Philip

Am retired now. Did annual treks overseas until this year -- time to change and see more of North America. Two couples wanting to drive from Vancouver to Calgary (or close to that). About 10-11ish days. Will need van or auto rental (or small RV). Want majestic scenery. We enjoy good food and red wines. Would like to stay in higher end hotels / B&B that show local flavor/flair. Don't want to drive in ice or snow. Is there a best time to make the trip (like Europe was best for us the first two weeks of October).

1. I looked at Rocky Mountaineer train itineraries. Can you drive something similar?
2. What are the must see locations?
3. Recommendations on B&B, Inns or hotels?
4. Must not miss restaurants?
5. Instead of renting a car, should we consider a small small RV? We would like to still stay at a hotel at night but thought it may be fun to have food and beverages (and comfort) and we watch scenery.

I love to research trips. Just getting started on this trip. Appreciate getting leg up from the experts out there.

tomfuller

The Rocky Mountaineer is much more expensive than the ViaRail Canadian. The Canadian arrives 3 times per week in Jasper. There are several rental car agencies within walking distance of the train station in Jasper.

kgsneds

Welcome!
First, what do you want to see in this trip? Do you want to see BC? The Rockies? Mountains in general? If you want to see the Rockies, we generally suggest a minimum of week there, and that leaves you just a couple of days to get across the province. If you want to see BC, then you can do a relaxed trip across the province.

There's never any guarantee that you won't have some snow, but in general if you want to avoid driving in snow or ice, best to come between late May and early October. Which is the best time anyway as seasonal roads & attractions in the mountains are generally shut between early October and late May/late June. That's unfortunately peak tourist time, but no real way to get around it.

If you looking to stay in hotels or B&Bs, you definitely don't want an RV, or even a van. Given the costs and hassles of an RV, it would be absolutely silly to rent one if you're not going to stay in it the whole time. Very few high end hotels (or any hotels around here) would have RV parking, and many in places like Banff have underground parking where even a larger van would be a squeeze. Most places have very strict rules about camping - i.e. only in campgrounds - so B&Bs are not likely to be keen to having an RV parked by them (or have enough space in their limited off street parking). Never mind trying to find parking at popular tourist locales or in the townsites. The best vehicle is the smallest vehicle that fits your party and luggage. With four adults, a cross over or mid sized SUV should be more than sufficient unless you're bringing a ton of luggage.

Yes, you can certainly drive the Rocky Mountaineer route. Given the big mountain ranges, there are usually only a few ways east-west, so the rail lines tend to follow right by the highways. But honestly, that route is not necessarily the most scenic. If you want scenic, you really want the Rockies.

Given your interests, I'd probably suggest picking one stop in BC. And that would likely be the Okanagan where you can enjoy the excellent local wines and lake country. Then get over the Rockies and spend at least 6 nights between Jasper and Banff/Lake Louise/Canmore. The Icefields Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in the world and will give you more than enough scenery if you go to Jasper and back.

You need to book ASAP though as availability is quite limited in the peak summer months (June - September) and there are fewer higher end hotels. Banff has some nice B&Bs and there are a handful of higher end Private Home Accommodations (www.stayinjasper.com) in Jasper.

So, before we can give you any more advice on restaurants/places to stay, you need to decide how you are going to shape this trip. 10 days is not enough to see it all, so you have to decide whether this is BC trip or whether you want to see the Rockies. Then go from there.

tomfuller

The ViaRail Canadian leaves Vancouver in the afternoon of Mondays,Tuesdays and Fridays. The train arrives in Jasper a little less than 24 hours later. If you didn't want to rent a car in Jasper, there are Brewster bus tours leaving from the Jasper train station.
Taking the train is less stressful than driving all the way across British Columbia IMO.

sludick

I think that the drive between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies is absolutely gorgeous, and you have a number of great routing options. Even though we live in Florida, we have spent a number of vacations in B.C. and some various routes on the trip you are considering. kgsneds mentioned the Okanagan. In that vein, here are some ideas:

• You could spend 2-3 days in the Okanagan area. Since you enjoy red wines, IMO the best will be found along the Naramata Bench (Penticton area) and down to Osoyoos. A property like Spirit Ridge Resort will have 2 bedroom condos if you like, as would Watermark Resort (both Osoyoos). Then go northward to connect to 1 (Trans Canada) and head for the Rockies. That would take you through Revelstoke, Rogers Pass, etc. Stop for the night at Sicamous or Salmon Arm. The next morning, don't miss a stop at Craigellachie, where the last spike was driven for the Canadian Pacific Railroad Craigellachie, Canadian Pacific Railroad, 'The Last Spike'
• You could follow a more southerly route and visit Nelson (this is where the Steve Martin movie Roxanne was filmed). Stay at the Hume, a historic hotel that has been nicely renovated into a boutique property. Be sure to visit their Library Lounge for an adult beverage. I heard that Bob Hope once stayed there and quipped that it was nice to stay somewhere "older than himself." https://www.humehotel.com/ Just before the turnoff to Nelson, stop at the Doukhobor Discovery Center for a bit of history at Castlegar. Doukhobor Discovery Centre - Home
• BC Inland Ferries. The first time we rode one, I kept it a secret from my hubby, and he was dumbfounded to find that the road simply ended at a long lake. Then, in about 15 minutes, along came a ferry (free) that we drove onto and it took us across. From there, the road went up to Revelstoke and the Trans-Canada Hwy. (This was the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry.) There is another route we have on our list, the Kootenay Lake Ferry, and that is about 35 km east of Nelson. That route would take you along 95A to 93 and then up toward Banff. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/t...inland-ferries/

These are just a couple of suggestions, of course.

mdinbc

Some options;
I would spend a few days in Vancouver, and then head up to Whistler for a few days. Gorgeous drive (but busy) and there are plenty of things to see and do in Whistler along with plenty of fine dining options. From there, you could head north-east through the coastal mountains along Duffy Lake road; a stunning windy smaller highway. You will go from coastal rainforest to semi arid desert in about 4 hours. It will take you to the interior via Kamloops

Or after Whistler you could backtrack back to Vancouver, but instead of joining the Hwy 1 TransCanada, take the Lougheed highway along the north shore of the Fraser River until Hope and then head inland via Hwy 5 and 97c to the Okanagan Valley.

While in the Okanagan, check out Sparkling Hills Resort near Vernon - beautiful setting and great spa. After a few days in the Okanagan, head north to the Shuswap Lakes area, then join Hwy 1 through to Golden and the Rockies to Lake Louise.
Head north along the Icefield Parkway to Jasper. You will have to back track south along the same highway again, but it is stunning in both directions! They you can see all Banff has to offer, then onwards to Calgary.

I think early September would be a nice time to go. Avoiding the biggest crowds, but still nice weather.
Some restaurants we have enjoyed:
Chambar - Vancouver - Belgian cuisine in a lively setting
Araxi - Whistler - farm to table menu - higher end budget
Lakeshore Restaurant El Dorado Hotel - Kelowna - they offer a nice Sunday brunch in a lovely lakeside setting. good for sunset dining as well.

have fun planning!