re-thinking Rockies itinerary
Aug 7th, 2006, 07:28 AM
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re-thinking Rockies itinerary
I know, I know-- second-guessing or planning too much can diminish the pleasure in travelling. I know, too, that everyone has his/her own druthers, that personal preference plays a big part in enjoyment: there aren't any "objective" measurements of such things. Still...
I'm thinking, now, that maybe I should cut out the Emerald Lake Lodge part of our trip and just visit that site during the days we spend in Lake Louise, i.e. add another day to our Fairmont LL reservations and another to our Fairmont Jasper reservation. As things stand now, we overnight in Calgary day of arrival and night before departure. Then 2 nights in Banff (Rimrock), 2 in LL, 2 Jasper, 2 Emerald. The more I read (and I'm really devouring the guidebooks and trail guides now), the more it seems as if there's way too much to do in Jasper and LL areas to have just 2 days in each. Plus, I keep reading that the food at Emerald Lodge is not so great, so I'm thinking it might make sense to forego overnighting those 2 nights at Emerald Lodge and just do a day-trip from LL? I.e.: 2 nights Banff, 3 LL, 3 Jasper. Would be interested in in-put. Thanks so much!!
(Would also be interested in hearing whether it makes sense to drive from the LL Fairmont to Baker's Creek for dinner, i.e. how long it takes, whether closer restaurant might be just as good.)
Soon! soon!
I'm thinking, now, that maybe I should cut out the Emerald Lake Lodge part of our trip and just visit that site during the days we spend in Lake Louise, i.e. add another day to our Fairmont LL reservations and another to our Fairmont Jasper reservation. As things stand now, we overnight in Calgary day of arrival and night before departure. Then 2 nights in Banff (Rimrock), 2 in LL, 2 Jasper, 2 Emerald. The more I read (and I'm really devouring the guidebooks and trail guides now), the more it seems as if there's way too much to do in Jasper and LL areas to have just 2 days in each. Plus, I keep reading that the food at Emerald Lodge is not so great, so I'm thinking it might make sense to forego overnighting those 2 nights at Emerald Lodge and just do a day-trip from LL? I.e.: 2 nights Banff, 3 LL, 3 Jasper. Would be interested in in-put. Thanks so much!!
(Would also be interested in hearing whether it makes sense to drive from the LL Fairmont to Baker's Creek for dinner, i.e. how long it takes, whether closer restaurant might be just as good.)
Soon! soon!
Aug 7th, 2006, 08:02 AM
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Hi poss. As much as I love staying at Emerald Lake Lodge, I agree that you might be better to add an extra night to LL and Jasper. There is enough to do in those two areas that you could easily use 3 days (or more!). Emerald Lake Lodge is quite isolated (which is why I go there mainly to relax and get away from it all) and you have to take a shuttle from the lodge to the parking lot every time you want to go somewhere in your car. There is never a problem getting someone to shuttle you back and forth, but it is something worth considering in your plans.
As for the food at ELL, I've always considered it to be very good, but perhaps things have changed recently??....
As for the food at ELL, I've always considered it to be very good, but perhaps things have changed recently??....
Aug 7th, 2006, 08:03 AM
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I second bmacdon's thoughts.
A factor that affects your planning is your departure time from Calgary Airport. If you'll be taking off around noon or early in the afternoon, it would be possible to spend the last night of your vacation in Banff or even Lake Louise. It would not be feasible to spend the last night of your vacation in Jasper.
So, the best order in which to do things (depending on your departure time) is Calgary - Banff - Jasper - Lake Louise or alternatively Calgary - Lake Louise - Jasper - Banff.
If you were spending the last night of your vacation in Banff, you would need to set out from Banff <b>at least</b> 4 hours prior to take off, and I would consider 5 hours to be more ideal.
If you were heading to the airport from Lake Louise, you would need to start driving 5 hours before departure, and I would consider 6 hours more ideal.
If you were heading to the airport from Jasper, you would need to leave the town 8 hours before departure, but 9 hours would be better.
Remember that for a US-bound flight, you need to check in 2 hours before take off so that you can clear US immigration and customs at Calgary Airport.
Keep in mind that the drive to the airport is 2 hours from Banff, 3 hours from Lake Louise and 5.5 hours from Jasper.
I like to add an hour for contingencies.
In the case of the drive from Jasper, you definitely would need a meal somewhere along the way, so add an hour for that.
The food situation at the departure gates for US-bound flights at Calgary Airport is abysmal. If you want to have lunch before your flight, you absolutely need to eat <b>before</b> you start the check in process. Once you are in the "pipeline" (going through immigration, customs and airport security), there is no opportunity to eat until you reach your departure gate, and then the choices, service, etc., are poor.
