a visitor center.

The Selkirks and the Purcells make good viewing, but tough climbing.

Your times look ok to me. I usually spend a little more time in Field, but that is because we usually have a day on the trails somewhere.

You will certainly have ample opportunity to see Takkakaw Falls and Emerald Lake.

I wish you all the success in the world in finding a place to stay in Jasper.

My adult son and his wife stayed at the older hotel downtown. I think it is called the Athabasca.
It is a backpackers place, but they usually go for the cheapest rooms.

Just get a room with a private bath is his recommendation.

I never have been in the place, so I am just being a relay man.

You will find that nothing is cheap out there, particularly with the low value of the US dollar. (Assuming your currency base is US$$)

Any time I talk about Canada and the Rockies I get the urge to go back.\

Bob Brown, I'm sorry to hear of your sub-standard experience at one of Jasper's home accommodations. That sort of behaviour on the part of the hosts is definitely not acceptable - have you considered sending a complaint?

To the OP, private home accommodation and B&Bs in Jasper can be found at www.stayinjasper.com (Bob, you can also contact the association with your concerns/complaint at that site) - many or most of them have private entrances; that is one of the items you can search through the listings for. Some of the homes offer breakfast, usually a self-served continental. I am aware of two homes that offer a served continental, but nobody in town does a full cooked brekkie. (Breakfast was forbidden for many years, so private home accommodations have tended more to self-contained rooms/suites.)

I would recommend booking as soon as possible. Summer is booking up, and it may be a challenge to find a place with four consecutive nights available, especially the nicer ones.

I did not even think of saying anything. I found the room, got a good night's sleep, and continued south on the Icefields Parkway.

Nothing wrong with the room, so saying anything did not cross my mind. I just figured they thought I knew where to go.

This event happened more than 3 years ago and I do not recall the name of the place.

The other one we used was ok too.
The host was home and showed us to our suite in the basement.

Of those home accommodations the best one I know of is Spiral Tunnels in Field.

It is a very nice place with a separate entrance and a separate tub and shower. The fireplace is made of faux stone which is so well done that it had me fooled until the owner told me it was false.

I would suggest limiting your time in Calgary to one night... you are going to this part of the world for it's natural beauty and you will want to maximize the time you have to enjoy it. Calgary is a nice enough city, but it doesn't merit one-fifth of your trip.

Hello all,

I wanted to thank you for your advice. Sorry for my late reply.

I'm happy to report that we've booked our accommodations (except for Calgary but that shouldn't be an issue)! We're going to Calgary - Field - Jasper - Banff for the number of nights that I stated in my earlier post. I realize we're spending a lot of time in Calgary but we're going to be with another friend there and we will be there for an event.

We decided to go with private apartments in each place (except for Banff). The places we chose seem to be nice and the rates are reasonable.

I'm excited!

Thank you all for your advice. It was much appreciated. I'm sure I'll be bugging y'all again within the next month and a half