If you like, you can eat offsite, before you even reach the airport. There is practically nowhere to eat between Canmore and Calgary, but once you reach Calgary there are of course restaurants throughout the city.
I personally think the most convenient thing to do is to drive all the way to Calgary Airport, hand in your rental car, and then go to the Delta Calgary Airport Hotel. It has a nice restaurant where you can have a pleasant meal. Then proceed to your airline's check in counter.
If other prospective travellers read this post and want food choices other than the Delta Calgary Airport Hotel, the airport complex has a small handful of "real" restaurants, like Kelseys, and it also has a respectable food court.
If you are satisfied with fast food joints, there are any number of those at the airport too.
Back to you, poss. Baker Creek Bistro is a 10-minute drive from Lake Louise village. It's just off the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy #1A), which is an alternative way to get from Lake Louise to Banff and the road on which Johnston Canyon is situated. Baker Creek Bistro certainly is worth the drive.
A factor that affects your planning is your departure time from Calgary Airport. If you'll be taking off around noon or early in the afternoon, it would be possible to spend the last night of your vacation in Banff or even Lake Louise. It would not be feasible to spend the last night of your vacation in Jasper.
So, the best order in which to do things (depending on your departure time) is Calgary - Banff - Jasper - Lake Louise or alternatively Calgary - Lake Louise - Jasper - Banff.
If you were spending the last night of your vacation in Banff, you would need to set out from Banff <b>at least</b> 4 hours prior to take off, and I would consider 5 hours to be more ideal.
If you were heading to the airport from Lake Louise, you would need to start driving 5 hours before departure, and I would consider 6 hours more ideal.
If you were heading to the airport from Jasper, you would need to leave the town 8 hours before departure, but 9 hours would be better.
Remember that for a US-bound flight, you need to check in 2 hours before take off so that you can clear US immigration and customs at Calgary Airport.
Keep in mind that the drive to the airport is 2 hours from Banff, 3 hours from Lake Louise and 5.5 hours from Jasper.
I like to add an hour for contingencies.
In the case of the drive from Jasper, you definitely would need a meal somewhere along the way, so add an hour for that.
The food situation at the departure gates for US-bound flights at Calgary Airport is abysmal. If you want to have lunch before your flight, you absolutely need to eat <b>before</b> you start the check in process. Once you are in the "pipeline" (going through immigration, customs and airport security), there is no opportunity to eat until you reach your departure gate, and then the choices, service, etc., are poor.
If you like, you can eat offsite, before you even reach the airport. There is practically nowhere to eat between Canmore and Calgary, but once you reach Calgary there are of course restaurants throughout the city.
I personally think the most convenient thing to do is to drive all the way to Calgary Airport, hand in your rental car, and then go to the Delta Calgary Airport Hotel. It has a nice restaurant where you can have a pleasant meal. Then proceed to your airline's check in counter.
If other prospective travellers read this post and want food choices other than the Delta Calgary Airport Hotel, the airport complex has a small handful of "real" restaurants, like Kelseys, and it also has a respectable food court.
If you are satisfied with fast food joints, there are any number of those at the airport too.
Back to you, poss. Baker Creek Bistro is a 10-minute drive from Lake Louise village. It's just off the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy #1A), which is an alternative way to get from Lake Louise to Banff and the road on which Johnston Canyon is situated. Baker Creek Bistro certainly is worth the drive.
Aug 7th, 2006, 04:26 PM
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We only stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge in Sept. 2004 because we couldn't get a reservation in Lake Louise and it was our favorite place that we stayed.
On our first day of the trip, we drove in from Calgary, stopped in Banff for lunch at the Coyote Cafe, bought my husband a pair of hiking boots (he forgot his), hiked Johnston Canyon, walked around Lake Louise and then drove out to Emerald Lake Lodge for dinner.
We had the smallest room they offer--in a building with 4 units. It had a wonderful woodburning fireplace, stoked and ready to light, small sitting area, nice bath--the room had been recently refurbished. It had a peek a boo view of the lake.
The next morning,we had breakfast at the Lodge, stopped at Takakkaw Falls, hiked to Lake Agnes Teahouse, up Big Beehive and down to the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail. Back to the Lodge and dinner at the more casual restaurant Cilantros and the great bumbleberry pie.
Emerald Lake Lodge was one of our favorite all time places to stay. We thought the food was very good. The drive out to the Lodge is beautiful--we loved everything about it.
On our first day of the trip, we drove in from Calgary, stopped in Banff for lunch at the Coyote Cafe, bought my husband a pair of hiking boots (he forgot his), hiked Johnston Canyon, walked around Lake Louise and then drove out to Emerald Lake Lodge for dinner.
We had the smallest room they offer--in a building with 4 units. It had a wonderful woodburning fireplace, stoked and ready to light, small sitting area, nice bath--the room had been recently refurbished. It had a peek a boo view of the lake.
The next morning,we had breakfast at the Lodge, stopped at Takakkaw Falls, hiked to Lake Agnes Teahouse, up Big Beehive and down to the Plain of Six Glaciers Trail. Back to the Lodge and dinner at the more casual restaurant Cilantros and the great bumbleberry pie.
Emerald Lake Lodge was one of our favorite all time places to stay. We thought the food was very good. The drive out to the Lodge is beautiful--we loved everything about it.
Aug 8th, 2006, 10:11 AM
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Thank you, responders. I'm still pondering (aka driving myself bananas). It's unfortunate that we'll have to waste 2 nights at an airport motel (thinking probably Hilton Garden Inn: Trip Advisor reports that it's quiet and comfortable and the rate's not bad). We get to Calgary in the evening and we leave mid-morning. I'm still trying to figure out best order of things and whether to drop Emerald Lodge altogether. (that Lake sounds/looks so lovely) I'm confident that the 2 nights we'd thought for Jasper Park Lodge will not be enough to do the various walks we want to do in that area, so I'll need to grab one night from somewhere. Maybe do Calgary-Banff (2)-Jasper (3)-Emerald Lake (visit Tak Falls, etc) (1)-Lake Louise (2) Dizzying! (Never had this kind of problem when we did all the US National Parks, I guess because they're somehow more "self-contained." But we've visited them all (virtually), some several times, and I've forever been eager to get to the CRockies.)
I hope I'll get more in-put on this question, tho I realize that finally it's my decision. I do very much appreciate the feedback!
I hope I'll get more in-put on this question, tho I realize that finally it's my decision. I do very much appreciate the feedback!
Aug 8th, 2006, 02:00 PM
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Comments and suggestions--
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are just 30 minutes up the road from Banff. Why spend 2 nights in Banff and then spend another 2-3 nights in Lake Louise area when Banff and Lake Louise are so close together? My suggestion would be to skip staying in Banff.
Have eaten at Baker Creek a number of times in the last several years--don't miss it (our favorite restaurant in the Lake Louise area--we prefer it to the Post Hotel restaurant, which is also very good but more expensive and more formal).
Emerald Lake is a short (30-40 minute) drive from Lake Louise, so you can visit Tak Falls, Emerald Lake, and throw in a long hike on a single day outing from Lake Louise. But then Emerald Lake location is beautiful and certainly worthy of an overnight stay.
Plan on the drive up the Icefields Parkway taking up most of the day (Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Icefields snocoach tour, several falls, Parker Ridge hike, etc, etc). Have driven the Icefields several times in the last few years and always make the same stops.
Unless you are serious hikers, three full days in Jasper should be enough. We typically spend one day in Maligne Canyon and at Maligne Lake, one day hiking in the Mt Robson area west of Jasper, and one day at Mt Cavell and the adjacent areas.
Best restaurant in Jasper is at Tekarra Lodge.
Have stayed at Hilton Garden Inn and give it a thumb's up.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are just 30 minutes up the road from Banff. Why spend 2 nights in Banff and then spend another 2-3 nights in Lake Louise area when Banff and Lake Louise are so close together? My suggestion would be to skip staying in Banff.
Have eaten at Baker Creek a number of times in the last several years--don't miss it (our favorite restaurant in the Lake Louise area--we prefer it to the Post Hotel restaurant, which is also very good but more expensive and more formal).
Emerald Lake is a short (30-40 minute) drive from Lake Louise, so you can visit Tak Falls, Emerald Lake, and throw in a long hike on a single day outing from Lake Louise. But then Emerald Lake location is beautiful and certainly worthy of an overnight stay.
Plan on the drive up the Icefields Parkway taking up most of the day (Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Icefields snocoach tour, several falls, Parker Ridge hike, etc, etc). Have driven the Icefields several times in the last few years and always make the same stops.
Unless you are serious hikers, three full days in Jasper should be enough. We typically spend one day in Maligne Canyon and at Maligne Lake, one day hiking in the Mt Robson area west of Jasper, and one day at Mt Cavell and the adjacent areas.
Best restaurant in Jasper is at Tekarra Lodge.
Have stayed at Hilton Garden Inn and give it a thumb's up.
Aug 9th, 2006, 05:18 AM
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Hi Poss,
Oh, I do that too - and I hate it! I get things in order and then I start tearing it apart thinking something might be better differently! Why do we do that?
But I did want to tell you what we are doing (understand, we are NOT Canadian experts at all) as we are able to NOT stay in the airport hotels which we really don't like to do.
The first night we are staying at Bragg Creek as we had read so much about how wonderful the little town was and to be sure and take the circle around/from Calgary to see it. We will leave the next day and head north.
And the last night we are in Canmore. Canmore is nicely situated just a few miles from Banff. That way we can re-do something we loved or do something we missed earlier. It's an easy drive to the airport as Judy explained in her "Last night" section. However you may not have the 4 or 5 hours before your take-off. Anyway, just an idea.
Have a great trip!
Oh, I do that too - and I hate it! I get things in order and then I start tearing it apart thinking something might be better differently! Why do we do that?
But I did want to tell you what we are doing (understand, we are NOT Canadian experts at all) as we are able to NOT stay in the airport hotels which we really don't like to do.
The first night we are staying at Bragg Creek as we had read so much about how wonderful the little town was and to be sure and take the circle around/from Calgary to see it. We will leave the next day and head north.
And the last night we are in Canmore. Canmore is nicely situated just a few miles from Banff. That way we can re-do something we loved or do something we missed earlier. It's an easy drive to the airport as Judy explained in her "Last night" section. However you may not have the 4 or 5 hours before your take-off. Anyway, just an idea.
Have a great trip!
Aug 10th, 2006, 04:56 AM
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Thanks, Brahmama and Craig (and thanks, too, for your other posts-- all interesting and helpful).
We'll be getting in to Calgary late and departing early-- so the otherwise good suggestions to avoid airport accommodations won't fly with us, alas. I'd have liked to do the last night at, say, Canmore, but it'd be cutting things too close.
Craig: We're "serious" hikers only in the sense that it's one of the main pleasures in our life-- the main thing we love to do when we vacation/travel. But we're 70-something,, and while we're thankfully in good health, 70-something healthy simply isn't the same as 20-something healthy. From what I gather from all my reading (here and lots of books), there're endless walks/trails to keep us busy and happy. Now if I could only finally decide whether we'd rather change accommodations more frequently and thus have less drving to do to get to those various hikes-- or stay put a bit more and have more driving to do. Still up in the air. (But I'd better decide very soon, casue we'll be literally up in the air in a few weeks!)
Thanks to all again.
We'll be getting in to Calgary late and departing early-- so the otherwise good suggestions to avoid airport accommodations won't fly with us, alas. I'd have liked to do the last night at, say, Canmore, but it'd be cutting things too close.
Craig: We're "serious" hikers only in the sense that it's one of the main pleasures in our life-- the main thing we love to do when we vacation/travel. But we're 70-something,, and while we're thankfully in good health, 70-something healthy simply isn't the same as 20-something healthy. From what I gather from all my reading (here and lots of books), there're endless walks/trails to keep us busy and happy. Now if I could only finally decide whether we'd rather change accommodations more frequently and thus have less drving to do to get to those various hikes-- or stay put a bit more and have more driving to do. Still up in the air. (But I'd better decide very soon, casue we'll be literally up in the air in a few weeks!)
Thanks to all again.
Aug 12th, 2006, 05:42 PM
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Might as well add my opinion to help confuse you more. I would definitely add another night to Jasper. If you find you don't really need another day there, you can start out early and spend more time on the Icefields Parkway or at your next destination. As far as Emerald Lodge, we didn't stay there, just did the day trip from our Lake Louise accommodations. It is a beautiful place, but it really depends on how much you want to pack up and move (my husband hates that part). Unless you are going to stay there and relax, I don't think it is a very good place for a base. (maybe one night) Also, when we were there in the latter part of September, the casual restaurant was closed for the season.
I think you're better off staying at the airport with the times of your flights. We left in the afternoon and were able to stay in Banff our last night, but there was pretty much traffic on the road to the airport in Calgory.
Whatever you decide, you will probably want to go back and do/see more at another time (I know we do). Planning is fun as long as you can enjoy yourself when you get there -- even if you don't get to do everything you planned. Have a good trip!
I think you're better off staying at the airport with the times of your flights. We left in the afternoon and were able to stay in Banff our last night, but there was pretty much traffic on the road to the airport in Calgory.
Whatever you decide, you will probably want to go back and do/see more at another time (I know we do). Planning is fun as long as you can enjoy yourself when you get there -- even if you don't get to do everything you planned. Have a good trip!
Aug 18th, 2006, 05:20 AM
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I certainly will! I've received great help from these forums and will absolutely return the favor. (In the meantime, we're holding our breath that no hurricanes loom to prevent our making this long-awaited trip. We've had to scrap well-laid plans before because we live in big storm country.)
Aug 26th, 2006, 12:02 AM
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We stayed 3 nights Jasper, 3 Lake Louise, 1 Banff, 2 Emerald Lake Lodge. As beautiful as Emerald Lake Lodge was we found ourselves leaving every day, since the best hikes were closer to L. Louise. So unless you are planning on just spending all your time at emerald Lake I would skip it.
